st. john of damascus (676-749 - Cristo Raul

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120 ST. JOHN OF DAMASCUS.
It was fit that they should be beaten by women.
Raliab, the harlot, beat them ;
the one with an issue
of blood beat them; the Canaanitish woman beat
them. And now once more a woman receives the
crown of victory over them."
One more extract will suffice. It is from the close of
the sermon, when he is
speaking of the penitent thief
on the cross.
I could have wished," he says,
pass over the story, so often has it been related to
you. But the robber is before my eyes, ever forcing
me. And no marvel ;
for he forced even the gates of
paradise, turning his robber s skill to his own preser
vation. There we behold standing on the Cross the
Lamb between two wolves. But the one of them
continued in his former mind, the other repented.
Remember me, he said, when Thou earnest in Thy king
dom. Oh !
the power of Jesus. The robber is now
a prophet, and this is his message from the cross :
Remember me, Lord, when Thou earnest in
Thy king
dom. Why, what emblems of royalty dost thou see,
poor robber ? buffetings, spittings, nails, the cross of
wood, the scoffs of the Jews, and the lance of the
soldier now bared for its work. Yea, but, saith he,
I see not these things that appear. I see angels
standing around, I see the sun hiding its face, the
veil of the temple rent, the earth shaking, the dead
preparing to flee. And Jesus, that receiveth all, even
those who come at the eleventh hour to prophesy in
his name, and giveth them all their penny, as being
alike workers, saith to him Amen. Take thou too
thy Amen, poor robber!
to-day a robber, to-day a son.
To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise. I, that cast
to