first point; but it seems better to make a separate point of them as in the ancient Latin and Vulgate versions.

OF THE COMING OF CHRIST TO THE TEMPLE WHEN HE WAS TWELVE YEARS OLD (6)

(S. Luke ii. 41-50)

1. Christ our Lord, being twelve years of age, went up from Nazareth to Jerusalem.

2. He remained behind in Jerusalem, and His parents knew it

not.

3. After three days they found Him in the Temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors; and when His parents asked Him why He had acted so, He replied: (Wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business?).

(6) Here begin the Mysteries in which Christ our Lord gives us an example of the second state, viz. that of evangelical perfection.

After the contemplation of this Mystery follow, in the order of the Exercises, the meditations on the Two Standards, and the Three Classes, and also the consideration on the three Modes of Humility, with the teaching and spirit of which all the subsequent contemplations should be seasoned.

HOW CHRIST WAS BAPTIZED

(S. Matt. iii. 13–17; *S. Mark i. 9–11; S. Luke iii. 21–23) 1. Christ our Lord, after having taken leave of His Blessed Mother, came from Nazareth to the river Jordan, where John the Baptist was.

2. S. John baptized Christ our Lord; and when he sought to excuse himself, considering himself unworthy to baptize Him, Christ said to him: (Suffer it to be so now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness).

3. The Holy Spirit descended upon Him, and the voice of the Father was heard from heaven, saying: (This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased).

HOW CHRIST WAS TEMPTED

(S. Luke iv. 1-13; S. Matt. iv. 1-11; *S. Mark i. 12, 13) 1. After He was baptized He went into the wilderness, where He fasted forty days and forty nights.

2. He was thrice tempted by the enemy, who came to Him and said: (If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread... Cast Thyself down All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me). 3. (Angels came and ministered unto Him.)

OF THE CALL OF THE APOSTLES

1. It appears that S. Peter and S. Andrew were called three times: first, to some knowledge, as is evident from S. John (i. 35-42); secondly, to follow Christ after a manner, with the intention of returning to the possessions they had left, as S. Luke (v. 1-11) tells us; thirdly, to follow our Lord for ever (S. Matt. iv. 18-22; S. Mark i. 16-18).

2. He called (7) S. Philip (S. John i. 43), and S. Matthew, as S. Matthew himself (ix. 9-13) tells us. (See also S. Mark ii. 13-17; S. Luke v. 27-32).

(7) The Vulgate version inserts here the sons of Zebedee (S. Matt. iv. 21, 22; S. Mark i. 19, 20).

3. He called the other Apostles, of whose particular vocation the Gospel makes no mention.

Besides, three other things are to be considered.

I. How the Apostles were of a rude and lowly condition.

II. The dignity to which they were so sweetly called.

III. The gifts and graces by which they were raised above all the Fathers of the New and of the Old Testament.

OF THE FIRST MIRACLE, AT THE MARRIAGE FEAST IN CANA OF GALILEE

(S. John ii. 1-11)

1. Christ our Lord was invited with His disciples to the wedding.

2. The Mother points out to her Son the failure of the wine, saying: (They have no wine), and gives orders to the servants, (whatsoever He saith unto you, do it).

3. He turned the water into wine, (and manifested forth Hiş glory, and His disciples believed on Him),

HOW CHRIST OUR LORD DROVE THE SELLERS OUT OF THE TEMPLE

(S. John ii. 13–17)

1. He drove all the sellers out of the Temple with a scourge made of cords.

2. He overturned the tables and the money of the rich (8) changers that were in the Temple.

(8) These epithets rich and poor (points 2 and 3) are noteworthy. They were no doubt added by S. Ignatius as explaining why our Lord dealt more severely with the one set of persons than with the other. Possibly they occurred to him in his own meditation on this Mystery.

3. To the poor people who were selling doves, He said with meekness: (Take these things hence; make not My Father's house an house of merchandise).

OF THE SERMON CHRIST DELIVERED ON THE MOUNT

(S. Matt. v.-vii.) (9)

(9) Many other points for meditation may be taken from these chapters. S. Ignatius refers to Chapter v. only, but it seems better to include the whole Sermon.

1. To His beloved disciples He speaks apart of the eight Beatitudes: (Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . they that mourn the meek... they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness the merciful ... the pure in heart... the peacemakers

. they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake).

2. He exhorts them to make a good use of their talents: (Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven).

3. He shows that He is not a transgressor, but the fulfiller of the law, explaining the commandment of not killing, of not committing adultery, of not swearing falsely, and of loving our enemies : (I say unto you, Love your enemies do good to them that hate you).

...

HOW CHRIST OUR LORD STILLED THE STORM AT SEA

(S. Matt. viii. 23-27; *S. Mark iv. 35-41; S. Luke viii. 22-25) 1. While Christ our Lord was sleeping at sea, a great tempest

arose.

2. His terrified disciples awoke Him, whom He rebuked for the little faith they had, saying to them: (Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?).

3. He commanded the winds and the sea to cease; and they so ceasing the sea became calm, at which His disciples wondered, saying: (What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him!).

HOW CHRIST WALKED ON THE SEA

(S. Matt. xiv. 22-33; *S. Mark vi. 45-52; S. John vi. 15–21) 1. Christ our Lord bade His disciples to get into the boat; and having dismissed the multitude, He went up into a mountain apart to pray.

2. The boat was tossed by the waves, and Christ came to it walking upon the water; and the disciples thought it was an apparition. 3. Christ saying to them, (It is I, be not afraid), S. Peter at His bidding came to Him, walking on the water, and doubting, began to sink. But Christ our Lord saved him, and reproved him for his little faith; and afterwards, when He had entered into the boat, the wind ceased.

HOW THE APOSTLES WERE SENT TO PREACH

(S. Matt. x. 1-42; *S. Mark vi. 7-11; S. Luke ix. 1-5) 1. Christ calls His beloved disciples, and gives them power to cast out devils from the bodies of men, and to heal all sicknesses. 2. He teaches them about prudence and patience: (Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves).

3. He tells them how they are to go: (Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses. Freely ye have received, freely give). And He gives them the subject of their preaching : (As ye go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand).

OF THE CONVERSION OF S. MARY MAGDALENE

(S. Luke vii. 36-50)

1. Mary Magdalene enters where Christ our Lord is reclining at table in the house of the Pharisee, bringing with her an alabaster box of ointment.

2. Standing behind our Lord at His feet, she began to water them

with her tears, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

3. When the Pharisees accused her, Christ speaks in her defence, saying: (Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much. . . And He said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace).

HOW CHRIST OUR LORD FED FIVE THOUSAND MEN

(S. Matt. xiv. 13-21; *S. Mark vi. 30–44; S. Luke ix. 10-17 ; S. John vi. 1-14)

1. The disciples, as it was now late, ask Christ to dismiss the multitude of those who were with Him.

2. Christ our Lord commanded the disciples to bring Him the loaves, and gave directions that the crowd should sit down, and He blessed, brake, and gave the loaves to His disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

3. (And they did all eat, and were filled; and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full).

OF THE TRANSFIGURATION OF CHRIST

(S. Matt. xvii. 1-9; *S. Mark ix. 2-8; S. Luke ix. 28-36) 1. Christ our Lord taking in His company His beloved disciples Peter, James, and John, (was transfigured before them; and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light). 2. He conversed with Moses and Elias.

3. While S. Peter was proposing that they should make three tabernacles, there came a voice from heaven, saying: (This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him): which voice when the disciples heard, they fell on their faces through fear, (and Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be

risen again from the dead).

OF THE RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS

(S. John xi. 1-45)

1. Martha and Mary make known to Christ our Lord the sickness of Lazarus. When He heard of it He stayed in the place where He was two days, that the miracle might be more manifest.

2. Before raising him He asks each of them to believe, saying: