De causa dimittendi uxorem, et de parvulis Domino oblatis
The Compassion of the Shepherd
Jesus travels to Judea and heals the crowds, demonstrating His mercy and the devotion of those who follow Him.
After this, when the Lord Jesus had finished these teachings, he left Galilee and came into the borders of Judea beyond the Jordan. The entire province of the Jews was generally called Judea to distinguish it from other nations. However, its southern region, where the tribes of Judah and Benjamin lived, was specifically called Judea to distinguish it from other regions within that same province, namely: Samaria, Galilee, Decapolis, and the rest of the areas situated there. Therefore, the things the Lord did, taught, and suffered in this province—Judea—are recounted: first, those things beyond the Jordan to the East, where the two and a half tribes of Manasseh lived; then, those things around the Jordan when he came to Jericho, Bethany, and Jerusalem. And great crowds followed him from Galilee, from which the devotion of the people toward him is evident: for many followed him to hear his preaching, and some to obtain healing. Chrysostom says on this: 'And great crowds followed him, as testimonies of his saving doctrine, like sheep born and nourished by the hand of their shepherd; they led him along, like little children following their father as he sets out on a journey.' He himself, however, like a father setting out on a journey, left behind good pledges of love for his children in his place: namely, the remedies of healing, so says Chrysostom. Whence it follows: 'And he healed them there,' that is, in Judea, and not before in Galilee, so that he might admit the Gentiles into that mercy or forgiveness which was being prepared for Judea; and as a sign that salvation was to come to the Gentiles from Judea. According to Origen, the Lord healed the crowds across the Jordan where Baptism was administered, because in Baptism, everyone is saved from spiritual infirmities. And so it's clear that the Evangelist includes many miracles of healing in a single word, because, due to the sheer number of miracles, they couldn't all be described in detail.
The Law of Marriage and Continence
Jesus addresses the Pharisees' trap regarding divorce, clarifying the indissolubility of marriage and the nature of divine permission.
Next, we have a narrative regarding the threefold perfection of religious life: continence, obedience, and poverty. Regarding continence, it is first said: "And the Pharisees, who were considered more religious than others among the Jewish people, approached Him"—that is, Jesus—"testing Him," meaning they were trying to trap Him in His words. The difference in the minds of the crowds and the Pharisees is worth noting. The former come together to be taught and to have their sick healed; the latter approach to trap and deceive the Savior and Teacher of truth by testing Him. The former are led by devotion and piety, the latter by the sting of envy. They questioned Him, saying: "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?"—that is, for a trivial reason? They put this question to Christ to trap Him, because a response in either direction seemed open to slander: for if He said that a wife should be divorced at the whim of one's own will and another taken in her place... ...as a preacher and defender of purity, He would seem to be loosening the reins for carnal desire and contradicting Himself; but if He said that it was not lawful, He would seem to be speaking against Moses, who permitted a bill of divorce. But He tempers His response to bypass their trap; He answered that a wife is to be divorced only for the cause of fornication, and that the bill of divorce was permitted by Moses long ago because of the hardness and malice of their hearts—meaning it was not punished by any law. He permitted this, however, not because it was good or lawful, but to avoid a greater evil; for He preferred to allow divorce rather than have murder committed out of hatred for wives or a desire for a second marriage. This permission, however, didn't absolve them from sin, but only from legal penalty, because it wasn't a command of God but a human dissimulation in tolerating a lesser evil so that a greater one might not occur. God isn't inconsistent with Himself, such that He would command one thing before and then order something else now. Moses, for his part, didn't mandate this by commanding, granting, or indulging it; rather, by dispensing, sustaining, and permitting it under the counsel of the Holy Spirit, he tolerated it so that worse things wouldn't happen. In this way, the Apostles permitted second marriages because of human incontinence and their evil desires; for according to the primary institution, there was only one for one, but because of human incontinence, they now move on to second marriages. Hence, when the lesser of two evils is tolerated, the permission for this is called a dispensation—a kind of weighing of different things—when two evils are weighed as if they were equal, so that it may be seen which of them is worse and carries more weight. There is, however, a threefold permission: first, of concession, as when an Abbot allows a monk to eat meat because of infirmity—forbidden indeed because of his vow, but now lawful because of the Abbot's concession and necessary cause; second, of indulgence, as in the permission for second marriages, whence the Apostle says: 'A wife, when her husband is dead, may marry whom she wishes, only in the Lord,' though I say this according to indulgence, because if it is a fault, it is a venial one; third, of sustenance, as in the permission for a bill of divorce, which Moses sustained, not the Lord, because God punished this crime temporally or eternally, which Moses didn't punish temporally. For there is a permission of sustenance when God allows us to sin, though He does not grant that it be done, nor does He dispense; rather, He sustains it, that is, He waits with patience. The Lord punishes only fornication as a cause for separation, commanding that other troubles be endured for the sake of the faithfulness and purity of marriage. Understand this separation as applying to living together and the fulfillment of marital duties, but not to the marriage bond itself, which is only dissolved by death; therefore, neither a husband nor a wife may marry another while their spouse is still living. As Rabanus says: 'There is only one carnal cause, that is, fornication, and one spiritual cause, that is, the fear of God, for which a wife may be dismissed; but there is no cause for which another may be taken while the one who was left is still living.' Spiritually, the wife who is not dismissed except for fornication is understood as the soul, whose husband is Christ, who never dismisses the soul except for the fornication of sin, through which Christ departs from us.1 Morally, whoever dismisses his spiritual wife—that is, the Church—and takes another, one that is 'fatter' or more lucrative, commits adultery; for he does not seek spiritual fruit, but temporal gain.2
The Gift of Holy Celibacy
Jesus teaches on the high calling of voluntary continence for the sake of the kingdom, emphasizing grace and the role of the will.
Having established what is necessary regarding the virtue of continence, we should now set forth what pertains to supererogation and counsel—namely, abstinence from every sexual act. For when the disciples heard that the bond of marriage is indissoluble, they were moved by his words and said to him, 'If the case of a man with his wife is such that he cannot dismiss her except in the way already mentioned, it is not expedient to marry.' It is as if they were saying: It is better to remain continent simply, because of the burden and heavy weight of wives, and the many inconveniences that can come from it. Hence Chrysostom says: 'It is easier to do battle against concupiscence, and against oneself, than against a bad wife.' Hence also Jerome says: 'A wife is a heavy burden if, except for the sole cause of fornication, it is not permitted to dismiss her.' What then? For what if she is a drunkard, or hot-tempered, or a spendthrift, or a wanderer, or sickly, or a brawler, or a slanderer? One must be wary of such a person, and she must be endured, even if we are unwilling. “For while we were free, we voluntarily subjected ourselves to servitude,” says Jerome. What of the word on continence? The Lord, answering the disciples, said to them: “Not everyone can accept this word of continence—that is, to fulfill it and keep themselves—because not everyone wants to accept it, nor has everyone received it. For the lustful person will hear it and be displeased; but it is given by God to those who have received it as a special gift, because it is a state to which we cannot ascend except by grace.” That is why the Wise Man says that no one can be continent unless God grants it. It is as if he were saying: People don't become virgins by chance or fortune, but by asking God and working to receive it. Hence Jerome says: “Let no one think that by this word, fate or fortune is being introduced, as if these are virgins to whom it has been given by God, or whom chance has brought to this; rather, it is given to those who have asked, who have willed, who... ...have labored to receive it.” For to everyone who asks, it will be given; and the one who seeks will find, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened. As Chrysostom says: "He didn't say that not everyone can, but that not everyone receives it—meaning that everyone has the capacity to receive it, but not everyone chooses to." If some fall in battle, we should blame the negligence of those who fell, not the difficulty of the virtue. But when he says, 'to whom it is given,' he doesn't mean that it's given only to some. It's not that it's withheld from some, but rather it shows that unless we receive the help of grace, we can do nothing on our own. Because grace is not denied to those who want it, the Lord says in the Gospel: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." The will must come first, and then grace follows. For grace does nothing without the will, nor does the will without grace. The earth doesn't sprout unless it receives rain, and the rain doesn't bring forth fruit without the earth. So that they wouldn't think all self-control is praiseworthy and meritorious, he divides it into three types: the first is born of nature; the second, of chance or violence; the third, of the will and grace. There are, in fact, eunuchs—that is, those who are continent—and according to Isidore, this is a Greek term for those born that way from their mother's womb, lacking the capacity or having a cold nature; these are properly called castrated, as if 'naturally chaste'. And there are eunuchs who were made so by men, whose genitals were cut; these are properly called 'spadones', from 'spatha', a type of iron tool used to castrate them. These two are not praiseworthy, nor are they meritorious or demeritorious, because they happen by necessity, not by will, except insofar as they are accepted by the will. According to Jerome, those who feign chastity under the guise of religious life—that is, hypocrites who seek empty glory from men in whatever they do—are counted among these. And there are eunuchs—that is, the continent—who have castrated themselves, not by cutting off limbs, but by repressing desire, and who have voluntarily devoted themselves to chastity or to living chastely for the sake of the kingdom of heaven; these are properly called eunuchs, that is, 'those who conquer well', from 'eu', which is good, and 'vum', which is victory, as if 'good victors'. These earn merit: by reason of the will, because it is spontaneous; by reason of the action, because it is good; and by reason of the intention, because it is right. These three things make for merit. This third type of self-control, which is the repression of desire from the sexual act through the will, is called victorious and praiseworthy, and it is entirely meritorious. Hence Chrysostom says: 'That is glorious self-control, not that which the necessity of bodily weakness cannot overcome, but that which the will of a holy purpose embraces.' And again: "When he says, 'who have castrated themselves,' he doesn't mean the cutting off of limbs, but the killing of evil thoughts." For concupiscence has its source primarily in a purpose of incontinence and a negligent mind. If the mind itself is sober, natural impulses cause no harm. The cutting off of a limb doesn't suppress temptations or create tranquility in the way that the bridle of thought does. But because such a state is high, and not everyone can attain it—only the perfect—he introduces it by encouraging his soldiers. He says: 'Whoever can accept this and fulfill it, let him accept it with the help of God, so that he may be chaste, or understand what I am saying; or, whoever can fight against the flesh, let him fight, overcome, and triumph.' This is a voice encouraging the prize of continence, not a command. It is as if to say: 'Let everyone consider whether they are capable of such virtue and purity.' This good isn't a matter of necessity, but of going beyond what's required; it's not a command, but a piece of advice. It's offered to everyone, but imposed on no one; so, whoever is able to live in continence, let them do so.
The Blessing of the Little Ones
Jesus welcomes little children, using them as a model of humility and innocence for those who seek the kingdom of heaven.
Having dealt with the perfection of continence, or chastity, we now move to the perfection of obedience, or humility. This is commended through little children, who represent the humble and obedient; for just as children are led not by their own will but by another's, so the humble and obedient are moved by the will and command of another. Bede says that this passage shines with the full teaching of humility, for it shows that the innocent and simple can belong to the grace of the Lord. So, while the Lord Jesus was teaching about chastity, little children were brought to him out of the devotion of those offering them, so that he might lay his hands on them and pray—that is, that he might bless them by hand and by voice. It was a custom among the ancients to offer children to their elders to be blessed, and the laying on of hands originated with the ancient Patriarchs, who would lay their hands upon children when they wished to bless them. Seeing, therefore, that Christ was old in his ways, holy in his life, most wise in his teaching, and speaking of chastity, and holding him as a Prophet, they offered him infants so that, by laying his hands on them and praying, he might bless them—touching them with his hand and blessing them through prayer. In this, we understand that it is enough for children to be brought to Christ through the faith of others. The disciples, however, sympathizing with the Master's labor and out of respect for his dignity, were forbidding them and rebuking those who brought them—not because they did not want the infants to be blessed by the Savior by hand and voice, but because they feared he would be burdened and offended by the persistence of those bringing them after such long sermons. Christ, however, though he was weary in body, was not weary in spirit, because it pleased him; and his strong affection, by which he desired the salvation of men, prevailed and won out, so that no one would be kept from attaining their salvation. Exhausted from his journey and caring nothing for hunger or food, he turned his attention to the conversion of the Samaritans, for whose salvation he hungered. Origen says: "We must be careful not to despise the little ones of the Church as insignificant when we consider our own higher wisdom and spiritual progress, lest we prevent children from coming to Jesus." Little ones can also refer to the poor and those of the lowest rank. By the disciples who prevent them from being offered to Christ, we can understand those leaders of the Church or religious who, because of someone's poverty or low status, turn them away from promotion or reception even when they are fit and worthy; for this reason, those who hinder them are rebuked by the mouth of Christ. Therefore the Lord, indignant, says to the disciples: "Let the little children come to me." For with him there is no partiality; do not hinder them by frightening them with threats or corrupting them with bad examples, because they are the image and form of the truly humble, whose friendship and company I desire. In this, he gave prelates an example of how to correct their own gatekeepers who prevent the poor from having access. Hence Chrysostom says: "Do not forbid the children, for if they are to be saints, why do you forbid the children to come to the Father?" But if they are to be sinners, why do you pronounce a sentence of condemnation before you see the fault?" For what they are now is mine; but what they will become later will be their own. Therefore, honor what is mine, but have mercy on what will be theirs. And he adds, "For of such is the kingdom of heaven"; he doesn't say "of these," but "of such," so that he might commend not so much their age as their humility and innocence. Not of all, but of such—that is, of those who are like them, and of those who possess a similar humility and innocence through study and labor, and who are such by their character and virtues as little children are by nature and age. For the soul of children is pure from all evils, and it is a teacher of innocence and humility; and no one can enter the kingdom of heaven unless he has become innocent and humble, because nothing defiled will enter into it. Hence, according to Jerome, he doesn't say "of these," but "of such," to show that it isn't age that reigns, but character; and that the reward is promised to those who have a similar innocence and a similar simplicity, of whom the Apostle says: "Do not become children in your thinking; but in malice be infants, yet in thinking be mature." Hence Ambrose says: "Age is not preferred to age; otherwise, growing up would be a hindrance." Why, then, does he say that children are fit for the kingdom of heaven? Perhaps because they don't know malice, don't know how to defraud, don't dare to strike back, don't know how to investigate, and don't crave wealth, honor, and ambition? But virtue is not to be ignorant of these things, but to despise them. True virtue isn't about being unable to sin, but about not wanting to. Therefore, it isn't childhood itself that is being held up as a model, but the goodness of a child’s simplicity. Hence Chrysostom also says: 'If we want to become heirs of the kingdom of heaven, we must pursue this virtue with great diligence.' For a child’s soul is pure from all evil; it doesn't remember those who have hurt it, but approaches them as friends, as if nothing had happened. No matter how much a child is punished by its mother, it still seeks her out and values her above everyone else. If you show a child a queen in her crown, it won't prefer her to its mother, even if she's wearing rough sackcloth. It asks for nothing more than what it needs; it isn't saddened by the things that sadden us, like the loss of money or similar things; it doesn't rejoice in the things we do, like these temporary comforts; it doesn't look at the beauty of bodies. That is why the Lord said, 'The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these,' so that by our own choice we might practice the things that children have by nature. There are ten good qualities in children that, if anyone imitates them, will gain the kingdom of heaven: innocence, purity of heart, obedience, simplicity, humility, truthfulness, forgetting the wrongs done to them, not caring about chance events, and being content with the bare necessities. You can find more on this above. The Lord gently received the little children brought to Him; by embracing them and holding them in His arms—as a sign that He loves those who are simple, humble, pure, and devout in the perfection of poverty—He laid His hands on them to show that He would confer the grace of His help upon those who live in continence, blessing them with a vocal blessing. This was not done without purpose, so that He might show the humble to be worthy of His blessing. In this way, He spiritually lays His hands on the humble every day as He grants them grace and help; for the humble in spirit are worthy of His grace and blessing, since God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble who submit themselves to His hands and His power. This shows the dignity of the humble, for they deserve such great goods. Jerome says that humility is the sole guardian and keeper of the virtues, and nothing makes a person so pleasing to God and to others as appearing great in the merit of one's life while remaining the lowest in humility. He rightly compared the humble to little children and the innocent, because humility is accustomed to wash away the stains of sins and restore innocence. Bernard says, "Humility is the beauty of the soul." I don't say this on my own, for the Prophet said before: "You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed," signifying humility as a lowly herb and a purgative for the heart. By this, King Proplicta trusted he was washed after his grave fall, and thus he found the brightness of innocence recovered. You should know that Christ, by laying hands on the little children, instituted and initiated the Sacrament of Confirmation, a ministry He later conferred upon the Apostles. Hence, little children are marked on their foreheads with chrism by bishops, who hold the place of the Apostles in the Church of God; for it was through the laying on of the Apostles' hands. The Holy Spirit was conferred for the strength and confirmation of the faithful, and this Sacrament takes the place of that laying on of hands. Consider now how much Christ loves the simplicity, humility, and innocence of little children, to whom He showed such signs of familiarity and benevolence; and strive to imitate these little ones and possess their virtues, so that you may be able to possess the kingdom of heaven with them. PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, who have exhorted us to continence, grant what You exhort, and bestow upon me—fragile as I am—chastity of mind and body. You who willed that little children come to You, and blessed them by laying hands on them, grant me, a wretch, that I may be a little child in my own eyes, so that I may find grace in the eyes of Your majesty. May I mercifully attain by Your grace what little children possess by nature, so that by the merits of all the little ones and the humble, I may be... ...and I, the least of all, with You as my ruler and guide, may deserve to reach You and be rewarded by You with a blessing in the heavenly realms. Amen.
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— Post hsec, cum consimmassetDommusJesus sermones illos,. migravit a Galilxa et venit in fines Judsede trans Jordanem. Omnis quippe provincia Judaeorum generaUter dicebatur Judaea, ad distinctionem aliarum gentium ; verumtamen meridiana ejus plaga, in qua iiabitabant tribus Juda et tribus Benjamin , speciaUter dicebatur Judaea, ad distiiictionem aliarum regionum, quae in ipsa continebantur provincia, sciUcet : Samaria et Galilaea, DecapoUs et reUquae aUae sitae in ea. Narrantur ergo ea quae in hac provincia, sciHcet Judaea, fecitet docuit, ac passusest Dominus ; et primo quae trans Jordanem ad Orientem, ubi habitabant du^e tribus, et dimidia Manasse ; deinde quae circa Jordanem, quando venit Jericho,et Bethaniam, et Jerusalem. Et secutx sunt eum, de GalUa^a, turbds multds, ex quo patet devotio popuU ad eum : quia multi sequebantur eum causa suae praedicationisaudienda}; aliqui causacurationis impetrandae. Ubi Chrysostomus : a Et secutiB sunt eum turbae multae, quasi testimonia salutaris doctrinae ejus, quasi oves pastorem in manu ipsius genitae et nutritae ; perducebant eum, quasi parvuli filii patrem ejus peregre proUciscentem. Ipse autem tamquam pater proficiscens bona pignora caritatis fiUis suis reiiquit, pro exsiUis, scilicet remedia sanitatum ; » haec Chrysostomus. Unde sequitur : Et curavit eos ibi^ sciUcet in Judaea, et non ante in GaUlaea, ut Gentes in eam misericordiam seuveniam, quae Judaeae parabatur, admitteret ; et in signum quod ex Judaea Gentibus salus esset.
Secundum Origenem, sanavit Dominus turbas trans Jordanem, ubi Baptismus dabatur , quia omnes a spiritualibus infirmitatibus in Baptismo salvantur. Et sic patet quod Evangelista iu uno verbo multa miracula sanitatum includit, quia, propter muUitudinem miraculorum, non poterant omnia in particulari describi.
Deinde, subditur narratio de triplici religiosorum perfectione, scilicet ; continentiae, obedienticT et paupertatis. Et primo, de continentia, cum dicitur : Et accesserunt ad eiim, scilicet Jesum, Pharisdei, qui in populo Judeeorum prae aiiis videbantur religiosi, tentantes eiim, scilicet capere in verbis. Notanda est mentium distantia in turbis et Fharisaeis. Hae conveniunt, ut doceantur et sui infirmi sanentur ;hiaccedunt, ut Salvatorem et doctorem veritatis tentando capiant, etdecipiant : has devotio pietatis ; illos stimulus adduxit livoris. Et interrogaverunt dicentes : Si licet homini dimittere uxorem suam, quacumque excausa, id est ex levi causa? Hanc autem quaestionem proponunt Christo, ad capiendum eum, quia responsio ad utramque parteni calumniabilis videbatur : si diceret enim uxorem pro libito voluntatis dimittendam, et aliam ducendam. pudicitiae praedicator et assertor videretur laxare frena carnali concupiscentiae, et sibiipsi contrarie ; si autem diceret quod non, videretur contra Moysen dicere, qui hbellum permisit rcpudii. Sed ipse sic responsionem temperat, ut decipulam eorum transeat; et respondit sola fornicationis causa uxorem esse dimittendam, libellum vero repudii ob duritiam et malitiam cordis eorum a Moyse olim fuisse permissum, id est nulla lege punitum.
Permisit autem hoc, non sicut bonum et licitum ; sed, propter majus malum evitandum, quia maluit permittere divortium, quam ob odium uxorum, vel desiderium secundarum nuptiarum fieri homicidium. Ista autem permissio non absolvebateos a peccato ; sed tantum a poena legali, quia non fuit imperium Dei, sed hominis dissimulatio in tolerando minus malum, ne majus fieret. Deus eijim non est sibi contrarius, ut aliud ante jusserit, et aliud nunc imperet. Moyses quidem nec praecipiendo, nec concedendo, nec indulgendo hoc mnndavit ; sed dispensando, sustinendo et permittendo consilio Spiritus Sancti, ne pejora fierint, hoctolcravit. Sic Apostoli permiserunt secundas nuptias propter incontinentiam hominum, et malas corum voluntates ; juxta enim primariam institutionem, non fuit nisi unica unici, sed pro[)ter incontinentiam hominum, transeunt modo ad secundas nuptias. Unde, cum de duobus malis minus toleratur, hujus permissio dicitur dispensatio, quasi diversorum pensatio, quando duo mala quasi aeque librantur, ut videatur quod eorum pejus sit, etpraeponderat. Est autem triplex permissio, scilicet : concessionis, ut cum Abbas concedit monacho propter infirmitatem vesci carnibus, iliicitis quidem propter votum, sed nunc licitis propter concessionem Abbatis et causam necessariam ; indulgentiae, ut permissio secundarum nuptiarum , unde Apostolus : Uxor, viro defuncto, cui vult nubat, tantum in Domino, hoc autem secundum indulgentiam dico, quia si culpa est, venialis est ; sustinentiae, ut permissio libelli repudii, quod sustinuit Moyses, non Dominus, quia Deus hoc crimen punivit teinporaliter vel aeternaliter, quod Moyses non punivit temporaliter. Est enim permissio sustinentiae, quando Deus permittit nos peccare, qui non concedit illud fieri, nec dispensat ; sed sustinet, id est perpatientiam exspectat.
Solam ergo fornicationem punit Dominus causam dissidii, jubens ceteras molestias pro fide conjugii et castitate sustineri. Et intellige dissidium, quantum ad cohabitationem, et debiti redditionem ; non tamen quantum ad vinculum matrimonii, quod non solvitur nisi per mortem ; et ergo nec vir nec mulier potest contrahere, altero vivente. Unde Rabanus : « Una ergo solummodo carnalis est causa, id estfornicatio, una spiritualis, hoc est timor Dei, ut uxor dimittatur ; nulla autem causa est nt, vivente ea, quae relicta est, alia ducatur. )> — Spiritualiter per uxorem quae non dimittitur nisi propter fornicationem, intelhgitur anima, ciijiis vir est Christus, qui numquam animam nisi propter fornicationem peccati dimittit, per qiiam Christiis a nohis recedit. - Moraliter qui dimittit uxorem suam spiritualem, scilicet Ecclesiam, et aliam ducit, scincetpinguiorem,mcEchatur; non enim quaBrit spiritualemfructum, sed temporale kicrum.
PrOpOSito er^o quodest nece^^^sitatis in virtute continentiae, consequenter ponitur et ilhid quod est supererogationis, ac consilii, scilicet continentia ab omni actu venereo. Discipuli enim cjus hoc audientes, quod vinculum matrimonii est indissokibile, et moti ex verbis ejus, dicimt ei : Si ita est causa hominis cum uxore^ quod non possit eam, nisi modo praedicto, dimittere, non expedit nubere. Ac si ipsi dicant: MeHus est simpkciter continere, propter onus et grave pondus uxorum, et multa incommoda quae possunt inde venire. Unde ait Chrysostomus ; « Levius est contra concupiscentiam praeliari, et contra seipsum, quam contra muherem malam. « Unde et Hieronymus : « Grave pondus uxor est, si, excepta sola causa fornicationis, non licet eam dimittere. Quid. enim si temuienta fuerit, si iracunda, si pfulosa, si vaga, si morbosa, si jurgatrix, si maledica? Timenda erit huju^modi, et erit, vehmus, nolimus, sustinenda.
Cum enim liberi essemus, voluntarie nos SLTvituti subjecimus : » haic Hieronymus. 4 TiNENTiiE VERBUM ? Qui Domiuus respondendo discipuhs dixit illis : 'Non omnes capiunt verbum istud continentiae, scihcet ut impleant et se contineant, quia non omnes capere vohmt, nec omnes acceptum habent, audiet enim hixuriosus et disphcet ei ; sed quibus datum est a Dco, ex speciali munere, quia status akus est, ad quem non valemu^^, nisi ex gratia, ascendere. Unde dirit Sapiens quod Ncmo potest essc continens, nisi Deus det. Ac si dicat : Non casu, seu fortuna virgines fiunt ; sed qui a Deo petunt et laborant ut accipiant. Unde Hieronymus : « Nemo putet sub hoc verbo, vel fatum vel fortunam introduci, quod hi sunt virgine-, quibus a Deo datum sit aut qiiMS quidem ad hoc casus adduxerit: sed his datum est qui petierunt, qui voluerunt, qui. ut acciperent, laboraverunt. Omni enim petenti dabitur, et quserens inveniet, et pulsanti aperietur.
» Unde et Chrysostomus : « Non dixit, non omnes possunt ; sed, non omnes capiunt, id est omnes capere possunt, non tamen capcre vulunt. Si enim quidam in pugna cadunt, noscadentiiim neghgentiae impulare debemus, non diflicultati virtutis. Quando autem dicit : Sed quibus datum est ; non hoc significafquoniam quibusdam datur. quibusdam vero non datur ; sed illudtantumostendit,quianisiauxilium gratiae acceperimus, nihil ex nobis valemu^. Quoniam autem volentibus gratia non negatur, inEvangeho Dominus dicit '. Petite, et dabitur vobis ; quxritc, et invenietis ; pidsate, et aperietur vobis. Debet autem voluntas praecedere, et sic sequitur gratia. Nam gratia sine vohmtate nihil operatur, nec voluntas sine gratia.
Nam el terra non germinat nisi phiviam susceperit, nec pluvia fructificat sino terra :
Et nc omncm continentiam putarent laudabilem et meritoriam, consequenter distinguit eam triplicem ; prima est contracta a natura ; secunda, a casu, sive violentia ; tertia, a voluntate et gratia. Sunt enim Eunuchi, id est continentes, et est, secundum Isidorum, graecum vocabuhim , cjui de matris utero sic nati sunt, sine instrumeniis, sive frigidae naturae, qui, proprie dicuntur castrati, quasi caste nati. Et sunt Eunuchi, cjui facti sunt ab hominibus, quibus secantur genitaha, qui proprie dicuntur Spadones, a spatha, genere ferri, quo eunuchizantur. Et istfe duaj non sunt laudabiles, et nec meritoriae, nec demeritoriie, quia necessitate fiuat, non voluntate, nisi in quantum per voluntatem acceptantur. Sccundum Hieronymum, inter 71 hos socunHos compiitantnr et hi qni spccie religionis siniulantcasfitaleni, scilicet liypocrito) et appelentes vanani gloriam ab hominibus ex quocumque suo opere. Et sunt Eunucfii, id est conlinentes, qui seipsos castraverimt, non pcr membrorum abscissionem ; scd pcr concupiscentiae repressionem, etse castitati, seu ad caste vivendum voluntarie devoverunt, propter regmim coelorum, qiii proprie dicuntur Eunuchi, id est hene vincentes, ab eu, quod est bonum, et vum, quod est victoria, quasi boni victores ; et hi mercntur ; et ratione voluntatis, qiiia spontanea ; et ratione actiouis, quia boua ; et ratione in tentionis, quia recta : ista enmi tria perficiunt meritum. Haec er^o tertia continentia, quai cst per voluntatem reprimentcm concupisrentiam ah actu venereo,victoriosa dicitur et laudabili:^, et tota est meritoria. Unde ait Chrysostomus : « Illa est gloriosa continentia, non quam trans^redi non potest necessitas debilitatis corporis, sed quam compleclitur voluntas sancti propositi.
» Et iterum : « Cum autem dicit : Qui se castraverunt, non membrorum dicit abscissionem; sedmalarum cogitationum interemptionem. Etcnim concupiscentia habet fontespra^cipue a proposito incontinendi, et a mente negligente. Et, si ipsa sobria fuerit, naturahum motuum nullum est nocumentum. Nec ita abscissio membi'i comprimit tentationes et tranquiliitatem facit, ut cogitationis frenum. » Sed, quia talis status altus est, nec possunt omnes ad hoc attingere, sed solum perfecti, ideo infert uominus hortando milites suos. dicens : Qui potest capere, et implere, capia^, cum adjutorio Dei, ut sit castus, vel intelligat qucHB dico; vel, qui potest pugnare contra carnem, pugnet, ac superet et triumphet. Et est vox hortautis ad conlinentiae bravium, non jubenlis. Quasi dicerct : Unusquisque considcret an virLinilatis et pudiciticT pra?
ccptum implere queat, tantum b(»num non est necessiiatis, sed supercrogationis ; nec est hoc pFfecepium, sed consilium; cuihbet offertur, nemini impouitur; qui ergo potest continere, contincat.
liahito itaque de perfectione continenticT, sive castitatis, conscquenler agitur de perfectione obedientia}, sive humilitatis, et hoc commendationeparvulorum,perquos designantur humiles et obedientes ; quia sicut parviili non propria voluntatc, scd alterius ducuntur, ita humiles et obcdienlcs alterius voluntate et imperio moventur. Unde dicit Beda, quod haec lectio humilitatis magisterio plena micat, quae vidclicet innocentes ac simplices ad Domini gratiam pertin^^ere posse demonstrat. Dum ergo Dominus Jesus de castitate dissereret : Tunc oblati sunt ei parvuli ex devotione offerentium, ut manus eis imponeret, et oraret, id est ut nianu et voce bcnedicerct. Consuetudo enim fuit apud veteres, ut parvulos benedicendos offerrent senioribus , et impositio manuum ortum habuit ab antiquis Patriarchis, qui volentes bencdicere parvulis, imponebant eis manus. Videntes igitur Judaei Chrislum moribus senem, vita sanctum, docirina sa[)ientissimum, et de castitate loquentem ; atque habentes eum sicut Prophetam, obtulerunt ei infantes, ut eis manus imponens et orans benediceret : manu pertactum, et voce per orationem. In quo datur intelligi, quod parvulis sufficit per fidem aliorum, ad Christum afferri. Biscipuli autem labori Magistri compatientes, et propter ejus dignitatem, prohibebant, et increpabant eos offerentes, non qurd nollent infantibus a Salvatorc, et manu et vocebenedici ; sed, quia timcbant eum post tam longos sermones, importnnitate offcrentium gravari et offendi. Christus autem, etsi fatigabatur corpore, non tamen animo, quia ei placebat; et praevaluit ac vicit fortis ejus affectus, quo hominum sahitem cupicbat, ut nullus a consecutione suai salutis prohiberctur.
Sic fatigatus ex itmere, non curans famem aut cibos, ad coiiversiunem Samaritauorum, quorum salutem famescebat, se convertit. TJbi Origenes : « Haec ergo debemus attendere, ne aestimatione sapientiae excellentioris et profectus spiritualioris, contemnamus quasi magni pusillos Ecciesise, prohihentes pueros venire ad Jesum : » haec Origenes. Parvuli etiam possunt dici pauperes et generis infimi ; per discipulos autem impedientes ne Christo offerantur, possunt accipi Ecclesiae rectores, vel religiosi, qui propter paupertatem, vel generis infimitatem repellunt tales a promotione vel receptione, quamvis sint apti et digni; propter quod impedientes arguuntur ore Christi. Unde Dominus, indigne ferens, ait eis, discipuiii; ; Sinite parvulos venire ad me,. apud quem non est personarum acceptio ; et nolite prohibere eos, comminationibus terrendo, vel malis exemplis corrumpendo; quia isti sunt hgura et forma vere humihum, quorum familiaritatem ego volo, et consortium. In quo dedit praelatis exemplum corrigendi ostiarios suos pauperum accessum prohibentes. Unde Chrysostomus : « Nolite vetare pueros, nam si sancti futuri sunt, quid vetatis filios ad Patrem venire ? Si autem peccatores futuri sunt, utquid sententiam condemnationis profertis, antequam culpam videatis?
Nam quales modo sunt, meum est ; quales autem postea futuri sunt, ipsorum erit. Quod ergo meum est, honorate ; quod autem ihorum erit, miseremini.
Et subjungit : Talium est enim regnum coBlorum, non dicit istorum, sed talium, ut non tam setatem quam humihtatem et innocentiamcommendet. Non omnium, sed talium, id est similium, et illorum qui similem habent humilitatem et innocentiam, per studium et laborem, et qui taies sunt per mores et virtutes, quales sunt parvuli per naturam et aetatem. Puerorum enim aaima ab omnibus malis est pura, et magistra innocentiae et humililatis; etnullus potest intrare in regnum coelorum, nisi fuerit innocens et humiiis, quia nihilinquinatum intrabit in illud. Unde, secundum Hieronymum, non ait istorum, sedtalium, utostenderetnon aetatem regnare, sed mores ; et his, qui similem haberent innocentiam similemquesimplicitatempraemiumrepromitti, de quibus Apostoius : Nolite pueri fieri sensibus; sed malitia parvuli estote, sensu autem perfecti. Unde Ambrosius : « Non aetas praefertur aetati, alioquin obesset adolescere. Cur ergo pueros aptos dicit esse regno coelorum ? Fortasse quiamalitiam nesciant, fraudare non noverint, referire non audeant, scrutari ignorcnt, opes, honorem et ambitionem , non appetant? Sed non ignorare ista virtus est, ast contemnere.
Non enim virtus est non posse peccare, sed nolle. Non igitur pueritia, sed a^mula puerilis simplicitatis bonitas designatur. » Unde et Chrysostomus : « Et nos itaque, si volumus fieri heredes coelorum, virtutem hanc cum multa possideamus diligentia. Etenim ab omnibus malis pura est pueri anima, et eorum qui contristaverunt non memoratur, sed ut ad amicos accedit, sicut nullo facto ; et quantumcumque a matre flagellatus fuerit, hanc inquirit, et prae omnibus eam appretiatur, et si reginam ostenderis cum diademate, non praeponit hanc matri cilicio superindutae ; et necessariisnihil plusinquirit; non tristatur in quibus nos , puta damno pecuniarum, ettalibus;non laetatur inquibus nos, puta in temporaneis his ; non respicit ad pulchritudines corporum, propterhocdixitDominus: Talium est enim regnum ccBlorum^ ut electione haec operemur, quae a natura pueri habent ; » haec Chrysostomus. Sunt autem decem proprietates bonae in pueris, quas qui imitatur, regnum coelorum consequetur, quae sunt : innocentia, cordis miinditia, obedientia, simplicitas, humilitas, veritas, malorum illatorum immemoratio, fortuitorum nulla reputatio, et praesentium valde parvorum ad sufficientiam acceptio. Plura de hoc habes superius.
Deindc parYulos sibi oblatos Dominus dulciter sascepit ; Et complexans eos, et in ulnis detinens, in signum quod simDE PERFEGTIONE PAUPERTATIS plices et humilcs, piiros et devotos diligit, etimponens manus siipcr illos, ut viris coutinentibus gratiam sui auxilii conferendam sig-niOcarct; benedicebat eos, aliqua vocali benedictione,. quiiescripta non est, iit liumiles sui bencdictionc dignos ostcnderet. Sic spiritualiter quotidie humdibusmanus imponit, cum eisgratiam et auxiliumtribuit quoniam humiles spiritu digni sunt ejus gratia ct bcnedictionc : Deus cnim superbis resistit^ humilibus autem, qui sc manibus et potcstati ejus subiiciuni^ dat gratiam. In quo humilium dignitas ostenditur, qui tanta bona mercntur. Undc dicit Hieronymus^ quod humihtas sola observatrix est custosque virtutum, et nihil est quod ita Dco gratum faciat et hominibus, quantum si vitae merito magni, scd humilitate infimi videamur. Et bene humiles parvulis et innocentibus comparavit; quia humilitas maculas peccatorumlavarc, et inriocentiam reddere consuevit. Unde ait Bernardus : « Decor animae humiiitas cst. Et non a mc ipso hoc dico, cum Prophcta prior dixerit : Aspergcs me hyssopo et mundabor^ humili hcrba ac pcctoris purgativa humiiilatem significans.
Hac se post gravem lapsum rex Proplicta lavari confidit; ct sic iiivcnit (lucmdam innocentiai recupcratajcandorem. » 9 — Et scicndum quod Christus manus imponendo parvulis instituit et initiavit sacramentum Confirmationis, cujus ministeriumposiea contulit Apostolis. Unde parvuli in frontibus chrismate consignantur ab Episcopis,qui inEcclesiaDei locum obtinent Apostolorum; pcr impositionem cnim manuum Apostolorum. confercbatur Spiritus Sanctus, ad robur et confirmationem fidelium, cujus impositionis manuum locum oblinct pra^dictum Sacramcntum. Consiilera nunc quantum Christus simplicitatem, ct humilitatcm, ac innocentiam parvulorum diligit quibus tanta familiaritatis et bcncvolentice signa ostcndil, et studeas pro posseparvulos imitari, et virtutes eorum habere, ut valeas cum ipsis regnum coelorum possiderc. ORATIO Domine Jesu Christe, qui nos ad continentiam es hortatus, da quod hortaris, et tribue mihi fragili castitatem mcntis ct corporis; ct qui parvulos vcnire ad te voluisti, et cis manus imponens bcncdixisti, pra3Sta mihi, miscro, ut sim parvulus in oculis mcis, quatenus gratiam inveniamin oculis tujE majestatis; et quod parvuli possident pcr naturam, ego consequar misericorditer pcr gratiam tuam, ut meritis omnium parvulorum ct humiliumtibi p! acentium, ego, ultimus omnium, te rcctore, te duce, merear ad te pervenire, et a te benedictione in coelestibus munerari. Amcn.
Notes
- 1 ↩The source text contains several typos ('intelhgitur', 'ciijiis', 'qiiam', 'Christiis', 'nohis'). These have been corrected in translation to 'intelligitur', 'cuius', 'quam', 'Christus', and 'nobis'.
- 2 ↩The source text 'scincetpinguiorem,mcEchatur' is corrupt. It is rendered here as 'scilicet pinguiorem, moechatur' (namely, a fatter one, he commits adultery).
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