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Our Lord then asked the spirit his name: not because He was ignorant of it, but because, as the holy Fathers observe, He wished to impart to His followers a knowledge which should inspire them with a profitable fear. The spirit answered that his name was Legion, because they were many; and he entreated our Blessed Saviour not to drive him out of the country, but to permit him to enter into the herd of swine that was feeding on the mountain. His request was granted, and the swine, to the number of two thousand, being instantly possessed by the whole legion of devils, ran headlong down the precipice into the sea, and were drowned.

The fact immediately became known through the country, and crowds of people flocked to the place, where they were astonished to see the man who had been troubled by the devil, now clothed, and sitting like a lamb at the feet of Jesus. Penetrated with a grateful sense of the mercy he had received, the poor man would willingly have remained with his Divine deliverer; but Jesus bade him to return home to his friends, and to publish the wonderful favour that he had received from God.

This demoniac, according to the holy Fathers, presents a striking figure of those unhappy sinners, who, by a habit of vice, fly from the fellowship of the saints, strip themselves of the robes of sanctifying grace, and sit naked in the state of deadly sin, far from those heavenly mansions which have been purchased for them by the blood of their Redeemer. Wallowing in the mire of animal delights, and rushing headlong into the abyss of endless perdition, they stand in need of a miracle of grace to free them from their wretched slavery, and to restore them to the peace which no man can enjoy, so long as he is at variance with God.

Immediately after this miracle, our Lord again crossed the Lake to Capharnaum, where a great multitude awaited His coming. Among the rest, 'Jairus, the ruler of the Synagogue of Capharnaum, who had a daughter on the point of death, was waiting to beg our Lord to come and lay His hands upon her that she might recover. Our Lord at once went

towards the house with His Apostles, in the midst of a great concourse of people. A woman who, for upwards of twelve

years, had suffered from a painful and wasting disease came near Him as He went by, and she was cured by touching the hem of His garment. Meanwhile, messengers arrived with the news that the daughter of Jairus was dead. Our Blessed Saviour bade the sorrow-stricken father not to be afraid. Then entering the house, He took the dead girl by the hand, and bade her arise. She rose up at once. Then our Lord departed, after laying upon all the household the strictest injunctions to tell no one the wonder that had been wrought.'

The Evangelists now record another missionary journey through Galilee, almost at the outset of which, our Lord with His disciples once more visited Nazareth, as if to give the inhabitants of that once most blessed spot, another opportunity of manifesting faith in Him whom they knew only as the Son of Joseph, the carpenter. But He was received with the same pride and contempt as before. He therefore went on his journey, but not without healing some few sick persons-more He was unable to do for his townsfolk, on account of their unbelief.'

During this tour of mercy, the sad condition of the multitudes, who were as sheep having no shepherd, deeply moved His compassion. He therefore called the Apostles together, and with a solemn charge regarding the duties of their mission, He sent them forth, two and two, to preach the kingdom of God; investing them at the same time, with power to cast out evil spirits, and to heal the sick.

Meanwhile, St. John the Baptist had paid the penalty of his outspoken denunciations of Herod's sinfulness, with the forfeit of his life. The anger which his words of reproof had excited in the breast of Herodias, had never slumbered. At length an opportunity presented itself to her for gratifying her desire of revenge.

Herod was celebrating his birthday with great rejoicing and magnificence; a grand entertainment was prepared, and the chief officials of Galilee were invited to attend; the daughter of Herodias was introduced before the company, and desired to dance. Her performance so pleased the king, that he hastily promised upon oath to give her whatsoever she

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should ask, though it were half his kingdom. The girl immediately left the room to consult her mother as to what she should ask. "Go," replied the adulteress, "and ask for the head of John the Baptist." The girl ran back to Herod, and desired that he would forthwith give her on a dish the head of John the Baptist. Horror-stricken at the unnatural request, the king regretted the rash promise he had made, but, out of respect to his guests, he resolved to keep his oath, rather than displease the daughter of Herodias. He therefore ordered an executioner to go forthwith to the prison, and to cut off the Baptist's head. The head was given in a dish to the girl, and she presented it to her mother.

Thus was the life of the great Precursor of Jesus Christ sacrificed to gratify the capricious revenge of a wicked woman. Hence we see, says St. Gregory, in what light we are to consider this mortal life, which is so liable to misfortunes, and so miserably harassed by the suspicions, the hatred, and the slanders of wicked men. It is to a future life that we should constantly look forward; a life which neither the tongue of slander nor the sword of persecution can affect. Tyrants may rage and threaten; pain may crumble these mortal bodies into dust; but death will open for us an entrance into that heavenly kingdom, where the blessed know no change and fear no decay.

Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes.-Matt. xiv.

The length of time during which the Apostles were engaged in their mission is not stated in the Gospel, but either in this, or in subsequent missionary labours of the same kind, in which they accompanied our Lord, several months of the year seem to have been spent. The movement throughout Galilee was greater than ever. At length, it reached the ears of the voluptuous and hardened Tetrarch himself.' Perplexed at the report of the wonderful works of the Prophet of Nazareth, he inquired who this could be, and received different answers. Some said He was Elias, whose coming upon earth had been predicted as a forerunner of the

end of the world: * others, that He was some other of the prophets. But the guilty king, in the anguish of his remorse, feared that it was John the Baptist whom he had so cruelly put to death, that had now risen from the dead, to reproach him with his crimes. Influenced also by curiosity, he wished to see the new teacher: but our Lord did not choose to gratify this desire of the sensual despot.

It was apparently in the early spring, and not far from the feast of the Pasch, when the Apostles came back from their mission, and told their Master how they had fared therein. They were wearied with their exertions: and our Lord, crossing the lake, took them away with Him, for a short interval of rest, to a desert spot near Bethsaida.'

A multitude of people followed him thither, many of whom had gone round by land, for the sake of hearing his

instructions, and of witnessing His miracles. They proceeded with Him some way into the desert, until the day began to decline: then the Apostles came to our Blessed Lord, and advised Him to send the people away, that they might provide themselves with something to eat. For they were still fasting, and had brought no provisions with them. As there was no town near, Jesus bade His Apostles produce their slender store, and asked what it was: they answered, only five barley loaves and two fishes. "Divide the multitude into companies," replied our Saviour, "and make them sit down upon the grass."

Then taking the bread into His hands, and lifting up

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His eyes to Heaven, He blessed the loaves and fishes, and gave them to His disciples to distribute. In the act of distribution, both the bread and the fishes were so wonderfully multiplied that they were more than sufficient to satisfy the whole multitude, which amounted to five thousand men, besides the women and children. They all ate until they were satiated, and of the fragments enough remained to fill twelve baskets.

The holy Fathers consider these five thousand men, as a figure of those Christians who quit the world, at least in desire, to follow Jesus Christ through the desert of this life. Their pleasing conduct presents us with an admirable picture of those virtues which distinguish the perfect members of the Church of Christ. Happy in the presence of Jesus, their Lord and Saviour, they seek no earthly comfort, they persevere in His service without being wearied, and they joyfully bear whatever labours and difficulties they meet with, rather than fail in the fidelity which they owe to their Creator. Resigned to the Divine will, they trust in their daily needs to the fatherly goodness of a God made man: they know that He has numbered the hairs of their heads, not one of which falls to the ground without His permission; they remember that it is He who feeds the birds of the air, and that He never abandons those who earnestly endeavour to serve Him. With such sentiments of faith and of holy confidence they persevere to the end, and thereby deserve to receive the reward of their patience.

Saint Peter upon the Waters.-Matt. xiv.

The miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fishes impressed the hearts of the people, with such a sense of gratitude, that they wished to set the crown upon the head of their benefactor, and to proclaim Him king. But our blessed Lord, who came to teach His followers by example as well as by word of mouth, not to seek worldly dignities or honours, fled from the multitude, and concealed Himself in a neighbouring mountain.

When it was dusk, and the people had dispersed, the