Supplement to the Sacred Anthologies

Tree. original: "Arbor" Just as some branches spread in one direction and some in another, certain Apostles were sent to Rome, some to India, and others to various parts of the earth. Theophylact, cited by St. Thomas Aquinas in the Golden Chain.

Rams of the Flock. original: "Arietes gregis" St. Augustine, Letter 89 to Hilarius. The altar signifies faith; the rams signify the leaders of the flock, the Apostles. St. Thomas Aquinas, on Isaiah 60: "Bring to the Lord the offspring of rams," that is, lambs. Mystically, the rams are the princes of the flock, namely the Apostles; their children are the faithful. The same author, on Psalm 28: The Apostles are rams who, with a double horn—meaning the knowledge of both the Old and New Testaments—toss aside and scatter original: "ventilant" heretical adversaries. St. Bonaventure, on Psalm 28.

Athletes of the Lord. original: "Athletæ Domini" Eusebius of Caesarea, Church History, Book 2, chapter 13.

Chariot of the Trinity. original: "Biga Trinitatis" The Apostles became this when they were sent out two by two. Mark 14 The author likely intended Mark 6:7. St. Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 170.

Oxen. original: "Boves" The Apostles are understood as oxen because they distributed the Holy Scriptures to us. St. Augustine, cited by St. Thomas in his commentary on the Song of Songs. The prophet Isaiah compared the Apostles to oxen. Caesarius, Dialogue 4, question 192.

Lampstand. original: "Candelabrum" Mark 4. These are the Apostles, whom the Word of God illuminated. St. Jerome, cited by St. Thomas in the Golden Chain on this passage.

Hairs. original: "Capilli" Drogo of Ostia, Sermon on the Passion of the Lord.

Cedar. original: "Cedrus" Just as cedars tower above all other trees, so too do the Apostles, etc. St. Vincent Ferrer, Sermon 2 for Palm Sunday.

Deer. original: "Cervi" They were prefigured in the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun. St. Isidore, chapter 31 on Genesis.

Crown of Christ. original: "Corona Christi" A crown is a sign of royal dignity made of precious stone, representing Divinity, because His kingdom is not of this world. Alternatively, the "precious stones" of the crown are the Apostles, called such because of the preciousness of their teaching. Thus, the assembly of the Apostles is like the crown of Christ. St. Thomas, on Psalm 20.

Heaven. original: "Cælum" The Apostles are heaven. St. Augustine, on Psalm 18: "The heavens shall declare," that is, the heavenly Apostles. St. Thomas, on Psalm 21: By "the heavens" the Apostles are understood; by "the sun," Christ—and they are called heavens because of the refined nature original: "subtilitatem" of their way of life. Philippians 3: "Our conversation is in heaven." Likewise, they are "starry" because of their abundance of virtues; "luminous" because of their teaching and example; and "moving" original: "volubiles" because of their obedience and the far-reaching course of their preaching. St. Thomas, on Psalm 18. The Apostles were made heavens, containing within themselves the Sun of Justice and merits in the likeness of stars. St. John Chrysostom, Against the Heretics. The Apostles are understood as the heavens for three reasons: 1. Because of their continuous motion (John 15). 2. Because of their Order (Job 38:33, 1 Corinthians 14). 3. Because of their Concord (John 15). St. Thomas, Sermon for the Vigil of Pentecost. "The heavens shall declare." Psalm 49. The office of the Apostles is to announce, and they are designated by the heavens. Thus the heavens—the Apostles—shall declare the justice of God. They are called heavens because they tower above all the choirs of Saints and illuminate the entire Church. St. Thomas, on Psalm 44. The Spirit of the Lord adorned these heavens (the Apostles) with

stars; for stars are the ornament of the heavens. Ecclesiasticus 43: "The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven." For He placed in them five orders of stars: 1. The Theological virtues. 2. The Cardinal (political) virtues. 3. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. 4. The eight beatitudes. 5. The twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit. The same author, Sermon for the Vigil of Pentecost.

Columns of the Church. original: "Columnæ Ecclesiæ" "His legs are columns of marble, etc." Song of Songs 5:15 This signifies that the Apostles are the columns of the Church, founded in holy fear. St. Ambrose, Sermon 5 on Psalm 118. "I have strengthened its columns," that is, the Apostles of the Church. St. Thomas, on Galatians 2, lecture 2. James, Cephas, and John seemed to Paul to be columns. Galatians 2. The same author, in the same place. Who is the firmament of the Church if not the Apostles? They are also called columns elsewhere. St. Augustine, Letter 120 to Honoratus. Columns of the Church. St. Antiochus of Mar Saba, Homily 88.

Dove. original: "Columba" The Apostles are simple doves, like sheep in the midst of wolves. Matthew 10. St. Thomas, on Psalm 8. They are called doves: 1. Because of the remorse of their hearts (Nahum 2: "groaning like doves"). 2. Because of the simplicity of their lives (Matthew 10: "Simple as doves"). 3. Because of the height or speed of their contemplation (Psalm 54: "Who will give me wings like a dove?"). 4. Because of the purity of their conscience (Song of Songs 5: "Thy eyes are as doves," etc.). The same author, on Isaiah 60.

Legs. original: "Crura" The Apostles are designated by the legs of the Bridegroom. St. Gregory the Great, on the Song of Songs.

Days. original: "Dies" The Apostles are called days. This is what David means: "days"—the Apostles—pour forth the words of Divine Wisdom to the "day"—the perfect ones. 1 Corinthians 2: "We speak wisdom among the perfect." St. Thomas, on Psalm 18.

Rich. original: "Divites" "You shall become," Christ said to His disciples, "rich without silver; you shall be healers of the whole world without medicine." Hesychius, Priest of Jerusalem, Oration on St. Andrew the Apostle.

Twelve Years. original: "Duodecim anni" The woman suffering from a flow of blood is the Church; her garment, which she touched, is the Body of Christ; the twelve years demonstrate the number of the Apostles. Arnobius the Younger, chapter 13 on Matthew.

Twelve Oxen. original: "Duodecim boves" What else do we believe is designated by the twelve oxen (1 Kings 6 Usually 1 Kings 7:25) than the twelve Apostles? We understand the bronze sea original: "labrum" as the world, whose circuit the Apostles traversed. St. Isidore, chapter 2 on 1 Kings.

Twelve Baskets. original: "Duodecim cophini" A basket signifies servile works, such as cleaning dung or carrying earth. He filled twelve baskets with fragments because He chose the lowly things of this world to confound the strong. St. Augustine, on Psalm 80. The twelve Apostles are figured by the twelve baskets. St. Gregory, Moralia, Book 16, chapter 23, cited by St. Thomas in the Golden Chain on Mark 6.

Twelve-Horse Yoke. original: "Duodeca jugum" O wondrous twelve-horse yoke of good horses! For them, the reins are peace and the harnesses are charity; bound together by the chains of concord and subjected to the yoke of faith, they carry the mystery of the Gospel through the four wheels to the whole world...