Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

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Homilies of St. Thomas Aquinas - Fourth Sunday after Epiphany



HOMILY VII. THE MYSTICAL SHIP.—No. I.

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY.—(FROM THE GOSPEL.)

"And when He was entered into a ship His disciples followed Him."— S. Matt. viii. 23.

Note.—S. Thomas Aquinas has no Homily upon the Epistle for this Sunday. The first of two on the Holy Gospel has supplied the omission. These two Homilies, as will be seen, illustrate each other.

Four things are to be considered in this Gospel. Firstly, the entering of Christ and His disciples into a ship. Secondly, the "great tempest in the sea.” Thirdly, the prayer of His disciples— "Lord save us, we perish.” Fourthly, the obedience of the storm to the command of Christ." There was a great calm." 

Morally, we are taught also four things. Firstly, to enter into holiness of life. Secondly, that temptations rage after we have entered. Thirdly, in our temptation to cry unto the Lord. Fourthly, to look for a calm according to His will.

I. On the first head it is to be noted, (1) That he enters into a ship who follows a holy life—S. Matt. ix. 1, “He entered into à ship ...... and came into His own city," just as by holiness of life man passes over and comes to his heavenly city. In the following Homily it will be explained why a holy life is likened unto a ship. (2) The disturbance of the sea by the tempest represents the temptations which rise up against holiness—Ecclus. ii. 1, "Son, when thou comest to the Service of God stand in justice and in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation." (3) The cry of the disciples in the tempest is the prayer of the saints in tribulations and temptations—Ps. cxx. 1, ‘In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and He heard me." (4) The calm of the tempest is the cessation of temptation—Tob. iii. 22, “After a storm Thou makest a calm." Of these four—Ps. lxix. 23-29, “I am come into deep waters" in the ship of holiness, behold the first; “The floods overflow me," behold the second; "I am weary of my crying," behold the third; "Thy salvation, O God, set me up on high" above my temptations, behold the fourth. 

II. On the second head it is to be noted that the tempest in the sea arose from the winds. Holy Scripture speaks of four winds when temptation arises, and trouble to the saints. Firstly, from the infestation of demons: this is a cold wind —Ecclus. xliii. 22, “The cold north wind bloweth, and the water congealeth into crystal." Secondly, from the perverseness of heretics: this is a blasting wind—Gen. xli. 6, 7, * Seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them," and "devoured the seven rank and full ears." Thirdly, from the cruelty of tyrants: this is a vehement wind—Job. i. 19, "Behold there came a great wind from the wilderness" Fourthly, from the malignity of false Christians: this is a burning wind—Ecclus. xi. 4, “He that observeth the wind shall not sow.” Of these four, Dan. vii. 2— “The four winds of heaven strove upon the great sea." 

III. On the third head it is to be noted that in the prayer of the Apostles there were three things which moved the Lord to help them. Firstly, because they besought Him instantly, "they awoke Him." Secondly, they asked humbly, "Lord." Thirdly, because they prayed for a useful thing, “Save us.” Of (1), Rom. xii. 12, "Continuing instant in prayer;" of (2), S. Luke xviii. 13, 14, "The prayer of the humble publican penetrated Heaven itself;" of (8), S. John xvi. 24, “Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” Of these three, S. Matt. vii. 7— "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." “Ask” humbly, and ye shall receive; "geek" what is profitable, and “ye shall find;” "knock" continually, and the Kingdom of Heaven shall be opened unto you. Unto which Kingdom may we be brought. 

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HOMILY VIII. THE MYSTICAL SHIP.—No. II.


FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY.—(FROM THE GOSPEL.)

"And when He was entered into a ship His disciples followed Him."— S. Matt. viii. 28.

MORALL, by a ship holiness of life is signified—by reason of (1) the material; (2) the form; (3) the use. A ship is made of wood, iron, oakum, and pitch.

I. On the first head, the material of the ship, it is to be noted that —(1) By wood is represented righteousness, which is the righteousness of Christ—Wisd. xiv. 7, "Blessed is the wood by which justice cometh." (2) By iron, on account of its solidity, fortitude is expressed—Jer. i. 18, "Behold I have made thee this day ...... an inner pillar." (3) By oakum or tow, by which wounds are bound up, is implied temperance, by which is healed the wound of fleshly lust. Of those whose wounds have not been bound up it is said, Isa. i. 6, “Wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up." Jud. xvi. 13, of Samson, when deceived by Delilah, and bound with new ropes, “he broke them from off his arms like a
thread.” (4) By pitch is symbolized charity, which is the bond of souls—Gen. vi. 14, "Pitch it within and without with pitch.” A holy man is formed by charity—1 Cor. xvi. 14, "Let all your things be done with charity."

II. On the second head it is to be noted that the form of the ship consists in five particulars. Firstly, the smallness of the beginning. Secondly, breadth of the middle. Thirdly, the height of the end. Fourthly, the narrowness of the bottom. . Fifthly, the wideness of the top. Of (1), the smallness of its beginning, is the grief for past sins—Jer. vi. 26, "Make thee mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation.” Of (2), the breadth of the middle is hope of the eternal joys—Rom. xii. 12, "Rejoicing in hope.” Of (8), the height of the end is the fear of eternal punishments. The holy man grieves over the sins he commits, and he fears the punishments which he merits, but he fails not through desperation in fear and grief—S. Matt. iii. 8, "Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance." Of (4), the narrowness of the bottom is the humility which arises from highest goodness—Ps. lxxxi. 10, ** Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it." 

III. On the third head it is to be noted that the use of a ship in four ways stands for holiness of life. 1. The first use is to carry men across the sea. We ought by holiness to pass over the sea of this world to the heavenly country, to God—Wisd. xiv. 5, "Men also trust their lives even to a little wood, and passing over the sea by ships are saved." 2. The second is to carry merchandise, or fruits, which are the odour of good works, to be diffused from us on all sides- Job. iv. 25, 26, "My days are swifter than a post ...... they are passed away as the swift ships." Phil. iv. 18, "An odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God." 3. The third use is to make war in them. We ought by holiness to war against the demons—1 Macc. xv. 3, "I have chosen a great army, and have built ships of war." Eph. vi. 12, “ We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers." 4. The fourth use is to catch fishes, to convert men to God—S. Matt. iv. 19, “I will make you fishers of men."