HOLY weeke.
He commendeth the poore widow for her two mites, aboue al. 5. Hauing said that the Temple shal
be quite destroied, 7. he foretelleth first many things that shal goe before. 20. then a signe
also when it is neere, after which shal come the destruction it self in most horrible manner,
without hope of restitution, vntil al Nations of the Gentils be gathered into his Church in the very
end of the world. 25. And then what signes shal come of the last day, terrible to the world, 28. but
comparable to vs of his Church, 34. so that we be alwaies watchful.
1.
*
Mark 12,14.
AND beholding, he saw them that did cast their guifts into the treasurie, rich
persons.
2. And he saw also a certaine poore widow casting two brasse mites.
3. And he said: Verily I say to you, that this poore widow hath cast more then al.
4. For al these of their aboundance haue cast into the guifts of God: but she
Of her penurie.
To offer or giue almes of our superfluities, is not so acceptable nor meritorious,
as to bestow some of that which is of our necessarie prouision and which we may
hardly spare from ourselues: for, that proceedeth of greater zeale, wil, and
intention, which be more respected of God then the substance of the guift.
of
penurie, hath cast in al her liuing that she had.
5. And certaine saying of the Temple that it was adorned with goodly stones and
donaries, he said:
6. These things which you see,
*
Mat. 24,1
Mark 13,1.
Tuesday night.
the daies wil come wherein
✟
This was fulfilled, 40. yeares after the death of Christ, the 19. of August, being
the very month and day wherein the Babylonians burnt it: from the first building
thereof by Salomon 1130. yeares: from the re-edifying thereof vnder Cyrus 639 yeares.
Iosep. de bel. Iud. li. 7. cap. 10.
there shal not be left a
stone vpon a stone that she not be destroied.
7. And they asked him, saying: Maister, when shal these things be: and what shal be
the signe when they shal begin to come to passe?
8. Who said: See you be not seduced. For
✟
Many false prophets and Heretikes. See An. Mat. 24. Mark 13.
many wil come in my name, saying that I am
he: and the time is at hand, goe not therfore after them.
9.
⋮
The Ghospel vpon SS. Vincentius and Anastasius day. Ian. 22. And for many other
Martryrs.
And when you shal heare of warres and seditions, be not terrified: these things
must first come to passe, but the end is not yet by and by.
10. Then he said to them: Nation shal rise against Nation, and Kingdom against Kingdom.
11. And there shal be greate earth-quakes in places, and pestilences and famines, and
terrours from Heauen, and there shal be great signes.
12. But before al these things they wil
✟
Great persecution of Catholike men.
lay their hands vpon you: and persecute you
deliuering you into the Synagogues and prisons, drawing you to Kings and Presidents for my name.
13. and it shal happen vnto you for testimonie.
14. Lay vp this therfore in your hartes, not to premeditate how you shal answer.
15. For I wil giue you mouth and wisdom, which al your aduersaries shal not be able
to resist and gainesay.
16. And you shal be deliuered vp of you parents and brethren, and kinsemen and
freinds: and they wil put to death of you.
17. And you shal be odious to al men for my name:
18. and a haire of your head shal not perish.
19. In your patience you shal possesse your soules.
20. And when you shal see Hierusalem compassed about with an armie, then know that
the desolation thereof is at hand.
21. then they that are in Iewrie, let them flee to the mountaines: and they in the
middes thereof, let them depart: and they in the countries, let them not enter into it.
22. For these are the daies of vengeance, that al things may be fulfilled that are
written.
23. But woe to them that are with child & that giue sucke in those daies. For there
shal be great affliction vpon the land, and wrath on this people.
24. And they shal fal by the edge of the sword; and shal be led captiue into al
Nations: and Hierusalem shal be troden of the Gentils, til the times of Nations be fulfilled.
25.
⋮
The Ghospel vpon 1. Sunday in Aduent.
*
Eze. 32,7.
Ioel. 3,15.
And there shal be signes in the sunne and the moone and the starres: and vpon
earth distresse of Nations, for the confusion of the sound of sea and waues,
26. men withering for feare and expectation, what shal come vpon the whole world.
For the powers of Heauen shal be moued:
27. and then they shal see the Sonne of man comming in a cloude with great power
and maiestie.
28. But when these things begin to come to passe, looke vp and lift vp your
heades: because your redemption is at hand.
29. And he spake to them a similitude. See the figtree and al trees:
30. when they now bud forth fruit out of them selues, you know that summer is nigh.
31. So you also when you shal see these things come to passe, know that the Kingdom
of God is nigh.
32. Amen I say to you, that this Generation shal not passe, til al be done.
33. Heauen and earth shal passe; but my wordes shal not passe.
34. And looke wel to your selues, lest perhaps your hartes be ouercharged with
surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life: and that day come vpon you sodenly.
35. For as a snare shal it come vpon al that sit vpon the face of al the earth.
36. Watch therfore, praying at al times, that you may be
✟
ἵνα καταξιωθȣτε
See Annot. c. 20,35.
accounted worthie
to escape al these things that are to come, and to stand before the Sonne of man.
37. And the daies he was teaching in the Temple: but the nightes going forth, be
abode in the
✟
Solitarinesse or eremitage (as S. Gregorie Nazian. saith) is a goodly thing:
this doth the mount Carmel of Elias teach, Iohns desert, and that mount vnto
which IESVS often retired, and was quietly alone with himself. Ser. 26. de
amore pauperum.
mount that is called Oliuet.
38. And al the people in the morning went vnto him in the Temple to heare him.