T. Was our Lord's coming known to the Gentiles?

8. They must have heard it, as it was published throughout all Judea; but their knowledge as yet was not with faith and understanding.

T. What does St. Peter then describe?

S. Christ's character.

"He went about doing good,

and healing all that were oppressed of the devil.”

T. How does he confirm his words?

S. He declares that himself and the apostles were witnesses of all His mighty deeds and works of love. T. How does St. Peter continue his relation ?

S. He simply tells the facts of the Jews' ingratitude, Christ's death and resurrection, and the commission of the apostles to preach and bear witness to Him.

T. How had the Jews rendered themselves unworthy of beholding their risen Lord?

S. By their continued unbelief and hardness of heart. T. How did our Lord answer Judas's question, “Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?" John, xiv. 22.

S. "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."

T. What words of our Lord may we apply to the unbelieving Jews?

S. "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead." Luke, xvi. 31.

T. Give the names of some of the prophets who have declared the forgiveness of sins through Christ.

S. Isaiah (liii. 11), Jeremiah (xxxi. 34), Daniel (ix. 24), Zechariah (xiii. 1), and Malachi (iv. 2).

The Gospel. St. Luke, xxiv. 13.

BEHOLD, two of his disciples went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that while they communed together, and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden, that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word, before God and all the people and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; and when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said; but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of

BB

heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken ! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village whither they went; and he made as though he would have gone further : but they constrained him, saying, Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures? And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

T. (Emmaus was a village about seven or eight miles from Jerusalem.) What day are we still considering? S. The first day of the week, when our Lord rose from the dead.

T. Who were the two disciples?

S. One of them was Cleopas, the husband of one of the Marys (John, xix. 25), the other is not known; but neither of them were apostles, as the eleven were gathered together at Jerusalem.

T. What do we observe in their conduct?

S. They were wandering, as sheep who had lost their shepherd, communing together of Christ, and reasoning upon the things that had happened, and were sad.

T. Does this accord with what Malachi says of those who feared the Lord, and spake often one to another? Mal. iii. 16.

S. "The Lord hearkened and heard it."

T. What does St. Mark say of Christ's appearance? xvi. 12.

S. "He appeared in another form."

T. What does our Lord's question teach?

S. His desire that all should confess their doubts and griefs to Him.

T. What appeared to hinder the belief of these disciples?

S. That Christ had suffered these things: they could not believe He was to die, though He had predicted it. Mark, ix. 32.

T. How does our Lord answer them?

S. First with reproof; then pitying their infirmities, He expounds to them the Scriptures, enabling them to perceive these things were prophesied of Him.

T. Were they willing to receive instruction from this seeming stranger?

S. Yes, their hearts burned within them as He talked, and they constrained Him to abide with them when He would have gone further.

T. What does this teach us?

S. To receive reproof meekly, instruction gladly. Christ is always with us, though unseen; and if we desire Him, He will stay with us, and show Himself to us.

T. How did our Lord discover Himself?

S. In breaking of bread. He took bread, blessed it,

and gave thanks, as when He fed the four thousand in the wilderness, and when He instituted His last supper. T. How may we so find Him?

S. In the Communion of His Body and Blood, under the sign of bread and wine.

T. What do we observe in the disciples' conduct?

S. Their haste to tell these things to their sorrowing friends. They rose up that same hour, though the day was far spent, and returned to Jerusalem.

T. What did they hear on their return?

S. The same glad tidings, " The Lord is risen indeed." T. To whom had Christ appeared?

S. To Simon Peter, who had denied Him; so great is His mercy and love.

TUESDAY IN EASTER WEEK.

The Epistle. Acts, xiii. 26.

MEN and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead: and he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the