Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/368

 was an  external  law,  written  on  stone  tables,  observed  out  of  fear, which could  effect  no  inner  justification  or  sanctification. The law  of the  New  Covenant  was  written  in  men’s  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost, so that  it  is  a law  kept  out  of  love,  which  changes  man  inwardly, cleanses and  heals  him  from  sin. For this  reason  the  Holy  Ghost  came down on  Whitsunday,  and  wrote  the  law  of  Christ  on  the  hearts  of the  apostles,  illuminating  them,  and  kindling  in  them  the  fire  of  love. The law  of  the  New  Covenant  is  engraved  in  the  hearts  of  individuals in holy  Baptism.

The Lamentations  of  Jeremias  are  very  impressive,  and  full  of  deep meaning. They refer  literally  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  the captivity which  the  Jewish  people  had  brought  upon  themselves; but they bear  (as  the  Church  has  always  taught)  a deeper  meaning,  and contain allusions  both  to  the  sufferings  of  the  Divine  Redeemer,  and to the  sad  condition  of  man  when  he  is  separated  from  God.

1. The  Church  applies  the  passages:  “O  all  ye  that  pass  by  the way, attend  and  see  if  there  be  any  sorrow  like  unto  my  sorrow”,  and "Great as  the  sea  is  thy  destruction.  Who  shall  heal  thee?”  to  our Lord,  suffering  and  dying,  and  also  to  His  sorrowful  Mother  (see  the Lamentations  sung  in  the  office  of  the  last  three  days  of  Holy  Week).

2. The  passages  relating  to  the  desolation  of  Jerusalem  and  the Temple are  applied  by  the  Church  to  the  sad  condition  to  which  man is brought  by  sin  and  its  consequences,  and  to  the  desolation  which mortal sin  entails  on  the  individual,  whose  soul  is  the  temple  of  God. Of a soul  which  is  in  a state  of  mortal  sin,  we  can  truly  say:  "O how  desolate  is  that  soul,  which  was  formerly  so  rich  in  virtues  and merits.  She  was  the  mistress  over  the  powers  of  human  nature,  and now,  behold,  she  is  the  slave  of  sin  and  Satan  1 Once  she  was  beautiful, now  she  is  defaced,  and  full  of  sorrow,  unrest,  and  remorse  of conscience.”

Comfort in  suffering. Almighty  God  did  not  quite  forsake  His people. Even during  their  captivity  he  raised  up  prophets  among  them, to urge  them  to  do  penance,  to  strengthen  their  faith,  to  warn  them against idolatry,  to  comfort  them  and  give  them  hope  both  of  deliverance from their  present  captivity,  and  of  the  coming  of  a future  Saviour. We too,  in  our  troubles  and  adversity,  ought  to  draw  comfort  from the thought  of  our  Divine  Saviour,  who  endured  unspeakable  sufferings for our  sake. We should  also  draw  comfort  and  courage  from  the thoughts of  eternal  life. St. Paul  writes:  "The  sufferings  of  this  world are  not  worthy  to  be  compared  with  the  glory  to  come,  that  shall  be revealed  in  us”  (Rom.  8,  18).

The eleventh  promise  of  the  Messias.  The  vision  of  Ezechiel  is, primarily, prophetical  of  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  in  which  all  the Jews believed,  even  as  patient  Job  believed  in  it. Thus the  vision presupposes and  describes  this  belief,  and  then  employs  it  to  convey