De perfectione paupertatis
The Rich Young Man's Inquiry
A young man approaches Jesus to ask about the path to eternal life, prompting a lesson on the nature of true goodness.
Having addressed the perfection of chastity, obedience, and humility, he now moves on to the perfection of poverty. A young man came up, knelt before Jesus, and asked, "Teacher, because of your sound teaching, good one, and because of your holy life, what good thing must I do to receive eternal life?" According to Bede, he had heard from the Lord that only those like little children are worthy of the kingdom of God; and so, desiring to be more certain about entering the kingdom, he asks not in parables, but more openly, to be told by what merits or works he might be able to attain eternal life. Jesus, however, spoke to him—first, regarding his thought, because the man thought Jesus was merely a human being, even though he believed him to be a holy and good teacher—and so, as if responding to his thought, he said to him: "Why do you call me good?" It was as if he were saying, "Since you believe I am merely a human being, you shouldn't call me good." For no one is good except the one and only God; this is the point: God alone is good essentially, through himself and from himself, and no one else is; for others are good only by participation through him and from him. Hence Chrysostom says, "This statement doesn't exclude humans from goodness, but from comparison with divine goodness." It is as if the Lord were saying to him, "Why do you call me good when you don't believe I am God?" But if you truly call me good, you must also believe that I am God. For God alone is good by nature.
The Commandments of the Law
Jesus instructs the young man on the necessity of keeping the Decalogue as the foundation for salvation.
Then, in response to his question, He says: "If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." It’s as if He were saying: "This is enough for salvation; what is beyond this..." ...is not a matter of necessity, but of supererogation, since, according to Bede, the justice of the Law, when kept, conferred not only the goods of the earth but also eternal life, to be attained in its own time. And. Because the young man had heard this, he became anxious and said to Him: "What are these commandments, the observance of which is necessary?" He did this, however, according to Chrysostom, not to test Him, but because he thought there were other commandments... ...beyond the legal ones, which would be the cause of life for him. Jesus, however, condescending as if to one who is weak, and explaining the precepts of the Law most mercifully, said: "You shall not commit murder by killing with your hand, by commanding or advising with your mouth, or even by slandering, because through slander a neighbor is killed in the conscience of another, in which..." It's forbidden to harm a neighbor's reputation, to wish for another's death in your heart, to hold onto hatred, or to withhold a kindness; through this commandment of the Decalogue, every harm to a neighbor's own person is prohibited. “You shall not commit adultery”—by this, harm to a neighbor in the person joined to them is prohibited. No? “You shall not steal”—by this, harm to a neighbor's possessions is prohibited. “You shall not bear false witness”—by this, harm to a neighbor's reputation is prohibited. “Honor your father and your mother,” by helping them and showing them reverence; and by this affirmative commandment, every kindness owed to a neighbor is understood, because under the name of father and mother, every neighbor is included. And this is what follows: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” which means loving them as you love yourself—that is, toward grace and glory; or, “as yourself” means not in word only, but in deed and in truth. Our neighbor, however, is everyone who shares our nature, whom we must love as ourselves. The Lord introduces this teaching to show that the goal of the commandments is love, because keeping them doesn't earn eternal life unless it's done out of love. Among these commandments that direct us toward our neighbor, the ones about not coveting a neighbor's property or his wife aren't mentioned, because they're covered by the commandments against adultery and theft. They can be understood as included under those, or because they're implied in the command: "Love your neighbor," for whoever truly loves his neighbor doesn't covet his property or his wife. He doesn't list all the commandments here, but only those of the second tablet, which direct a person toward their neighbor; in doing so, he implies and assumes the commandments of the first tablet that direct a person toward God, for a person is bound more to God than to their neighbor. If keeping the commandments of the second tablet is necessary for salvation, then keeping the commandments of the first tablet is all the more necessary. So the Apostle rightly says: "Whoever loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law," because in the love of neighbor, the love of God is understood as the goal for which the neighbor is loved; for the neighbor must be loved for God's sake, and not the other way around. Through these things, the Savior also shows that the observance of ceremonial and judicial laws was no longer necessary for salvation, but that the ten commandments of the Decalogue are sufficient. The first of these is: You shall have no other gods; which means you must worship the true God alone and love nothing above Him. There are many today who make other gods for themselves; for, as Augustine says, a person worships whatever they love above all else. Therefore, the proud person has pride instead of God. The lustful person has lust, the greedy person has greed, and so on for the rest. The second is: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain with your mouth; which means you shall not blaspheme, nor shall you swear improperly in His name. Such a person injures God, whom they invoke as a witness to their own falsehood, as if God loved a lie; they also injure themselves by binding themselves to be punished in God's judgment if things aren't as they swear; and they injure their neighbor by deceiving and defrauding them through a false oath. The third: Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy; so that you don't commit moral sin on that day, and so that you avoid evil. Anyone who does servile work on the Sabbath out of greed, commits any sin, or neglects works of mercy sins against this commandment; for you must not be idle when it comes to good works. The Fourth: Honor your father and your mother, which means obeying them, serving them, helping them, and having mercy on their souls; this commandment also commands the honor of spiritual fathers, that is, of prelates. The Fifth: You shall not kill—whether by deed, word, negligence, thought, help, consent, bad example, or any other occasion. Homicide is sometimes committed in the heart through hatred, and sometimes by mouth through slanderous words. And sometimes by deed. This last one is threefold: some kill only the body; some kill only the soul, when they lead others into sin; and some kill both, when someone kills themselves or another person who is already in a state of mortal sin. The Sixth: You shall not commit adultery. This includes acting, thinking, speaking, or allowing fornication within your jurisdiction. By the Lord's saying, 'You shall not commit adultery,' every carnal appetite and corruption is forbidden, except for that which belongs to marriage. Seventh: You shall not steal by taking for yourself what belongs to another in any way, or by using what belongs to another against the Lord's will. by using it. Theft is understood as any evil taken away: whether by acting secretly in what you receive, by practicing fraud in business, or by failing to pay workers their wages. Eighth: You shall not speak false testimony against your neighbor, or any lie, deceit, slander, flattery, or calumny. and by avoiding erroneous teaching. Ninth: You shall not covet the house, field, or any other thing belonging to your neighbor with the intention of taking them for yourself to his detriment. Tenth: You shall not desire the wife, servant, or maid of your neighbor by consenting in your heart, soliciting with your mouth, or completing the desire through action. Whoever fulfills these things will be able to be saved.
The Call to Evangelical Perfection
Jesus invites the young man to move beyond the commandments to the perfection of voluntary poverty and following Him.
But the young man said to him, "Master, I have kept all these things since I was young; yet what is still lacking in me, since today you'd hardly find anyone among the religious who has done this?" Jesus looked at him and loved him because of his good past life, and then he showed him a friendly face; and instructing him about perfection, he said to him, "One thing is still lacking for you regarding the state of perfection: the good of poverty." Because. Even though keeping the commandments is enough for salvation, it isn't enough for evangelical perfection; rather, for this, the observance of the counsels is also required. The first of these is the renunciation of temporal things, and that is why he only mentions this here. As Origen says: "It shouldn't be understood, however, that at the very time he gave his goods to the poor, he became entirely perfect; but from that day, the contemplation of God begins, leading him to all virtues." And the Lord adds: "If you wish"—because this is within your freedom—"to be perfect," that is, to ascend above the common state necessary for salvation to the state of perfection, because this belongs to the perfection of life, "go" by affection, despising temporal things, "and sell," by effect, leaving behind everything—that is, all things, not just a part, like Ananias and Sapphira, which is against those who hold property; you have and justly possess, which is against robbers, thieves, and usurers who give alms from what belongs to others, for we have what we justly possess: those things, therefore, which are justly possessed should be sold, but those which are unjustly possessed must be returned to those to whom they belonged; "and give," not sell by seeking a reward from a hand, or from a tongue, or from service, to the poor, not to the rich from whom you will receive similar things, nor to carnal friends unless they are in need, nor to actors and those who use things badly, which is against simoniacs and the ambitious who give to others so that they may acquire benefits and dignities; "and do this for the sake of..." God, not for the sake of ostentation, because throwing away temporal things for the sake of ostentation isn't meritorious; and by giving them in this way, you will have treasure, that is, a certain very safe place of beatitude in heaven. This isn't to say that poverty is a greater virtue than chastity or obedience; rather, it's spoken of in terms of a certain correspondence, as if heavenly treasure corresponds to voluntary poverty just as exaltation corresponds to humiliation. Chrysostom puts it well: 'He didn't mention eternal life, but rather treasure, saying: "And you will have treasure in heaven." Because the conversation was about money and the renunciation of all things, He shows that He gives back much more to those He commanded to let go, just as heaven is greater than earth; for in the treasure, He shows the abundance of the reward.' He adds: "Come, leave everything behind, and follow me," by imitating me and walking as I walk; for true perfection consists primarily and completely in following Christ through works of love, while voluntary poverty is only a beginning—a way of removing, prohibiting, and disposing—because it takes away the care of temporal things, which... ...hinders the soul from the love of God. Hence the Gloss says: "Leaving everything is the way to perfection; but perfection itself consists in following Christ." It’s certainly a great glory to follow the Lord, and for that reason, it’s something to be greatly desired. Therefore, it isn't enough for a person to leave their own things to reach perfection, unless they follow the Lord—that is, unless they leave behind what is evil and do what is good. Hence Theophilus says: "A person must possess other virtues along with poverty; for this reason he says: 'Come, follow me,' which means: in all other things, be my disciple, and follow me constantly." Hence Jerome also says: "It’s easier to despise a purse than to despise one's own will." For many leave behind their riches but don't follow the Lord. Anyone who imitates the Lord and walks in His footsteps is following Him. Hence Rabanus says: 'We have heard of two lives proposed to men: the active, to which pertains...' '...you shall not kill, and the other commandments of the Law; and the contemplative, to which pertains: If you wish to be perfect, etc.' The active life relates to the Law, and the contemplative to the Gospel, because just as the Old Testament came before the New, good action comes before contemplation. For those in the active life, keeping the commandments taught in the Law is fitting; for those in the contemplative, keeping the counsels taught in the Gospel is fitting. It should be noted that perfection is manifold: there is the perfection of sufficiency, which everyone who lives in charity possesses; of order, which is characterized by keeping continence; of religious life, which is characterized by renouncing all things; of prelacy, for those whose duty it is to lay down their soul for their sheep; and of security, which is characterized by desiring death and enduring life with patience. To the first perfection... ...everyone is bound; to the last, however, no one is bound; to the three middle ones, some are bound for certain reasons. This, then, is one sign. He advised leaving everything behind so that a person might follow the naked Christ, while being naked themselves. According to Theophilus, by saying 'everything,' he is urging total poverty; for if anything remains, you're still a slave to it. And according to Ambrose, the Lord wanted that young man to return to paradise just as Adam had been before he was cast out from the heights of paradise. For Adam was naked in paradise.
The Obstacle of Earthly Attachment
The young man's sadness reveals how attachment to wealth hinders the soul from the freedom required for divine contemplation.
Although someone can enter into life by keeping the commandments while possessing wealth, one thing is still missing for the perfect following of Christ—so that they may reach toward God with perfect love and an undivided heart: they must leave behind their wealth in their affections, so as to be poor in spirit. This poverty includes humility, without which there is no true poverty, because it is vanity to have an empty purse and a heart full of pride. It also includes a practical contempt for wealth, because it's very difficult for someone who has wealth not to be held back, distracted, or hindered by the love of it from the perfect love of God, and not to be prevented from following Christ freely and quickly. For anyone entangled in wealth puts their feet into a net, so that they cannot walk perfectly before God or follow Christ freely; because wealth is stickier than birdlime, and a mind occupied and held by it is pulled away only with difficulty. An excessive love of earthly possessions is, therefore, an obstacle to this perfection. This was clearly evident in that young man who, when he heard the Lord's word regarding the perfection of poverty, went away sad, hindered by the love of earthly possessions, because he could not ascend to the perfection of voluntary poverty. The cause of his sadness is explained when it is added: 'He had many possessions,' which produce thorns and thistles, choking the Lord's seed; and he was nonetheless held by his possessions and was very rich in deceptive wealth, because of his disordered love for which he was saddened by the suggestion of renouncing them; for it is a sad thing to cast away what one loves. A person is affected by temporal things in a way that makes them suffer, and their heart is saddened in some measure when they are deprived of them. For often, when temporal things are with us, we think that we do not love them; but when they begin to be absent, then we find out who we really are. It was there without our love, and it departs without pain. When that young man heard that he should sell everything he had and give it to the poor, he went away sad, because he wanted to have the riches of the world and eternal life at the same time—which was impossible to do. For it is hard for anyone to stand firm while possessing riches, free from the pride of arrogance and the desire for pleasure, just as it would be hard for a man to stand on the very peak of a mountain and not fall when battered by a violent storm. But as Augustine says: 'This young man is indeed praiseworthy because he did not kill and did not commit adultery; yet he is blameworthy because he was saddened by the words of Christ calling him to perfection.' He was, in fact, a young man in his soul, and for that reason he left Christ and went away—so says Augustine. But such a net is cast in vain before the eyes of those who have wings—that is, the perfect contemplatives—who are the less saddened by the lack of temporal things, the more they long for eternal ones. For, as Gregory says, the less a person grieves that eternal things are missing, the more they rejoice that temporal things are present; and whoever grieves less that temporal things are missing, waits more surely for eternal things to be present. Therefore, according to Gennadius, it is good to distribute one's resources to the poor with discretion; but it is better, with the intention of following Christ, to give away everything at once and, free from anxiety, to live with Christ. For as Chrysostom says: 'Those who have little are not held back in the same way as those who abound in many things; for the renunciation of riches kindles a greater flame, and desire becomes more violent.' It isn't just the possession of wealth that hinders and turns a person away from the contemplation of God and perfect love, but also the sheer variety of other things. As Augustine says: "The multiformity of temporal things distracts a person from the unity of God through the carnal senses, and multiplies their affection through its changeable variety." Whoever desires freedom, then, should aim to be free from the love of changeable things; and whoever desires to reign, let them cling to God, the one Ruler of all, in submission. And again: "There are two loves: of the world and of God." If the love of the world dwells within, there is no room for the love of God to enter. When you empty your heart of the love of earthly things, you will draw in divine love. Hence Gregory also says: "God is not loved when there is a craving for earthly substance, because the love of the world dirties and blinds the eye of the mind, so that the divine brightness cannot be seen." And it's no wonder, for how can you love someone you don't know? Or how can someone know the One to whom they close the eye of their heart? Chrysostom also says: "Human affairs are like smoke." Nothing saddens and disturbs the eye of the soul as much as the crowd of this life's cares and the multitude of its desires; for these are the fuel of this smoke. Anselm also says: "If you want to be at peace, desire nothing of this world." You will always have rest of mind if you cast off the world's cares from yourself. Whoever entangles themselves in earthly cares separates themselves from the love of God. So that you may understand much in little, pay attention to these few words of Augustine: "There is nothing more to know than that these sensible things are to be fled." Dionysius agrees with this, saying: "Leave behind your senses and all sensible things."
The Path of Spiritual Freedom
The author provides practical guidance on how to view temporal things as a stranger and emphasizes that true poverty is freedom from anxiety.
To be looked at. If you have ears to hear, listen to these few words and take them to heart; there is much hidden here that the vain and the distracted will never see. Therefore, to someone anxious about an abundance of words, it was said in the spirit: 'If you want to know all things that need to be preached, then separate yourself from external things, purify yourself from temporal things, make yourself free from carnal things, and lift yourself up to heavenly things; and the divine things will be revealed to you.' Look, in these words is contained the safe path that has been preached: for your image is the image of God; put aside, therefore, everything from it that is accidental to it, and what is divine will appear to you in it. But to live usefully and perfectly regarding both temporal and eternal things, know that you must view temporal things in four ways: first, feel like a stranger and a foreigner, as if your own clothes were foreign to your senses, like something from Greece or India; second, in using them, fear any excess as you would poison or a drowning sea; third, in your perception, regard every need... ...that you feel the state as... ...and as an altar, and a ladder to eternal life? ...and as a mirror or image of the cross of Christ; fourth, feel the wealth and display of the rich to be so burdensome that, in remembering or seeing them, you find nothing! To the extent that you find pleasure or joy in these things, if you see that you're rejoicing in them, consider yourself a stranger to the glorious poverty of Christ. Connected to this is the need to find your whole joy in the memory or sight of the poor and despised—as if they were the clear image of the poor Christ—and to associate with them as if they were kings, with the utmost eagerness and reverence. Consider also here that performing certain good works is not enough for perfection. It isn't enough to have certain virtues; you must do everything you can to bring them to completion. Chrysostom says: 'The man of God is complete for every good work, but not fully finished; he may have this virtue, but not that one.' For anyone who is like that is not complete. Tell me, what good is it when someone prays intensely, but doesn't show mercy abundantly? Or what if someone is merciful in abundance, but remains greedy and violent? Or what if they aren't greedy or violent, but act only for the sake of those who see them? Or what if they are indeed merciful in what seems right to God, but are puffed up by that very fact and think too highly of themselves? Or perhaps someone might be humble and devoted to fasting, yet remain greedy, a wheeler-dealer, attached to the earth, and entangled in all sorts of worldly concerns, bringing the root of all evils into their own soul. Let’s avoid this, then; let’s flee from this sin. This makes the whole world unstable and confuses everything; it leads us away from the servitude of Christ. It’s impossible to serve God and mammon, as Christ sets them in opposition; so says Chrysostom. And note regarding what was said above, that the perfection of poverty doesn’t consist in having fewer temporal things. But rather in a greater detachment from anxiety over them. A life of lesser poverty involves less anxiety, and in that way, poverty is more perfect; it isn’t more perfect simply because the poverty itself is greater. Poverty is good in itself, but only insofar as it frees you from the things that hinder you from attending to spiritual matters.
A Prayer for Grace and Imitation
The chapter concludes with a humble prayer for the grace to observe the commandments and follow Christ in poverty.
Lord Jesus Christ, give me—a miserable and fragile person who has until now kept your commandments carelessly and poorly—the grace to at least observe them from this moment on, so that I may be worthy to enter into life with those who keep them. Grant me also, most merciful Lord, that by striving toward perfection, I may for your sake despise and leave behind all temporal things with true affection; and having left all things, may I follow you, imitate you, and walk in your footsteps, so that with you as my guide and leader, I may arrive at you—my desirable and unfailing treasure—and always rejoice in the vision of you. Amen.
Read the original Latin
Habito de perfcctionc caslitatis, et obedientiee seu humilitatis, consequenter agit de pcrfcctione paupcrtatis. Et ecce unus quidam adolcscens, acccdens et genu tlexo ante Jesum^ rogabat eim, dicens : Magister, propter doctrinam sanam, bone, p^opter vitam siuictam ; quid boni faciam ut vitam xternam 'perciipiam? Secundum Bedam, audierat iste a Domino tantum similes parvulis dignos esse regno Dei, et ideo certior esse desiderans de ing^ressu regni, non per parabolas,sed aperlius postulat sibi ex poni, quibus meritis, vel operibus, vitam seternam possit consequi. Jesus antem dixit ei, primo quantum ad ejus cogiiationem, quia iste cogitabat Jesum esse pnrum hominem, licet crederet eum esse sanctum, et bonum doctorem; et ideo, quasi respondens ejus cogitationi, dixit ei : Quid me dicis bonum? Quasi diceret ; Ex quo me credis purum hominem, non dehes me vocare bonum. Nemo enim bonus, nisi solus et unus Deus ; hoc est dictum : Deus est solus bonus esseniialiter, per se, et a seipso, et nulhisalius ; quiaaliiparticipative peripsum, et ab ipso. Unde Chrysostomus : « Hoc autem dictns non exckidit hominesabonitate ; sed a comparatione cum bonitate ; divina. » Quasi diceret ei Dominus; Quare me dicis bonum, cum non credas me esse Deum ?
Si vero confiteris bonum^ credas etiam esse Deum. Solus enim'Deus natnra bonus est.
Deindc cnnsequenter respondet ejus interrogationi, dicens : Si autem vis ad vitam ingredi, serva mandata. Quasi diceret : Hoc sufficit ad salutem ; quod amplius est. non est necessitatis, sed sunererogationis,quoniam,secundnm Bedam, justitia Legis custodita, non solnm bona terrae, sed et vitam conferehat aeternam, sno tempore consequendam. Et. qnia adolescens haec andierat sollicitus factns dixit illi : Quse es^ent ha^c mandata, quornm observanlia est necessaria. Hoc autem, secundum Chrysostomiim, non tentans fecit ; sed a^stimans alia quaedam praecepta esse. pra^ter legalia, quae vitae ei causa fierent. Jesus autem, quasi infirmo condrscendens, Legis jiraecepta clementis-ime exponens, dixit : Non homicidium facies manu occidendo, ore jubendo, vel consnlendo ; vel etiam detrahendo, qnia per detractionem occiditurproximus in conscientia aliena, in qua v.
vebat per bonamfamam ; nec corde mortem alterius desiderando, vel odium retinendo, aut beneficium subtrahendo, et per hoc praeceptum Decalogi, prohibetur omne nocumeutum proximi in persona propria. Non adulterabis, per hoc prohibetur nocumentum proximi in persona sibi conjuncta. No? i facies furtum, per hoc prohibetur nocumentum proximi in re possessa. Non falsum testi' monium dices, per hoc prohibetur nocumentum proximi in fama. Jlonora patrem tuum et matrem tuam, eis subveniendo, et reverentiam exhibeudo ; et per hoc praeceptum affirmativnm intehigitur omne beneficium proximo reddendum, quia nomine patris et matris, intelligitur omnis proximus. Et hoc est, quod subditur: Etdiliges proximum tuum^ sicut teipsum, id est,ad id qnod diligis temctipsum, scilicet ad gratiam et ad gJoriam ; vel, sicut teipsum, id est non verbo tantum, sed opere et veritate. Proximus autem noster est, omnis qui nobiscum convenit in natura, quem debemus sicut nosipsos diligere.
Quam sententiam Dominus inducit, ut ostendat quod finis praeceptorum est caritas; quia observantia mandatorum non est meritoria vita^ aeternae, nisi fiat ex caritate. Inter haec praecepta ordinantia in proximum, non tanguntur praecepta de non concupiscendo rem proximi, vel ejus uxorem, qnia reducuntur ad prsecepta de non adulterari et non furari. et sub illis possunt intelligi ; vel, quia intelliguntur in hoc quod dicitur : Diliges proximum tuum, qui enim verepruximum diligit, nec rem ejus, nec uxorem concupiscit. Enumerat autem hicnon omnia mandata, sed solummodo praecepta secundae tabulae, quae ordinant hominem ad proximum, in quii)us implicat et snpponit praecepta [^rimae tabulae ordinantia hominem ad Dcum ; quia homo magis tenctnr Deo qnam proximo, et ideo si observantia mandaDE PERFECTIONE PAIPKRTATIS. torum secundae tabula) est neccssaria ad salutem, multo fortius oltservantia mandatorum prinur, tabnlae est nccessariaadeamdem. Unde bene dicit Apostolus, quod : Qui diligit proximum, Legem implevit; quia ia dilectione proximi intclligitur dilectio Dei ut finis propter qucm proximus diligitur : quia proximus diligi debet propter Deum, ct non e converso.
• Per prsedicta etiam ostendit S;ilvator, quod observantia praeceptorum cerimonialium et judicialium non erat amplius necessaria ad salutem, sed sutticiunt decem Decalogi pi-aecepta. Quorumprimum est: Ndh habebisdeos alienos, id est verum Deum soluminodo coles et super eum nihil amabis. Multi enim hodie sunt qui sibi deos aiienos faciuut ; nam, sicut dicit Augustinus, hoc ab homine colimr, quod prae ceteris dili^itur. Superbus igitur pro Deo habet superbiam. luxurio~us luxuriam, avarus avaritiam, et sic de ceteris. Secimdum : Non assumes nomen Dei tui in vanum in os tuum, id est non blasphemabis nec jurabis indebitein nomine sui. Talis injuriam facit Deo, quem in testimonium suae falsitatis invocat, quasi Deus mendacium diligat ; et sibi qui in judicio Dei puniendumse obligat, si non est ita sicutjurat; et proximo, quia per falsam jurationcm ipsum decipit et defraudat. Tertium: Memento,ut diem sabbati sanctifiGes ; ut in eo moraliter non pecces, et mala vites.
Gontra praeceptum istud peccat, qui causa cupiditatis in sabbato opus servile facit, vel aliquod peccatum committit, vel opera misericordioe dimiitit; quoniama bonis operibus non est vacandum Quartum : Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam, scilicet eis obediendo,et obsequendo, et subveniimdo, atqueanimabus corum miserendo; in hoc etiam mandato praicipitur honor patrum spiritualium, scilicet pra^latorum. Quintum : Non occides, opere, verbo, negligentia, cogitatione, auxilio, consensu, malo exeinplo, vei aiiqua occasione. Homicidium etiam aliquando fit corde per odium; aliquando ore, per verbum detractorium. ali(|uar]dooperc, pcr factum. Et istud ullimum cst triplex : (luidam enim occidunt corpus tantum; quidam animam tantum, quando scilicet trahunt adpeccatum ; quidamiitrumque, quando scilicet aliquis interticit scipsum, vel alium in peccato mortali existentem. Sextum : Non m,<jicha' beris. oporando, cogitanrlo, loquendo, vel in jurisdiction(; tua fornicationi^m sustinendo. Perhoc autem quod dixit Dominus : Non ma^chaberis prohibeturomniscarnalisappetitus'et corruptio, prseter eam qufe est matrimonii.
Septimum : Non furtum facies, aliena quomodolibet tihi attrahendo, vel rcaliena, invito Domino. utendo. Per furtum intelligitur omne malum ablalum : sive occulte faciendo in acceptis; sive fraudem exercendo in mercationibus, sive mercedcm non solvendo operariis. Octavum : Non loqueris contra proximum tuum falsum testimonium, omnc mendacium, dolum, detractiimem, adulationem, calumniam. et doctrinam erroneam devitando. Nonum : Non concupisces domum^ vel agrum, vel aliam rem proximi tui ; tali videlicet mente, quod velles ista tibi cum suo damno adaptare Decimum : Nec desiderabis uxorem, servum,\e\ ancillam proximi tui, corde consentiendo, ore sollicitando, aut opere concupiscentiam perticiendo. Hsec qui perfecerit, salvari polerit.
At ille adolescens dicit illi : Magister hdec omnia custodivi a juventute mea ; quodtamenin multisreliuiosis vix aliquis hndie reperiret, quid adhuc mihi deest? Jesus intaitus eum^dilexit eum, propterbonam conversati^mem suam pra3teritam, actunc ostendit sibi vultum amicabilem ; et instruens cum de perf(! ctione, dixit illi : Adhuc unum tibi deest, quoad statum perfectionis, scilicet bonum paupertatis. Quia. etsi mandatorum obscrvatio sufficit ad salutem, non tamen ad evangelicam perfectionem; scd ad hanc etiam requiritur observatio consiliorum, in qua primum est abrenuntiatio temporalium, et ideo de hac tantuni hic facit mentionem. Ubi Origenes : «Non tamen intelhgendum est quod in ipso tempore quo bona sua tradiderit pauperibus, tlat omnino perfectus ; sed illa ex die incipiat speculatio Dei adducens eum ad omnes virtutes. » Et subdit Dominus, dicens : Si vis^ quia hoc est iu tua Hbertate, perfectus esse,\d est ad statum perfectionis ascendere super comrnunem statum saluti necessarium, quia hoc est de perfectione vitse, vade per affectum contemnendo temporaha, et vende, per effectum ea relinquendo qugecumque , id est omnia, non partem tantum, ut Ananias et Sapphira, quod est contra proprietarios, hahes et juste possides, quod est contra raptores, fures atque usurarios eleemosynas de alieno facientes, illa enim habemus quee juste possidemus : iha ergo quse juste possidenturvendendasunt, qua3 vero injuste, reddenda sunt illis quorum fuerunt ; et da, non vende quaerendo munus a manu, vel a lingua, velabobsequio, pauperibus, non divitibus,a quibus similia accipies, neque amicis carnalibus, nisi fuerint indigentes, neque histrionibus, et male utentibus, quod est contra simoniacos et ambitiosos, qui dant aliis ut acquirant beneficia et dignitates ; et hoc fac propter. Deum, non propter ostentationem, quia al3Jicere temporalia propter ostentationem non est meritorium ; et sic ea dando hahehis thesaurum, id est quemdam beatitudinis in coilo locum tulissimum.
Hoc autem non dicitur, quia paupertas sit major virtus quam continentta vel obedientia ; sed dicitur per quamdam correspondentiam, quasithesaurus coelestis sic respondeat voluntariae paupertati, sicut exaltatio humiliationi. Unde Chrysostomus : «Bene autem non vitce fecit ceternae mentionem, sed thesauri, dicens : Et hahebis thesaurum in cado : quia eninl de pecuniis erat sermo ct de abrenuntiatione omnium, ostendit quod reddit phira his quai praecepit relinquere, quanto majus est coclum quam terra ; in thesauro enim copiam rctributionis ostendit.
Subdit autem : Et veni, relictis omnibus, et sequere me, me imitando, et sicut ego ambulo ambulando : quia, in sequela Christi per caritatis opera, vera consistit perfectio principaliter et complete ; in paupertate autem voluntaria consistit inchoative per modum removentis,prohibentis et disponentis, quia per hoc aufertur curaternporalium, qua? a dilectione Dei impedit aniinum. Undc Glossa : « Relinquere omnia est via ad perfectionem; sed in sequendo Christum consistit perfectio. Magna certe gloria est sequiDominum,et idco valde estappetendum.)) Ad perfectionem ergo non sufficit homini rehnquere sua, nisi Dominum sequatur, id est nisi, relictis malis, faciat bona. Unde ait Theophilus : « Cum paupertate enim et ceteras virtutes hominem habere oportet, ob hoc ait : Et veni, sequere me, id est in ceteris esto mcus discipulus, et jugiter me scquaris. )) Unde et Hieronymus : « Facilius sacculus contemnitur, quam voluntas. Muiti enim divitias rclinquentes Dominum non sequuntur.
Sequitur autem Dominum,quiimitatorejusest, etper vestigia iilius graditur.)) Unde etiara Rahanus : a Ecce duas vitas hominibus propositas audivimus : activam, ad quam pertinet : JVo? 2 occides, et cetera Legis mandata ; etcontemplativam, ad quam pertinet : Si vis perfectus esse, etc. Activa ad Legem pertinet, contemplativa ad Kvangelium, quia sicut Vetus Novum praecessit Testamentum, ita bona actio praeceditcontemplationem. Activis etenim convenit observatio praeceptorum quae in Lege traduntur, contemplativis observatio consiliorum qua^ in Evangelio docentur. )) Et notandum quod multiplex estperfectio, scilicet : sutficientiae, quam omnes habent existentes in caritate ; ordinis, cujus proprium est servare continentiam ; religiunis, cujus proprium est renuntiare omnibus ; praelationis, ad quos pertinct ponere animam pro ovibus suis; securitatis, cujus propriuin est habere mortem in desiderio, et vitam in patientia. Adprimam perfectionem DG PERFRCTIONE 1'AIJPEIITATIS. tonctur quilibet ; ad ultimam vero iiullus teuotur; ad tres vero medias tenentur aliqui ex causis.
Unum ergo signum per. ectioni& posuit ; cum omnia reliuquere consuluit, ut nudum Christum nudus sequatur. Unde, secundum Theophilum, dicens omnia, summam paupertatem suadet ; si quid enim restiterit, illius servus est. Et secundum Ambrosium, talem voluit adolescentem illum Dominus ad paradisum redire; qualis Adam fuerat olim de paradisi sublimitate dejectus. Nudus enim Adam incuia paradisi fuit.
Quamvis ergo cum possessione divitiarum possit quis ad vitam ingredi servando mandata ; tamen ad perfectam sequclam Cliristi, ut perfecto amore et integro affectu tendat in Deum, deest sibi unum, scilicet quod relinquat divitias affectu, ut sit pauper spiritu ; quae paupertas includit humilitatem, sine qua non est paupertas vera, quia vanum est habere bursam vacuam, et cor plenum superbia. Includit etiam contemptum divitiarum effectu, quia difficile est valde habenti divitias, ne amore earum aut detineatur, aut distrahatur et impediatur a perfecto amore Dei ; ne Christum libere et expedite sequatur. Nam, qui divitiis implicatur, mittit pedes in rete, ne possit coram Deo perfectus ambulare, et libere Christum sequi ; quia divitiae viscosioressuut visco,et vix evellituranimus occupatus ab eis, et detentus. Nimia ergo dilectio terrenarum possessionumesthujusperfectionisimpedimentum. Quod bene patuitin hoc juvene, qui cum verbum Domini audisset, de perfectione scilicet paupertatis voluntdivisdy abiit tristis, seculitristitiamortemoperante,impeditus a perfectione quam quaerebat terrenarum possessionum amore, ob quod non poterat ad perfectionem voluntariae paupertatis ascendere. Unde causa tristitiae redditur, cum subditur : Erat enim multas habens possessiones, spinas producentes et tribulos, sementem Dominicam suftbcantes; et ipse nihiiominus habitus a possessionibus, etdives valdc divitiis fallacibus, ob quarum inordinatum amorom tristabatur de persuasioneabrenuntialiouis carum ; tristabile euim est amata abjicere. Ad temporalia enim passibiliter atficitur, cujus cor in privatione eorumdem aliqualiter contristatur. Nam plerumque, cum tcmporalia adsunt nobis, putamus quod ea non diligamus; s(3d cum abesse cceperint, tunc invenimus qui sumus.
Iloc cnim sine amore nostro aderat, quod sine dolore discedit. Iste juveiiis cum audiret, quod quaecumque haberet venderet, et daret paupeiibus, abiit moereus ; quia simul et divitias seculi ct vitam aeternam habere volebat, quod difficile erat ut fieret : quoniam iu possessione divitiarum absque superbia elationis et absque proprietate voluptatis vix stare quis potest, sicut etiam ditficile esset, quod homo in cacumiue verticis alicujus montis staret, et tempesiate validi ventiquassatus non caderet. Ut vero dicit Augustinus : « Hic adolescens laudabilis quidem est, quia non occidit, nec adulteratus est; vituperabilis est autem, quia contristatus est in verbis Christi vocantis eum ad perfectionem. Adoiescens quippe erat secunduni animam, et propterea relinquens Christum abiit : » haec Augustmus. Sed tale rete frustra jacitur ante oculos pennatorum ; scilicet contemplantium perfectorum, qui tanto minus contristantur quod desunt temporalia, quanto magis appetunt aeterna. Nam, ut ait Gregorius, tantum quisque minus dolet quod desunt aeterna, tanto magisgaudet quodadsunt temporalia; et qui minus dolet quod desunt temporalia, certius exspectat ut adsint aeterna. Et ideo, secuudum Gennad lum^bo imm est facultates cum dispensatione pauperibus erogare ; sed melius est, pro intentione sequeudi Christum, omnia et totum simul donare, et absoluium a soUicitudine cum Christo egere. Ut enim dicit Chrysostomus : « Non similiter detinentur qui pauca habent, et qui multis abundaut; quoniam abjectio divitiarum majorem accendit flammam, et violentior fit cupido.
» Non soliini autem divitiarum possessio, sed etiam rerum aliarum diversitas hominem a Dei coniemijlatione et perfecto amore impeditet avertit Unde ait Aiigiistinus : « Tempuraliiim rerum nuiltiformitas ab unitaie Dei hominem per carnales sensus diverberat, et mutabili varietate ejus affectum multipiical. Quem ergo delectat libertas, ab amore mutabilium liber esse appetat; et quem reg-nare delectat, uni omnium regnatori Deo subditus haereat. » Et iterum : « Duo sunt amores, muudi et Dei. Si mundi amor habitat, non est quo intret amor Dei. Cum exhauseris cor tuum ab amore terrcuo, hauries amorem divinum. » Unde et Gregorius: « Cum cupiditate terrenae substantiae Deus non diligitur,quia terrenusamor oculum meiitis surdidans excaecat,ne divina claritas videatur. Nec mirum. Quomodo enim diligere potesl quem nescit?
Aut quomodo scit, ad quem nesciendum oculum cordis claudit ? » Unde etiam Chrysostomus : <• Fumo similes sunt humanae res. Nihil enim ita contristat animae oculum et turbat, ut vitae hujus curarum turba, et concupiscentiarum multiludo ; haec enim fumi hujus sunt ligna. » Unde et Anselmus : « Si vis esse quietus,nil seculi appetas. Semper requiem mentis habebis, si a te mundi curas abjeceris. Qui curis terrenis se implicat, a Dei amore se separat. » Et ut in paucis multa intelligas, attende pauca verba Augustini sic dicentis : « Nihil plus novi esse, quam ista sensibilia fugienda. » Cui concordat Dionysius, qui sic dicit : « Derelinque sensus, et omnia sensibilia.
^ » 7 PiciENDi. — Qui habet aures audiendi, haec pauca verba praedicta audiat, et corde intelligat ; quia multa in eis latent, quae vanis et dissolutis nun apparent. Unde cuidam de sermunis abundantia sollicito, dictum est in spiritu : Si vis scire omnia praedicanda, tunc separa tc ab exteiioribus, purifica te a tcmpuralibus, liberum fac te a carnalibus, et erige te ad coelestia; et manifestabuntur tibi divina. Ecce in his verbis tutum est inclusum quod est praedicatum : imago enim tua imago Dei est ; depone ergo ab ea omne quod sibi accidens est, ct appan^bit tibi in ea, quod divinum est. Ut autem utiliter ad temporalia et aeterna perfccte te habeas, scito quod temporalia debes aspicere sub sensu quadruidici : primo,scilicet ut tamquam peregrinus et advena sentias omnia ut extranea et aliena, ita quod tua vestis sit tuo sen^ui extranea, ac si esset alicujus de Graecia vel India ; secundo, ut in tuo usu omnem abundantiam timeas ut venenum, et mare submergens ; tertio, ut in tuo sensu omnem inoI)iamet ej. ;estatcm sentias ut men? am, ct aram, et scalam vitae aeterna? , et ut specuiumseu im iginein crucisGhristi; quarto, ut divilias et apparatus divitum ita sentias tibi ditlormes, quod in eoriim memoria vel aspectu nul!
atenus valeas delectari vel laetari, quod si videris te in eis congaudere, a Christi gloriosa paupertate te aestima alienum fore. Huicautem connectitur quod in pauperum et despectorum memoria, vel aspectu, tamquam in Christi pauperis expressa imagine, totus laeteris,et eis quasi regibus cum summa alacritate et reverentia associeris.
Considera etiam hic quod ad perfectionem non sulficit quaedam opera bona. et quasdam virtutes habere ; sed oportetumnia pro posse perficere. Unde Chrysostomus : « Completus est Dei homo ad omne opus bonum,expletus non; ut haec quidem habeat, illa vero non haheat. Qui enim talis est, nonest completus. Quiu euim utilitas, dic mihi, cum orat quis intense, non misereatur autemabunde? Aut, cum miseretur quis abunde, avarus autem et violentus existens ? Aut, cum non avarus aut violentus exi^tens , ad ostentationem vero sit hominum qui vident? Aut, cum misereatur quidem in id quod Deo videtur, elevetur autem hoc ipso et magna sapiat?
Aut, cum humilis quidem fuerit , et jejuniis iiitendens, avarus autem et negotiator, et terrae affixus et maDE DUODECIM CONSILIIS E VA NCELICIS trem omnium mnlorum, suae inducens aniincej^Radiccin eniinoinniuin inalorumesseavai'itiain,'lixit Pauhis. Ilorreamus igitur hanc; refugiamus hoo peccatum. Hoc orhcm terrarum fecit iustabilem, omniacoufudit; etaheata servitute nos abducit Chiisti. N^m est enim possibile, Deo servire et mammona3,contrariuineniminjungitChristus : )) ha3C Chrysostomus. Et nota circa praemissa, quod perfcctio paupertatis non consistitin majori defectu rerum temporahiim. sed lu niajori abstraclione solliiiludinis eiruin. Quiiito eaim modus vivcndi in paup rtate miiiore 11 habet Sillicitudinein, lauto paupiirlas est perfectior; non autem quaiido paupertas fuerit majur. Nau eniin pauperlas secundum se bona est ; sed iii ([uantum liberat ab illis, quibus homo iinpedilur quominus spiritualibus intendat.
ORATIO Domine Jesu Christe, da mihi, misero et fragili, qui tua mandata hactenus negligenter et male servavi, saltem amodo ea observare, ut cum observatoribus eorumdem merear ad vitam ingredi. Da etiam mihi, clementis-,iine Domine, ut ad perfoctiunem tendendo, omnia temporalia, propter te affectu conteinmmet ellecturelinquam; rolictisque omnibus, te sequir, te imituido, et pertua vesiigia gradiendj, ut, te rectore te duce,ad te thesaurum meum desiderabilem et indelicientem Yaieaml3etuspervenire,et de tua visione semper gaudere. Amen.
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