De divite epulone et Lazaro mendico ad januam ejus jacente
The Danger of Hypocrisy and Greed
The Lord rebukes the Pharisees for their greed and vainglory, contrasting their false righteousness with the true judgment of God.
The Pharisees, however, who were greedy, heard all these things that the Lord Jesus said—how He argued against the love of money, called people away from the craving for wealth, and urged them to give alms. They mocked Him, as if He were speaking irrationally and commanding things contrary to the Law and the Prophets, where many of the wealthiest are read to have pleased God, and where temporal goods are promised to those who keep the Law. They failed to notice that in the Law, lesser things are promised to the carnal for the sake of an eternal reward, while in the Gospel, greater things are promised to the spiritual for the sake of the kingdom of heaven; and that, therefore, there ought to be a difference between the Law and the Gospel, just as there is a difference in their promises and their commandments. For it is said there: 'If you are willing and listen to me, you will eat the good things of the land,' but here it is said: 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' Furthermore, the Law did not promise temporal goods as the primary reward; therefore, wherever temporal goods are promised in Holy Scripture for acts of virtue, spiritual and eternal goods are understood to be meant under them as the things primarily promised. Temporal things were not promised for evil use—as the Pharisees wrongly used them to defend their own greed—but for good. For those who use wealth well do not serve it, nor do they serve the devil who tempts them through it; rather, the opposite is true: wealth serves them, because it is an aid to virtue for them. Such were Noah, Abraham, and other wealthy men who served God and were pleasing to Him in their use of it. Hence the Lord confronts them, rebuking them for their vainglory and greed, and says to them: 'You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, falsely coloring your greed in the aforementioned way and doing your works so that you may be seen by men.' But God, to whom all things are naked and open, knows your hearts and the iniquity lurking within them. For what is high in the estimation of men—who see only the face—that is, an apparent righteousness that does not exist in reality, is an abomination before God and in the estimation of God, who sees into the heart. For a feigned holiness is a double iniquity; it is both a deception and an iniquity. Let hypocrites and the ambitious hear this: the more they appear to be holy and exalt themselves before men, the more abominable they are before God. Therefore, because God sees the heart and consequently sees even our deeds, however secret, everyone must strive—even when alone—to avoid evil and do good, both in thought and in action. If we always thought of God as present, seeing all things and judging us, we would rarely or never sin. Hence Boethius says: 'Turn away from vices, cultivate virtues, lift your mind to right hopes, and offer humble prayers to the heights. A great necessity of integrity is laid upon you, since you act before the eyes of a Judge who sees all things.' That is what Boethius says.1
The Rich Man and the Beggar
The narrative of the rich man and Lazarus illustrates the stark contrast between worldly luxury and humble poverty in the eyes of God.
Because the Pharisees justified themselves before men and showed themselves off as righteous, while despising sinners as if they were weak and neglecting the remedies of almsgiving, the Lord teaches in the following example how justly this greed and avaricious pride is to be condemned; this example is brought forward primarily to provoke men to works of mercy, starting from the rich man. It is a condemnation of a lack of piety and mercy; it isn't called a parable or a likeness here, because it is a narrative of something that actually happened. Hence, according to some, this rich man was Nabal, whom David wanted to kill because he had refused food to him and his men. He says, therefore: 'A certain man,' where it should be noted that 'man' here points more to vice than to nature, so that 'man' is said to come from 'humus'—that is, clinging to the earth through a love of worldly things. According to Gregory, his name isn't given because he wasn't known by God through approval, according to what the Savior says to the reprobate: 'I never knew you.' Thus, as one unknown to God, he isn't designated by name, nor is he named by God, because he had sought his name from the world. A certain man, therefore, was rich not so much by the possession of wealth as by the love of it: behold the excess in sense and the lust of the eyes; he dressed in purple, red on the outside for the sake of vain glory, and white linen underneath against his skin for the sake of softness: behold the excess in clothing and the pride of life; and he feasted sumptuously every day, serving his gluttony more than nature: behold the excess in food and the lust of the flesh, just as with his clothes, so too with his feasts. For the sake of softness and luxury, he dissolved his flesh on the outside with royal attire, and he refreshed it on the inside with delicacies and drinks. 3? And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus; the poor man is joined to the rich man, because one provides for the other, though in different ways: for the rich man provides for the poor man in temporal things, and the poor man provides for the rich man in spiritual things. As Chrysostom says, "While the rich man sustains the poor man, he himself is sustained by the poor man." Yet the poor man's name is expressed here, because he was known by God through approval, just as it is said to Moses: 'I know you by name.' This is why it is also said to the humble poor: 'Rejoice and be glad, because your names are written in heaven.' Lazarus, poor and humble, is named, but the rich man isn't even considered worthy of a name. The names of the good are written in the book of God, while the names of the wicked are written in the book of the devil. In this, we must consider the vast difference between the public law of the world and the gracious Law of God. For the rich are rich in the eyes of the world. They are famous by their names, but the poor remain hidden and have no name in the world. It's the custom to say: 'When we left the city, such-and-such a Count or Lord met us,' but of the poor, it's said: 'A poor man was traveling with us.' But in the Gospel, the custom is the opposite, because the poor man's name is mentioned, while the rich man's name is kept silent; God does not know the proud rich through a judgment of approval, but He knows the humble poor through a judgment of approval. He looks upon the former from up close, but keeps the latter at a distance. The rich have names at the pinnacle of the world, but the poor have names in the court of God. He lay at his gate, full of sores, so that the rich man's hardness would be more apparent from his proximity—seeing him while going out and coming in—and so that the poor man's patience would be apparent from the sight of the rich man. As Chrysostom says: 'O most miserable of men, death to the body.' You see him lying before your door. And you have no mercy! If you don't consider God's commands, at least have mercy on your own condition and fear that you might end up the same way. Longing to be satisfied with the crumbs, he doesn't speak of the precious things that fell from the rich man's table, saying in a way to the rich man: 'The crumbs from your table, which you throw away, are enough for me.' Give alms from your surplus; make a profit out of what isn't a loss—in which there is such excessive hardness. This is apparent, in that he allowed the poor man to perish when he could have been helped. And no one gave to him, because such a master has such a household; and therefore they were conformed to him in the hardness of their hearts. Since Lazarus lay before the door, therefore, the weight of condemnation is brought upon the rich man who shows no mercy, and again, the poor man is tested daily by the sight of the rich man. Poverty, hardship, the sight of the rich man’s abundance, and the lack of any comfort offered to him—all these things weigh on him to test him even further. Chrysostom says of this: 'Poverty has some comfort if one has wealth; but if poverty is added to the magnitude of infirmity, the infirmity is doubled.' How great, then, is the pain in this man, who among such wounds feels not the pain of his sores, but of his hunger? Yet even the dogs came and licked his sores; this shows the hardness of the rich man, for the dogs were more attentive to the poor man than their master was. He couldn't even drive the dogs away, nor was there any visitor to shoo them off. And even if they had stung him with their biting, there was no one to remove them. But it happened. The beggar died, having been proven in the patience that has a perfect work, and was carried away in his soul.
Death and the Reversal of Fortunes
Upon death, the beggar is carried to Abraham's bosom while the rich man is buried in hell, revealing the eternal consequences of their earthly lives.
He was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom—that is, to rest and to the limbo of the holy Fathers, where the souls of the just who died before the general barrier to glory was removed by the Passion of Christ descended; according to Augustine, this place is called Abraham's bosom not because it belongs to him alone. Rather, it's because he is the father of many nations, for whom he was set as an example to follow. Chrysostom says: 'A single angel wasn't enough to carry the poor man; that is why many came, so they could form a choir of joy.' Each of the angels rejoices to bear such a burden; they are gladly weighed down by such loads, so that they may lead men to the kingdom of heaven. But the rich man also died, because riches can't save one from death; and he was buried in hell—that is, in the depths of infernal punishments—having been made a beggar from a rich man. This rich man, as a parishioner of the devil, was led by demons to the infernal cemetery and buried there. There the devil's parishioners will be buried without incense and without holy water, in the manner of a donkey. Hence it is said in Jeremiah regarding every reprobate: 'He shall be buried with the burial of an ass.' The burial of a donkey is like this: it's skinned, its hide is taken by the owner, its flesh is thrown to the dogs, and its bones are left to the rain and hail; so, when an unrighteous person dies, their relatives take their earthly possessions, worms eat their flesh, and internal torments tear at their soul, which will have the nature of a bone because it can never be consumed. It's worth noting that you can tell someone is a parishioner of a certain master in several ways: if they receive baptism from him, pay him first fruits and tithes, and attend his Masses and the Hours. Whoever is baptized with the water of concupiscence, bearing the devil's mark—as mentioned in the Apocalypse—who gives the beginning and end of their works to the devil as first fruits and tithes, or wastes worldly goods on illicit things; who, by focusing on lascivious songs, erroneous poems, or slanderous and evil words, listens to the devil's hours, proves themselves to be a parishioner of the devil. They will be buried in his cemetery in death, just as that rich man was buried. But whoever is baptized with the water of repentance, where the mark of Christ is imprinted—namely the Tau, mentioned in Ezekiel—who gives the beginning and end of good works to Christ, and who willingly listens to His sermons and words, will be carried by the angels into the rest of Christ, proving themselves to be His parishioner.✦ It was right that the poor man was carried by the angels and that angelic offices were assigned to him, since human kindness was so cruelly denied to him. And it was right that the rich man was buried in hell, so that he might endure the torment he chose, since in this life he didn't want to carry the cross through repentance. He lifted up his spiritual eyes, not his physical ones—for his soul was there, not his body, while he was in multiple torments—because his eyes were opened by the punishment, though they had been closed before by his sin; he saw Abraham from afar, because he was far away even before the gate was opened. The heavenly status of the elect was so far removed from the status of the damned that it was impossible to cross from one to the other; he saw Lazarus in his bosom as a heap of punishment, whom he had disdained to look at while he was in prosperity. The bosom of Abraham mentioned here was in the limbo of hell before the Passion, but now it is in heaven; for just as Abraham was moved from limbo, his bosom was moved with him. For there was a place on the upper edge of hell that had a little light, as a hope of future brightness, without any material punishment; in it were the souls of the elect until Christ's descent into hell—that is, to that same place. This place was called a 'bosom' because of its tranquility, just as a bay of the sea is called a place quiet from winds and storms; and it was called 'Abraham's' because he was the first to go by the way of faith, and the first to publicly preach the faith of the one God. Job called this place 'darkness' in relation to the divine vision, or because of the weariness of waiting for the Savior, saying: 'I have made my bed in darkness.' According to Bede, the bosom of Abraham is the rest of the blessed poor, whose is the kingdom of heaven, into which they are received after this life. And, according to Augustine, the burial of hell is the depth of punishments, which devours the proud and the unmerciful after this life. Those who wish to hold the first place in the present life will be thrust into the last place in the future. Chrysostom says: "Just as the poor man, while he lived, found it a heavier punishment to lie at the rich man's gate and look upon his fine goods, so for the rich man, once dead, the sight of those things increased the torment of his place in hell." He was tormented not only by the nature of the suffering itself, but even more intolerably by the comparison with Lazarus's honor. "The riches of others—of those who are in poverty—are a torment to them," says Chrysostom. [Text missing or illegible in source.] And he himself, crying out in pain, said: "Father Abraham, have mercy on me." [Text corrupted; translation not possible.] [Text missing.] [Text corrupted; translation not possible.]
The Torment of the Tongue and the Vices of the Rich
The rich man's plea for relief highlights his specific sins of gluttony, pride, and lack of mercy, which are analyzed as a warning to the powerful.
He calls him 'Father' in vain, whom he refused to imitate in works of mercy, and he asks for mercy for himself from the one to whom he showed no mercy—neither to himself nor to Lazarus—saying, 'Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.' He asks that Lazarus be sent to him—the very man to whom he refused to send even the crumbs of bread when he was hungry. He calls the 'tip of his finger' a small favor of merits, and the 'drop of water' a small bit of refreshing mercy. It should be noted that 'tongue' and 'finger' are used metaphorically regarding separated souls, such as those of Lazarus and the rich man; just as in God, who is spirit, 'hand' refers to His helping power, and the rich man's 'tongue' refers to the power of expressing the mind's concepts. Therefore, he is punished not in a literal tongue, but an imaginary one, as he recalls the sins of his tongue to memory through his imagination. Similarly, many other things mentioned here are understood to happen mentally. Although souls do not have bodies, they are said to suffer in their members because, once stripped of their bodies, they feel such affections in themselves for their sins as if they were suffering in their members while in the body. Therefore, the soul is said to be tormented in its 'tongue'—that is, the soul that was more severely tormented for the sin of the tongue because it had sinned more through it, according to the two natural functions the tongue serves: taste and speech, in which the gluttonous frequently offend. He sinned through his tongue in the office of taste, because he feasted sumptuously every day; and likewise in the office of speech, because among splendid feasts the tongue is more relaxed and prone to speaking foolishly. For this reason, it's highly beneficial to practice sobriety and silence at the table. Hence Basil says: "Let us flee the delights of the world and the gluttony of food as much as we can, so that we don't, when tormented in the flame, seek a drop of water..." ...and fail to obtain any relief." A list of this rich man's vices. Nevertheless, as we have seen, this rich man was full of vices: he was avaricious, not because he possessed riches, but because he held onto them greedily and spent them illicitly. Also, there was vain glory in him, which he had in wearing precious clothing. However, the gravity of this sin is clear from Roman history, where we read that the first among them to be clothed in purple perished, struck by a lightning bolt. A person shouldn't boast about their clothes; instead, they should feel more sorrow as they look at their own sin. Before sin, they didn't need clothing, because they were clothed in the beauty of innocence; but once innocence was lost, the wrath of God arrived, and then clothing was made for them to cover the misery of sin and our own shortcomings. That’s why Genesis says: God also made garments of skin for Adam and his wife—that is, outside of paradise after the fall and sin. As a sign of this, some religious people wear nothing but skins in memory of our first parents' transgression and as a sign of mortality, since skins come from dead animals. There are four ways clothing can be criticized: first, when it's too expensive; second, when it's overly elaborate; third, when... ...when it's not appropriate for the person's status; and fourth, finally, when someone has so many changes of clothes that they're eaten by moths, while Christ remains naked in the poor. Also, the sin of gluttony was in him, because he feasted sumptuously every day. The glutton, however, does an injury to nature. Nature gave no creature with such a large body such a small mouth and throat as it gave to man, so that through this it might warn us toward moderation and temperance in food and drink. There was also a lack of mercy, because he refused to have pity on the ulcerous beggar; therefore, he asked for mercy in vain, for he didn't show mercy himself. For that reason, he's even left unrecognized by God and lacks a name, because he refused to recognize God in the poor man. He isn't condemned because he was rich, but because he greedily held onto his wealth and refused to give anything to the poor, while wasting it on extravagant clothes and delicate feasts; he loved his riches too much and had set his heart on them. He isn't condemned for stealing what belonged to others, but for not giving away what was his own; nor is it said that he oppressed anyone, but that he grew arrogant because of the things he had received. As Chrysostom says: "It wasn't because he was rich that he was tormented, but because he showed no mercy." He isn't accused of taking what belonged to others, nor of being an adulterer, nor of committing any other evil; he is condemned solely for his pride," says Chrysostom. Hence Gregory says: "From this we must gather what punishment awaits the one who steals what belongs to others, if the one who does not give away what is his own is struck down by the damnation of hell." Let not only laypeople, but also religious, who illicitly draw to themselves or withhold temporal goods, consider what punishment they are to suffer if the one who did not give what was his own is condemned. For those who hold onto what belongs to others, or what was acquired illicitly and ought to be returned, sin against the commandments of God, without which no one can enter into life or be saved. And yet many believe—foolishly—that their souls can rest in peace, even while the guilt of such injustice remains. For because the conscience is often... ...formed according to that toward which a person is drawn; therefore, many who are overly fond of money and temporal things don't trouble their conscience about what they have acquired illicitly, and thus, by despising God’s commandments and consequently sinning mortally, they gravely offend God and don't fear to lose all their good works. And let the lords of the earth and the powerful, who have little fear of drawing the lands of others to themselves and oppressing the less powerful by force or fraud, pay close attention to this; they don't care to look toward God, who sees all things. If trees grew only upward and not outward, and didn't spread themselves, one wouldn't hinder another; but because they grow outward and spread themselves, one hinders another, so that one is sometimes cut down because of its neighbor. Here, kings and powerful people who possess and seek dominion—if they only grew upward toward heaven and lifted themselves toward God, one would not hinder another; but because they spread themselves too much toward earthly things, one hinders another, and pulls things to himself, and often leaves them to his heirs. But let them not rejoice or boast in this, because the time will come when they, like parishioners of the devil, will be buried with the rich man in the grave of a donkey in hell; and others, unjustly oppressed by them, will be received into rest with Lazarus. Let the earthly and miserable, whom the dust of the earth has now blinded, hear this, because distress will then give them understanding. Hence Augustine says: "Let the rich, who do not want to be merciful, hear these things." Let them hear of the punishments imposed on them there, those who do not want to provide help here. Let them hear of the poor man shivering; let them hear of the rich man burning in more severe punishments. Let them be weighed, therefore: punishments for riches, relief for poverty; flames for purple and fine linen, restoration for nakedness, so that the balance of the scales may be kept safe and the measure of that standard may not lie; for he says, 'In the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.'✦ Therefore, mercy is denied to the rich man because he himself, while he lived, did not want to show mercy; therefore, the rich man begging is not heard in his torments, because he did not hear the poor man begging on earth.
The Finality of the Great Chasm
The impossibility of crossing the chasm between the damned and the blessed serves as a final warning against trusting in worldly riches.
As the same Augustine says: 'We have learned, with Truth itself as our witness, that the kingdom of heaven belongs not to the rich, but to the poor; if, therefore, the kingdom belongs to the poor, it follows that hell must be the kingdom of the rich.' Whoever you are, if you want to reign with Christ, choose poverty with Him so that you may rest with Lazarus the beggar. For no one can enjoy the world and reign with the Lord. Anyone, therefore, who wants to feast with the rich man is preparing himself, amidst the feasting, for the worms of hell, where, for a moment's pleasure, he will burn forever with his head, the devil. What a miserable trade, to be deprived of the heavenly kingdom for such brief pleasure! What a blessed poverty, through which the heavenly inheritance is acquired! What a blessed trade, to exchange what is perishing for what is eternal, and to reign with Christ without end in that ineffable good! And on the other hand, what ineffable misery, to suffer eternal torments! So says Augustine. And Chrysostom also instructs us: 'We are taught how useful it is not to trust in riches.' Look, the rich man needs the poor man. Lazarus the beggar. That man who once went hungry. Things change, and it becomes clear who was truly rich and who was truly poor. Just as in the theater, when evening comes and the crowds leave, the actors take off their costumes—those who appeared as kings and governors are seen by everyone as they really are—so too, when death arrives and the show is over, all the masks of poverty and wealth are set aside. People are then judged by their own deeds: who is truly rich, who is truly poor, who is glorious, and who is inglorious. That is what Chrysostom says. Human status seems to be the same as a game of chess. In that game, there are kings and soldiers. Whether old or young, great or small, everyone is constantly moved from place to place in a kind of mutual struggle. But when the game and the time are finished, everything is thrown into the bag, and the greater pieces, which were heavier, fall to the bottom. Long ago. People of different ranks are placed in different positions, frequently moved from one place to another, and they often attack and oppose one another; but once the game is over, ...they are cast into the bag, and those who were greater and more burdened by the weight of their sins descend with the rich glutton into the abyss of hell. And he said to him. Speaking specifically to the rich man, Abraham says, 'Son'—referring to lineage, not to imitation—and he calls him 'son' so that his pain might increase at the loss of his inheritance. 'Remember,' he says, though it would have been better to have foreseen it, 'that you received good things in your life,' that is, those things you thought were truly and solely good, namely, temporal things, which are often given to some as a sign of divine rejection. And here it is said to him to add to his punishment and misery, so that he might contemplate the state of his past happiness, because, as Boethius says, in every adversity of fortune, the most unhappy kind of misfortune is to have been happy. Lazarus likewise received evils—that is, transitory things—in his life; not evils according to his own estimation, but according to the rich man's, who considered poverty, hunger, and sickness to be evils. To Lazarus, the memory of these evils was an increase of consolation. Hence Boethius says, 'The labor of the bees is sweeter if a bad taste has first touched the mouth.' Perhaps this rich man had some good, which the happiness of this passing life rewarded; and Lazarus had some evil, which the poverty of the fire purified. And therefore, according to Gregory, if we receive honor or riches, or anything else of exterior good or prosperity in this world, we must fear that the Lord has given it to us as a recompense for some of our good acts. It drives one away from the reward of the inner good; and if we happen to see poor people who are reprehensible, we must not despise them, because perhaps the furnace of poverty is purifying them. The just have worldly goods, but they don't receive them as a recompense for their merits, because, burning with holy desires for eternal things, they consider whatever is present to be the smallest of goods. The unjust, however, find all their joy in fleeting happiness, valuing only external things as their highest good. Chrysostom says: 'He also said, "You received good things in your life," as if they were owed to you.' It is as if he were saying: 'If you did any good for which a reward was owed, you received it all in that world while you were feasting, growing rich, and taking pleasure in your worldly successes.' But this man, if he committed any evil, received his full measure here through poverty, hunger, and being oppressed by extreme miseries; and both of you arrive here naked—he, indeed, because of his sins, for which he also receives consolation, but you, because of justice, for which you suffer an unmitigated punishment,' says Chrysostom. And so it follows: now he is comforted here with eternal consolation for his brief tribulation and because of the merit of his patience; but you are tormented with eternal torment for your temporary pleasure and because of your lack of mercy, as Gregory says: "It is just that he should find pain in himself who, having abandoned true joy, sought vain joys in himself and in the world." Bernard says: "How often do you see Lazarus hungry, needy, and sick, yet you think more of your own feasts and finery than you do of the miseries of such people?" But let's move to the fearful judgment of Abraham. For it isn't the judgment of Abraham, but of the Lord: "Remember, son," he says, "that you received good things in your life, and Lazarus likewise received evil things." Now he is comforted, but you are tormented. Is the whole reason for these torments that he received good things in this world? Exactly. For it doesn't seem that divine providence cast us out of the paradise of pleasure so that we might prepare another paradise of human comfort for ourselves here; rather, it was so that we might lament the misery of our own downfall in ashes and sackcloth. But if those who received their good things in this life are tormented in this way, and if eternal reward is laid up for those who have their consolation now, what end could there be for them if, according to the multitude of their consolations, sorrows were to seize the souls of the wretched? For it seems that those who receive all good things and every consolation of this world are given their reward; nevertheless, every woe and every torment awaits them. But it also seems that this judgment of Abraham must be applied to those who, led by a spirit contrary to this life, reject all present good things and choose evils; they will have all the good things of the Lord and every consolation. And again: 'If I were to offer comfort by diminishing their punishments, I would be cruel, and not merciful.' For as much as I take away from the punishment, so much will I steal from the crown. There will be just as much less of the fruit as I have taken away from the seed. Let our soul, therefore, be content to be comforted by such consolation; but let it be mindful of God, and find its comfort in Him. For in Him, even tribulation itself can be found to be a great consolation: so says Bernard. So, the happiness of this life made the rich man unhappy, because, as Augustine says, nothing is more unhappy than the unhappiness of sinners, by which impurity is nourished and malice is strengthened like an enemy within. Seneca says, "I’ll give you a brief formula by which you can measure yourself, and by which you can feel that you’re already perfect." You’ll have your good when you understand that the most unhappy are the happy. And again: "Nothing is more unhappy and foolish than the person to whom no adversity ever happens; it has not been permitted for him to test himself." And again: "I judge you miserable because you haven't been miserable; you haven't had a way to test your adversary, and no one knows what you might have been capable of, not even you yourself." The unhappiness of this life purified Lazarus and made him happy. We are purified in this life in many ways. For some, purification is the bodily torment that wicked people inflict upon them; for others, it is the afflictions of the flesh that they inflict upon themselves through fasting, vigils, and other labors; for others, it is the loss of loved ones or possessions; for some, it is pain or sickness; for some, it is the lack of food or clothing; for others, it is the bitterness of death itself. It is added: And in all these things—that is, among all the things you ask for—there is one thing that stands in the way: a great chasm has been fixed between us and you. This means that a vast distance in merit and state has been established by the rigor of divine justice, making it impossible to pass from one state to the other. Therefore, it is added that those who wish to cross from here to you cannot do so, nor can they cross from there to here, because souls that have been separated are beyond the state of merit or demerit. Hence Chrysostom says: "We can see, but we cannot cross over; and we see what you have lost. And just as our joys increase your torments, so your torments increase our joys." That the damned would want to come to the place of the elect if it were possible, there is no doubt; but that the elect would want to go to the place of the damned does not seem likely. Hence it must be said that they would not want to go there to stay, yet they would want to go there if it were possible, in order to free their loved ones. This desire, however, is understood according to the will of natural compassion, not according to the deliberative will, in which they are simply conformed to divine justice and the disposition of the divine will. Do not, therefore, imitate the rich man: not in the pride of life, because, as Gregory says, the Judge separates those who exalt themselves here with the horns of pride from the lot of the humble; not in the lust of the flesh, because, as Gregory also says, those who serve the pleasures of their flesh here cannot be numbered among the flock of sheep there; and not in the lust of the eyes, because, as Gregory testifies, those who seek the earth here with all their desire cannot receive the kingdom of heaven. Regarding this avarice, Chrysostom also says: "Wherever you go, you will see the greedy and the avaricious being punished, and now they hear: 'There is a chasm between us and you'; but then: 'Go, you cursed, into the eternal fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels.' And everyone will see them driven away everywhere, having no place but hell." What, then, is the benefit of the true faith to us for our salvation, when we hear these things? There is the gnashing of teeth, the outer darkness, and the fire prepared; here, however, are enmities, accusations, detractions, dangers, anxieties, snares, and being held in hatred by all, even by those who seem to flatter. Finally, everyone is saddened by greed, and avarice is the ultimate disgrace. For if you can't bring yourself to despise money, how will you ever overcome lust, the insanity of pride, or your own rage and anger? That is what Chrysostom says.
The Sufficiency of the Scriptures
Abraham explains that the Law and the Prophets are sufficient for salvation, and that even a miracle would not convince those who reject the Word of God.
Once the rich man, burning in torment, loses all hope for himself, as Gregory says, his mind turns back to the relatives he left behind. So it follows: 'And he said: I beg you, therefore, Father, that you send him—meaning Lazarus—to my father’s house.' 'For I have five brothers, so that he may testify to them, lest they too come into this place of torment.' He didn't say this out of love, which he didn't have before his death, nor did he acquire it afterward; rather, he spoke out of a servile fear that his own punishment might be increased by their company, because he had been the cause of their sinning—both through the wealth he had left them to abuse, and through the example of his own wicked life. ... ...which he had given them to follow. Gregory says: 'In this matter, it should be noted how great the torments are that accumulate for the rich man who is burning.' For his memory is preserved to increase his own punishment. He recognized Lazarus, whom he had despised; and he remembered his brothers, whom he had left behind. Sinners are punished more severely in their torment, for they see the glory of those they once despised and are tortured by the suffering of those they loved to no purpose. When the rich man asked that Lazarus be sent by Abraham, he was immediately answered: 'They have Moses, who taught moral life and what must be done, and the Prophets, who taught mystical truths and what must be believed; these are enough for salvation.' Therefore, it follows: 'Let them listen to them.' And from this it is clear that this rich man and his brothers were among the Gentiles, because they did not have the teaching of Moses and the Prophets; for as Chrysostom says, the Lord calls Moses and the Prophets here the Mosaic and prophetic writings. But, as Gregory says, he who had despised the words of God thought his own followers could not hear these things; hence it follows: But he said... '...father Abraham; but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' In this, he implies that they were beyond repentance and, consequently, on the path to the torments of hell. As if to say: A pious person would sooner believe the dead than the Scriptures, moved by a message appearing to them so miraculously. But the rich man was soon given a truthful answer: 'If they don't listen to Moses, who held such authority, and to the Prophets, who were of such holiness, they won't believe even if someone rises from the dead,' because they lack the interior ear to hear. This was made clear by the outcome, for they didn't believe Lazarus—the brother of Mary and Martha—when he rose from the dead, nor did they believe Christ when he bore witness; instead, they wanted to kill him. Likewise, they didn't believe Christ when he rose from the dead; rather, they falsely argued that he hadn't risen and that his body had been stolen by his disciples. Hence Gregory says: 'Because if they despise the words of the Law and the commands of the Redeemer, who rose from the dead, the more difficult the message, the harder it will be for them to fulfill it.' And Chrysostom adds: 'Consider that every dead person is a servant; whatever the Scriptures say, the Lord is saying.' Therefore, even if a dead person were to rise, and even if an angel were to descend from heaven, the Holy Scriptures are more worthy of our faith than anything else; for the Lord of angels, the Judge of the living and the dead, established them. Considering these things, let us patiently endure what troubles us in this life, and let us restrain ourselves from what delights us in this life. As Jerome also says, miseries are exchanged for delights, and delights for miseries; and it is in our power to follow either the rich man or Lazarus. Hence Chrysostom says: 'If we are sick, if we are poor, if we are freezing, if we have no shelter, let us be glad and rejoice. Let us think of Lazarus and accept the hardships of our life; let the torments of the rich man strike fear into us, and let the example of Lazarus the poor man stir us to action.' Let us pray to the Lord that we may imitate the thief and this poor Lazarus. If persecution comes, let's imitate the thief; if there is peace, let's imitate Lazarus, because poverty endured well for Christ's sake becomes a martyrdom. And again: "But you'll say, there's no one who can enjoy both this life and the next; this is indeed difficult, and among the things that are impossible." For if poverty doesn't press upon you, ambition still does; if sickness doesn't goad you, anger inflames you; if temptations don't attack you, wicked thoughts often emerge. It's no small labor to restrain anger, to curb illicit desires, to quiet displays of vanity, to forgive being looked down upon, and to lead a life of hardship; yet it's impossible for someone who doesn't do these things to be saved—so says Chrysostom. If, therefore, temporal miseries terrify you, or temporal delights entice you, bring eternal things to mind and let them appear before your eyes, so that you may more easily endure temporal miseries, escape eternal ones, flee temporal delights, and deserve to attain eternal ones. Hence Gregory says: "If the good is loved, let the mind take delight in better things—that is, in heavenly things; if evil is feared, let the eternal evils of the soul be set before it, so that while it sees what is there, and sees more to love and more to fear, it may not cling to anything here at all." Hence also Augustine: "In this present life, temporal delights are sweet, and temporal tribulations are bitter." Who wouldn't drink the cup of tribulation, fearing the fire of hell? And who wouldn't despise the sweetness of this world, while longing for the good things of eternal life? And again: "If the waves of desire happen to tempt you, look at what God has promised, and the sweetness of those promises will make you despise the sweetness of this world." Because of what God has promised, you despise worldly happiness: He promised rest, and threatens to make you suffer; He threatens fire, so despise worldly sorrows." The same. Augustine. And Chrysostom also says: "Carnal evils were not created by God so that we would fear them, but so that through the fear of them, we might fear spiritual evils all the more. Carnal goods were created so that through such carnal goods, spiritual ones might be understood and loved all the more." But to better despise worldly happiness and pleasures, think, my dear friend, and see what kind of happiness—whether in hope or in reality—past happiness and pleasures have actually produced in you; and judge the future by that. For after all of these, nothing will remain but torment and grief.
A Call to Mercy and Prayer
The chapter concludes with an exhortation to honor the poor as advocates and a prayer for grace to imitate the humility of Lazarus.
As it says in the Apocalypse: "In the measure that she glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her torment and grief." Therefore, considering the rest of the poor Lazarus and the punishment of the rich man, let’s not despise the poor, nor look upon them with an enemy's eye. Instead, let us honor them as our patrons and advocates on the day of judgment, and help them in their needs as much as we can. Indeed, we should be most certain that the Lord of all—who walks among the needy, who moves doors from one place to another, who always stands at the exits, and who reaches out His hands—is either despised or honored in them. For He Himself says: "As long as you did it to one of these least of My brothers, you did it to Me." Gregory says: "My brothers, knowing the rest of Lazarus and the punishment of the rich man, act carefully; seek out those who will be intercessors for your faults, and procure the poor as your advocates for the day of judgment." When you see those who are cast down in this world, don't despise them, even if they seem to have faults that deserve reproach. For perhaps the medicine of poverty cures those whom the infirmity of their ways had wounded. If they have faults that justly deserve reproach, give them both bread and a word: the bread of refreshment along with the word of correction. In this way, the person who was seeking only one thing will receive two kinds of nourishment, and while they are fed outwardly with food, they are satisfied inwardly with the word. Therefore, when a poor person is seen to be at fault, they should be admonished, not despised; but if they have nothing to be blamed for, they should be honored above all. And again: "It is necessary that, when we see those who share our nature lacking external things, we reflect on how many internal goods we ourselves lack." This is so that our thinking doesn't exalt itself over the needy, when it clearly sees that the One who judges us finds us all the more lacking internally, the more we are in need. Earthly goods are denied to the elect in this life, just as a doctor doesn't grant everything that sick people—who have hope of recovery—might ask for; yet these goods are given to the reprobate, because they are already beyond hope. For the sick aren't denied everything they desire. Hence Ambrose says: "A continuous success in temporal things is a sign of eternal reprobation." Hence also Augustine: "You, eternal consolation, give Yourself only to those who despise the consolations of this world for the sake of Your consolation. For those who are consoled here are held unworthy of Your consolation, but those who are tormented here are consoled by You; and those who share in the sufferings share in the consolations." For no one can be consoled in both worlds, nor can anyone rejoice both here and in the future; but it is necessary to lose one if you wish to possess the other: so says Augustine. These things, once set forth and well considered, are very necessary for both the rich and the poor; for they give fear to the former and consolation to the latter. Let the rich hear of their punishments here, and the poor of their joys, so that the former may be struck with fear and the latter comforted. But, alas! we pay little attention to these things, and we let the memory of them pass by with a mere sound. PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, since I am entirely poor in virtues, full of the sores of my sins, and a beggar at the door of your mercy, longing to be satisfied with the crumbs of the examples that fall from the table of your rich children—who are clothed in the purple of their sufferings and feast daily on the splendid dishes of their virtues—may your dogs, your teachers, come to lick the wounds of my sins, so that, dying to the world, I may be carried by the angels into the bosom of the contemplation of heavenly things. I will listen to Moses and the Prophets, turning away from evil and doing good, so that, rising from dead works, I may hope to have eternal life. Amen.
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Pharisxi autem, qui erant avari, audiebant hdec omnia dicta per Dominum Jesum, de conlemptu mundi et contra avaritiam disputanlem, ac homines ab appetitu divitiarum retrahentem, et ad faciendum eleemosynas inducentem : Et deridebunt illum, quasiirrationabiliter loqueretur, et contraria Legi Prophetisque prjeciperet, ubi multi ditissimi Deo placuisse leguntur, et ohservaloribus Legis bona temporalia promittuntur; non attendentes,quia in Lege carnalibus niinora, propter reunuin a^lernum, et in Evangelio spiritualibus majora , propter regnum coelorum jure pra3cipiuntur; etquodideo inter Legem et Evangelium, sicut promi:^sionuni, ita et praeceptorum debet esse distantiam. Ibi uamque dictum est : Si volueritis, et audierilis me, bona terrse comedetis; hic vero : Beati pauperes spiritii, quoniam ipsorum est regnum ccelorum, Item, Lex non promittebat temporalia, tamquam principale prsemiiim, et ideo ubicumque in sacra Scriptura pro aclihus virtutum promittuntur buna temporalia, sub illis intelliguntur hona spiritualia et aeterna , tamquam principaliter promissa. Nec temporalia sic promittehantur ad malum usum, sicut Pharisaei ista ad defensionem suoe avaritia3 male inducebant, sed ad bonum ; quia illi qui bene utuntur divitiis, non serviunt eis, nec daemoni per eas tentanti, sed magis e converso divitiae serviunt ipsis, quia sunt eis juvanienta virtutis; et tales fuerunt Nue, Abraham, et alii divites qui Deo servierunt, et placuerunt in eis. Unde occurrit eis Dominus confutanset redarguens eos de vana glnria, et de avaritia, et ait illis : Vos estis, qui justiflcatis vos coram hominibus, avaritiam vestram praedicto modo false colorando, et opera vestra ut ab hommibus videamini faciendo : Beus autem, cui omnia nuda et aperta sunt, 7iovit corda vestra, et iniquiiatem ibi lateniem, quia quod hominibus, et in reputatione hominum, qui vident in facie, altum est, id est appar«ms justitia, et non existens in re, abominatio est apud Deum, et in reputatione Dei qui videt in corde ; quia simulata sanctitas,duplex est iniquitas ; est enim et simulatio, et iniquitas. Audiant hoc hypocritaeet ambitiosi, quia quanto maj^^is apparent, et se exaltant apud honiines, tanto magis aboininabiles suntapud Deum. Igitur, quia Deus videt corda, et per consequens videt etiam facta, quantumcumque secreta , studendum est cuilibet, eiiam cum solus fuerit, ut et cogitando et operando mala declinel et bona faciat. Si enim Deum praesentem, et omnia videntein, et vindicantrm semper cogitarcmus , aut vix aut numqu;im peccaremus. Unde Boetius : « Aversamini vitia, colite virtutes, ad rectas spes animum sublevate, humiles preces in excelsa porrigitejmaf^ma vobis estnecessitas indicta probitatis, cnm ante oculos agitis Judicis cuncta cernentis : » h.
Tx Boetius.
Quia ergo Pharisaei coram hominibus se justificabant, et justos se es^e ostendebant, peccatores quasi infirmos contemnendo, et eleemosynariim remedia negligendo, quam juste haec avaritia et avara altitudo damnanda sit, in sequenti Dominus docet exemplo, quod maxime inducitur ad provocandum homines ad opera misericordiae, ex divite propt.' ,r defectum pietatis et misericordiaedamnato ; ctnon diciturhic quod sit parabola vel similitudo, quia est rei gcstae narratio. Unde, secundum quosdam, dives iste Nabal erat, quem David occidere volebat, quia victualia sibi et suis negaverat. Dicit ergo : Homo quidam, ubi notandum quod homo potius sonat hic in vitium, quam in naturam, ut dicatur homo ab humo, id est humo adhaerens per amorem terrenorum. Secundum Gregorium^ non exprimitur nomen ejus, quia non erat a Deo per approbationem cognitus, secundum quod dicit Salvatorreprobatis: Numquam novi vos. Unde quasi ignotus apud Deum, nomine non designatur, neque nominatur a Deo, quia nomen quaesierat amundo. Homo ergo quidam erat dives non tam a possessione divitiarum, quam ab amore earum : ecce superfluitasin sensu, et concupiscentia oculorum ; qui induebatur purpura, rubea desuper, propler inanem gloriam, et bysso alba desubtus ad carnem, propter mollitiem: ecce excessus in vestitu et superbia vitae ; et epulabatur quotidie splendide^ serviendogulae magis quamnaturae: ecce excessus in victu et concupiscentia caruis, secundum quod vestimenta, ita et cpulae. Ad mollitiem et luxuriam cultu regio dissolvebat carnem exterius,ac ciliis etpotibus relovebat eam interiiis.
3 ? — Et erat quidam mendicus nomine Lazarus\ diviti adjungitur pauper, quia alter alteri confert, sed differenter, quia dives confert temporaliter pauperi, et pauper spiritualiier diviti. Unde ait Chrysostomus : « Dumdives sustontatpaiiperpm, ipse suf^tontatiir a paupere. » Exprimitur autem hic nonieii paupcris, quia a Deo per approbationem erat cognitus, sicut et Moysidliiii dicit : Novi te ex nomine. Uude et paupcribus humilibus dicitur: Gaudete ct exsultate, qiiod nomina vestra scripta sunt in cceMs. Lazarus pauper et humilis nominatur, dives vero nec nomine dignus habetur. Nomina bonorum scripta suut in libro Dci, et nomina malorum in libro (iiaboli. In quo pensandum est, quantum interest interpublicam legem mundi, et benignam Legem Dei.
Nam divites sunt mundo C(! lebres per nomina sua, sed pauperes latent, nec nomen in mundo habent. Mos cst dicendi : Quando de urbe profecti sumus, obviavit nobis talis Comes, vel Dominus ; e contra de paupere dicitur : Nobiscum unus pauper agebat iter. Sed in Evangelio est mos contrarius, quia pauperis nomen exprimitur, divitis vero nomen tacetur ; superbos divites per judicium reprobationis Dcus nescit, humiles pauperes piM' judicium approbationis noscit. Cominus aspicit hos, et eminus arcet illos. Divititms sunt nomina in culmine miindi, sed panperibus sunt nomina in aula Dei. Qtii jacebat ad januam ejus ulceribus plenus, ut ex vicinitale magis appareret duritia divitis, exeund(3 et revertendo eum vidt^ntis, et patientia pauperis ex visione divitis. Ubi Chrysostomus : a Infelicissime hominum, mortem corpori.
s tui vides jacere ante januam. et non misereris ! Si Dri pra^cepta non consideras, saltem miserere conditionis tuse, et time ne et ipse talis efficiaris. » Cupiens saturari de micis, non dicit de pretiosis, quse cadebant de mensa divitis ; quodammodo dicens ad divitem : Sufliciunt mihi micsi men^^se tUcE, quas abjicieudo projicis inde. Praebe igiiurde superfluo eleemosynam, fac de non damno lucrum ; in quo nimia duriti. i apparet, eo quod perire permittebat unde pauper sublcvari p^tterat. Et nemo illi dabat, quia tali domino talis familia ; et ideo cunformabantur ei in mentis duritia. Cuni ergo ante januam Lnzarus jaceret:ex vlsione pauperis diviti non miserenti, cumulus damnationis inf'^-rtur;et rursus ex visionedivitis tentatns quotidie piupor probatur.
Qucm ad majorem ipsius probationempaupei'tas simul ctrRp:ritudo, et visa divitis copia, et nnlla sibi adhibita consolatio alTiciunt. Ubi idem Chrysostomus : (( /Eurrotatio habct nliquod solatiiim, si opes habot; si antcm ad infirmitafis magnitudinem accedat et paupertas, duplex est infirmitas. Quanta ergo in isto pnena est, in quo inter tanta vulnera non mcminit dolores plagarum, sed famis ? )) Sed et canes veniebant et lingebant ulcera ejus ; unde talis piftas in lingendo ulcera pauperis arguit duriiiam divitis, quia magis curiales erant canes pauperi, quam eorum dominus. Et nec a se canes removere poterat, nec visitator erat, qui removeret. Qni etiamsi mordendopunxissent, non esset qui illos amovisset. 4 — Frtctum est autem. utmoreretur mendicus, in patientia, quae opus perfectum habet probatus,e^ portaretur, secundum animam.
abAngelis in sinumAbrahx^ de mendico dives factiis, id est ad requiem, et limbum sanctorum Patrum, ubi descendebant animae justorum morientium, antequam generale impedimentum gloriae per Passionem Christi esset amotum; qui sinus, secundum Aiigustinum, idoo Abrahse dictus e4, non quod ipsius tantum sit. sed quod ipse multarum gentium pater sit, quibus ad imitan(lum positus est. Ubi Chrysostomus : (( Non sutTecerat ad portandum Angelus unus pauperem, scd propterea plures veninnt ut chorum laetitiae faciant. Gaudetunusquisque Angclorum tantum onus tan^i^ere ; libenler tilibus oneribus ftrsegravantur, ut ducant homines ad regna coelorum. » Mortuus est autem et dives, quia divitiae non possunt a morte salvare ; et sepultus est in inferno, scilicet damnatorum, id est in profunditate poenarum infernalium, de divite mendicus factus. Dives iste tamquam diaboli parochianus ad coemeterium infernale, a daemonibus estdeductus, et ibi est sepultus. Ibi sepelientur parochiani diaboli sine thure et sine aqua benedicta, ad modum asirii. Unde in Jeremia de quolibet reprobo dicitur : Sepultura asini sepehetur.
Sepultura asini est talis : quia excoriatur, et pellis a dominopossidetur, carnes a canibus Jacerantur, et ossa pluviiset grandinibus derelinquuntur; sic quando aliquis morilur iniquus, parentes possident substantiam terrcnam,vermes]acer;intcarnemsuam, supplicia internab*alacerant ejus animam, quae naturam ossis habebit, quia consumi numquam poterit. Et notandum, quod plurihus modis cognoscitur aliquis, cujus parochianus sit, scihcet : si ab eobaptismum suscipiat, si ei primitias atque decimas reddat, si ejusmis^as et horasaudiat. Qui er^o aqua concupiscentiae baptizatur, in quacharacter diaboh imprimitur^ de quo in Apocalypsi dicitur; qui initia operum et consummationem,tamquam primitias et decimas diabolo reddit, vcl hona temporalia in illicitis cunsumit ; qui lascivis cantilenis et erruneis carminibus, seu verbis detractoriis etmalis intendendo, tam(]uam horas diaboli audit, diaboh paruchianum se ostendit, et in ejus coemeterio sepelietur in morte, sicut etiam dives iste est sepultus. Sed, qui baptizatur aqua poenitentiae, ubi imprimitur character Christi, scilicet Thau, de quo dicitur in Ezechiele; qui initium et consummationem bonorum operum Christo reddit ; qui ejus sermones et verba libenter audit, deportabitur ab Angelis in requiem Christi, cujus parochianum se ostcndit. Merito autem pauper purtabatur ab Angchs, et angelica ei dcputabantur officia, cui tam crudeliter denegata sunt humanitatis obsequia ; et merito dives sepulius est in inferno, ut sustineat cruciatum nolendo, qui in praesenti vita crucem portarenoluitpoenitendo.
Elevans autem oculos suos spirituales, non corporales, quia ibi erat anima ejus, non corpus, cum esset in torvmntls mulliplicibus, quia cjus oculi apePii ov'\wX per pamam, qui ante clausi fuerant per culpam , mdit Ahraham alonge; quia muUum etiam ante apertioncm janua^. coelestis distabat status electorum astatu reproborum, in tantum quod impossibihs erat transitus ab uno in alium;ei Lazarum in sinu ejus^ ad cumulum suae poenae, quem in prosperitate positus dedignahatur videre. Sinus Abrahae, de quo hic dicitur, ante Passionem erat in limbo inferni, sed modo est in coelo ; sicut enim translatus est Abraham delimbo, sicetsinus ipsius cum eo. Erat namque in superiori margine inferni locus aliquantulum habens lucem pro spe futurae claritatis, sine omui poena materiaU, in quo erant animae electorum, usque ad descensum Christi ad infernos, scilicet ad eumdem locum, qui locus propter sui tranquillitatem sinus est dictus, sicut cl sinus maris dicitur locus quietus a ventis ct tempestatibus; et dicebaturii6ra/i«, quiaipse iuit prima via credendi, et primus publice praedicavit fidem unius Dei. Huuc locum appellavit Job tenebras respectu visionis divinae, vel pro ta^dio exspectandi Salvatorem, dicens : 7 4 tenebris stravi lectulum meum. Secundum Bedam, smus Ahvahdd est requies beatorum pauperum, quorum est regnum coelurum, quo post hanc vitam recipiuntur. Et, secundum Ar(gustinum^ sepuUura infernipoenarum profunditas est ; quae superbos et immisericordes post vitam hanc vo~ rat. Qui in praesenti volunt tenere locum primum, in iuturo retrudentur in locum novissimum.
Ubi Chrysostomus : « Sicut autem paupeii, dum viverct, graviorem pnenam reddebat jacere anle januam divitis, et ahena bona prospicere ; sic diviti mortuo, augebat exercitium accubitus in gehenna, prospectus. delectationis Lazari, ne s»da tormentorum natura, sed et coUatione honoris iilius intolerabilius sentiretsupphcium. Aliorum divitiae, eorum qui inpaupertate sunt, tormenta sunt : » haec Chrysostomus. () ? — Et ipSC clamans prce dolore, dixit : Pater Abraham, miserere mei. Hunc sero el I)E niVlTE /. . Vll() MKMMCO.
pro iiihilo patrcm vocat, quem iii operibusmisencordicX imitari noluit, eX petit misereri sui, qui nec suimet misertus est, nec Lazari ; et mitte Lazarum^ ut intingat extremum digiti sui in aquam, et refrigeret linguam meam, quia crucior in hac flamma. Lazarum petit mitti sibi a5Stuanti,cui ipse micas panis noiuit mittere esurienti. Vocat autem extremum digiti sui modicum suffragium meritorum; et guttam aqaae, modicum quid refrigerantis misericordiye. Undu notandum quod lingua et digitus metaphorice dicuntur in animabus separatis, quales erantanimoe Lazari et divitis; sicuteaimin Deo, qui spiritus est, manus dicitur virtus ejus auxiliativa, et per linguam divitis, virtus conceptus mentis expressiva. Unde non in vera, sed imagiaaria iingua punitur, dum perimagiiiationem in memoriam pcccata lingnae revocat. Et similiter plnra alia, de quibus hic dicitur, mentaliter fieri intelliguntur. Quamvis animae cor-pora aon habeant, tamen in membris pati dicuntur ; quia exutai a corporibus tales atfectus in se sentiunt pro peccatis, ac si in corpore paterentur in membris. hi lingua ergo cruciari dicitur, id est ia anima, quae pro peccato linguae amplius torquebatur, quia per eam plus peccaverat, secundum duo otficia natura3, in quibus lingua deservit, scilicet : gustum et loquelam, inquibus epulones frequenter offendunt.
Per linguam quidemin officiogustuspeccavit, quiaepulabatur quotidie splendide ; et simiiiter m ofticio loquelae, quiainter epulassplendidas magis relaxatur lingua ad loquendum inepta. Et ideo expedit valde in mensa sobrietatem et silentium observare. Unde Basilius : « Quanium possumus delicias mundi, et ciborum epulantiam fugiamus ; ne quando cruciati in flamma, quairamus guttam aqua? , et nullum refrigerium consequamur. » 7 Enumehatio vjtiorum hujus diviTis. — Plenus nihilominas, ut visum est, iste dives fuit vitiis : in eo enim erat avaritia, quia dives erat, non quia diviiias habebat, sed quia avare retinebat,etiilicite expendebat. Item, in 00 fuit vana gloria, quam hai)uit in utendo vestc pretiosa. Hoc autem quam grande sit peccatum patet ex historia Homanorum, ubi legitur quod ille qui primus apud eos purpura iiidutus fuit, a fulmine percussus interiit.
Nou debet Iiomo de vestibus glonari, imo migis dolerc, rcspiciendo ad peccatum suum ; nam antc peccdtum veste non indigebat, quia decore inuocentijE iudutus erat; sed, perdita innocentia, advenit Dei ira, et tunc vestis sibi facta ad cooperiendum miseriam peccati et defectuum nostrorum. Unde in Genesi : Fecit quoqwi Deus Adae et uxori ejus tunicas pelliceas, scilicet extra paradisum post lapsum et peccatum. In signum hujus, aliqui religiosi non utuntur nisi pellibus, in memoriam trausgressionis primorum parentum, et in signum mortalitatis, quia pelles sunt de auimalibus mortuis. Quatuor autem modis potest esse reprehensio circa vestes : primo, quaado suut nimis pretiosae ; secundo, quaudo sunt curiosse; tertio, qu. indo non sunt statui personae conveaientes ; quarto, denique, quando quis habet diversa vestium mutatoria, ita quod a tineis demoliuntur, dum Ghristus in pauperibus nudus relinquitur. Item, fuit in eo peccatum gula^, quia epulabatur quotidie splendide. Facit autem gulosus injuriam natur* ; nulli enim animah tam magnum corpus Iiabenti, dedit natura tam parvum os et collum, sicut homini, ut per hoc ad cibi et potus parcitatem et temperaniiam nos moneret. Erat etsiae misericordia, quia ulcerosi pauperis noluit misereri; et ideo frustra misericordiam petiit, qui misericordiam non fecit; et ideo etiam tamquam a Deo non cognitus caret nomine, qui Deum cognoscere noluit in paupere.
Nonenim reprehenditur ex eo quod dives erat, sed quod divitids avare retinebat, et nihil pauperi dare volebat, ac eas in vestibus curiosis et epulis delicatis male expendebat, nimisque divitias amabat, et circa eas cor suuin posuerat ; nec reprehenditur ex eo quod aliena abstulit, sed quod sua non dedit ; nec dicitur, quia ([uempiam oppressit, sed quia in acceptis rebus se exlulit. Unde Chrysostomus : « Non autem quod dives erat torquebatur, sed quia misertus non fuit. Non accusatur, quia res alienas tulerit, non quia adulter fuerit, non quia aliquod malum fecerit; solain illo cotidemnatur superbia:» haec Chrysostomus.
Unde et Gregorius : « Hinc colligendum est qua poena mulctandus sit, qui aliena diripit, si inferni damnatione percutitur, qui propria non largitur : » liaec Gregorius. Penseut ergo non solum seculares, sed et religiosi, qui temporalia illicite sibi attrahunt, vel detiuent, qua poena puniendi sunt, si d^imnatur qui prot^ria non dedit. Qui enim aliena, seu illicite acquisita, et reddenda detinent, contra Dei mandata peccant, sine quibus nemo potest ad vitam ingredi, vel salvari. Et tamen multi credunt, sed stulte, quod, reatu taniee injunae non obstante, animae eorum requiescant in pace. Nam quia conscientia saepi^. formatur secundum id ad quod homoatlicitur ; ideo multi pecunia* ct temporalia nimis diligentes, de illicite acquisitis conscientiam non faciunt, sicque Dei praecepta contemnendo , et per consequens morlaliter peccando, Deurn graviter ofTendunt, et omnia sua in bonis exercitia perdere non metuunt. Et maxime huc attendant domini terrarum et potentcs, qui parum timent tcrras aliorum sibi attrahere, et minus potentes vi vel dolo opprimere ; nec ad Deum cuncta cernentem curant respicere. Si arbores solum in altum et non in latum crescerent, nec se dilatarent, una aliam non impediret; sed quia crescunt :n latum et se diiatant, una impedit aliam ; ita quod una quandoque abscinditur^propteraliam sibi vicinam.
bic reges et potentes qui habent et quaerunt dominium, si solum crescerent in altnm versus coelum, et crigerent se ad Deum, unus non impediret alium; et quia dilatant se plus dehito ad terrena, propter huc unus alium impedit, et alia sibi attrahit, ac ea sa^pe hercaibus suis relinquit. Sed, non gaudeant de hoc vel glorientur, quia veniet tempus quo ipsi, tamquam parochiani diaboli, cum divite in inferno sepultura asini sepelientur ; et alii per eos injuste oppressi ad requiem cum Lazaro suscipientur. 9 - Audiant hoc terreni et miseri, qcos pulvis terrae nunc excsecavit, quia vexatio tunc intellectum eis dabit. Unde ait Augustinus : « Audiant ista divites, qui nolunt esse misericordes. Audiant ibi irrogaris sibi supplicia, qui hic nolunt erogare subsidia. Audiant pauperem retrigerantem, audiant divitem poenis gravioribus aestuantem. Peusentur ergo pro divitiis, poensB ; refrigerium, pro paupertate; pro purpura et bysso, flamma; retectio, pro nuditate, ut salva sit sequitas staterae, et non mentiatur modus illius mensurae ; In qua, inquit, mensura mensi fueritis, remetietur vobis. Ideo negatur misericordia diviti, quia ipse, dum viveret, noluit miser(;ri; ideo rogans dives, non exauditur in tormentis, quia ro^antem pauperem n m exaudivit in teiris.
» Ut autemdicit idem AugustinusuiRegnum coelorum, Veritate testante, didicimus non divitum, sed pauperum esse; si igitur regnum est pauperum, restat ut infernus regnum sit divitum. Quisquis igitur vis regnare cum Christo, elige paupertatem cum ipso, ut requiescas cum Lazaro mendico. Nemo enim potestgauderecum seculo, et regnare cum Domino. Qui igitur vult epulari cum divite, praeparat se inter epulas vermibus gehennoe, in qua pro gaudio momentaneo ardebit perpetuo, cum capite suo diabolo. Intelix commercium, pro tam brevi gaudio, coelesti privari a regno I Felix paupertas, per quam ccelestisacquiriturhereditasl Felix commercium, pro perituris aeterna suscipere, et quod ineffabile bonum est, sine tine cum Christo regnare ! Et e contra ineffabilis miseria, perpetua pati supplicia ! » haec Augustinus. Unde et Lhrysostomus : « InsLruimur autem quam sit utile in divitiis non confidere.
Ecce dives indiget pauI)K I. AZAUO MENDICO. lll pere, qui quandoquo esuriebat. Mutanlurrcs,et nolificatur oamibusqais vere esset dives, et quis vere esset pauper. Sicut enim iu theatris, cum advesperascit et adstautes recedunt, exeuntcs et amiclum inducntes, (|ui reges et prtetores visi fuerant, oinnibus vnltibus videntur ut sunt ; sic adveniente morte, et soluto spcctaculo, universis larvis egestatis et divitiarum depositis, ex sulis operibus dijudicantur, qui jam vcre sint divites, qui vere pauperes, qui gloriosi, quiquc inglorii : r> haec Chrysostomus. Videtur etiam esse de statu hominum, sicut est de ludo schaccorum. In illo enim ludo sunt reges et milites. senes et juvenes, magni et parvi, et cetera hujuscemodi, quorum in ipso ludo continua fit do loco in locum mutatio, et quasi quiEdam mutua ad invicem oppugnatio ; sed completo cursu ludi et tcmp^ris, omnia projiciuntup insaccum; et majora quaeque, ei magis gravia cadunt in pr.
dundum. Sic diversarum conditionum homines in diversis iocis ponuntur, et frequenter de loco in locum tnutantur, ac saepe mutuo se impugnant, et sibi invicem adversantur; sed completo cur. -;u-eorum, mittuntur in teri-ae saccum, et majores ac de onere peccatorum magis graves descendunt cum divite epulone in inferni abyssum.
Et dixitilli. scilicet diviti, Abraham : Fili, scilicet genere, non imitatione, et vocat eum tiiium ut d olor ejus augeatur de perdita hereditate, recordare^ sed melius esset praevidisse, quia recepisti bona in vita taa, id est illa quae vera et sula putaveras esse buna, scilicet tempnralia; quae sa3pe danlur quibusdam in signuni divinae reprobatiouis; et huc sibi dicitur ad au«mentum suoe poenoe et infelicitatis, ut cugitet statum pcceteritae felicitatis, quia, ut dicit Boeiius, in omni adversitate furtunae, infelicissimum est genus infortunii fuisse feiicem. Et Lazarus similiter mala, scihcet transitoiia, reccpit in vita sua; non mala secundum aestimationem suam, sed divitis, qui et inopiam, et famem, et tegritudinem cvistiiuahat mila Ei horum recordatio maloruni fuit Lazaro consolatioliis auginentum. Unde Boetius : Dulcior est apum mage labor^ Si malus ora prius sapor edat. Forte dives iste aliquid boni habuit, quod feltcitas transeuntis vitie remuneravit; et Lazarus aliquid mali, quod ignis inopia3 pur^avit. Et ideo, secundum Oreijorium, si honorein vel divitias, seu aliquid aliud exterioris boni vel prosperitatis in hoc mundo accipimus, pertimescere debemus,ne nobis pro quorumdain nostrorum actuum bonorum recompensatione Dominus dederit. et a retributione boni intimi repellat ; et si pauperes forte reprehensibiles conspicimus , despicere nondebemus, quia fortasse eos caminus paupertatis purgat. Habent justi bona mundana; sed in recompensationem meritorum suorum non recipiunt, quia ad aelerna saiictis desidcriis aestuaiites, qucC adsunt minima bona reputant.
Injusti vero omnegaudiumsuum felicitatemtransitoriamputaiites, cxteriora sola suinma bona aestimant. Unde Chnjsostomus : ({ Dixit etiam : Recepisti bona in vita tua, quasi debita. Ac si diceret : Si quid boni fecisti, unde praemium deberetur, omnia recepisti in illo mundo : epulansy ditatus, oblectatus successibus prospens. Hic autem, si quid mali commisit, universa recepit : paupertate, fame, et cxlrcmis oppre^sas miseriis ; et utorque vcstrum huc nudus accc-sit, hic quidem de peccatis, propter quod et consolationem sonitur, tu vero a justitia,propter quod ct immitigabilem perfcrs poenam: » haec Chrysostomus.
Undc sequiiur : Nunc autem hic consolatur, scihcet aeterna consolationc, pro modica tribulatione, et pfupter meritum paticnticB; tuvero cruciaris, scilicet aeteruo cruciatu, pro tcmporali delcctaLiunc, ct propter defectum misericordiae Utcnimdicit Gregorius: « Justum est, ut in se duloreni inveniat, qui reiicto vero gaudio, in se et in raundo gaudia vana quaerebat. » \n Uade Bernardus : u Quaatos, iaquit, videtis et ipsi Lazaros esurieates, audos, aegrotos ; et plus de jumeatis vestris, plus de eoruni phaleris quam de istorum oiiseriis cogitatis ? Sed ad tremeadum Abraboe judicium veaiamus. Noa eaim Abrahae, sed Domiai seateatia est : Memento, iaquit, fili, quod recepisti bona in via tua, et Lazarus similiter mala. Nunc autem hic consolatur, tu vero cruciaris. Hgecciae cruciatuum causa tota est, quod ia hoc secuio boaa recepit? Ipsa plaae. Neque eaim ad hoc aos paradiso vokiptatis aaiaiadversio diviaa ejecisse videtur, utalterum sibi hicparadisuai adiaveatio humaaa pararet ; sed ut ia ciaere et cilicio miseriam suae subversioais deploraret.
Ceterum, si sic cruciaadi suat, qui ia \ita sua boaa receperuat, et habeatibus coasolationem praeseatem vdo repositum est sempiteraum, quisaaai eorum poterit esse fiais,si secuadum multitudiaem coasolatioaum suarum, dolores appreheaderiat aaimas miserorum ? Goasequeas eaim videtur iit booa omaia, et omaem seculi hujus recipieatibus coasolatioaem ; aihilominus uaiversum vae et uaiversi maneaat cruciatus. At vero et illud atque e^i eadeia Abrahae seatentiacoajiciendum videtur, eos qui coalrario ducti spiritu vitae, praeseatia omaia boaa respuuat, et eliguat mala; omnia boaa Domiai et omnem habituros coasolatioaem. » Et iterum : « Si de poeaarum dimiautioae solatium praebere voluero, crudelis ero,et aoa misericors. Quaatum eaim subtraham de pceaa, taatum de corona furabor. Tantum miaus erit de fructu, quaatum de semiue subtraxero. Reauat ergo coasolari aaima nostra hujuscemodi consolatione ; sed memor sit Dei, et consoletur in eo. Apud ipsum namque ipsa quoque tribulatio magna quaedam consolatio poterit iaveniri : » haec Bernardus.
Sic ergo hujus vitae felicitas divitem iafehcem fecit, quia, ut dicit Augustinus, nihil est iafeiicius iofelicitate peccaotium, qua poeaalis outritur impuoitas, et malavohmtas veluthostisinterior roboralur. Unde Seneca : «« Brevcm tibi formulam dabo qua te metiaris, qua te perfectum esse jam seotias. Tuuc habebis tuum booum, cum iotelligcs iofelicissimos esse felices. » Et iterum : « Nihil estiofelicius et dementius eo cui aihilumquam eveoit adversi ; oou licuit illi se experiri. » Et iterum : « Te judico miserum, quia non fuisti miser; traosistisioe adversario viam, nemo scit quid tu potueris, nec tu quidem ipse : » haec Seneca. Infelicitas vero hujus vitae Lazarum purgavit, atque felicem fecit. Pluribus quippe modis purgamur io ista vita. Quibusdam eoim est purgatio cruciatus corporis, quos eis mali ioferuot; aliquibusafflictiones carois, quas sibi ipsi per jejuoia, vigilias et alios labores iageruot; quibusdaoi vero carorum vel reruoi amissio ; aliquibus dolores, vel aegritudo ; quibusdam victus, vel vestitus egestas ; aliquibus ipsius oiortis acerbitas.
Doiode subjuogitur : Et in his omnibus, id est ioter haec omoia quae petis, uoumest quod impedit, scilicet, quod inter nos et vos chaos magnum jirmatum est, id est distaotia magoa meritorum etstatuum firmata est, rigore divioae justitiae, ut impossibihs sit traositus ab uoo statu io alium ; ideo subditur, ut hi qui volunt hinc transire ad vos, non possint, neque inde huc transmeare, quia aoimae separatae suot extra statum meriti et deoieriti. Uode Chrysostomus : « Videre possumus, traosire ooa possumus ; et nos videmus quod perdidistis ; et sicuti noi^tra gaudia accumulaot vestra tormeota, ita et vestra toimenta accumulant nostra gaudia : » haec Chrysostomus. Quod daaioati velleot veoire ad locuoi electorum, si esset possibile, non est dubium, sed quod electi velleot ire ad locum daoioatorum, non videtur ; unde est dicendum, quod non vellent ire illuc ad maneoduoi, velleot tameo illuc vcoire, si esset possibile, ad propioquos suos liberaodum. Istud tameo velle iotelligitur secuodum voluntatem oaturalis compassionis, non auteoi secuodum voluntatem deliberativam, in qua conformantur simpliciter diDE DIvn'E vinae justitia3, et dispositioni divinae voluntatis. Noli ergo divitem imitari : neqiie in superbia vit9e,quia, ut dicit Gregorius, illic eos a sortc humilium Judex separat, qui sehic insuperbiae cornibus exaltant; neque in concupiscentia carnis, quia, ut dicitidem trregorius, non possunt qui hic voluptatibus suse carnis serviunt, illic in ovium grege numerari ; neque in concupiscentia oculorum, quia, ut idem Gregorius testatur, regnum ccelorum percipere nequcunt, qui hic toto desiderio terram quarunt. De qua avaritia etiam Chrijsostomus hoc loco dicit: « Ubicumqueabieris, philargios et avaros punitos videbis, et uunc quidem audient : Chaos est inter nos et vos; tunc autem : I/e, ma~ ledicti, in ignem seternum, qui paratus est diabolo, et angelis ejus, et ubique abactos eos aliquis videbit, et nusquam locum habentes, quam in gehennam Quae itaque rectae fidei nobis est utilitas ad salutem,haec cum audierimus? lllic est stiidor dentium, et tenebriE exteriores, et ignis paratus; hic autem sunt inimicitiae, accusationes, detractiones, pericula, sollicitudines, insidiae, et ab omnibus odio haberi, etiam ab his qui videntur adulari. Philargiumdenique universi simul contristant, et improperium * ultimum est avaritia.
Si enim pecunias despicere non sustinet, quomodo superabit umquam concupiscentiam, et gloriae insaniam, et furorem et iram? » haec Chrysostomus.
Postquam ergo, ut dicit Greyorius, ardenti diviti de se spes tollitur, ejus animus ad propinquos, quos reliquerat, recurrit. Unde sequitur : Et ait : Rogo ergo te^ pater, ut mittas eum scilicet Lazarum, in domum patris mei. Habeo enim quinque fratres, ut testetur illis, ne et ipsi veniant in hunc locum tormentorum. Non dixit hoc caritate ductus, quam ante mortem non habuit, nec postea acquisivit ; sed timore servili, nein ipsorum consortio ejus pcena augeretur, quia fiierat eis occasio peccandi, tum ratione divitiarum, quas eis dimiserat ad abusum, tumexemplo malae vitae, YiTA Jk. si" CnnrsTT, Tomus ITT. quod eis dederatad sequendum. UndaGregorius : « Qua in re notandum est ardenti diviti quanta supplicia cumulantur. Ad poenam namque suam augendam eico;,qiitioservatur et memoria.
Cognovit enim Lazarum, quem despexit; et fratrum suorum meminit, quos reliquit. Utenim poccatorcs in supplicio amplius puniantur : et eorum vidont gloriam quos contempserunt, et de illorum poena torquentur quos inutiliter amaverunt. » Petenti autem diviti, ut Lazarus mitteretur ab Abraham, protinus respondetur : Et ait illi Abraham : Habent Moysen, qui docuit moralia et agenda, etProphetas, qui docuerunt mystica et credenda, et ista sufficiunt ad salutem ; ideo sequitur ; Audiant illos. Et ex hoc patet, quod iste dives et fratres ejuserant degente Judaeorum, quia Gentiles non habebantdoctrinam Moysis et Prophetarum ; ut enim dicit Chrysostomus, Dominus vocat hic Moysen et Prophetas, scripta Mosaica et prophetica. Sed, ut dicit Gregorius, qui Dei verba despexerat, haec audire non posse suos sequaces aestimabat ; unde sequitur : At ille dixit : iY"o? 2, pater Abraham ; sed^ si quis ex moi^tuis ierit ad eos ^po&nitentiam agent. In quo implicat quod extra poenitentiam erant, et per consequens in via veniendi ad inferni tormenta. Quasi diceret : Pius credent mortuo quam Scripturae, moti ex nuntio sic mirabiliter eis apparente.
Sed mox diviti sententia veraci respondetur ; Ait autem illi: Si Moysen, qui fuit tantae auctoritatis, et Prophetas, qui fuerunt tantae sanctitatis, no7i audiunt, auditu interiori, neque si quis ex fnortuis resurrexerit, credent ei. Hoc enim patuit per effectum, quia Lazaro fratri Mario) et Marthae resurgenti, et Christo testimonium perhibenti,non crediderunt, sed magis eum occidere voluerunt ; similiter nec Christo resurgenti crediderunt, sed magis falso suaserunt ipsum non resurrexisse, et corpus a discipulis suis furatum fuisse. Unde Gregorius : « Quia, si verba Legis despiciunt,Redemptoris praecepta quiev mortuis resurrexit, quanto difticiiiS ora suiit, tanto haec difficilius implebimt. » Ubi et Chrysostomus : « Gonsidera quod quisque mortuus servus est; quaecumque Yerodicunt Scripturge, dicit Dominus. Unde, et si resurgat mortuus, et si coelitus descenderet Angelus, omnibus magis sunt dignae fide Scripturse Sacrae ; nam Angelorum Dominus, \ivorum et mortuorum Judex, eas institiiit : » haec Chrysostomus, l4 — HaeC ergo praemissa considerantes, toleremus quae temporaliter molestant, et refrenemus nos ab his quae temporaliter delectant. Ut etiam dicit Hieronymus, miseriae deliciis, et deliciae miseriis commutantuY" ; et in nostro arbitrio est vel divitem sequi, vei Lazarum. Unde et Chrysostomus : « Si quando aegrotamus, si pauperes sumus, si frigore conficimur, si hospitium nonhabemus; laetemur et gaudeamus, Lazarum cogitemus, accipiamus mala in vita nostra ; divitis nos tormenta terreant, et Lazari pauperis exempla provocent. Deprecemur Dominum, ut latronem et istum Lazarum pauperem imitemur.
Sipersecutio venerit, imitemurlatronem; si pax fuerit, imitemur Lazarum : nam egestas propter Christum bene tolerata facit martyrium. » Et iterum : (( Sed dices, non est ahquis, qui hic et illicvenia perfruatur ; hocquidem difficile est, et de numero impossibihum. Nam si paupertas non urgeat, urget tamen ambitio ; si aegritudo non stimulet,ira inflammat ; si tentationes non impetant, emergunt saepe cogitationes iniquae. Non est autem parvus labor iracundiam refrenare, compescere illicita desideria, ostentationes sedare, despectionem remittere, vitam asperam ducere : taha vero non agentem impossibile est salvari : » haec Chrysostomus. Si ergo temporales miseriae terrent, aut deliciae delectant, aeternae tibi in mentem veoiant, et oculis tuis occurrant, ut sic facilius temporales miserias perferre, et aeternas evadere, ac temporales delicias fugere, et I aeternas consequi merearis. Unde ait Gregorius : a Si bonum diligitur, mens in bonis meh*oribus, id est coelestibus, delectetur; si malum metuitur, mala animae aeterna proponantur, ut dum illic esse conspicit, et amplius quod diligat, et amplius quod pertim(^scat, hic omnino non adhaerat. » Unde et Augustinus : <( In praesenti vita, deliciae temporales dulces sunt, et temporales tribulationes amarae sunt. Quis non bibat tribuiationis poculum, metuens ignem gehennalem ?
Et qiiis non contemnat dulcedinem seculi, inhians bonis vitae aeternae?» Et iterum : (( Si forte tentant fluctus concupiscentiae, intuearis quod promisit Deus, et dulcedo promissorum faciet te contemptorem dulcedinum seculi. Pro eo quod promisit Deus, contemnis temporalem felicitatem : promisit requiem, palere molestiam ; minatur ignem, cuntemne temporales dolores: » \\? idQ. Augustinus. Unde etiam et Chrysostomus : (( Mala carnalia ideo a Deo creata sunt, non ut timeantur, sed ut per eorumtimorem mala spiritualia magis timeantur; bona carnalia ideo creata sunt, ut per hujusmodi bona carnalia, intelligantur spiritualia et magis dihgantur ; » haec Chrysostomus. Ut autem temporaies felicitates et voluptates melius contemnas, cogita, carissime, et videquid beatitudinis, sive in spe, sive in re felicitates praeteritae et voluptates in te efficerint ; et sic judica de futuris. Pro his enim omnibus, non nisi tormentum remanebit et luctus.
Unde inApocalypsi : Quantum glorificavit se et in deliciis fuit, tantum date illi tormentum et luctum. Requiem ergo Lazari pauperis et poenam divitis considcrantes, pauperes non despiciamus, nec inimico oculo a? piciamus, sed ut patronos et advocatos in die judicii ipsos honoremus et eorum indigentiis pro viribus succurramus ; imo Dominatorem omnium niidum circumeuntem, et januas ex januis transmutantem, et semper ad exitus stantem, et manus extendentem, despici vel honorari in eis certissime sciamus. Ipse enim dicit : Quamdiu fecistis uni ex his fratribus l)E UESUSCiTATlONK LAZAlir II nieis minimis, viihi fecistis. Uiule Gregorius : « Fratrcs mci, elrcquicm Lazari, et poenam divilis cogiiosccntes, solerter agite, culpariim \eslrarum intercessores qua^ritc, atquc advocatos vobis in dicm judicii pauperes procurate. Cum quoslibct in hoc mundo abjectos aspicitis, ctiamsi, qua reprehensibilia eorum esse videantur, noHte despiccre. Quia fortasse quos morum infirmitas vuhierat, medicina paupertatis curat. Quorum, si qua sunt talia quae debeant jure rcprehendi, panem paritcr detis ct vcrbum : panem scihcel refectionis, cum verbo correptionis; et duo c^vobis alimenta percipiat qui unum qua^rebat ; dum exterius cibo, interius satiatur eloquio.
Pauper ergo, cum reprehensibilis ccrnitur, moneri debct, et despici non debct ; si vero rei»rchensionis nihil habet, venerari summopere. » Et iterum ; « Necesse est, ut, cum naturse nostrae consortes exteriora non habere conspicimus, quam multa desint nobis interiora bona pensemus. Quatenus sese super inopes cogitatio nostra non elevet, cum solerter videt, qui nos tanto uberius, quanto interius indigentes sumus. Negantur electis in hac vita bona terrena, quia et a^gris, quibus spcs vivendi est, nequa(iuam a medico cuncta qujcappctunl conceduntur ; dantur aulem reprobisbona qua: appetunt, quia et despcralis a? grisomne quod desiderant non negalur. » Uude et Ambrosius : « Continuus succcssus lemporalium aeternae reprobationis est indicium : )> Undc etiam Augustinus : « Tu, consolatio sempiterna, qua) solis illis te tribuis qui consolationcm hujus mundi pro consolatione tua contemnunt I Nam,qui hic consolautur,indignitua consolationc habentur, sed qui hic cruciantur, a te consolantur ; et qui participant passionibus parlicipant consolationibus. Nemo enim potestin utroque seculo consolari, nec potcst quis hic et in futuro gaudere ; scd unam necesse est perdere, qui aUeram vult possidere : » haec Augustinus. Haec igitur praemissa, bene considerata, et divitibus et pauperibus valde sunt necessaria ; quia et ilhs dant tiniorem,etistis consolationem.
Audiant hic divites poenas suas , et pauperes gaudia sua, ut illi terreantur et isti mulceantur. Sed,heu! parum haecattendimus, et memoriam corum cum sonitu transire permittimus. ORATIO Domine Jesu Christe, cum sim omnino pauper virtutibus, plenus peccatO" rum ulceribus, mendicus ante januam tuae misericordiae positus, cupiens saturari de micis exemplorum, quae cadunt de mensa divitum filiorum tuorum, qui induuntur purpura passionum, et epulantur quotidie splendide ferculis virtutum ; vcniant canes doctores tui, ut lingant vulnera peccatorum meorum, ut moriens mundo, deporter ab Augelis in sinum contemplationis ccelestium. Audiam Moysen et Prophetas, declinando a malo, etfaciendo bonum, ut ex mortuis operibus resurgens, sperem vitam habere aeternam. Amen.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Ezek.9.4 — And the LORD said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are being done in it."
- ↩Matt.7.2 — For with the judgment you judge, you will be judged, and with the measure you measure, it will be measured to you.
Notes
- 1 ↩The source text 'Tx' is a placeholder for the continuation of the Boethius citation referenced in the previous section.
The Life of Christ (Vita Christi) companion
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