...it is a disgrace to a teacher when his own fault refutes him.

Turning our attention to young girls, who are so named for their integrity, they ought to be slender, flexible, and charming. In this context, the girl represents the soul: it must be "slender" in its humility, "flexible" in its obedience, and finally, "beautiful" through its virtuous qualities.

Regarding the bonds of kinship, we must consider parents and children. First, a father pursues his son with immoderate love. Once the child is weaned, the father makes him a daily companion; as the boy grows, the father instructs him and corrects him with blows. He even sends him to teachers to be educated. The more the father sees himself reflected in the boy’s character, the more his love increases; as the son reaches the proper age, the father bestows honors upon him and never ceases to increase his inheritance. This father is Almighty God, according to Malachi: "Is there not one father of you all?" The "sons" are all righteous men, born and raised by Him through grace. As John said, "He gave them the power to become sons of God, to those who believe in His name." Thus, this supreme Father loves such sons most lavishly; indeed, having moved them away from the "breasts" of worldly delights, He leads them to the sacred table of Grace or the Eucharist. He commends them to the care of the teachers of Divine Law, instructs them with the words of Holy Scripture, and occasionally corrects them with the "blows" of calamities. Thus the truth of Proverbs is fulfilled: "He who spares the rod hates his son." Moreover, the more this Father observes a son resembling Him in character, the more He looks upon him with affection and eyes of mercy. Then, according to the son's stage of spiritual perfection, He distributes a portion of the dignity of eternal glory and, as merits increase, expands the inheritance of the heavenly homeland.

A mother also nourishes the child dwelling in her womb with her own blood, and after birth, with her milk. This mother can be interpreted as the Preacher of the Gospel, who nourishes Christian men with the blood of kindly affection and the milk of divine doctrine. Or, if we prefer, we may understand the mother to be Christ, who sustains His "infants"—namely, pious and Catholic men—with His own blood and the milk of divine grace through the Most Holy Eucharist. This is clearly stated in John: "My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." Furthermore, the closer a mother comes to giving birth, the greater the pain she suffers from the infant’s movements.

This mother is Conscience, which must bring forth the "offspring" of sin. Therefore, as the time for piacular confession approaches—through which crimes are brought to light—she is oppressed by greater pain. Indeed, just as a mother suffers during labor and is cheered after the birth once the pain is eased, so too a man feels great sorrow and shame when pouring out his crimes to a confessor. But after he has undergone the Sacrament of Penance and his sins are removed, he is cheered, for conscience is the most pleasant memory of a life well-lived. Finally, a mother or nurse performs certain vital duties for infants: she suckles and nourishes the hungry, lifts the fallen, supports those standing, cleans the soiled, and finally teaches them to walk and speak. This mother or nurse can be called the Blessed Virgin Mary. She nourishes her infants—those who venerate her with special devotion—with the milk of grace, helps those falling into sin, preserves those who stand firm in divine grace, purifies the defiled, and finally instructs them in the "steps" of good works and the "speech" of divine word.

If we consider sons, some are firstborn while others are born later. An ancient custom has grown up where the larger portion of the family inheritance goes to the firstborn—unless, perhaps, because of some offense, the parents disinherit them; in that case, the younger children are preferred over the elder. Thus, from the beginning, God is said to have had two sons: the Israelite people and the Gentile people. The Israelite people were called the firstborn, as read in the sacred pages: "Israel, whom you have made equal to your firstborn." Then the other son, the Gentile people, was called the last-born. Consequently, the larger portion of the inheritance of grace and glory belonged to the first, not the second. However, because the firstborn people opposed God when He took on human flesh, they were deprived of their birthright, and this heavenly and eternal inheritance was conferred upon the Gentiles. This was most elegantly prefigured in the Holy Bible through Reuben and Joseph. Therefore, we will be able to approp-