THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT THE GOSPEL JOHN 6. V. 1 FRIDAY MEDITATION


GOSPEL (John 6:1-15) 
At that time, After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is that of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw the miracles which he did on them that were diseased. Jesus therefore went up into a mountain: and there he sat with his disciples. Now the pasch, the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand. When Jesus therefore had lifted up his eyes and seen that a very great multitude cometh to him, he said to Philip: "Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" And this he said to try him: for he himself knew what he would do.Philip answered him: "Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them that every one may take a little." One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, saith to him: "There is a boy here that hath five barley loaves and two fishes. But what are these among so many?" Then Jesus said: "Make the men sit down." Now, there was much grass in the place. The men therefore sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves: and when he had given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down. In like manner also of the fishes, as much as they would. And when they were filled, he said to his disciples: "Gather up the fragments that remain, lest they be lost." They gathered up therefore and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which remained over and above to them that had eaten. Now those men, when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had done, said: "This is of a truth the prophet that is to come into the world." Jesus therefore, when he knew that they would come to take him by force and make him king, fled again into the mountains, himself alone.

Friday

Likewise we may consider that Christ; by asking how he should have to feed such a multitude: showed his care not only of his disciples, but of the company that followed him: to reache Eccle- fiafticall perÅ¿ons to feed their Alocke not only with spiritual, but also with corporal, food when they need, and to be more careful of them then of themselves, saying, as Christ did; not, where shall we have to feed myself, or mine own company, my disciples: but where shall we have to feed these people that follow me to hear my doctrine: As for temporal people that abound with all manner of plenty and delights, they kauc no other means, allmost, to helpe them- Å¿elfes to heauen, but to make them frendes of the Mammon Luc. 16 of inquirie,that they maie rev.g. ceaue them into euerlaÅ¿ting ta- bernacles: and be that counÅ¿ai- led them this (which was our Sauiour Chrifte himÅ¿elfe) faide this allo vnto them:That which Lucii: remaineth, to vitt for you that v. 41: are riche , and delicate and liue in all manner of delightes,and cap doe noe' other thinge a! moft for fatisfaction of the puniÅ¿hement due our : manifolde iniquities (whereof Mammon which in the Siryacke tonge fig- nifieth riches , ys the inftru- ment) geue almes plentifully and keepe good hoÅ¿pitalitie and to and beholde all thinges are cleane vnto you, that is to faie, Å¿o maie you make Å¿atisfaction of all punimement due to your finnes, after the guilt of them ys pardoned in the Sacrament of Penance, by Å¿orrowe and humble confeÅ¿Å¿ion which otherwiÅ¿e you muÅ¿t paie in pur- gatorie to the vttermoft-penny Mat. s. 

The word , Eleemofina, which V. 25. we commonly tranÅ¿late almes deed, is boroved from the Greek langage, and kgoi- fiecha mifericordia , mercie and pietic, or worckes of mercic and pitie : which are then pleafing. 

Ynto allmighty God when we doc . them out of compallion we have of poor neeghbours wagtes and miſeries, for Chriftes fake , euenas yf we fuffered them our own fele > Our

ues. Therefore our faueour Å¿ecing the want of this great multitude , fayed , MiÅ¿ercor Å¿uper turbam hane , Jame tou. Eccli.s ched vith pitic and compaÅ¿-v. 33. Å¿ion to Å¿ee the want that there poor Å¿oules are in. 

Such must Tob. 4 be our pitie and compaÅ¿Å¿ion ".18• towards the poore and needy Eccl.29 Å¿oules, And therefore we are to v.15. geue God thanckes, no leÅ¿Å¿e for that he hath Å¿ent vs to geue to the poore, then for our felfes. 

Nayeco forgett or neglect our- felfes, to geue to the poore , as Chrifte here Å¿eemed to forgett himÅ¿elfe, and take care onely for the poore, Å¿ayinge, where Thall we haue to feed? not him- Å¿elfe or his ovne company, but the multitude of poore people. 

The kingedome of heanen ys properlie belógingto the poore, blelled be the poore, faieth Chriſte

Chriſte, for theirs is the kinge dome or heauen: if the riche will haue it, they muſt buy ye of the poore Moreouer we 216 to obſerve that Chrifte, beinge the daie before his death to inftiture the bleſſed Sacra- ment of the Altar in the forme of bread, and there beinge aos one, but manic difficulties therein, for vbich it coulde hardelie be beleeued to be true; and promilinge to doe ic bere in this fame chapter, where this miracle is recorded; and not onely promiling it, bur affir- míg it by an affirmation, equall lok; 6.90 an oathe ( Amen, care in Englisbie verely, verely : Or rather a more earneft affirma- tion then our Englife tongue does afforde) that yt was not to be a figure of his Aelbe, but his true Alembe in deed, to con. forme is in the veritje thereof, ther

that is might be true as weil as this myracle, he dyd this a little before, as a liucly fi- gure thercof, to induce vs to belecve thone as well as the other, both being myraculous; and that this of multiplying the bread, was a true myracle, and not an illuſion, or impeſture; appeareth by this, that the people were truely fedd and filled till they left, even more then the principall, and that yo was preſerued to be ſeen, & caten of againe.

A Plaine Path-way To Heaven Thomas Hill 1634

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