all the prophecies concerning the Messias so glowingly, that as his hearers afterwards said, their hearts burned within them at his words.

While thus absorbed they reached Emmaus, and Cleophas with his companion, seeing their fellow traveler apparently going farther, pressed him to enter their house, as the day was far spent. Yielding to their invitation he entered and sat down to eat: then he took bread and blessed and broke and gave it to them, and at this renewal of the eucharistic sacrifice the scales dropped from their eyes, their God and Saviour was before them, had been their fellow traveler, their instructor, and they knew him not. Their joy was not to be prolonged, for Jesus having convinced them of his resurrection, vanished.

In all baste they now returned to Jerusalem, to the upper chamber where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, to announce that Christ was truly risen; but meanwhile our Lord had appeared to Saint Peter in an apparition which the Evangelists do not detail to us, covering in almost absolute silence the holy interview between the risen Messias and the head of his Church. This apparition dissolved all doubt, so that the disciples of Emmaus on their return were greeted with the tidings: "The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon," thus realizing the prophetic command: "Thou being once converted, confirm thy brethren." Cleophas in turn told how he too had seen Jesus, and all now full of faith were conversing on the mystery, when Jesus suddenly stood among them.

Timid men, dreading a visit from the myrmidons of the priests and pharisees, with Thomas doubtless as a sentinel at the lower door, how startled were they at this apparition! St. Peter and Cleophas thus twice honored, doubtless rose from the table and fell at his feet as he uttered the salutation, which had so often cheered them: "Peace be to you;" but as they gazed on the unopened door, the disciples would not believe their eyes, and supposed that they beheld a spirit. But our Lord knew their thoughts: in gentle tones he said: Why are you troubled, and

62

66

VOL. IV.-No. 8.

why do thoughts arise in your hearts? See my hands and feet that it is I myself: handle and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as you see me to have." Beholding them still incredulous he asked: "Have you here anything to eat?" and taking a piece of broiled fish and a honey comb he eat part and gave them the rest.* He rebuked them however for their incredulity and hardness of heart, and opened their minds to understand the scriptures. Then he renewed his commission to his apostles in express words: "As the Father hath sent me, I also send you." . . . Then breathing on them he said: "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." "Go ye into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be condemned." "Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained."§ You shall lay your hands upon the sick and they shall recover." Then he said: "Thus it behooved Christ to suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, that penance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Then as before, the doors being closed, he disappeared from their eyes.

66

In the short detail of those blessed moments we cannot but dwell on our Saviour's renewal of his great acts, the establishment of his Church, the founding of a ministry, his ordination of a priesthood of reconciliation, with power to confer the sacraments of baptism, penance, the holy eucharist and extreme unction; himself even renewing the eucharistic sacrifice. How clear and beautiful to a Catholic, and to a Catholic alone, are all these allusions.

St. Thomas was not present, doubtless, as we said, watching below, and conscious that no one had passed him, unable to conceive any other mode of entering, he refused to believe till our divine Lord on the following Sunday appeared to him, and as the apostle had said: "Except I shall see in his hand the print of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe," our Lord now said: "Put in thy finger hither and see my hands, and bring hither thy hand and put it into my side, and be not incredulous but believing." "My Lord and my God!" was all that St. Thomas could utter. Jesus rebuked him: "Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen and have believed.”

After this apparition the disciples returned to Galilee, and there too our Lord appeared to them. Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel, John and James were fishing in the sea of Galilee, as in the days when Jesus called them to follow him: Jesus stood on the shore once more, but unknown to them. He asked whether they had taken any fish, and on hearing their negative reply, bade them cast their net on the right side of the ship. A miraculous draught of fishes enabled St. John to recognize his beloved master, and telling Peter, they both hastened to the shore. When they had drawn up the net Jesus offered them bread, which he had miraculously produced, and fish which he had roasted. When they had eaten he said to Peter: "Simon, son of John, lovest thou me more than these?" He answered: “Yes, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee." Then Jesus said: "Feed my lambs." Again he asked: "Simon, son of John, lovest thou me?" And again Peter answered: "Yes, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee." Again Jesus said: "Feed my lambs." But a third time he asked: "Simon, son of John, lovest thou me?" Then Peter, grieved that his Lord should thus doubt his love, † Id. 45. Mark xvi, 15, 16. § John xx, 23.

* Luke xxiv, 36, 44.

|| Mark xvi, 18.

replied: "Lord, thou knowest all things: thou knowest that I love thee." Then Jesus said: "Feed my sheep," thus constituting Peter head of his Church, pastor of the clergy and the people, the sheep and the lambs. Moreover he foretold to

St. Peter his martyrdom in these words: "Amen, amen, I say to thee, when thou wast younger thou didst gird thyself, and didst walk where thou wouldst; but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee and lead thee whither thou wouldst not."* That this referred to St. Peter's martyrdom is past all doubt, for St. John tells us so: "And this he said, signifying by what death he should glorify God." And we all know by how glorious a death on the cross in the imperial city of Rome, the prince of the apostles glorified God.

The last apparition of our risen Lord was that prior to his ascension. As the feast of Pentecost approached, the disciples prepared to return to Jerusalem, in order to be present at the solemnity of that great festival of the Mosaic law. Ten days before that feast, Jesus appeared to his blessed mother and the apostles, who were all assembled together, apparently in that same room where he had instituted the blessed sacrament. There again he ate with themt and instructed them, repeating many of his former promises, injunctions, and gifts of power and grace. He concluded by bidding them remain in Jerusalem till they were endued with power from on high: telling them that they should be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days thence. Some asked him whether he would then restore the kingdom to Israel, but he checked their curiosity, saying: "It is not for you to know the times or moments which the Father hath put in his own power; but you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost parts of the earth:" then he led them out towards Bethany to Mount Olivet, passing amid the streets of Jerusalem, his enemies being held by a

supernatural power from molesting his happy company. On reaching Mount Olivet they entered a cave, where our Lord for the last time gave them the blessed eucharist and his parting instructions; then issuing forth, he lifted up his hands and blessed them, and rose before their eyes till a bright cloud hid him from their

sight. As they stood looking up in wonder, two angels appeared to bid them cease their wonder, and remind them that Jesus would one day come even as he had departed.

Chains of my heart, avaunt I say

1 will arise, and in the strength of love Pursue the bright track e'er it fade away, My Saviour's pathway to his home above.

MARY LEE:

Or the YANKEE in IRELAND.*

BY PETER PINKIE.

Edited by PAUL PEPPERGRASS, Esquire.

CHAPTER XXVI.

FATHER JOHN having waited to see Mr. Guirkie completely restored to his usual equanimity, and Captain Petersham in the saddle ready to set off for the court-house, took the near cut over the hill, and soon reached his humble home. On his arrival, the servant informed him that several persons had called, and among the rest Else Curley of the Cairn, who expressed great anxiety to see him before the court opened. Mr. Hardwrinkle also sent his man in great haste to say, that a riot was apprehended in the event of Barry's committal, and requesting Father Brennan's influence to maintain order and assist the magistrates in the discharge of their duty.

"A very modest request, upon my word," said the priest, reaching for a breviary that lay on the mantel, and seating himself quietly in his easy chair to recite his office. "Very modest, indeed; but I have a duty of my own to discharge at present. John!"

"Sir."

"Take the horse and gig immediately, and drive as fast as possible to the lighthouse. Give my compliments to Mr. Lee, and tell him to come up without a moment's delay and bring Miss Lee with him. You understand?"

"Yes, sir."

“And see here—don't wait to feed the horse, but go at once."

"No, sir."

"Let Mr. Lee have the gig, since he has no conveyance of his own, and you can return on foot at your leisure."

"Certainly, sir."

When the servant closed the door, the priest leaned back in his chair and composed himself to read his vespers. And a snug, pleasant little room it was, that parlor of Father John's, to read or pray in, with its latticed windows looking down on the placid face of the beautiful Mulroy now sleeping calmly in the bosom of the hills. Close by the side of the humble edifice grew a long line of gooseberry and currant bushes, and up from between them, here and there, the honeysuckle stretched its long neck into the open windows. Out before the door stood the old elm tree, majestic and lonely in the centre of the grass plot, spreading its

*Copy-right secured according to law.