Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/213

 Bread from  heaven. Our great  day  of  expiation  is  Good  Friday,  on which  day  Jesus  Christ  was  crucified  outside  the  walls  for  the  sins  of the  world. Even as  the  Jewish  High  Priest  went  into  the  Holy  of Holies  on  the  Day  of  Atonement,  to  carry  there  the  blood  of  the  sacrifice, so  Christ,  “being  come  an  High  Priest  of  the  good  things  to  come, by a greater  and  more  perfect  tabernacle  (i.  e.  heaven),  not  made  with hand, that  is,  not  of  this  creation,  neither  by  the  blood  of  goats  and of calves,  but  by  His  own  blood,  entered  once  into  the  Holies,  having obtained eternal  redemption”  (Hebr.  9,  11.  12). This means  that  Jesus Christ, having  won  for  us  by  His  death  on  Good  Friday  justification, sanctification, and  salvation,  entered  into  heaven,  where  He  continually offers the  merits  of  His  Passion  and  Death  to  His  heavenly  Father. The great  year  of  Jubilee,  which  began  with  the  Day  of  Atonement,  is a beautiful  type  of  the  Christian  era,  which  will  last  till  the  end  of  times, and in  which  man,  by  the  atoning  Death  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  freed  from the slavery  of  sin  and  Satan,  and  is  once  more  made  heir  of  the kingdom of  heaven. — The recurring  years  of  Rest  and  Jubilee  correspond with our  years  of  jubilee,  in  which  the  Church  throws  open  her  treasuries of grace  and  offers  to  us  indulgences,  i.  e.  remission  of  the  temporal punishment of  sin,  so  that  we  may  be  cleansed  from  all  guilt  and  made partakers of  the  heavenly  inheritance. Thus we  see  that  all  these  types find their  fulfilment  in  the  Catholic  Church,  and  in  her  alone;  for  she alone has  priest  and  High  Priest,  altar  and  sacrifice. It follows  then that the  Catholic  Church  alone  is  the  true  Church,  founded  by  God, and foreshadowed  in  the  Old  Testament.

The festal  assemblies  and  pilgrimages  of  the  people  of  Israel  had a very beneficial  effect. They served,  firstly,  to  preserve  and  increase the belief  in  the  true  God,  and  thus  to  keep  the  people  from  idolatry. Secondly, they  served  to  foster  unity  and  a common  feeling  among  the people, who  came  to  look  upon  themselves  as  all  members  of  one  body, confessors of  the  same  faith,  and  heirs  of  the  same  promises.

Reward of  faithfulness. The  tribe  of  Levi  was  smaller  than  the others, but  it  had  become  less  infected  with  idolatry;  and  on  account of its  faithfulness,  God  chose  it  for  His  special  service.

The High  Priest  was  the  spiritual  head  of  the  people,  the  visible representative of  God,  and  the  mediator  between  God  and  the  people. He had  the  privilege  of  entering  the  Holy  of  Holies  once  a year;  and, later on,  of  anointing  the  kings.

The Priests  had  the  right  and  the  duty  to  offer  sacrifice,  to  enter the Sanctuary,  to  keep  burning  the  lights  of  the  seven-branched  candlestick and the  sacred  fire  for  the  burnt-offerings,  to  bless  the  people  and  pray for them,  and  instruct  them  in  the  law.

The Levites  were  the  assistants  of  the  priest. They might  not enter the  Sanctuary,  but  had  to  guard  the  Tabernacle,  and,  later  on.