Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/120

 up like  disconnected  threads  and  woven  into  one — the story  of  Naaman  the  Syrian. Naaman was  commander-in-chief of  the  Syrian  army  and  a  prime favorite at  the  court  of  his  sovereign. He had  fought and bled  in  his  country's  cause  and  repelled  the attacks of  the  neighboring  Israelites. But with  all his glory  and  wealth  he  was  most  unhappy,  for  under his rich  uniform  he  hid  a  loathsome  leprosy. His position in  the  army  and  at  court  he  still  retained,  for his malady  was  in  its  initial  stages  and  known  only  to his  heartbroken  wife  and  sympathetic  king. Now, in one  of  their  border  raids  the  Syrians  took  some Israelites prisoners,  and  among  them  a  little  girl  who became maid  to  Naaman's  wife. In one  of  those confidences not  uncommon  between  mistress  and  scr-. vant, the  little  one  learned  of  her  master's  affliction, and promptly  declared  that  if  he  would  but  go  to  the great prophet  Eliseus,  in  her  dear  native  land,  he would  certainly  be  cured. How often  the  true  faith or the  grace  of  God  finds  an  entrance  to  the  homes  of the  unbelieving  or  the  wicked  through  the  word  or example  of  a  pure,  honest  and  devout  Catholic  maid! Verily, God  hath  sent  them  into  exile  for  the  conversion of  the  nations,  and  hath  revealed  to  these  little ones truths  which  He  hath  hid  from  the  worldly-wise and prudent. His wife  told  Naaman  and  Naaman told the  king,  with  the  result  that  presently  the  commander-in-chief departed  with  a  troop  of  cavalry  and $60,000, and  a  letter  from  his  king  to  the  king  of Israel. The latter  on  the  cavalcade's  arrival  was  much disturbed, suspecting  that  the  Syrian's  request  of  such