Reuelacio tercia, in qua Christus loquens beate Birgitte sponse sue dat quandam doctrinam similitudinariam de medico vero curatore et de falso medico interfectore et de homine extimatore dicens, quod homo, qui recipit secum peccatores, si dat eis auxilium aut materiam peccandi et moriantur in peccato, Deus exiget mortem animarum eorum de manu illius. Si vero recipit eos, vt cessent a peccato et instruantur ab eo in virtutibus, et isti emendantur per eius doctrinam, habebunt ille et ipsi magnum meritum a Deo.
The Physician's Metaphor
Christ introduces the metaphor of the physician to distinguish between the master healer, the killer, and the well-intentioned but foolish amateur.
The Son of God says: "When someone is sick in the house and a master physician arrives, he quickly discerns from the external signs what kind of illness they have." Therefore, a doctor who knows the patient's illness but gives them medicine that causes death is judged as a killer, and is not a true doctor. If, however, someone who knows how to heal practices medicine for the sake of worldly reward, they won't receive any payment from me. But if someone practices medicine for the sake of my honor and love, I am bound to reward them. If, however, someone isn't a medical expert but believes, based on their own judgment, that something will help a sick person, and gives it with good intentions, they shouldn't be blamed as a killer if the patient dies; they should be seen as foolish and presumptuous instead.1 If, however, a sick person recovers because of a fool's medicine, that person isn't entitled to the reward of a master, but only that of a guesser, because they didn't provide the medicine based on knowledge, but based on a guess.
Accountability for Souls
Christ applies the medical metaphor to spiritual guidance, warning that those who enable the pride of others will be held accountable for their spiritual death.
I will tell you what these things mean. Those people you know are spiritually sick, inclined toward pride and greed, and follow their own will. If, therefore, a friend of theirs—whom I compare to a doctor—gives them help and advice that leads them to exceed in pride and ambition and to die spiritually, I will certainly demand an account of their deaths from his own hand. Even though they may die because of their own wickedness, he won't be free from punishment, since he is the one who serves them and is the cause of their death. But if you cherish them out of natural affection, exalting them in the world for your own comfort and worldly honor, you shouldn't expect any reward from me. But if, like a good doctor, he thinks of them wisely, saying to himself: 'These people are sick and need medicine, and so, even though my remedy may seem bitter to them, it is still healthy, and I will give it to them so they don't die a harder death.' Therefore, I will also restrain them and give them food so they don't starve, and I will give them clothing so they may live honestly according to their station; I will keep them under my guidance so they don't grow arrogant, and I will provide for their other needs as well, so they aren't puffed up by pride, ruined by presumption, or given any opportunity to harm others. A physician like this will receive a great reward from me, because that kind of correction is pleasing.
The Bounds of Charity and Prudence
Christ clarifies that while good intentions mitigate blame, true charity requires the prudent restraint of those prone to self-destructive pride.
But if a friend thinks to himself, 'I’ll give them what they need; I don’t know if it’s actually good for them or not, but I don’t believe it displeases God or harms their soul,' then if they die because of his gift or if they have overstepped, that friend won’t be judged as a killer. Still, because of the good will and pious affection with which he loves their souls all the more, even if the friend doesn't receive a full reward, the infirm will nonetheless have it easier and will grow toward health, which they would have found much harder to obtain if charity hadn't been working with them. Still, one piece of advice is necessary here. As the common proverb says, a harmful animal does no harm if it's kept contained; and when it receives what it needs while in confinement, it recovers and grows just as fat as an animal that's free to roam. Therefore, because those whose blood and heart seek high things belong to that kind—and their will thirsts all the more the more it drinks—a friend of theirs should not give them any opportunity to overstep; for they long to set themselves on fire, but they lack the power to extinguish their own appetite.
Read the original Latin
Filius Dei loquitur: "Vbi infirmus est in domo, si ad eum magistralis medicus ingreditur, cicius ex signis exterioribus perpendit, qualem habet infirmitatem.
Medicus igitur sciens infirmitatem infirmi, si dat ei medicamentum, quo mors prouenit, arguitur tamquam interfector et non est verus medicus.
Si vero aliquis sciens mederi exercet medicinam propter remuneracionem mundi, mercedem non habebit a me. Si vero qui propter honorem et amorem meum medicinam exercet, teneor ego ei mercedem reddere.
Si vero aliquis non est magister in medicina sed secundum extimacionem suam credit illa et illa valere infirmo et dat ei pia intencione, hic non est arguendus vt interfector, si moritur infirmus, sed vt fatuus et presumptuosus.
Si vero conualescit infirmus ex medicina fatui, tunc ille non tenetur habere mercedem magistri sed extimatoris, quia non dedit medicinam secundum scienciam sed secundum extimacionem.
Ecce, quid ista significant, dicam tibi. Homines illi noti tibi sunt spiritualiter infirmi et inclinati ad superbiam et cupiditatem sequentes propriam voluntatem.
Si igitur amicus eorum, quem ego comparo medico, tribuit eis auxilium et consilium, quo in superbia et ambicione excedant et spiritualiter moriantur, vtique mortem eorum exigam de manu ipsius.
Quia licet ex propria iniquitate eorum moriantur, tamen, quia ipse ministrator et causa mortis est eorum, nequaquam immunis a pena erit.
Si vero naturali ductus amore fouet eos, exaltando eos in mundo propter consolacionem suam et honorem mundi, nequaquam mercedem speret a me.
Si vero sicut bonus medicus cogitat de eis sapienter dicens secum: 'Infirmi sunt isti et egent medicina et ideo, quamuis medicamentum meum videatur eis amarum, tamen, quia salubre est, dabo eis, ne durius moriantur.
Ideo et refrenando eos dabo eis cibaria, ne deficiant fame, dabo eis vestes, vt incedant honeste secundum statum suum, tenebo eos sub regimine meo, vt non insolescant, prouidebo eciam eis de aliis necessariis, ne eleuentur superbia et ne presumpcione dissoluantur aut ne aliis nocendi habeant occasionem;'
hic talis medicus magnam habebit mercedem a me, quia talis correpcio placet.
Si vero amicus eorum cogitans secum dicat sic: 'Dabo eis necessaria sed nescio, vtrum expedit eis vel non, sed tamen non credo displicere Deo nec obesse saluti eorum,' si tunc moriuntur ex dono suo vel excesserint, amicus non arguetur vt interfector,
verumptamen propter voluntatem bonam et affeccionem piam, qua plus animas eorum diligit, licet amicus non habebit mercedem plenam, infirmi tamen habebunt leuius et crescent ad sanitatem, quam, nisi cooperaretur caritas, difficilius optinerent.
Attamen necessarium est hic vnum consilium. Nam iuxta vulgare prouerbium animal de genere nociuo, si includitur, non nocet et inclusum accipiens necessaria conualescit et eque impinguatur sicut animal, quod est in libera potestate.
Ergo, quia de illo genere sunt illi, quorum sanguis et cor querit alta, et eo plus sitit eorum voluntas, quo plus bibit, ideo amicus eorum non tribuat eis occasionem excedendi; quia incendere cupiunt sed appetitum extinguere non valent."
Notes
- 1 ↩The term 'extimacionem' (estimation) here refers to a subjective, unlearned judgment as opposed to 'sciencia' (knowledge/mastery).
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