The Second Sunday In Lent The Gospel Matt.17.v.1. Tuesday Meditation: A Plaine Path-way To Heaven Thomas Hill 1634

DUCCIO di Buoninsegna 
Transfiguration (detail) 
1308-11

GOSPEL Matt. 17: 1-9 
At that time, Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart: And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him. And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.. And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo a voice out of the cloud, saying: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." And the disciples hearing fell upon their face, and were very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched them: and said to them: "Arise, and fear not." And they lifting up their eyes, saw no one, but only Jesus.. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: "Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead."

Tuesday.

Christ took with him Peter, John, and James, three of his principal Apostles, who as saint Paul saith, did seem to be pillars amongst the rest..

If any man demand why he took not the rest with him. .

It might be because of Judas, for he being unworthy to be present at it, if they had all been there but Judas, he would have taken Scandal there at, and made it an excuse of his impious design which Christ foreseeing (being not deprived of his divine foreknowledge of all things) as his body was of the glory of his beatifical vision, and knowing he was the son of perdition, from the beginning, and would have betrayed him howsoever, though he had been present at his transfiguration, would rather deprive the rest of his disciples of the sight of his glorious transfiguration, then give him that scandal; or occasion to betray him..

Whereby we may learn how careful we ought to be after the example of Christ, whom we must imitate like good disciples, not to give scandal or occasion to others to sin, nor color to excuse it when they have sinned though it be with some inconvenience to ourselves or our friends, as the absence from the transfiguration was to the rest of the disciples, no nor to detect them of their sin before due time, as Christ would not detect Judas before the time came, though he knew certainly he would betray him, and much less ought we to do it upon slight and uncertain suspicions and firmness of our own brain: Also we may learn what hurt there may happen by being in ill company forasmuch as the rest of the Apostles lost the sight of this glorious transfiguration by reason they were to keep company with Judas..

This prejudice the received by his company although he induced them to no sin, but what a loss had they received if they had been induced to sin by his means, as commonly men are by such companions..

For as Salomon saith, he that goeth with the wise shall be wise, and he that is a friend or companion of fools, that is to say of sinners (for whose more foul then they) shall be like unto them, he that sinneth by the persuasion and enticement of another, is in bad case enough, but he that induceth and inveigh another is in far worse, for he is guilty of his own sin, and of all others, that he is instrument or occasion of; let us learn this by the punishment of the Serpent, that was the instrument of the sin of Adam and Eve..

Thou art accursed saith God unto him above all other living creatures and beasts of the earth, thou shalt go upon thy breast, & shalt eat earth all the days of thy life, whereas before, it is most likely he went upon his legs, as other creatures did, he should have been domestical s some other creatures are, and have eaten green and pleasant grass, as other do..

And besides this, God added another punishment, I will put enmity, saith he, between thee and the woman and her seed and thine, and thou shall be most hateful unto them. See how God heapeth punishment upon the instrument of sin, though the Serpent himself did not sin..

To express how odious a man is to God that is the cause or instrument of anothers mans sin in deed.

The many instruments that instigateth us most to sin, (though ill company be bad enough) is our own flesh, and the rebellious appetites thereof. This therefore we must punish severely when we have sinned thereby, but especially before, that it doth not induce us to sin..

Joseph when he was governor of Egypt, being desirous to see his brother Benjamin kept his elder brother in prison while he caused Benjamin to be presented unto him. Our elder brother which had his being before our soul is our body, our soul is Benjamin the younger brother..

If we desire to see our soul transfigured in glory let us keep our body in subjection. Let us chastise our body, as Saint Paul did his, who said, I chastise my body and bring it in subjection least preaching, to others, (the way of Salvation) I myself become reprobate. .

This doth our holy Mother the Church, not only preach unto us but command us to practice this holy time of lent.


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