Christus reprehendit prelatos superbientes ex prelacione dicens, quod exhibeant se subditis humiles et virtuosos in vita et moribus et vtiles in iusticia et equitate. Et mensurando se in se ipsis, ne supra se eleuentur, addiscant cognoscendo defectus suos compati defectibus subditorum exemplo Christi, qui prius voluit facere et pati quam docere et ministrare quam ministrari. Corrigant quoque subditos diligenter, ne exemplo Hely sacerdotis dampnentur.
The Vanity of Earthly Pride
Christ rebukes the pride of those in authority, reminding them that all power is a stewardship from God.
The Son speaks to the bride, saying: "It is a great thing—or rather, a great monstrosity—that where the King of glory has humbled Himself, a human being, bound by reason, should want to be puffed up with pride."1 If someone is placed in authority over others, they shouldn't be proud because they're a leader; instead, they should be all the more afraid, because everyone shares the same nature and all power comes from God. If a leader is good, it's from God for their own salvation and the salvation of others; but if they're evil, it's by God's permission for the correction of those under them and for their own greater judgment. It's no wonder, but rather fitting and just, that a person who has refused to submit to their Creator should experience the rule of someone inferior and just like themselves. Therefore, when someone either desires or is compelled to hold authority, they should conduct themselves before those under them in such a way that they are desirable in their character and life, and useful in their justice and fairness.
The Example of the Servant-King
Leaders are called to imitate Christ and the Virgin Mary by practicing humility and compassion for the faults of others.
Finally, because we share the same nature, anyone in a position of authority should humble themselves and hold themselves to their own standards, so they don't exalt themselves above others, and in doing so, learn to have compassion for the faults of others. They should also fear that the same measure they use for others will be used for them. As God and man, I tempered myself; for although I knew the human condition through my divine knowledge, I came to know it through experience by suffering pain and the cross. And so, to set an example for others, I began by doing before I taught, and I chose to serve rather than to be served. In the same way, my mother—even though she was the queen of the apostles—loved humility above all else and lived as one of the least, which is why she ascended to the highest happiness.
The Responsibility of the Shepherd
Leaders must be vigilant in their conduct, as their moral failures can lead their subjects to ruin, just as Eli's negligence destroyed his house.
Therefore, a leader should learn to recognize the failings of those under him by looking at his own weaknesses. He must be careful not to give others the material or the opportunity to sin through his words, his example, or the abuse of his authority; for nothing provokes the wrath of God and leads people to sin as much as the moral laxity of those in charge.2 If the priest Eli had stood firm in the strength of his priesthood like Phinehas and Moses, and had loved his sons with a spiritual love, his entire lineage would have been saved. But because he wanted to please his sons in a worldly way, he left behind a memory of himself in tribulation, and for his descendants, a legacy of shame.
Read the original Latin
Filius loquitur ad sponsam dicens: "Magna res est, ymmo magnum monstrum, quod, vbi rex glorie humiliatus est, ibi homo raciociniis obligatus velit inflari superbia.
Nam si quis preficitur aliis, non ideo superbire debet, quia prelatus est, sed magis timere, quia omnes eiusdem nature sunt et omnis potestas est a Deo.
Quippe si bonus est, qui preficitur, a Deo est ad propriam et aliorum salutem; si vero malus est, permissione Dei est ad subditorum correccionem et maius iudicium suum.
Nec mirum est sed dignum et iustum, quod homo, qui contempsit subici creatori suo, dominium inferioris et consimilis sui experiatur. Ergo, cum aliquis vel desiderat vel cogitur preesse, talem se exhibeat subditis, vt et desiderabilis sit moribus et eciam vita vtilisque in iusticia et equitate.
Denique ex equalitate nature omnis, qui preest, humiliare se debet et metiri se ipsum in se ipso, ne eleuet se supra se, et in se ipso addiscat compati aliis. Timeat eciam, ne eadem mensura, qua metitur, eciam mecietur ei.
Sic ego Deus et homo temperaui me ipsum, quod, quamuis defectum hominis agnoscerem per scienciam, paciendo tamen penas et crucem agnoui experiendo. Et ideo, vt in exemplum darem me aliis, prius cepi facere quam docere, et ministrare volui, non autem ministrari.
Sic et mater mea, quamuis esset apostolorum domina, tamen humilitatem pre omnibus dilexit et quasi vna fuit cum minimis, et ideo ascendit ad summam felicitatem.
Ergo prelatus addiscat in infirmitatibus propriis subditorum defectus et attendat, ne verbis vel exemplis vel abusione potestatis sue materiam et occasionem aliis peccandi tribuat, quia nichil ita prouocat iram Dei et homines ad peccandum sicut lasciuia prelatorum.
Si enim Hely sacerdos sicut Finees et Moyses stetisset in vigore sacerdocii sui et dilexisset spiritualiter filios suos, tota generacio eius saluata fuisset.
Sed quia placere voluit carnaliter filiis, ideo memoriam sui reliquit in tribulacione et posteris suis in confusione."
Notes
- 1 ↩The term 'raciociniis obligatus' suggests the paradox of a creature endowed with the faculty of reason—which should lead to humility through self-knowledge—being instead enslaved by the pride that reason ought to dispel.
- 2 ↩The term 'lasciuia' here refers to a lack of moral discipline or restraint, often implying a dissolute or careless lifestyle that scandalizes others.
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