De arbore infructuosa et muliere curvata
The Call to Repentance
Jesus addresses the slaughter of the Galileans and the collapse of the tower in Siloam as urgent calls for the people to repent.
He commands the evildoers to be killed. And leaving them in their unbelief, Jesus went back into Galilee. While He was staying there and teaching, some Jews were present at that time, reporting to Christ that Pilate had killed certain Galileans—twenty men, in fact—while they were sacrificing and occupied in the act of offering sacrifices; he mixed their blood with their sacrifices, because, since the death occurred at the same time as the sacrifices, the blood of those killed was mixed with the blood of the sacrifices. According to Cyril, these were followers of the teachings of Judas the Galilean, whom Luke mentions in the Acts of the Apostles, who said that it was unlawful for Jews to acknowledge any Lord other than God; and many agreed with him, to the point that they forbade the offerings established by the people to be made for the welfare of the Roman Empire. Indignant at this, Pilate came upon them while they were sacrificing according to their custom, and he killed them in the midst of the very victims they thought they were offering according to the Law, so that the blood of those offering was mixed with the victims being offered. From this arose the enmity between him and Herod, because the Galileans were under Herod's authority. And because some of the common people attributed that sudden and horrific slaughter to the terrible sins of those who were killed, believing they had most justly suffered such things, they told this to the Savior, wanting to understand what He thought about it. The Lord, however, does not deny it, but acknowledges that they were sinners and that they perished because of this. Yet He does not assert that they suffered such things because they were worse than those who did not suffer, because such a death is not sufficient proof that they had sinned more grievously than everyone else, since God frequently punishes less grave sins in the present life and defers the punishment of more grave ones until after this life. Mystically, Pilate represents the devil, who is always ready to kill souls; the blood signifies sin, and the sacrifices represent good deeds. The Galileans, whose name means 'those who cross over,' represent the travelers of this world; their physical death also signifies the spiritual death of those who don't offer their sacrifices with a pure heart. Pilate, therefore, mixes the blood of the Galileans with their sacrifices when the devil defiles the prayers, almsgiving, fasting, and other good works of the faithful—whether through the deadly pleasure of the flesh and blood, through the meditation of hatred, through the fury of envy, through the ambition for human praise, through a sinister intention, or through any other wicked plague—so that even if they appear to be offered to the Lord, they are of no benefit to those who offer them, but instead sometimes turn into sin. For it is written of Judas, who was positioned among the sacrifices while plotting the betrayal of the Lord's blood: 'Let his prayer be turned into sin.'✦ Christ predicts that the Jews will perish no less. The Lord told those who were reporting these things to him that the Jews were no less wicked than those Galileans, and that unless they repented of their sins, they would perish in the same way, both in body and soul. Only repentance frees one from danger, for it is the second plank after a shipwreck. Those Galileans were punished not only because they were sinners, but also to strike terror into others; for people are frequently moved to repentance by the horrific and sudden death of others. Chrysostom says: "In this, however, he shows that he allowed them to suffer such things so that the living, terrified by the dangers of others, might become heirs of the kingdom." You might ask, 'Why then is that person punished, just so I might become better?' Not for that reason; rather, while he is indeed punished for other crimes, it becomes, in fact, a source of salvation for those who see it. Then he presents another example concerning the eighteen Jerusalemites who, while building a certain tower in Siloam, were suddenly crushed when it fell upon them, and they were punished by the very instrument of their own offense; some attributed this ruin to the enormity of their sins, regarding which Christ speaks a similar judgment, just as he did concerning the first example mentioned above. Bede says: "Those Jerusalemites also, crushed by the ruin of the tower, signify the Jews who refused to repent and were to perish along with their walls; that tower signifies him who is the tower of strength, which is rightly in Siloam, interpreted as 'the Sent One'; for it signifies him who, sent by the Father, came into the world, and who crushes all those upon whom he falls."
The Parable of the Fruitless Fig Tree
Through the parable of the fig tree, Christ warns against spiritual barrenness and the danger of occupying space in God's vineyard without bearing fruit.
Regarding this, He told them the parable of the fig tree that bore no fruit and was taking up space in the ground for nothing; the owner of the vineyard wanted it cut down because he had looked for fruit on it for three years and found none, but he was persuaded by the vineyard keeper, who wanted to dig around it and add fertilizer, to leave it for that third year as well, in the hope that it might improve. He concluded that the Jews would likewise be cut off from this present life and punished, unless they produced the fruit of repentance and good works. In this parable, both the patience of God and the negligence of man are made clear. The fig tree planted in the vineyard is the synagogue, established in the house of Israel and among the Jewish people; the three years of visitation are the decrees of the Law, the warnings of the Prophets, and the grace of the shining Gospel—in which God sought the fruit of good works from the Jews and found none, except in a very few who were counted as nothing compared to the great multitude. And although its caretakers dug around it with the spade of sharp rebuke, humbling it and striking fear of God’s judgments into it, and applied fertilizer by showing it the filth and abomination of its sins—things through which humility and compunction are usually stirred up and people are moved to repent—the caretakers still made little progress, and for that reason the Jews deserved to be cut down. The world is also called God’s field and vineyard, whose trees and vines are human beings; some are indeed fruitful, while others are fruitless. Its caretakers are the prelates and priests; but the soul of every person is also a tree, a vineyard, a garden, and a field for the One who must cultivate it so that it may bear fruit. But, alas! In many who occupy the earth to no purpose, no fruit is found; and therefore they have reason to fear the punishment that the Lord threatens against them. Hence Gregory says: "The Lord came to the fig tree a third time, because He sought out the nature of the human race before the Law, under the Law, and under grace—waiting, admonishing, and visiting; yet He complains that in those three years He found no fruit, because the minds of certain wicked people are neither corrected by the inspired natural law, nor instructed by commandments, nor converted by the miracles of His Incarnation." But we must hear with fear what is said: 'Cut it down; why does it occupy the ground?' For everyone who, according to his own measure, doesn't show the fruit of good work, occupies the ground like a fruitless tree—so says Gregory. The 'cultivators' are those who are in charge of the fig tree and take care of it, or the saints who pray within the Church for those who are outside it. They all intercede with the Lord for the fig tree, saying: 'Lord, leave it alone for this year'—that is, for this time under grace—'until I dig around it,' by cultivating it and rebuking its vices, 'and put manure on it,' by stirring up repentance through the stench of its sins. To 'dig around' is to teach the humility of repentance and patience, for the trench is the humble earth; but the manure is the filth and the memory of sins, and they produce fruit. For what is filthier than manure? What is filthier? And yet, if you make good use of it, what could be more fruitful? As Gregory says: "The tree revives from the dung to bear fruit, because from the consideration of sin, it rouses itself to good works." Digging is the recognition of one's sins; for a sinner covers up his own sins, but by digging, he will see the abomination of his sins and be ashamed of them. Manuring, or the application of dung, is the remembrance of death; for in death, a person becomes dung and rot itself. Indeed, the memory of death preserves one from sin, urges one toward good works, and preserves the grace of God. The fig tree can also morally signify any person in the Church of God who is planted to bear fruit. The three years in which it bears no fruit can be understood as youth, middle age, and old age, during which it has earned being cut down from this present life through death. The gardener is understood as the person's guardian angel, who asks that he be allowed to live on in his old age so that, through the angel's diligence, the person might amend his life and bear fruit; otherwise, he should be cut down and cast into the fire. The fig tree can also be understood in a moral sense as the religious life, which its Lord—that is, Christ—had planted in His vineyard, the Church, through Anthony, Augustine, Benedict, and others. He came seeking fruit—the progress of religious life and holiness in that religion—but He found nothing but leaves, and nothing of the truth of the religious life beyond words and an outward habit. But what did He say to the gardener? He spoke to the assembly of prelates and teachers, whose duty it is to prune the branches, pull out the thorns, and do other things of this kind: 'Look, for three years—the time of Anthony, Augustine, and Benedict—I have been coming and seeking fruit, that is, virtues and works, and I do not find it; for it was too close to the world and its ways, and therefore it could not preserve its fruit until maturity and the end.' But in truth, fear strikes every religious person when it is said here: 'Cut it down'—that is, announce that it must be cut down—'because it is fruitless; why does it occupy the ground?' It uses worldly things, yet it does not exercise the place it holds with good works. For as Augustine says, the sinner isn't worthy of the bread he eats. And the prelate, responding—because prelates ought to intercede for their subjects—said, while praying for them: 'Lord, let it alone for this year also, so that it may repent and bear fruit.' But, alas! This is because, once a period of repentance has been granted, many abuse it through pride, failing to amend themselves until I dig around them—that is, by bringing them to humility through rebuke and calling them back from the love of earthly things; for whoever digs pulls up the earth and makes a trench, which is to say, they create humility, and I will cast in the manure—that is, by bringing to mind the abomination, filth, and vileness of the evils they have committed. Yet many still refuse to repent in this way; instead, they grumble against those who bring the abomination of their sins to their memory, whether through preaching, reading, correction, or accusation. Therefore, they have reason to fear being cut down, because every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. These three years can also signify the three vows common to every religious life, regarding which the Lord will question each of us with great strictness as to how they have been observed; but many have reason to fear that He'll find these vows broken or poorly kept. The gardener of this vineyard can also be reason itself, which ought to dig around its own conscience by creating a trench of humility and emptying it of every appetite for this world; it must also cast manure around it by considering the misery of this world, because all worldly things, according to the Apostle, are nothing but manure. This consideration and the aforementioned digging make the fig tree of a religious person's conscience bear fruit. And the fig tree is a fitting symbol for the religious life. First, because just as a fig contains many seeds within a single skin in a certain sweetness, so too does the religious life contain many people living in harmony under one way of life and one rule. Second, because the leaves of a fig tree bear a resemblance to a human hand; in the same way, the words of religious people, which are signified by the leaves, must be matched by their deeds, so that they do whatever they say. Third, because it is said that the most ferocious bulls become tame when they are tied to a fig tree; so too do insolent and dissolute young people become tame and humbly submit to the yoke of Christ when they enter the religious life and are bound by the ceremonies of the Order. But note what is said in Jeremiah: "What do you see, Jeremiah?" There are very good figs and very bad figs; for when a religious person is good, there is no one better, and when he is bad, there is no one worse. Hence Augustine says: "I confess simply that since I began to serve God, just as I have found it difficult to find anyone better than those who have made progress in monasteries, so I have not found anyone worse than those who have failed in them." ... We are taught and warned here, therefore, not to be barren like an unfruitful tree, and not to occupy the ground uselessly, lest we be cut down without the fruit of good works and cast into the fire. For, as Bernard says, two things are owed to an unfruitful tree: the axe and the fire. The Church can also be signified by the ground occupied by a sterile fig tree, which is pressed down by the harmful shadow of prelates and superiors so that it doesn't see the light of truth, and is hindered by their examples so that it doesn't grow warm in the sun of the love of God; of whom it can well be said: "Woe to you, scribes..." ...and Pharisees, who shut the kingdom of heaven before men." Ambrose says: "Anyone who holds a position but doesn't use it for good works occupies the earth to no purpose; by the example of their own corruption, they become a stumbling block to others." But, as Jerome says: "Whoever sees that they are inadequate, or that they aren't making progress in the position where they ought to be serving and helping others, is bound to step down, so they don't occupy the place of someone better." Augustine adds: "There is nothing anyone should think about more than turning their eyes inward, learning about themselves, examining themselves, searching for themselves, and finding themselves; then, whatever displeases them, they should kill off, and whatever pleases them, they should cultivate and plant." For when a person finds themselves empty of the better goods, why are they so greedy for exterior goods? Look, what good is a chest full of riches if your conscience is empty? You want to have good things, but you don't want to be a good person! Don't you see that you should be ashamed of your possessions if your house is full of good things, yet you yourself are bad? Tell me, why would you want to be bad? Nothing at all. You have no wife, no son, no servant, no estate, no tunic, and finally, not even a shoe; and yet, you want to have a wicked life! I ask you: put your life ahead of your shoe. Everything that meets your eyes is elegant and beautiful, and you hold it dear, yet you are vile and wretched to yourself! If the good things with which your house is filled—the things you longed to have and feared to lose—could answer you, wouldn't they cry out: "You want to possess us, good things; but don't we also want to possess a good master?" In a silent voice, they plead against you to their Master. Look, you have given so many good things to this person, and yet he himself is evil. For what good is it to have what you have, when you don't have Him who gave you everything? That is what Augustine says. In one of his sermons, Augustine used these words to turn a certain man of loose morals away from his sins.
The Healing of the Bent Woman
Jesus heals a woman bound by infirmity on the Sabbath, rebuking the hypocrisy of those who value their livestock more than the restoration of a human soul.
He was teaching in their synagogue, in a common place where the Jews used to gather, and on the Sabbath, when people ought to focus on divine worship to hear the word of God; he proposed the aforementioned parable there to indicate that it applied to the synagogue, and to compare the synagogue to a fruitless tree. For the cutting down of the tree signified the excision of the synagogue regarding certain reprobate and damnable people; but the straightening of the woman who follows signifies the exaltation of the Church and the raising up of every faithful soul, whether to faith and grace, or to glory. Hence Ambrose says: "How merciful the Lord is, how kind in both, when he shows mercy or when he judges!" In the type of the synagogue, he commands the tree to be cut down; in the type of the Church, he saves the woman. Then, therefore, there was a certain woman there who had a spirit of infirmity—that is, an infirmity inflicted and caused by an evil spirit, because it was from Satan; for eighteen years she was bound by the chain of infirmity and bent over like a brute animal, so that she could not look up to heaven, for which she was made, because she was wise in earthly things and, seeking only the lowest, did not yet know how to think of heavenly and higher things. When he saw her, he called her to himself and healed her. When he laid his hands upon her, she was immediately straightened and glorified God for the benefits received; for God retains only the glory from his works, but he grants all the benefit to us. In this, the Lord shows his humility, because he didn't disdain to touch the infirm, no matter how deformed or grave their infirmity might be. Although this woman's inclination is understood as the infirmity she suffered while the devil was vexing her, we take it morally this way: would that every woman had her face and eyes cast down to the earth in such a way that she would never look at a man, because his gaze is very dangerous! We are warned here so that our lives don't get entangled in earthly things, just as that woman was bent toward the earth. As Augustine says, the more anyone is entangled in earthly occupations, the more they are hindered from the vision of their Creator. And as Gregory says, whoever craves visible things loses invisible virtues. That person is truly a bent man who, inclined toward guilt, cannot look upward through justice; because, given over to earthly pleasures, he thinks of and loves only earthly and passing things, doesn't lift the eyes of his mind to contemplate heavenly things, and doesn't seek the riches of eternal happiness. However, if the Lord touches such a person through grace and places the hand of His mercy upon him, he is immediately raised up through justification, and forgetting earthly things, he contemplates heavenly ones. Hence the same Gregory says: 'For every sinner who thinks of earthly things and does not seek heavenly ones is unable to look upward, because while he follows lower desires...' ...he is bent from the uprightness of his mind, and he always sees what he thinks about without ceasing. And because he doesn't rise up to heavenly desire, like a bent woman, he is in no way able to look upward. For habitual sin binds the soul so that it can in no way rise to righteousness. A person tries and slips; because where they persist in their own will for a long time, there, even when they don't want to, they fall by necessity. If, therefore, we have already recognized the good things of our heavenly homeland, let it displease us that we are bent over. Keep the bent-over woman and the fruitless tree before your eyes. Hence Augustine also says: 'Therefore, whoever is barren, let them do penance and produce fruit worthy of penance.' Whoever is so bent over that they look only at the earth and find joy in earthly happiness, let them be raised up; if they cannot do it by themselves, let them call upon God—so says Augustine. How should one behave? And a person ought to raise themselves up with good reason; for they have a face created to look toward heaven, so that they might focus more on heavenly and eternal things than on these temporal and fading ones. Augustine says the same: "The upright form of the human body reminds you to set your mind on things above." The Lord made beasts face downward, looking to the earth for their food, but He raised you up on two feet and intended for your face to look toward the heavens. Don't let your heart be at odds with your face, so that you have your face turned upward but your heart turned downward. Basil says: "Earthly beasts look toward the earth; but man, a heavenly tree, differs from them as much in the dignity of his soul as he does in the upright shape of his body." The shape of four-footed animals is such that they look to the earth with their head or body, walk on their bellies, and pursue whatever is pleasurable in every way. Your head is raised toward heaven, and your eyes contemplate things above; so if you ever degrade yourself through the passions of the flesh by serving your belly, you are compared to senseless beasts—that is, those without wisdom—and you become like them. You have a worthy concern: to seek what is above, where Christ is, and to set your mind on things beyond the earth; live your life in a way that matches how you were made. You have citizenship in heaven; your true homeland is the Jerusalem that is above, and your fellow citizens are those whose names are written in heaven. And Bernard adds: "The soul's curvature is to seek and savor what is on the earth." It's shameful for a human being, who is built upright, to have the mind of a beast. And again: "God gave man an upright physical stature, perhaps so that this outward and lower rectitude of the body might remind the inner man—who was made in the image of God—to keep his own spiritual rectitude; and so that the beauty of the clay might rebuke the deformity of the soul." For what is more indecent than to have a crooked soul in an upright body? It's a perverse and foul thing for a muddy vessel—which is what the body from the earth is—to have its eyes fixed upward, to freely take in the heavens, and to delight its gaze in the lights of the sky, while the spiritual and heavenly creature, by contrast, drags its eyes—that is, its inner senses and affections—down to the earth; and for that which ought to be nourished on golden things to cling to the mud like one of the swine, and to embrace filth." So says Bernard. Hence Boethius: "You who seek the heavens with an upright face, lift up your brow; lift your mind on high, lest your soul, weighed down, sink lower while your body is raised up." Hence also Ovid: "While animals look down at the earth, He gave man an upright face and commanded him to look at the heavens." He commanded him to lift his face toward the stars. Note also, as Aristotle says in his book on Animals, that birds close their eyes with their lower eyelid, but heavy animals with their upper eyelid. By birds, we mean spiritual people who close their eyes to lower, earthly things and set their sights on heavenly, higher things. By coarse animals, however, we mean worldly people who keep their eyes closed to heavenly and spiritual things, while keeping them open to earthly and secular things. This bent woman represents the sinful soul and the greedy mind: a woman, because she is cold from the absence of charity; bent, because for a long time, through the devil's influence, she has been so curved toward a disordered love of earthly things that, due to long-standing habit, she cannot look up at heavenly things, as if she has forgotten heaven—for her brothers were Manasseh, which means 'forgetfulness,' and Ephraim, which means 'fruitful'—and she has a spirit of infirmity, because she is weak toward spiritual things, and has had it for eighteen years, because it is a very long-lasting condition. According to Augustine, while other vices grow old as a person ages, only greed grows younger. But Jesus touches her on the Sabbath, when by His inspiration she rests from sin; and so she is raised up again through a longing for heavenly things. In healing the woman, the Lord did five things: He saw her with mercy, called her, healed her, touched her, and raised her up. Thus, the Lord, intending to heal the sinful soul perfectly, first sees her through compassion; second, calls her through an interior inspiration; third, heals her through the forgiveness of sin; fourth, touches her through the sorrow of penance; and fifth, raises her to heavenly things through the fervor of love. The leader of the synagogue, mentioned immediately after, represents the hypocrite who exalts himself above others; he is the one who grumbles about this when he judges and interprets things wrongly. For this reason, he is rightly criticized for such grumbling, because greater care ought to be shown for human nature than for brute animals. It follows: The leader of the synagogue—that is, the head of the synagogue who, out of envy, tried to discredit Christ’s deeds—responded, indignant at this act. Pretending to act out of zeal for the Law, he told the crowd not to come for healing on the Sabbath, but on the other six days when work is permitted; he was indirectly criticizing the Lord, since he didn't dare to criticize Him directly and personally. The Lord answered him, calling them hypocrites and saying that it was right to free this woman from the bond of her infirmity on the Sabbath, because they themselves would untie an ox or an ass from its manger on that day and lead it to water. Ambrose says of this: "How sweet this parable is, and how simple!" He compares one bond to another, so that the hypocrisy of the Jews might be refuted by their own actions. For when they untie their animals on the Sabbath, they condemn the Lord, who freed human beings from the bond of their sins. Finally, God rested from the works of the world, but not from holy works, for His operation is eternal and constant, as the Son says: 'My Father is working until now, and I am working,' so that in the likeness of God, our secular works—but not our religious ones—might cease. The leader of the synagogue, therefore, had a poor understanding of the Law, since he did not want works of piety and mercy to be done on the Sabbath. For the Law did not forbid filial and generous work on the Sabbath, but rather servile and harmful work, prefiguring the time when our secular works—but not religious ones, or those of praising God—would cease. As a sign of this, the Lord performed healings on the Sabbath. Therefore, the work of healing and the performance of miracles—which are ordered toward God's glory and the stirring up of devotion in those who see them—could be done on the Sabbath, and even more fittingly on that day than on others, because that day was set aside for divine worship and for the devotion of the people. But they don't hesitate to put the work of charity—that is, the healing of a human being—after the work of greed, namely, the care of cattle. That is why he rightly calls them hypocrites, or pretenders, because while they want to be seen as teachers of the people, they put the human being after the beast. Hence Chrysostom says: "He rightly calls the leader of the synagogue a hypocrite, because he had the face of one who honors the Law, but his mind was that of a crafty and envious man." "For he isn't troubled because the Sabbath is violated, but because Christ is glorified," says Chrysostom. Similarly, many today—not only secular people but even those in religious life—are like this, caring more for cattle than for a human being. Hence Bernard says: "An ass has fallen, and there is someone to lift it up; a soul is perishing, and there is no one who cares." "Therefore, anyone who prioritizes the care of a horse, or any of their own cattle, or even their own body—spending money and laboring more willingly so that it might be freed from sickness or other dangers than they do for the soul of a Christian so that it might be healed and freed from the snares of the devil, even though they are bound to love that soul much more than their own body—is a hypocrite and commits a grave sin." How the Sabbath is to be kept holy. It should be understood that when it is said, 'Keep the Sabbath holy,' this can be taken in three ways: first, in a general sense, that we cease from vices and sins; second, in a specific sense, that we cease from physical labors that hinder our leisure for God and His worship, such as mechanical work, farming, trading, legal disputes, and the like; third, in the most specific sense, as it is for those in the contemplative life, who separate themselves from all worldly things so that they may be entirely free for God. The first kind of leisure is necessary, the second is required, and the third is perfect. When He said these things, all His adversaries blushed, confused by His reasonable answer, because they couldn't contradict the manifest truth. And all the people—that is, the simple and the humble—rejoiced in His glorious deeds and words, as lovers of the truth.
The Fox and the Path to Jerusalem
Christ defies the threats of Herod, affirming His divine mission and His inevitable journey toward the cross in Jerusalem.
On that very day, some Pharisees approached Him—that is, Jesus—some perhaps out of good zeal, meaning they wanted Him to take care of Himself; others out of malice, meaning they wanted to test whether He would stop His teaching out of fear of death: "Leave and go from here," they said, "to a place where Herod has no part." Showing that He wasn't intimidated by such things, He replied, "Go, tell that fox." By 'fox,' He meant a wicked prince; for a fox is a crafty, greedy, crooked-walking, and foul-smelling animal. A wicked prince like Herod is likewise crafty through his evil schemes, greedy for what isn't his, crooked in his perverse judgment, and foul through the infamy of his name. He is someone who also strives to kill Christ in himself and in His members, as much as he is able. Hence Bernard says: "It is clear how much an unjust power harms, and how a wicked head conforms even its subjects to its own impiety." A truly miserable city is one where Herod reigns, for it will share in Herodian malice! Herodian malice was the desire to extinguish the nascent religion; if anyone, therefore, hinders or persecutes the beginning, progress, or completion of religion or holiness, that person persecutes Christ alongside Herod, as Bernard says. Tell that fox, I say: 'Look, I am casting out demons, and they cannot resist, since they are of a greater power than Herod, and therefore I have no reason to fear him; I am performing healings for him—that is, in body and soul—today and tomorrow, meaning in these few days, right up to the time of My Passion; and on the third day I am brought to completion, through death.' It’s as if he were saying: Herod won't be able to stop me from doing what I intend. He touches on his intention in three stages: the first consists in the casting out of demons; the second, in the healing of infirmities; the third, in the completion of his office through the gallows of the cross, for then all things said about him in the Law and the Prophets were fulfilled—which is why he said, "It is finished." Note that the adverbs 'today' and 'tomorrow' must be applied individually to the verbs, so the sense is: 'Today I cast out demons; and tomorrow I complete the healings.' For the first is the casting out of demons; afterward, the bestowal of health; third, the completion of the health bestowed. Mystically, the first stage was the expulsion of the enemy; the second, the perfect healing of wounded nature; the third, the reconciliation of man to God. Morally, the first stage consists of rejecting vices; the second, of acquiring virtues and practicing good habits; the third, of attaining rewards. Hence in Hosea: 'He will revive us after two days; and on the third day he will raise us up,' that is, to be glorified. Or these three days signify the three parts of penance: contrition with sorrow, confession with shame, and satisfaction with labor. He adds a note about the place of His Passion, where it will be brought to completion through His death, saying: "Nevertheless, I must keep walking today, tomorrow, and the next day"—that is, for a few days—"to the place of the Passion; for it is not fitting—that is, it is not appropriate, understood absolutely and not transitively—it is not fitting, I say, for a Prophet, namely Me, to perish—that is, to be killed—outside Jerusalem, where My prophets were killed; there I, the Head of the prophets, about whom all the prophets wrote, must be sacrificed, where, in fact, Herod does not rule, but Pilate." From this it's clear that My death isn't in his power, just as neither the hour nor the time is. It's as if He were saying: "I know well the place of My Passion, but he doesn't." If only preachers, prelates, and all other faithful people today wouldn't stop teaching and confessing the truth because of the fear of princes and wicked men, but instead, by imitating Christ, would boldly confess and defend the truth before everyone! PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, grant that I may fervently perform the fruit of good works and persevere in them constantly, so that I may not be found without fruit and deserve to be cut down and thrown into the fire. Grant also to me, my God, that I may not be bowed downward by guilt, but may look upward through justice; and may I not be bent away from the uprightness of my mind to think about and love earthly and passing things, but rather lift the eyes of my mind to contemplate heavenly things and seek the riches of eternal happiness. O Lord, look upon me in Your mercy; call me through Your interior inspiration; heal me through the forgiveness of sin; touch me with the sorrow of satisfaction; lift me to heavenly things through the fervor of love. Amen.
Read the original Latin
ficantes occidi jubet. — Et relictis illis in incredulitate sua, iterum abiit Jesus in Galilaeam. Cumque ibi maneret et doceret, aderant eo tempore quidam, Judaei, nuntiantes ji6 Christo quod quosdam de Galilais, acilicet viginti viros, dum sacrificarent et in actu in sacrifiriis occttpati essent, Pilatus interfecit; ei sanguinem eorum cum sacrificiis miscuit, quia, morte cum sacrificiis concurrente, sanguis interfectorum cum sanguine sacrificiorum mixtus fuit. Secundum Cyrillum, isti erant sequaces dogmatum Judse Galilaei, cujus mentionem Lucas in Actibus Apostolorum facit, qui dicebat quod illicitum erat Judaeis cognoscere aliquem Dominum praeter Deum ; et multi consenserunt ei, in tantum quod prohibebant oblationes statutas a populo fieri pro salute Romani imperii. De quo Pilatus indignatus, venit super eos sacrificantes, secundum ritum suum, et inter ipsas victimas, quas ritu Legis se offerre putabant, eos occidit; ita quod sanguis offerentium oblatis victimis misceretur. Unde ortae sunt inimicitiae inter ipsum et Herodem, quia Galilaei de Herodis potestate erant. Et quia aliqui de vulgo illam occisionem subitam et horrendam horribilibus peccatis ipsorum occisorum imputabant, credentes justissime eos talia passos esse, narraverunt hoc Salvatori, volentes percipere quid ei super hoc videretur. Dominus autem non negat, sed ponit eos peccatores fuisse, et propter hoc periisse; non tamen asserit talia esse passos eos, tanquam pejores non patientibus, quia talis mors non est argumentum suflficiens quod gravius peccassent ceteris omnibus, quia frequenter Deus peccata minus gravia punit in praesenti vita, et graviora post vitam praesentem differt gravius punienda.
Mystice Pilatus signat diabolum, semper animas occidere paratum; sanguis exprimit peccatum, et sacrificia bonas actiones. Galilaei, qui interpretantur transmigrantes, signant hujus mundi viatores; mors quoque istorum corporalis signat spiritualem mortem eorum qui non pure offerunt sacrificia. Pilatus ergo sanguinem GaHlaeorum, cum sacrificiis eorum miscet , quando diabolus precea, eleemosynas, jejunia, ceteraque bona opera fideiium, vel mortifera carnis et sanguinis delectatione, vel odii meditatione , vel invidtae furore, vel humanae laudis ambitione, vel sinistra intentiooe, velaliaqualibet nefaria peste commacuiat; ut quamvis oblata Domino videantur, nihil tamen prosint offerentibus, sed potius interdum fiant in peccatum. De Juda enim, qui inter sacrificia positus, proditionem Dominici sanguinis cogitabat, scriptum est: Et oratio ejus fiat in peccatum. i Christus JuDjEOS non minus Ituros pr^dicit. — Et ait Dominus eis qui haec sibi nuntiabant, Judaeos non minus illis Galilaeis sceleratos ; et nisi de peccatis pcenituerint, similiter in corpore et anima perituros. Sola ejiim poenitentia liberat a periculo, quia est secunda post naufiagium tabula. Xlli quidem Galilaei, non solum quia peccatores fuerunt, sed et in terrorem aliorum puniti sunt; quia frequenter moventur homines ad pcenitentiam ex morte aliorum horrida et repentina.
Unde Chrysostomus : « In hoc autem ostendit quod illos permisit talia pati, ut viventes, alienis periculis territi, fierent heredes regni. Quid igitur, dices, ut melior ego fiam , ille punitur? Non ideo; sed punitur quidem propter alia crimina, fit vero ex hoc videntibus salutis materia. » Deinde ponit aliud exemplum de decem et octo Jerosolymitis , qui dum aedificarent quamdam turrim in Siloe, subito cedidit super eos et oppressit, punitique sunt instrumento suae offensionis; quam ruinam aliqui imputabant cnormitati peccatorum suorum, de quo similem sententiam dicit Christus , sicut et de primo exemplo supradicto. Unde Beda : « Illi etiam Jerosolymitae, a ruina turris oppressi, significant Judaeos qui poenitere noluerint, cum moenibus suis esse perituros; illa turris signat illum qui est turris fortitudinis, quae merito est in Siloe, quae interpretatur missus; signat enim eum qui missus a Patre venit in mundum, qui omnes super quos ceciderit, conterat :
Super quo dixit eis simiUtudinem ficulneae fructum non facientis, et terram inutiliter occupantis, quam dominus vineae succidi voluit, quia tertio anno fructum in ea quaerens, non invenit; sed a cultore vineae circa eam fodere et stercora mittere volente rogatus, etiam ipso anno tertio, propter spem emendationis, dimisit. Concludens quod Judaei similiter essent praescindendi de vita praesenti, et pimiendi, nisi fructum pcenitentiae et bonorum operum facerent. In hac similitudine, quanta sit Dei patientia, quanta sit hominis negligentia, manifestatur. Ficulnea plantata in vinea est synagoga erecta in domo Israel et plebe Judaica; tres anni visitationis sunt Legis edicta, Prophetarum contestationes, et coruscantis Evangelii gratia ; in quibus Deus quaesivit fructum bonorum operum a Judaeis, et non invenit, nisi in valde paucis, qui quasi nihil computabantur, respectu tantae multitudinis. Et quamvis cultores ejus circa illam foderent ligone acutae invectionis eam humiiiando, et terrorem divinorum judiciorum sibi immittendo, ac stercora mitterent, foeditatem et abominationem peccatorum suorum ei ostendendo, per quae solent humilitas et compunctio suscitari et homines de peccatis suis poenitere , parum tamen cultores profecerunt, et ideo Judaei succidi meruerunt. Dei etiam ager et vinea mundus dicitur, cujus arbores et vites sunt homines; et aliae quidem fructuosae, aliae vero infructuosae. Hujus vero cultores sunt praelati et sacerdotes; sed et cujuslibet anima est arbor, vinea, hortus, et ager iilius, qui illam excolere habet ut fructus faciat. Sed, heu!
in multis terram inutiliter occupantibus, fructus non invenitur; et ideo timere habent pcenam quam eis Dominus comminatur. Unde Gregorius : « Tertio autem Dominus ad ficulneam venit, quia naturam generis humani ante Legem, sub Lege, sub gratia exspectando, admonendo, visitando requisivit; sed tamen in tribus annis fructum se non invenisse conqueritur, quia quorumdam pravorum mentes nec inspirata lex naturalis corrigit, nec praecepta erudiunt, nec Incarnatic— nis ejus miracuia convertunt. Sed cum timore audiendum est quod dicitur : Succide eam, utquid terram occupat? Unusquisque enim juxta modum suum, si fructum bonae operationis non exhibet, velut infructuosa arbor terram occupat : » haec Gregorius. Cultores vero sunt qui ficulneae praesunt, et ejus curam gerunt; vel, Sancti qui intra Ecciesiam orant pro eis qui extra eam sunt, qui omnes interpellant Dominum pro ficulnea, dicentes : Domine, dimitte illam et hoc anno f id est tempore isto sub gratia, usquedum fodiam circa illam, excolendo et vitia reprehendendo; et mittam stercora, per foetorem peccatorum ad poenitentiam suscitando. Circumfodere enim est humilitatem poenitentiae et patien7 tiam docere, fossa namque est humilis terra; stercus autem sordes sunt, et memoria peccatorum, et fructum dant. Quid enim stercore . sordidius?
Et tamen si eo bene utaris, quid fructuosius> Unde idem Gregorius ; a Ex stercore igitur ad fructum reviviscit arbor, quia de consideratione peccati ad bona se opera resuscitat. » Vel , fossio est peccatorum recognitio; peccator enim peccata sua cooperit, sed fodiendo videbit abominationem peccatorum, et inde erubescet. Stercoratio autem, vel fimi appositio, est mortis recordatio; in morte enim homo stercus efficitur, et putredo ipsa, namque mortis memoria a peccato praeservat, in bono opere sollicitat, et gratiam Dei conservat. Per arborem etiam fici moraliter potest quaelibet persona in Ecclesia Dei ad fructificandum plantata signari, et per tres annos in quibus non facit fructum, juventus et astas media et senecta intelligi, propter quod meruit per mortem de praesenti vita succidi ; per cultorem autem, Angelus custos hujus hominis accipitur, qui rogat ut adhuc in senio vivere dimittatur, ut per ejus diligentiam circa talem hominem se emendet, et fructificet; alioquin succidatur, et in ignem mittatur.
Potest etiam moraliter arbor fici dici religio; quam Dominus ejus qui eam servat, scilicet Christus, habebat plantatam in vinea sua, id est in Ecclesia, scilicet per Antonium, per Augustinum, per Benedictum aliosque; et venit qu&rens fructum, scilicet religionis et sanctitatis profectumin illa, scilicet religione; et non invenit nisi folia tantum, et nihil de veritate religionis, praeter verba et exteriorem habitum. Dixit autem ad cultorem vima? , scilicet ad coetum praelatorum et doctorum, quorum officium est sarmenta amputare, spinas evel lere, et cetera hujusmodi facere : Ecce tres anni sunt, scilicet tempus Antonii, Augustini et Benedicti, ex quo venio quatrens fructum, scilicet virtutum et operum, et non invenio illum, nimis enim prope viam et mundum erat, et ideo fructus usque ad maturitatem et finem servare non poterat. Sed revera omni religioso timor incutitur, cum hic dicitur : Succide ergo illam, id est succidendam annuntia, quia, est infructuosa; utquid terram occupat? et temporalibus utitur, quia locum quem tenet, operibus bonis non exercet. Ut enim dicit Augustinus, peccator non est dignus pane quo vescitur. Et respondens praelatus, quia praelati debent se opponere pro subditis, dixit, scilicet orando pro eis : Domine, dimiUe illam et hoc anno, scilicet ut poeniteat et fructificet. Sed, heu!
quia, concesso spatio poenitentiae, multi abutuntur in superbia, se non emendando, usquedum fodiam circa illam, scilicet per increpationem humiliando et ab amore terrenorum revocando; qui enim fodit, terram extrahit, et fossam, id est humilitatem, facit ; et mittam stercora, scilicet malorum quae fecit abominationem et foeditatem, et vilitatem ad memoriam reducendo. Sunt tamen multi qui nec sic poenitere volunt, sed murmurant contra illos qui eis peccatorum suorum abominationem ad memoriam reducunt, sive in praedicatione, sive in lectione, sive in correptione, sive in accusatione; et ideo timendum est eis ne' succidantur, quia omnis arbor qua> non facit fructum bonum excidetur f et in ignem mittetur. Tres etiam anni possunt significare tria vota communia omni religioni, super quibus Dominus quemlibet noslrum interrogabit cum exactione magna quomodo fuerint observata; sed timendum est multis, ne ista vota inveniat fracta vel male observata. Cultor etiam hujus vineae potest ipsa ratio esse, quae debet fodere circa conscientiam suam, in faciendo foveam humilitatis et ipsam evacuando ab omni appetitu mundi hujus : et debet mittere circa illam stercora, considerando hujus mundi miseriam, quia omnia mundana, secundum Apostolum, non sunt nisi stercora ; et istorum consideratio et fossio praedicta faciunt ficum conscientiae religiosi fructificare. Et bene per arborem fici intelligitur religio. Primo, quia sicut ficus sub uno cortice multa grana continet in quadam dulcedine; ita religio sub uno modo vivendi, et sub una regula, multos habet homines concorditer viventes. Secundo, quia folia ficus habent quasi similitudinem manus humanae; sic verba religiosorum, quae per folia significantur, debent operibus adaequari, ut quidquid dicunt, illud faciant. Tertio, quia tauri ferocissimi dicuntur mansuescere, quando ficui alligantur; sic juvenes insolentes et dissoluti mansuescunt, et Christi jugo humiliter subjiciuntur, quando religionem ingrediuntur, et ceremoniis Ordinis alligantur.
Sed nota quod in Jeremia dicitur : Quid tu vides, Jeremia? Ficus bonas, bonas valde; et ficus malas, malas valde, quia quando religiosus est bonus, non est melior eo ; et quando est malus, non est pejor eo. Unde Augustinus : « Simpliciter fateor ex quo Deo servire coepi, quoniam sicut difficile expertus sum meliores, quam qui in monasteriis profecerunt; sic non sum expertus pejores, quam qui in eis defecerunt. » 5 cupare? — Docemur ergo hic et monemur, ut non simus steriles, sicut arbor infructuosa, et terram inutiliter non occupemus ; ne sine fructu bonorum operum iaventi, succidamur, et in ignem mittamur. Quia, ut ait Bernardus, arbori infructuosae duo debentur, securis et ignis. Potest autem per terram sterili ficu occupatam Ecclesia significari, quae noxia praelatorum et praepositorum umbra premitur, ne lumen veritatis videat, et exemplis eorum impeditur, ne sole dilectionis Dei calescat; de quibus bene dici potest : Voe vobis, Scriba? et Pharism, qui clauditis regnum ccelorum ante homines.
Unde Ambrosius : « Inutiliter terram occupat qui locum quem tenet, bonis operibus non exercet; qui exemplo pravitatis impedimentum praestat ceteris. » Sed, ut ait Hieronymus : « Qui viderit se insufficientem csse, vel non proficere in loco in quo ministrare et aliis prodesse debet, tenetur cedere, ne melioris locum occupet. » Ubi et Augustinus : « Nihil est quod sic quisque cogitare debeat, nisi ut in semetipsum oculos convertat, sc discat, se discutiat, se quaerat, et se inveniat; et quod displicet, necet; quod placet, aptet et plantet. Cum enim se homo inanem invenerit meliorum bonorum, utquid est avidus exteriorum bonorum? Ecce quid prodest plena bonis arca, si inanis est conscientia? Bona vis habere, et bonus non vis esse ! Non vides erubescere te debere de bonis tuis, si domus tua plena est bonis, et te habet malum? Quid enim est quod velis malum habere, dic mihi ?
Nihil omnino. Non uxorem, non filium, non servum, non villam, non tunicam, postremo non caligam; et tamen vis habere vitam malam! Rogo te, praepone vitam tuam caligae tuae. Omnia quae circumjacent oculis tuis elegantia et pulchra, tibi cara sunt, et tibiipsi vilis es, fcedus es! Si possent tibi 7 20 respondere bona, quibus plena est domustua, quae habere optasti, quae perdere timuisti, nonne tibi clamarent : Tu nos bona vis habere, sic et nos voiumus bonum habere dominum? Tacita voce interpellant contra te dominum suum. Ecce tanta bona dedisti huic, et ipse malus est. Quid enim prodest quod habet : quando eum qui omnia dedit, non habet ?
» haec Augustinus. Per haec verba praedicta quemdam lubricum a peccatis retraxit Augustinus in quodam sermone suo.
Erat autem docens in synagoga eorum, in loco communi, ubi conveniebant Judaei, et in sabbatis, in quibus homines debent intendere divino cultui ad audiendum verbum Dei ; ut ibi praedictam similitudinem proponens, eam ad synagogam pertinere indicaret, et quod synagogam infructuosae arbori compararet. Arboris enim succisio significabat synagogae excisionem quoad quosdam reprobos et damnandos; sed mulieris de qua sequitur erectio, Ecclesiae exaltationem et cujuslibet fidelis animae erectionem, sive ad fidem et gratiam, sive ad gloriam. Uhde Ambrosius : « Quam clemens Dominus, quam pius in utroque, cum aut miseretur, aut vindicat ! In synagogae typo, arborem excidi jubet; in typo Ecclesiae, feminam salvat. » Tunc ergo ibi erat mulier quaedam, qua* habebat spiritum infirmitatis, id est infirmitatem a spiritu maligno inflictam et causatam, quia erat a Satana; decem et octo annis vinculo infirmitatis alligata, et more brutorum incurvata, ita ut nec posset sursum respicere in coelum, ad quod erat facta, quia terrena sapiens et infima requirens coelestia et superiora cogitare nondum sciebat. Cum eam videret, vocavit ad se, et sanavit; et cum manus ei in> poneret, confestim erecta est, et gloriflcabat Deum, pro beneficiis acceptis; solam enim gloriam retinet Deus de operibus suis, totam vero utilitatem concedit nobis. In hoc ostendit Dominus suam humilitatem, quia infirmos non dedignabatur tangere, quantumcunque deformem vel gravem haberent infirmitatem. Licet autem ista inclinatio mulieris intelligatur de inclinatione infirmitatis, quam, diabolo vexante, sustinebat tamen; accipimus eam moraliter sic : quod utinam omnis mulier sic haberet vultum et oculos ad terram demissos, quod in perpetuum hominem non respiceret, quia aspectus ejus valde est periculosus !
HlC enidimur ne vita nostra sit terrenis implicata, sicut mulier terrae erat inclinata. Quia, ut dicit Augustinus, quanto magis quisque terrenis occupationibus implicatur, tanto magis a sui Conditoris visione praepeditur. Et, ut dicit Gregorius , concupiscens visibilia , invisibiles virtutes amittit. Ille quippe homo curvus est, qui inclinatus ad culpam, sursum respicere non potest per justitiam; quia terrenis voluptatibus deditus, sola terrena et transitoria cogitat et diligit, ad coelestia contemplanda mentis oculos non erigit, et aeternae felicitatis divitias non requirit. Hunc autem, si Dominus per gratiam tangat et suae misericordiae manum super eum ponat, statim per justificationem erigitur, et terrenorum oblitus, coelestia contempiatur. Unde idem Gregorius : « Omnis enim peccator terrena cogitans, et coelestia non requirens, sursum respicere non valet, quia, dum desideria inferiora sequitur. a mentis suae rectitudine curvatur, et hoc semper videt quod sine intermissione cogitat. Et quia ad coeleste desiderium non assurgit, quasi mulier inclinata, sursum respicere nequaquam potest.
Usitata etenim culpa obligat mentem, ut nequaquam assurgere possit ad rectitudinem. Conatur et labitur; quia ubi diu sponte persistit, ibi, et cum noluerit, coacta cadit. Si ergo jam bona patriae coelestis agnovimus, displiceat nobis quod curvi sumus. Ponatur ante oculos mulier curva, et arbor infructuosa. » Unde et Augustinus : a Ergo qui sterilis est, agat , poenitentiam et faciat fructum dignum poenitentiae. Qui curtus est ut terram intueatur, terrena fdicitate iaetetur, et erigatur; si per seipsum non potest, invocet Deum : » haec Augustinus. 8 — gere debeat? — Et merito se erigere debet homo ; habet enim faciem ad coelum erectam, ut plus intendat coelestibus et aeternis, quam istis temporalibus et caducis.
Unde idem Augustinus : « Erecta in coelum corporis forma admonet quae sursum sunt sapere. Belluas Dominus prostratas in faciem fecit, pastum quaerentes de terra ; te in duos pedes erexit, tuam faciem sursum attendere voluit. Non discordet cor tuum a fecie tua, ut habeas faciem sursum, et cor deorsum. » Unde et Basilius : a Bestiae terrestres sunt ad terram respicientes; sed coelestis arbor homo, quantum figura corporalis plasmationis, tantum et dignitate animae differt. Quadrupedum figura qualis eat* Capite vel corpore ad terram respicit, super ventrem vadit; et quidquid voluptuosum est, ex omni parte prosequitur. Tuum caput ad coelum erectum est, oculi tui superiora contemplantur; ut si quando tu passionibus carnis teipsum convitiaberis ventri serviens, et his quae sub ventre sunt comparatus es bestiis insipientibus, id est non sapientibus, et shnilts factus es illis. Aiia tibi sollicitudo est digna, quae superius sunt quaerere, ubi Christus est, superque terrestria esse mente; ut formatus es, ita dispone tuiipsius vitam. Urbanitatem habes in coelis; vera tua patria, quae superius est Jerusalem, et tibi cives : Qui conscripti sunt in ccelis.
» Unde et Bernardus : a Curvitas animae est quaerere et sapere quae super terram sunt. Turpe est in humano corpore, quod est erectae formae, belluinam mentem gerere. » Et iterum : « Corporis staturam dedit homini Deus rectam, forsan ut ista corporea exterioris viliorisque rectitudo figmenti, hominem interiorem illum, qui ad imaginem Dei factus est, spiritualis suas servandae rectitudinis admoneret; et decor limi deformitatem argueret animi. Quid enim indecentius , quam curvum recto corpore gerere animum? Perversa res et foeda, luteum vas, quod est corpus de terra, oculos sursum habere, coelos libere suscipere, coelorumque luminaribus oblectare aspectus ; spiritualem vero coelestemque creaturam suos e contrario oculos, id est internos sensus atque affectus trahere in terram deorsum; et quae debuit nutriri in croceis, haerere luto quasi unam de suibus, amplexarique stercora : » haec Bernardus. Unde Boetius : Qui recto ccelum vultu petis, exe[risque frontem; In sublime feras animum, ne gra[ vata pessum Inferior sidat mens, corpore ceU [sius levato* Unde et Ovidius : Pronaque cum spectent animalia [ cetej-a terram ; Os homini sublime dedit, ccelumque [ tueri PRIMjE partis caput lxxix. Jussit, et erectos ad sidera tollere [ vultus. Nota etiam, ut dicit Aristoteles in libro de Animalibus, qubd aves claudant oculos cum palpebra inferiori; animalia vero grossa, cum palpebra superiori.
Per aves intelliguntur viri spirituales, qui ad inferiora et terrena oculos claudunt, ac coelestibus et superioribus intendunt. Per animalia vero grossa, intelliguntur viri mundani, qui habent oculos clausos ad ccelestia et spiritualia, et apertos ad terrestria et secularia.
Per hanc mulierem curvam signatur peccatrix anima, et mens avara : mulier, quia propter absentiam caritatis frigida ; inclinata, quia longo tempore, diabolo procurante, sic ad inordinatum amorem terrenorum est incurvata, quod propter longam consuetudinem aspicere non potest superna, tanquam coeli oblita; fratres enim fuerunt Manasses, id est oblivio, et Ephraim, id est frugifer; — habens spiritum infirmitatis, quia ad spiritualia infirma; decem et octo annis, quia valde diuturna. Secundum enim Augustinum, cum cetera vitia, homine senescente, senescant , sola avaritia juvenescit. Sed Jesus eam tangit in sabbato, quando ejus inspiratione quiescit a peccato; et sic erigitur rursum per ccelestium appetitum. In sanatione autem mulieris, fecit Dominus quinque : vidit misericorditer, vocavit, sanavit, tetigit, et erexit. Sic Dominus animam peccatricem perfecte curaturus : primo, videt eam per pietatem ; secundo, vocat eam per internam inspirationem ; tertio, sanat per peccati remissionem ; quarto, tangit per satisfactionis dolorem; quinto, erigit ad superna, per amoris fervorem. Per Archisynagogum vero, de quo statim subditur, hypocrita qui se super alios extollit signatur; qui de hoc murmurat, quando male judicat et interpretatur. Propter quod merito arguitur de murmure tali, quia cura major circa humanam naturam , quam circa animalia bruta debet adhiberi.
Unde sequitur : Respondens autem Archisynagogus, id est princeps synagogae, qui ex invidia nitebatur gesta Christi decolorare, indignans, de hoc facto, quasi ex Legis zelo, dicebat turbce, quod non venirent pro cura die sabbati, sed sex aliis diebus, in quibus licet operari; qaasi indirecte arguens Dominum, turba; dicebat, quia eum personaliter et directe arguere non audebat. Et respondit illi Dominus, vocans eos hypocritas, quod bene licebat mulierem ipsam solvere a vinculo infirmitatis die sabbati, quia et ipsi bovem aut asinum tunc solvunt a praesepio, et ducunt adaquare. Ubi Ambrosius : « Quam dulcis parabola, facilis autem ! Vinculum vinculo comparat, ut insimulatio Judaiorum actu ipsorum redarguatur. Nam cum ipsi animalibus sabbato solvunt vincula, reprehendunt Dominum, qui homines a peccatorum vinculo liberavit. Denique et Deus ab operibus mundi requievit; sed non ab operibus sanctis, cujus sempiterna et jugis operatio est, sicut Filius ait : Pater meus usque modo operatur, et ego operor, ut ad similitudinem Dei, secularia opera nostra, non religiosa cessarent : » haec Ambrosius. Archisynagogus ergo male Legem intelligebat, qui pietatis et misericordiae opera in sabbato tieri nolebat. Lex enim non filiale et liberale, sed servile et noxium opus sabbato prohibebat^ praefigurans tempus quo nostra secularia opera, non religiosa et laudandi Deum cessabant.
In signum etiam hujus rei Dominus sabbato curabat, unde curatio et miraculorum operatio quae ordinatur ad Dei gloriam, et videntium devotionem «xcitandam, poterat fieri in die sabbati et convenientius in die ilia, quam in aliis, eo quod dies illa erat ordinata divino cultui, et ad devotionem populi. Sed ipsi opus caritatis , scilicet sanationem hominis , non verentur postponere operi cupiditatis, scilicet pecoris; ideo bene eos hypocritas, id est simulatores vocat, quia cum magistri plebium videri appetunt, hominem bestiae postponunt. Unde Chrysostomus : « Bene dicit hypocritam principem synagogae, quia faciem habebat Legis cultoris ; mens vero ejus erat versuti et invidi. Non enim turbatur propter sabbatum, quia violatur; sed propter Christum, quia glorificatur : » haec Chrysostomus. Similiter hodie multi non solum seculares, sed etiam religiosi sunt tales, magis de pecore, quam de homine curantes. Unde Bernardus : « Casit asina, et est qji sublevet; perit anima, et non est qui curet. » Ergo qui praeponit curam equi, vel cujuscunque pecoris sui, vel etiam corporis, libentius sumptus faciendo et laborando ut liberetur a morbo, vel ab aliis periculis, quam pro anima Christiani ut sanetur et liberetur a diaboli laqueis, cum eam multo magis teneatur diligere quam corpus proprium, hypocrita est, et grave facit peccatum. 1 1 Sabbata quomodo sanctificanda.
— Et sciendum quod quando dicitur : Sabbata sanctifices, istud potest tripliciter accipi : primo generaliter, ut cessemus a vitiis et peccatis ; secundo specialiter , ut cessemus ab operibus corporalibus, quae impediunt vacationem ad Deum et ejus cultum, ut sunt opera mechanica , et agricultura , ac mercantium , et placitantium et hujuscemodi ; tertio specialissime, ut est in viris contemplativis, qui ab omnibus mundanis se separant, ut totaliter Deo vacent. Prima vacatio est necessaria, secunda est debita, tertia est perfecta. Et cum haec diceret, erubescebant omnes adversarii ejus, confusi sua rationabili responsione, quia veritati apertae non poterant contradicere. Et omnis populus, scilicet simplices et humiles, gaudebant, in factis et dictis suis gloriosis, tanquam amatores veritatis.
In ipsa die accesserunt quidam Pharisceorum, dicentes illi, scilicet Jesu, quidam forte bono zelo, scilicet ut sibi consuleret; quidam malo, scilicet ut probarent si timore mortis a doctrina cessaret : Exi et vade hinc, scilicet ad locum in quo Herodes partem non habet. Et ostendens se talibus non terreri , ait illis : Ite, dicite vulpi illi. Per vulpem intelligitur malus princeps, vulpes enim est animal dolosum , rapax, tortuose incedens, et fcetidum; sic princeps malus, qualis erat iste Herodes, est dolosus per machinationem mali , rapax aeris alieni, tortUwSe incedens perversitate judicii, to:tidus, per infamiam nominis sui. Qui etiam nititur Christum occidere in se et in suis membris, quantum in ipso est. Unde Bernardus : « Patet quantum noceat iniqua potestas, quomodo caput impium subjectos quoque suae conformet impietati. Misera plane civitas, in qua regnat Herodes, quoniam Herodianae particeps erit malitiae! Herodiana vero mali- ' tia fuit nascentem velle exstinguere religionem; si quis ergo religionis, vel sanctitatis ortum, vel profectum, vel consummationem impedit, aut persequitur, talis cum Herode Christum persequitur : » haec Bemardus. Dicite, inquara, vulpi illi : Ecce ejicio dcemonia, et non possunt resistere, cum sint majoris potestatis quam Herodes, et ideo non habeo timere eum; ei sanitates, scilicet in corpore et anima, perficio hodie ei cras, id est paucis diebus, usque ad tempus Passionis meae; et tertia die consummor, per mortem.
Quasi diceret : Herodes non poterit impedire quin faciam quod intendo. Tangit autem intentionem in tribus dietis : prima constitit in daemomim expulsione; secunda, in infirmitatum curatione; tertia, in omcii sui per crucis patibulum consummatione, tunc enim consummata sunt omnia de ipso in Lege et Prophetis dicta: unde dixit : Consummatum est. Et notandum quod adverbia, hodie et cras, singulatim reddenda sunt verbis, ut sit sensus, hodie f ejicio dcsmonia; et cras, perficio sanitates. Primo enim est daemonum ejectio; postea, sanitatis collatio ; tertio , sanitatis collatae consummatio. Mystice prima dieta fuit hostis expulsio; secunda, naturae vulneratae perfecta sanatio ; tertia, hominis ad Deum reconciliatio. Moraliter prima dieta consistit in abjectione vitiorum; secunda, in collatione virtutum , et exercitio morum ; tertia, in ademptione praemiorum. Unde in Osea : Vivi/icabit rtos post duos dies; et ht die tertia suscitabit nos, sciiicet ad glorificandum. Vel isti tres dies significant tres partes poenitentiae, quae sunt : contritio cum dolore, confeasio cum pudore, satisfactio cum labore.
Et subjungit de loco Passionis, ubi consummabitur per mortem, dicens : Verumtamen oportet me, non focili necessitate, sed Patris et mea voluntate, hodie et cras, et sequenti cras, id est paucis diebus, ambulare, scilicet ad locum Passionis; quia non capit, id est non convenit, absolute intelligendo, non transitive, non capit, inquam, Prophetam, sciHcet me, perire, id est occidi, extra Jerusalem, ubi mei Prophetae sunt occisi; ibi ego caput Prophetarum, de quo omnes Prophetae scripserunt, debeo immolari, ubi scilicet non dominatur Herodes, sed Pilatus. Ex quo patet quod mors mea non est in potestate ejus; sicut nec hora, nec tempus. Quasi dicat : Bene scio locum Passionis meae, sed ipse non. Utinam et hodie praedicatores et praelati, ac fideles ceteri a doctrina et confessione veritatis, timore principum et malorum hominum non cessarent; sed Christum imitando , veritatem coram hominibus confiterentur audacter et defenderent ! ORATIO Domine Jesu Christe, da mihi fructum bonorum operum ferventer facere, et in eis jugiter perseverare, ne sine fructu inventus, merear succidi et in ignem mitti. Da etiam mihi, Deus meus, ut non sim deorsum inclinatus per culpam, sed sursum respiciam per justitiam ; nec a mentis rectitudine curvatus, terrena et transitoria cogitem et diligam, sed ad coelestia contemplanda mentis oculos erigam, et aeternae felicitatis divitias requiram. O Domine, vide me per pietatem ; voca me per internam inspirationem ; sana me per peccati remissionem ; tange me per satisfactioni* dolorem ; erige me ad superna per amoris fervorem. Amen.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Ps.108.7 — so that your beloved ones may be set free — save with your right hand, and answer me.
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