Daily Bible Readings Commentary Sept 22 2007 Saturday 24th Week Ordinary Time.

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Sept 22 2007 Saturday 24^th Week Ordinary Time.

About the sources used.

The readings on this site are not official for the Mass of Roman Catholic Church, but are from sources free from copyright. They are here to present the comparable readings alongside traditional Catholic commentary as published in the Haydock Bible.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – dead link removed – Go here for NAB translation

1 Timothy 6:13-16 Haydock NT

13 And withal being idle, they learn to go about from house to house: not only idle, but tattlers also, and inquisitive, speaking things which they ought not. 14 I will, therefore, that the younger should marry, bear children, be mistresses of families, give no occasion to the adversary to speak evil. 15 For some are already turned aside after Satan. 16 If any of the faithful have widows, let him relieve them, and let not the church be burthened: that there may be sufficient for them who are widows indeed.

Haydock Commentary 1 Tim 6:13-16

• Ver. 13. Idle, &c. He shews by what steps they fall. Neglecting their prayers, they give themselves to idleness; they go about visiting from house to house; they are carried away with curiousity to hear what passes, and speak what they ought not of their neighbour’s faults. Wi.—The young widow that bears a near resemblance with this portrait, is not less to be lamented on her own account than feared and shunned on account of others.
• Ver. 14. The younger|| (widows) should marry. They who understand this of a command or exhortation to all widows to marry, makes S. Paul contradict himself, and the advice he gave to widows 1 Cor. vii. Where he says, (v. 40) She (the widow) will be more happy if she so remain according to my counsel; and when it is there said, I would have all to be as myself. [See the notes on those places.] He can therefore only mean such young widows, of whom he is speaking, that are like to do worse. Thus it is expounded by S. Jerome to Sabina: “Let her rather take a husband than the devil.” And in another epistle, to Ageruchia: “It is better to take a second husband than many adulterers.” S. Chrys. on this verse: I will, or would have such to marry, because they themselves will do it. See also S. Aug. de Bono viduitatis. C. viii. Wi.
• Ver. 15. For some are already turned aside after Satan, by breaking the vows they had made, “Yet it does not follow, (says S. Aug. in the same place) that they who abstain not from such sins may marry after their vows. They might indeed marry before they vowed; but this being done, unless they keep them they justly incur damnation.” “Why is it, (says he again, on Ps. lxxv.) they made void their first faith? But that they made vows, and kept them not. But let not this (says he) make you abstain from such vows, for you are not to comply with them by your own strength; you will fall, if you presume on yourselves; but if you confide in him to whom you made these vows, you will securely comply with them.” How different was the doctrine and practice of the first and chief of the late pretended reformers, who were many of them apostates after such vows? Wi.

Gospel According to Luke 8:4-15 Haydock NT

4 And when a very great multitude was gathered together, and hastened out of the cities to him, he spoke by a similitude:

5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

6 And other some fell upon a rock: and as soon as it was spring up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.

7 And other some fell among thorns, and the thorns growing up with it, choked it.

8 And other some fell upon good ground: and sprung up, and yielded fruit a hundred-fold.

Saying these things, he cried out:

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

9 And his disciples asked him what this parable might be.

10 To whom he said:

To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but to the rest in parables, that seeing, they may not see, and hearing, they may not understand.

11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

12 And they, by the way side, are they that hear; then the devil cometh, and taketh the word out of their heart, lest believing, they should be saved.

13 Now they upon the rock: are they who when they hear, receive the word with joy: and these have no roots; who believe for a while, and in time of temptation, fall away.

14 And that which fell among thorns: are they who have heard, and going their way, are choked with the cares and riches, and pleasures of this life, and yield no fruit.

15 But that on the good ground, are they who in a good and perfect heart, hearing the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit in patience.

Haydock Commentary Luke 8:4-15

• Ver. 8. Ears to hear, let him hear, &c. i.e. he that is willing to hear the word of God, and diligently comply with what is therein commanded, let him be attentive to the words of Christ. For the sight, hearing, and other senses, were not given to man to be used only as beasts use them, but likewise that they might profit his soul to eternal life. Tirinus.
• Ver. 9. After the multitude had left our divine Saviour, his disciples wishing thoroughly to understand the meaning of his instructions, came to him, and desired he would give them an explanation of the parable. Tirinus.
• Ver. 14. The sense of the Greek text is: they produce no fruit that arrives at maturity. V.

Sunday Bible Readings 27th Sunday Ordinary Time October 7 2007 with Catholic Commentary

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October 7 2007 Bible Readings 27th Sunday Ordinary Time

About the sources used.

The readings on this site are not official for the Mass (Worship service) of Roman Catholic Church, but are from sources free from copyright. They are here to present the comparable readings alongside traditional Catholic commentary as published in the Haydock Bible.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – dead link removed – Go here for NAB translation

If you want the readings for Sept 23 go here >> http://beingbob.wordpress.com/2007/09/16/sunday-bible-readings-25th-sunday-ordinary-time-sept-23-2007-with-traditional-catholic-commentary/

Habacuc 1:2-3, 2:2-4 (Habakkuk)

Douay-Rheims Challoner from SacredBible.org

1:2 How long, O Lord, shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? shall I cry out to thee suffering violence, and thou wilt not save?
1:3 Why hast thou shewn me iniquity and grievance, to see rapine and injustice before me? and there is a judgment, but opposition is more powerful.
2:2 And the Lord answered me, and said: Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables: that he that readeth it may run over it.
2:3 For as yet the vision is far off, and it shall appear at the end, and shall not lie: if it make any delay, wait for it: for it shall surely come, and it shall not be slack.
2:4 Behold, he that is unbelieving, his soul shall not be right in himself: but the just shall live in his faith.

Haydock Commentary Habacuc 1:2-3, 2:2-4

• CHAP I.
• Ver. 2. Save. Some think that he expresses the sentiments of the weak, like David, (Ps. lxxii. 2.) or what he had formerly entertained. The language of the prophets is very bold. Ex. xxxii. 32. Job. iii. 3. Jer. xx. 14. Jon. iv. 8. C.
• Ver. 3. Opposition. Sept. “the judge receives” bribes. H.—Such was the state of Juda after Josias. Jer. xxi. 12.
• CHAP II
• Ver. 2. Over it. It shall be legible (H.) any one may hear or take a copy. C.
• Ver. 3. Slack. That which happens at the time fixed is not. W.—Heb. “the vision is for an appointed time.” Habacuc might live to see the conquest and downfall of Nabuchodonosor. Many think that the first and second coming of Christ (Heb. x. 36. Rom. i. 17.) are here insinuated, as the dominion of the aforesaid king represented the slavery of mankind under the devil, and the liberty granted by Cyrus was a type of their redemption. The felicity of the Jews is the last event which the prophet specifies, and this is here the literal sense. S. Cyr. C.
• Ver. 4. Unbelieving. Prot. “lifted up.” H.—The king’s vain projects shall fail. Sept. Rom. “If he withdraw himself, my soul shall not have pleasure in him. But my just man shall live by my faith.” Others read with S. Paul, “my just man shall live by faith.” Heb. x. 38. C.—The source of content arises from faith, (without which this life would be a sort of death, as the apostle and S. Aug. Trin. xiv. 12. &c. observe) because it is the beginning of life by grace, which the works of the law could not otherwise confer. Gal. iii. W.—The Heb. will admit the sense of the Sept. and we ought rather to shew this in passages which the authors of the New Testament quote, than to excuse them. Here their version seems prefereable to that given by moderns, ecce elata est, non recta anima ejus in eo, the drift of which who can guess? Beza has acted unfairly, “at si quis se subduxerit non est gratum animo meo;” whereas the text speaks of the just man,” as Theophylact. Observes. “Hence all who know his theological opinions, may see how suspicious his translation must be accounted.” Pearson. pref. Sept. H.

2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14
Haydock New Testament

6 For which cause I admonish thee, that thou stir up the grace of God, which is in thee, by the imposition of my hands. 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear: but of power, and of love, and of sobriety.

8 Be not thou, therefore, ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner: but labour with the gospel, according to the power of God: 9 Who hath delivered us and called us by his holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the times of the world. 10 But now is made manifest, by the illumination of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath indeed destroyed death, and hath brought to light life and incorruption by the gospel: 11 In which I am appointed a preacher and an apostle, and a teacher to the Gentiles. 12 For which cause I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed. For I know whom I have believed, and I am certain that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him, against that day.

13 Hold the form of sound words, which thou hast heard from me in faith, and in the love which is in Christ Jesus. 14 Keep the good deposit by the Holy Ghost, who dwelleth in us.

Haydock Commentary 2 Tim 1:6-14

• Ver. 6. That thou stir up the grace of God. In the Greek is a metaphor for fire that is blown up again.—Which is in thee by the imposition of my hands, when thou wast ordained bishop. Wi.—The grace, which S. Paul here exhorts Timothy to stir up in him, was the grace he had received by imposition of hands, either in his confirmation, or at receiving the sacrament of orders, being a bishop. This verse seems to shew that the imposition of hands is used in these two sacraments, as the essential matter of the sacraments, being the instrumental cause of the grace therein conferred. Dion. Carthus. (Denis the Carthusian)
• Ver. 7. Of fear. Of a cowardly fear, and want of courage.—Of sobriety. Though the Protestants here translate of a sound mind, yet they translate the same Greek word by sobriety in divers other places, as Acts xxvi. 25. 1 Tim. ii. 9 and 15. and c. iii. 2. Tit. i. 8. &c. Wi.
• Ver. 8. Labour with the gospel. That is, labour with me in preaching, &c. Or by the Greek, be partner with me in suffering. Wi.
• Ver. 10. By the illumination of our Saviour. That is, by the bright coming and appearing of our Saviour. Ch.
• Ver. 12. I am certain that he (God) is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day. That is, to the day of judgment. S. Paul here means that which he had committed, or as it were deposited in the hands of God; to wit, the treasure of an eternal reward, due in some measure to S. Paul for his apostolical labours. This treasure, promised to those that live well, the apostle hopes he has placed and deposited in the hands of God, who will reward him, and repay him at the last day. This is the common interpretation. Wi.
• Ver. 14. Keep the good (doctrine) deposited or committed in trust to thee. This is different, though the word be the same, from what he spoke of, v. 12. There he mentioned what he had committed and deposited in the hands of God. Here he speaks of what God hath committed, and deposited in the hands of Timothy, after it was delivered to him by S. Paul and the other preachers of the gospel: that is, he speaks of the care Timothy must take to preserve the same sound doctrine, and to teach it to others. See 1 Tim. vi. 20. Wi.

Gospel According to Luke 17:5-10

Haydock New Testament

5 And the apostles said to the Lord;

Increase our faith.

6 And the Lord said;

If you had faith like a grain of mustard-seed, you might say to this mulberry-tree; Be thou rooted up, and be transplanted into the sea, and it shall obey you.

7 But which of you having a servant plouging or feeding cattle, will say to him when he is come from the field:

Immediately go, sit down to table:

8 And will not rather say to him:

Make ready my supper, and gird thyself, and serve me whilst I eat and drink, and afterwards thou shalt eat and drink?

9 Doth he thank that servant, because he did the things which he commanded him? 10 I think not. So you also, when you shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say:

We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which we ought to do.

Haydock Commentary Luke 17:5-10

• Ver. 5. Increase our faith. The disciples having heard our Saviour inculcating maxims hard to flesh and blood, such as avoiding scandal, and forgiving our enemies, humbly beg their faith may be increased, that they may be able to comply with these maxims: for they had heard Christ say, that every thing was possible to him that believed. Theophy.—Christ compares faith to a grain of mustard seed; because, though the grain be small, it is nevertheless stronger than most herbs. S. Chrysos.
• Ver. 6. To this mulberry-tree. In S. Matthew, (xvii 19.) we read, to this mountain. Christ might say both at different times. Wi.
• Ver. 7. The design and end of this parable is to shew that, rigorously speaking, we are useless servants with regard to God. This sovereign Master has a right to exact of us every kind of service, and to make us apply ourselves to any task he may think proper, without our having any reason to complain either of the difficulty, trouble, or length of our labours; we are entirely his, and he is master of our persons, time and talents. We hold of him whatever we possess, and we to us if we abuse his trust, by applying our talents to any use contrary to his designs. But though he be Lord and Master, he leaves our liberty entire. If he produces in us holy desires, if he works in us meritorious actions, gives us virtuous inclination and supernatural gifts, he sets to our account the good use we make of them; and in crowing our merits, he crowns his own gifts. S. Aug. lib. ix. Confes. and Serm 131. Calmet.
• Ver. 10. Unprofitable servants. Because our service is of no profit to our Master; and he justly claims it as our bounden duty. But though we are unprofitable to him, our serving him is not unprofitable to us; for he is pleased to give, by his grace, a value to our good works, which in consequence of his promise, entitles them to an eternal reward. Ch.—The word useless, when joined to servant, generally means a servant from whom his master does not derive the service he has a right to expect; as in S. Matt. xxv. 30. Here the word is taken in a less odious sense. It means a servant who does not testify sufficient zeal and ardour in his master’s service, who is not very eager to please him. With regard to God, we are always useless servants, because he wants not our services; and without his assistance, we can neither undertake nor finish any thing to please him. Calmet.

Sunday Bible Readings 26th Sunday Ordinary Time Sept 30 2007 with Catholic Commentary

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Sept 30 2007 Bible Readings 26th Sunday Ordinary Time

About the sources used.

The readings on this site are not official for the Mass of Roman Catholic Church, but are from sources free from copyright. They are here to present the comparable readings alongside traditional Catholic commentary as published in the Haydock Bible.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – dead link removed – Go here for NAB translation

Amos 6:1-7 (Officially 6:1a,4-7)
Douay-Rheims text copied from SacredBible.org

1 Woe to you that are wealthy in Sion, and to you that have confidence in the mountain of Samaria: ye great men, heads of the people, that go in with state into the house of Israel.

2 Pass ye over to Chalane, and see, and go from thence into Emath the great: and go down into Geth of the Philistines, and to all the best kingdoms of these: if their border be larger than your border.

3 You that are separated unto the evil day: and that approach to the throne of iniquity;

4 You that sleep upon beds of ivory, and are wanton on your couches: that eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the herd;

5 You that sing to the sound of the psaltery: they have thought themselves to have instruments of music like David;

6 That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the best ointments: and they are not concerned for the affliction of Joseph.

7 Wherefore now they shall go captive at the head of them that go into captivity: and the faction of the luxurious ones shall be taken away.

Haydock Commentary Amos 6:1-7

• Ver. 1. Wealthy. Sept. Syr. and Arab. “despisers of Sion.” Heb. also, “who hate Sion.” The prophecy wholly regards Israel. C.—It is a great crime for the rich to neglect the poor; but still more so, when wealthy clergymen shew no compassion for the spiritual or corporal wants of their neighbours. W.—State. Heb. “to whom the house of Israel comes” for judgment.
• Ver. 2. Chalane. Ctesiphon (C.) was built on its ruins. Gen. x. 10. H.—Why do you imitate these cities? Or, has their greatness protected them? Phul probably took Chalane, and Jeroboam II. the other cities. v. 15. and 4 K. xiv. 25. At that time there was no appearance of the kingdom being destroyed; yet Amos composes a funeral canticle, to shew the certainty of the event.
• Ver. 3. Separated.Heb. “remove the evil day,” as if it would not overtake you. Ezec. xii. 22. Sept. “who are praying (C.) or coming (Grabe) to the evil day, approaching and touching false Sabbaths.” H.—They pray to be delivered, while they continue (C.) their false worship. H.
• Ver. 4. Ivory, with which the beds for eating were adorned. v. 7. C.—Wanton. Heb. “stretch themselves out upon their,” &c. H.
• Ver. 5. David. They think they excel him in music; but he consecrated his talent to a better purpose. C.—Sept. “they deemed them stable, and not fugitive things.” H.—They have placed their chief good in such pleasures. Theod. C.
• Ver. 6. In bowls. Sept. “refined,” (H.) or cleared of the dregs.—Joseph, of their brethren, or they seem to have no share in the sufferings of mankind. Ps. lxxii. 5.
• Ver. 7. Luxurious. Heb. “the feast of those who stretch themselves out, shall,” &c. Sept. “the neighing shall be removed from Ephraim.” His luste shall be punished. Jer. v. 8.—Some translate Heb. “the mourning of those who stretch themselves on their beds is at hand.” Others, “their funeral feast is distant.” None shall bewail their death. So ambiguous is the original. C.

1 Timothy 6:11-16

Haydock New Testament

11 But thou, O man of God, fly these things: and pursue justice, piety, faith, charity, patience, meekness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life whereunto thou art called, and hast confessed a good confession before many witnesses.

13 I charge thee before God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate, a good confession: 14 That thou keep the commandment without spot, blameless, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the Blessed and only Mighy, the King of kings, and Lord of lords: 16 Who only hath immortality, and inhabiteth light inaccessible, whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and empire everlasting. Amen.

Haydock Commentary 1 Tim 6:11-16

• Ver. 11. But thou, O man of God. This, says S. Chrys. is one of the highest titles and commendations that can be given to any man. So are called Samuel, Elias, Eliseus. 1 K. ii. and ix. 3 K. xxxiii. Wi.
• Ver. 12. Fight the good fight. Lit. strive a good strife. S. Paul oftentimes brings this comparison of men striving for a prize.—And hast confessed a good confession before many witnesses, not only when baptized, not only when thou wast ordained a bishop, but by thy constancy and sufferings, and persecutions, says S. Chrys. though we know not the particulars. Wi.—Timothy had made profession of his faith at his baptism, at his ordination, and during the whole course of a life which, through many labours and persecutions, had been dedicated entirely to promote the faith. D. Thomas.—Like him let us also combat, if we aspire after the same triumph and prize.
• Ver. 13. Under Pontius Pilate, &c. Some expound it of the words and particular testimony Christ gave when he said he was king, but not of this world, who came to teach the truth. We may rather understand it with others, of all Christ taught and suffered under Pilate, or whilst he was governor of Judea. Wi.
• Ver. 14. That thou keep the commandment. Some understand that of fighting manfully; others of loving God; others rather comprehend all that S. Paul had commanded him, and all the instructions given.—Unto the coming of our Lord; which coming, he in due time will shew. This is the construction by the Greek. Wi.00This coming will be desirable for Christians who have preserved or recovered their baptismal innocence, and for pastors who have faithfully fulfilled their ministry; but terrible, in the extreme, for all who have lived in the constant neglect and omission of their duties.
• Ver. 16. Who only hath immortality; i.e. is immortal of himself, and by his own nature.—Light inaccessible; to human eyes or understandings. Wi.

Gospel According to Luke 16:19-31
Haydock New Testament

19 There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen: and feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And there was a certain beggar, by name Lazarus, who lay at his gate, full of sores, 21 Desiring to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table; and no one did give him: moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass that the beggar died, and he was carried by the Angels into Abraham’s bosom. And the rich man also died: and he was buried in hell. 23 And lifting up his eyes when he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom:

24 And he cried, and said:

Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, to cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.

25 And Abraham said to him:

Son, remember that thou didst receive good things in thy life-time, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is fixed a great chaos: so that they who would pass from hence to you, cannot, nor from thence come hither.

27 And he said:

Then, Father, I beseech thee that thou wouldst send him to my father’s house: 28 For I have five brethren, that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torments.

29 And Abraham said to him:

They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 But he said:

No, father Abraham; but if one went to them from the dead, they will do penance.

31 And he said to him:

If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe if one rise again from the dead.

Haydock Commentary Luke 16:19-31

• Ver. 19. There was a certain rich man, &c. By this history of the rich man and Lazarus, he declares that those who are placed in affluent circumstances, draw upon themselves a sentence of condemnation, if seeing their neighbor in want, they neglect to succour him. S. Cyril, in Cat. Graec. Partum.—He that hath the substance of this world, and shall see his brother in need, and shut up his bowels against him, how doth the charity of God abide in him? John, 1 Ep. iii. 17. A received tradition of the Jews informs us, that this Lazarus was a beggar, then at Jerusalem, suffering in the most wretched condition of poverty, and infirmity: him our Saviour introduces, to manifest more plainly the truth of what he had been saying. S. Cyril, ut supra.—By this, we are not to understand that all poverty is holy, and the possession of riches criminal; but, as luxury is the disgrace of riches, so holiness of life is the ornament of poverty. S. Ambrose.—A man may be reserved and modest in the midst of riches and honours, as he may e proud and avaricious in the obscurity of a poor and wretched life.—Divers interpreters have looked upon this as a true history; but what is said of the rich man seeing Lazarus, of his tongue, or his finger, cannot be literal: souls having no such parts. Wi.—In this parable, which S. Ambrose takes to be a real fact, we have the name of the poor mendicant; but our Lord suppresses the name of the rich man, to signify that his name is blotted out of the book of life: besides, the rich man tells Abraham, that he has five brothers, who were probably still living; wherefore, to save their honour, our Lord named not their reprobated brother.
• Ver. 22. —Abraham’s bosom. The place of rest, where the souls of the saints resided, till Christ had opened heaven by his death. Ch.—It was an ancient tradition of the Jews, that the souls of the just were conducted by angels into paradise. The bosom of Abraham (the common Father of all the faithful) was the place where the souls of the saints, and departed patriarchs, waited the arrival of their Deliverer. It was thither that Jesus went after his death; as it is said in the Creed, “he descended into hell,” to deliver those who were detained there, and who might at Christs’s ascension enter into heaven. Calmet. See 1 Pet. iii. 19.—“Many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham.” Matt. viii. 11.
• Ver. 25. It appears from Philo, (de Execrat. p. 9, 37 b.) that the Jews not only acknowledged the existence of souls, and their state of happiness or misery after this life, but also that the souls of the saints and patriarchs interceded with God for their descendants, and obtained for them the succour they stood in need of. Calmet.
• Ver. 26. Between us and you is fixed a great chaos, or gulf; i.e. God’s justice has decreed, that the bad should forever be separated from the good. We may here take notice that the Latin and Greek word, (v. 22) translated hell, even in the Prot. translation, cannot signify only the grave. Wi.
• Ver. 27. If they hear not Moses, &c. We think that if we saw a man raised from the dead, who should tell us what he had seen and suffered in another world, it would make more impression upon us than past miracles, which we hear of, or the promises and threats of the prophets, apostles, and our blessed Saviour, which are contained in the Scripture; but it is a false notion, a vain excuse. The wicked, and unbelievers, would even in that case find pretexts and objections for not believing. S. Chrys. hom. iv.—They would say that the dead man was a phantom; that his resurrection was not real; his assertion nugatory. When Christ raised Lazarus from the dead, the miracle was known, evident and public, yet we find none of the Pharisees converted by it. They were even so mad as to enter into a design to kill Lazarus, to get rid of a witness who deposed against their incredulity. How many other miracles did he not perform in their sight, which they attributed to the prince of darkness, or to magic? Christ raised himself from the dead. This fact was attested by many unexceptionable witnesses. And what do the hardened Jews do? They object, that his disciples, stealing away the body, maliciously persuaded the people that he had risen again. Such is the corruption of the human heart, that when once delivered up to any passion, nothing can movie it. Every day we see or hear of malefactors publicly executed yet their example has no effect on the survivors, nor does it prevent the commissions of fresh crimes. Calmet.—“We have also the more firm prophetical word; whereunto you do well to attend, as to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts.” 2 Pet. i. 19.—We may learn many very instructive lessons from this affecting history of Lazarus.—The rich may learn the dreadful consequences to be apprehended from riches, when made subservient to sensuality, luxury, and ambition. The poor may learn to make their poverty and sufferings however grievous the nature, instrumental to their future happiness, by bearing them with patience and resignation and resignation to the will of heaven. The former are taught that to expose a man to eternal misery, nothing more is required than to enjoy all the good things of this world according to their own will; the latter that however they may be despised and rejected of men, they may still have courage, knowing that the short day of this fleeting life, with all its apparent evils will soon be over; and that the day of eternity is fast approaching, when everyone shall receive according as he has done good or evil in his body.