Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/569

 The Necessity  of  Prayer. As  Jesus  prayed  perseveringly  and  fervently, before  He  chose  His  apostles,  so  ought  we  to  begin  every  important undertaking  by  prayer,  so  as  to  ensure  God’s  help  and  blessing.

The Number  of  the  Apostles.  Our  Lord  chose  twelve  apostles,  this number having  been  fore-ordained,  and  pre-figured  in  the  Old  Testament by  the  twelve  patriarchs. The kingdom  of  the  Messias  sprang from Israel,  the  chosen  people  of  God ; and  even  as  Israel  was  descended from the  twelve  sons  of  Jacob  (or  Israel),  so  does  the  spiritual  Israel or New  Covenant  of  grace,  the  Church,  proceed  from  the  twelve  spiritual sons of  the  true  Israel  (or  Wrestler),  Jesus  Christ. Whoever was  descended from Jacob’s  twelve  sons,  belonged  to  the  Old  Covenant,  and  had  a share  in  its  promises. In like  manner,  whoever  wishes  to  belong  to the  New  Covenant,  and  enjoy  its  treasures  of  grace,  must  be  spiritually descended from  the  twelve  apostles,  the  patriarchs  of  the  Church,  or, in other  words,  must  be  a member  of  the  One  Apostolic  Church.

Proofs of  our  Lord's  Divinity.  We  have  already  seen  with  awe the miraculous  power  of  Jesus,  by  which  He  showed  Himself  to  be Lord  over  all  creation,  even  over  death  and  hell,  and  we  saw  that  this miraculous power  was  in  Himself,  and  was  the  result  of  His  Divine Omnipotence. The chapter  we  have  just  read  makes  this  even  more clear; for  we  see  Him  hand  over  the  power  of  working  miracles  to His  apostles,  sending  them  forth  in  His  name  to  work  miracles,  to  heal the sick,  and  cast  out  devils. How could  Jesus  have  imparted  this  power to others,  if  He  were  not  Almighty — if  He  were  not  God?

The fear  of  man  and  the  fear  of  God.  Our  Lord  told  His  apostles to fear  God  more  than  men,  because  these  last  could,  at  the  worst, only deprive  them  of  their  mortal  life,  but  that  God  could  cast  both their souls  and  bodies  into  hell. Christians ought  never  to  do  anything, or leave  anything  undone  out  of  human  respect. Daniel, Susanna,  the seven Machabees,  and  the  apostles  before  the  council,  are  splendid examples of  how  the  fear  of  man  is  overcome  by  the  fear  of  God.

Confidence in  Divine  Providence.  Our  Lord  said  to  His  apostles, when He  sent  them  out:  "Not  one  sparrow  shall  fall  on  the  ground without  your  Father.  But  the  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  numbered. Fear  not,  therefore:  better  are  you  than  many  sparrows.”

Necessity and  merit  of  good  works.  St.  Chrysostom  writes  thus: “So that  none  might  plead  poverty  as  an  excuse  for  not  ministering  to Christ  in  the  person  of  His  disciples,  Jesus  cites  a cup  of  cold  water as a gift  which,  though  it  costs  nothing,  is  a proof  of  love.”

The anointing  of  the  sick  with  oil.  We  are  told  (Mark  6,  13)  that the apostles  whom  our  Lord  sent  out  “anointed  with  oil  many  that  were sick, and  healed  them”. This was  not  the  Sacrament  of  Extreme Unction, but  it  was  a type  of,  and  a preparation  for  it. The anointing here mentioned  worked  visibly  and  cured  the  body:  Extreme  Unction works invisibly,  and  primarily  heals  and  strengthens  the  soul.