Sermonis in rmonte contimutio : De patientiM et largitcUe ciroa proximum exhibenda
The Gospel of Patience
Christ calls His followers to transcend the Old Law's judicial retaliation by embracing a spirit of patient endurance and non-resistance to injury.
After the Lord taught that we must not harm our neighbor or show irreverence to God, He goes on to teach, in just a few words, how a Christian should act toward those who injure him. These words are enough for anyone to reach perfection, as they clearly commend and urge the virtues of patience and generosity. First, He explains the meaning of a certain judicial precept where the Jews were mistaken, believing that vengeance should be sought for its own sake. But this is false, because wanting to punish someone can never be considered a good in itself; it is only good when it is sought for another reason—namely, to preserve the order of justice, to correct the one who has done wrong, to deter others by letting them see such a person punished, or for some other similar reason. Therefore, when no such good is expected from punishment, but there is instead a fear of scandal or causing a greater evil, a person is bound to refrain from seeking vengeance as a matter of necessity. If, however, one refrains even when not strictly required, it is an act of supererogation. Thus, not resisting evil is a command in some cases and a counsel in others. Sometimes, however, not resisting would be evil—specifically when doing so would embolden wicked people to oppress the simple, and their malice could be countered without danger. We must always resist the evil of sin, but we must never resist the evil of injury out of a desire for vengeance. Instead, we should act through a judge, out of love for justice, for the benefit of the Church, and for the correction of our neighbor, so that he doesn't grow accustomed to evil. Hence, in the Law, the judicial precept regarding the penalty of retaliation concerned death, striking, or mutilation, so that the one who struck would suffer and be punished in the same way he had harmed, and thus render life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. For because the Jews were prone to inflicting injuries on their neighbor even without cause, and were fierce in avenging their own injuries, and would exceed the measure and limit of punishment, the Law established a limit and a term for vengeance—the penalty of retaliation—which no one was to exceed when avenging injuries, both for the sake of the rashness of those who harm and those who are harmed. The Law set a limit with providential caution: both to restrain the insolence of those who inflict injury through fear, and to ensure that those who are injured don't take revenge beyond a proper measure. But the justice of Christ—whose mercy, as it is said, triumphs over judgment—and the justice of the Gospel itself is not to resist evil; that is, not to overcome the evil of injury by doing evil, but to overcome it through the goodness of patience. Furthermore, what is greater is that we must not respond to injuries, so that, when provoked by injuries, we are prepared and ready to endure them patiently. In the Law there is retribution, because it commands that the injured party be judged by an equal judgment; in the Gospel there is grace, because it teaches the virtue of patience, even to the point of being saved through the loss of one's own limbs. Hence Chrysostom says: 'If you gouge out another's eye, you haven't recovered your own, but along with the limb, you have also lost your patience.' The devil procures wounds of the body for the sake of wounds of the soul. If you don't strike back, you may indeed seem defeated by a human, but you have conquered the devil. Hence, if you don't return evil for evil, even if you have lost a limb of your body, you have gained the profit of patience; but if you do return it, you have suffered the loss of both body and soul. You aren't as harmed when you are injured by the wicked as you are when you retreat from the constancy of goodness.' Thus Chrysostom. There are four steps to peace: the first is not to give back more; the second is to give back less—and this was added by the tradition of the Pharisees, who allowed for forty lashes, minus one; the third is not to give back evil at all; the fourth is to be prepared to endure even more. The first two were in the Law; the Gospel begins at the third, when it says: 'do not resist evil'; the fourth is the perfection of the Gospel, which it goes on to explain and clarify. And because He didn't say 'resist evil'—so that no one would interpret this as referring to the evil of sin rather than the evil of injury—He adds: 'But if anyone strikes you on your right cheek, offer him the other.' This means the inner cheek of the mind, so that the inner person isn't moved to anger, either by the striking of the outer person or in silence within themselves. In other words, you should be prepared in your heart for another blow, and to endure greater and more severe things, before you resist evil through impatience and stir up scandal or any other evil against charity. Hence Augustine says: 'Don't just refrain from striking back; if he wants to strike the other cheek, endure it patiently.' On this, Chrysostom says: 'Whoever strikes back fulfills the command of the Law, not of Christ.' But you might say, 'He deserves to be struck back.' Indeed, but you aren't worthy to strike back, because you're a disciple of Him who, when He was insulted, didn't insult in return. Chrysostom says this, and through the Gospel precepts, the Lord confirms us in every example of patience and humility. For He not only forbids striking back at the one who strikes, but He also commands us to be prepared to be struck again and not to resist the evil of injury, so that it may not be inflicted upon us further. Hence Bede says: 'What is as great as offering your cheek to the one who strikes you?' Doesn't the impulse of indignation break, anger subside, and through patience, isn't that person changed or invited to repentance? Through the fulfillment of this command, a person is conformed to Christ, the devil is conquered by that person, and full peace is obtained among people. As Chrysostom says, "Meditation on this kind of tolerance leads to the passion of martyrdom." It's easy to endure physical pain during persecution if you've already been trained in peace to accept such injuries calmly and willingly. Here, according to Augustine, that vengeance which serves for correction is not forbidden, but no one is fit to inflict this vengeance unless they overcome hatred with love; for a father doesn't hate his son when he disciplines him. Therefore, one should not seek vengeance out of hatred and lust, but out of love, both for the sake of correction and so that the one who commits the injury may be corrected by the person to whom authority has been given in the order of things, just as a son is corrected by his father; one must be prepared, if need be, to tolerate more with an even mind from the person one wishes to see corrected. For such vengeance, when it aims at correction out of love, belongs to mercy. Blessed, therefore, is the one who is prepared in their very heart for everything in all that they suffer for God, and who can truthfully say and sing that prophetic verse: 'My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready.'
Detachment and Generosity
The call to patience extends to the loss of material possessions, urging the believer to prioritize spiritual peace over earthly goods and legal disputes.
The Lord commanded not only that we offer the other cheek to the one who strikes us, but also that we endure losses; for, according to Chrysostom, after we have learned to tolerate physical injury, the Lord wants us to hold worldly things in contempt as well, and to show patience not just when we are struck, but also regarding our money and various other possessions. He adds, 'And do not hold back from the one who takes your garment,' meaning don't resist or fight with him. This is the example of the Lord, who allowed His own garments to be taken from Him and divided by the soldiers. For while you seek to defend the clothing of your body, you lose the most precious garment of your soul. And to the one who wants to go to court with you—that is, to act contentiously—and take your tunic (meaning your inner and more necessary garment, through which you should understand all other necessities), if he drags you to court over a tunic and causes you trouble and annoyance, give him your cloak as well (that is, your outer garment and other things you don't need as much); never act contentiously or with anger. It is as if He were saying, 'If someone wants to take one of your necessities by force, before you fight it out in court, it's better to let him take the rest of them as well.' According to Augustine, this is to be understood as a preparation of the heart, not as a display of outward action. From this you can also gather that if someone wants to take your tunic—that is, your soul or your inner goods—you should let go of your cloak, that is, your external affairs. Chrysostom says, 'If you see a lawsuit looming, give up even what you cannot afford to lose; for it's better to be freed from a quarrel than to hold onto the cause of the quarrel.' It's hard to let things go, but it's harder to come out of a lawsuit without sin. And again: "Not only," he says, "should you bear an injury without stirring up anger against the one who caused it, and not only should you avoid being indignant about what he has taken, but if you happen to have anything left, you should freely give it to the one who has taken everything." For when he finds you acting like that, he will immediately come to his senses and regret what he has done. Bede adds to this: "What is said about the cloak and the tunic must be applied not only to those things, but to everything we claim to own by some legal right for a time." If this is commanded regarding necessities, how much more should we despise what is superfluous. The law, therefore, is that you do not take what belongs to another, even if you don't give away your own; but grace is that you neither take what belongs to another nor fail to give your own. According to Augustine, if someone refuses to return money owed—either voluntarily or when proven wrong—to the point that they want to litigate, it should be let go; for a servant of God ought not to litigate, keeping to that rule of being prepared in spirit to lose what is owed to him. For if he acts with complete modesty and gentleness to have it restored—not so much intending the profit of the money, but to correct the person, for whom it is undoubtedly ruinous to have the means to pay and yet not pay—he will not only avoid sin, but will actually do a great deal of good, so that the other person, while wanting to make a profit on other money, does not suffer the loss of his faith. This is far more serious, so there is no comparison. Note that when you try to reclaim what is yours, it happens in two ways: either before a judge who is an unbeliever—which is not permitted for a Christian— and especially where the Church has freedom; or before a believer, which also happens in two ways: either contentiously and with deceit, which is permitted to no one; or modestly and with justice, which is permitted to the weak and the imperfect. Seeking it simply, without contention or deceit, and not before a judge, is permitted to everyone. Regarding those in religious life who possess nothing of their own: you should know that seeking to reclaim something happens in two ways: either for one's own personal benefit, which is not permitted for the perfect; or for the common good of the community, which is permitted even to the perfect, who, although they have nothing of their own, still hold things in common, and so it is permitted to reclaim them in the name of the community. Or, if they have no ownership—neither in common nor in private—they still have things assigned for their use. Nevertheless, it would be more appropriate to make it known to a judge in private than to seek it in a public trial.
The Superabundance of Love
Beyond mere endurance, the believer is called to a superabundant charity that gives freely to all who ask, mirroring the generosity of God.
Then he adds: "And whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two," which means you should bear it patiently if you are required to go further. Angaria is defined as the demand for unowed service from one's own person, or any kind of unjust coercion. Therefore, to "angaria" means to drag someone along in an unfair or unjust way, or to impose personal services and labor by oppressing and burdening them. The meaning, then, is this: whoever forces you into unowed service—provided it is without sin—you should be so prepared that you are willing to endure more than he intends to inflict. For a thousand paces is a Sabbath day's journey, and therefore this isn't against the Sabbath of the Law; likewise, it isn't against the Sabbath of the heart to endure injuries in matters that don't violate it. Or, the number one thousand signifies spiritual perfection, which is shown by the fulfillment of this command. And since one thousand is a number of perfection, the three thousands signify that the perfection of patience consists in three things: in the body, in reason, and in the will, which is signified by the other two thousand. As Chrysostom says: "You see the superabundance of philosophy and the accumulation of wisdom." After you have surely given your cheek, your tunic, and your cloak, he says, even if an enemy wants to use your bare body for insults and labor, you shouldn't hold him back even then. He wants us to hold all things in common—money, certainly, and our own bodies—not only with those in need, but even with those who harm us. The first belongs to mercy, the second to patience. And again: "The Lord commands us to be eager and ready for every work of devotion." He wants our good to be a matter not so much of necessity as of our own free will, so that by doing more than we are asked, we may gain the grace of a greater reward. It is the duty of wholehearted charity and perfect devotion to offer more of your own free will than you are able—so says Chrysostom. Where, according to Augustine, Christ warns us not so much to act with our feet as to be ready in our soul. Therefore, don't just give your own things to avoid an argument, but offer yourself to the one who forces you; be ready not so much in deed and foot as in soul and the affection of compassion to serve more than is commanded. Everything said here must be understood in terms of the soul's readiness for such a situation. It applies to similar situations, but not to cases where the person striking, stealing, forcing, or otherwise offending is being encouraged by such permission to continue in their malice and wickedness. In fact, in such a case, it wouldn't be good to just put up with it, unless it were to avoid scandal or some greater evil. For, as Augustine testifies, anyone who is deprived of the license to do evil is helped by being defeated; because there is nothing more miserable than the misery of sinners, by which their punishable impunity is nurtured and their evil will, like an interior enemy, is strengthened. As Augustine also says, no type of injury is left out in these three examples. For all the things in which we suffer some injustice are divided into two categories: one is that which cannot be restored, in which a proud soul is accustomed to seek the comfort of revenge, desiring such fuel for its anger; but a healthy and firm soul judges that the other person's weakness should be borne with mercy, and in this case, revenge is not forbidden for the sake of correction, as is also said above. The other category of injuries is that which can be fully restored; it has two types: one pertains to money, the other to labor. An example of the first is the struck cheek; of the second, the tunic and cloak; of the third, the forced labor of carrying a load. This is because what is harmed in the body cannot be restored to its original state, but a garment can be returned, and labor can be assisted if there is a need. In all these types of injuries, therefore, the Lord teaches that the spirit of Christians ought to be most patient, most merciful, and most prepared to endure even more, because of the hope of an eternal reward. But because it isn't enough to simply do no harm—you must also provide help whenever you can—the Lord adds: "Give to everyone who asks you," as if to say: "You must be patient in your own troubles, but also compassionate toward the troubles of others." He doesn't say what must be given, because it's not always a material thing that must be given; yet something must always be given, at the very least a kind word. Therefore, whoever asks you for something in their need—whether it's a physical or a spiritual thing—give them a gift, or a word. For if they ask reasonably, you must give the gift they ask for—either as a duty, when they are in such extreme need that they are completely destitute and you are able to give, or as a work of counsel, when the person asking could otherwise get by—and this is physical almsgiving. If you lack the means, give your affection and good will, a kind word, and your prayers. If, however, they ask unreasonably, you must give a word of instruction, teaching them about the unreasonableness of their request and the reason for a just refusal, so that you don't send them away empty-handed; this teaching is a part and work of justice, and it is spiritual almsgiving. And if they don't receive what they asked for, they still receive something better: namely, correction. In this way, you will give to everyone who asks you, even if you don't always give exactly what they requested. Therefore, he says, give to everyone who asks, but not everything they ask for; you should give what you can give honestly and justly. Ambrose says: "It's no less a crime to take from someone who has, than it is to refuse those in need when you're able and have plenty." It's the bread of the hungry that you're holding back; it's the clothing of the widows that you're locking away; the money you're burying in the ground is the redemption and release of the miserable. Know, therefore, that you're stealing as many good things as you could have provided. For, as Chrysostom says, our riches aren't ours, but God's; he wanted us to be stewards of his riches, not owners. Give, therefore, and bestow; don't sell. He sells who waits for many requests; he sells who puts off a kindness; he sells who reproaches the poor person; he sells who gives with a sad face; he sells who expects something in return. Yet, the poor person who has nothing isn't bound to give a gift from their hand; but they are bound, according to the time and place, to give the gift of compassion from the heart, consolation in their words, and help in their actions. That’s why the Gloss says: "If you lack the means, give service, or affection, or a word." These are the four things Magdalene offered to Christ: the tears of compassion, the hair of service, the kiss of devotion, and the ointment of consolation. In the same way, we must understand what follows: "And to the one who wants to borrow"—that is, to receive a loan from you—"do not turn away," which means don't refuse to lend, delay the loan, or cut it short. Lend if the request is reasonable; or, if it isn't, explain why you're refusing. Give your loan cheerfully, for "God loves a cheerful giver," and do so out of pure love, hoping for nothing in return—neither interest, nor service, nor any other advantage. You shouldn't lend because you hope for such things, even though you may hope for a reward from God. Don't turn away from showing mercy, and don't fix your hope of reward on people, but on God, who will repay you with much interest for what you do at his command. Augustine says: "Do not, therefore, turn your will away from the one who asks, as if you will receive nothing from God when the person who received the loan pays it back; for when you do this because of God's command, it cannot be fruitless in the eyes of the One who commands it." He says, therefore: "Give to everyone who asks." . And "to the one who wants to borrow, do not turn away" covers two kinds of kindness: either when we give benevolently, or when we lend to someone who will pay us back; and we must be prepared for both. In both forms of almsgiving—giving and lending—we are obligated to help anyone in need who asks, even an enemy, if we are perfect; if we are imperfect, we are obligated only when we see they are in extreme need. Chrysostom says: If we are asked for mercy, let us give what we can, so that we might more easily obtain from God what we ask for, through the merit that goes before. But if we despise those who ask us for help, with what confidence can we believe that God will grant us what we ask of Him? We are commanded in all things to maintain a spirit of piety and faith, so that we treat the necessity of another's tribulation as if it were our own, and not value our own resources more than our brother, while waiting for the reward of eternal retribution—so says Chrysostom. This should be understood not only of alms, but also of the money that never fails—that is, of wisdom and doctrine, which must not be denied to those who ask; for it disdains a greedy owner, and when shared with others, it grows and enriches the giver all the more. Therefore, distribute it to those who ask for God's sake, and don't turn away those who wish to borrow it from you so that they may teach others; for what they teach others besides you will be returned to you by God with much interest. Both kinds of money, then—the physical and the spiritual—are to be lent, but the material without interest, and the spiritual with interest. Next it follows: And whoever takes away what is yours, whether money or something else, do not demand it back—that is, in court, or with strife and contention. No one is permitted to sue for the return of property while their mind is disturbed, or if they are acting out of anger, agitation, or an uncontrolled desire for revenge rather than for the correction of the offender; nor may they do so out of greed, where they care more about their own well-being at the expense of their neighbor.
Loving the Enemy
The perfection of the Christian life is found in loving those who hate us, blessing those who curse us, and praying for those who persecute us.
And because the Lord taught that we shouldn't resist those who inflict injury, but rather be prepared to endure even more, he consequently teaches that we must offer those who inflict injury both the affection and the effect of charity. Because works of justice are fruitless without charity, he adds teaching on the perfection of charity and provides the understanding of the commandment regarding love of neighbor, in which the Jews were mistaken. From the fact that it is commanded in the Law, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' and because it is said again in the same place, 'You shall love your friend,' they argued by a contrary sense that they were obligated to hate their enemy; but this is false, because every human being must be loved out of charity, insofar as they are in the image of God and capable of Him through knowledge and love. Therefore He says: 'You have heard that it was said in the Law: You shall love your neighbor'—and by affection He thus binds everyone, and by effect He thus binds the perfect according to place and time—'and you shall hate your enemy.' This last part, however, is not written in the Law, but is a tradition of the Scribes, who added it and gathered it from other writings in that same place, as has been said. Or if it is said to be written somewhere, then, according to Augustine, it is not to be taken as the voice of one commanding the righteous, but of one permitting the weak. But I say to you: Love—that is, with affection—your enemies; that is, love the people, not their vices; their nature, not their guilt. Because, according to Augustine, people are to be loved in such a way that their errors are not loved. We must love our enemies by wishing for them the goods of grace and glory, which a person cannot use for evil. Other goods—namely, those of nature or fortune—are not to be wished for them except in a general way, insofar as they contribute to their salvation, which is known to God alone. Because a person can use such goods well or poorly, one should not pray for these things in a specific way. Keep in mind that while loving a friend is more of a duty, the Lord doesn't exclude a reward for it; He just implies it's smaller. All else being equal, loving your enemies is more meritorious than loving your friends—it's harder, requires a greater effort of good will, is purer, arises from the movement of grace rather than the inclination of nature, and is more generous, since it isn't based on the debt of previous merit. Since it isn't enough to love in your heart unless that love is proven by your actions—at least when the time and place allow—He adds: "Do good." This means doing good for those who hate you in ways that look toward their salvation, seeking it in a way that is appropriate and possible, because doing good is the outward expression and proof of love. Therefore, just as we are bound to love our enemies regarding the goods of grace and glory, we are also bound to actively work for their salvation. . An enemy, therefore, regarding the nature by which he is a neighbor, must be loved with the general love by which it is said: "You shall love your neighbor," but to be moved specifically to love an enemy is not a matter of precept, but of perfection.✦ It isn't a precept to feel a specific affection toward everyone, because that isn't possible; therefore, it isn't a precept to feel a specific affection toward an enemy, but only a general one, insofar as he is a human neighbor. Because outward benefits correspond to inward love, showing signs of general love to enemies—such as doing good for the whole community or praying for all people in common—is a matter of necessary precept. They shouldn't be excluded from things shown to everyone; if a person intended to exclude them, love would not be general, and hatred would be shown instead. Since a person is obligated to every human being in a time of extreme necessity, a benefit ought to be shown even to an enemy in such a situation, unless doing so would make him worse or lead him to attack the faith. However, one is not bound to show benefits that are signs of special love to an enemy outside of a case of necessity; that is a matter of perfection. Love, therefore, is either interior or exterior. Through interior love and the perfection of sufficiency, everyone—even the imperfect—is bound to love all people, even an enemy; but through exterior love—that is, the outward display of kindness and the perfection of supererogation—only the perfect are bound to act. For the imperfect person is bound to let go of the rancor of hatred toward an enemy and to wish them well, whether they ask for forgiveness or not; and if they do ask for forgiveness, they are bound to speak with them and say, 'Hello.' But they are not bound to provide them with material benefits. The perfect person, however, is bound to offer even material support and provide what is necessary, whether the enemy asks for forgiveness or not. For if we separate an enemy from our communion, we are doing them a kindness by that very act, provided we do it with the intention of calling them back from their error. Hence the Gloss says: 'Do good by providing the food of the mind—that is, instruction or correction of the body.' For everything in the Church, even excommunication, points toward this: that they might become brothers and friends. And because it is a kind of benefit pertaining to salvation that can be shown by anyone, no matter how poor—namely, to pray for the salvation of souls—therefore it adds: 'Bless,' that is, by wishing them the goods of grace and glory, even when they speak ill of you, backbite, or openly blaspheme; 'and pray,' by wishing them those same goods and begging God on behalf of those who persecute and slander you, imposing false crimes upon you. The Lord gave an example of this while hanging on the cross, as did Stephen when he was stoned, and David when he was cursed by Shimei. Note that there are three kinds of injury: injury of the heart, known as rancor or hatred; injury of the mouth, which is disparagement or cursing; and injury of action, which is physical harm. The Lord provides three remedies for these: against the first, "Love your enemies"; against the second, "Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who persecute and slander you"; and against the third, "Do good to those who hate you." As the Gloss says: "The Church is attacked in three ways: by hatred, by words, and by physical torture; conversely, the Church loves, prays, and does good." If we want to be perfect, we must offer those who injure us the benefit of the heart by loving them, the benefit of the mouth by praying for them, and the benefit of action by doing good to them. And because He gave a great commandment, He adds a glorious reward. “So,” He says, “love, do good, and pray for your enemies, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, who is most high.” Children, I say, through the imitation of His goodness, through the adoption of grace, through instruction, and through the adoption of the inheritance. So that, just as you are children of God by nature and creation, you may also be His children by grace and imitation, in that which is proper to Him: for it is proper to Him to show mercy and to be beneficent. Hence Bede says: “There can be no greater reward than that the children of men, who are of the earth, should be made children of the Most High, who is in heaven.” For once we have received the power, we are made children of God, in as much as we fulfill what is commanded by Him. And He adds: “Who makes His sun rise on the good and the bad, and rains on the just and the unjust, and on the grateful and the ungrateful; and He does good not only to friends, but even to enemies.” For He nourishes enemies just as He does friends, illuminates both with the splendor of His sun, and makes them fruitful with the flooding of His rains. He doesn't withhold common benefits even from evil men who, as far as it lies within them, are hostile to Him; but out of His mercy, He indiscriminately bestows the benefits of this present life upon all. As Jerome says: "Do not deny what God denies to no one, even if he is a blasphemer and an impious person." Let's give to everyone without distinction, not asking to whom we give, but why. But as was said above, to pray generally for enemies and to bless them, insofar as they are included in the general body of the people, is a commandment, just as it is a commandment that they be loved in a general love; but to do these things specifically is not a commandment, but a matter of perfection. And it should be known that Chrysostom sets out nine degrees, according to the approach toward the perfection of this commandment. He says: "You have seen, then, by how many degrees one ascends to perfection, and how he establishes us on the very summit of truth and gradually leads us back into heaven itself: the first degree, therefore, is not to come to harming the other person at all; the second, that one does not retaliate more than what one has suffered from the one who harmed them; the third, that the one who has been harmed does not do the things they have suffered, but remains quiet; the fourth, that one even offers oneself to endure injury; the fifth, that one offers oneself to even greater things than the one who did the harm wishes; the sixth, not to hate the one from whom one suffers these things; the seventh, even to love the one who harms; the eighth, to willingly treat them with kindness; the ninth, even to pray to God for one's adversary." You have perceived the loftiness of this philosophy, and therefore it's worthy of such a great reward, because it's subject to such a great commandment. For... and it proposes such a reward for it, as it proposes to no one else at all; namely, that they might become like God, as far as that is possible for humans.
The Call to Perfection
Christ concludes by setting the standard of divine perfection as the goal for His followers, inviting them to imitate the Father's indiscriminate mercy through a final prayer.
Therefore, we must do good to everyone, because, as Seneca says, no one ever helped another without also helping himself. Since the perfection of love cannot go beyond the love of enemies, after He commanded us to love our enemies, He consequently added: "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." This is the law of love in practice, so that you seek to do good even to your enemies; for it is clear that God does this, as He pours out His benefits even upon evil people, in such a way that He does not stop being good to them because of their malice, and neither should you toward your enemies. For, according to Chrysostom, just as children of the flesh resemble their fathers in some physical trait, so children of the spirit resemble God in holiness; and nothing makes us so like God as forgiving those who do us wrong and praying for them. Christians ought to excel tax collectors and pagans in love. And He argues this from the example of tax collectors and unbelievers, who love their friends and do good to them. If, therefore, we wish to have the reward of blessedness above them, we must do more for God's sake by extending our love even to our enemies. For if you love only those who love you, He asks, what reward will you have from God in eternal life for that reason? As if to say: None. For of these it can be said: They have received their reward. Such love is merely natural and doesn't proceed from the charity that extends to everyone; therefore, it has no merit. Yet you must do these things and not leave the others undone. For to love those who love you is a matter of nature; to love those who do not love you is a matter of grace; not to love those who love you is a sign of the greatest perversity; and not to love those who do not love you is a sign of human imperfection. And if you greet only your brothers who are joined to you by kinship—that is, if you wish them well and show them the affection of charity and love—what are you doing in terms of perfection? He adds, moreover: And if you do good only to those who do good to you, which is a natural debt arising from the benefit you have received, what grace is that to you—that is, what merit of grace do you have before God? As if to say: None. Don't even the tax collectors and the Gentiles—that is, sinners and pagans—do this? Tax collectors, who collect public taxes, are said to take their name from Publius, a Roman king; but Gentiles take theirs from the nations. They are called 'Gentiles'—which in Latin means 'nations'—because they are as they were born, namely, under sin. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what grace is there for you, at least before God? In other words: none. For as the Gloss says, from this fact alone—that you hope to receive—you aren't giving for God's sake. Hence it can be said of such people: they have received their reward, because they lend in the hope of human repayment. Even sinners, who lack the grace of God, lend to other sinners—that is, they provide a loan—so that they may receive back an equal amount, and nothing more than the principal. From this it is clear that those who lend so they may receive back with interest are worse than sinners. As if to say, according to Bede: If such people, with nature as their guide, know how to be generous among themselves, how much more necessary is it for you, whose level of profession is higher, that your care for virtue be more abundant, so that you might embrace even those who do not love you in the embrace of charity? Chrysostom says: "Since we are worthy of punishment, we who are commanded to shape our lives after the likeness of God, perhaps we aren't even found to be equal to the Gentiles." And again: "But if we are no better than the tax collectors or the Gentiles in these matters, shouldn't we be mourning and lamenting? In fact, we are so far from loving our enemies that we don't even return the favor of charity to our friends; instead, we even hate those who love us. In this, we not only fail to differ from the Gentiles and tax collectors, but we are actually much worse than them." Christ doesn't just want us to forgive those who offend us; He wants us to love them and pray for them as well. For if you merely don't harm the one who harmed you, but you still turn away from him and don't want to see him, the wound in your chest undoubtedly remains, and the pain in your heart grows. Do you really want God to be favorable to you in such a way that He doesn't harm you, yet turns away from you, keeps a record of your sins, and refuses to look at you? Therefore, the way you want God to be toward you when you ask for forgiveness for your sins is the way you must act toward those who have sinned against you. Understand that when these things are done out of natural affection—which can arise from a motive of utility or pleasure— or from a motive of honor, or through the habit of moral friendship, they aren't meritorious for eternal life. But when these things proceed from the habit of charity, then they are meritorious, and are the beginning and the reason for meriting before God, which alone distinguishes between the children of the kingdom and the children of perdition. To love because of a reciprocal natural affection is a debt; to love because of a benefit received or hoped for is mercenary; to love for the pleasure of mutual familiarity is wrong; to love because of a shared consent to sin is malicious; to love because of a good work is gratuitous. For whoever loves their neighbor, either because they are good, or so that they may become good, or because we are members of the same body and children of the same Father, truly is said to love. Such love is spiritual, and therefore unfailing; for carnal love quickly slips away, just as the flesh itself does. This is the kind of love with which tax collectors and pagans love one another, in whom there is nature without grace, and they only love those who love them; for as soon as they realize they aren't being loved by others, they themselves stop loving them in return. We ought, therefore, to love everyone, to seek the salvation of everyone, to do good to everyone, and to show the affection of charity, not asking whom we should love, but why we do these things. In this way, love is increased and harmony grows. These things, therefore, should be done not in the hope of human reward, but of divine. For just as God is the beginning of all good, so He wishes to be its end as well. “I am,” He says, “the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.” Hence Augustine says: Whoever loves a friend for the sake of some advantage is proven to love not the friend, but the advantage. And therefore God, than whom there is nothing greater or better for which one might be loved, is loved perfectly for His own sake. If, however, He is loved at least for the things He provides, He is certainly not loved freely, because that for which He is loved is already being preferred to Him—which is a wicked thing even to say. And again: Let God be loved freely, so that the reward for the work by which He is served may be to be with Him. We should seek nothing for the love of Jesus except his sweet presence—so says Augustine. And Bernard adds: 'God is not loved without a reward, even though he should be loved without any thought of one; the true lover doesn't seek a reward, but earns it.' We should be perfect according to our measure, in the perfection of grace, just as our heavenly Father is perfect in the perfection of his nature; for the Lord is perfect and wants his faithful followers to be good and perfect. Let's be perfect for now, at least with the perfection of sufficiency found in the love of God and neighbor, and let's strive toward the fullness of the perfection of supererogation, which is to love our enemies and pray for them, just as Christ did. Chrysostom says: 'We are not harmed by the wicked as much when we are injured by them as we are when, through their malice, the constancy of our goodness retreats, defeated from its purpose.' Don't, therefore, hate the one who does you harm, and don't curse the one who harasses you, but rather love him as one who brings you many good things and leads you to the highest honor by the very act of harming you. Otherwise, you have endured the labor but are deprived of the fruit; you will bear the loss and lose the reward. It's surely the height of madness that some, having endured greater things, won't endure lesser ones. And you might ask, how is this possible? You have seen God made man, descending so far for your salvation, and enduring so much for your sake; and do you still ask or doubt how it's possible to forgive injuries to your fellow servants? But you've been hurt deeply! But have you really suffered anything like what your Lord—or rather, the Lord of all—suffered? If, however, you've been hurt beyond measure, then there's all the more reason to return good to the one who harmed you; that way, you earn a brighter crown for yourself and free your brother from the danger of a most serious sickness. Chrysostom says this. PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, most gentle Master of all humility and patience, grant me, the lowest and simplest of your servants, the grace to desire to be held in contempt and trampled by everyone, to patiently endure injury in my body or my possessions, to keep my spirit ready to endure even more, and to help everyone who asks for my aid in physical needs as much as I am able. Grant also that I may be able to love, do good to, bless, and pray for not only my friends but also those who pursue me with malice in heart, word, or deed, so that by your grace I may be counted among your children and your elect. Amen.
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Postquam ergo Dominus docuit non esse inferendam injuriam proximo, nec irreverentiam Deo; consequenter docet qualiter Christianus se habere debet ad eos qui sibi injuriam inferunt, ponens pauca verba. quae omnibus hominibus ad perfectionem sufficiunt, inquibus omnis patientiae et largitatfe virtus aperte commendatur et suadetur. Et primo ponit intellectum cujusdam praecepti judicialis , ubi errabant Judaei, credentes, quod vindicta esset propter se appetenda ; sed hoc est falsum ; quia velle poenam alicujus, absolute non potest habere rationem boni, sed solum in quantum appetitur propter aliud, scilicet propter ordinem justitiae servandum ; vel propter illius qui deliquit correctionem ; vel propter aliorum terrorem , ut videntes talem puniri , coerceantur a malis; vel propter aliquod hujusmodi. Ubi ergo nullum bonum tale ex poena alicujus aestimatur evenire , sed magis timetur de scandalo, vel de majori malo suscitando, tunc tenetur homo desistere a vindicta quaerenda, et hoc est necessitatis ; si autem citra talem casum desistat, est supererogationis. Igitur, non resistere malo in aliquo casu est praeceptum, et in aliquo consilium; et aliquando non resistere esset malum, quando scilicet per hoc daretur audacia malis hominibus simplices opprimendi, et potest eorum malitiae sine periculo occurri. Malo enim culpae semper est resistendum; sed malo injuriae, nunquam libidine vindictae, sed per judicem, amore justitise, causa scilicet utilitatis Ecclesiae, et correctionis proximi , ne malis discat assuescere. Unde in Lege praeceptum judiciale de poena talionis erat circa mortem, percussionem , mutilationem , ut percutiens, in eo pateretur et puniretur in quo laeserat, et sic redderet animam pro anima, oculum pro oculo, dentem pro dente. Quia enim Judaei proni ad inferendas injurias proximo, etiam sine causa, et saevi in vindicando proprias injurias erant , modumque et mensuram poenae excedebant, Lex, tam pro temeritate laedentium quam laesorum, xnstituit modum et terminum ultionis, quem nullus excederet in xnjuriis vindicandis, scilicet poenam talionis.
Provida enim quadamcautela, modum posuit : tam propter | protervitatem laedentium, ut reprimerentur timore; quam laesorum, ne ultionem sumerent ultra modum proprium. Christi autem, cujus ut dicitur misericordia superexaltat judicium, et ipsius Evangelii justitia est non resistere malo , scilicet per malum, sed in bono patientiae vincere malum injuriae. Necetiam, quod majus est, respondendum est injuriis, ut injuriis lacessiti, parati et prompti simus ad illas patienter sustinendas. In Lege est retributio, quia jubet laesum aequali judicio judicari ; in Evangelio, gratia, quia docet patientiae virtutem, etiam per membrorum damna servari. Unde Chrysostomus : « Si alterius oculum eruis , non tuum recuperasti, sed cum membro etiam patientiam perdidisti. Diabolus vulnera procurat corporum, propter vulnera animarum. Si tu non percusseris, ab homine quidem victus videris ; sed diabolum vicisti. Unde si non reddideris malum pro malo, etsi membrum corporis perdidisti, lucrum patientiae acquisisti ; si autem reddideris, et corporis damnum passus es et salutis, nec tantum laederis quando ab iniquis noceris, quantum cum a constantia bonitatis recesseris : » haec Chrysostomus, 2 RcuTiENTi PRJEBENDX ?
— Sunt autem quatuor gradus ad pacem : primus est non plus reddere; secundus est minus reddere et hoc additum est per traditionem Pharisaeorum, qui dabant quadraginta disciplinas, una minus ; tertius est malum non reddere; quartus est, paratum esse amplius tolerare. Primi duo fuerunt in Lege; in tertio incipit Evangelium, cum dicit : non resisteremalo; in quarto est Evangelii consummatio, quod consequenter exponit declarando. Unde quia non dixit , resistendum malo, ne aliquis intelligeret de malo culpae, non injuriae, subjiingit, dicens : Sed si quis te percusserit in dexteram maxillam praibeilli et alteram, scilicet dexteram mentis interiorem, ne exterioris hominis caede vel tacitus intra se moveatur interior, id est, sis paratus in animo ad aliam percussionem, et majora, et ampliora sustinendum, antequam per impatientiam malo resistas, et scandalum, vel aliquod malum aliud contra charitatem suscites. Unde Augustinus : « Non tantum non repercutias, sed si vult alteram ferire, patienter sustineas. » Ubi Chrysostomus : « Qui repercutit, Legis implet mandatum, non Christi. Sed dicis , dignus est ille repercuti ; etiam, sed tu non es dignus repercutere, quia discipulus illius es, cui cum malediceretur, non remaiedicebat : » haec ChrysostO' mus, Ad omne ergo nos exemplum patientiae et humilitatis Dominus per Evangelica praecepta confLrmat. Non solum enim prohibet rcpercu• tere percutientem , sed et jubet nos paratos esse iterum percuti et non resistere malo injuriae , ''quominus adhuc possit nol^s inferri. Unde Beda : « Quid tam magnum, quam percutienti praebere maxillam ?
Nonne indignationis impetus frangitur, ira sedatur, et per patientiam ille mutatur, vel invitatur ad poenitentiam? Per hujus ergo mandati im~ pietionem , homo Christo conformatur, diabolus ab homine vincitur, plena pax inter homines obtinetur. » Unde Ckrysostomus : a Hujusmodi meditatio tolerantiae ducit ad passionem martyrii. Facile cnim pcrsecutionis tempore, poenas corporis jJoterit sustinere , si in pace ante exercitatus , hujusmodi injurias equanimiter ac libenter suscipiat. » Hic, secundum Augustinwn, non prohibetur ea vindicta, quae ad correctionem valet , sed huic vindictae inferendae non est idoneus, nisi qui odium dilectione superat ; noaeaim odit pater filium castigando. Unde non debet quis odio et libidine vindictam expetere, sed amore, et ad correctionem, et ut injurians ab eo, cui rerum ordine potestas data est, tanquam filius a patre corrigatur; paratus, si opus sit, aequo animo plura tolerare, ab eo quem vult esse correctum. Talis enim vindicta ad correctionem, propter amorem, pertinet ad misericordiam. Beatus ergo, qui ipso corde est ad omnia paratus in omnibus quae patitur pro Deo, veraciter possit dicere, et canere illud propheticum : Paratum cor meum, Deus, paratum cor meum, 3 ?
— Non solum autem maxillam praebendam percutienti Dominus praecepit ; sed damna subiri , quia , secundum Chrysostomum , post corporalis injuriae tolerantiam, vult nos etiam Dominus secularium habere contemptum , et non tantummodo in plagis , verum etiam in pecuniis, rebusque diversis nos vult praestare patientiam. Unde addit : Et ab eo qui aufert tibi vesiimenium, noli prohibere, scilicet repugnando, vel cum eo contendendo : exemplo Domini, qui vestimenta sua permisit a se auferri, et a militibus dividi. Dum enim vis vindicare vestem corporis , pretiosissimum animae vestimentum perdis. Et ei qui vult tecum in judicio coniendere, id est contentiose agere, et tunicam tuam tollere, id est vestera interiorem et magis necessariam, per quam et cetera necessaria intellige, hoc est si te ad judicium propter tunicam trahat, ac negotium tibi, molestiamque commoveat, dimitte ei et pcdlium, id est exterius vestimentum, et cetera quibus non adeo indiges; nunquam contentiose, et cum iracundia agas. Quasi dioeret : Si quis contendeodo velit tibi auferre unum de 33> aecessariis, antequam contendas in judicio, sustine potius ut auferatur tibi et reliquum de eis. Hoc quoque, secundum Augustinum, ad praeparationem cordis, non ad ostensionem operis inteiligendum. Ex hoc etiam potes trahere, ut si quis vult tunicam tuam tollere, id est aniroam, vel interiora bona, dimittas pallium, id est exteriora negotia. Ubi Chrysosiomus : « Si litem tibi videris imminentem, etiam illa quae non poteris indulge ; melius est enim jurgio liberari, quam retinere materiam jurgiorum.
Difficile est rem dimittere ; sed difficilius de judicio sine peccato exire. » Et iterum : « Non solum, inquit, injuriam patiens , nihil iracundiae moveas adversus eum, qui injuriam facit, et non sohim pro his quee abstulit non indigneris ; sed et si quid tibi forte subrelictum est, id sponte largire ei qui totum abstulit. Cum enim ille talem te invenerit, resipiscet continuo, et facti pigebit eum. » Ubi et Beda : « Quod de vestimento ct tunica dictum est, non in eis solis, sed in omnibus faciendum est, quae aliquo jure temporaliter nostra esse dicimus. Si enim de necessariis hoc imperatum est , quanto magis superflua contemnere oportet. Lex igitur est, ut alterius non toilas, etsi tuum non das; gratia autem , ut et alterius non toUas et tuum des. » Secundum Augusiinum, qui sponte vel convictus pecuniam debitam reddere noluerit, in tantum ut velit litigare, dimittenda illi est ; servum enim Dei non oportet litigare, manente illa regula, ut animo paratus sit amittere quod sibi debetur. Nam si modeste ac leviter omnino egerit ut sibi restituatur, non tam intendens fructum pecuniae, quam ut hominem corrigat, cui sine dubio perniciosum est habere unde reddat, et non reddere : non solum non peccabit, sed proderit etiam plurimum, ne iUe, dum in alia pecunia lucrum facere vult, damnum fidei patiatur.
Quod taato est gravius, ut nulla sit comparatio. Et nota quod repetere sua contingit dupliciter : aut coram judice in fideli, et sic Christiano non licet,. et maxime ubi Ecclesia libertatem habet ; aut coram fideli, et hoc dupliciter : aut contentiose et cum fraude, et sic nulli licet ; aut modeste et cum justitia, et sic infirmis et imperfectis licet ; simpliciter vero repetere sine contentione et fraude, non coram judice, omnibus licet. De religiosis vero sua non habentibus,. est sciendum quod repetere aliqua contingit dupliciter : aut ut aliqua propter utilitatcm propriam , sic perfectis non licet; aut ut congregationis propter utilitatem conmiunem, sic licet etiam perfectis, qui etsi non habent sua in proprio, tamen habent in communi, et ita nomine communitatis licet repetere. Vel si non habent dominium, nec in communi, nec in proprio, habent tamen res ad usum deputatas. Tamen magis expediret judici secreto significare, quam in judicio repetere.
Deinde subjungit : Et quicunque ie angariaverit millepaS' sus, vade cum eo alia duo, id est patienter feras, si amplius te ire oporteat. Angaria dicitur indebiti servitii exigentia in propria persona, vel quaecunque coactio injusta. Unde angariare est inique seu injuste aliquo modo trahere, vel personalia obsequia et opera impendere, opprimendo hi persona, et gravando. Est ergo sensus : Quicunque te in servitio indebito, sine peccato tamen, coegerit servire; ad hoc etiam ita debes paratus esse^ ut amplius pati velis, quam ille optat inferre. Nam mille passus est iter sabbati, et ideo hoc non est contra sabbatum Legis; sic sustinere injurias in his quae non sunt contra sabbatum pectoris. Vel in millenario, perfectio spiritualis significatur quae impletione hujus praecepti ostenditur. Et cum millenarius sit numerus perfectionis, in tribus millenariis, notatur quod in tribus consistit perfectio patientiae , scilicet : in corpore, et ratione, et voluntate, quod significatur per alia dub millia. Ubi Chrysostomus : « Vides superabundantiam philosophiae, et cumulum sapientiae.
Postquam nimirum dederis maxillam, et tunicam , et vestimentum, etiamsi nudo, inquit, corpori tuo uti voluerit inimicus ad injurias et labores ; nec sic quidem illum oportet prohibere. Vult enim omnia nos possidere communiter, et pecunias videlicet et corpora, non cum indigentibus solum , verum etiam cum injuriam facientibus. Unum enim misericordiae est, ahenim patientiae. » Et iterum : « Ad omne devotionis opus impigros nos esse praecipit Dominus, ac paratos. Bonum enim nostrum vult npn tam necessitatis esse, quam propriae voluntatis; ut dum amplius ex nobis facimus, quam ab aliis postulamur, majoris mercedis gratiam consequamur. Integrae enim charitati^, ac perfectae devotionis officium est , plus sponte praestare, quam poteris : » haec Chrysosiomus. Ubi, secundum Augustinum , Christus monet, non tam ut pedibus agas, quam ut animo sis paratus. Non solum ergo tua, ut devites altercationem, sed et te ipsum praebe angarianti; non tam opere et pedibus, quam animo et compassionis affectu paratus muho plus servire quam praecepit.
Totum enim quod dictum est, intelligendum secundum praeparationem animi in casu. consimili, non autem in casu, in quo ex tali permissione nutriretur percutiens, aut rapiens, vel angarians, seu alias offendens in sua malitia et iniquitate. Imo in tali casu sustinere non esset bonum, nisi propter scandalum, vel aliquod majus malum evitandum. Nam, testante Augustino, cui licentia iniquitatis eripitur, utiliter vincitur : quoniam nihil est infelicius infelicitate peccantium, qua pcenalis nutritur impunitas; et mala voluntas, velut hostis interior, roboratur.
Ut autem dicit idem Augustinus, in his trium exemplorum nuUius genus injuriae est praetermissum. Nam omnia in quibus improbitatem aliquam patimur, in duo genera dividuntur, quorum altenim est quod restitui non potest; in quo vindictae solatium tumidus animus quaerere solet, qui talia fomenta desiderat, sed sanus et firmus misericorditer perferendam alterius infirmitatem judicat, neque hic vindicta ad correctionem prohibetur , ut etiam supra dicitur. Alterum injuriarum genus est, quod in integrum restitui potest; cujus sunt duae species : una ad pecuniam , altera ad operam pertinet. Exemplum primi, de percussa maxilla; secundi, de tunica et vestimento; tertii, de angaria passuum. Quia quod in corpore laesum est, non restituitur in integrum ; et reddi vestimentum potest; et adjuvari opera potest, si opus fuerit. In his ergo omnibus generibus injuriarum Dominus docet patientissimum et misericordissimum, et ad plura perferenda paratissimum animum Christianorum esse oportere, propter spem retributionis aeternae.
Sed quoniam parum est non nocere, nisi etiam praestet beneficium quantum poterit, consequenter adjungit Dominus, et dicit : Omni petenti te iribue, quasi diceret : Ita debes esse patiens in adversis propriis, sed et compatiens alienis. Non dicit quid tribuendum, quia non semper res est danda; semper tamen dandum est, saltem bonum responsum. Qui ergo in necessitate sua petit a te rem corporalem vel spiritualem, da ei donum, vel verbum. Si enim rationabiliter petit, tribuendum est donum quod petit, vel de praecepto cum in extrema necessitate positus omnino indiget, dareque possis, vel de consilio, cum petens aliter transire potest; et haec est eleemosyna corporalis. Et si deest tibi facultas, da affectum et bonam voluntatem, bonum responsum et orationem. Si autem irrationabiliter petit, dandum est verbum, docendo eum de irrationabilitate suae petitionis, et de causa justae negationis, ut non eum inanem dimittas; et haecdoctrina est pars et opus justitiae, et eleemosyna spiritualis. Et si iste non accipit id quod petit, melius tamen scilicet correctionem, accipit. Ita, omni peienti te dabis, quamvis non semper id quod petit, dabis.
Unde, omni petenii, inquit, non omnia petenti; ut des quod dare honeste et juste potes. Ubi Ambrosius : « Non minus est criminis habenti tollere , quam cum possis et abundans sis, indigentibus denegare. Et esurientis panis est, quem tu detines ; viduarum indumentum est, quod tu recludis ; miserorum redemptio et absolutio est, pecunia quam tu in terra fodis. Tot ergo bona scias te invadere, quot bona posses praestare. » Quia, ut dicit Chrysostomus, divitiae nostrae non sunt, sed Dei ; omnes enim dispensatores divitiarum suanim nos voluit esse, non dominos. Da ergo et tribue, non vende. Vendit, qui multas preces exspectat; vendit, qui beneficium procrastinat ; vendit, qui pauperi improperat; vendit, qui tristi vultu donat; vendit, quj vicissitudinem exspectat. Pauper tamen et nihil habens non tenetur ad donum muneris a manu ; sed ad donum compassionis a corde, consolationis in ore, subventionis in opere tenetur pro loco et temporc.
Unde Glossa : « Si deest facultas, da obsequium, vel afFectum, vel verbum. Haec sunt illa quatuor quae obtulit Magdalena Christo, scilicet : lacrymas compassionis, capillos subventionis, osculum obsecutionis, unguentum consolationis.
Et eodem modo intelligendum est quod subditur : Et volenti mutuari, id est mutuum accipere a te, ne avertaris ab eo, scilicet non mutuando, vel mutuum differendo, vel diminuendo. Mutua sibi, si petit rationabiliter ; vel rationem redde, si petit irrationabiliter. Da mutuum hilariter : Hilarem enim datorem diligit Deus, et ex charitate pura, nihil unde sperans, vel recipiens ultra sortem , nec servitium nec quodcunque commodum ; ita quod propter istam spem, non debet mutuum fieri, licet a Deo possit inde merces sperari. A misericordia te non avertas, nec in homine spem mercedis figas, sed in Deo, qui cum muho foenore tibi reddet, quod illo jubente facis. Unde Augustinus : « Nec propterea voluntatem alienes ab eo qui petit, quasi nihil recepturus a Deo , cum rem quae datur mutuo , ille qui accepit exsolvat, quia cum id ex praecepto Dei facis, apud illum qui haec jubet, infructuosum esse non potest : » haec Augustinus. Dicens ergo : Omni petenti, iribue,. ,. et volenii mutuari, ne avertaris ab eo, duo genera beneficii complectitur : vel cum benevole damus, vel cum reddituro commodamus ; et ad utraque parati esse debemus.
In utroque enim genere eleemosynae, dato scilicet et mutuo, tenemur omni petenti egenti subvenire, etiam inimico, si perfecti sumus ; si imperfecti , non nisi in summa necessitate esse viderimus. Unde Chrysostomus : a Si misericordiam postulamur, quod possumuB, largiamur, ut ipsi id quod a Deo petimus, praecedente merito, facilius impetrare possimus. Verum si eos qui nos petunt despiciamus, qua fiducia Deum nobis, quod petimus, praestare credimus? Jubemur enim per omnia, religionem pietatatis ac fidei custodire, ut necessitatem tribulationis alterius, quasi propriam, computemus; nec pluris fecultatem, quam fratrem faciamus, exspectantes mercedem retributionis aeternae : » haec Chrysosiomus. Et non solum de eleemosynis hoc intelligendum est, sed et pecunia quae nunquam deficit, id est de sapientia et doctrina, quae non est petenti deneganda; quoniam avarum dedignatur possessorem , et in alios translata crescit, et magis ditat auctorem. Ergo petenti eam, pro Deo distribuas, et volenti eam mutuari a te, ut alios doceat, ne avertaris ; quia quod alios praeter te docebit, libi reddftur a Deo cum foenore multo. Utraque ergo pecunia, scilicet corporalis et spiritualis, est commodanda, sed materialis sine usura, spiritualis cum usura. Deinde sequitur : Et qui aufert tibi quce tua sunt, sive pecuniam, sive rem aliam, ne repetas, scilicet in judicio, ac cum lite et contentione.
Non enim licet alicui rem in judicio repetere, turbato animo, ct ex ira et commotione, ac per inordinatum afFectum vindictae potius quam ad emendationem delinquentis; vel ex avaritia, qua magis vult cum jactura proximi bene se habere.
Et quia docuit Dominus injuriam inferentibus non esse resistendum, sed plura perferenda esse paratum, consequenter docet injuriam inferentibus , impendendum esse charitatis affectum simul et effectum. Quia enim opera justitis infructuosa sunt sine charitate, ideo addit de charitatis perfectione, et dat intellectum praecepti de dilectione proximi, in quo errabant Judaei. Ex hoc enim quod praeceptum est in Lege, diliges proximum tuum sicut teipsum; et quod iterum ibidem dicitur : Diliges amicum tuum, arguebant a contrario sensu, quod debebant odire inimicum ; sed hoc est falsum , quia omnis homo ex charitate diligendus est, in quantum ad imaginem Dei est, et capax tpsius, per CQgnitionem et amorem. Dicit ergo : Audistis quia dictum est in Lege : Diliges proximum tuum, et affectu sic ligat omnes, et effectu sic ligat perfectos pro loco ct tempore : et odio habebis inimicum tuum; hoc autem ultimum non est scriptum in Legc, sed est traditio Scribarum, qui hoc addebant, et ex aliis scriptis ibidem, ut dictum est, colligebant. Vel si alicubi scriptum dicatur, tunc, secundum Augustinum, non vox jubentis justo accipienda est,sed permittentis infirroo. Ego autem dico vobis : Diligite, scilicet affectu, inimicos vestros, homines scilicet, non vitia; naturam, non culpam. Quia, secundum Augustinum, sic diligendi sunt homines, ut eorum non diligantur errores. Diligere debemus inimicos, bona gratiae et glorise eis optando, quibos homo non potest uti male; alia vetc bona, scilicet naturae, vel fortuna, non sunt eis optanda, nisi quadam generalitate, in quantum valent ad salutem eorum, quod soli Deo est notum; quia talibus bonis potest homo bene uti vel male, et idoo circa haec non est aliquid petendum determinate.
Et nota quod diligere amicum est magis debitum, et non excludit Dominus a dilectione ami-corum mercedem, sed innuit minorem, quia ceteris paribus, [dilectio inimicorum est magis meritoria, quam amicorum , quia difficilior et cum majori conatu bonae voluntatis; quia purior, et ex motu gratise, non naturae inclinantis; quia liberalior, non ex debito meriti prascedentis.
Et quia non sufficit diligere corde, nisi dilectio probetur operis exhibitione, ad minus loco et tempore, subdit : Benefacite, scilicet effectu, his qui oderunt vos in his quae spectant ad eorum salutem, eam modo debito et possibili procurando, quia benefacere est dilectionis efifectus et exhibitio. Et ideo, sicut tenemur diligere inimicos , quantum ad bona gratiae et gloriae, ita tenemur in effectu salutem eorum procurare. . Inimicus ergo, quoad naturam, qua est proximus, de necessitate praecepti, est generali dilectione diligendus, qua dicitur : Diliges proximum iuum , sed dilectione spedali, ut specialiter quis moveatur ad diligendum inimicum non est praecepti, sed perfectionis. Non enim est praeceptum ad omnes specialiter affici, quia nec hoc est possibile; et ideo nec est praeceptum specialiter affid ad inimicum, sed generaliter in quantum est homo proximus. £t quia exteriora beneficia proportionantur interiori dilectioni, signa generalis dilectionis, ut aliquod bonum facere toti commuaitati, vei orare pro toto populo in communi, ista exhibere inimids, cum ab his quae sunt generaliter exhibenda non debeant excludi, est de neces* sitate praecepti; quia si ab his intenderet homo eos exdudere, jam generaliter dilectio non ferretur, imo magis odium ostenderetur. £t quia ex tempore extremae necessitatis obligatur homo omni homini in tali necessitate existenti : ideo etiam inimico, nisi ex hoc deterior fieret, et fidem impugnaret, debet in tali necessitate beneficium exhiberi. Beneficia vero, quae sunt signa dilectionis specialis, non tenetur inimico exhibere, extra casum necessitatis; sed hoc est perfectionis.
Dilectio ergo, alia interior, alia exterior. Dilectione interiori, et perfectione sufficientiae, quilibet etiam imperfectus tenetur quemlibet etiam inimicum diligere; dilectione autem exteriori, id est beneficii exhibitione et perfectione supererogationis, tenetur tantum perfectus hoc facere. Imperfectus enim tenetur inimico rancorem odii dimittere, et bonum optare, sive petierit veniam, sive non; et si petierit veniam, tenetur ei colloqui, et dicere : Ave; sed non tenetur beneficia temporalia ministrare. Perfectus autem tenetur etiam praesidia temporalia conferre, et necessaria ministrare, sive ab eo veniam petierit, sive non. Quia si inimicum a communione nostra separemus, eo ipso ei benefacimus, dum illud hoc fine faciamus, ut eum ab errore revocemus. Unde Glossa : a Benefacite ministrando cibum mentis , id est , instructionem vel correctionem corporis, omnia enim in Ecclesia, etiam excommunicatio, eo spectant, ut fratres et amici fiant. » Et quia estquoddam beneficium ad salutem pertinens, quod a quolibet quantumcunque paupere potest exhiberri , scilicet orare pro animarum salute, ideo subjungit : Benedicite, scilicet bona gratiae et gloriae imprecando maledicentibus vobis, retro detrahendo, vel aperte blasphemando ; et orate, dicta bona optando, et Deum deprecando, propersequentibus et calumniantibus vo^, falsum crimen vobis imponendo. Hujus exemplum dedit Dominus ^in cnice suspensus, et Stephanus *lapidatus, et David a Semei maledictus.
Ubi nota quod triplex est injuria , scilicet : cordis, quae rancor vel odium dicitur ; oris, quae detractio vel maledictio ; operis, scilicet laesio manualis. His igitur generibus tria Dominus apponit remedia, contra primum : Diligite inimicos vestros ; contra secundum : Benedicite maledicentibus vobis, et orate pro persequeniibus et calumniantibus vos ; contra tertium : Benefacite his qui oderunt vos, Unde Glossa : « Contra Ecclesiam tribus modis pugnatur, odio, verbis, et cruciatu corporis ; e contra Ecclesia diligit, orat, et benefacit. Si ergo volumus esse perfecti, debemus injuriantibus nobis beneficium dare cordis, ipsos diligendo; beneficium oris, pro eis orando; et beneficium operis, ipsis benefaciendo.
Et quia magnttm dedit praeceptum, praeclarum subdit praemium. Ita, inquit, diligite, benefacite, orate pro inimicis vestris, ut sitisjilii Patris vestri altissimi , qui in ccelis est. Filii, inquam, per bonitatis imitationem, per gratiae adoptionem, per educationem, perhe•reditatis adoptionem. Ut sicut estis filii Dei per naturam et creationem, * sic etiam sitis filii ejus per gratiam et imitationem , in eo quod est ei proprium : nam proprium est ei misereri, et esse beneficum. Unde Beda : « NuUa major potest esse merces, quam filios hominum terrigenas, effici filios Altissimi, qui in coelis est. Nos enim potestate accepta efl&citnur filii Dei, in quantum ea quae ab eo praecipiuntur, implemus. » Et subjungit : « Qui salem suum facit oriri super bonos et malos, et pluit super justos ei i«justos, ac gratos et ingratos; et non solum amicis, sed etiam inimicis benefacit. Sic enim inimicos nutrit ut amicos, ac hos et illos sui solis splendore illuminat, et suarum pluviarum inundatione fecundat, et beneficia communia non subtrahit, etiam malis hominibus, qui tamen ei in quantum in eis est inimicantur ; sed pro sua misericordia indiscrete omnibus vitae praesentis beneficia largitur.
» Ubi Hieronymus : « Noli negare quod Deus nulli negat, quamvis sit blasphemus et impius. Sine distinctione omnibus tribuamus non quaerentes cui, sed quare demus. » Ut autem dictum est supra, orare generaliter pro inimicis, et eis benedicere, pro quanto in generalitate populi includuntur, est praeceptum, sicut quod in generali dilectione diligantur; sed in speciali ista facere, non est praeceptum, sed perfectionis. Et sciendum quod Chrysostomus ponit novem gradus, secundum accessum ad perfectionem mandati hujus. Unde ait : a Vidisti nempe quantis ad perfectionem gradibus ascendit, et quemadmodum nQs in ipsum veritatis cacumen statuit et paulatim in ipsum coelum reducit : primus igitur gradus est, nequaquam ad laedendum priorem venire; secundus, ut non amplius referat, quam quod a laedente sustinuit; tertius, ne laesus faciat illa quae passus est, sed quiescat ; quartus, ut etiam praebeat seipsum ad injuriam sustineixdam ; quintus, ut etiam ad majora se praebeat , quam vult esse qui fecit ; sextus, non odisse eum a quo ista perpetitur ; septimus, etiam diligere laederttem ; octavus, beneficiis eum libenter afficere; nonus, etiam Deum pro adversario deprecari. » Perspexisti celsitudinem Philosophiae, et idcirco tam daro digna est praemio, quia tam magno est subjecta praecepto. Nam . et praemium illi tale proponit, quale prionim omnino nulli; ut scilicet fierent similes Dei, prout tamen hominibus id esse possibile est.
Igitur benefaciendum est omnibus, quia, ut dicit Seneca, nemo non cum alteri prodest, sibi profuit. Quia vero perfectio dilectionis, ultra dilectionem inimicorum, non potest procedere, ideo postquam praecepit inimicos diligere, consequenter subjungit : Estoie ergo vos perfecti, sicut et Pater vester coslestis perfectus est, quae est lex amoris conservando, ut quaeratis etiam inimicis prodesse ; quod Deum facere manifestum est , qui beneficia largitur etiam malis hominibus; sic quod propter eorum malitiam , non deserit beneficentiam circa ipsos, iia nec vos circa inimicos. Nam, secundum Chrysostomum^ sicut filii carnales similantucw patribus, in aliquo corporis signo , ita filii spirituales, Deo in sanctitate ; et nihil nos Deo ita assimilat, sicut injusta facientibus ignoscere, et pro eis orare. 1 1 Christiani in dilectione publicanis et ethnicis prastare debent. — Et arguit hoc exemplo publicanorum et infidelium, qui suos amicos diligunt et eis benefaciunt. Si ergo supra ipsos mercedem beatitudinis volumus habere, debemus plus propter Deum facere, dilectionem etiam ad inimicos extendendo. Si enim diligitis, inquit, tantum eos qui vos diligunt ; quam mercedem habebitis, hac scilicet de causa a Deo in aeterna vita ? Quasi diceret : NuIIam.
De his enim dici potest : Receperunt mercedem suam. Talis namque dilectio est naturalis, et non procedit de charitate, quae se extendit ad omnes homines, et ideo non est meritoria. Sed tamen haec oportet facere, et illa non omittere. Diligere enim diligentes est naturae ; diligere non diligentes est gratiae; non diligere diligentes est perversitatis maximae; non diligere non diligentes* est imperfectionis humanae. Et si salutaveriiis fratres vesiros tantum, qui aliqua affinitate juncti sunt vobis, id est salutem eis optaveritis, ac charitatis et dilectionis affectum eis ostenderitis,^2/{^^zm/7/iM5^ scilicet quantum ad perfectionem facitis? Subdit autem : Et si benefeceritis tantum, his qui vobis benefaciunt, quod est debiti naturalis, ex accepto beneficio quce vobis est gratia, id est quod meritum gratiae apud Deum? Quasi diceret : NuIIum. Nonne et Publicani et Ethnici, id est peccatores et Gentiles, hoc faciunt?
Publicani , qui publica vectigalia exigunt, a Publio rege Romanorum nomen traxisse dicuntur; Ethnici vero, ab lOvo? Groece, quod gens Latine est, vocantur, qui tales sunt ut fuerunt geniti, scilicet sub peccato. Et si mutuum dederitis his a quibus speratis recipere, quce gratia vobis, scilicet apud Deum ? Quasi diceret : Nulla. Nam, ut dicit Glossa, ex hoc solo quod speratis recipere, non pro Deo datis. Unde de talibus dici potest : Receperunt mercedem suam, quia spe retributionis humanae mutuant. Nam et peccaiores, qui gratiam Dei non habent, peccatoribus, fenerantur, id est mutuum dant, ut cequalia, non ultra sortem recipiant, Ex quo patet, quod plus quam peccatores sunt qui mutuant, ut cum usura recipiant. Quasi diceret, secundum Bedam : Si tales inter se, natura duce, norunt esse benefici, quanto vobis gradus professionis eximior necesse est, ut cura virtutis sit uberior, quatenus etiam non amantes charitatis sinu amplectamini ?
Unde Chrysosto^ mus : « Quoniam igitur digni supplicio sumus, qui cum ad similitudinem Dei vitam nostram informare jubemur , forsitan ne Gentilibus quidem invenimur aequales. » Et iterum : u Sed si nos in his nec Publicanis, nec Gentilibus, meliores efficimur; nonne lugendi et plangendi sumus t Quinimo in tantum longe sumus a diligendis inimicis, ut nec amicis quidem charitatis vicem reddamus, sed e contrario odio habeamus etiam diligentes ; in quo non solum Gentilibus et Publicanis nequaquam differimus, sed multo etiara inferiores existimus. Christus etiam non solum vult nos ignoscere delinquentibus; sed ut etiam amemus eos, et oremus pro ipsis. Nam si tantummodo non lasdas eum qui te laesit, avertis te tamen ab eo, nec libenter eum videas; manet sine dubio vulnus in pectore, dolor augescit in corde. Numquid tu ita vis tibi propitium fieri Oeum ; ut non te quidem laedat, avertat se tamen abs te, et peccatorum tuorum memoriam teneat, et videre te nolit t Igitur qualem vis erga te esse Deum cum delictorum veniam poscis, talem te exhibere debes his qui deliquerunt in te :
IntelHge quod quando ista fiunt ex naturali aflFectione, quae potest procedere ex causa utili aut delectabili, . et ex causa honesti, et per habitum moralis amicitiae, sic non sunt meritoria vitae aetemae. Sed quando ista procedunt ex habitu charitatis, tunc sunt meritoria, ac principium et ratio merendi ad Deum, quae sola dividit inter filios regni et perditionis. Diligere enim propter amorem reciprocum naturae est debitum; diiigere'propter beneficium acceptum, vel speratum, est mercenarium ; diiigere propter mutuae familiaritatis oblectamentum est malum; diligere propter peccati consensum est malignum ; diligere propter opus bonum est gratuitum. Qui enim diligit proximum, aut quia bonus est, aut ut bonus sit, aut quia ejusdem corporis membra, et ejusdem Patris filii sumus, vere. diligere dicitur. Talis enim amor spirituaiis est, et ideo indeficiens; camalis enim amor cito dilabibitur» sicut et ipsa caro; quali videlicet amore Publicani et Ethnici se in* vicem diligunt, m quibus est natura sine gratia, et tantum diligentes se diligunt ; statim enim ut se ab aliis non diligi inteUigunt, ipsi quoque alios non diligunt. Nos ergo omnes diligere, omnium salutem quaerere^ omnibus benefacere, et charitatis affectum ostendere debemuSt non quserentes cui, sed quare ista faciamus.
Sic enim augetur amor et concordia crescit. Ista itaque debent fieri, non in spe retributionis humanae, sed divinae. Sicut enim Deus est onmis boni principium, sic vull esse et finis. Ego sum, inquit, al-' pha et omega, principium etfinis, Unde Augustinus : u. Qui amicum propter commodum quodlibet amat, non amicum convincitur amare,^ sed commodum. £t ideo Deus, quo nihil est majus aut melius, propter quod diligatur, propter se ipsum perfecte diligitur. Si vero saltem propter iUa quae praestat, amatur, non utique gratis amatur, quia jam illud propter quod diligitur ei, quod dictu quoque nefas est, antefertur. » £t iterum : a Gratis Deus ametur, ut operis quo ilU ministratur, pretium sit esse cum illo.
Nihil enim debemus pro amore Jesu quaerere, nisi ejus suavem praesentiam : » haec Augustinus, Unde Bernardus r (( Non sine praemio diUgitur Deus, etsi absque praemii intuitu sit diligendus ; verusamatorpraemiumnon quaerit, sed meretur : n haec Bernardus, 1 3 — Amemus ergo adversarios nostros et nihilominus se ei beneficia praestemus, ut ^imns perfecti, pro. modulo nostro, perfectione gratiae, sicut et Pater noster ccelestis per^ fectus est, perfectione naturae : qubniam perfectus Dominus, bonos et perfectos vult habere fideles. Simus interim perfecti, saltem perfectione sufficientiae, quae est in Dei et proximi charitate, et nitamur ad cumulum perfectionis supererogationis, quae est diligere inimicos et CM-are pro eis, sicut fecit Christus. Unde Chrysostomus : « Non tantum laedimur ab iniquis, quando nocemur ab ipsis, quantum cum per malitiam eorum, constantia bonitatis, a suo proposito victa recesserit. Ne igitur odio habeas facientem tibi mala, et ne maledicas vexanti, sed magisama, quasimultorumtibi conciliatorem bonorum, teque ad amplissimum honoremlaedendo ducentem. Alioquin et laborem sustinuisti, fructu autem privatus es, et jacturam quidem feres, mercedem autem perdes; quod certe extremae omnino dementiae est, ut aliqui cum majora perpessi sunt, nequaquam minora sustineant. Et quemadmodum , inquies , fieri ista possibile est? Vidisti Deum hominem factum; et eousque pro tua descendentem salute, tantaque propter te esse perpessum; et adhuc inquirisautdubitas, quemadmodum possibile sit injurias donare conservis?
Sed tu plurimum laesus es! Quid verum tale perpessus es, quale tuus, imo omnium Dominus? Sin autem omnino nimis laesus es, idcirco maxime beneficium refer nocenti ; ut et tibi ipsi clariorem facias coronam, et fratrem a periculo gravissimi languoris absolvas : » haec Chrysostomus, ORATIO Domine Jesu Christe, mitissime et totius humilitatis et patientiae magister, da mihi, servorum ultimo et simplici, ut me humilem et aliis inferiorem constituens ab omnibus contemni cupiam, et conculcari, injuriamque in corpore vel rebus patienter sustinens, animum paratum ad plura sustinenda habeam, ac omni petenti in corporalibus pro posse subveniam. Concede etiam, ut non solum amicos sed et inimicos me corde, ore, vel opere, persequentes e contra valeam diligere, eisque benefacere et benedicere, ac pro eis orare, ut inter filios et electos tuos merear tua gratia numerari. Amen.
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