III.

The constant and heroic examples of virtue which he gave, though in the eyes of the slaves of the world only humbug and hypocrisy, gained for him as a rule among decent people veneration and esteem, which the Lord encouraged by extraordinary graces.

Besides the splendours which sometimes miraculously surrounded him, as we have said, He gave him the gift of penetrating hearts, and the grace of curing the sick. He brought a child to life, and freed the father from a violent disorder. He cured Malfei, a citizen of Sienna, of acute pains in the head by simply making the sign of the cross on him. He dictated and wrote, though unlettered, most salutary advices, which prove how full he was of the science of the saints. In fine, our poor comb-maker, rich in celestial gifts, gained the appreciation and regard, not only of the highest and most illustrious people of the town, such as Blessed Ambrose of Sienna, who gloried in his friendship, and faithfully followed his counsel, but of the magistrates themselves, who consulted him in difficult and complicated public business, wondering ever at his superhuman wisdom. At last, full of deserts, he fell grievously ill; and having received the holy sacraments with seraphic fervour, he exchanged this mortal life for the eternal on the 4th of December, 1289. He was buried in the church of St. Francis, and the rulers of Sienna erected a magnificent mausoleum over him, and with the consent of the inhabitants decided to annually celebrate the memory of so illustrious a son. Pope Pius II. published the glory of the pious artisan in a sermon preached in Sienna, and Pius VII., in 1802, gave permission to the townspeople to annually celebrate the feast of the glorious combmaker.

Reading from the History of the Holy Family.

FROM THE PRESENTATION OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE TO HIS BAPTISM.

It was ordained in the ancient law that a woman who should conceive in the ordinary way and bear a son, should remain forty days in her house as unclean, and should then go to the temple to be purified, offering at the same time a lamb and a dove, and if poor a pair of doves or pigeons, and asking the priest to pray to God for her. There was another law which affected the first

born son. In recognition of the great favour received by the Hebrews, when the exterminating Angel slew all the first-born of the Egyptians, leaving those of the chosen people unharmed, it was ordained that all the first-born sons should be dedicated to the service of the altar, or after their presentation, should be redeemed with coin equivalent to about four shillings of our

money.

It is clear that neither Jesus nor Mary was subject to these prescriptions; but in order to cure our disobedience by their humility, when the day of the Purification arrived, Joseph and Mary took the Infant God and, presenting Him in the temple, redeemed Him with the offering of the poor. At that time there lived in Jerusalem a venerable old man called Simeon, a just man, who feared God and was filled with the Holy Ghost, and was expecting the consolation of Israel. Some have

held that he was a priest of the Old Law and others have believed that he was a blind man who was cured the moment he took Jesus in his arms; but neither of these assertions has any strong foundation. The Scriptures only say that this fortunate man was told by God that he should not die till he had seen the promised Messias. Inspired then and urged on by divine impulse, he went to the temple just as the parents of Jesus entered to offer the Child in fulfilment of the law. When Simeon saw Jesus he knew from heaven that the Child was the Christ, and taking Him in his arms he blessed God in these words: "Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word in peace. Because my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples. A light to the revelation of the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel." Mary and Joseph paid attentive ear to the words of the saintly old man, who blessed them both, and turning specially to the Virgin, said to her with prophetic spirit: "Behold this Child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted. And thy own soul a sword shall pierce." There also lived at this town a prophetess named Anna, now advanced in years, who, after seven years of married life, had been left a widow in the flower of her youth, and she was always occupied in the service of the Lord and of his temple, spending her days and nights in prayer and fasting. This virtuous old woman also arrived at the same time, and in her turn burst out in praises of the Lord, and said wonderful things of the Child to all who looked for the redemption of Israel. See how the Lord even in this world rewards the constancy of his faithful and loyal servants!

Mary and Joseph, having complied with the ordinances of the law, returned to Nazareth, which was situated in Galilee. In the meantime Herod was awaiting the return of the Magi; but finding his wicked expecta

tions frustrated, and more and more confirmed in the belief of the birth of the Liberator of Israel, and the fear least he should be robbed of his kingdom daily increasing, he adopted the barbarous resolution of destroying Jesus by condemning to death all the children under two years in and about Bethlehem. The executioners were about carrying out this cruel order amid the tears and wailings of the poor mothers when the angel of the Lord spoke in dreams to the patriarch St. Joseph, and said to him: "Arise and take the Child and His Mother and fly into the land of Egypt; and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the Child to destroy Him." Quickly did the saint arise, for it was yet night, and taking those two beloved treasures with him, fled into Egypt to free them from the hands of the cruel tyrant. And now did the prophecy of Simeon begin to be fulfilled, and that holy family, the most innocent the world ever saw, was obliged to eat the bitter bread of exile, for our edification and example.

Several holy Fathers, supported by a long-established tradition, assure us that when these blessed pilgrims entered that idolatrous country the statues of the false gods trembled, and some fell in pieces to the ground. It also appears probable that for at least five years our holy Pilgrims had to endure the pains and privations of exile ; but they were always submissive to the will of God, whose infinite providence never ceases to watch over those who serve Him with constancy and fidelity. According to another Eastern tradition the Holy Family resided in Hermopolis, between Heliopolis and Cairo, where is yet pointed out a fountain, held in great veneration because it is believed that the Virgin washed the clothes of the Child Jesus in it.

Herod died in a short time, full of rage and tortured by acutest pains, for he was devoured by maggots, in punishment of his impiety and pride, before death came to close his eyes and bury him in an abyss of eternal

torments and despair. After the death of this monster the angel of God again appeared in dreams to St. Joseph, and said to him: "Arise and take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel. For they are dead who sought the life of the Child." St. Joseph at once prepared to execute the order of the celestial messenger; but hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judea in the place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither, and, warned in sleep, retired to Gallilee and dwelt in Nazareth, as had been announced by the prophets.

In the meantime the Child was growing in age and in proportion as His body was developed, the immense wisdom contained in his soul was exteriorly manifested. According to the custom of the Jews, the Holy Family annually visited Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of the Pasch. One time, when the Child was twelve years old, He went up with his parents to the Holy City to fulfil the prescriptions of the law in the temple of God. When the august ceremonies were over the multitude dispersed each to his own dwelling. St. Joseph and the Virgin took the road to Nazareth, but, being separated in the crowd, they did not remark that Jesus remained behind in the city; on the contrary, each thought that the Child God was with the other, or with some of their friends, and they had gone an entire day's journey before they missed Him.

Arriving at nightfall at the inn, they saw He was not there; they waited and waited for Him; but, finding He did not turn up, they began to seek Him among all their acquaintances. Vain search! The Lord wished to prove their invincible patience, and hence He subjected it to so bitter a trial. Finding, then, that all their efforts were useless, they turned back to Jerusalem, and continued their search for three whole days. Great must have been the grief of those parents for the loss of one they loved so much. But at last the Lord was

satisfied with the heroic resignation of those afflicted