Sexagesima Sunday

[Stone]

HOMILY XIII. LABOUR AND TOIL
by St. Thomas Aquinas

SEXAGESIMA.—(FROM THE EPISTLE.)


“In labours more abundant.”—2 Cor, xi. 23.

How SCRIPTURE treats of four kinds of labour or travail. Firstly, material labour, by which man supplies the deficiencies of nature—Job. v. 7, ‘‘Man is born unto trouble" (Vulg., labour). Secondly, the labour of sin, in which a man toils at committing sin—Jer. ix. 5, “Weary themselves to commit iniquity.” Thirdly, the labour of Gehenna, after which there follows no rest—Ps. xlviii. 9, 10 (Vulg.), "Shall labour for ever, and shall still live unto the end.” Fourthly, the labour of grace, which the just undergo in order to do good works—Prov. x. 16, “The labour of the righteous tendeth to life." Three of these kinds of labour are to be noticed.

I. On the first head it is to be noted that in natural labour five points are to be considered. (1) It was inflicted on man on account of sin, whence it is manifest that man should hate sin as the eause of his toil—Gen. iii. 17-19, "Cursed is the ground for thy sake: in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread." (2) That if endured in love eternal blessedness is the fruit of labour—Ps. exxviii. 2, “Thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands, happy shalt thou be." (3) It is demanded because the fruit of the land is frequently consumed by wild beasts, by insects, and by enemies; all of which are the effects of sin, therefore man ought to hate sin—Deut. xxviii. 33, ‘The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up." On the other hand, it is said of the just—Isaiah lxii. 8, "Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine.” (4) All are ealled to labour: the idle are denied bread—2 Thess. iii. 10, “If any would not work, neither should he eat." (5) He that refuseth to labour is punished with eternal punishment—Ps. lxxii. 5 (Vulg.), "They are not in the labour of men, neither shall they be scourged like other men ;" but with the demons.

II. On the second head it is to be noted that the labour of toil of sin is of five kinds. (1) Of covetousness—Eccles. iv. 8, "Yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches;" Prov. xxiii. 4, "Labour not to be rich.” (2) Of pride—‘ What profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?” The wind is pride. (3) Of luxury— Eecles. ix 9, "Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity ........ . That is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. (4) Of sorceries—Isaiah xlvii. 12, “Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth." (5) Of gluttony—Eccles. vi. 7, * All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled." What he may eat, and drink, and enjoy of his labour; so does the glutton speak. 

III. On the third head it is be noted of the labour of Gehenna, that thrée particulars are to be noted. (1) Its immensity—Lam. iii. 5, "He hath compassed me with gall and travail.” (2) Its bitterness—Eccles. x. 15, "The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them." (8) Its duration—Ps. xlviii. 9, 10, ‘Shall labour for ever, and shall live unto the end.” From which labour may the Lord deliver us.

HOMILY XIV. THE BIRDS AND THE SEED

SEXAGESIMA.—(FROM THE GOSPEL.)


“The fowls of the air devoured it."—S. Luke viii. 5.

By the fowls of the air, are understood evil spirits; by the sea, righteousness; whence three points arise from the mystical expositions. Firstly, the quickness of the evil spirit to do evil—‘ birds ;” secondly, their natural dignity— * of the air,” or of heaven; thirdly, the iniquity of their sin—“devoured it.”

I. On the first head it is to be noted that evil spirits are compared to birds for three reasons. (1) Their high flight; the evil spirits fly on high—Numb. xxiv. 21, “Thou puttest thy nest in a rock.” (2) For their quickness of flight— Lam. iv. 19, “ Our persecutors are mightier than the eagles of the heaven.” (3) In their rapacity they live by devouring the souls that they have seized—Ezek. xvii. 3, "A great eagle with great wings, long-winged, full of feathers, took the branch of the cedar. He cropped off the top of his young twigs.” 

II. On the second head it is to be noted that the birds of the air are called evil spirits from their natural dignity, which consists of three things. (1) Of origin; for they were created in the high heavens. (2) Of lightness or subtlety. Of these two—lIsa. xiv. 12-14, “How art thou fallen, O Lucifer, Son of the Morning ......... I will be like the Most High.” His origin is pointed out, in that he is said to have fallen from Heaven, for he was created in Heaven. The name Lucifer signifies lightness and beauty of nature. (3) Of habitation on high—Eph. vi. 12, “Spiritual wickedness in high places.”

III. On the third head it is to be noted that the iniquity of the evil spirits consists in their devouring three kinds of seeds. (1) Seed of the Word of God—*« The seed is the Word of God;" S. Luke viii. 12, "Then cometh the Devil and taketh away the Word out of their hearts." (2) Seed of righteousness—2 Cor. ix. 6, * He who soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly,” &c. (3) Seed of any good work —Ps. cxxvi. 6, "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bearing his sheaves with him.” We sow this seed whenever we do good. Of (1), The evil spirits take away the seed of the Word of God by sowing error in the mind of man—2 Cor. iv. 4, *In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, Who is the Image of God, should shine unto them.” Of (2), They take away the seed of righteousness by enticing men into unrighteousness—S. John viii. 44, "Ye are of your father the Devil, the lust of your father ye will do.” Of (3), The Devil takes away the seed of good works, at the same time that he makes men to glory in them—S, Matt. vi. 1, 2, “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be seen of them. When thou dost thine alms, do not sound à trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do ......... that they may have glory of men ......... They have their reward.” Whence it is manifest that the seed must be guarded from the "birds of the air," from the evil spirits, that it may bring forth fruit an hundredfold, which fruit is the joy of eternity. To which may we be brought.