Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/242

 water. Dives, we  read,  Dives  buried  in  hell,  was denied one  drop  wherewith  to  allay  his  thirst,  but human cruelty  was  crueler  still,  for  not  content  with refusing Christ's  request,  they  gave  Him  instead vinegar and  gall. Christ died,  the  Gospel  says,  crying out  with  a  loud  voice. It was  the  cry  of  a  broken heart to  humanity  to  come  and  see  if  there  ever  was or could  be,  even  in  hell,  woe  like  unto  His  woe.

" He  humbled  Himself  even  unto  the  death  of  the cross;  wherefore  God  exalted  Him." Brethren, after the cross  the  crown,  or  rather  the  cross  itself  became for Christ  and  the  world  their  joy  and  crown. In the spiritual world  he  that  exalteth  himself  shall  be humbled,  and  he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be exalted. The proud  and  boastful  Pharisee  returned home from  his  devotions  in  the  Temple  less  justified than the  humbly  penitent  publican. The rich  young man who  refused  to  give  up  all  and  follow  Christ  was never heard  of  more  in  history,  sacred  or  profane,  but because the  Apostles  left  their  little  all  and  followed Christ, their  fame  hath  gone  to  the  ends  of  the  earth and because  Mary,  by  vow  of  chastity,  forfeited, humanly speaking,  all  claim  to  be  the  Mother  of  the Messias, therefore  did  God  regard  the  humility  of  His handmaid and  all  generations  call  her  blessed. The sequence between  self-humiliation  and  exaltation Christ thus  expressed:  "Unless  the  grain  of  wheat falling  into  the  ground  die,  itself  remaineth  alone,  but if  it  die,  it  bringeth  forth  much  fruit." Christ uttered these words  in  the  midst  of  His  triumphal  entry  into Jerusalem, and  whenever  He  gave  His  Apostles  a