Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/605

 shines with  a  borrowed  light  and  has  varied  from  the new to  the  full  with  the  vicissitudes  of  time — the moon, alas! was at  that  moment  small  indeed,  and shed abroad  but  little  of  that  light  that  enlighteneth every man  that  cometh  into  this  world. Or perhaps it was  Mary,  fair  as  the  moon,  Queen  of  angels  and of men,  whose  glory  was  on  that  night  dimmed,  an unhonored  outcast,  in  the  dark  recesses  of  the  stable. The stars  fell  from  heaven:  one  to  guide  the  Magi, and those  others,  brighter  still,  the  angels,  to  lead the shepherds  Bethlehemwards. The world  of  sinners, of  which  the  sea  is  such  a  perfect  figure,  was agitated, for  Herod  was  troubled  and  all  Jerusalem with him,  and  there  was  distress  of  nations  when  the Holy Family  fled  in  terror  to  Egypt,  and  the  Magi returned in  fear  by  another  way,  and  the  royal  soldiers slew  the  Innocents. So striking,  then,  is  the parallel between  Christ's  first  and  second  coming that the  Church  considers  the  dread  judgment, time's end,  and  the  beginning  of  eternity,  to  be  a salutary  thought  both  for  the  closing  and  the  opening of  her  year.

Brethren, the  details  of  to-day's  Gospel  would seem as  unreal  and  incredible  as  a  horrible  dream were it  not  that  Christ  has  sworn  that  all  these  things shall come  to  pass,  and  that  though  heaven  and  earth shall pass  away  His  word  shall  not  go  unfulfilled. That the  day  of  doom  will  come,  and  come  suddenly, is certain,  for  as  lightning  cometh  out  of  the  east  and flasheth even  unto  the  west,  so  shall  the  coming  of the  Son  of  man  be. But beyond  this,  when  it  shall