which is far greater and more perfect than the Law of the Old Testament given on Mount Sinai.
Application. Oh, how much better and more beautiful would the world be, if all men would obey the perfect Law which Jesus Christ laid down in the Sermon on the Mount. There would, in that case, be no embittering of one another’s lives, no hatred nor enmity, no lies and deceit, no avarice nor hardness of heart, no bad nor uncharitable words. Everywhere we should find peace and happiness. Men would edify one another by their piety and good works, and all would strive together after goodness and salvation. This could be and ought to be; and why is it not? It is because men follow their own passions, instead of the teaching and example of Jesus Christ.
You, dear children, are the hope of the future, and through you things ought to improve. Your village or parish will be the model of all others, if only you will begin at once to live in accordance with your holy faith and obey the glorious lessons of the Sermon on the Mount. Strive earnestly after holiness! Fight against your besetting sins! Correspond faithfully with grace! By so doing you will be happy on earth, and blessed in heaven. What our Lord said will be fulfilled in you: “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall be filled.”
Chapter XXII.
THE CURE OF THE LEPER AND OF THE CENTURION’S SERVANT.
[Mat. 8, 1 — 13. Mark 1, 40 — 45. Luke 5, 12 — 15 and 7, 1 — 10.]
AS Jesus descended from the mountain, a leper[1] came, who, falling down, adored Him, saying: “Lord, if Thou wilt[2], Thou canst make me clean!” Jesus, stretching forth His hand,
- ↑ A leper. St. Luke (5, 12) calls him a man “full of leprosy”; which would mean that he was afflicted with the malady in its worst form. Even the devil could think of no worse plague than leprosy wherewith to torment Job. In addition to the actual sufferings caused by the malady, we must take into consideration the hard conditions of the Jewish law. The leper was considered unclean, and not allowed to enter the Temple or offer sacrifice, or hold any intercourse with those who were clean. If an Israelite leper was cured of his disease, he had to report himself to a priest at Jerusalem, by whom he was taken to the Mount of Olives and there examined. If he was pronounced clean by the priest, he then had to offer a lamb in the Temple. He was sprinkled with the blood of this lamb mixed with consecrated oil, and was then pronounced once more clean, and restored to the full enjoyment of his rights as a member of the chosen people.
- ↑ If Thou wilt. We can imagine how eagerly the leper must have implored Jesus to help him for he firmly believed that He could cure him, if He only would do so.
