ε. From the fact of Mary and Jesus going to Jerusalem, whereas the law was not binding upon women and children—we learn not to rest satisfied with the letter, but to go on to the spirit; not to be content with mere conformity to the bare commandment of God, but with loving hearts to strive to “do more for His sake than of bounden duty is required.” (The Church, for instance, bids us communicate three times in the year, but let us draw near oftener to the altar of God. The law of God requires us to give tithes of our goods, but let us give more, be liberal-hearted, and liberal-handed, and glad to distribute. S. B. G.)
ζ. From the fact of Christ being said to have increased in favour with God and man—let us learn to seek first the favour of God, and then the favour of good men will be added to us. Those who seek first the favour of men, often lose both that of man and God. Pilate, to find favour with Cæsar, fearing the accusation, “Thou art not Cæsar’s friend,” gave up Christ. And what did he gain? Nothing; he lost the favour of God and of Cæsar. By the one he was driven into exile, by the other he was cast down into hell.
Conclusion.
From like fearful end may Christ in His mercy keep us.
I will add a few specimens of the style of Matthias Faber. And I shall quote first some portions of an Easter sermon.
“See how our hope and confidence should be fixed on God. For the women went to the sepulchre through the morning twilight, without thought of the soldiers who guarded it, or of the sepulchral stone which closed it, for removing which they were far too weak. But as they drew nigh they considered this difficulty among themselves, saying, ‘Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?’ And yet they turned not back despondingly, but resolutely persevered, trusting in God to provide the way and means. And so it was as they trusted: by the providence of God the stone was removed by an angel, and at the sight of the angel the keepers fled in fear. Where human aid is wanting, there, if we trust in God, Divine aid is present.”
“Behold the place, where we can see an image of the beatitude which we may expect on the Resurrection day. We see it in the angel. For he appeared as ‘a young man,’ and we all shall arise in ‘the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ,’ in the flower of youth. His countenance was like lightning, and the bodies of the blessed shall be resplendent as the sun. He was vested in ‘raiment white as snow,’ signifying the glory and beatitude of the soul; ‘And white robes were given unto every one of them’ (Rev. vi. 11), those white robes which are promised to him that overcometh (Rev. iii. 5). He sat upon the stone—image of the constant and perpetual rest, ay, and regal dignity of the blessed in Heaven. And lastly, the angel was ‘sitting on the right side,’ for in Heaven there is nothing sinister and adverse, but all right, prosperous, and happy. But of this I have said enough elsewhere.”
The following are from a Palm Sunday discourse:—
“Processions are in use in the Church on this day with palm-branches, in imitation of that in which Christ our Lord was this day conducted by the crowd and His disciples to the city of Jerusalem. But our Jerusalem is in Heaven, and thither are we advancing, led by Christ. With Him, and by Him, must we enter the vision of peace which Jerusalem signifies. In this procession he who takes not part, enters not Heaven. For the idle and the spectators have no admission there. All those who took part in that triumphal entry into Jerusalem had something to do. Some loosed and led up the ass and colt, some laid their garments on them, some set Jesus thereon, some spread the public road with garments, some cut down branches from the trees, others again sang; the very beasts fulfilled their office, and bore their Creator. In like manner must we do something for Christ, if we would become partakers of His glory.”