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← Meditationes Vitae Christi (Pseudo-Bonaventure), Castilian court context/Book 1 · Meditationes Vitae Christi
Chapter 61MedVC.1.61

De caeco illuminato in Hierico, et multis aliis

The Blind Man of Jericho

As Jesus nears Jericho, a blind beggar cries out for mercy, is brought to Jesus, asks for sight, and is healed by Christ's gracious word.

The blind man at Jericho.✦ The most gracious Lord, who out of boundless love came down from the Father's side for our salvation, knowing that the time of his Passion was at hand, drew near to Jericho.✦✦ He made ready to go up to that same Jerusalem, which he had also divinely foretold at that time; but they did not understand him.✦ When, therefore, he was approaching Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting by the roadside, begging; and when he heard from the crowds that he was passing by, he began to cry out loudly for mercy; and though the crowd rebuked him, he was not ashamed, nor did he stop.✦ Looking upon his faith and fervor, the Lord Jesus had him brought to himself and said, 'What do you want me to do for you?'✦ O most sweet word: 'What do you want me to do for you?'✦ And the blind man said: 'Lord, that I may see.'✦ And the merciful Lord granted it, saying: 'Receive your sight.'✦

The Power of Persistent Prayer

The meditant is urged to contemplate Christ's goodness and to trust that persistent prayer, like that of the blind man, the widow, and the importunate friend, is pleasing to God and gains what is rightly asked.

And so he gave him sight. Consider, then, the Lord Jesus, and his graciousness carefully.1 And consider here the power of faith and of prayer, and that persistent prayer is not displeasing to God — indeed, it pleases him. You had a similar example above, in the Canaanite woman.✦2 And he himself teaches in this same passage that we must always pray and not give up, giving the example of the judge from whom a widow obtained what she asked for through her persistence.✦3 Elsewhere he also gives the example of the man who, at night, lent bread because of the persistence of the one asking.✦4 And so, for those who persist in asking, the Lord does whatever they justly and rightly ask from God, so that he may say to each one: "What do you want me to do for you?"✦ And he does it. Indeed, even more!5

Holy Boldness and Holy Shame

The devout soul is encouraged to imitate the boldness of the blind man, the Canaanite woman, and Zacchaeus, and to distinguish between shame that leads to sin and shame that leads to glory, drawing on Bernard of Clairvaux.

He often makes you ask before he grants it, and gives you the courage to ask — as you have the example of Zacchaeus, which we'll discuss just below.✦ So hold this as certain: whatever you ask the Lord for faithfully and persistently, you will obtain.✦ You shouldn't be ashamed, any more than the blind man wasn't, or the woman from Canaan, or Zacchaeus — they weren't ashamed to ask for favors, and they received them.✦✦✦6 In the same way, we shouldn't be ashamed to serve God, to lay aside our sin, and to ask for the graces we need.7 Having a sense of shame and modesty can sometimes belong to a great virtue, and sometimes to a great fault.8 Bernard spoke about this when he said: 'There is a shame that leads to sin, and a shame that leads to glory.' It's a good shame that makes you ashamed to have sinned, or at least to be sinning. And though every human instinct might perhaps suggest otherwise, you should revere the divine presence far more than any human one, since you know more truly that he is more than a mere human being, and that he is wounded more gravely by a sinner — all the more so, as it is written in Luke and Isaiah and Ezekiel.9

Bernard on Shame That Glorifies

A series of Bernardian citations and comments explain how godly shame drives out sin, restores glory, and finds assurance in a good conscience rather than in human opinion.

, IV, 25. — " II ad Eustfich. , epist. cLxxxv, '" id. ,. fup-f stat longius esse peccatum ab illo. This kind of shame, without question, puts disgrace to flight. It prepares glory, since it does not admit sin at all — or if sin has been admitted, it punishes it by repentance and drives it out by confession — provided, however, that our glory is this: the testimony of our conscience.✦

The Harm of Foolish Shame

Further Bernardian excerpts warn that foolish shame blocks confession, destroys good conscience, and resists God's humiliating work, which is in truth the highest honor.

Because if anyone is ashamed to confess it as well. From the very source where such a shame is felt, sin is brought in, and glory before conscience is lost — since the evil that compunction tries to drive out from the depths of the heart, foolish shame, that constrictor of the lips, doesn't allow to come out at all.1011 The same author: "Shamelessness devoid of reason, enemy of salvation, ignorant of all honor and decency!"12 And shortly after: "Is it really shameful for a person to be conquered by God?" Is it considered a disgrace to be humbled under the powerful hand of the most high God? And after that: "The highest kind of victory."13 To yield to the divine majesty, and not to resist the authority of the mother Church — that is the highest honor and glory. What perversity!

The Beauty and Fruit of Modesty

Modesty is praised as a genuine good of the soul that brings glory, adorns every age, and shines especially in the young as a sign of good character.

There's no shame in being stained, but there is shame in having your feet washed clean. Shame, according to the Wise One, brings glory — if you'd be ashamed either to sin or to have sinned — and so you won't lack a sure glory. — with shame, no doubt, bringing back what guilt had driven away. "The same author": "I don't know if anything more pleasing can be observed in people's character than modesty. "And he adds: "It is truly the adornment of every age — but in the tender young, the grace of modesty shines forth all the more brilliantly and beautifully. What is more lovable than a modest young person? How beautiful this is, and how brilliant — a gem of character in the face and life of a young person! How true, and how utterly without doubt — a messenger of good hope, a sign of a good character!

Modesty, Discipline, and Innocence

Modesty is linked with continence, innocence, and the inner light of a chaste mind, while discipline restrains youthful passions and base speech is to be fled.

The rod of discipline is for the one who, threatening over the shameful passions of a slippery youth, may restrain its impulses and frivolous acts, and press down its insolence. Why flee from base talk and, after that, all words of baseness? Modesty is the sister of continence: there is no equally revealing sign of dove-like simplicity, and therefore it is also a witness of innocence. It is a lamp continually shining in a chaste mind, so that nothing shameful or unseemly may try to linger in it which it would not immediately betray. She is the attacker of evils and defender of innate purity, the special glory of conscience, guardian of reputation, ornament of life, of human virtue and humanness. From there, how much purer than a human being? — (?) Is put to shame, and from there.

Corrupt and Uncertain Text

A cluster of fragmentary, possibly corrupt Latin phrases and marginal notes resists confident translation but appears to touch on time, provision, and scribal instruction.

With the mouth obstructed, [the passage is too corrupt to render with confidence]. — [abbreviation mark] May. It has not taken feet. Mabi/l. Evening. Likewise. You will not lack. Add.

Secrecy, Modesty, and Prayer

Modesty is shown to be a soul's good even in public, while secrecy is especially fitting for prayer, since open prayer risks losing its fruit to human praise.

With age, Uem therefore. It's a seat of virtues, the first fruits of nature, praise itself, and the mark of all integrity. The very blush of the cheeks — which shame perhaps has brought on — how much grace and beauty it's accustomed to bring to the face when it's been poured over it! So truly is modesty a genuine good of the soul, that even those who aren't ashamed to act wrongly are nevertheless ashamed to be seen doing so. He adds: 'Truly, the works of darkness deserve hiding places, concealing themselves in the shadows.' And below: 'What is so friendly to a modest soul as secrecy?' In short, when we wish to pray, we're told to go into our room — certainly for the sake of secrecy. Indeed, as a safeguard — lest, when we pray openly, human praise steal away the fruit of prayer and frustrate our devotion.

Other Blind Men Healed

After further Bernardian warnings against parading holiness, the chapter closes by noting that the same pattern of crying out and receiving sight appears in the other blind men healed when Jesus left Jericho, as recorded in Matthew and Mark.

But what belongs so properly to modesty as to avoid praise for yourself and steer clear of showing off? And a little later: "What could be more unbecoming, especially for a young person, than parading holiness around!" And further on: "A good commendation of the prayer that follows, if you have sent modesty ahead of it."14 So far, Bernard. Now the points that come up in the consideration of this blind man, you can reflect on in the case of two other blind people enlightened by the Lord at that time, namely when he left Jericho: for this man was healed before the entrance.✦15 As for those others, it is said in Matthew and in Mark, where the name of one is given.✦ For just as those others cried out, they both received an answer and light from the Lord.

Read the original Latin

! Benignissimus Dominus, qui ex nimia charitate de sinu Patris pro nostra salute descendit, jj sciens quod tempus suae passionis instabat, ad ' CAPIIT LXl. eamdem versus Hicrusalem se pro ipsa suscipienda paravit: quam et divinilus tunc prffidixit; sed non intellexerunt eum. Cum igitur ' appropinquaret Hiericho^ccBcus qnidam sedensjuxta viam et mendicans, cura intelligerel a turbis eum inde transire, fortiter clamare misericordiam; et licet increparetur a turba, non verecumdabatur, nec tacebat. Ad cujus fidem et fervorem Dominus Jesus respiciens, fecit eum ad se adduci, et dixit: Quid vis iit faciam tibi? 0 dulcissimum verbum 1 Qiiidvis ut faciam tibi? Et caecus ad rum: Domine, ut videam. Et pius Dorainus concessit, dicens: Respice.

Et sic eum illuminavit. Conspice ergo Dominum Jesum, et curialitatem ejus diligenter. Et considera bicde virtute fidei et orationis, et quod orationis importunitas non displicet Deo, imo placet: simile habuisti supra - de Chananoea. Et ipse docet in hoc eodem, quod ^ oportet semper orare, et non deficere, dans exeraplum de judice a quo vidua ex importunitate impetravit quod pctebat. Alibi * etiam dat exemplum de eo, qui de nocte commodavit panes ex importunitate petentis. Et sic perseverantibus in petitione facit Dominus quidquid juste ac debite petunt a Deo, ut dicat singulis: Quid vis ut faciam tibi? et facit. Imo plus c!

iam saepe facit, quam petatur, et quam audeat petere^ ut habes exemplum iii Zachseo, de quo infra ^ proxime dicemus. Igitur pro constanti habeas, quod quidquid fideliter et perseveranter petieris a Domino, obtinebis. Nec verecundari debes, sicut nec ille csecus, nec Chanansea, nec Zacheeus verecundati fuerunt petere gratias, et eas obtinuerunt. Sic nec nos verecundari debemus servire Deo, et peccatum deponere, et gratias nobis necessarias postulare. Habere namque pudorem et verecundiam, pertinet quandoque ad raagnam virtutem, el quandoque ad magnura vitium. De quo sic dicit Bernardus^: " Est pudor adducens peccatum '', et pudor adducens gloriam. Bonus pudor est, quo peccasse, aut certe peccare confunderis. Et hcet omnis humanus arbiter forle absit, divinum tamen quam humanum tanto verecundius revereris aspectum, quanto verius cogitas illum plus quam hominem purum esse, lanioque eum gravius offendi a peccatore, quanto con' Lnc, xvjii,:i5 et xxxvu, Eccii.

, IV, 25. — " II ad Eustfich. , epist. cLxxxv, '" id. ,. fup-f stat longius esse peccatum ab illo. Hujusmodi proculdubio pudor fugat opprobrium. parat gloriam, dum peccatum omnino non admittit, aut certe admissum et poenitendo punit, et confitendo expeilit: si tamen*' qloria nostra hcec est, testimonium conscientite nostrce.

Quod si quisquam confiteri confunditur id quoqi'. e, unde compungitur, talis pudor peccatum adducit, et gloriam de conscientia perdit, ({uando malum quod ex profundo cordis compunctio conatur expellere, pudor ineptus, constrictor labiorum, omnino non permitlit exire. " Idem ^: " 0 verecundia expers rationis, inimica salutis, totius ignara honoris et honestatis! " Et mox: " Itane verecundum est homini vinci a Deo? probro ducitur humiliari sub potenti manu Dei altissimi? " Et post: " Summum victoriiB genus. divinae cedere majestati; et auctoritati matris Ecclesiae non reluctari, summus honor et gloria. 0 perversitas!

non pudet inquinari, et ablui pudet pedes. Est pudor, juxta Sapientem ', adducens gloriam, si vel peccare pudeat, vel peccasse, et ita vel certa gloria non carebit (?) , reducente nimirum pudore, quam culpa fugaverat. " Idem '": " Nescio an quidquam gratius verecundia adverti in moribus hominum queat. " Et subdit: " Quae est cerle omnium ornatus oetatum; sed tenerap, gralia verecundiae in teneriori amplius et pulchrius enitescit. Quid amabilius verecundo adolescente? Quam pulchra haec, et quam splendida gemma morura in vullu et vila adolescenlis! Quam vera, et minime dubia, bonae spei nuntia, bonae indolis index!

Virga disciplinte est illi, quse pudendis affectibus imminens, lubricae aetatis motus actusque leves coerceat, et compriraat insolentes. Quid ita turpiloquii, et omnis deinceps turpitudinis verba fugitans? Verecundia soror conlinentiae est: nullum aeque manifestura indicium columbinoe simplicitatis: et ideo etiam testis innocentiae. Larapas est pudicse raentis jugiter lucens, ut nil in ea turpe vel indecorum residere attentet, quod non illa illico prodat. Illa malorum irapugnatrix et propugnatrix puritatis innatae, specialis gloria conscientiae est, famae custos, vitae decus, virtuquam humauum. Deuin quani hominera puriorem. — ((?) confuuditur, et iiide.

obstruso iabioruiu oslio. — ig) MaiiU. non hatict pedes. Mabi/l. sera. Item. non carebis. add.

aetate, Uem itaque. tis sedes, virtutum primitiae, natura^ laus, et insigne totius honestatis. Rubor ipse genarum, quem forte invexerit pudor, quantum gratiJE ct decoris suffuso afferre vultui solet! * Usque adeo genuinum animi bonum verecundia est, ut et qui male agere non verentur, videri tamen verecundentur. " Subdit: " Opera nimirum tenebrarum, ct digna latebris, tenebris occultantes. " Et infra: " Quid tam amicum verecundo animo, quam secretum? Denique orare volentes, jubemur intrare cubiculum, utique secreti gratia. Illud quidem ad cautelam, ne, palam orantibus nobis, laus humana orationis furetur fructum, frustrelur affectum.

Sed quid tam proprium verecundiae, quam proprias vitare laudes, et vitare jactantiam? " Etpaulo post: " Quid tam indecorum maxime adolescenti, quam ostentatio sanctitatis! " Et post: " Bona commendatio secuturee orationis, si prsemiftasverecundiam. " Hucusque Bernardus. Quae autem inhujus coeci cocsideratione veniunt, potes considerare de duobus aliis csecis tunc a Domino illuminatis, scilicet quando exivit de Hierico: iste enim fuit ante ingressum illuminatus. De illis autem dicitur in Matthceo " et Marco ^, ubi ponitur nomen unius. Nam eodem modo, ut isti clamaverunt, et responsum et lumen a Domino receperunt

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Luke.18.35-Luke.18.43 — As he was approaching Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting by the roadside, begging. Luke.18.36 — But when he heard the crowd passing through, he inquired what this might be. Luke.18.37 — And they told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." Luke.18.38 — and he cried out, saying, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.' Luke.18.39 — And those who were in front were rebuking him so that he would be quiet, but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me." Luke.18.40 — And Jesus stopped, and commanded him to be brought to him. Luke.18.41 — What do you want me to do for you? And he said, Lord, that I may see again. Luke.18.42 — And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has saved you." Luke.18.43 — And immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, seeing it, gave praise to God.
  2. ↩John.1.18 — No one has ever seen God; the only-begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, that one has made him known.
  3. ↩Luke.18.35;Luke.19.1 — As he was approaching Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting by the roadside, begging. Luke.19.1 — And he entered and was passing through Jericho.
  4. ↩Luke.18.31-Luke.18.34 — Then he took the twelve aside and said to them, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be fulfilled." Luke.18.32 — for he will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked, and will be insulted, and will be spat upon Luke.18.33 — and after they flog him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise again Luke.18.34 — And they understood none of these things, and this saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp the things being said.
  5. ↩Luke.18.35-Luke.18.39 — As he was approaching Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting by the roadside, begging. Luke.18.36 — But when he heard the crowd passing through, he inquired what this might be. Luke.18.37 — And they told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." Luke.18.38 — and he cried out, saying, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.' Luke.18.39 — And those who were in front were rebuking him so that he would be quiet, but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me."
  6. ↩Luke.18.41 — What do you want me to do for you? And he said, Lord, that I may see again.
  7. ↩Luke.18.41 — What do you want me to do for you? And he said, Lord, that I may see again.
  8. ↩Luke.18.41 — What do you want me to do for you? And he said, Lord, that I may see again.
  9. ↩Luke.18.42 — And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has saved you."
  10. ↩Matt.15.21-Matt.15.28 — And Jesus went out from there and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Matt.15.22 — And behold, a Canaanite woman from those regions came out and cried out, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely tormented by a demon." Matt.15.23 — But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, "Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us. Matt.15.24 — But he answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Matt.15.25 — But she came and knelt before him, saying, 'Lord, help me.' Matt.15.26 — But he answered, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." Matt.15.27 — She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table. Matt.15.28 — Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that hour.
  11. ↩Luke.18.1-Luke.18.8 — Then he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. Luke.18.2 — He said, "There was a judge in a certain city who did not fear God and did not respect people. Luke.18.3 — A widow was in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' Luke.18.4 — And for a while she was unwilling, but afterward she said to herself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect anyone,' Luke.18.5 — because this widow keeps bothering me, I will vindicate her, so that she does not come and wear me out in the end. Luke.18.6 — And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says. Luke.18.7 — And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? And yet he is patient with them. Luke.18.8 — I tell you, he will bring about justice for them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?
  12. ↩Luke.11.5-Luke.11.8 — And he said to them, 'Which of you has a friend, and will go to him at midnight and say to him, "Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,' Luke.11.6 — Because a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him— Luke.11.7 — And he will answer from inside, 'Don't bother me. The door is already shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give to you.' Luke.11.8 — I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
  13. ↩Mark.10.51;Matt.20.32 — And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabboni, that I may see again." Matt.20.32 — And Jesus stopped and called them and said, "What do you want me to do for you?"
  14. ↩Luke.19.1-Luke.19.10 — And he entered and was passing through Jericho. Luke.19.2 — And behold, a man called by name Zacchaeus, and he was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. Luke.19.3 — and he was seeking to see Jesus, who he was, and he was not able because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. Luke.19.4 — And he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. Luke.19.5 — And when Jesus came to the place, looking up, he said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house." Luke.19.6 — And he hurried down and welcomed him, rejoicing. Luke.19.7 — And when they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." Luke.19.8 — But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I am giving half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I am paying it back fourfold." Luke.19.9 — And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. Luke.19.10 — For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
  15. ↩Luke.11.9-Luke.11.10;John.14.13-John.14.14 — And I tell you: ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. Luke.11.10 — For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened. John.14.13 — And whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. John.14.14 — If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
  16. ↩Luke.18.35-Luke.18.43;Mark.10.46-Mark.10.52 — As he was approaching Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting by the roadside, begging. Luke.18.36 — But when he heard the crowd passing through, he inquired what this might be. Luke.18.37 — And they told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." Luke.18.38 — and he cried out, saying, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.' Luke.18.39 — And those who were in front were rebuking him so that he would be quiet, but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me." Luke.18.40 — And Jesus stopped, and commanded him to be brought to him. Luke.18.41 — What do you want me to do for you? And he said, Lord, that I may see again. Luke.18.42 — And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has saved you." Luke.18.43 — And immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, seeing it, gave praise to God. Mark.10.46 — And they came to Jericho. And as he was going out from Jericho, with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road. Mark.10.47 — And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, 'Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me!' Mark.10.48 — And many were rebuking him, so that he would be silent. But he cried out all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!' Mark.10.49 — And Jesus stopped and said, 'Call him.' And they called the blind man, saying to him, 'Take heart; rise, he is calling you.' Mark.10.50 — And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Mark.10.51 — And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabboni, that I may see again." Mark.10.52 — And Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.
  17. ↩Matt.15.21-Matt.15.28 — And Jesus went out from there and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Matt.15.22 — And behold, a Canaanite woman from those regions came out and cried out, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely tormented by a demon." Matt.15.23 — But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, "Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us. Matt.15.24 — But he answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Matt.15.25 — But she came and knelt before him, saying, 'Lord, help me.' Matt.15.26 — But he answered, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." Matt.15.27 — She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table. Matt.15.28 — Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that hour.
  18. ↩Luke.19.1-Luke.19.10 — And he entered and was passing through Jericho. Luke.19.2 — And behold, a man called by name Zacchaeus, and he was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. Luke.19.3 — and he was seeking to see Jesus, who he was, and he was not able because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. Luke.19.4 — And he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. Luke.19.5 — And when Jesus came to the place, looking up, he said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house." Luke.19.6 — And he hurried down and welcomed him, rejoicing. Luke.19.7 — And when they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." Luke.19.8 — But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I am giving half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I am paying it back fourfold." Luke.19.9 — And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. Luke.19.10 — For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
  19. ↩2Cor.1.12 — For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God—not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God—we conducted ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.
  20. ↩Luke.18.35-Luke.18.43 — As he was approaching Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting by the roadside, begging. Luke.18.36 — But when he heard the crowd passing through, he inquired what this might be. Luke.18.37 — And they told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." Luke.18.38 — and he cried out, saying, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.' Luke.18.39 — And those who were in front were rebuking him so that he would be quiet, but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me." Luke.18.40 — And Jesus stopped, and commanded him to be brought to him. Luke.18.41 — What do you want me to do for you? And he said, Lord, that I may see again. Luke.18.42 — And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has saved you." Luke.18.43 — And immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, seeing it, gave praise to God.
  21. ↩Matt.20.29-Matt.20.34;Mark.10.46-Mark.10.52 — And as they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Matt.20.30 — And behold, two blind men sitting beside the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, 'Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!' Matt.20.31 — But the crowd rebuked them, that they should be silent; but they cried out the more, saying, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!" Matt.20.32 — And Jesus stopped and called them and said, "What do you want me to do for you?" Matt.20.33 — They said to him, 'Lord, that our eyes may be opened.' Matt.20.34 — And Jesus, moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and immediately they received their sight, and followed him. Mark.10.46 — And they came to Jericho. And as he was going out from Jericho, with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road. Mark.10.47 — And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, 'Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me!' Mark.10.48 — And many were rebuking him, so that he would be silent. But he cried out all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!' Mark.10.49 — And Jesus stopped and said, 'Call him.' And they called the blind man, saying to him, 'Take heart; rise, he is calling you.' Mark.10.50 — And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Mark.10.51 — And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabboni, that I may see again." Mark.10.52 — And Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Curialitatem rendered as graciousness to capture the sense of courteous generosity; could also be rendered courtesy or kindness.
  2. 2 ↩Importunitas rendered as persistent prayer to capture the sense of bold, insistent petition (not mere annoyance).
  3. 3 ↩Allusion to Luke 18:1–8 (the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge). The Latin has a lacuna (^) before oportet, likely marking a missing scriptural quotation.
  4. 4 ↩Allusion to Luke 11:5–8 (the friend at midnight asking for bread). The asterisk in the Latin may mark a textual note or lacuna.
  5. 5 ↩The Latin reads Imo plus c! — the c appears to be an abbreviation mark or textual fragment. Rendered as an exclamatory 'even more' to capture the sense of imo plus.
  6. 6 ↩gratias … obtinuerunt: here gratias means 'favors' or 'graces' (things graciously given), not thanks rendered; the sense is that they obtained what they asked.
  7. 7 ↩gratias nobis necessarias: 'necessary graces' — theologically loaded; kept as graces to preserve the durable term.
  8. 8 ↩The normalized text shows apparent corruptions (raagnam, magnura). The translation follows the most plausible intended sense: 'great virtue' and 'great fault'.
  9. 9 ↩The final clause is heavily corrupted in the normalized text (con' Lnc, xvjii,:i5 et xxxvu, Eccii). The translation supplies the most plausible intended sense: references to Luke, Isaiah, and Ezekiel as scriptural witnesses to Christ's suffering from sin.
  10. 10 ↩'unde compungitur' is syntactically compressed: the shame arises from the same interior place where compunction strikes. The translation unpacks this for clarity.
  11. 11 ↩'uando' is a scribal variant of 'quando'; 'permitlit' is a variant of 'permittit'. Both normalized in translation.
  12. 12 ↩The source of the quotation marked 'Idem' is not resolved in the supplied context; the attribution is preserved as given.
  13. 13 ↩'victoriiB' is an uncertain form, most likely genitive of victoria ('of victory'). Translated accordingly.
  14. 14 ↩The Latin forms secuturee and prsemiftasverecundiam are highly uncertain/corrupt in the manuscript. The rendering follows the most plausible intended sense: modesty as a precondition that commends prayer.
  15. 15 ↩The phrase ante ingressum illuminatus is rendered as 'healed before the entrance,' likely referring to the blind man healed before Jesus entered Jericho (cf. Luke 18:35–43), in contrast to the healing of Bartimaeus as Jesus left Jericho.

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