Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/74

 anguishes which sinners often suffer by inflicting upon themselves : S. Matt. v. 2, 5, “ There met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. cutting himself with stones.” Jer. ii. 19, “See, that it is an evil and bitter thing that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God,” &c.

Five things are noted of this woman of Canaan which availed for the liberation of this demoniac. (1) Humility: “ Yet the dogs eat.” (2) Her patience, since she patiently endured the seeming reproaches of Our Lord. (3) Her prayer, “ Have mercy on me, O Lord.” (4) Her perseverance : she did not cease asking till she obtained what she desired. (5) Her faith: “O woman, great is thy faith.” If we had had these five qualities we should be delivered from every devil, that is, from all sin; which may Christ grant us to be. Amen.

The Apostle, in these words, lays down three points for consideration. Firstly, he exhorts to walking: “ walk.” Secondly, the manner of walking : “ as children.” Thirdly, He assigns a cause “ of the light,” for light is the means of walking: S. John xii. 35, “Walk while ye have the light.”

I. On the first head it is to be noted, that man has a four-fold walk. (1) Of nature, by walking according to which a man hastens towards death: Job. xvi. 22, “ I shall go the way whence I shall not return.” (2) Of sin, by walking according to which a man passes on from sin to sin: Ps. xii. 8, “ The wicked walk on every side.” (3) Of grace, by walking according to which a man goes on from good to better: Gen. xvii. 1, “Walk before Me, and be thou perfect.” (4) Of glory, according to which the holy walk who are following Christ: Apoc. iii. 4, “They shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.” The first is to be endured, the second to be avoided, the third to be acted upon,