yard is “God’s acre”, where the bodies of the dead are sown like seeds of corn, ready to spring up at the Last Day (i Cor. 15, 42. 43).
Application. The sick woman had spent all her fortune, and submitted to painful remedies in order to recover her health. She was not to blame, for health is a great treasure. But the health of the soul is of far more importance than the health of the body. Why do you take so little care of your immortal soul? If ever your soul is sick, i. e. in a state of sin, spare no effort, no labour, by doing penance and making a good confession, to obtain its cure.
Chapter XXXI.
JESUS CHOOSES AND SENDS FORTH HIS APOSTLES.
[Mark 3, 13 — 19. Mat. 10, 1 — 42. Luke 6, 12 ; 9, 1.]
THE number of followers and admirers of our Lord, even from distant countries, kept increasing as time went on. One day when the multitude were around Jesus, eager to hear His teaching, He had compassion on them, for they were as sheep without a shepherd[1]. He said to His disciples: “The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He send forth labourers into His vineyard.”
After He had spent the night in prayer[2], and day being come, He called together His disciples[3], and chose from among them twelve, that they should be with Him [4], and that He might send them to preach[5]. Now the twelve whom He called apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John the sons of Zebedee; Philip and
- ↑ Without a shepherd. For the Jewish priests led them into error, seeking to alienate them from our Lord.
- ↑ In prayer. On a mountain in the neighbourhood of Caphamaum.
- ↑ His disciples. They had followed Him into solitude, and had slept near Him, on the mountain. The Gospel does not tell us what was the number of His disciples. At any rate the number had greatly increased since the call of His first followers (chapter XIII), for, as we shall see (chapter XLI), He chose seventy-two of them, and sent them out to preach.
- ↑ Be with Him. As witnesses of His words and deeds from the day of His Baptism till His Ascension.
- ↑ To preach. Now and hereafter throughout the world.
