De increpatione et condemnatione infidelium Judceorum
The Parable of the Stubborn Generation
Christ rebukes the Jews for their refusal to respond to the call of repentance from John the Baptist or the call of joy from Himself.
He rebukes. After first commending John, the Lord rebukes and condemns the pride of the Jews, who weren't moved by John’s preaching and even despised the preaching of Christ himself. He compares their perverse and stubborn generation—meaning both the preachers and the listeners—to children sitting in the marketplace who, calling out to their peers (those divided into equal groups and taunting one another), say: 'We played the flute for you, and you didn't dance; we sang a dirge, and you didn't mourn.' It should be noted that the children of the Hebrews were accustomed to having such a game to exercise themselves in honest play, which would lead them toward virtues and draw them away from vices. They would divide into two equal groups in the middle of the city. Those who were on one side would sing a mournful song, mocking the sudden change of this present life, and afterward they would taunt one another; then, those who were rejoicing would say to the others, 'Why didn't you rejoice with us?' and conversely, the others would ask, 'Why didn't you sympathize with us by mourning?' This was done to curb the vain joy of men and the lack of compassion and friendship for one another in this world, just as we often see happen in the same city—indeed, even in the same street or the same house—where some rejoice and others, by contrast, are sad, and sometimes they have little sympathy for one another. The situation concerning the Jews, and later what happened in the time of Christ, is similar to this. For many of the Prophets, sitting in the marketplace—that is, in the Church, where the law and the statutes are proclaimed—because of their authority to teach and judge, and singing through the promise of eternal joys, warned the Jews to rejoice in the hope of future things, yet they refused to rejoice. Many others, lamenting through the threat of torments, warned them to feel sorrow for their sins, and they refused. For this reason, the Prophets were able to rebuke them, saying: "We played the flute for you, and you didn't dance"—by rising up to the praises of God—"we wailed, and you didn't mourn"—by practicing penance. That is to say, we invited you to rejoice in spiritual goods, and you found joy only in earthly things; we warned you to do penance, and you did not repent, nor did you feel any sorrow. It happened the same way in the time of Christ. For John, fasting and abstaining, invited them to sorrow for their sins, and they refused to feel sorrow; but the Lord, eating and drinking with them, invited them to rejoice in grace, for it is the custom of those eating together to rejoice, and they refused to do this. He rebukes them under this comparison: because they had neither the lament of compunction from the penance preached by John, nor the leap of joy from the mercy shown by the Savior. John preached the laments of penance; Christ preached the joy of mercy. But the Jewish generation does not weep with John as he weeps, nor does it rejoice with Christ as he rejoices. By those who call out, therefore, we understand the preachers—namely, John and Christ; and by those who are equal to them, we understand those to whom they preach—namely, the listeners. The words, "We lamented and you did not mourn," refer to John, whose abstinence from food and drink signified the sorrow of repentance; but the words, "We sang and you did not dance," refer to the Lord Himself, who, by eating and drinking with others, prefigured the joy of the future age and kingdom. For John went before as a type of the present life, which ought to be spent in lamentation, but Christ followed as a type of the future life, which will be in joy. That’s why the Psalmist says: "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy." But the perverse Jews, seeing the austerity of John the Baptist, weren't moved by it to repentance, and later, seeing the sweetness of Christ, they still weren't moved by it to piety. Hence Jerome says: "They say, therefore: 'We sang to you and challenged you to do good works to our song, and you wouldn't; we lamented and challenged you to repentance, and you wouldn't do even this,' spurning both preachings—both the exhortations to virtue and those to repentance after sin." So says Jerome. A teacher or preacher sings when he teaches or preaches about virtues and eternal joys; at those times, listeners should dance, leaving behind their vices and the world. He laments when he detests vices and the pains of hell; at those times, listeners should weep and repent. Spiritually, these children are preachers and teachers—children through the humility of their conduct, their dove-like simplicity, and the purity of their lives. They sit in the marketplace because they are sellers of heavenly things, judges of souls, and heralds of royal commands. They cry out by preaching to their peers, tailoring their teaching to the capacity of their listeners, and they sing by expressing the mercy shown to sinners, the grace given to the just, and the glory promised to the blessed. Therefore, they sing a threefold song: a nuptial one for the union of God and the soul; a familiar one for the indwelling of the divine presence; and a triumphal one for the completion of victory. Yet the wicked don't dance with the dance of conversion for the first, the dance of devotion for the second, or the dance of contemplation for the third. They lament, showing the manifold guilt, the present misery, and the eternal punishment; but the wicked don't weep with the weeping of compunction for their guilt, the weeping of compassion for their misery, or the weeping of prayer for their punishment.
The Rejection of Divine Wisdom
The Lord contrasts the ascetic life of John with His own common life, exposing the hypocrisy of those who slander both.
Then, applying this comparison to his point, he adds a twofold reason for their rebuke: they didn't believe John, who urged them to repentance, nor did they believe the Savior, who called them to mercy. Neither John’s preaching and call to repentance swayed them to mourning and penance, nor did Christ’s preaching and company please them; instead, they remained stubborn in their sins, despising the preaching of both and interpreting the life of both as something evil. John came neither eating nor drinking, meaning he lived in the greatest abstinence; for someone who eats very little is said not to eat, according to common usage, or he did not eat or drink delicacies, or he did not eat bread or drink wine and strong drink. According to Augustine, John was said to be neither eating nor drinking because he didn't follow the diet the Jews used; therefore, if the Lord hadn't used it, he wouldn't have been called one who eats and drinks in comparison to him. Look at one of the children who mourn—that is, the prophets who provoke others to repentance by word and example—and yet the Jews don't believe him, but say, 'He has a demon,' as if to say, 'He doesn't eat or drink in the manner of demons,' or 'He is possessed and insane,' attributing his austerity to a demon. For those who are possessed can do and suffer many things that others cannot. Or, 'This man is not from God,' being so rigid toward himself and others, when the Lord is sweet and gentle. The Son of man came—born of a Virgin, not of men, that is, of a human father and mother—eating and drinking, that is, living a common life in the world and in public with other people. He had to do this because he was the mediator between God and men, and therefore he had to lead such a life in common, so that sinners living in the world might have familiar access to him. Consider the children who rejoice—the prophets who promise joy—and yet the people of this generation and the Pharisees misinterpret it, saying: "Look at this man who has nothing divine in him; he is a glutton because of his greed, a wine-drinker because of his habits, and a friend of tax collectors—those who sin publicly—and of sinners—those who sin in secret—because of his bad company, eating and drinking with them." He didn't do this because he loved their vices, but rather to heal them, and by drawing them in, to attract them and convert them to repentance. For he drew people to himself both by the conformity of his life and by the display of his familiarity. As Jerome says: "If fasting pleases you, why did John displease you?" If fullness pleases you, why does the Son of Man not please you? You called one possessed by a demon, and the other a glutton and a drunkard! So says Jerome. Look at the wicked tongue that judges both those who eat and those who do not, attacking both sides because it slanders God and men; no one can hide from its fury. John’s abstinence was an example of austerity and repentance for others, but the eating of Jesus Christ was an example of condescension and mercy for others. By those, therefore, who interpret both ways as evil, we mean slanderers who wickedly twist the good actions of others. For there are some perverse people, much like those Jews, who judge everything in a bad light. They say that if someone is devoted to humility, they're a hypocrite; if to patience and gentleness, they're timid; if to justice, they're impatient; if to simplicity, they're foolish; if to prudence, they're malicious; if to maturity, they're sluggish; if to joyfulness, they're undisciplined; if to religious life, they're eccentric; if to social life, they're worldly; if to silence and peace, they're melancholy or deceptive; if to correcting others, they're a troublemaker and arrogant; if they keep quiet, they're negligent; if they spend time in vigils and prayer, they're indiscreet; if they join in common sleep, they're lazy; if they preach and care for others' salvation, they're seeking praise; if they stop, they're slack; if they have the favor of others, they're a flatterer; if they refuse to flatter, they're proud; and in many other things like this, they judge rashly and interpret what could be done well as something evil. Anyone who lives with such people can say what Job said: 'I have become a brother to dragons and a companion to ostriches.' The Lord, therefore, both by Himself and through John, tried to bring the Jews into the kingdom, as if He were saying with the Prophet: 'What more could I have done for my vineyard that I have not done?' And according to Chrysostom, He acted as hunters do, who set traps for an animal along two opposite paths so that it might fall into one or the other and be caught. For He sent John with a life of austerity, and He Himself came with a common life; but they refused both and rejected both ways of salvation, because they were unwilling to mourn with John the Baptist or to rejoice with Christ. Many are like those Jews, who can be turned away from evil or drawn toward good neither by punishment nor by kindness, and therefore, bound together in bundles with those proud and perverse Jews, they will deservedly suffer their punishment. Although Christ—the Wisdom of God the Father—was rejected by the Pharisees and the experts in the law, who scorned God’s counsel and the instruction of his life, he was nonetheless justified. That is, he was recognized and proven righteous by his own children, his disciples, and by those who take the kingdom of heaven by the force of faith’s justification. These are the children of Christ by adoption, who acknowledge the righteous work of Wisdom, and God’s own arrangement and teaching.
Woe to the Unrepentant Cities
Christ pronounces woe upon Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for their failure to repent despite witnessing His mighty works.
Then, after rebuking the Jews in general, he rebuked three Galilean cities by name—cities on the shore of the Sea of Galilee where he had specifically preached and performed miracles, yet they were unwilling to repent. For then, specifically after he had rebuked the Jews in general and saw them to be stubborn, he began to rebuke them in particular—that is, in the manner of one who rebukes, he began to predict future evils to the cities in which his many mighty works had been done, so that they might at least believe in the magnitude and number of his works, because they had not repented. It was as if he were saying: They heard the teaching and saw the miracles, yet they refused to believe and remained worse than the Gentiles. The Lord rebukes them for their own correction and threatens them with 'Woe'—that is, eternal damnation—by predicting what is to come, not by wishing evil upon them. It is like the saying, 'I will curse those who curse you,' which means I will punish those who do evil. In Holy Scripture, a curse is never an imprecation, but a prophecy. Where Chrysostom says: 'The Lord laments, for our example, because the shedding of tears and bitter groaning over those who suffer the insensibility of pain is no small antidote, both for the correction of those who suffer and for the remedy of those who groan over them.' So says Chrysostom. He says, therefore: 'Woe'—that is, eternal damnation—hangs over you, Chorazin, near which city the Jordan enters the Sea of Galilee, and in which the Antichrist will be nurtured; woe to you, Bethsaida, from which city Peter and Andrew, James and John came, and which is four miles distant from Chorazin. For if the mighty works—that is, the divine prodigies and miracles—that were frequently done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which were cities of the Gentiles given over to idolatry and vice, and which had only the law of nature, and if it had been preached to them as it was to you, they would have long ago repented, which you did not do, grieving for their sins in ashes from the consideration of death, and in sackcloth from the consideration of the stinging sin; sitting, says Luke—that is, humbling themselves in their consciences. Or, ashes represent interior humility, and sackcloth represents exterior humility. He adds this because, in ancient times, it was the custom to perform penance in this way. Yet I tell you, Jews: it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you, even though they didn't convert; they will be punished less than you obstinate Jews because they sinned less. The Gentiles, after all, neither received the written Law, nor had preachers, nor saw miracles; they only transgressed the law of nature. The Jews, however, heard the teaching and saw the miracles, and after transgressing the law of nature and the written Law, they even made light of the law of grace and the signs. Therefore, because of their ingratitude, they will be punished—the former more severely, and the latter more lightly, because it is a graver matter to reject the faith once heard than to die in Gentility. This suggests that, all else being equal, the punishment of Christians will be greater than that of non-believers; of clergy, greater than that of the laity; of the wise, greater than that of the simple; and of prelates, greater than that of their subjects. For: 'To whom much is given, much will be required of him'; and: 'The mighty will suffer mighty torments'; and: 'The servant who knows his master's will and does not do it will be beaten with many stripes.' Then, separately, He reproaches the city of Capharnaum, because it is to be judged more strictly than the others, for the reason that it had received more frequent good things from the Lord; likewise, because He had argued against the other two for the omission of penance and for negligence, but this one for contempt and pride. Hence, He threatened the others with punishment in a general way when He said 'Woe,' but to this one, He did so in a specific way, which appears to be something more. He says, therefore: "And you, Capharnaum"—using, as mentioned above, the container for the thing contained—"will you be exalted to heaven in your own opinion?" It is as if to say: No; rather, because of the sin of pride and ingratitude, you will descend to hell. For: "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled." And he adds: "For if the miracles that were frequently performed in you had been performed in Sodom—even though they were the worst of men—they might have remained to this day, because they would have done penance, as the Ninevites did at the preaching of Jonah." He says 'perhaps' not to indicate doubt on his own part, but to indicate the mutability of free will on the part of man. Nevertheless, I say to you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you; that is, they will suffer a lesser punishment because of their unbelief, but you will suffer a greater one because of the enormity of your sin and crime. By those cities where Christ frequently preached and performed miracles, we signify those who frequently hear the word of God and see examples of virtue, yet remain hardened in their sins; for this reason, all else being equal, they will be punished more severely than others. Specifically, however, these three cities represent three things in people that most aggravate their ingratitude. The first is learning and wisdom, represented by Chorazin, which translates to 'my secret' or 'my mystery'. The second is order or prelacy, represented by Bethsaida, which translates to 'house of cattle', 'house of hunters', or 'house of fruits'; for these are the Lord's own houses, and a refuge for the cattle—that is, for subjects and others. The third is religious life, represented by Capernaum, which translates to 'village of beauty' or 'of consolation', or 'field of fatness'—and if only it were as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside! And if these people are found to be negligent, or sinners, and disobedient to Christ Jesus, they will be rebuked more harshly and punished more severely than others. Alternatively, Chorazin signifies the wise of this world; Bethsaida, the rich; and Capernaum, the carnal, who specifically reject Christ, just as those cities did. As Chrysostom says: 'Consider, Christians, that some miracles were performed in Chorazin, others in Bethsaida, and still others in Capernaum; but for us Christians, all of them have been performed.' The people in Bethsaida may not have known what happened in Chorazin, and perhaps those in Capernaum were unaware of what took place in Bethsaida. But we Christians, through the witness of the Gospel, have learned everything that Christ did everywhere. If Christ grieves over those cities because they didn't repent, even though they hadn't seen all his wonders, imagine how he must grieve daily over us Christians, who read and hear of his works in the Church every day, yet still don't repent of our sins. If Christ had come in the time of the Sodomites and shown them such things, they might have turned back to God. Those people were consumed by fire and sulfur because they wouldn't listen to Lot, a just man; what kind of torments await us, who despise Christ himself? Notice that it doesn't say he rebuked the cities then, but that he began to rebuke them. If he began then, he continues to rebuke such people every day even now. And whenever that rebuke is read in the Church, it is directed at those within the Church who are like them.
The Diligent Study of Scripture
The author exhorts the reader to overcome hardness of heart through the diligent study of the Scriptures.
Woe to you Christians, then, to whom all the Scriptures cry out daily, and yet you, like deaf asps, stop up your ears and do not hear their voices. Some people say, "We are ashamed to confess our sins." Tell me, man, which is worse: to do evil, or to speak of it? If you weren't ashamed to do evil in the sight of God, how can you be ashamed to speak of it in the sight of a man? You weren't afraid to provoke God to anger, yet you hesitate to move Him to mercy? So says Chrysostom. You must, therefore, devote yourself to reading the Scriptures and focus on them; this is how a sinner can make progress toward something better. Chrysostom says the same: "We ought to search the Scriptures with diligence, not just casually; we can attain our salvation if we always dwell upon them." And if someone is extremely hard-hearted, and for that reason has gained nothing at other times, he will at least gain time by doing this, and he will receive some benefit. What, then, do you say? Because I hear, but I do not do. It's no small gain for a miserable person to call himself miserable; this fear isn't useless. If you groan only because you hear but don't do, you'll eventually come to doing it entirely. For it's impossible for one who speaks to God and hears God speaking not to struggle. And again: whatever is sought for salvation is already fully contained in the Scriptures. Whoever is ignorant finds there what to learn; whoever is stubborn and a sinner finds there the scourges of future judgment to fear; whoever is struggling finds there the glories of the eternal promise. Whoever is faint-hearted and weak finds there the modest food of justice, which, even if it doesn't make the soul rich, still doesn't allow it to die; whoever is magnanimous and faithful finds there the more spiritual food of a more disciplined life, which will lead them close to the nature of the angels; whoever has been struck and wounded by the devil in their sins finds there the medicinal food that will restore them to health through penance: these are the words of Chrysostom.
The Mystery of Divine Providence
A reflection on the balance of divine mercy and truth in the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles, concluding with a prayer.
Why, long ago, the Gospel was preached not to those who were able to believe, but to the Jews who refused to believe—that is for Him to know, according to Bede, whose mercy and truth are over all His works. For, according to Anselm, He justly condemns the wicked in one way, and justly spares the wicked in another. For when He condemns the wicked, it is just because it fits their merits; but when He spares the wicked, it is just—not because of their merits, but because it is fitting for His own goodness. By sparing the wicked, therefore, He is just in Himself, and merciful toward us, though not in Himself. He isn't merciful because He has a miserable heart, but because He bestows a heart of compassion upon the miserable. And as Augustine says, He has mercy on whom He wills, not in justice but in grace; and He hardens whom He wills, not in iniquity but in the truth of judgment. Yet mercy and truth meet in such a way that mercy doesn't hinder the truth by which the worthy are punished, nor does truth hinder the mercy by which the unworthy are set free. God, knowing from eternity that the conduct of men would be evil, and that they could be saved neither by severity alone nor reach the progress of merits by mercy alone, decreed what should be preached in every age, leaving each person to his own judgment—that is, to the natural law which says in the heart: 'Do not do to another what you would hate to have done to you.' But because natural law had grown sluggish through the habit of sinning, the law was preached to restrain those who were sinning. Furthermore, because man doesn't restrain himself through the severity of the law—in fact, he was held guilty by its prohibitions—mercy was preached to save those who take refuge in it and to blind those who reject it, sending the Gentiles to the promise made to the Jews, so that the Jews themselves might at least be converted through the emulation of the Gentiles. This is the depth of God's counsel, by which, in His wondrous Providence, He brought both Jews and Gentiles back to the life that all had lost in Adam. PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, who by word and example have provoked us to sorrow for our sins and to exult in spiritual goods: grant me the grace of tears, and make the parched earth of my heart fruitful with heavenly irrigation, so that I may weep for myself daily throughout my whole life; so that my tears may become my bread day and night, and my soul, having forgotten vanity and misery, may burn with love for You; so that, leaping toward good works and rising up to the praises of God, I may now exult in hope, and finally, by praising You forever, may rejoice with You without end. Amen. Chapter 58 of the first part.
Read the original Latin
wcrepat. — Praemissa igitur commendationeJoannis, increpat et condemnat Dominus superbiam Judaeorum, qui praedicatione Joannis moti non sunt, sed et ipsiu3 Christi praedicationem despexerunt, et comparat eorum generationem perversam et obstinatam, per quam tam praedicantes quam audientes comprehendit, pueris sedentibus in foro, qui clamentes cocequalibus , id est in partes aequales divisis ac sibi invicem improperantibus , dicunt : Cecinimus vobis, et non saltastis; lamentavimus , et non planxistis. Ubi sciendum quod pueri Hebraeorum, ad exercendum se in ludis honestis, inducentibus ad virtutes et retrahentibus a vitiis , talem ludum habere consueverunt. Dividebantur in medio civitatis , in duas partes aequales , et iili qui erant ex una parte canebant carmen lugubre, deridentes transmutationem repentinam praesentis vitae , et postea sibi mutuo exprobrabant, et exsultantes dicebant aliis, quare sibi non gaudebant; et e contrario alii , quare sibi compatiendo non condolebant. Et hoc fiebat ad comprimendam vanam laetitiam hominum et defectum compassionis et amicitiae, ad invicem in hoc mundo; sicut videmus frequenter fieri in eadem civitate, imo et in eodem vico, vel etiam eadem domo, quod aiiqui laetantur et aliqui ex opposito tristantur , et quandoque modicum sibi * invicem compatiuntur. Huic negotio simile est negotium circa Judaeos , et postea Christi tempore factum. Multi enim Prophetarum sedentes propter docendi et judicandi auctoritatem in foro, id est in Ecclesia, ubi lex et jura promuntur, et canentes per gaudiorum aeternorum promissionem , monuerunt Judaeos exsultare pro spe futurorum, et exsultare noluerunt. Multi etiam lamentantes, per tormentorum comminationem , monuerunt eos dolore pro peccatis, et noluerunt.
Propter hoc igitur poterant eos arguere Prophetae dicentes : Cecinimus vobis, et non saltastis, ad laudes Dei assurgendo; lamentavimus , et non planxistis, poenitentiam agendo. Id est invitavimus vos ad exsultandum pro spiritualibus bonis, et non exsultastis nisi in terrenis; monuimus ad poenitentiam et non pcenituistis , nec doluistis. Eo modo etiam factum est tempore Christi. Joannes enim jujunans et abstinens invitabat eos ad dolendum pro peccatis, et dolore noluerunt; Dominus autem comedens et bibens cum eis invitabat eos ad exsultandum'pro gratiis, quia mos comedentium est exsultare , et noluerunt hoc facere. Sub similitudine ergo eos increpat : quia nec habuerunt planctum compunctionis, ex poenitentia praedicata a Joanne; nec saltum exsuitationis, ex 1 misericordia exhibita a Salvatore. Joannes enim praedicabat lamenta poenitentiae; Christus] exsultationem misericordiae. Sed generatio Judaica non plorat cum Joanne plorante , nec gaudet cum Christo gaudente. Per clamantes ergo intelliguntur praedicantes , scilicet Joannes et Christus; et per coaequales, ipsi quibus praedicant, scilicet auditores.
Nam quod ait : Lamentajnmus et non planxistis, ad Joannem pertinet , cujus abstinentia a cibo et potu, luctum poenitentiae significabat; quod autem ait : cecinimus, et non saltastis, ad ipsum Dominum pertinet, qui utendo cum ceteris cibo et potu laetitiam futuri seculi et regni figurabat, Joannes enim praecessit in typo praesentis vitae, quae debet esse in lamento; sed Christus secutus est, in typo futurae, quae erit in gaudio. Unde Psalmista : Qui seminant in lacrymis, m exsultatione metent. Sed perversi Judaei, videntes austeritatem Joannis Baptistae, per hoc moti non sunt ad pcenitentiam, et postea, dulcedinem Christi, et tamen per hoc moti non sunt ad pietatem. Unde Hieronymus : « Dicunt ergo : cecinimus vobis et provocavimus vos, ut ad nostrum canticum bona opera faceretis, et noluistis; lamentavimus et vos ad pcenitentiam provocavimus, nec hoc quidem facere voluistis, spernentes utramque praedicationem , tam exhortationes ad virtutes quam ad pcenitentiam post peccata : » haec Hieronymus.
Doctor vel praedicator cantat quandocunque scilicet de virtutibus et aeternis gaudiis docet, vel praedicat; et tunc auditores extra vitia, et mundum, saltare debent : quandoque lamentatur, quandocunque scilicet vitia et inferni dolores detestatur, et tunc auditorts plangers debent, et poenitere. Spiritualiter, pueri sunt praedicatores et doctores, pueri per conversationis humilitatem, per columbinam simplicitatem, et per vitae puritatem; sedentes in foro, quia venditores ccelestium, judices animarum et praecones regalium praeceptorum ; clamantes praedicando coaequalibus, secundum capacitatem auditorum doctrinam contemperando; canentes misericordiam peccatorum, gratiam justorum, gloriam beatorum exprimendo. Triplex ergo canunt carmen, scilicet : nuptiale, pro unione Dei et animae; familiare, pro inhabitatione divinae praesentiae; triumphale, pro consumm** tione victoriae. Et non saltant mtii saltu conversionis quoad primum, saltu devotionis quoad secundum, et saltu contemplationis quoad tertium. Lamentant ostendentes culpam multiplicem, miseriam praesentem et poenam aeternam; sed mali non plangunt planctu compunctionis pro culpa, planctu compassionis pro miseria, planctu orationis pro poena.
Deinde applr cando similitudinem ad propositum, subdit increpationis duplicem rationem: quianon crediderunt Joanniad poenitentiam exhortanti, nec Salvatori ad misericordiam advocantt. Nam nec praedicatio et poenitentia Joannis eos ad luctum et poeniten— tiam inflexit, nec praedicatio et convictus Christi eis placuit; sed remanserunt obstinati in peccatis, utriusque praedicationem contemnendo et utriusque vitam in malum interpretando. Venit enim Joannes, non manducans, neque bibens, id est in abstinentia maxima vivens : ille enim qui parum comedit, dicitur non comedere, secundum communem modum loquendi; vel non manducans neque bibens delicata scilicet; vel non manducans scilicet panera, neque bibens scilicet vinum et siceram. Secundum Augusthtum, Joannes dictus est non numducans neque bibens, quia illo victu quo Judaei utebtntur, non utebatur; hoc ergo Dominus, nisi uteretur, non in ejus comparatione manducans et bibens diceretur. Ecce unus puerorum lamentantium, id est Prophetarum ad poenitentiam verbo et exemplo provocantium , et tamen non credunt ei Judaei; sed dicunt: Lkemonium kabet; quasi dicerent : More daemonum, non comedit neque bibit; vel daemoniacus et insanus est, austeritatem ejus daemoni attribuendo. Daemoniaci enim possunt multa agere et pati, quae non possunt alii. Vel, non est hic homo a Deo, ita rigidus sibi et aliis, cum Dominus sit suavis et mitis. — Venit Filius hominis, scilicet Virginis, non hominum scilicet viri et mulieris, manducans et bibens, scilicet in mundo et in publico cum aliis hominibus, id est communem vitam inter homines ducens; hoc enim facere debebat, quia mediator Dei et hominum erat et ideo talem vitam debuit communiter ducere, ut communiter viventes peccatores accessum familiarem ad ipsum possent habere.
Ecce unus puerorum gaudentium, id est Prophetarum laetitiam promittentium; et tamen dicunt, pueri generationis et Pharisaei male interpretando ; Ecce homo nil habens divinum, vorax per aviditatem, potator vini per consuetudinem ; publicanorum , id est peccantium publice, et peccatorum, id est peccantium occulte, amicus, scilicet per maiam societatem, cum illis manducans et bibens; quod tamen non faciebat ut eorum vitia amaret, sed magis ut sanaret, et eos ailiciendo attraheret et ad poenitentiam converteret. Ipse enim homines attrahebat, et victus xonformitate, et familiaritatis ostensione. Ubi Hieronymus : « Si ergo jejunium placet vobis, cur Joannes displicuit ? Si saturitas vobis placet, cur non placet Filius hominis? Quorum alterum dcemonium habentem, alterum voratorem nuncupastis et ebrium ! » haec Hieronymus. Ecce pessima lingua, quae et manducantes judicat, et non manducantes, et ex utraque parte scindit, quia maledidt Deum et homines; nec est enim qui se abscondat a furore ejus. Abstinentia quidem Joannis fuit aliis ezemplum austeritatis et poenitentiae; manducatio vero Jesus Christi fuit aliis exemplum condescensionis et misericordiae.
Per illos igitur qui utrumque in malum interpretantur, significantur detractores, bonos actus aliorum nequiter depravantes. Sunt namque quidam perversi, istis Judaeis similes, de omnibus male judicantes. Dicunt enim, si quis studet et vacat humilitati quod hypocrita est; si patientiae et mansuetudini, timidus est; si justitiae, impatiens est ; si simplicitati, fatuus est; si prudentiae malitiosus est; si maturitatt, flegmaticus est; si jucunditati, dissolutus est ; si religioni, stngularis est; si societati, secularis est; si silentio et paci, melancholicus vei dissimulator est; si aliorum correctioni, turbator pacis et praesumptuosus est; si dissimulat, negligens est; si instat vigiliis et orationibus, indiscretus est; si communi dormitioni, somnolentus est; si praedica-* tioni et aliorum saluti, appetitor laudis est; si desistit, remissus est; si habet gratiam hominum, adulator est; si adulari renuit, superbut est; et similiter in multis aliis, temere judicant, et quae bene fierl possunt, in malum interpretantur. Qui cum talibus habitat, potest dicere illud Job : Frater fui draco* num et socius struthionum. Dominus ergo, et per se, et per Joannem, conatus est Judaeos in regnum introducere; ac si cum Propheta diceret : Quid debui facere vinece mece, et non feci? Et secundum Chrysostomum, fecit sicut faciunt yenatores, qui per duas vias contrarias alicui insidiantur animali, ut in alteram incidat et capiatur. Misit enim Joannem cum vita austera, venit ipse cum communi vita ; sed ipsi renuerunt et utramque viam salutis respuerunt, quia nec cum Joanne Baptista lugere, nec cum Christo gaudere voluerunt. Istis Judaeis similes sunt multi, qui nec flagellis, nec beneficiis, a malo revocari, vel ad bonum provocari possunt, et ideo cum superbis et perversis Judaeis, in fasciculis simul colligati, poenas merito sustinebunt.
Et licet Christus, qui est Sapientia Dei Patris, sit praedicto modo reprobatus a Phrisaeis et legisperitis, qui Dei consilium et vitae documentum spreverunt, tamen justificatus est, id est cognitus et comprobatus justus a filiis suis, id est discipulis, et ab eis qui regnum coelorum fidei justificatione diripiunt, qui sunt filii Christi per adoptionem, confitentes justum sapientiae opus, ac Dei dispositionem et doctrinam.
Deinde post communem Judaeorum increpationem, quasi nominatim increpat tres civitates Galilaeae, sitas in littore lacus Genezareth, quibus specialiter praedicaverat et ubi miracula fecerat, nec tamen converti volebant. Tunc enim, scilicet postquam increpavit Judaeos in communi, et vidit eos obstinatos, coepit in speciali exprobrare, id est ad modum exprobrantis mala futura praedicere civitatibus, in quibus factce sunt plurimce virtutes ejus, ut saltem operum magnitudini et multitudini crederent ; quia non egissent poenitentiam. Quasi dicat : Et doctrinam audierunt et miracula viderunt, et tamen credere noluerunt, sed pejores gentibus remanserunt. Exprobrat eis Dominus ad correctionem et comminatur eis vce, id est aetemam damnationem, praedicendo ventura, non optando mala; sicut et cum dicitur : Maledicam illis, qui maledicent tibi, id est qui male facient, infiigam eis poenam. Maledictio enim in Scriptura sacra nunquam est imprecativa, sed prophetica. Ubi ait Chrysostomus : « Deplorat autem Dominus, ad nostrum exemplum, eo quod efFusio lacrymarum et gemitus amarus super patientes, insensibilitatem doloris, non modicum antidotum est et ad correctionem patientium et ad remedium ingemiscentium super eos : » haec Chrysostomus. Dicit ergo : Vce, scilicet damnationis aeternae imminet tibi, Coro\aim , prope quam civitatem Jordanis ingreditur mare Galilaeae, et in qua nutrietur Antichristus; vce tibi, Bethsaida de qua civitate fuerunt Petrus et Andreas, Jacobus et Joannes, et distat a Corozaim quarto milliario : quia si in Tyro et Sidone, quae fuerunt urbes Gentilium,idololatriaeet vitiis deditae, quae tantum legem naturalem habebant, factce essent virtutes, id est divina prodigia et miracula, qua> factce sunt in vobis frequenter ; et praedicatum eis fuisset sicut vobis, olim pcenitentiam quam vos non fccistis, ipsi egissent, dolentes de peccatis w cinere ex consideratione mortis, et cilicio ex consideratione peccati pungentis; sedentes, ait Lucas, id est in conscientiis se humiliantes. Vel in cinere, humiliatio interior, in cilicio exterior designatur.
Haec addit, quia antiquitus erat mos sic agere pcenitentiam. Verumtamen dico vobis Judaeis : Tyro et Sidoni, licet non sunt conversi, remissius erit in diejudicii quam vobis; quia minus punientur quam vos Judaei obstinati, nam minus peccaverunt illi. Gentiles enim neque Legem scriptam receperunt, neque praedicatores habuerunt, neque miracula viderunt ; sed tantum legem naturae transgressi sunt. Judaei vero doctrinam audierunt et miracula viderunt, et post transgressionem legis naturalis et scriptae, etiam legem gratiae, et signa parvipenderunt, et ldeo propter ingratitudinem punientur, isti severius, et illi remissius; quia gravius est fidem auditam repellere, quam mori in Gentilitate. Et est argumentum, quod ceteris paribus, major erit poena Christianorum, quam infidelium ; clericorum, quam laicorum ; sapientum, quam simplicium ; praelatorum, quam subditorum. Nam : Cui multum donatum est, multum quceretur ab eo ; et : Potentes potenter tormenta patientur; et : Servus sciens voluntatem Domini et non faciens plagis vapulabit multis. Deinde separatim exprobrat civitati Capharnaum, quia districtius aliis judicanda, eo quod bona a Domino acceperat crebriora; item quia duas alias arguerat, de omissione poenitendi et negligentia , hanc vero de contemptu et superbia. Unde et aliis comminatus est poenam in genere, cum ait : Vae; huic autem in specie quod apparet plus esse.
Dicit ergo : Et tu Capharnaum, ponendo, ut supra, continens pro contento; numquid secundum opinionem tuam usque in coelum exaltaberis ? Quasi diceret : Non ; imo propter peccatum superbiae et ingratitudinis usque in infernum descendes. Nam : Qui se exaltat, humiliabitur. Et subdit : Quia si in Sodomis, qui tamen fuerunt homines pessimi, factce fuissent virtutes quae frequenter factae sunt in te, forte mansissent usque tit hanc diem, quia fecissent poenitentiara, ut Ninivitae fecerunt, ad Jonae praedicationem. Dicit autem forte, non ad denotandum dubitationem ex parte sua, sed ad denotandum mutabilitatem liberi arbitrii ex parte hominis. Verumtamen dico vobis, quia terrae Sodomorum remissius erit in die judicii quam tibi, id est minorem poenam sustinebunt, ratione incredulitatis ; sed majorem ratione enormitatis peccati et criminis.
Per istas civitates quibus Christus frequenter praedicaverat, et miracula fecerat, significantur iili qui frequenter audiunt verbum Dei, et vident exempla virtutum, et tamen in peccatis suis obdurantur; propter quod, ceteris paribus, gravius aliis punientur. Specialiter autem per has tres civitates, assignantur tria in hominibus, quae maxime aggravant ingratitudinem in eis. Primum est, litteratura et sapientia, quod per Coro%aim, quae interpretatur secretum mihi vel mysterium meum. Secundum est Ordo vel Praelatio, quod per Bethsaidam, quae interpretatur domus pecudum et domus venatorum, seu domus frugum; sunt enim domus Domini peculiares, et refugium pecudum, id est subditorum et ceterorum. Tertium est religio, quod per Capharnaum, quae interpretatur villa pulchritudinis seu consolationis, vel ager pinguedinis, et utinam interius sicut exterius! Et isti si inventi fuerint negligentes, seu peccatores, et Christo Jesu inobedientes, durius quam ceteri redarguentur et acrius punientur. Vel per Coro\aim significantur hujus seculi sapientes; per Bethsaidam, divites; per Capharnaum camales, qui specialiter Christum repeiiunt; sicut illae civitates fe52 4 Cerunt. Ubi Chrysostomus : « Considerate, Christiani, quia quaedam miracula facta sunt in Corozaim, quaedam autem in Bethsaida, alia in Capharnaum ; apud nos autem Christianos, omnia facta sunt.
Quae enim facta sunt in Corozaim, forsitan Bethsaida non cognoverat; et quae facta sunt in Bethsaida, forsitan Capharnaum nesciebat. Nos autem Christiani, quidquid ubique operatus est Christus, omnia, Evangelio referente, didicimus. Si ergo sic Christus luget super illas civitates, quia poenitentiam non egerunt, quae non omnia mirabilia viderunt; putas quomodo quotidie luget super nos Christianos, qui quotidie virtutes ejus in Ecclesia legimus et audimus , et tamen poenitentiam peccatorum nostrorum non agimus? Si tempore Sodomitarum Christus venisset, et talia demonstrasset, forsitan conversi fuissent. Illi, quia Loth hominem justum non audiverunt, sulphure et igne combusti sunt; nos quae et qualia exspe— ctant tormenta, qui ipsum contemnimus Christum ? Et vide quia non dixit: tunc improperavit civitatibus; sed tunc ccepit improperare. Si ergo tttnc cospit, et usque nunc quotidie improperat talibus. Et quoties legitur in Ecdesia improperans, improperat his qui tales sunt in Ecclesia.
Vce ergo vobis Christianis , quibus quotidie omnes Scripturae vociferantur , et vos sicut aspides surda* , obturantes aures vestras, non auditis voces earum. Quidam enim dicunt : Peccata nostra erubescimus confiteri. Dic, homo, quid est pejus facere malum, an dicere > Si ergo ante Dei conspectum, facere malum non erubuisti ; quomodo ante conspectum hominis, erubescis dicere ? Ad iracundiam Deum excitare non timuisti, et ad misericordiam eum flectere dubhas ? » h«c Chrysostomus.
Oportet igitur lectioni Scripturarum vacare et intendere; ita enim peccator ad melius poterit proficere. Unde idem Chrysostomus : « Debemus Scripturas scrutari cum diligentia, et non simpliciter; poterimus salute nostra potiri, si semper eis immorabimur. Et si vehementcr durus quis fuerit, et ideo si nil lucratus fuerit in aliU temporibus, tempus saitem lucrabitur hoc, et suscipiet aliquam utilitatem. Quid igitur ais ? Quoniam audiens non facio. Non parvum lucrum miserum vocare seipsum, non inutilis hic timor. Si ingemueris solum quoniam audiens noa facis ; omnino ad faciendum venies quandoque. Non enim est Deo lo— quentem et audientem Deum loquentem non luctari.
» Et iterum r <c Quidquid quaeritur ad salutem, totum jam adimpletum est in Scripturis. Qui ignarus est, invenit ibi quod discat, qui contumax est et peccator, invenit ibi futuri judicti tlagella, quae timeat; qui laborat, invenit ibi glorias promissionis perperpetua? vitae, quas manducando, amplius excitetur ad opus ; qui pusillanimis est et infirmus, invenit ibi mediocres justitiae cibos, qui etsi pinguem animam non faciunt, tamen mori non permittunt; qui magnanrmus est et fidelis, invenit ibi spiritualioresescas continentioris vhae, quae perducent eum prope ad Angeiorum naturam ; qui percussat a diabolo vulneratus est in peccatis* invenit ibi medicinales cibos, qtxi eum per pcenitentiam reparent ad salutem : » haec Ckrysostomus.
Quare autem olim, non his qui credere potuerunt, verum Judaeis qui credere noluerunt, sit evangelizatum, ipsius est scire, secundum Bcdam, cujus universae sunt vix misecordia et veritas. Quia, secundum An* selmum, alio modo juste damnat malos, alio modo juste parcit malis. Nam cum damnat malos justum est, quia illorum meritis convenit ; cum vero parcit malis, justum est, non quia illorum meritis, sed quia bonitati suae condecens est. Parcendo ergo malis justus est secundum se, et misericors secundum nos, non secundum se. Non enim ideo est misericors, quia miserum cor habeat; sed quia circa miseros cor pietatis impendit. Qui etiam, secundum Augustinum, cujus vult miseretur, non in justitia, sed gratia ; quem vult obdurat, non iniquitate, sed veritate vindictae. Sic tamen misericordia et veritas obviant sibi, ut nec misericordia impediat veritatem, qua plectitur dignus ; nec veritas misericordiam, qua liberatur indignus. Deus quidem, ab aeterno sciens conversationem hominum malam futuram, et quia nec sola severitate posset salvari, nec sola misericordia pervenire ad profectum meritorum, decrevit quod in unoquoque temporeprasdicandum esset, unumquemque permittens suo judicio, id est naturali legi, quae dicit in corde : Quod ab alio oderis fieri tibi, ne alteri facias.
Sed quia naturalis lex obtorpuit consuetudine peccandi, praedicata est, quae refrenaret peccantes. Et, quia iterum homo non se per legis severitatem cohibet, imo per interdictum reus tenebatur, praedicata est misericordia, quae salvaret confugientes ad eam,ut excaecaret refutantes, mittens Gentes ad promissionem Judaeorum, ut ipsi Judaei saltem aemulatione Gentium converterentur. Et haec est altitudo consilii Dei, quo mira Providentia, Judaeos et Gentes reduxit ad vitam, quam omnes perdiderant in Adam. ORATIO Domine Jesu Christe, qui nos verbo et exemplo provocasti ad dolendum pro peccatis, et ad exsultandum pro spiritualibus bonis : da mihi gratiam lacrymarum, et terram cordis mei aridam irriguo coelesti fecunda, ut plangftir» me quotidie in omni vita mea : ita ut emciantur mihi lacrymae mee panes die ac nocte, et mens mea oblita vanitatis et miseriae, ardeat in too amore : ita ut saltando ad bona opera et ad laudes Dei assurgendo, nunc exsuhem in spe, et tandem semper te laudando, tecum gaudeam sine fine. Amen. PRIMjE partis caput lviii.
The Life of Christ (Vita Christi) companion
A prayer for every moment, already on your phone
Chosen Portion puts a curated historic prayer in front of you each day — so the words are there before the moment arrives.
Chosen Portion is the digital descendant of the carried prayer book: the short daily prayers this collection preserves, delivered one a day to your pocket.
- One short, memorable prayer delivered daily — build your repertoire a card at a time
- Prayers matched to real situations: fear, gratitude, decisions, grief, sleep
- Save favourites into your personal pocket collection you can open anywhere