still more excellent works; that he might prove that all on the earth and sea were his. Therefore, when he went into the boat, he made a storm on the sea, he aroused the winds, he troubled the waves. And why? He put his disciples in fear, that they might ask his help; and that he might manifest his power in reply to their petitions. That storm arose not of itself, but was obedient to the power of the command of Him, "who bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures" (Jer. x. 13), and who hath set the sand as a bound to the sea. For he said, Hitherto shalt thou come and no further; and its waves break on itself. By his order, then, and command, this tempest arose in the sea. The tempest was great, not a little one; to show that his help was great, not small: and the more the waves oppressed the boat, the more did fear disturb his disciples, that they might have the more desire to be delivered from their perils by the wonders of our Saviour.

"But he was asleep." Oh! wondrous and marvellous circumstance; He, who never sleepeth, sleeps; He who governeth Heaven and earth, sleeps; He who slumbereth not, nor sleepeth, sleeps. He slept in his body; in his divinity he waketh; he slept in his body, while the sea is aroused, the waves arise, and terrify his apostles. When about to show forth his power, he slept in his body; as in his journey he sat weary and fatigued, by the mouth of the well; showing that his was truly a human and corruptible body, which he had put on. In his body he slept, but in his GODHEAD he aroused the sea; and again appeased it; so in his body he slept, that he might arouse his disciples and make them watch; yea, all of us, that we should never sleep in spirit; but that, in our intellect and prudence, we should ever watch and rejoice in the Lord, and be zealous in seeking salvation from Him.

Now he slept in his body, according to the sacred word, which says, "I sleep, but my heart watcheth." (Cant. v. 8.) "And his disciples came to him and awakened him, saying, Lord, save us, we perish." They were so overcome with fear, and almost out of themselves, that they rushed to him; not as modesty and gentleness would suggest, but turbulently they awake him, saying, "Lord, save us, we perish!" Oh, happy, true disciples of GOD: you have the Lord your Saviour with you, and do you fear danger? Life is with you, and you are troubled because of death? In fear for the storm on the sea, you awake its Creator, who is present with you, as if He could not, while asleep in body, yet still the waves and make them calm. But what can these most beloved disciples say? "We are as yet little ones," they say, "and not yet strong. Therefore we are afraid;

therefore, we tremble;

as yet we have not seen our Lord's cross; as yet the passion and resurrection of our Lord has not confirmed us; nor his ascension up on high; nor the mission or descent of the Holy Spirit, the comforter; therefore, it is that he winks at our weakness; and therefore it is that we have so often heard our Lord's rebuke for our little faith. We hear, we endure, we suffer, willingly, and voluntarily." Whence our Lord says, at this time, "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith ?" Why have you not fortitude? why have you not trust and confidence among you? Even if death were to rush on you, ought you not to bear it with constancy? In all that falls out, fortitude is necessary. For perils, or tribulation, even to the end of life, it is necessary; in like manner, in pleasures, riches, and worldly honours, it is no less required; lest you be exalted thereby, O man, and lest ye fall into pride; lest you despise your enemies, or look down on the humble; lest you forget the Lord; lest you forsake your Creator, and become ungrateful. If, then, in necessity and in perils, fortitude be needful, that you may cleave manfully to the faith; how much more, then, is it necessary in the midst of delights and delicacies, lest you fall into the snare of the devil? Why, then, are ye troubled, O ye of little faith? if you believe me as truly GOD your Creator, why then do you not believe that all those things which I made are also in my power? Why, then, do you doubt, O ye of little faith? He that believeth little, shall be reproved; he that believeth nothing hath nothing; the weak in faith shall be corrected; they that believe not at all shall be punished. Such were the Jews and heathens; and, therefore, have they all gone away in their sins. Yea, such have been heretics, and they shall be condemned in the day of judgment.

"Then rising up, he commanded the winds and the sea, and there came a great calm." It was written : "The Lord was awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that hath been surfeited with wine. And he smote his enemies on the hinder parts." (Ps. lxxvii. 65.) "And now rising up, he commands the winds and the sea, and there came a great calm." He commanded the winds and the sea, as their Creator, his own creatures as One having power. Our Lord commands the winds and the sea, on the first call of his disciples, that hearing him, they might be strengthened in the faith. The hidden power of the Godhead commanded and threatened it; the Master ruled and appeased it, according to what is written: "His might hath stilled the sea." "He commanded the winds, and the sea, and there came a great calm." In all these, he gave to us the figure and likeness

of his doctrine, that we may hold fast patience in all trouble and contumely; that we may be steadfast, and not forsake the faith; yea, though all this world were to boil like the sea, and rise up in fury; though all the winds and whirlwinds of demons were to rage on every side; though the whole tempest of the sea, that is, the principalities and powers of the world,-were aroused, and though with swelling wrath they were to foam and fury against the saints; yea, though they raise themselves up to heaven, and, like a hurricane, call up malignant wiles and roarings against any of you, yet fear ye not, be ye not troubled, be ye not terrified, and fail ye not. For all ye whosoever sail in the bark of Faith, sail with the Lord; all ye who sail in the bark of Holy Church, sail with our Lord, over the waves of this world. And though our Lord sleep, looking in his merciful sleep for our patience and endurance, or waiting for the penance and conversion of the wicked, come ye alertly to Him, be ye instant in prayer, and say with the prophet: "Arise, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise, and cast us not off to the end." (Ps. xliii. 23.) And again: "Arise, O Lord, help us, and redeem us for thy name's sake." (Ibid. 26.) And He, rising up, will command the winds, that is, the wicked spirits in the air; the storms of the sea may rage, the proud and swelling waves may arise, that is, the princes of this world, to persecute His saints, and to do despite to his faithful; in all things our Lord commands, in all he threatens, in all he stills, and maketh a great calm, both in body and soul,-bringing peace to his Church, and serenity even in this world. For though often the unbelievers take counsel against his true and enduring Church, be they at times Pagans, or be they heretics; and though, like the wild storms of this sea, they rage, thinking to overturn and destroy the sons of the Church; yet, our Lord arising, rebuketh the winds of the demons, and maketh all adversaries of the faith in their boldness to vanish away, in His good time bringing back peace and tranquillity to his Church.

"And the men that were in the ship wondered." What men? Those, namely, who were in the boat, or who looked on. Do not think that by the men here is understood the apostles; for in no place do we find the disciples of our Lord mentioned, but with respect; they are always called either apostles or disciples. Those men wondered; that is, those who sailed therein; those whose boat it was; those who crossed in that boat; those it was who wondered;-and truly it was worthy of much marvel, to see the sea allayed of a sudden, and its boiling waves appeased, and the furious waves stilled. Therefore, they

said, wondering: "What manner of man is this, for the winds and sea obey him." What manner of man; that is, how great, how strong, how mighty, how high;-greater than Moses, more powerful than Elias. One struck the sea with his staff, and with difficulty divided it; the other smote it with his mantle, and passed over the Jordan. But He, by a single word, commands those that have not sense, and they obey him; those that have not hearing, hear, and are submissive; those that have not wisdom nor understanding, know his voice, and bow to his command; those that have not voice, obey the words that he hath spoken. From the substance and nature of these inanimate and irrational creatures, who hear and obey, is man put to confusion and condemnation. He commands the sea, and it despises him not; He speaks to the winds and the sea, and they forthwith hearken ; He issues his commands to all nature, and all is instantly obedient to His orders; the race of man alone; that race alone which is made after His own image and likeness;—these alone resist Him; men alone are disobedient; men alone despise Him. Therefore, they alone shall be condemned in the judgment, and be punished, as worse than the dumb creatures, or than those that have no life. Therefore they wondered; because he stilled the sea, and allayed the winds. Let us also wonder, since our Lord has shown to us such good will and kindness, that He hath vouchsafed to save us from perils; that he frees us from tumults and many tribulations; that he delivers us from the enemies that oppress us. Let us wonder, and give him wondrous thanks; let us hearken to his grace, let us hearken and fear; let us fear and love, that from Him we may become heirs of eternal love. They wondered, saying: what manner of man is this." He seems like man; but it is the power of GOD that is made manifest; He is reputed as one of us, but His wonders surpass all; as a man He sleeps, but as GOD he rebukes the winds. He sitteth in the boat, but it is our Lord JESUS Christ who inclineth every creature whithersoever he will;even He who, with the FATHER and HOLY GHOST, liveth and reigneth GOD, for ever and ever. Amen!

Feast of St. Thomas of Villanova, 1842.

66

LIFE OF THE VENERABLE GERARDUS MAGNUS, VULGARLY CALLED GERARD GROOT, FROM THE ORIGINAL OF THE B. THOMAS A KEMPIS.

OF THE SACRED BOOKS TO BE STUDIED.

11. I RETURN to the sciences. Let the root of thy study, and the mirror of thy life be first the Gospel of Christ; which is the life of Christ. Then the lives and conversations of the fathers. Then the epistles of St. Paul, and the canonical writings and Acts of the Apostles. Then devout books, such as the "Meditations of St. Bernard," and the "Time-piece of Anselm," the book on Conscience, by St. Bernard, the "Soliloquies of St. Augustine," and such like; read also, the Flowers of the Saints; the moral instructions of the fathers, such as the Pastoral of Gregory; the work De Opere Monachali of St. Augustine: St. Gregory on the book of Job, and the like. Homilies on the Gospels of the holy fathers, and the four doctors; the sense of the holy fathers, and notes on the epistles of St. Paul,-because they are read in the Capitulary of the Church; also the study of the books of the Proverbs of Solomon, of Ecclesiastes, and Ecclesiasticus, for they are contained in the Church, in her lessons and chapters. I will pray in spirit, I will pray also with my understanding, therefore I will study the meaning of the Psalter; for they are contained in the Church of our holy fathers.

12. I will sing in spirit, I will sing also with my understanding. I will study, also, the books of Moses, and the sacred histories of Joshua, Judges, and Kings; also the Prophets, and the exposition thereof by the holy fathers. Neither will I forget the decretals and first institutes of the Church, that there I may learn what to beware of, and what to choose.

You ought to hear mass every day, when you can, from beginning to end. For as it is commanded the laity to hear it on Sundays (Lib. de Conse. Dis. c. i.), so is it commanded clerks to hear it every day, as appears in the gloss upon the same statute. Also, on festival days, stay in the church till the solemnity of the mass is completed. Also, to our bodily nature, singing is a great help to devotion, as you know by experience.

13. Always rise up at the Gospel, and stand, according to the canon. By apostolical authority, we are commanded not to sit, but in a posture of veneration to stand, looking towards the Gospel. In a word, in conclusion, due honour, with all veneration, must be given to