De curaiione leprosi
The Teacher's Deeds
Christ confirms his divine teaching by descending into the valley of humanity to perform miracles.
The Gospel teaching given on the mountain is followed by the confirmation of that law through miracles, because it's the way of a good teacher to prove his doctrine by his deeds. When the Lord had finished his sermon and come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him; he was moved to perform a miracle for the sake of their edification and the devotion of the people who were asking. Hence Jerome says: 'After the preaching and the teaching, an opportunity for signs is offered, so that the sermon previously heard might be confirmed among the listeners through the miracle of his virtues.' And Chrysostom says: 'After the sermon, he proceeds immediately to miracles, so that he might provide authority to the preceding words; so that he who was wonderful in his words might appear wonderful in his work.' And Theophylact says: 'He joined action to his teaching, for unless he showed miracles, his sermon would not be believed.' So you, too, should act after your teaching, so that your words may not be empty in you. Mystically, when Jesus had descended from the mountain—that is, from his divinity. He descended into the valley of humility or humanity, remaining what he was and assuming what he was not; for he descended from the mountain when he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant. Then, after the descent, great crowds followed him; for if God hadn't descended, man wouldn't have ascended to follow him, because it's a great glory and dignity for a man to follow this Lord.
The Leper's Faith
A leper approaches Christ with humility and faith, seeking healing through prayer.
And, according to Augustine, he first cleansed the leper, so that from this the New Testament might appear. The Testament given on the mountain and the grace of the Gospel are superior to the Law, which excluded the leper but did not heal him. Yet there seems to be a contradiction here, since Matthew says, 'When he had come down from the mountain,' but Luke says... when he was in one of the cities. To this it must be said, according to the Gloss, after coming down from the mountain, there was an interval before he entered the city, and during that time, the leper was cleansed; what Matthew records in his account, Luke says happened while he was in one of the cities—specifically Capernaum—because it was nearby, about a mile and a half to the east. The leper comes to Christ. A leper approached, not so much with his physical steps as with the faith in his heart; he knelt, fell down in his own shame, worshiped Him with bodily humility, and made his request with the prayer of his lips. Where these three things come together—faith, humility, and prayer—God denies nothing. He fell on his face like a humble man, not hiding his stains but humbly trusting and confessing them; for this reason, he deserved to be heard and cleansed. You, too, should humble yourself so that you may deserve to be heard and cleansed. As Ambrose says: 'Because he fell on his face, it is a sign of humility and shame, so that everyone might blush for the stains of their own life; yet he didn't let shame prevent his confession, but showed his wound and asked for the remedy.' He worshiped Him, therefore, saying: 'Lord, through whom all things were made, if You are willing, You can make me clean.' Your will is the work, and Your works obey Your will. He did not say 'cleanse me,' but in his will he attributed to Him, as to God, the power and authority to heal, and he yielded everything to Him. It was as if he were saying: 'Whatever You will, You can do, as the Almighty.' Where Titus says: 'Let us learn from the words of the leper not to seek a cure for bodily infirmities, but to commit everything to the divine good pleasure, for He knows what is fitting and disposes all things by His judgment.' The leper, therefore, by confessing the divine power and the authority of His might in Christ, and by showing his own faith and devotion, earned his cure.
The Touch of Mercy
Christ heals the leper through his touch, demonstrating both his divine power and his compassionate humanity.
Jesus, moved by compassion and love, reached out his hand—an act of generosity against the greedy—and touched him—an act of humility against the proud—saying, "I will," which was an act of mercy against the envious, "be cleansed," which was an act of power against the unbelieving. Notice that we read of physical leprosy being cured in five ways: first, by washing, as seen in Naaman, which signifies the shedding of tears; second, by showing oneself, as seen in the ten lepers who were cleansed while on their way to show themselves to the priests, which signifies confession; third, by separation, as seen in Miriam, the sister of Moses, which signifies excommunication, which ought to be medicinal, like a cauterizing iron; fourth, by being enclosed, as seen in the hand of Moses, which appeared leprous when drawn from his bosom but was cured when placed back inside—just so, many who were spiritually leprous in the world are cleansed upon entering the cloister; fifth, by touch, as seen here, where the hand of Christ touched the flesh of the leper and cleansed him. Notice that there is a threefold touch of God that is highly virtuous: namely, a touch that is purely physical, a touch that is purely spiritual, and a touch that is partly physical and partly spiritual. A purely physical touch is one in which both the one touching and the one touched are purely physical; this was highly virtuous in Christ, because he healed every infirmity universally, as is evident from many accounts in the Gospel. A touch that is partly spiritual and partly physical is one in which the one touching is a spirit, but the one touched is physical or spiritual. This is the touch of tribulation, and this touch is likewise highly virtuous; it is effective for constraining the hardness of sinners, for repressing the desires of the flesh, and for testing the patience of the just. A purely spiritual touch is one in which both the one touching and the one touched are spirit. This is the touch of internal inspiration, and this likewise is highly virtuous. Its power, however, works through seven effects, corresponding to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: the first effect is the inspiration or conception of a good purpose, which belongs to the gift of fear, from which the spirit of salvation is conceived. The second is the remission of sins through grace, which can be linked to the gift of piety, in accordance with the words of Daniel: "Redeem your sins with alms." The third is instruction in things useful or necessary for salvation. This refers to the gift of knowledge, which teaches us how to live rightly; the fourth is the strengthening to do good and to undertake difficult tasks, which relates to the gift of counsel. This especially concerns works of supererogation. The fifth effect is consolation in tribulation, through which the soul is strengthened to endure adversity; this relates to the gift of fortitude, which is especially seen in the endurance of hardships. The sixth is the inflammation of charity and the love of God, which relates to the gift of understanding; this teaches us to understand—that is, to read within—the benefits of God, by which the soul is ignited and inflamed with love for Him. The seventh is the elevation from earthly things and the contemplation of heavenly things, which relates to the gift of wisdom; this concerns eternal things—namely, to savor the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth. And his leprosy was cleansed immediately; at the Lord’s command and will, the work followed at once. According to Cyril, this word, 'immediately,' is used more slowly once the work of healing has been accomplished. Yet while the Lord’s great power is evident here, his humility is shown to be just as great. He did not refuse to touch the leper—whom the Law cast outside the camp and whom the Scribes and Pharisees would barely look at—not only because of the hidden mystery of the matter, but to provide us with a model of humility and an example of compassion, so that no one might despise or abhor a person because of any bodily blemish or infirmity. He also touched him to show that he was not under the Law, but above the Law that had forbidden touching a leper, and that he was not a servant, but the Lord of the Law; for although he had walked according to the Law, he still healed above the Law those whom the remedies of the Law could not heal. Likewise, he touched him so that the leprosy, which used to contaminate anyone who touched it, would instead be driven away and recede by the touch of the Lord; for the hand was not made unclean by the leprosy, but the leprous body was cleansed by the hand that touched it. The Law, which could not prevent leprosy from defiling anyone who touched it, forbade touching a leper—not to prevent lepers from being healed, but to keep those who touched them from being defiled. Yet he who cleansed the leprosy could not be defiled by it. So, although he broke the letter of the Law, he did not violate its prohibition, nor did he break its purpose. It was not forbidden to touch a leper for one who could heal him by his touch, just as Elijah and Elisha did not act against the Law when they touched the dead to raise them. Although the Lord could have healed the leper with a word alone, he still laid his hand upon him, because the humanity of Christ was, as it were, an instrument of his divinity; and so, just as a craftsman works through a tool, the divine power in Christ worked through the application of his humanity to show that it was joined to his divinity.
Humility and Obedience
Christ commands the healed man to show himself to the priest, teaching the importance of humility, obedience, and proper confession.
The Lord commanded him not to tell anyone about the miracle, so he wouldn't boastfully proclaim his healing. He did this to give us an example and to teach us not to love ostentation or honor, and that the good things we do shouldn't be broadcast, but kept quiet. This way, we not only abstain from the reward of money, but also from the reward of human favor, praise, and empty glory; we don't seek these things in our works, so that our left hand never mixes itself with our right in them. Hence Chrysostom says: "He ordered him to tell no one about this, teaching how alien he should be to the aura of glory and the pomp of boasting." And certainly, the Lord knew the man wouldn't stay silent, but would proclaim such a great benefit everywhere; yet, as far as it depended on Him, He avoided showing off what He had done. Elsewhere, He commanded such things to be made public, not acting against Himself, but commanding those He had healed to be grateful. For He did not command Himself to be proclaimed, but for glory to be given to God, so that through the leper He might teach us not to be vainly glorious and to renounce glory and boasting; and through the man He had cleansed from the legion, He might warn us not to be ungrateful, but to return thanks to God and confess His benefits, and to show that praise for His wonders should always be referred to no one but God. For since men always remember God while they are held by sickness, but once freed from the disease are more heavily besieged by the languor of sloth, therefore, commanding that both the sick and the healthy should constantly remember God, He said to the one He had healed: "Give glory to God." Thus Chrysostom, where it is to be noted that there is a threefold precept: namely, of caution, of probation, and of obedience. In the first, the act itself, which is excellent, is not forbidden, but the glory that mixes itself with good and honest acts; such was the precept here. In the second, God does not want the act, but the showing of the virtue that lies hidden in the one to whom the precept is given, and the showing of his virtue is useful to himself and to others; just as in the precept given to Abraham regarding the sacrifice of his son, to whom it is said: "Now I know," that is, I have made you and others know, because you fear the Lord. Third, God desires the act itself, as is clear throughout the twentieth chapter of Exodus. Or perhaps He commanded him to tell no one for the greater benefit of those who believe spontaneously, because those who believe without the hope of rewards are more reliable than those who believe only after expecting benefits. Alternatively, He told him to tell no one until he had fulfilled what the Law required, because the judgment of the priests—who were legally responsible for judging leprosy—had to be awaited first. Regarding this, Chrysostom says: 'He doesn't simply forbid him from ever speaking, but rather forbids him from telling anyone before he has shown himself to the priest; this is so that if he were to tell someone beforehand, the priests might hear of it and, using the leprosy as an excuse, cast him out of the community out of their hatred and enmity toward Christ, as if he were still a leper, refusing to accept the command.' He also humbly sent him to the priests, whose duty it was to discern leprosy, and commanded him to offer the gift to them according to the Law. He did this first because, although the man was cleansed, he wasn't yet considered clean, nor was he permitted by the Law to be restored to the common life of the people until he had first been shown to be cleansed by the judgment of the priests and the offering had been made to God for his cleansing. Just as he was separated by their judgment, he couldn't be admitted back into the fellowship of others without their judgment. Second, for the sake of humility, so that by deferring to the priests he wouldn't appear to be stealing their glory or honor, and to show that reverence is due to the priests. Third, he wanted to show that he wasn't a transgressor of the Law—a charge often leveled against him—and that he had come not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it, living by the Law while also attending to things above it. Fourth, he wanted them to understand that he had been cured not by the order and custom of the Law, but by the grace and work of God, and that he possessed a power greater than the Law or the priests, since they recognized the leprosy but were unable to cleanse it. Furthermore, he wanted to provoke the priests to faith and remove any excuse for those who wouldn't believe; he chose to have the offering made as a testimony to them—that is, against them if they refused to believe after seeing the miracle, but for them as a testimony of salvation if they did believe. The idea was that if they saw the leper cleansed and believed in the one who cleansed him, they might be saved, and thus it would be a testimony and a cause of salvation for those who believed; but if they didn't believe, they would be without excuse, because they had seen and yet refused to believe, and thus for the unbelievers it would become an accusation and a testimony of their condemnation. By sending him to the priests, he also intended to signify and teach that a sinner—represented by the leper—even if cleansed from the leprosy of sin through contrition, is still bound to show himself to the priest through confession and to undergo the satisfaction the priest advises. This is why the Lord cleansed this leper by touching him, and afterward commanded him to present himself to the priest and offer the sacrifice. For the leper is touched by God when the sinner is pierced by compunction. He presents himself to the priest when he manifests his sin through confession; he offers the sacrifice when he completes the satisfaction required of him. A lazy person waits for the priest to seek him out, but you should anticipate the priest and show the leprosy of your soul through the confession of your mouth, which must have four conditions. The first condition is that it must be voluntary; that’s why he says, 'Go,' not 'driven,' 'dragged,' or 'forced,' like someone who confesses their sins at the very end of life, afflicted by torments or the fear of death. The second is that confession must be naked and open; that’s why he says, 'Show what you have done, what you have thought, what you have said.' He doesn’t say, 'Hide it'—whether through excuses, verbal evasions, lying, or even by murmuring or failing to recount all your sins fully with their proper circumstances. The third is that confession must be pure; that’s why he says, 'Show yourself, and not others.' Some act against this in two ways: either by recounting the deeds of others, or by revealing those with whom they have sinned. The fourth is that confession must be orderly; that’s why he says, 'to the priest,' because it isn’t to be done before just anyone, but before priests who have the key of knowledge and authority.
The Spiritual Leprosy
The healing of the leper is interpreted as a type for the cleansing of the human race and the moral purging of sin.
In a typical sense, the leper represents the human race. For by the leper—who is a carrier of contagious disease—original sin is signified, which is passed down to all descendants through carnal generation, infecting them and making them prone to various sins. The one healed by the touch of Christ's hand is cleansed through His grace in Baptism. However, by the offering of the gift and the public declaration of the work, it is signified that the baptized person is bound to serve God faithfully and to praise Him continually. Bede says: 'In a typical sense, the leper signifies the human race, weakened by sins and full of them.' For since all have sinned and need the grace of God, the leper signifies that they are cleansed from the variety of ancient error by the outstretched hand—that is, by the incarnate Word of God touching human nature—and that they offer their bodies to God as a living sacrifice through their own cleansing; so says Bede. The Lord does not disdain to perform this same miracle daily through His grace. . Whenever He justifies an ungodly person, He rightly cleanses the leper. In moral terms, the leper serves as a symbol for the sinner for several reasons. First, because leprosy is contagious and it's dangerous to live among lepers; likewise, sinners are contagious and infect others with the desire to sin, making it dangerous to associate with them. Second, because leprosy is a particularly dangerous disease that infects the entire body rather than just a part; sin is even more dangerous, as it infects and corrupts both body and soul, and therefore it's something to be greatly feared and avoided. Third, because leprosy is a foul and abominable disease; likewise, sinners are foul and abominable to God and the angels. Fourth, because lepers are isolated from others; likewise, sinners are placed outside the grace of God and the communion of the faith and the Church, separated from the good—in terms of merit now, and in the future in terms of fellowship, place, and reward. Fifth, just as leprosy manifests in varied colors on the skin, sin takes on various forms in the mind. For that soul is leprous which is corrupted by pride, anger, greed, sloth, gluttony, envy, or lust. Pride is signified by the swelling of the flesh, anger by the burning, greed by the thirst, sloth by the heaviness, gluttony by the itching, envy by the rot, and lust by the foul breath. A leper like this should run confidently to Jesus—the Physician—not in despair, but truly repenting and desiring to be cleansed. He should fall on his face before the faithful Leper with humility and shame, so that he may blush for the stains of his own life. But he shouldn't hold back his confession out of embarrassment; he should show his wound, acknowledge himself a sinner with tears and groans, seek a remedy for the exposed wound, and with a heart and soul pierced by compunction, implore the Lord’s mercy and ask for a cure. Let him humble himself before God and pray that, by His grace, He may touch and heal him. Let him confess that he is unclean and that Christ is powerful enough to cleanse him, and let him lament before Him with the leper, saying: “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” If he does this, he should be certain of mercy and not despair of forgiveness, because the Lord is kind and doesn't turn away anyone who comes to Him, but opens and expands the bosom of His mercy to all. He doesn't require a long time or a great span of anxiety in penance, but asks for a heart that is contrite and humbled, and He releases the sins of those who are truly penitent through His mercy. For to such a person the hand of divine mercy is extended, by whose touch and command all his sins are forgiven. The Lord extends His hand when He offers the help of His divine mercy, and immediately, one receives the forgiveness of sins. Still, such a person should only be reconciled to the Church through a priest's judgment. Once cleansed of sins, however, they must offer a gift to God—a sacrifice of praise—and praise Him everywhere. They must be deeply grateful to God, always giving thanks and doing whatever good they can for their neighbors, while maintaining charity toward God and neighbor. We must not attribute anything to ourselves out of vanity, but instead offer everything to God. For God wants us to have the full merit of all our works, and for our neighbor to have a good example, but God wants to have the praise and the glory. There are three things God has reserved especially for Himself, which He has never wished to share with any creature: glory, vengeance, and the power of judgment. The vainly glorious steal glory; the proud and the irritable steal vengeance, as they desire to avenge themselves for injuries done to them; the rash and presumptuous steal judgment, as they want to judge the hidden things of others.
Solitude and Prayer
Christ withdraws from the crowds to pray, modeling the balance between active service and contemplative life, followed by a concluding prayer.
And because, as Titus says here, it's necessary for someone who has been helped to be grateful and to give thanks—even if the one who helped doesn't need it—the Lord, though He had instructed the cleansed leper to keep quiet about his healing, was still talked about as the man went out and spread the word of the Lord's own deeds and words. The report of His healing and teaching spread even more, because by the very fact that a person flees fame and glory, he acquires them. For, as Bernard says, the world's glory has only this quality: it flees those who pursue it and pursues those who flee it. That is why it's compared to a shadow: if you chase it, you won't catch it, and if you run ahead of it, you won't escape it. Thus, bound by the duty of an evangelist, he began to preach and to teach that he had been healed both inwardly and outwardly, so that the salvation of one person compelled many to come to God. Jesus couldn't enter the city openly to pray because of the crowd and the pressure of people flocking to Him to seek healing and to see miracles. Therefore, He withdrew into the desert to pray more privately; He heals as God, but He prays as man. Crowds gathered to him from every direction to hear his teaching and receive healing. The Lord fled from the noise and the crowds and sought a secret place, to show that he prefers a life that is quiet and removed from the cares of the world, because he turns away from noise and worldly-minded people, but visits those who are secret and free from worldly cares. In this, he also shows that preachers of the divine word should flee the applause of the people and sometimes withdraw from the crowd to devote themselves to prayer. Where Jerome says: 'That Jesus could not enter the city openly, but had to be outside in desert places, signifies that Jesus is not revealed to everyone who serves worldly praise and their own desires, but to those who go out with Peter and are in the desert places that the Lord chose for prayer and for refreshing the people—those who abandon the pleasures of the world and everything they possess, so they can say: "The Lord is my portion." The glory of the Lord, however, is revealed to those who gather from everywhere, that is, those who come to him through the level and the steep paths, whom nothing can separate from the love of Christ.' Where Bede also says: 'Because he performs miracles in the city, but spends the night in the desert or on the mountain in prayer, he shows us the pattern of both lives—the active, and the contemplative—so that no one should neglect the care of their neighbor for the sake of contemplation, nor should anyone, bound too heavily by the care of their neighbor, abandon the studies of contemplation, so that the love of neighbor does not hinder the love of God, nor the love of God stand in the way of the love of neighbor.' To pray on the mountain is to leave behind the noise of weak thoughts and, with one's whole mind, to hasten toward the eternal joys of heavenly contemplation. To withdraw into the desert and pray is to suppress the rising inner noise of earthly desires and to seek a secret place within oneself with the Lord, where, with the outer noise ceasing, one may speak silently with him through inner longings. Whence Gregory also says: 'Our Redeemer performs miracles in the cities by day, and spends the night on the mountain in the study of prayer, to indicate to the perfect—that is, to preachers—that they should not entirely abandon the active life for the love of speculation, nor despise the joys of contemplation through an excess of work; but, contemplating in quiet, they should drink in what they pour out when they are occupied in speaking to their neighbors.' Thus Gregory. What is said here, according to Mark and Luke, about Jesus not... —that he didn't enter the city openly, but withdrew into the desert—isn't understood as referring to the day he healed the leper; for, once the leper was healed, he entered the city of Capharnaum that same day, which was nearby, just two miles away, before the news or fame of it could reach many people. This is why Matthew records this miracle of the leper together with the following one concerning the centurion's servant. PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, who descended from the mountain of the Father's throne and from the virginal womb to heal the leprosy of the human race, look upon me, a leper stained with the various spots of my sins, and I adore you, Lord. If you wish, you can make me clean; stretch out your hand of grace and mercy; touch the inner and outer parts of this leper who calls upon you; have mercy on me in my repentance, and command the disease of sin to leave. My God and my mercy, you who don't desire the death of a sinner, but that he should turn and live, accomplish this in me, a sinner, so that I may not die in my soul, but may turn and live with you forever. Amen.
Read the original Latin
Lcge CI^O evangelica in monte data, consequentcr ponitur «jus confirmatio per miracula, quia boni magistri eat doctrinam suam comprobare per facta. Cum itaquc, completo sermone, Dominus descendisset de monte, secutce sunt eum twhce multce, ppopter quarum aedificationem, et rogantis populi devotionem, moyebatur ad faciendum miraculum. Unde Hieronymus : « Postpraedicationem atque doctrinam, signorum ofFertur occasio, ut per virtutum miracula, praeteritus apud audientes sermo firmctur. » Et Chrysostomius : a Post sermonem , immediate proccdit ad miracula, ut verbis praecedcntibus auctoritatem praestaret; nt mirabilis in verbis, mirabilis appareret in opere. » Et Tkeopkilus : tt Doctrinae autem operationem imraiscuit, nisi enim ostenderet miracula, ejus sermoni non crederetur. Sic et tu post doctrinam operare, ut non sit in te vacuus tuus sermo. » Mystice cum descendisset Jesus de monte, sciiicet divinae. excellentiae, in vallem humilitatis vel humanitatis manendo quod erat, assumendo quod non erat, tunc enim de monte descendit, quando se ixinanivit , formam servi accipiens; tunc post descensum, secutce sunteum turbce multce; quia nisi Deus descendisset, homo ad sequelam suamnon ascen disset, quia magna gloria et di^nitas est homini sequi hunc Domimum.
Et, secundum Augnstinnmy primo ieprosum mundavit, iit ex hoc appareret Novu. m Testamentum in monte datum, et gratiam Evangelii supra Legem esse, quae leprosum exdudebat, non sanabat. Videtur autem hic contrarietas, in eo quod Matth«us dicit : ctan descendisset de monte, Lucas vero dicii i. cum esset in tma civiiatum. Ad hoc dicendum est, secundum GJossam,. quod post descensum de monte, fuit afiquod intervaHum antequam intrarct civitatem, et in illo intervallo,. saoatus fuit leprosus; quod Matthaeus suo loco ponit, Lucas rexo dicit : cum esset in una civitatum, scilicet Gapharnaum, quia erat ibt prope, ad leucam et dimidiam, contra Orientem. 2 Venit leprosus ad Christum.
~ Qjuidam ergo leprosus veniens, noa tam passibus corporis, quam fide cordis , genu flexo procidens in fadem suam, adorabat eum, cum humilitate corporis, etrogavit evm, cum oratione oris. Ubi tria ista concurruftt, «cilicct fides, humilitas, oratio, quibus nihil negatur a Deo. Procidit in faciem, sicut humilis, • maculas suas non tegens, sed humtltter confidens et publicans, ideo exaudiri meniit «t mundari; sic et tu Immilieris , ut exaudiri et mundari merearis. Unde Ambrosius : « Quia in faciem procidit, humilitatis est et pudoris, ut unusquisque de vitae suae maculis erubescat, sed confessionem verecundia non repaessit, vulnus ostendit, remecfium postulavit. » Adorabat ergo eum, dicens : Domine, per quem omnia facta sunt, si vis, potes mundare^ voluntas tua opus est, et opera tuae voluntatiobediunt; non dixitmunda me, sed in voluntate ei sicut Deo potestatem et auctoritatem curandi tribuit, et ei totum concedit. Quasi diceret : Quidquid vis potes, sicut Omnipotens. Ubi Titus : « Addiscamus ex verbis leprosi corporalium infirmitatum medelam non quaerere, sed divino beneplacito totum committere, qui novit opportuna, et omnia judicio disponit. » Leprosus ergo confitendo in Chrlsto divinam potentiam , et potestatis auctoritatem , ac suam ostendendo fidem, et devotionem, meruit curationem.
Jesus enim misertus ejus, per compassionem et afFectum; et extendens manum suam^ quod fuit liberalitatis contra avaros, tetigit eum, quod fiiit humilitatis contra superbos, dicens : Volo, quod fuit pietatis contra invidos, mundare, quod fiiit potestatis contra Incredulos. Ubi notandum quod lepram corporalem quinque modis curatam legimus : primo, per ablutionem , sicut patet in Naaman, et significat lacrymarum effusionem; secundo, per o&tensionem, sicut patet in decem leprosis, qiii eundo ad ostendendum se sacerdotibus, mundati sun^ et significat confessionem; tertio, per -separationem , sicut patet in Maria sorore Moysi, et significat jsxcommunicationem, quae instar cauterii debet esse medicinalis; quarto, per indusionem, sicut patet in manu Moysi, quaede sinu extracta, leprosa apparuit, sed in sinum reposita^ curata fuit; sic multi, qui in seculo spiritualiter erant leprosi, mundantur claustrum ingressi ; quinto, per tactum, sicut patet hic, ubi manus Christi carnem leprosi tetigit et mundavit. Ubi notandum quod triplex est Dei tactus valde virtuosus, scUicet tactus pure corporalis , et tactus pure spiritualis , et tactus partim corporalis et partim spiritualis. Tactus pure corporalis est in quD et quod tangit, et quod tangitur, est pure corporale, et iste fuit in Christo valde virtuosus , quia onmem infirmitatem sanabat universaliter^ sicutjde multis patet in Evangelio. Tactus partim spiritualis, et partim corporailis est, in quo quod tangit est spiritus, ^ed quod tangitur est corporale vel spirituale,. hic est tactus ^ribulationis , et iste tactus est similiter valde virtuosus; valet jiamque ad constringendum peccatorum duritiam , et ad reprimendum carnis concupiscentianx, et ad probandum justorum patientiam. Tactus pure spiritualis est, in qao et quod tangit, et quod tangiturest spiritus, et . hic £st tactus io^iernae inspirationis , *et iste similiter est valde virtuosus.
Virtus autem ejus ad septem efifectus est, secundum septem dona Spiritus Sancti : Primus fiffectus est boni propositi inspiratio, sive conceptio , et hic pertinet ad donum timoris , a qua concipitur spiritus salutis. — S&cundus est peccatorum remissio per gratiam, et hic poterit referri ad ' donum pietatis, secundum illud Danielis : Peccata tua eleemosynis redime. — Tertius est utilium sive^ nec^ssariorum ad salutem in&tru' ctio,. et hocrefertur ad donum scientiae, quae docet recte conversarL — Quartus est ad bene operandum, et ardua aggrediendum roboratio, et hoc quantum ad donum consilii». quod respicit maxime opera supererogationis. — Quintus efFectus est in tribulatione consolatio, per quam anima fortificatur ad tolerandum adversa, et hoc quantum ad donum fortitudinis, quas praecipue attenditur in tolerantia adversorum. -- Sextus est charitatis et dilectionis Dei inflammatio, et hoc quantum ad donum intellectus, qui docet intelligere, id est intus legere Dei beneticia, per quae anima in ejus amorem accenditur et inflammatur. — Septimus est a terrenis elevatio et coelestium contemplatio, et hoc quantum ad donum sapientiae, quae est de aeternis, scilicet donis quae sursum sunt sapere, non quae super terram.
Et confestim mundata est lepra ejus : ad Domini imperium et voluntatem statim est opus secutum. Secundum Cyrillum, ista dictio, confestim, tardius profertur, cum opus sanationis fuerit factum. Cum autem hic magna appareat Domini potestas , non minor ejus dedaratur humilitas. Leprosum enim quem Lex extra castra cjiciebat, quem Scribae et Pharisaei vix respicere dignabantur , ipse tangere non recusavit , non solum propter occultum rei mysterium, sed ut nobis formam humilitatis praeberet et compassionis exemplum, ne quis hominem pro quacunque corporis maculatione, vel infirmitate, sperneret, vel abhorreret. Item tetigit eum, ut se non esse sub Lege, sed supra Legem, quae leprosum tangere prohibuerat, nec servum, sed Dominum Legis ostenderet , qui cum secundum Legem ambulasset, etiam supra Legem sanaret eos , quos remedia Legis non sanaverunt. Item utlepra, quae contaminaretangentem solebat, e contra tactu Domini fugaretur, et recederet, neque enim manus a lepra facta est immunda, sed corpus leprosum a manu tactum, est mundatum. Lex namque quae facere non potuit, ut lepra tangentcm non sordidaret, ideo lepram tangi prohibuit, non ut leprosi non sanarentur, sed ut tangentes non inquinarentur; non autem inquinari a lepra potuit, qui eam mundavit, et ideo quamvis litteram Legis solverit, tamen prohibitioni Legis non obviavit, nec propositum ejus solvit : quia non erat prohibitum tangere leprosum ei qui ex tactu suo poteraft curare eum , sicut Elias et Elisaeus non fecerunt contra Legem tangendo mortuum ad resuscitandum. Licet etiam Dominus posset solo verbo curare leprosum , tamen apposuit manum, quia humanitas Christi erat quasi instrumentum ipsius divinitatisj et ideo, sicut artifex mediante instrumento operatur, sic virtus divina in Christo per applicationem humanitatis aliquam faciebat ut eam conjunctam divinitati declararet.
Et praeccpit ei Dominus, quod miraculum factum nemini diceret, ne jactanter se sanatum esse praedicaret, ut daretur nobis exemplum et nos doceret non diligere ostentationem et honorcm, et bona quae facimus non esse divulganda, sed subticenda; ut non solum abstineamus a mercede pecuniae, sed etiam gratiae ac laudis humanae et vanae gloriae, et ista non quaeramus in operibus nostris, ne unquam aliqua sinistra manus se admisceat dextrae in eis. Unde ait Chrysostomus : a Et nuUi hoc eum jussit fateri, docens quam esset alienus ab aura gloriae et pompa jactantiae. Et certe noverat ille, quia non esset taciturus, sed passim tam grande beneficium praedicaturus ; et tamen quantum in ipso est, fugit ostentare quod fecerat. Et alibi publicari talia ipse praecepit, non contra se veniens, sed curatos a se gratos esse praecipiens. Non enim semetipsum praedicari jussit, sed dari gloriam Deo, ut et per leprosum nos non esse inane gloriosos , et gloriae ac jactantiae renuntiandum doceret ; et per illum quem a legione mundaverat, non esse ingratos, sed gratias nos Deo referre commoneret , ejusque beneficia confiteri, atque ut ostenderet semper ex mirabilibus suis laudem non nisi Deo referendam. Quia enim homines quandiu aegritudine detinentur, Dei semper meminerunt, a morbo autem liberati, gravius obs'dentur languore desidiae, idcirco, praecipiens ut et sgroti et sani Deum jugiter recordemur, ei quem curaverat, ait : Da gloriam Deo : » haec Chrysostomus, Ubi notandum quod triplex est praeceptum, scilicet cautelae, probationis, et obedientiae. In primo non interdicitur actus, qui optimus est, sedgloria, quae immiscet se bonis actibus et honestis; tale praeceptum fuit hic. In secundo non vult Deus actum , sed ostensionem virtutis , quae latet in eo cui datur praeceptum,et est utilis sibi et aliis ostensio virtutis ejus; sicut in praecepto facto Abrahae, de immolatione filii, cui dicitur : Nunc cognovi, id est te et alios cognoscere feci, quia ti^ mes Dominum.
In tertio autem vult Deus actum, ut patet in capite XX Exodi per totum. Vel jussit ut nemini diceret, propter credentium sponte majorem utilitatem, quia roeliores sunt qui spontanee, quam qui speratis beneficiis credunt. Vel ut nemini diceret, scilicet antequam ea quae in Lege sunt compleret, quia prius exspectandum erat judicium sacerdotum, ad quos, secundum Legem, pertinebat judicare de lepra. Unde Chrysostomus : « Vel non simpliciter prohibet, ut non aliquando dicat, sed ut antequam ostenderet se sacerdoti, nemini diceret; ne forte si ante alicui nuntiaret , audirent sacerdotes, et occasionem habentes leprae, propter odium et inimicitias Christi, expellerent eum de populo, quasi leprosum, non recipientes mandatum : » haec Chrysostomus, 5 RiT? — Et humiliter misit eum ad sacerdotes, quorum erat lepram discernere, praecepitque, secundum Legem, munus eis ofFerre. Hoc autem primo ideo fecit, quia licet esset mundatus, non tamen reputabatur mundus, nec debebat, secundum Legem, restitui ad communem habitationem hominum, nisi prius per sacerdotum judicium mundatus esse demonstraretur, et munus Domino, pro ejus mundatione offerretur. Unde sicut ad eorum arbitrium separabatur, ita non sine eorum arbitrio ad consortium aliorum admittebatur. — Secundo, propter humilitatem, ut sacerdotibus deferens, non videretur eorum gloriam rapere, vel honorem; et ut ostenderet exhibendam sacerdotibus reverentiam.
— Tertio, ut quod in eo saepe criminabantur, ostenderet se non Legis transgressorem, nec Legem solvere, sed adimplere venisse; secundum Legem gradiens, et supra Legem curans. — Quarto, ut intelligerent eum, non Legis ordine et consuetudine, sed Dei gratia et operatione, supra Legem curatum esse, et se majoris virtutis esse quam Legem vel sacerdotes, quia lepram cognoscebant, quem mundare non poterant. Item, ut sacerdotum animos ad credulitatem provocaret, etnoncredentibus omnem excusationem auferret, offerri munus voluit ; in testimonium illis , id est contra illos, si viso miraculo non crederent, sed pro illis, in testimonium salutis, si crederent; ut scilicet videntes leprosum mundatum , si crederent mundatori, salvi fierent, et sic credentibus esset testimonium 40tt et causa salutis eorum; si vero non crederent, inexcusabiles es^ sent, ea quod viderint et non crediderint, et sic non credentibus fieret accusatio, et testimonium damnationis eorum. Per hoc etiam quod eum ad sacerdotes misit, figurare et docere voluit, quod peccator, qui per leprosum signatur, licet sjt mundatus a lepra peccati per contritionem , tamen adhuc tenetur se sacerdoti ostendere per confessio^ nem , et ad ejus consilium subire satis£actionem. Unde Dominus istum leprosumtangendo mundavit, et postea, ut sacerdoti se repraesentor ret et sacrificium offerret, praecepit. Tunc enim leprosus a Deo tangitur, quando peccator compungitur ;. tunc saKTcrdoti se repraesentat , quando peccato confitendo manifestat; tunc sacrificium offert, quando satis^Ei» ctionem complet. Piger quippe ex spectat, donec sacerdos eum quaerat; sed tu praeveni sacerdotem, et le* prara animae ostende per oris cohh tessionem, quae confessio quatuor conditiones debet habere.
Prima est, quia debet esse voluntada ; unde di^ cit r vade, non dUctus, nec tractus^ nec coactus, sicut qui tormentis affiictus vel timore mortis in ultimis confitetur peccata. Secunda est^ quia confessfo debet esse nuda et aperta ; unde dicit ; ostende, quid scilicet egisti, quid cogitasti , quid locutus es ; non dicit : absconde, acilicet excusationibus aut verborum palliationibus , vel mentiendo , aut etiam mrussitando, vel non plene omnta peccata cum debitis circumstantiis recitandso. — Tertia est , quia confessio debet esse pura ; unde dicit : tey scilicet ostende, et non atios. Contra quod aliqui dupliciter faciunt, vel aliorum facta recitando, vel eos cum quibus peccaverunt revelahdo. — Quarta est, quia confessio debet esse ordinaria; unde dicit : sacerdoU, quia non cuique facicnda est, sed aacerdotibus qui habe&t davem sdentiae ct auctoritatis.
Typice leprosus significat genus huraanumv lepra. ori^nali infectum et per hoc ad varia peccata pronunu Per lepram enim, qu« morbus contagio^ sus est, originalis culpa significatur, quae per carnalem generationem ad posteros deiiivatur. Qui manu ChTLsti tactus sanatur, quia virtute ejus per Baptismum emundatur;. pei oblationem autem muneris, et dir vulgationem operis , significatuc quod baptizatus tenetur Deo fideJiter servire, et eum jugiter collaurdare. linde Beda : a Typice auten leprosus significat humanum gsrnus, ianguidum peccatis, plenum. lepra, quoniam omnes peceavermt, et egent gratia Dei, illa sdlicct ut extenta manu, id est incarnato Dei Verbo humanamque contingente nar turam , a prisci erroris varietate mundentur et offerant pco sua emundatione corpora sua hostiom Dea vivam : » haec Beda. Hoc idem Domlnus miraculum , per gratiam suam facere, quotidie non dedignar tur. .
Quodescunque enim aiiquem impium juatificat, recte leprosoiBa mundat.
Mo^ raliter quippe per leprosum Mgnificatur peccator, pluribus de causis. Primo, quia lepra est morbus conts^iosus, et periculosum est commo^ raii cum teprosis; sic peccatores ccmtagiosi sunt, et inficiunt adios ad peccandimi, et ideo periculosura est cDnversari cum eis. — Secundo, quia lepra est morbus periculostis , inficit enim totum corpus, non tsantum partem ejus ; sed peccatum est periculosius, quia corpus, et animam infictt et corrumpit, et icfeo valde timendum et ftigiendum est. — Tertio, quia lepra est morbHs fetidu& et abominabilis-, sic peccatores fetentes sunt et abominabiles Deo et Angelis. — Quarto, qula leprosi separantur ab aliis hominibus et locantur extra alios, sic peccatores positi sunt extra gratiam Dei et 'Cxtra communionem fidei et Ecclesias, et separantur a bonis, bic quantum ad meritum, sed in futuro quantum ad consortium, et quantum ad locum, et quantum ad praemium. — Quinto, quia sicut lepra Yarium exprimit colorem in cute, sic peccatum varias habet species in mente. Ula enim anima leprosa est, quae superbia, ira, avaritia, accidia, gula, invidia, vel luxuria sor<iescit. Nam significatur in carnis tumore superbia, in exustione iracundia, in siti avaritia, in ponderositate accidia, in prurigine gula, in putredine invidia, in fetore anhelitus luxuria.
Talis leprosus confidenter currat ad Jesum, scilicet ad medicum, non desperet, vere poeniteat, et mundari desideret. Cum fideli leproso ex humilitate et pudore in faciem procidat , ut de suae vitae maculis erubescat. Sed confessionem verecundia non reprimat, vulnus ostendat, ac cum iacrymis et gemitibus se peccatorem recognoscat, detectovulnere remedium quaerat, et Domini misericordiam compuncto animo et corde imploret, et remediiun postulet. Deo se humiliet et deprecetur eum, ut sua gratia se tangat et sanet. Confiteatur sese immundum, et Christum potentem ad se mundandum, et apud ipsum cum leproso damet et dicat : Domine, si vis, potes me mundai^. Si enim hoc egerit, certus sit de misericordia, non desperet de venia, quia benignus cst Dominus qui neminem ad se venientem repellit, sed omnibus sinum suae misericordiae aperit et expandit. Non eget spatio anxK>rum vel longitudine temporis in poenitentia, sed <^r coniritum et humi^ liatum requirit, et digne poenitentibus peccata per misericordiaio relaxat. Tali enim manus divinae misericordiae protenditur, cujus tactu et imperio cuncta ejus crimina relaxantur.
Extendit enim Dominus manum, quando divinae miserationis impendit auxilium, et statim consequitur remissionem delictorum. Nec tamen debet Ecclesiae reconciliari talis, nisi judicio sacerdotis; a peccatis autem mundatus, debet Deo offierre munus, id est sacrificium laudis, et eum ubique laudare, quia debet Deo valde gratus esse, et semper gratias referendo et proximis bona quae potest faciendo, servans erga Deum et erg^ proximos caritatem. Nihil enim nobis per vanam gloriam debemus attribuere, sed omnia Deo offerre. De omnibus enim operibus nostris Deus vult ut habeamus totum meritum et proximus habeat bonum exempium, sed Deus vult habere laudem et gloriam. Tria enim sibi Deus specialitcr reservavit, et nulli creaturae unquam communicare voluit, scilicet gloriam, vindictam, et judicii potestatem. Gioriam autem auferunt vane gloriosi ; vindictam superbi et iracundi, qui de injuriis sibi iliatis vindicare se cupiunt ; judicium, temerarii et praesumptuosi, qui de occultis aliorum judicarc volunt.
Et quia, ut dicit hic TituSj oportet bcneficiatum gratum esse, gratias reddere, etiamsi beneficians non indigeat ; ideo licet praecepisset Dominus lcproso mundato ut de sua curatione taceret, tamen egressus, et rccedcns, sermonem, id est opera et verba Domini, diffamabat, ct sermo sanitatis et doctrinae dc illo magis perambulabat , quia hoc ipso quod homo fugit famam et gloriam, acquirit eam. Nam, ut ait Bernardus^ hoc solum habet mundi gloriosum, quod insequentes se fiigit, et fiigientes insequitur. Et ideo comparatur umbrae, quam si secutus fiieris, non apprehendes, et si praecurreris, non e£Fugies. lUe itaque fiinctus officio Evangelistse , coepit prcsdicare, et se interius exteriusque sanatum docere \ ita quod unius salvatio multos ad Deum cogeret venire, et Jesus Jjm non posset manifeste propter turbam et pressuram hominum, ad quaerendum sanitates et videndum miracula concurrentium, in civitatem, ad orandum introire. Und^ secedebat in desertum, ut secretius oraret; sanat ut Deus, sed orat ut homo.
Et conveniebant ad eum undique turbae, ut ejus doctrinam audirent et sanitates perciperent. Strepitum igitur et tumultum Dominus fugit, et secretum locum quaerit, ut ostendat se magis quietam et seculi curis remotam diligere vitam, quia tumultum et carnales mentes declinat, secretas vero a mundanis curis visitat. In quo etiam ostendit, quod praedicatores verbi divini debent fugere applausum populi, et aliquando se retrahere a multitudine, ut vacent orationi. Ubi Hieronymus : a Quod autem non poterat Jesus manifeste in civitaiem iniroire, sed foris in desertis locis esse, significatur quod non omnibus manifestatur Jesus qui latis atque planis serviunt laudibus et propriis voluntatibus , sed his qui cum Petro foras exeunt et in desertis locis sunt, quae elegit Dominus ad orandum et reficiendum populum, qui deserunt delectationes mundi, et omnia quae possident , ut dicant : Portio mea Dominus, Gloria vero Domini manifestatur his qui undique conveniunt, id est qui per plana et ardua ad eum veniunt, quos nihil potest separare a charitate Christi. • Ubi et Beda : « Quia in urbe miracula facit, in deserto vero vel monte orando pernoctat, utriusque nobis vitae et activae, scilicet et contemplativat, documenta praemonstrat ; ut nec contemplationis studio quis proximorum curam negligat, nec cura proximorum immoderatius obligatus contemplationis studia derelinquat, quatenus nec amorem Dei praepediat amor proximi, nec amori proximi obviet amor Dei. In monte quippe orare est, relictis infirmarum cogitationum cxiris, tota mente quemlibet ad aeterna supernae contemplationis gaudia festinare. In desertum secedere et orare est exsurgentem intrinsecus strepitum terrenorum desideriorum premere, et quoddam sibi cum Domino intra se secretum quaerere, ubi cum illo, exteriori cessante ^tumultu, per interna desideria silenter loquatur. » Unde etiam Gregorius : « Redemptor noster, per diem miracula in urbibuR exhibet, et ad orationis studium in monte j>emoctat, ut perfectis, videlicet praedicatoribus, innuat quatenus nec activam amore speculationis funditus deserant, nec contemplationis gaudia operationis nimietate contemnant; sed quieti contemplantes sorbeant, quod occupati erga proximos loquentes profundant : » haec Gregorius.
Quod autem hic, secundum Marcum et Lucam, dicitur, quia Jesus non ;? 05set manifeste in civitaiem introire, sed secedebat in desertum, non intelligitur de illa die qua curaverat leprosum ; quia, illo curato, intravit ipsa die Capharnaum civitatem, secundo milliario ibi proximam, antequam sermo seu fama ad multos perveniret. Unde et Matthaeus hoc miraculum de leproso, cum sequenti de Centurionis servo simul continuat. 40 5 ORATIO Domine Jesu Christe, qui de monte paterni solii, et virginalis uteri descendisti, ut sanares lepram generis humani ; ecce ego leprosus variis peccatorum maculis aspersus, adoro te, Domine. Si vis, potes me mundare; extende nianum gratiae et pietatis; tange interiora et exteriora leprosi te invocantis; miserere mihi poenitenti, et impera morbo peccati. Deus meus et misericordia mea, qui non vis mortem peccatoris, sed ut convertatur et vivat, perfice haec in me peccatore, ut in anima non moriar, sed convertar et vivam tecum in aeternum. Amen.
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