Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/527

 with men  was  the  prototype  of  St.  Paul's  ideal  set forth in  to-day's  epistle. Christ walked  among them, worthy  of  the  vocation  in  which  He  was called, with  all  humility  and  mildness,  with  patience, supporting them  in  charity,  careful  to  keep  the  unity of the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace. The multiple meaning of  the  Saviour's  words,  the  deep  significance of  His  every  act,  and  the  marvellous  and hitherto unknown  harmony  between  His  teaching and His  practice — these  it  was  which  caused  His hearers to  say  of  Him:  "  Verily,  never  did  man  speak as  this  man  speaks."

Brethren, charity  is  queen  among  virtues. It is the  alpha  and  omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end  of all  godliness,  even  as  is  God  Himself,  "  for,"  says  St. John,  "  God  is  love." It is  the  first  and  the  greatest commandment of  the  law;  it  is  the  underlying  substance, the  soul,  the  life  of  every  other  virtue  in  the calendar, the  litany  of  holiness. Again it  is  the  last, it is  eternal,  "  for,"  says  St.  Paul,  "  when  even  faith shall  have  merged  into  the  beatific  vision  and  hope into  possession,  then  only  will  charity  become  in  very truth  the  bond  of  perfection,  to  endure  forever  and ever." Among mortals,  however,  charity,  though ever a  lovely  queen,  is  blind  unless  her  handmaid prudence light  her  way. Now these  two  virtues, charity and  prudence,  had  practically  abandoned earth when  Jesus  came,  and  in  the  main  the  object of His  coming  was  their  restoration. How utterly devoid of  charity  were  the  Sadducees  and  the  Pharisees! These two  sects  were  bitterly  opposed,  the