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Chapter 21MedVC.1.21

De sermone Domini in monte, quem incoepit a paupertate

The Lord Ascends the Mountain to Teach

Jesus withdraws with his disciples to Mount Tabor near Nazareth and delivers his rich sermon on the beatitudes, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and the virtues.

Calling his disciples apart from the crowd, the Lord Jesus went up with them onto Mount Tabor. [Editorial note: 'add.' — a scribal or editorial marker, not a sentence to translate.] [Editorial note: isolated 'ut.' — likely a fragment or editorial marker, not a complete sentence.] Mount Tabor. It was near Nazareth, about two miles away, so that he might fill them with his own teachings. For it was fitting that he should instruct them first and above others, since he was going to appoint them as teachers and leaders over others. Then therefore he instructed them about many things, and that discourse was most beautiful and rich — no wonder, since the mouth of the Lord composed it. He taught them about the beatitudes, about prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, and about many other things pertaining to the virtues — all of which you can find in the Gospel itself.

Poverty as the Foundation of the Spiritual Life

The author exhorts the reader to study the Sermon on the Mount and explains that Christ began with poverty because detachment from worldly things is the chief foundation of all spiritual discipline.

Read it carefully and often, and commit it to memory. The things said in it are deeply spiritual. I won't pursue these points in full here, because it would take too long, and such expositions don't always fit well into meditations. Still, for your instruction I'll weave in whatever comes to mind as I go, along with moral reflections and the teachings of the saints. So let it be enough to have touched on this: the Lord began the opening of this discourse with poverty, giving us to understand that poverty is the chief foundation of all spiritual discipline. A person burdened with worldly things cannot easily follow Christ, the mirror of poverty. Nor is anyone free, but rather a slave, who subordinates the heart's affection to passing things. That is why he said: Blessed are the poor in spirit, etc.✦ For I willingly make myself a slave to whatever I love with all my heart.

The Wing of Poverty and the Kingdom Given Now

Drawing on Augustine and Bernard, the author teaches that love is the soul's weight, that true poverty unites one to God, and that unlike other virtues whose reward is future, poverty receives the kingdom of heaven even in the present.

For love is the soul's weight, carrying it wherever love itself is drawn — as Augustine says. And so there is nothing at all to be loved except God, or merely on account of God. Rightly, then, the one who for God's sake despises all other things is called blessed; for he is already joined to his God in great measure. Concerning this poverty, Bernard speaks thus: 'Poverty is a great wing, by which one flies so swiftly into the kingdom of heaven.' For in the other virtues that follow, the promise points to a future time; but to poverty, the kingdom is not so much promised as given. And so it has been declared even in the present time: 'Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'✦ And later he adds: 'For we see some poor people who, if they had true poverty, would not be found so faint-hearted and sad — seeing that they are kings, and kings of heaven.' But there are some who wish to be poor — yet on this condition, that they lack nothing; and so they embrace poverty that they may suffer no want at all. The same author elsewhere: 'Well…'

The Rich, the Faithful, and True Possession

The author warns the rich not to claim heavenly things for themselves alone, and teaches that the faithful poor possess the whole world as lords rather than beggars, since all things—prosperous and adverse—work together for their good.

, concerning the Advent. , the same. , in "II" And I, if I have been lifted up from the earth, I say boldly, I will draw all things to myself.✦ For I do not rashly claim my brother's voice for myself, whose likeness I put on. If this is so, let not the rich of this age, brothers of Christ, think they alone possess the heavenly things, when they hear him say: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.✦ They possess the earth, and indeed as though having nothing yet possessing all things — not begging like the wretched, but possessing as lords, all the more certainly as lords of the Lord, by how much less greedy they are.✦ In short, to the faithful person the whole world of riches is theirs. The whole world plainly does, because adverse things no less than prosperous things — all things equally serve that person and work together for good.✦

The Greedy Beggar and the Faithful Master

The author contrasts the greedy person who hungers for earthly things like a beggar with the faithful person who despises them like a master, arguing that one who cannot spend wealth for heavenly profit is not its owner but its slave.

So the greedy person hungers after earthly things like a beggar; the faithful person despises them like a master. The one who possesses begs; the one who despises keeps.1 Ask any of those who, with insatiable hearts, gape after temporal gains what they think about those who sell their possessions and give to the poor, trading the kingdom of heaven for earthly substance — whether they act wisely. And without doubt the answer will be: Wisely.✦23 Ask plainly: why doesn't he do what he himself approves? 'I can't,' he'll say.4 Why? Truly, because mistress Greed doesn't permit it; because he's not free; because the things he seems to possess aren't his own; and he himself isn't even his own master.✦567 If they truly are your own, spend them for profit, and trade earthly things for heavenly.✦ But if you can't do that, I won't call you master of your money — I'll call you its slave, a guardian, not a possessor.8

Returning to the Meditation: Christ Among His Disciples

The author invites the reader to contemplate Jesus seated humbly among his disciples on the mountain, teaching them with kindness, while the disciples listen with reverent joy, and to seek the grace of lingering in that sacred place.

So far, Bernard. But let's return to our meditation. So look at the Lord Jesus, seated low on the ground atop that mountain, with his disciples around him, and consider how he stands among them as though he were one of them, and how affectionately, kindly, beautifully, and effectively he speaks to them, leading them to the acts of virtue I described.910 And always, as I told you above in a general meditation, try to look back toward his face.11 Look at the disciples: how reverently, humbly, and with their whole mind's attention they gaze on him and listen to those wonderful words, how they entrust them to memory and take great joy in them — as much in his words as in the sight of him.121314 In this meditation you too will find joy, looking at him as though you could see him speaking and drawing near to them — if perhaps you are called and linger there in that same place, so that the Lord [may reveal] why he himself approves what [he does].15161718 — Cast.19 XXII–XXIV.

Descending the Mountain: The Crowd and the Healing

After the sermon, Jesus descends the mountain with his disciples while simple crowds flock to him like chicks after a hen, bringing the sick, and he heals them all.

It is given to you. Now when the sermon was finished, look—O illumined one, Lord Jesus coming down the mountain with his disciples, talking familiarly with them as he goes along the way; and see how that crowd of simple people follows him in flocks, not arranged in any careful order, but just like chicks after a hen—so that each one may hear better, each one presses closer to him; and see how the crowds run out affectionately to meet him, and bring him the sick to be healed.✦✦ And he himself was healing them all.✦

Read the original Latin

Convocans Dominus Jesus discipulos seorsum aturbis, ascenditcum eisinmontemThabor lum minislri. add. ut. monte Tabor. prope Nazareth, ad duo milliaria, ut eos imbueret eloquiis suis. Decebat enim, quod eos prius et super alios instrucret, quod super alios constiluturus erat magistrosetduces. Tunc ergo de multis instruxit, et sermo ille pulcherrimus fuit et copiosus: nec mirum, quia os Domini compilavit eum. Docuit autem eos de beatitudinibuSj de oratione, jejunio et eleemosyna, aliisque plurimis ad virtutes pertinentibus, quae in ipso Evangelio * poteris reperire.

Legas eum diligenter et saepe, et commenda memoria? quae in ipso dicuntur; quia spiritualissima sunt. Ea tamen nunc non prosequor, quia nimis foret longum, nec tales espositiones bene videntur semper in meditationes cadere: quamvis ad tuam instructionem talia, prout mihi occurrent, interseram, et etiam moralia, et auctoritates sanctorum. Hoc ergo hic tetigisse sufficiat, quod Dominus initium sermonis hujus a paupertate incoepit, dans intelhgere, quod paupertas est totius spirituahs exercitii primarium fundamentum. Non enim expedite potest sequi Christum paupertatis speculum, qui oneratus est temporahbus rebus. Nec est liber, sed servus, qui animi affectionem subjicit istis rebus transeuntibus. Idcirco dixit: Beati pauperes spiritu, etc. Ejus enim rei, quam affectuose diligo, me servum sponte constituo.

Nam amor est animae pondus, portans eam quocumque ipse fertur, ut dicit Augustinus ^, Et ideo nihil omnino est amandum, nisi Deus, vel mere propter Deum. Merito ergo beatus dicitur pauper, qui propter Deum eaetera vihpendit: jam enim pro magna parte Deo suo conjunctus est. De hac autem paupertate sic dicit Bernardus^: " Magna quaedam penna est paupertas, qua tam cito volatur in regnum coelorum. Nam in aliis virtutibus quae sequuntur, promissio futuro tempore indicatur; paupertati non tam promittitur, quam datur. Unde et in prsesenti tempore enuntiatum est: Quoniam ipsorum est regnum mlorum. V Et postea subdit: " Videmus enim pauperes aUquos, qui si veram paupertatem haberent, non adeo pusillanimes invenirentur et tristes, utpote reges, et reges cceU. Sed aUqui sunt qui pauperes esse volunt, eo tamen pacto, ut nihil eis desit; et sic dihgunt paupertatem, ut nullam inopiam patiantur. " Idem alibi *: Bem.

, de Adu. , Id. , in " II " Et ego, si exaltatus fuero a terra, audaciter dico, omnia traham ad meipsum. Nec enim temerarie usurpo mihi fratris mei vocem ^, cujus me induo simiUtudinem. Quod si ita est, non putent divites hujus soecuU, fratres Christi sola possidere coelesUa, qui audiunt dicentem: Beati pauperes spiritu, quoniara ipsorum est regnum ccelorum. Ipsi possident terram, et quidem '^ tanquam nihil habentes et omnia possidentes; non mendicantes ut miseri, sed ut domini possidentes, eo pro certo roagis domini, quo minus cupidi. Denique fideU homini totus mundus diviUarum est. Totus plane, quia tam adversa, quam prospera ipsius, aeque omnia serviunt ei, et cooperantur in bonum.'

^ Ergo avarus terrena esurit ut mendicus; fideUs contemnit ut dominus. lUe possidendo mendicat; iste contemnendo servat. Quaere a quovis eorum, qui insaliabiU corde lucris temporaUbus inhiant, quidnam de his sentiat, qui sua vendentes et dantes pauperibus, regnum coelorum pro terrena mercantur substantia, utrum sapienter agant, necnon; proculdubio respondebit: Sapienter. Quaere recte cur quod approbat ipse, non facit: Non possum, inquiet. Quare? Profecto quia domina avariUa non permittit: quia Uber non est; quia non sunt sua, quae possidere videtur; sed nec ipse sui juris. Si vere tua sunt, expende ad lucra, et pro terrenis coelestia commutato. Si non vales facere, te pecunisetuae nou dominum esse dicam, sed servum; custodem, non possessorem.

" Hucusque Bernardus. Sed redeamus ad meditationem. Conspice ergo et considera Dominum Jesum humiUter in terra sedentem super illo monte, et discipulos suos circaeum, quomodo stat inter eos, quasi sit unus ex eis, et quomodo affectuose, benigne, et pulchre, et efficaciter eis loquitur, inducens eos ad dictos actus virtutum. Et semper, ut supra in generaU consideratione tibi dixi, respicere coneris faciem ejus. Conspice in discipuUs, quomodo reverenter, humiUter, et cum tota mentis intentione aspiciunt eum et auscultant iUa verba mirifica, et ea memoriee commendant, et jucunditate magna fruuntur, tam in verbis quam in aspectu. In hac autem consideraUone jucunderis et tu, aspiciendo ac si videres eum loquentem, et approximando eis, si forle vocata fueris, et immorando ibidem, ut Dominus cur approbat ipse quod. — Cast. XXII-XXIV.

tibi dabif. Completo vero serraone, conspice iUimi Dominum Jesum, una cumdiscipulis ipsis descendentcm de montc, et cum ipsis familiariter loquentem, etiam eundo per viam, et quomodo ille simplicium coetus gregatim scquitar eum, non curiose ordinatus; sed sicut pulli post gallinam, ut quilibet melius audiat, magis eidem nititur approximare; et quomodo turbee sibi affectuose occurrunt, et infirmos eideni sanandos offerunt. Ipse vero sanabat omnes

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Matt.5.3 — Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  2. ↩Matt.5.3 — Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  3. ↩John.12.32 — And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.
  4. ↩Matt.5.3 — Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  5. ↩2Cor.6.10 — as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.
  6. ↩Rom.8.28 — And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good — for those who are called according to his purpose.
  7. ↩Matt.19.21 — Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
  8. ↩1Cor.6.19-1Cor.6.20 — Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? And you are not your own, 1Cor.6.20 — For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.
  9. ↩Matt.6.19-Matt.6.20 — Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Matt.6.20 — But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal.
  10. ↩Matt.8.5-Matt.8.13;Luke.7.1-Luke.7.10 — When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him Matt.8.6 — and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, terribly tormented." Matt.8.7 — And he says to him, "I will come and heal him." Matt.8.8 — But the centurion replied, "Lord, I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. Only say the word, and my servant will be healed." Matt.8.9 — For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it. Matt.8.10 — When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who were following him, 'Truly I tell you, I have not found such great faith in all of Israel.' Matt.8.11 — I tell you, many will come from east and west and will sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Matt.8.12 — But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matt.8.13 — And Jesus said to the centurion, "Go; as you have believed, let it be done for you." And his servant was healed at that hour. Luke.7.1 — After Jesus had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. Luke.7.2 — Now a centurion had a servant, highly valued by him, who was sick and about to die. Luke.7.3 — And when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save his servant. Luke.7.4 — When they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, 'He is worthy to have you do this for him,' Luke.7.5 — For he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us. Luke.7.6 — So Jesus went with them. But when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying, 'Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy that you should come under my roof.' Luke.7.7 — Therefore I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be healed. Luke.7.8 — For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it. Luke.7.9 — When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, he said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." Luke.7.10 — And when they returned to the house, those who had been sent found the servant in good health.
  11. ↩Matt.23.37 — Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you — how often I desired to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.
  12. ↩Matt.12.15 — But Jesus, knowing this, withdrew from that place, and many crowds followed him, and he healed them all.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩The form lUe is uncertain (possibly a corruption or variant pronoun). Translated as 'the one who' to preserve the contrast with iste ('that one / the one who').
  2. 2 ↩insaliabiu and temporaUbus are uncertain/corrupt forms in the source, likely representing insatiabili ('insatiable') and temporalibus ('temporal'). Translation follows the most plausible intended reading.
  3. 3 ↩necnon functions here as a connective reinforcing the question rather than 'and also'; the semicolon before it marks a pause before the answer.
  4. 4 ↩inquiet (future of inquam) rendered as 'he'll say' for natural contemporary register.
  5. 5 ↩avariUa is an uncertain form, likely a corruption of avaritia ('greed'). Translated as 'Greed' personified as a mistress/domina.
  6. 6 ↩Uber is uncertain; possibly uber ('fertile, abundant') used substantively, or a corruption. Rendered as 'free' to contrast with the slavery to greed described.
  7. 7 ↩nec ipse sui juris — 'not even his own master' — is a legal phrase (sui juris) meaning one who has legal authority over oneself. The point is that the greedy person is enslaved and not even self-governing.
  8. 8 ↩pecunisetuae is a corrupt form, likely representing pecuniae tuae ('of your money'). nou is uncertain, possibly non ('not'). Translation follows the most plausible intended reading.
  9. 9 ↩humiUter is an unusual form, likely a scribal variant of humi (on the ground); translated as 'low on the ground'.
  10. 10 ↩circaeum is an unusual form, likely a scribal variant of circa + eum (around him); translated as 'around him'.
  11. 11 ↩generau is a scribal variant (U for ali); normalized to generali; translated as 'general'.
  12. 12 ↩discipuUs is a scribal variant (U for ul); normalized to discipulos; translated as 'disciples'.
  13. 13 ↩humiUter is an unusual form, likely a scribal variant of humi (on the ground/humbly); translated as 'humbly'.
  14. 14 ↩iUa is a scribal variant, likely for illa or ea (those); translated as 'those' modifying verba.
  15. 15 ↩considerauone is a scribal variant (U for ti); normalized to consideratione; translated as 'meditation'.
  16. 16 ↩jucunderis is an unusual form, likely for jucundaberis; translated as 'you will find joy'.
  17. 17 ↩forle is an unusual form, likely a variant of forte (perhaps); translated as 'perhaps'.
  18. 18 ↩The sentence is incomplete in the source — 'ut Dominus cur approbat ipse quod' breaks off without a finite verb or object. The clause is rendered purposively ('so that the Lord [may reveal] why he himself approves what [he does]') but the lacuna is real and the sense is uncertain.
  19. 19 ↩Cast. is an uncertain reading — possibly an abbreviation (e.g., Castilian, Castel, or a marginal marker). Rendered as given; meaning unclear.

Meditationes Vitae Christi (Pseudo-Bonaventure), Castilian court context companion

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