Dt invitatis ad coenam magnam
The Great Invitation
Christ prepares a heavenly banquet and extends a universal invitation to all souls.
— And because some people, given over to earthly things or the pleasures of this world, only perceive this bread—of which it has been spoken—by faith, as if merely smelling it, but are disgusted by the thought of truly reaching it by tasting its sweetness; for this reason, to show that such people are not worthy of the heavenly banquet, the Lord adds a parable. In it, He demonstrates the abundance of divine generosity and rebukes the manifold ingratitude of the Jews, who, before all other nations, were invited to heavenly blessedness: first by the Prophets, second by Christ Himself, and third by the Apostles. Yet they refused to come through faith, and so they were called. The Gentiles. He says, therefore: 'A certain man,' that is, Christ, true man and true God. He is called 'man' because of the truth of His human nature, and 'a certain' because of the uniqueness of His person in relation to others. He 'made a great supper,' meaning He prepared a future refreshment of glory and eternal life, the heavenly or eternal blessedness that the Lord has prepared for holy souls from eternity. It is called a 'supper' because it is the final refreshment; just as supper is prepared as the day ends, with no further meal following, so eternal life is given at the end of the day of this present life, where nothing else is expected. It is also called a 'great' supper—or rather, a 'greatest' one—so that its immensity cannot even enter into the heart of man. And He 'called many,' because He wants all people to be saved and to be blessed. The Lord has called some through Angels, some through the patriarchs, some through the Prophets, some through Himself, some through the Apostles, some through the words of other preachers, some through interior inspirations, some through benefits and prosperity, and some through trials and adversity. He sent his servant—that is, the preacher of the Gospel—and although there are many servants, differing in person, status, and habit, they must nonetheless be one in the unity of faith and love; the hour of the supper? It is the final age and the time of grace. The hour of the supper is the end of the age, specifically the final era. For although people in other ages were invited to the supper, no one was yet received into it; instead, all descended into the limbo of the fathers. He sent, I say, to tell those invited to come—that is, to prepare themselves to come through good works—because all things are now ready. Before the coming of Christ, the supper of Christ was not yet ready, because no one could enter eternal life; but once Christ the Lamb was sacrificed, the heavenly entrance was opened, and then the Apostles were sent to those to whom the Prophets had been sent before. For just as Christ was sent by the Father to invite us to the supper, so He Himself sent His servants, His Apostles, and continues to send preachers to say to us: 'Come to the supper, for all things are ready.' That supper consists of three things: the blessed vision of the Divine Persons, the society of the Angels, and the fellowship of the Saints; all of which, as is said here, are ready.
The Excuses of the World
Many reject the call to holiness by prioritizing worldly attachments, pride, and fleshly desires.
They all began to make excuses at once—which is to say, they held themselves back through evil works because they loved earthly and bodily things more than heavenly and spiritual ones. Everyone makes excuses, if not in words, then at least in thought or deed. He says 'everyone,' meaning the greater part; for according to Gregory, relatively few are saved. Many are called, but few come, because many who are subject to Him through faith contradict His banquet by living badly. But woe to us, because, as Gregory says, look: the rich man invites, and the poor man hurries to meet him; we are invited to God's banquet, and we make excuses. The Lord mercifully invites everyone, but those who don't want to come make excuses; and so they shut themselves out from the eternal banquet that God offers freely, not because He is asked, but because He is willing. For this excuse is a voluntary indisposition, through which some fall into pride, others into greed, and others into lust. The first are represented by those looking at the purchased farm; the second, by those testing the yokes of oxen; the third, by those taking a wife; and all of these are unfit for the Lord's banquet. The reasons for those making excuses are laid out when it's said: 'The first said: I have bought a farm, and I must go out and see it.' This points to the proud lovers of the world, who have an ambition for honors and similar things. The farm that was bought signifies dominion and pride, because the proud want to lord it over others. And another said: 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them.' This refers to the greedy and the covetous, who are too focused on the five senses and earthly things; they have a desire for worldly and earthly matters. For oxen, which turn the earth, signify earthly things. And another said: 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' This points to the carnal and the lustful, who are given over to the pleasures of the flesh and have a love of carnal desires; for a wife relates to the pleasure of the flesh. He says, however, according to Basil, 'I cannot come,' because the human intellect, when it leans toward human allurements, is weak in doing divine things. All those mentioned above, therefore, are unworthy of the Lamb's wedding feast. Hence these verses: The farm, the oxen, the wife, closed the supper to those invited; the world, worry, the flesh, closed heaven to the reborn. Yet everything that keeps us from heavenly blessedness comes down to these three vices. For, as John says, everything in the world is either the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, or the pride of life. Hence Augustine says: O you who come to the supper of God, do not love the world, nor the things that are in the world. The love of earthly things is birdlime for the wings of the soul, since all things that are in the world are the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the ambition of the age. The desire of the flesh: I have married a wife; the desire of the eyes: I have bought five yoke of oxen; the ambition of the age: I have bought a farm. Let us therefore remove vain and evil excuses from our midst, and let us come to the supper, for we shall be fed inwardly. Let not arrogance hinder us; let not pride exalt us; let not illicit curiosity hold us and turn us away from God; let not the pleasure of the flesh hinder us from the pleasure of the heart. "Let us come and be filled," says Augustine. According to Chrysostom, even if the excuses people make seem reasonable, we learn from this that we must put spiritual things first, even when the things holding us back are necessary. Anyone who loves earthly things more than heavenly ones is making excuses, even if they claim they're striving for heaven. This is a charge that can be leveled against many clergy and religious today, who are so caught up in the care and concern for earthly things—the same things that occupy laypeople—that there seems to be no difference between them. Hence Gregory says: "But look, in the midst of this, we can consider what our hearts are saying to us." Perhaps in their secret thoughts they might say: "We don't want to make excuses; we're grateful to be called to that feast of heavenly refreshment, and we're grateful to come." When our minds say such things to us, they speak the truth, provided they don't love earthly things more than heavenly ones, and provided they aren't more occupied with physical things than with spiritual ones—so says Gregory.
The Call of the Humble
When the proud refuse, God turns to the poor, the weak, and the marginalized to fill His house.
The servant returned and reported these things to his master. Preachers go out to preach; they return to the contemplation of God; they report what they have done through an interior confession. Then the master of the house—that is, Christ, whose family includes all the angels and all the chosen faithful—is angry with those who despise his supper; he isn't moved by the passion of anger, but by its effect, because he punishes as one who is angry. For, according to Augustine, the anger of God is the punishment of sin. And God is justly angry at the negligence of men, because they despise the supper of eternal life prepared for them and fill their minds with worthless food. Angry, he said to his servant—that is, to the evangelical preacher: 'Go out quickly,' meaning from the quiet of study and contemplation, 'to the public square of action and preaching, into the streets and alleys of the city.' By the 'streets and alleys of the city,' which have a closure, we understand the calling of the Jews who were bound by legal observances and were, as it were, citizens of God, since they held his Law; some of them were in the streets, that is, on the broad road of prosperity and... ...while others were in the alleys, that is, in the narrowness of adversity and tribulation; for an alley is narrower than a street. He adds: "And the poor, because of a lack of grace and virtue; the weak, because of a lack of good works; the blind, because of a lack of true knowledge; and the lame, because of a lack of right affection and intention—that is, the humble who see themselves as such and desire to enter—bring them in here; for the Lord wants such people to be invited." They are to be called and brought into His banquet. For when the princes, priests, and legal experts of the Jews were dismissed and abandoned by God because of their ingratitude and pride, the humble, the simple, and the tax collectors of that people were called, as is evident in the Apostles and many others throughout the course of the Gospel. Hence Gregory says: "Because the proud refuse to come, the poor are chosen; because God chooses the weak things of the world to confound the strong, humble sinners are chosen. God chooses those whom the world despises, because often that very contempt calls a person back to himself." The poor, therefore, and the weak, the blind and the lame, are called and they come, because all who are infirm and despised in this world often hear the voice of God all the more quickly, the less they have in this world to take pleasure in. And Augustine adds: "And who came, if not the beggars, the weak, the lame, the blind?" But those who didn't come were the rich, the healthy, those who thought they were walking well and seeing clearly, and who presumed much about themselves; and they were all the more despicable, the more proud they were. Let the beggars come, because He who invites us became poor for our sake, though He was rich, so that we might be enriched by His poverty. Woe. Let the weak come, because it’s not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. Let the lame come, who say to Him: 'Direct my steps in your paths.' Let the blind come, who say: 'Enlighten my eyes, so that I may never sleep in death.' So says Augustine. And the servant says: 'Lord, it is done as you commanded; but it is also done in the way you commanded.' Thus, perfect obedience is noted—that is, in the deed and in the manner—and there is still room. It is as if to say: 'We have brought in many from the Jews, but there is still room where the Gentiles may be received.' This is also said because the Church is always ready to receive more. And the Lord says to the servant: 'Go out quickly into the roads and hedges,' that is, by traveling outside Judea to the Gentile people. For by 'roads and hedges' is understood the calling of the Gentiles who, like wild things, were scattered in the roads and hedges and exposed to the plunder of enemies—in the roads, that is, worldly prosperity, and in the hedges, adversity. And 'compel them to come in' by the urgency and persistence of preaching. For those who are drawn back from evil by fervent exhortations are 'called'; those who are drawn by harsh threats are 'compelled'. Hence He advises that the Jews be called and the Gentiles be compelled, because for the Jews, as... For those who already had the Law and the Prophets, a lighter call should have been enough; yet it wasn't enough for the Gentiles, so that my house—that is, heaven and the heavenly homeland where the eternal banquet is held—might be filled with the required number of the predestined, a number that will not remain incomplete. Or perhaps those heretics are compelled to enter who, once punished by the Church, come to their senses; or any others who, broken by the adversities of this world, return to the love of God. A blessed necessity, that which compels us toward better things! For many who live in the world in security and prosperity flee to God when adversity and danger arise. Hence Chrysostom says: 'It is much more laborious to overcome desires in security than it is to be able to despise riches in danger.' For the very fear of danger helps the soul, and bodily pleasure is easily overcome. For how many are there who, in security, were not content to be poor; yet, seeing persecution, were more content to let go of their goods than to perish! 'Knowing such people, God frequently cuts away their riches so that, relieved of anxieties, they may remain more securely and better with God,' says Chrysostom. It’s clear, then, as Gregory says, that some are called but refuse to come, like those who receive the gift of understanding but don't follow that understanding with their actions; others are called and do come, like those who perfect the grace of understanding they have received by putting it into practice; and others are compelled to enter, like those whom the Church punishes for a time.1
The Finality of the Choice
A solemn warning against ignoring the invitation, followed by a prayer for grace to remain detached from the world.
In closing, he adds: 'I say to you, whose word is infallible, that no one among those who were called and refused to come by making excuses will taste my supper, or even see it; but the saints taste and see it even in this life, according to the Psalm: "Taste and see that the Lord is good."' For the house of God must be filled with the number of the predestined; but proud sinners, who were called and refused to come, have made excuses for themselves that cannot be undone: this judgment of the Lord, as Gregory says, is greatly to be feared. Let no one, therefore, refuse to come, lest by making excuses when called, they find they cannot enter when they finally want to. And certainly, whoever does not enter will remain hungry and empty, far from the refreshment of divine enjoyment and vision. See how dangerous it is to ignore the invitation of Jesus Christ! For such people deserve to be excluded from his refreshment, both now through grace and in the future through glory. Let us, therefore, diligently consider all these things, and that to which we have been called; and despising the present, let us prepare ourselves for the future. Hence Chrysostom says: 'Let us therefore remain, guarding the dignity we received at the beginning, and let us seek the future kingdom daily; and let us judge all present things to be nothing but shadows and dreams.' For if some earthly king were to take you in, poor and begging as you are, and suddenly adopt you as his own son, you wouldn't be looking back at the squalor of your own shack. So, don't consider anything in this present life to be precious. The things you have been called to grasp are, in fact, far greater—so says Chrysostom. PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, who desire all people to be saved, who have prepared the refreshment of heavenly bliss for everyone, and who have called many to it in many ways: do not exclude me, a miserable one, from that general grace which you came to share with all. Grant that I may trample down all pride and ambition, greed and desire, the lust of the flesh and pleasure, so that these or other things do not block me from the eternal banquet. Instead, since I am poor in grace and virtue, weak in good works, blind in true knowledge, and lame in right affection, may you mercifully lead me into that very place. Amen.
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nem. — Et quia nonnulli terrenis vel voluptatibus mundi hujus dediti, hunc panem de quo dictum est» fidetenus quasi odorando percipiunt, dulcedinem vero attingere veraciter gustando fastidiunt; ideo ad ostendendum talium teporem ccelestibus epulis non esse digaum, subjungit Dominus parabolam, in qua demonstrat divinae largitatis effluentiam, et arguit multiplicem Judaeorum ingratitudinem , qui prae ceteris Gentibus fuerunt invitati ad coelestem beatitudinem : primo, per Prophetas; secundo, per ipsum Christum ; tertio, per Apostolos; et tamen renuerunt venire per fidem, et ita vocati sunt PRIMjE partis gaput lxxxi. Gentiles. Dicit ergo : Homo quidam, id est Ghristus yerus homo et verus Deus ; qui dicitur homo, ratione veritatis naturae humanae, quidam, ratione singularitatis personae respectu aliorum, fecit cosnam magnam, id est praeparavit futuram gloriae et vitae aeternae refectionem, et coelestem seu aeternam beatitudinem, quam sanctis animabus ab aeterno praeparavit Dominus. Quae vocatur coena, eo quod est refectio ultima, quia, sicut ccena paratur declinante die, post quam nulla refectio sequitur; sic vita aeterna datur per diem praesentis vitae , ubi nihilaliud exspectatur. Item dicitur ccena magna, imo sic maxima, ut ejus immensitas in cor hominis non possit ascendere. Et vocavit multos, quia vult omnes homines salvos fieri et beatos. Vocavit Dominus quosdam per Angelos, quosdam per patres, quosdam per Prophetas, quosdam per seipsum, quosdam per Apostolos, quosdam aliorum praedicatorum verbis, quosdam inspirationibus internis, quosdam beneficiis et prosperis, quosdam flagellis et adversis.
Et misit servum suum, id est praedicatorem Evangelicum, et licet plures sint servi, personarum, statuum et habituum diversitate, unum tamen debent esse jfidei et caritatis unitate; hora coena? , id est ultima aetate et tempore gratiae. Hora ccenoe est finis seculi, scilicet ultima aetas. Nam, etsi homines in aliis aetatibus ad coenam invitabantur, nullus tamen recipiebatur ad coenam ; sed omnes ad limbum descendebant. Misit, inquam, dicere invitatis ut venirent, id est ad veniendum per bona opera se praeparent; quia jam parata sunt omnia. Ante adventum Christi, nondum erat coena Ghristi parata, quia nullus poterat ingredi vitam aeternam ; sed, agno Christo immolato, apertus est coelestis aditus, et tunc missi sunt Apostoli ad quos ante fuerant Prophetae missi. Sicut enim Christus missus fuit a Patre ut invitaret ad coenam, ita ipse servos suos Apostolos suos misit, et mittit praedicatores, ut dicant nobis : Venite ad coenam, quia parata sunt omnia. Consistit autem illa coena in tribus, scilicet : in beata visione divinarum personarum, in societate Angelorum, et in consortio Sanctorum ; quae omnia, ut hic dicitur, sunt parata.
Et cceperunt se simul omnes excusare, id est per mala opera se retrahere; quia plus dilexerunt terrena et corporalia, quam coelestia et spiritualia. Omnes simul se excusant, etsi non verbo, saltem cogitatu vel facto. Omnes dicit, id est pro majori parte ; quia, secundum Gregorium, pauci respective salvantur. Multi vocantur , sed pauci veniunt, quia multi, qui per fidem ei subjiciuntur, male vivendo ejus convivio contradicunt. Sed vae nobis, quia, secundum eumdem Gregorium, ecce homo dives invitat, et pauper occurrere festinat; ad Dei invitamur convivium, et excusamus. Dominus clementer omnes invitat, sed qui venire nolunt, excusant; et sic aeternum convivium quod Deus, non rogatus sed gratis, offert volentibus, sibi intercludunt. Excusatio enim ista est indispositio voluntaria, qua alii cadunt in superbiam, alii in avaritiam, alii in luxuriam. Primi signantur per villam emptam videntes ; secundi, per juga boum emptaprobantes; tertii, per uxorem ducentes ; et omnes isti ad coenam Dominicam sunt inepti.
Unde consequenter excusantium causae subduntur, cum dicitur : Primus dixit : Villam emi, et necesse habeo exire, et videre illam. Ubi notantur superbi amatores mundi , in quibus est ambitio dignitatum et 7 35 hujusmodi. In villa enim empta dominatio notatur et superbia, quia superbi volunt aliis dominari. Et alter dixit : Juga boum emi quinque, et eo probare illa, Ubi intelliguntur avari et cupidi quinque sensibus et terrenis nimis intenti ; in quibus est cupiditas terrenorum et mundanorum ; per boves enim, qui terram versant, terrena signantur. Et alius dixit : Uxorem duxi, et ideo non possum venire. Ubi notantur carnales et luxuriosi deliciis carnis dediti ; in quibus est amor voluptatum carnalium ; uxor enim ad voluptatem carnis pertinet. Dicit autem, secundum Basilium , non possum venire, eo quod intellectus humanus vergens ad humanas illecebras, debilis est ad agendum divina. Omnes ergo praedicti sunt indigni coena nuptiarum Agni.
Unde sunt versus isti : Yilla, boves, uxor, coenam clausere [vocatis, Mundus, cura, caro, ccelum clau[sere renatis. Ad ista vero tria vitia reducuntur omnia a beatitudine coelesti excludentia. Quia, ut ait Joannes, omne quod est in mundo, aut est concupiscentia carnis, aut concupiscentia oculorum, aut superbia vitae. Unde Augustinus : a O vos, qui ad coenam Dei venitis : Nolite diligere mundum, neque ea quae in mundo sunt. Amor rerum terrenarum viscus est spiritualium pennarum, quoniam omnia quae in mundo sunt, concupiscentia carnis sunt, et concupiscentia oculorum, et ambitio seculi. Concupiscentia carnis : uxorem duxi; concupiscentia oculorum : quinque juga boum emi; ambitio seculi : villam emi. Tollamus ergo de medio excusationes vanas et malas; et veniamus ad coenam, quia intrinsecus saginabimur. Non nos impediat extollentia; non superbia extollat; non nos teneat curiositas illicita et avertat a Deo; non nos impediat voluptas" carnis a voluptate cordis.
Veniamus et saginemur : » hasc Augustinus. Secundum Chrysosiomum, quamvis videantur rationabiles excusantium Occasiones esse, tamen hinc discimus, etsi necessaria fuerint quae detinent, omnibus prima facere spiritualia. Excusat quippe omnis qui plus terrena quam coelestia diligit , etiamsi se ad coelestia tendere dicit. Quod hodie clericis et religiosis multis objici potest, qui curam et sollicitudinem tantam habent de terrenis et omnibus quibus laici occupantur, ut nulla differentia inter hos et illos videatur. Unde Gregorius : a Sed ecce inter haec pensare possumus , quid sibi corda nostra respondeant. Occultis enim fortasse sibi cogitationibus, dicant : Excusare nolumus, ad illud enim supernae refectionis convivium et vocari et venire gratulamur. Loquentes nobis talia, mentes nostrae verum dicunt, si non plus terrena quam coelestia diligunt, si non amplius rebus corporalibus quam spiritualibus occupantur : » haec Gregorius.
Et reversus servus, nuntiavit hcec domino. Praedicatores exeunt ad praedicationem ; revertuntur ad Dei contemplationem ; nuntiant quid egerunt per interiorem confessionem. Tunc iratus paterfamilias, scilicet Christus, cujus familia sunt omnes Angeli, omnes electi fideles, contra suae coenae contemptores; ira non affectus sed effectus, quia punit ut iratus. Nam, secundum Augustinum, ira Dei est vindicta peccati. Et juste irascitur Deus de negligentiis hominum , quod paratam pro eis aeternae vitae ccenam contemnunt, et vilibus cibis mentem implent. Iratus, inquit, dixit servo suo, scilicet praedicatori Evangelico : Exi cito, scilicet ab otio studii et contemplaticmis , ad j publicum actionis et praedicationis, < in plateas et vicos dvitatis. Per viCos et plateas civitatis, quae scilicet ckusuram habent, intelligitur tocatio Judaeorum qui dausi erant legalibus observantiis, et quasi Dei cives, utpote ejus Legem tenentes; quorum quidam erant m plateis, id est in lata via prosperitatis et vo- ! iuptatis, quidam in vicis, id est in angustia adversitatis et tribulationis; vicus enim arctior est quam platea.
Subjungit autem : Et pauperes, propter defectum gratiae et virtutis, ac debiles , propter defectum bonae operationis, et cwcos, propter defectum verae cognitionis, er claudos, propter defectum rectae affectionis et intentionis, hoc est humiles, qui se tales reputant et intrare desiderant, introduc huc; tales enim vuit Dominus ad poeni- . tentiam vocari, et ad suum convivium introduci. Nam principibus et sacerdotibus, ac Legisperitis Judaeorum, propter ingratitudinem et superbiam dimissis a Deo et relictis, humiles, simplices et publicani illius populi sunt vocati, ut patet in Apostolis et pluribus aliis ex decursu Evangelii. Unde Oregorius : « Quia ergo ^enire superbi renuunt, pauperes eliguntur; quia infirma mundi tligit Deus, ut confundat fortia, peccatores humiles eliguntur; hos itaque elegit Deus, quos despicit mundus, quia plerumque ipsa despectio hominem revocat ad semetipsum. Pauperes ergo et debiles, caeci et claudi, vocantur et veniunt , quia infirmi quique atque in > iioc mundo despecti plerumque , tanto celerius vocem Dei audiunt, • quanto in hoc mundo non habent j ubi delectentur. » Unde et Augusti- I 7iii5 : « Et qui venerunt, nisi mendi ci, debiles, claudi, caeci ? Illi autem non venerunt divites, sani, quasi bene ambulantes et acute cernentes, multum de se praesumentes; et ideo tanto despectiores, quanto superbiores. Veniant mendici, quia ille invitat qui propter nos factus est pauper, cum dives esset; ut ilHus paupertate mendici ditaremur.
Ve-. niant debiles, quia non est oprts sanis medicus t sed male habentibus. Veniant claudi, qui ei dicant : Dirige gressus meos in semitis tuis. Veniant caeci, qui dicant : Jllumina oculos meos, ne unquam obdormiam in morte : » haec Augustinus, Et ait servus : Domine, factum est ut fmperasti; sed etiam eo modo ut imperasti, et sic notatur perfecta obedientia, scilicet in opere et in modo, et adhuc locus est. Quasi dicat : Multos introduximus de Judaeis, sed adhuc est locus ubi recipiantur Gentiles; hoc etiam ideo dicttur, quia Ecclesia plures recipere sempefr est parata. Et ait domimts servo : Exi cito in vias et sepes, id est extra Judaeam discurrendo ad Gentilem populum ; per" vias enim et sepes intelligitur vocatio Gentilium qui, tanquam agrestes, in viis et sepibus erant dispersi et direptioni hostium expositi in viis, scUicet mundanae prosperat» et sepibus adversitatis; et compelk intrare instantia et importunitate praedicationis. Vocantur enim, qui a mak> retrahuntur ferventibus exhortationibus ; compelluntur, qui trahuntur duris comminationibus. Unde Judaeos monet vocari , et Gentiles compelli, quia Judaeis, tanquam Le.
gem et Prophetas habentibus, levior vocatio debebat sufficere, quae non sufficiebat Gentibus, ut impieatmr domus mea, scilicet coelum et ccelestis patria, ubi fit aeternum convivium debito numero praedestraatorum, qui numerus non remanebit 7 3 7 inexpletus. Vel, compelluntur intrare haeretici, qui per Ecclesiam puniti resipiscunt; vel quicunque alii, qui hujus mundi adversitatibus fracti, ad Dei amorem redeunt. Felix necessitas, quae ad meliora compellit! Multi enim qui in securitate et prosperitate mundo vivunt, instante adversitate et periculo, ad Deum fugiunt. Unde Chrysostomus : « Multo laboriosius est in securitate concupiscentias vincere, quam in periculo divitias posse contemnere. Ipse enim timor periculi adjuvat animum, et facile vincitur delectatio corporalis. Quot enim sunt qui in securitate non fuerunt contenti pauperes esse ; et tamen videntes persecutionem, magiscontenti fuerunt bona sua dimittere, quam perire! Jllos tales sciens Deus, frequenter praecidit divitias eorum, ut a sollicitudinibus relevati securius et melius permaneant Deo : » haec Chrysostomus.
Liquet ergo, ut ait Gregorius, quod alii vocantur, et venire contemnunt, ut qui donum intellectus accipiunt, sed eumdem intellectum operibus non sequuntur ; alii vocantur et veniunt, ut qui acceptam intellectus gratiam operando perficiunt ; alii intrare compelluntur, ut quos Ecclesia temporaliter punit.
in fine autem concludendo, sub>ungit : LHco autem vobis, cujus dicere infallibile est, quod nzmo virorum illorum, qui vocati sunt et se excusantes venire noluerunt, gustabit ccenam meam, imo nec videbit; sed Sancti gustant et vident etiam in praesenti, secundum illud Psalmi : Gustate et videte quoniam suavis est Dominus. Implenda est enim domus Dei numero praedestinatorum; sed superbi peccatores, qui vocati venire noluerunt, seipsos irrecuperabiliter excusarunt : hasc sententia Domini, ut ait Gregorius, valde timenda est. Nemo ergo venire contemnat, ne dum vocatus excusat, cum voluerit intrare non valeat. Et certe qui non intraverit, famelicus et inanis a refectione divinae fruitionis et visionis remanebit. Ecce quam periculosum est contemnere invitationem Jesu Christi ! Tales enim a refectione ejus in praesenti per gratiam, et in futuro per gloriam merentur excludi. Haec igitur omnia, et ad quae vocati sumus, diiigenter consideremus ; et praesentia despicientes, ad futura nos praeparemus. Unde Chrysostomus : « Permaneamus igitur custodientes eam quam initio suscepimus dignitatem et futura quotidie regna quaeramus ; omniaque praesentia, umbras esse prorsus ac somnia judicemus.
Neque enim, siRex terrenus aliquis, assumens te pauperem ac mendicum, repente sibi adoptaret in filium, tu>am ad tugurii tui respiceres vilitatem. Ita nunc igitur nihil praesentium putes esse pretiosum. Longe quippe majora sunt ad quae vocatus es capessenda : » haec Chrysosiomus. ORATIO Domine Jesu Christe, qui omnes ihomines volens salvos fieri, refectianem coelestis beatitudinis omnibus praeparasti, et muhos ad eam multis modis ▼ocasti, ne me, iniserum, excludas ab illa gratia generali, quam omnibus venisti impartiri, et da mihi calcare omnem superbiam et ambitionem, avaritiam et cupiditatem, concupiscentiam carnis et voluptatem , ne haec vel alia impedientia mihi aeternum intercludant convivium; sed qui sum pauper in gratia et virtute, et debilis in bona operatione, ac caecus in vera cognitione, et claudus in recta affectione, me misericorditer introducat in idipsum. Amen.
Notes
- 1 ↩The Latin 'intellectus' here refers to the gift of spiritual insight or understanding of the faith, which requires corresponding action to be fruitful.
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