The first Evangelist, who was chosen by God,
[was] named Matthew, whom the Saviour chose
from being a worldly taxgatherer to be a spiritual Evangelist,
and he was one of the twelve servants of God;
he wrote the Gospel first in Hebrew,
which is set in order in the first book.
It is indeed a great and extraordinary grace of God to have an unwavering faith in the constant presence of his Almighty Spirit; yet the Spirit is present, though our faith may be weak; and his grace is given, though we are most unworthy of it; and the more feeble the instrument, the more evidently is the work, if work there be, seen to proceed from God, who will not suffer our unworthiness to hinder this operation of his Spirit in the hearts of his people.
Why did the Lord Jesus Christ present this parable to us? He surely did not approve of that cheat of a servant who cheated his master, stole from him and did not make it up from his own pocket. On top of that, he also did some extra pilfering. He caused his mater further loss, in order to prepare a little nest of quiet and security for himself after he lost his job.
Let nothing disturb my soul, fixed on Thee;
nothing weary it, stayed on Thee;
nothing draw it down, upheld by Thee, in Thee;
nothing turn it aside, directed by Thee, unto Thee.
At Rupertsberg Convent you can observe all the virtues marvelously competing to outdo one another. The mother [Hildegard] receives her daughters with such great love, and the daughters submit to their mother with such immense respect, that it is scarcely possible to decide whether the mother exceeds the daughters, or the daughters the mother in enthusiasm. These holy servants care for one another and in this way honour and respect one another,
The most blessed youth having arrived at Rome, when he shed tears, proofs of his devotion, before the sacred relics of the apostles, and had with many prayers commended the desire of his heart to their patronage, betook himself to the Bishop of the Supreme See, and when he had explained to him the cause of his journey, the Pope accepted his devotion, and treated him with the greatest affection as his son.
Because Christ’s people cannot be rent, his robe, woven and united throughout, is not divided by those who possess it; undivided, united, connected, it shows the coherent concord of our people who put on Christ. By the sacrament and sign of his garment, he has declared the unity of the Church.
Lofty Tree, bend down your branches
To embrace your sacred load:
Oh, relax the native tension
Of that all too rigid wood;
Gently, gently bear the members
Of your dying King and God.
Wherefore we have need of zeal in every direction, and much preparation of mind: and if we so order our conscience as to hate our former wickedness, and choose the contrary path with as much energy as God desires and commands, we shall not have anything less on account of the short space of time:
I believe in thee, O Lord, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, one only true God. I believe that all things were created by thy Almighty power and love: That all have been restored, by the goodness and mercy exhibited in the person of thy Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; who for us men, and for our salvation, was made flesh, conceived and born, did suffer, and was crucified, descended into the place of departed spirits,