Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/87

 Brethren, Christ  says  of  Himself:  "  I  am  the  light of  the  world." He is  the  light  that  enlighteneth every man  that  cometh  into  this  world. Previous to His  coming,  the  light  of  faith  was  dim  and  uncertain, for darkness  covered  the  earth  and  a  mist  the  people. Spiritually man  was  then  like  a  helpless  ship  flying before the  storm  through  inky  darkness. It was  the period of  the  world's  triumph  and  of  time's  crudest sway. True, the  faithful,  the  earthly  Jerusalem, never wholly  disappeared,  but  oh! so few  they  were, so small  the  city  of  God. God's light  shone  earthward then  as  frequently  does  the  sun  in  springtime, illumining one  small  patch  of  earth  and  leaving  all around in  shadow. Ignorance and  idolatry  hung  like mists over  the  Gentile  world,  but  a  still  blacker  cloud, obstinate unbelief,  enveloped  the  Jews. They had seen the  patriarchs  and  heard  the  prophets;  the Scriptures were  their  own;  angels  had  visited  them, and often  had  they  had  audience  of  their  King Jehovah; they  were  God's  very  own,  and  yet  when He came  unto  His  own,  His  own  received  Him  not, but denied  and  crucified  Him. Nor is  their  perverse obstinacy lessened  as  time  goes  on. They have  seen the prophecies  fulfilled  in  Christ,  the  miracles  He and  His  followers  wrought,  the  pagans  Christianized, the miraculous  frustration  of  the  Apostate  Julian's attempt  to  rebuild  Jerusalem,  themselves  without  a nation,  temple  or  priesthood,  dispersed,  despised,  and subjugated — all this  they  have  seen  and  yet  thick darkness covers  them. Less dense  by  far  the  mists that overhung  us  Gentiles,  which  lifted  quickly  when