660

Penitence, alone of all these mysteries, has been manifestly declared to the Jews, and by Saint John, the Forerunner; and then the other mysteries; to indicate that in each man, as in the entire world, this order must be observed.

661

The carnal Jews understood neither the greatness nor the humiliation of the Messiah foretold in their prophecies.  They misunderstood Him in His foretold greatness, as when He said that the Messiah should be lord of David, though his son, and that He was before Abraham, who had seen Him.  They did not believe Him so great as to be eternal, and they likewise misunderstood Him in His humiliation and in His death.  “The Messiah,” said they, “abideth for ever, and this man says that he shall die."[240] Therefore they believed Him neither mortal nor eternal; they only sought in Him for a carnal greatness.

662

Typical.—­Nothing is so like charity as covetousness, and nothing is so opposed to it.  Thus the Jews, full of possessions which flattered their covetousness, were very like Christians, and very contrary.  And by this means they had the two qualities which it was necessary they should have, to be very like the Messiah to typify Him, and very contrary not to be suspected witnesses.

663

Typical.—­God made use of the lust of the Jews to make them minister to Jesus Christ, [who brought the remedy for their lust].

664

Charity is not a figurative precept.  It is dreadful to say that Jesus Christ, who came to take away types in order to establish the truth, came only to establish the type of charity, in order to take away the existing reality which was there before.

“If the light be darkness, how great is that darkness!"[241]

665

Fascination. Somnum suum.[242] Figura hujus mundi.[243]

The Eucharist. Comedes panem tuum.[244] Panem nostrum.

Inimici Dei terram lingent.[245] Sinners lick the dust, that is to say, love earthly pleasures.

The Old Testament contained the types of future joy, and the New contains the means of arriving at it.  The types were of joy; the means of penitence; and nevertheless the Paschal Lamb was eaten with bitter herbs, cum amaritudinibus.[246]

Singularis sum ego donec transeam.[247]—­Jesus Christ before His death was almost the only martyr.

666

Typical.—­The expressions, sword, shield. Potentissime.

667

We are estranged, only by departing from charity.  Our prayers and our virtues are abominable before God, if they are not the prayers and the virtues of Jesus Christ.  And our sins will never be the object of [mercy], but of the justice of God, if they are not [those of] Jesus Christ.  He has adopted our sins, and has [admitted] us into union [with Him], for virtues are [His own, and] sins are foreign to Him; while virtues [are] foreign to us, and our sins are our own.