Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/566



Ex. :  I.  St. Januarius's blood. II. Seeing and  believing. III. Thomas and  Peter.

I. History:  1. Miracles often  useful. 2. Capharnaum. 3. Nazareth.

II. Towns: 1. Prerequisites for  miracles. 2. Nazareth  rejects Him. 3. Woe  to  Capharnaum.

III. Persons: 1. In Samaria  and  Capharnaum. 2. Mary. 3. Faith  always  demanded.

Per. : 1.  Modern  miracles. 2. Proper  attitude. 3. Invisible miracles.

Brethren, in  the  old  Italian  city  of  Naples  there is a  vial  of  St.  Januarius's  blood,  which,  though  hard and dry  on  all  other  occasions,  is  miraculously liquified on  the  saint's  festal  day. I remember standing for  hours  by  the  side  of  an  infidel  watching and  waiting  for  the  miracle. At length  it  took place, but  having,  unfortunately,  turned  aside  for  a moment,  I  saw  it  not;  my  companion  saw  it  and  believed. Behold herein  the  mercy  and  the  justice  of God. By carnal  means  He  would  fain  have  enlightened, howsoever  imperfectly,  that  darkened  soul with some  glimmer  of  faith  in  Christ,  but  from  me, a Catholic,  a  priest,  He  exacts  that  higher  and  more perfect faith  which,  independent  of  signs  and  wonders can  turn  to  Christ,  and  on  the  sole  testimony  of His  word  confess  that  verily  He  is  the  Son  of  the living God. And so  it  is  and  ever  has  been. The