Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/834

 became a Christian  only  by  the  prescibed  rite  of  Baptism,  so  could he become  an  apostle  of  Christ  only  through  the  rite  of  consecration, administered to  him,  at  the  command  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  the  chief pastors of  the  Church  of  Antioch,  whom  the  apostles  had  already  ordained by prayer  and  the  imposition  of  hands. By this  consecration  Paul  was ordained to  be  a bishop,  and  received  the  power,  in  his  turn,  to  consecrate other  bishops,  and  to  ordain  priests. Thus we  see  Paul  on  his return journey  exercising  this  power,  and  appointing  pastors  in  all  the various churches.

Ember days.  We  read  that  the  apostles  who  were  to  be  consecrated, and those  commanded  to  consecrate  them,  fasted  in  preparation  for  the holy rite. True to  this  apostolic  practice,  the  Church  still  commands the bishop  who  is  about  to  ordain  priests,  as  welt  as  those  who  are going to  be  admitted  to  the  priesthood,  to  prepare  themselves  by  prayer and fasting. She also  commands  all  the  faithful  to  fast  on  the  emberdays,  at  which  season  holy  orders  are,  as  a rule,  conferred,  and  she desires that  on  those  days  the  faithful  should  be  asked  to  offer  up prayers  to  God,  to  send  good  priests  into  His  Church.

The object  of  miracles. Holy  Scripture  says  that  “the  pro-consul, when he  had  seen  what  was  done  (that  is,  the  miracle  worked  on  the sorcerer),  believed,  wondering  at  the  doctrine  of  the  Lord”. He had hitherto given  ear  to  the  sorcerer,  because  of  his  assumption  of  supernatural knowledge. Now, however,  by  means  of  the  miracle  worked by St.  Paul,  he  perceived  that  God  was  with  the  holy  apostle,  and  that what he  taught  came  from  God,  and  was,  therefore,  “the  doctrine  of the  Lord”.

Faith is  the  primary  condition  of  justification. This  is  showm  to us  in  the  words  used  by  St.  Paul  in  his  first  sermon  at  Antioch  in Pisidia  (Acts  13,  39):  “In  Jesus  Christ  every  one  (whether  Jew  or Gentile)  that  believeth  (in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  His  doctrine)  is justified.”

Sins against  faith.  This  chapter  puts  before  us  several  examples of the  various  ways  of  sinning  against  faith.

1. Idolatry. This  sin  was  committed  by  the  Lystrians,  when  they wished to  offer  sacrifice  and  pay  divine  honour  to  the  two  apostles.

2. Superstition.  This  was  the  sin  both  practised  and  taught  by  the Jewish sorcerer,  who  claimed  supernatural  knowledge  for  himself,  and ascribed supernatural  power  to  his  magical  arts.

3. Unbelief.  After  St.  Paul’s  first  sermon  the  Jews  of  Antioch  in Pisidia  seemed  inclined  to  accept  the  Christian  faith;  but  when,  at  his second sermon,  they  perceived  that  the  Gentiles  were  flocking  into  the Christian Church,  they  set  themselves  against  the  faith,  and  persisted in unbelief. The cause  of  their  unbelief  was  jealousy,  born  of  pride. Their Jewish  dignity  was  offended,  because  the  despised  Gentiles  were