Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/808

 be proved  from  many  sources  that  from  the  most  ancient  times  anointing formed part  of  the  outward  sign  of  Confirmation. The inward  grace imparted by  Confirmation  is  the  receiving  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  with  the strength given  by  Him  to  confess  the  Faith  boldly,  and  to  live  in accordance  with  it. This Sacrament  was  instituted  by  our  Lord,  or  else the apostles  would  not  have  administered  it. The deacon,  Philip,  could not administer  it,  but  only  the  apostles,  who  had  received  from  our Lord the  power  and  authority  to  apply  to  the  faithful  all  the  graces  of Redemption. Hence bishops,  as  the  successors  of  the  apostles,  are  the ordinary ministers  of  Confirmation.

God knows  how  to  bring  good  out  of  evil.  The  great  persecution of the  Christians  in  Jerusalem,  far  from  destroying  the  Church,  served by the  wise  Providence  of  God  to  increase  her  sphere  of  action  and her glory. The persecuted  Christians  themselves  became  richer  in  merits, and many  Jews  and  Samaritans  were  converted  to  the  faith;  and  the Church was  extended  throughout  Judaea  and  Samaria. Just as  the  storm which shakes  the  trees  carries  their  seed  to  a distance,  even  so  did the storm  of  persecution  which  broke  over  the  Church  in  Jerusalem serve to  scatter  the  seed  of  the  Gospel,  and  propagate  it  in  distant regions. “The blood  of  the  martyrs”,  writes  Tertullian,  “is  the  seed from which  spring  up  new  Christians”.

The conversion  of  the  Samaritans  was  a very  significant  fact  in  the Church’s history. The Samaritans  were,  avowedly,  outside  the  pale  of faith,  and  did  not  belong  to  the  chosen  people  of  God,  but  stood,  as it  were,  between  the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles. By now  calling  them  into His Church,  God  gave  it  to  be  known  that  His  was  to  be  no  national Church, limited  to  the  Jews,  but  a Universal,  Catholic  Church,  intended for all  countries  and  nations;  and  for  this  reason  the  head  of  the Church, St. Peter, went  himself  to  Samaria  to  unite  this  new  and  important flock  to  the  Mother  Church. The conversion  of  the  Samaritans prepared the  way  for  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles.

The object  of  miracles.  The  Samaritans  paid  heed  to  the  words of Philip,  and  believed  them,  “for  they  saw  the  miracles  which  he  did”.

The Universality, or  Catholicity  of  the  Church.  God  sent  the messenger of  the  Gospel  to  the  Ethiopian  officer,  although  he  lived  in a Gentile  country. Thereby God  showed  that  the  heathen  also  were called to  have  a share  in  Redemption,  and  that  the  Church  was  to  be indeed  Catholic. The curse  which  rested  on  the  race  of  Cham  (see Old  Test.  VII)  was  removed  in  the  person  of  this  Ethiopian:  and  in him  the  descendants  of  Cham,  who  had  fallen  away  from  God  into the very  lowest  depths  of  idolatry,  were  now  called  into  God’s  Church, and offered  salvation  by  her  means.

He who  corresponds  with  grace  will  obtain  salvation.  The  Ethiopian was a man  of  good  will. In spite  of  his  wealth  and  high  position,  he made  the  pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem,  and  diligently  studied  the  Holy