miraculous draught of fish, when he said: “Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
Hell is styled exterior darkness by our Lord, because no ray of divine light or grace can penetrate there. There, says our Lord, is weeping, or wailing, on account of the horrible torment, and gnashing of teeth from despair at its everlasting duration.
Prayers for benefactors. The ancients of the city pleaded the cause of the centurion, because he had built for them a house of prayer. We ought to pray to God for our benefactors, especially for our parents, god-parents, pastors, and teachers.
The power of intercession. The centurion interceded for his servant, and the ancients prayed our Lord to grant the centurion’s petition. These prayers were not made in vain, for Jesus yielded to them, and cured the servant.
“ Domine, non sum dignus”, “Lord, I am not worthy I” The priest says these words at Mass when he receives Holy Communion. He says them also when he administers Communion to the faithful.
Leprosy, a type of sin. Leprosy disfigured the body and made it hideous: mortal sin defaces the soul, which is the image of God, deprives it of sanctifying grace, and makes it foul and horrible in the eyes of God. Leprosy enfeebled the body and made it unfit for work: sin renders man incapable of performing meritorious works. Leprosy caused pain, fear and depression: sin destroys interior peace, creates remorse of conscience and fear of death and judgment. Leprosy was contagious, and, on this account, lepers were avoided by everybody; sin also is contagious, and we ought to avoid the company of sinners and criminals. The leper had to show himself to the priest, exposing to him his breast, face and arms, before he could be pronounced clean and restored to the society of the faithful: the sinner must go to the priest, as the representative of God, and discover to him by a sincere confession his sinful thoughts, words and actions, before he can receive absolution, and be restored to the company of the children of God.
Application. Have you always made a good confession? Have you a great horror of the leprosy of sin?
