Fear

Passages

Every passage tagged with this emotion in the Vela corpus. Search the body text, narrow by source or register, click through to a book’s profile to see how the passage sits with the rest of the work.

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• From Saint Thomas Aquinas Collection (22 Books) (2016)

  BEDE. (ubi sup.) Or else; these words, In those days shall be affliction, properly agree with the times of Antichrist, when not only tortures more frequent, and more painful than before are to be heaped on the faithful, but also, what is more terrible, the working of miracles shall accompany those who inflict torments. But in proportion as this tribulation shall be greater than those which preceded, by so much shall it be shorter. For it is believed, that during three years and a half, as far as may be conjectured from the prophecy of Daniel and the Revelations of John, the Church is to be attacked. In a spiritual sense, however, when we see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not, that is, heresies and crimes reigning amongst them, who appear to be consecrated by the heavenly mysteries, then whosoever of us remain in Judæa, that is, in the confession of the true faith, ought to mount the higher in virtue, the more men we see following the broad paths of vice. PSEUDO-JEROME. For our flight is to the mountains, that he who has mounted to the heights of virtue may not go down to the depths of sin. BEDE. (ubi sup.) Then let him who is on the house-top, that is, whose mind rises above carnal deeds, and who lives spiritually, as it were in the free air, not come down to the base acts of his former conversation, nor seek again those things which he had left, the desires of the world or the flesh. For our house either means this world, or that in which we live, our own flesh. PSEUDO-JEROME. Pray that your flight may not be in the winter, or on the sabbath day, that is, that the fruit of our work may not be ended with the end of time; for fruit comes to an end in the winter and time in the sabbath. BEDE. (ubi sup.) But if we are to understand it of the consummation of the world, He commands that our faith and love for Christ should not grow cold, and that we should not grow lazy and cold in the work of God, by taking a sabbath from virtue. THEOPHYLACT. We must also avoid sin with fervour, and not coldly and quietly. PSEUDO-JEROME. But the tribulation shall be great, and the days short, for the sake of the elect, lest the evil of this time should change their understanding. 13:21–2721. And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: 22. For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. 23. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. 24. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,

• From Saint Thomas Aquinas Collection (22 Books) (2016)

  In 12ae, Q. 68, Arts. 1 and 3, we said that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are habitual perfections of the powers of the soul, in consequence of which these powers can be readily moved by the Holy Spirit, just as its appetitive powers can be readily moved by reason in consequence of the moral virtues. Now the first thing that is necessary if anything is to be readily moved by any mover is that it should be subject to the mover, and not repelled by it, since antipathy towards the mover on the part of the thing moved impedes the movement. This is achieved by filial or chaste fear, by which we reverence God and fear to be separated from him. Filial fear thus holds the first place in the ascending order of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the last place in their descending order, as Augustine says in 1 Sermo Domini in monte, cap. 4. On the first point: filial fear is not opposed to the virtue of hope. For by filial fear we do not fear lest we should fail in that which we hope to obtain through divine help, but fear lest we should separate ourselves from this help. Filial fear and hope thus hold to one another, and perfect one another. On the second point: the proper and principal object of fear is the evil which one fears. God cannot be the object of fear in this way, as we said in the first article. In this way he is the object of hope, and of the other theological virtues also. For by the virtue of hope we depend on God ’ s help not only to obtain all other good things, but to obtain God himself as the principal good. The same is true of the other theological virtues. On the third point: although love is the principle from which fear arises, it does not follow that fear of God is not a habit distinct from charity, which is love of God. Love is the principle of all affections, but we are nevertheless perfected in different affections by different habits. Love has more of the nature of a virtue than has fear. For it is plain from what we said in Pt. I, Q. 60, Arts. 3 and 4, that love looks to the good, to which virtue is principally ordained by its own nature. Hope is reckoned as a virtue for this same reason. Fear, on the other hand, looks principally to what is evil, and implies flight from it. It is therefore something less than a theological virtue.

• From Heptaméron (1559)

  Finding that entreaties, arguments, and tears were useless, Florida had recourse to what she feared as much as the loss of life, and screamed out as loudly as she could to her mother. The countess, on hearing her cries, at once suspected the truth, and hastened to her with the utmost promptitude. Amadour, who was not so near dying as he said, let go his hold so quickly that the countess, on opening the cabinet, found him at the door, and Florida far enough away from him. " What is the matter, Amadour .'' " said the countess. "Tell me the truth." Amadour, who was prepared beforehand, and was never at a loss for an expedient at need, answered, with a pale and woebegone countenance, "Alas ! madam, I no longer recognize Florida. Never was man more surprised than I am. I thought, as I told you, that I had some share in her goodwill, but now I see plainly I have no longer any. Methinks, madarn, that whilst she lived with you she was neither less discreet nor less vir- tuous than she is now ; but she had no squeams of con- science to hinder her from talking to people and looking them in the face. I wanted to look at her, but she would not allow it. Seeing this, I thought I must be in a dream or a trance, and I asked leave to kiss her hand, according to the custom of the country, but she abso- lutely refused it. It is true, madam, I have done wrong, and I crave your pardon for it, in taking her hand and kissing it in a manner by force. I asked nothing more of her, but I see plainly that she is resolved upon my death, and that, I believe, is why she called you. Per- haps she was afraid I had some other design upon her. Be that as it may, madam, I acknowledge I was wrong ; for though she ought to love all your good servants, such is my ill-luck, that I have no part in her goodwill. My heart will not change for all that, with regard either ta 1 First day\ QUEEN OF NA VARRE. 99 her or to you ; and I entreat you, madam, to let me re- tain your goodwill, since I have lost hers without deserv- nig it.

• From Saint Thomas Aquinas Collection (22 Books) (2016)

  2. We read in the same Epistle to the Corinthians (ii, 1), “When I came to you, I came not in loftiness of speech,” i.e., says the Gloss, “I did not reason with you, nor use logical arguments. I displayed no wisdom. Neither did I, in my preaching, treat of the speculations of physical science.” St. Paul continues, “My speech and preaching was not in the persuasive words of human wisdom.” The Gloss adds, “even though my words were convincing, their power was not, like those of false Apostles, due to human wisdom.” Hence we are to conclude that religious who preach learnedly, must be false apostles. 3. St. Paul again, writes: “ For although I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge” (2 Cor. xi. 6). The Gloss remarks upon this passage that the Apostle called himself “rude in speech,” because he did not use flowery language. The commentary further adds, “The words, ‘rude of speech,’ apply not to the Apostles, who were not eloquent, but to the false Apostles who knew how to combine choice phrases. But on account of the accuracy of their language, the Corinthians preferred the impostors to the preachers of the truth. For in religious matters, a power which convinces is needed, not a string of words.” 4. We read in the Second Book of Esdra (xiv.25): “Their children spoke half in the speech of Azotus... they spoke according to the language of this and that people. And I chided them and laid my curse on them.” The Gloss understands by “ the language of Azotus,” a rhetorical style of speech. Therefore, they who mingle rhetoric or philosophy with the words of Scripture are worthy of excommunication. 5. Isaiah says (i. 22): “Your wine is mingled with water. Now wine signifies the teaching of Holy Scripture. They, therefore, who mingle with this doctrine the water of human wisdom, are exceedingly reprehensible. 6. On the words of Isaiah (xv. 1): “In the night, Ar of Moab is laid waste,” the Gloss understands by “Ar of Moab,” the “adversary of God, viz., human wisdom, whose walls are built up by means of reasoning, and which in the night is laid waste and put to silence.” From this comparison we may see how much they are to be blamed who, in instruction on sacred subjects, employ earthly wisdom or eloquence. 7. We find in Proverbs vii., the following words: “I have covered my bed with painted tapestry brought from Egypt.” The Gloss comments: “The painted tapestry from Egypt is symbolic of flowery eloquence, or of cunning reasoning, derived from heathen sources. Heresy glories in adorning its pernicious doctrines with language of this description.” Hence we are to understand how criminal a thing it is to use eloquence and earthly learning in expounding the faith.

• From New Testament Words (1964)

  They did not understand what was happening; they feared the worst; and yet they followed him. We can take comfort from reminding ourselves that often the man who follows Christ in fear and trembling is showing the highest courage of all. 4. Lastly we must note that a man can refuse to follow Jesus. That is what the Rich Young Ruler did (Matt. 19.21; cp. Luke 18.22). The result of his refusal was that he went away sorrowful. The result of refusal is always sorrow; the result of following, however hard and frightening the way, is always joy. ALAZŌN AND ALAZONEIA THE WORDS OF THE EMPTY BOAST The word alazōn occurs twice in the NT, in Rom. 1.30 and II Tim. 3.2. In both places the AV translates it boasters and Moffatt boastful. The word alazoneia also occurs twice in the NT, in James 4.16 and I John 2.16. In the James passage the AV translates it boastings, and Moffatt proud pretensions. In the I John passage the AV translates it by the famous phrase the pride of life, and Moffatt translates it the proud glory of life. These words have behind them a most interesting picture, which makes them all the more vivid and meaningful. The Greeks derived them from alē, which means a wandering about; and an alazōn was one of these wandering quacks who could be found shouting their wares in every market-place and in every fair-ground, and offering to sell men their patent cure-alls. Plutarch, for instance, uses it to describe a quack doctor (Plutarch, Moralia 523). It was the word for these quacks and cheapjacks who travelled the country and set up their stalls wherever crowds gathered, to sell their patent pills and potions, and to boast that they could cure anything. So in Greek the word came to mean a pretentious braggart. The Platonic Definitions define alazōneia as ‘the claim to good things which a man does not really possess’. Aristotle defines the alazōn as the man ‘who pretends to praiseworthy qualities which he does not possess, or possesses in a lesser degree than he makes out’ (Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics 1127a 21). Again in the Rhetoric (1384a 6) he says that ‘it is the sign of alazoneia to claim that things it does not possess belong to it’.

• From Heptaméron (1559)

  who have any malady, whether in the legs, arms or breasts, and with her own hand she dresses them by way of trying an ointment she has, which is very singular." This horror at the thought of death was common to both mother and daughter. Brantome says of the former, " She was in her time, as I have heard many say who have seen and known her, a very fine lady, but very worldly withal, and was the same in her declin- iner asfe, and hated to hear discourse of death, even from preachers in their sermons : as if, said she, we did not know well enough that we must all die some time or other ; and these preachers, when they have nothing else to say in their sermons, like ignorant persons, fall to talking of death. The late Queen of Navarre, her daughter, liked no more than her mother these repetitions and preachings concerning death." * A few days after the date of the letter quoted in the last paragraph, Louise of Savoy quitted Fontainebleau for change of air, but was obliged to stop at Gres, a little village of the Gatinais, where she died on the 22d of September, 1531. We now turn to her daughter's history. Charles of Austria, Count of Flanders, afterwards the Emperor Charles V., was residing at the court of Louis XI L when Margaret of Angouleme appeared there accompanying her brother on his entrance into public life. The Count of Flanders was much struck by her appearance and her accomplishments, and eagerly sought her in marriage. But Louis XIL refused to bestow upon him the sister of the heir presumptive of the throne of France, and chose rather to marry her in the follow- ing year, December, 1509, to Charles, Duke of Alengon, a prince of the royal family. Historians have treated the memory of Margaret's first husband with excessive severity. He had the misfortune to escape unwounded from the fatal battle of Pavia, while endeavouring to save the remains of the routed army ; and it has been alleged that on his arrival at Lyon, where he found * Dames Galantes. QUEEN OF NAVARRE. xxiii

• From Heptaméron (1559)

  The bastard, not being able to employ the page any more, sent in his stead an old domestic, who, without caring for the threats of death which he well knew the queen had proclaimed against all who should meddle in this affair, undertook to convey the letters to Rolandine. Having entered the chateau, he stationed himself at a door which was at the foot of a great staircase used by all the ladies, but a valet, who had formerly known him, recognized him at once, and denounced him to the queen's maitre d' hotel, who gave orders for his instant arrest. The wary servant, seeing that he was watched, turned to the wall, under a certain pretence, tore his letters into the smallest possible pieces, and threw them behind the door. Immediately afterwards he was arrested and searched, but nothing being found on him, he was interro- gated upon oath as to whether he had not carried letters. Nothing was left untried in the way of promises or threats to make him confess the truth, but, in spite of all they could do, they could never get anything out of him. The unsatisfactory result was reported to the queen ; but some one having thought of looking behind the door found there the fragments of the letters. The king's confessor was sent for ; and having arranged all the pieces on a table, he read the whole of the letter, in which the secret marriage was plainly revealed, for the bastard called Rolandine his wife. The queen, who was not of a humour to conceal her neighbour's fault, made a great noise about the matter ; and insisted on every means being employed to make the man confess the truth respecting the letter, the identity of which he could not deny ; but say to him or show him what they would, there was no possibility of making him avow anvv Third day\ QUEEN OF NA VARRE. 203

• From Little Women (1868)

  "I used to be so frightened when it was my turn to sit in the chair with the crown on, and see you all come marching round to give the presents, with a kiss. I liked the things and the kisses, but it was dreadful to have you sit looking at me while I opened the bundles," said Beth, who was toasting her face and the bread for tea at the same time. "Let Marmee think we are getting things for ourselves, and then surprise her. We must go shopping tomorrow afternoon, Meg. There is so much to do about the play for Christmas night," said Jo, marching up and down, with her hands behind her back, and her nose in the air. "I don't mean to act any more after this time. I'm getting too old for such things," observed Meg, who was as much a child as ever about 'dressing-up' frolics. "You won't stop, I know, as long as you can trail round in a white gown with your hair down, and wear gold-paper jewelry. You are the best actress we've got, and there'll be an end of everything if you quit the boards," said Jo. "We ought to rehearse tonight. Come here, Amy, and do the fainting scene, for you are as stiff as a poker in that." "I can't help it. I never saw anyone faint, and I don't choose to make myself all black and blue, tumbling flat as you do. If I can go down easily, I'll drop. If I can't, I shall fall into a chair and be graceful. I don't care if Hugo does come at me with a pistol," returned Amy, who was not gifted with dramatic power, but was chosen because she was small enough to be borne out shrieking by the villain of the piece. "Do it this way. Clasp your hands so, and stagger across the room, crying frantically, 'Roderigo! Save me! Save me!'" and away went Jo, with a melodramatic scream which was truly thrilling. Amy followed, but she poked her hands out stiffly before her, and jerked herself along as if she went by machinery, and her "Ow!" was more suggestive of pins being run into her than of fear and anguish. Jo gave a despairing groan, and Meg laughed outright, while Beth let her bread burn as she watched the fun with interest. "It's no use! Do the best you can when the time comes, and if the audience laughs, don't blame me. Come on, Meg." Then things went smoothly, for Don Pedro defied the world in a speech of two pages without a single break. Hagar, the witch, chanted an awful incantation over her kettleful of simmering toads, with weird effect. Roderigo rent his chains asunder manfully, and Hugo died in agonies of remorse and arsenic, with a wild, "Ha! Ha!" "It's the best we've had yet," said Meg, as the dead villain sat up and rubbed his elbows.

• From Heptaméron (1559)

  the door to listen, but, hearing her niece's voice, she pushed open the door, which was held by the young monk. When she entered the dormitory, the prior, pointiuLj to her niece, said, " You did wrong, mother, not to acquaint me with Sister Marie's constitution : for, not knowing her weakness, I made her stand before me, and while I was reprimanding her, she fainted away, as you see. Vinegar and other remedies being applied, Sister Marie recovered from her faint ; and the prior, fearing lest she should tell her aunt the cause of it, found means to whisper in her ear, " I command you, my daughter, on pain of disobedience and eternal damnation, never to speak of what I have done to you. It was my great love for you that made me do it ; but since I see that you will not respond to my passion, I will never mention it to you while I live. I may, however, assure you, for the last time, that if you will love me I will have you chosen abbess of one of the best abbeys in this kingdom." She replied that she would rather die in perpetual imprisonment than ever have any other friend than Him who had died for her on the cross ; deeming herself happier in suffering all ills with Him than in enjoying without Him all the pleasures the world can afford. She warned him once for all not to speak to her any more in that manner, if he did not wish her to complain of it to the abbess ; but if he desisted, she would say nothing of what was past. Before this bad shepherd withdrew, in order to appear quite different from what he was in reality, and to have the pleasure of again gazing on her he loved, he turned to the abbess and said, " I beg, mother, that you will make all your daughters sing a Salve Regina in honour of the Virgin, in whom I rest my hope." The Salve Regina was sung ; and all the while the fox 220 THE HEPTAMERON OF THE [Noz'd 22. did nothing but weep, not with devotion, but with regret at having so ill succeeded. The nuns, who attributed his emotion to the love he felt for the Virgin Mary, regarded him as a saint ; but Sister Marie, who knew his hypoc- risy, prayed to God in her heart to confound a villain who had such contempt for virginity.

• From Heptaméron (1559)

  " You want to dismiss Count Guillaume," said the king, laughing, " and you see he dismisses himself. You may tell him, then, that if he is not satisfied with the terms he accepted when he entered my service, and which many a man of good family would think himself fortunate in having, he may see if he can do better else- where. Far from wishing to hinder him, I shaU be very glad to have him find as good a position as he deserves." Robertet was as prompt in carrying this reply to the count as he had been in laying the latter's proposals be- fore the king. " That being the case, I must retire from his majesty's service/' said the count. Fear made him so eager to be gone, that twenty-four hours sufficed for l68 THE HEPTAMERON OF THE [Navel 17. the rest. He took leave of his majesty as he was sitting down to table, and affected extreme regret at the neces- sity which compelled him to quit that gracious presence. He also took leave of the king's mother, who let him go with no less gladness than she had welcomed him as a kinsman and friend. The king, seeing his mother and his courtiers surprised at the count's sudden departure, made known to them the alarm he had given the coant, adding that even if he were innocent of what was laid to his charge, he had a fright sufficient to make him quit a master whose temper he did not yet know.* I see no reason, ladies, which could have obliged the king thus to expose his person against a man who was reckoned so formidable an adversary, had he not chosen, from mere greatness of soul, to quit the company in which kings find no inferiors to offer them simple com- bat, in order to put himself upon an equal footing with a man whom he regarded as his enemy, and to prove in person his daring and high courage. " He was certainly right," said Parlamente ; " for the praises of all mankind are not so satisfying to a great heart as its own experience of the virtues with which God has endowed it." " The ancients long ago represented," said Geburon, " that one cannot arrive at the temple of Fame without passing through that of Virtue. As I know the two persons of whom you have related this tale, I know per- fectly well that the king is one of the most intrepid men in his dominions." * The fact related in this novel niu.st have occurred in the forest of Argilly, in July, 1521, when Francis I. was at Dijon. The Ger- man count in question was Wilhelm von Furstemberg. He is the subject of the thirtieth chapter of Brantome's Capitaines Etran- gers. Second day.] Q UEEN OF NA VARRE, 1 69

• From Heptaméron (1559)

  One day, the king went to the chase, armed with no other weapon other than a very choice sword, and took Count Guillaume with him, desiring him to keep close up with him. After having hunted the stag for some time, the king, finding himself alone with Count Guillaume, and far from his suite, turned aside, and rode into the thick of the forest. When they had advanced some way he drew his sword, and said to the count, "What think you ? Is not this an excellent sword.?" The count, taking it by the point, rephed that he did not think he had ever seen a better. " You are right," rejoined the king ; " and it strikes me that if a gentle- man had conceived the design of kilUng me, and knew the strength of my arm, the boldness of my heart, and the temper of this good sword, he would think twice of it before he attacked me ; nevertheless, I should regard him as a great villain, if, being alone with me, man to man, he durst not attempt to execute what he had dared to undertake." " The villainy of the design would be very great, sire," replied the astounded count ; " but not less would be the folly of attempting to put it in execution." The king sheathed his sword with laugh, and, hear- ing the sound of the chase, set spurs to the horse, and galloped in the direction from which the sound came. When he rejoined his suite he said not a word of 1 Second day. \ QUEEN OF NA VARRE. 1 67 what had passed, satisfied in his own mind that Count Guillaume, for all his vigour and bravery, was not the man to strike so daring a blow. The count, however, making no doubt that he was suspected, and greatly fearing a discovery, went the next day to Robertet, the secretary of finance, and told him that, on considering the profits and appointments the king had proposed to make him for remaining in his service, he found they would not be sufficient to maintain him for half the year ; and that, unless his majesty would be pleased to double them, he should be under the necessity of retiring. He concluded by begging that Robertet would ascertain the king's pleasure in the matter, and make him acquainted with it as soon as possible. Robertet said he would lose no time, for he would go that instant to the king : a commission which he undertook the more readily, as he had seen the information obtained by La Tremouille. As soon as the king was awake, Robertet laid his busi- ness before him, in presence of Monsieur de la Tre- mouille and Admiral de Bonnivet, who were not aware of what the king had done the day before.

• From Saint Thomas Aquinas Collection (22 Books) (2016)

  Yet an oath becomes a source of evil to him that makes evil use of it, that is who employs it without necessity and due caution. For if a man calls God as witness, for some trifling reason, it would seemingly prove him to have but little reverence for God, since he would not treat even a good man in this manner. Moreover, he is in danger of committing perjury, because man easily offends in words, according to James 3:2, “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man.” Wherefore it is written (Ecclus. 23:9): “Let not thy mouth be accustomed to swearing, for in it there are many falls.” Reply to Objection 1: Jerome, commenting on Mat. 5:34, says: “Observe that our Saviour forbade us to swear, not by God, but by heaven and earth. For it is known that the Jews have this most evil custom of swearing by the elements.” Yet this answer does not suffice, because James adds, “nor by any other oath.” Wherefore we must reply that, as Augustine states (De Mendacio xv), “when the Apostle employs an oath in his epistles, he shows how we are to understand the saying, ‘I say to you, not to swear at all’; lest, to wit, swearing lead us to swear easily and from swearing easily, we contract the habit, and, from swearing habitually, we fall into perjury. Hence we find that he swore only when writing, because thought brings caution and avoids hasty words.” Reply to Objection 2: According to Augustine (De Serm. Dom. in Monte i. 17): “If you have to swear, note that the necessity arises from the infirmity of those whom you convince, which infirmity is indeed an evil. Accordingly He did not say: ‘That which is over and above is evil,’ but ‘is of evil.’ For you do no evil; since you make good use of swearing, by persuading another to a useful purpose: yet it ‘comes of the evil’ of the person by whose infirmity you are forced to swear.” Reply to Objection 3: He who swears tempts not God, because it is not without usefulness and necessity that he implores the Divine assistance. Moreover, he does not expose himself to danger, if God be unwilling to bear witness there and then: for He certainly will bear witness at some future time, when He “will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of hearts” (1 Cor. 4:5). And this witness will be lacking to none who swears, neither for nor against him.

• From Saint Thomas Aquinas Collection (22 Books) (2016)

  CHAPTER 16 16:1–41. These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. 2. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 3. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. AUGUSTINE. (Tr. xciii) After the promise of the Holy Spirit, to inspire them with strength to give witness; He well adds, These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. (Rom. 5:5) For when the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us, then great peace have they that love God’s law, and they are not offended at it. (Ps. 118.) What they were about to suffer follows next: They shall put you out of the synagogues. CHRYSOSTOM. (Hom. lxxvii) For the Jews had already agreed, if any confessed that He was Christ, that he should be put out of the synagogue.

• From Saint Thomas Aquinas Collection (22 Books) (2016)

  GLOSS. (non occ.) After speaking of the things which were to happen before the destruction of the city, the Lord now foretells those which happened about the destruction itself of the city, saying, But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand.) AUGUSTINE. (de con. ii. 77) Matthew says, standing in the holy place; but with this verbal difference Mark has expressed the same meaning; for He says where it ought not to stand, because it ought not to stand in the holy place. BEDE. (ubi sup.) When we are challenged to understand what is said, we may conclude that it is mystical. But it may either be said simply of Antichrist, or of the statue of Cæsar, which Pilate put into the temple, or of the equestrian statue of Adrian, which for a long time stood in the holy of holies itself. An idol is also called abomination according to the Old Testament, and he has added of desolation, because it was placed in the temple when desolate and deserted. THEOPHYLACT. Or he means by the abomination of desolation, the entrance of enemies into the city by violence. AUGUSTINE. (Epist. cxcix. 9.) But Luke, in order to shew that the abomination of desolation happened when Jerusalem was taken, in this same place gives the words of our Lord, And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. (Luke 21:20) It goes on: Then let them that be in Judæa flee to the mountains. BEDE. (ubi sup.) It is on record that this was literally fulfilled, when on the approach of the war with Rome and the extermination of the Jewish people, all the Christians who were in that province, warned by the prophecy, fled far away, as Church history relates, and retiring beyond Jordan, remained for a time in the city of Pella under the protection of Agrippa, the king of the Jews, of whom mention is made in the Acts, and who with that part of the Jews, who chose to obey him, always continued subject to the Roman empire. THEOPHYLACT. And well does he say, Who are in Judæa, for the Apostles were no longer in Judæa, but before the battle had been driven from Jerusalem. GLOSS. (Non in Gloss. sed ap. Theoph.) Or rather went out of their own accord, being led by the Holy Ghost. It goes on, And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house; for it is a desirable thing to be saved even naked from such a destruction. It goes on: But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days. BEDE. (ubi sup.) That is, they whose wombs or whose hands, overladen with the burden of children, in no small measure impede their forced flight.

• From Go Tell It on the Mountain (1953)

  Many nights ago, as she turned on her bed, this message came to her. For many days and nights the message was repeated; there had been time, then, to turn to God. But she had thought to evade him, seeking among the women she knew for remedies; and then, because the pain increased, she had sought doctors; and when the doctors did no good she had climbed stairs all over town to rooms where incense burned and where men or women in traffic with the devil gave her white powders, or herbs to make tea, and cast spells upon her to take the sickness away. The burning in her bowels did not cease—that burning which, eating inward, took the flesh visibly from her bones and caused her to vomit up her food. Then one night she found death standing in the room. Blacker than night, and gigantic, he filled one corner of her narrow room, watching her with eyes like the eyes of a serpent when his head is lifted to strike. Then she screamed and called on God, turning on the light. And death departed, but she knew he would be back. Every night would bring him a little closer to her bed. And after death’s first silent vigil her life came to her bedside to curse her with many voices. Her mother, in rotting rags and filling the room with the stink of the grave, stood over her to curse the daughter who had denied her on her deathbed. Gabriel came, from all his times and ages, to curse the sister who had held him to scorn and mocked his ministry. Deborah, black, her body as shapeless and hard as iron, looked on with veiled, triumphant eyes, cursing the Florence who had mocked her in her pain and barrenness. Frank came, even he, with that same smile, the same tilt of his head. Of them all she would have begged forgiveness, had they come with ears to hear. But they came like many trumpets; even if they had come to hear and not to testify it was not they who could forgive her, but only God. The piano had stopped. All around her now were only the voices of the saints. ‘Dear Father’—it was her mother praying—‘we come before You on our knees this evening to ask You to watch over us and hold back the hand of the destroying angel. Lord, sprinkle the doorpost of this house with the blood of the Lamb to keep all the wicked men away. Lord, we praying for every mother’s son and daughter everywhere in the world but we want You to take special care of this girl here to-night, Lord, and don’t let no evil come nigh her.

• From Heptaméron (1559)

  The assignation having been made, and the requisite measures concerted, the gentleman failed not to present himself at the rendezvous, at whatever risk of his life, for the fair widow resided with her relations. But as he was not less cunning than handsome, he managed so adroitly that he was in the lady's chamber at the moment appointed. He found her alone in a handsome bed ; but as he was undressing in eager haste, he heard whisperings outside the chamber-door, and the noise of swords clashing against the walls. " We are undone," cried the widow, more dead than alive. " Your life and my honour are in mortal peril. My brothers are coming to kill you. Hide yourself under the bed, I beseech you ; for then they will not find you, and I shall have a right to complain of their alarming me without cause." The gentleman, who was not easily frightened, coolly replied, " What are your brothers that they should make a man of honour afraid } If their whole race was as- sembled at the door, I am confident they would not stand the fourth lunge of my sword. Remain quietly in bed, therefore, and leave me to guard the door." Then wrapping his cloak round his left arm, and with his sword in his hand, he opened the door, and saw that the threatening weapons were brandished by two servant maids. " Forgive us, monsieur," they said. " It is by our mistress's orders we do this ; but you shall have no more annoyance from us." The gentleman, seeing that his supposed antagonists were women, contented II 1 62 THE NEPTA.UEKO.V OF THE [Noz<el i6. himself with bidding them go to the devil, and skimming the door in their faces. He then jumped into bed to his mistress without delay. Fear had not cooled his ardour, and without wasting time in asking the meaning of the sham alarm, bethought only of satisfying his passion.

• From Saint Thomas Aquinas Collection (22 Books) (2016)

  Whether negligence can be a mortal sin?Objection 1: It would seem that negligence cannot be a mortal sin. For a gloss of Gregory [*Moral. ix. 34] on Job 9:28, “I feared all my works,” etc. says that “too little love of God aggravates the former,” viz. negligence. But wherever there is mortal sin, the love of God is done away with altogether. Therefore negligence is not a mortal sin. Objection 2: Further, a gloss on Ecclus. 7:34, “For thy negligences purify thyself with a few,” says: “Though the offering be small it cleanses the negligences of many sins.” Now this would not be, if negligence were a mortal sin. Therefore negligence is not a mortal sin. Objection 3: Further, under the law certain sacrifices were prescribed for mortal sins, as appears from the book of Leviticus. Yet no sacrifice was prescribed for negligence. Therefore negligence is not a mortal sin. On the contrary, It is written (Prov. 19:16): “He that neglecteth his own life [Vulg.: ‘way’] shall die.” I answer that, As stated above (A[2], ad 3), negligence arises out of a certain remissness of the will, the result being a lack of solicitude on the part of the reason in commanding what it should command, or as it should command. Accordingly negligence may happen to be a mortal sin in two ways. First on the part of that which is omitted through negligence. If this be either an act or a circumstance necessary for salvation, it will be a mortal sin. Secondly on the part of the cause: for if the will be so remiss about Divine things, as to fall away altogether from the charity of God, such negligence is a mortal sin, and this is the case chiefly when negligence is due to contempt. But if negligence consists in the omission of an act or circumstance that is not necessary for salvation, it is not a mortal but a venial sin, provided the negligence arise, not from contempt, but from some lack of fervor, to which venial sin is an occasional obstacle. Reply to Objection 1: Man may be said to love God less in two ways. First through lack of the fervor of charity, and this causes the negligence that is a venial sin: secondly through lack of charity itself, in which sense we say that a man loves God less when he loves Him with a merely natural love; and this causes the negligence that is a mortal sin. Reply to Objection 2: According to the same authority (gloss), a small offering made with a humble mind and out of pure love, cleanses man not only from venial but also from mortal sin.

• From Saint Thomas Aquinas Collection (22 Books) (2016)

  JEROME. This is against those rash persons who think that whatever they believe they can perform. The more confident we are of our zeal, the more mistrustful should we be of the frailty of the flesh. ORIGEN. Here it should be enquired, whether as all men’s flesh is weak, so all men’s spirit is willing, or whether only that of the saints; and whether in unbelievers the spirit is not also dull, as the flesh is weak. In another sense the flesh of those only is weak whose spirit is willing, and who with their willing spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh. These then He would have watch and pray that they should not enter into temptation, for the more spiritual any one may be, the more careful should he be that his goodness should not suffer a great fall. REMIGIUS. Otherwise; In these words He shews that He took real flesh of the Virgin, and had a real soul, saying that His spirit is willing to suffer, but His flesh weak in fearing the pain of Passion. ORIGEN. There were, I conclude, two ways in which this cup of Passion might pass from the Lord. If He should drink it, it would pass away from Him, and afterwards from the whole race of mankind also; if He should not drink it, it would perhaps pass from Him, but from men it would not pass. He would fain therefore that it should so pass from Him as that He should not at all taste its bitterness, yet only if it were possible, saving the righteousness of God. If it were not possible, He was rather willing to drink it, that so it might pass from Him, and from the whole race of mankind rather than against His Father’s will shun the drinking thereof. CHRYSOSTOM. That He prays for this a second and a third time, comes of the feelings belonging to human frailty, through which also He feared death, thus giving assurance that He was truly made man. For in Scripture when any thing is repeated a second and third time, that is the greatest proof of its truth and reality; as, for example, when Joseph says to Pharaoh, And for that thou sawedst it twice, it is proof of the thing being established by God. (Gen. 41:32.) JEROME. Or otherwise; He prays a second time that if Nineveh, or the Gentile world, cannot be saved unless the gourd, i. e. the Jews, be withered, His Father’s will may be done, which is not contrary to the Son’s will, who Himself speaks by the Prophet, I am content to do thy will, O God. (Ps. 40:8.) HILARY. Otherwise, He bare in His own body all the infirmities of us His disciples who should suffer, and nailed to His cross all wherein we are distressed; and therefore that cup cannot pass from Him, unless He drink it, because we cannot suffer, except by His passion.

• From Saint Thomas Aquinas Collection (22 Books) (2016)

  II. The idolatry of the elements signifies the idolatry of the covetous, Colos. 3:5, “Covetousness, which is idolatry.” The idolatry of animals is that of carnal concupiscence, which exists in the pleasures of the flesh, S. Jude 10, “But what they know naturally as brute beasts in those things they corrupt themselves.” Of these three, S. James 3:15, “This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly,” through avarice; “sensual,” by luxury; “devilish,” through pride. HOMILY XVIII THE GREAT ACCOUNT NINTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.—(FROM THE GOSPEL)“Give an account of thy stewardship.”—S. Luke 16:2. THIS word is spoken to every one at death or in the judgment, since it behoves us all to come before the heavenly tribunal of Christ the Judge, 2 Cor. 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad;” and therefore every man ought to think how he will then be able to give account. But we ought to consider three things about this account. (1) The difficulty of rendering the account; (2) of the witnesses, who will accuse those rendering a false account, themselves giving the true one; (3) the severity of the sentence which will be given against those who have rendered a false account. I. On the first head, it is to be noted that (1) it will be difficult to render account of all the thoughts, Ps. 75:11, Vulg., “For the thought of man shall give praise to Thee.” Wisd. 1:9, “For inquisition shall be made into the thoughts of the ungodly.” (2) Of the sayings, S. Matt. 12:36, “But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment; for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Eccles. 12:14, “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.” II. On the second head, it is to be noted, that three most true witnesses will accuse the ungodly in the judgment. The first witness will be God, Mal. 3:5, “And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers … For I am the Lord: I change not.” The second will be conscience, Rom. 2:15, “Their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts in the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ.” The third will be every creature, Job 20:27, “The heavens shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him;” whence a certain holy father said: we are about to render an account in the presence of heaven and earth; and do you mock?

• From Saint Thomas Aquinas Collection (22 Books) (2016)

  12. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. 13. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. BEDE. (ubi sup.) The Lord shews how Jerusalem and the province of Judæa merited the infliction of such calamities, in the following words: But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten. For the greatest cause of destruction to the Jewish people was, that after slaying the Saviour, they also tormented the heralds of His name and faith with wicked cruelty. THEOPHYLACT. Fitly also did He premise a recital of those things which concerned the Apostles, that in their own tribulations they might find some consolation in the community of troubles and sufferings. There follows: And ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. He says kings and rulers, as, for instance, Agrippa, Nero, and Herod. Again, His saying, for my sake, gave them no small consolation, in that they were about to suffer for His sake. For a testimony against them, means, as a judgment beforehand against them, that they might be inexcusable, in that though the Apostles were labouring for the truth, they would not join themselves to it. Then, that they might not think that their preaching should be impeded by troubles and dangers, He adds: And the Gospel must first be published among all nations. AUGUSTINE. (de Con. Evan. ii. 77) Matthew adds: And then shall the end come. (Matt. 24:14) Mark, however, by the word first means before the end come. BEDE. Ecclesiastical historians testify that this was fulfilled, for they relate that all the Apostles long before the destruction of the province of Judæa were dispersed to preach the Gospel over the whole world, except James the son of Zebedee and James the brother of our Lord, who had before shed their blood in Judæa for the word of the Lord. Since then the Lord knew that the hearts of the disciples would be saddened by the fall and destruction of their nation, He relieves them by this consolation, to let them know that even after the casting away of the Jews, companions in their joy and heavenly kingdom should not be wanting, nay that many more were to be collected out of all mankind than perished in Judæa.