it but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing." And now since one example is worth a world of precepts, let us briefly contemplate the winning Perfection of our dear Lord: Who while going in and out among his fellow-men condescended to fulfil before their eyes and in their ears the Law of Love; making Himself, as it were, God's Epistle written in our very hearts, known and read of all Christians to all generations. The following little Harmony was in part if not wholly suggested to me. A HARMONY ON PART OF I CORINTHIANS XIII. Charity. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or tinkling cymbal. a Jesus Christ. The Lord said to His disciples: "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now" (St. John xvi. 12). And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; Christ thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but humbled Himself, and became obedient unto the death of the Cross for our sakes (Phil. ii. 6-8; Heb. ii. 9). Christ poured out His Soul unto death, bearing the sin of many: He shall see of the travail of His Soul, and shall be satisfied. Though He was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich (Is. liii. 11, 12; 2 Cor. viii. 9). The Lord said on the night of His Passion: "Suffer ye thus far " (St. Luke xxii. 51). Christ healed the ear of Malchus (St. Luke xxii. 51; St. John xviii. 10). charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, The Lord said: "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do " (St. John xiv. 12). The Lord said: "Man, who made Me a judge or a divider over you?" (St. Luke xii. 14. See also His answer to Pilate, St. John xviii. 37). He said moreover : "I am meek and lowly in heart" (St. Matt. xi. 29). The child Jesus went down with His mother and His reputed father "and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them" (St. Luke ii. 51). In His Agony our Redeemer prayed, saying: "Not my Will, but Thine, be done" (St.Lukexxii. 42). The Lord answered thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; him that smote Him: "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou Me?" (St. John xviii. 23). "Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him " (St. John ix. 3). The Lord being grieved for the hardness of men's hearts, looked around Him with anger in the Synagogue (St. Mark iii. 5). "Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in Thy sight" (St. Luke x. 21). Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, Christ "His own Self bare our sins in His own Body on the tree" (1 St. Peter ii. 24). Our Lord Who had declared "I judge no man," prejudged not even Judas Iscariot, but to his "Hail Master and kiss, answered: "Friend, wherefore art thou come?" (St. John viii. 15, St. Matt. xxvi. 49, 50. For further instances of Christ's gracious Will to put the best possible construction on conduct, see St. Luke ix. 49, 50, xxiii. 33, 34.) In the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree, the dresser of the vineyard pleads: "Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: and if it bear fruit, well" (St. Luke xiii. 8, 9). |