De conspiratione PontifiGum et Pharismrum contra Jesum
The Council of the Wicked
The chief priests and Pharisees gather in fear and envy to plot the death of Jesus, revealing their own spiritual blindness.
Jesus gathered. Once the aforementioned miracle of Lazarus's resurrection was made public, the chief priests—who held the greatest authority and were the most learned—and the Pharisees—who were seen as more religious than others, and whose actions were therefore all the more serious—were moved by anger and envy, rather than by his fame and glory, to discuss the death of Christ in public. To do this, they gathered a council on the very next Sabbath against Jesus, fearing that if they left him living and performing such signs, they would lose both their place and their nation, because the whole crowd was following him and believing in him, and he was teaching that their own sacred traditions were empty and ought to be abolished. For they said, "What are we doing? This man is performing many signs." If we leave him like this, everyone will believe in him. The word 'council' comes from 'conciliating,' because they were brought together and gathered into one evil consensus. And this was the first council they held against Jesus. Before, they were merely seeking to kill him, but now they confirmed their decision and, seeking a council, openly discussed his death. For they saw that Christ was being honored by the people as a king, and because it was the Roman mandate that no one should be called king except through them—for everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar—they feared that if they had Christ as their king, the Romans would consider them rebels: 'And the Romans will come against us and take away our place, that is, our city, and our nation.' They also feared that if Christ’s teaching were to spread, the Temple, their entire religious life, and the reverence for it would be held in contempt and become of no account to the Jews; and for this reason, they feared the Romans would take away their city and scatter them into slavery. Or they certainly feared that if everyone believed in Christ, no one would be left to defend the city and the Temple against the Romans, since they felt Christ’s teaching was against the Temple itself and their ancestral laws. The chief priests and Pharisees took counsel among themselves, yet they still refused to believe. These lost men were thinking more about how they might harm another—that is, Christ—than about how they might take counsel for themselves so they wouldn't perish. They thought more about that than about how they might take counsel for themselves so they wouldn't perish. They feared and took counsel, but they trembled with fear where there was no fear.✦ For if they had believed in Christ, if they had not killed him, they would not have lost their place or their nation; but because they were not afraid to kill Christ, they lost both their place and their nation. For even the Romans, after the Lord’s Passion and glorification, took their place and nation away from them by storming, killing, and deporting them. They were afraid of losing temporal things and gave no thought to eternal ones; as a result, they lost both. The very things they tried to avoid, they failed to escape precisely because of how they acted. What good did it do you, you insane Jews, to commit such a great crime? Is it because you refused to serve Christ the Lord as you ought, that you ended up lacking the Lord? For while you serve the kings you chose to serve, you have become the wretched servants of the good servants of Christ. Through them He crushes your stubbornness; through them He scatters your plans; through them He pays back your crimes upon your own heads. Yet the Lord Himself, whom you killed, did not want you to be slaves, but free; as He said: "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." But you not only rejected the Lord God, the King, and true freedom itself, but in your desire to deny Him, you shouted: "We have no king but Caesar." Consider how many people there are today, even those wearing the religious habit, who imitate the Jews by fearing to lose temporal things while paying no attention to eternal ones; and so, it's not without reason that they lose both. There are many, even among the religious, who acquire temporal goods in ways that aren't entirely just, or who hold onto them in that state, terrified to let them go, yet they don't fear losing eternal things for their sake. And because they now choose to love the interior darkness of the Jews—namely, their sin—they will eventually be sent with them into the exterior darkness, which is hell. A religious person, therefore, who is greedy or vain is a pitiable sight, because in a way he is more miserable than any other creature, for he lacks both God and the world.
The Prophecy of Caiaphas
Caiaphas unwittingly prophesies the necessity of Christ's death for the salvation of all, demonstrating that God can use even the wicked to fulfill His purposes.
Then Caiaphas, being the high priest that year, decided what they had to do; speaking with the authority of his office, he said to them: . . “It’s better for you that one man should die for the people, and for the preservation of the people, so that the whole nation doesn’t perish if he remains alive; for the common good is to be chosen over the individual.” [Fragmentary text.] [Fragmentary text: individual.] Here it is clearly shown that it was the passion of envy. The bitterness against Jesus and the fearful passion of losing their nation and their place subverted their judgment of reason, because in no case is it lawful to kill an innocent and just man; for by this, the common good is not secured, but rather destroyed. Because of this, by God's judgment, they brought upon themselves through the death of Christ the very evil they hoped to avoid—the destruction of their place and their nation—which happened forty-two years after Christ's Passion, through Titus and Vespasian. Caiphas prophesied the death of Christ as something useful to the human race, though he didn't realize it. For although Caiphas's intention was merely to give advice about Christ's death to avoid a temporary danger to the Jewish people, his words still sounded as if the Savior Christ was going to die for the nation and the people; and what he said in this way was, in a sense, a prophecy of the future—that Christ was going to die for the spiritual salvation not only of the Jews, but also of all the Gentiles who were to believe in him and be gathered together through faith. Hence Theophilus says: 'He spoke with a wicked intention, yet the grace of the Holy Spirit used his mouth to foretell the future.' It does not follow, however, that whoever prophesies is a prophet, for sometimes the act of a thing is granted to someone, while the condition itself is not. Hence Origen says: 'Not everyone who prophesies is a prophet, just as not everyone who pursues justice is a just person—specifically, someone who does work for the sake of human glory.' It was fitting and necessary for Christ to suffer and die for us for three reasons: first, to show the judgment of divine dignity and mercy; second, to pay the price of our redemption, which was the precious blood of the immaculate Jesus Christ; and third, to provide an example for us to imitate, so that we might follow in his footsteps. Furthermore, it was fitting for Christ to die for three other reasons. First, because humanity was dead, and so it was fitting that Christ should destroy our death and bring humanity back to life. Humanity was dead by a fourfold death: the death of nature, of guilt, of hell, and of the privation of the divine vision. He destroyed the first through his glorious resurrection; the second, through the shedding of his blood; the third, through the harrowing of hell; and the fourth, through the restoration of his vision. Second, because humanity was lost; therefore, it was fitting that Christ should come to us, undergo death, and thus find what was lost. Third, because humanity was divided and scattered away from God; therefore, it was fitting that Christ should gather into one the children of God who were scattered, and thus call them back to God. Caiaphas did prophesy—that is, he uttered the words of prophecy—yet he was not a prophet, because he didn't receive prophetic inspiration and didn't possess the gift of prophecy, just as Balaam did not. Hence, according to Augustine, we are taught that even wicked men can predict the future through the spirit of prophecy, which the Evangelist nevertheless attributes to a divine Sacrament—that is, to the power of the Sacrament itself, namely, the high priesthood. Caiaphas didn't say this on his own; rather, because he was the High Priest that year and held the office in his hands, he prophesied not by his own merits, but spoke by the Spirit of God. He spoke the prophetic word without knowing it, not because of his own worthiness, but by the dignity of his office—and perhaps the pontifical anointing gave him a certain sense of prophecy. As Chrysostom says: "See how great the power of the Holy Spirit is; for even from an evil mind, He was able to bring forth words of prophecy." See also how great the power of the pontifical office is; for Caiaphas, once made High Priest, prophesied even though he was unworthy, not knowing what he was saying. For grace used only his mouth; it did not touch his corrupted heart—so says Chrysostom. It is on the basis of this authority alone that we believe an evil prelate is heard, and perhaps because he is the herald of the Church and says in her voice, "Let us pray," even though many authorities argue to the contrary, such as the one that says: "He who is weighed down by his own sins does not wash away the sins of others," and similar things. Caiaphas is said to have been the High Priest of that year because, although God had established one High Priest to whom another would succeed only upon his death, it happened later through ambition that there were many, and they served in their turns year by year.
The Lord's Withdrawal
Jesus withdraws to the city of Ephrem to avoid premature conflict, providing an example of holy prudence and patience.
From that day on, having accepted this as a useful plan, they thought more definitely than before about how they might kill Christ as quickly as they could, saying that if he were found, he should be brought to Jerusalem; for although they had already had the instinct and the will to kill him, they now acted on the counsel of Caiaphas. They decided with a firm purpose to carry this out as quickly as they could. Oh, what a wicked council! Oh, what wretched leaders of the people! O, what most wicked advisors! What are you doing, you miserable men? Why does such a great fury drive you? What kind of arrangement is this? What is their purpose? What reason is there to accuse our Lord Jesus Christ? He himself is in your midst, yet you don't know him; he understands all your words, and he searches your hearts and minds. But it must happen as you have planned, because his Father has handed him over into your hands. Because Jesus was already destined for death, we begin the remembrance of the Lord's Passion in the divine office from that very Sabbath when they gathered their council, especially in the hymns. We omit the 'Glory to the Father' at the beginning of the Mass and in the responsories. It is as if the Church were beginning a public mourning after the hour of that council, sympathizing with her Lord as members with their head; from that time on, she recites in sorrow: 'The banners of the King go forth, the mystery of the cross, the nails and the lance of the pierced body,' and similar things until the day of the Passion—though not yet fully, because the Lord had not yet been handed over into the hands of his executioners. For this reason, we call that Sunday and the following week the Passion of the Lord. However, this council held regarding the killing of Christ was made public. But the wise Lord Jesus, wishing to give place to anger—and also because all things were not yet complete and his hour had not yet come when he was to be handed over and crucified—kept himself more cautiously after the council. He no longer walked openly among the Jews, nor did he go to any of their populous cities, but went into the region near the desert, where there were few Jews and no crowd of those lying in wait, into the city called Ephrem, which was small, sparsely populated, and more secluded. There he stayed with his disciples until the time of his Passion drew near. But he stayed there for a few days with his disciples, hiding himself for a time. Chrysostom says: "While everyone else was rejoicing and celebrating the feast, they were in hiding and in danger, yet they remained with Him, according to the words: 'You are those who have stayed with me in my trials.'" And so the Lord fled from the face of the most wicked servants; He didn't do this because of a lack of power, but to give others an example of how to live. Augustine says: "It wasn't because His power had failed—for if He had wanted to, He could have walked openly among the Jews and they could have done nothing to Him—but He was showing His disciples an example, so it would be clear that it's not a sin for His faithful to withdraw themselves from the eyes of those who persecute them, and to avoid the fury of the wicked by hiding rather than by showing themselves and inciting them further." According to Origen, it's honest and praiseworthy, when danger and the struggle are already imminent, to confess Jesus, not to avoid confession, and not to refuse to undergo death for the sake of the truth. But no one should invite such a temptation; and this for two reasons: first, because it's very presumptuous to throw oneself into danger, given the inexperience of one's own virtue, which is sometimes found to be fragile, and because of the uncertainty of future events; second, so that by throwing ourselves in the way of persecutors, we don't provide them with an occasion to become more impious and harmful, and so that we don't have to answer for their sin and suffer the consequences.
Preparation for the Passover
As pilgrims gather in Jerusalem to purify themselves for the Passover, the leaders continue their search for Jesus with murderous intent.
Many Jews were coming to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover concerning Christ. They were inquiring. The Passover of the Jews was near; this is added to show that Christ hid Himself for a short time in the city of Ephraim, because He came to Jerusalem before the Passover. And many went up to Jerusalem from the region before the Passover, to sanctify and cleanse themselves with prayers and sacrifices before the feast, in order to eat it worthily. The paschal lamb could not be eaten by anyone who wasn't ceremonially clean. The Lord had commanded through Moses that the people gather in Jerusalem from all over Judea before the Passover, and there, according to the Law, purify themselves before eating the paschal lamb, so that, once purified, they might take part in the solemnity and the meal. Hence Theophilus says: 'They went up before the Passover to be purified; for anyone who had sinned did not celebrate the Passover unless they were first cleansed by washings, fasts, and shaving, and even by offering certain appointed sacrifices.' This teaches those who are to receive Communion that they must first be purified by confession, prayer, and fasting. If this was done for the figurative lamb, how much more ought a person to sanctify themselves with good works to worthily receive the true Lamb, that is, the immaculate Body of Christ? But alas! The Jews, forgetting their own sanctification, plotted the death of the true Lamb and sought to sacrifice Him in the very place of prayer, intending to mingle innocent blood with the feast. Hence Chrysostom: 'They had come to cleanse themselves on the outside, while on the inside they were defiling themselves through murder and bloodshed.' “They were lying in wait for Him, and they were making the time of the feast a time of slaughter,” says Chrysostom. They were looking for Jesus, then, and standing in the temple, they were saying to one another, "What do you think? That He won't come to the feast?" They were amazed that He hadn't come to teach at such a major gathering; therefore, they were looking for Him—not for a good reason or to honor Him, but for a wicked one: to kill Him. But it should be noted that when it is a feast day and it is kept holy, the Lord is always present on that feast day, according to the saying: “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” And so, gathered in the house of God, let us seek Jesus, comforting and praying for one another so that He may come to our feast day and sanctify us with His presence; for when a feast is not kept rightly, Jesus does not come, according to the word of the prophet Isaiah: "Your festivals I will not endure." The Evangelist adds, as if answering their question: The chief priests and Pharisees had given an order that if anyone knew where Jesus was, he should report it to the authorities so they might seize Him—that is, the ministers of the law, to kill Him. For this reason, He had withdrawn from them, as from ungrateful and stubborn people, until the time appointed for His Passion. But, as Augustine says, let us who know where Christ is—because He is at the right hand of God the Father—point Him out to the Jews, so that, if only they would, they might seize Him through faith.
Meditation and Prayer
The reader is invited to contemplate the sorrow of the Lord's companions and to pray for protection against the snares of the world.
Look, then, at those wicked men seething in their wretched council, and at the Lord Jesus and his disciples withdrawing like poor, helpless people. What do you think Magdalene said then? And what was the state of mind of the Mother of the Lord Jesus when she saw him withdrawing like this and heard the reason why—that they wanted to kill him? You can meditate here on how the Lady and her sisters remained with Magdalene at that time, and how the Lord Jesus comforted them all then regarding their quick conversion. Consider now how the Lord, who could have destroyed his adversaries with a single nod, withdrew from them like someone helpless and didn't even defend himself with words. By imitating his gentleness and humility, put away all bitterness and rage, for in this way you'll have rest for both body and soul. Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Angel of the Great Counsel, you who allowed the council of the wicked to form against you and chose not to resist them with power but rather to yield through patience—do not abandon me to the misguided judgment or harmful counsel of my own will or of others, nor to the power or temptation of demons, but you yourself kindly dispose and rule me within and without, and direct me on the way. of eternal salvation. Grant me, Lord, that whatever diabolical or human adversities are plotted against me may be brought to nothing, so that, unharmed and rescued from every danger, I may joyfully offer you thanks. Amen.
Read the original Latin
Jesum collectum. — Praedicto itaque miraculo de resuscitatione Lazaii publicato, Pontifices^ qui erant majoris auctoritatis et magis litterati, et Pharis%i^ qui videbantur prae aliis religiosi, ex quibus factum eorum gravius erat, moti sunt ad tractandum publice de morte Christi, ex ira ct invidia, quam de fama et gloria ejus habebant; et ad hoc facieodum coUegerunt concilium, sabbato mox sequeiiti, adversus Jesum, timentes si dimitterent eum sic viventem et signa talia facientem, per ipsum amittere et locum et gentem, eo quod omnis turba pust eum iret, eique crederet ; et ipsa sacra eorum vana et abolenda esse doceret. Dicebant enim : Quid facimus, quia hic homo multa signa facit? Si dimittimus eum sic, omnes crcdent in eum. Concilium a conciliando est dictum, quia conciliati et congregati erant in unum malum consensum. Et hoc erat primum concilium, quod habuerunt contra Jesum. Prius quidem quaerebant eum interlicere, nunc autem sententiam firmaverunt, et quaerentes concilium, aperte de morte ejus tractaverunt. Videbant enim Ghristum a populo tamquam regem honorari, et quia mandatum Romanorum erat, ut nullus nisi per eos deberet rex nominari : Omnis enim qui se regem facit, contradicit Csesari ; ideo limebant quod si Christum tamquam regem haberent, Romani ipsos rebelles reputarent : Et venient Romani contra nos, et tollent nostrum locum scilicet civitatem, et gentem.
Vel timebant etiam,ne si Christi doctrina procederet, templum et universa religio, ac reverentia ejus vilipenderetur, et Judaeis nullius momenti fierent; et ideo Romani civitatem eis auferrent, eosque in servitute dispergerent. Vel certe timebant, ne si omnes in Christum crederent, nemo remaneret qui adversus Romanos civitatem templumquedefenderet; quoniam contra ipsum templum, et contra suas paternas leges doctrinam Christi esse sentiebant. Pontifices et Pharisaei sibi consulebant, nec tamen credere V(debant. Plus etenim perditi homincs cogitabant quomodo alteri, scilicct Christo, nocerent ut [)erderent. quam quomodo sibi consulerentne perirent. Timebant et consulebant : Sed trepidaverunt timore, ubi non erat timor. Si enim Christo credidissent, si eum non occidissent, nec locum, nec gentem amisissent ; sed quia Christum occidere non timuerunt, et locum, et gentem perdiderunt. Nam et Romani post Domini Passionem et glorificationem, tulerunt eis locum et gentem : expugnando, occidendo, et transferendo.
TemporaUa perdere timuerunt, et aeterna non cogitaverunt, et sic utraque amiserunt. Quae ut fugituri egerunt, haec ipsa, quia egerunt, non effugerunt. Quid vobis profuit, o insani Judaei, quod tantum scelus commisistis? Numquid,quia Christo Domino, ut decuit, servire noluistis, ideo domino caruistis? Dum enim ilh serviunt reges, quibus vos servitis, facti estis mali servi bonorum servorum Christi. Per quos conterit contumaciam vestram, per ipsos dissipat cunsilia veslra, per ipsos retribuit scclera vestra in capita vestra. Ipse autem Dominus, quem interemistis, non vus servos, sed liberos esse cupiebat ; quando dicebat : Si vos Filius liberaverit, vere liberi eritis. Vos autem Dominiim Deum Regem et ipsam veram libertatem non solum repudiastis, verumetiam negare cupientes clamastis : Non habemus regem^ nisi Caesarem.
Considera quot sunt hodie homines, etiam religiosum habitum gestantes, qui Judaeos imitando temporalia perdere metuunt, et aeterna non attendunt; sic quod utraque non immerito amittunt. Sunt enim plerique etiam religiosi, qui temporalia quandoque minus juste et obiique acquirentes, vel sic acquisita possidentes, ea dimittere trepidant, et pro his aeterna amittere non formidant. Et quia nunc, cum Judaeis tenebras diligunt interiores, scilicet culpae, ideo tunc cum eis in tenebras mittentur exteriores, scilicet gehennae. Religiosus ergo cupidus, vel vanus, est lamentabilis, quia miserabilior est quodammodo omnibus creaturis, scilicet carens Deo et mundo.
Tunc Caiphas, cum esset Pontifex anniillius, quid eis faciendum erat decrevit, et propter auctoritatem officii locutus est, et dixit eis : . . . Quia vobis expedit ut unus homo, eliamsi bonus et justus esset, pro populo moriatur et populi conservatione, et non tota genspereat, si ilie in vita maneat; quia bonum commune magis est eligendum, quam DE CONSl'li{\TIONK POiNTll IGLM ET Pll AUIS. EOIILM. particulare. Hic patet manifeste quod passio iuvidi. T etlivoris contra Jesum, et passio timoris perdendi geiitem ct locum subvertebat iu eis rationis judicium, quia in nulio casu licitum est interficereinnocentem et justum; pcr hoc enim non procuratur, sed ma^'is destruitur commune bonum.
Propler quod judicio Dei illud malum, quod credebant per mortem Christi evaderc , scilicet destructionem loci et ,L;entis, hoc per mortem Christi incurrerunt, quia in poenam hujus peccati Romani locum et gentem destruxerunt, quodperTitumetVespasianum, anno quadragesimo secundopost Passionem Christi, factum est. Prophetizavit autem Caiphasutilem humano generi mortem Christi, licet nesciens. Quamvis enim esset intentio Caiphae dare solummodo consilium de morte Christi, pro temporalis periculi evasione, circa populum Judaeorum, tamen verbum suum sic sonabat, quod Salvator Christus erat moriturus pro gente et populo; et quod sic protulit, fuit prophetia quodammodo de futuro, quod Christus erat moriturus pro salute spirituali, non solum Judaeorum, sed etiam omnium Gentium, qui credituri erant in ipsum, et per fidem congregandi. Unde Theophilus : « fJfoc ipse quidem prava dixit intentione ; sed tamen Spiritus Sancti gratia ore ejus usa est ad futuri praesagium : » hiEC Theophilus. Non tamen sequitur, quod quicumque prophetat sit Propheta, nam quandoque alicui conceditur actus alicujus rei, cum tamen conditio ei non conceditur. Unde Origenes : u Nol quicumque prophetat Propheta est; sicut non quicumque jus prosequitur justus est, scilicet qui facit aliquod opus propter humanam gloriam : » haec Qrigenes.
Expediens aulem et necessarium fuit Christum pro nobis pati et muri, ratione triplici : primo, ad ostendendum circa non judicium divinae dignationis et pietatis; secun,do, ad exsolvendum pretium nostrae redemptionis , quod fuit pretiosus immaculati Jesu Christi sanguis; tertio, ad praebendum exemplum nostrue imitationis, ut sequamur vestigia ejus. Insuper et alia ratione triplici expediebat Chnstum mori. — Primo, quia homo mortuus erat, et ideo expediebat ut Christus mortem nostram destrueret, et hominem vivilicaret. Erat autem homo mortuus quadruplici morte, scilicet : naturae, culpae, gehennae et ex privatione visionis divina3 ; primam destruxit, per suam gloriosamresurrectionem ; secundam, per sui sanguinis effusionem ; tertiam, per inferni exspohationem; quartam, per suae visionis restitutionem. — Secundo, quia homo erat perditus ; ideo expediebat ut Christus ad nos veniret, ac mortem subiret, et sic hominem perditum inveniret. — Tertio, quia homo erat a Deo divisus et dispersus; ideo expediebat w^Christus filios Dei qui erant dispersi congregaret in unum^ et sic eos ad Deum revocaret. Caiphas ergo prophetizavit quidem, id est verba prophetiae protulit, nec tamen erat Propheta, quia inspirationem propheticam non accepit, et donum prophetiae non habuit, sicut et Balaam. Unde, secundum Augustinum, docemur etiam homines malos prophetiae spiritu futura praedicere, quod tamen Evangelista divino tribuit sacramen\o, id est virtuti ipsius sacramenti, scilicet summi sacerdotii.
Caiphas enim hoc a semetipso non dixit, sed cum esset Pontifex, id est summus sacerdos anni illius, et ministerium habens in manibus, non meritis suis prophetizavit et Spiritu Dei locutus est; quia, ipso ignorante, dictum propheiicum protulit, non ratione meriti sui, sed dignitate officii ; et forte unctio pontiQcalis contulit ei quemdam sensum prophetandi. Unde Ghrysostomus : « Vide autem quanta Spiritus Sancti virtus est; a menteenim mala valuit verbaproferre prophetiae. Vide etiam quanta est pontificalis virtus potestatis; Pontifex enim eflectus Caiphas, etsi indignus existens, prophelavit, nesciens quid diceret. Ore enim solum usa est gratia; contaminatum cornon contigit : » haec Chrysostomus. Ob quam auctoritatem solum credimus malum prselatum exaudiri, et forte, quia praeco EcclesisB est, et in ejus voce dicit : Oremus; cum multoe auctoritates faciant in contrarium,ut illa : Qui suis premitur, alienanon diluit, et hujiismodi. Dicitur autem Caiphas fuisse Pontifex anni illius, quia, licet Deus constituerit summum sacerdotem unum, cui mortuo unus succederet, per ambitionem tamen postea evenit ut plures essent, et per annos singulos suis vicibus ministrarent.
Ab Ulo crgo die, quasi utili accepto consiho, cogitaverunt magis diffinite quam prius, ut eum Christum, quam citius possent, interflcerent, dicentes : ut inventus duceretur in Jerusalem; licet enim ante habuissent instinctum et voluntatem interficiendi ipsum, tamen ex consih'o Caiphae. diffinierunt firmo proposito hoc, quam citius possent, adimpierc. 0 pravum conciUum ! 0 pessimi duces populi ! 0 consiliarii nequissimi ! Quid agitis, miseri ? Quid vos furor exagitat tantus? Quae ordinatio est ista ?
Quod propositum? Qu3e causa accusationis Domini nostri Jesu Christi ? Noime ipse in medio vestrum est, quem tamen nescitis; et intelligit omnia verba vestra, et scrutatur corda et renes? Sed, sic fieri oportet ut deliberastis, quia tradidit eum Pater suus in manibus vestris. Quia ergo Jesus jam destinatus erat morti, ideo ab ipso sabbato, quo concilium collegerunt, inchoamus memoriam Dominicae Passionis in divino officio, maxime in hymnis; et subticemus Gloria Patri in introitu missae et responsoriis ; et quasi post horam ejusdem concilii publicum luctum incipiens Ecclesia, et suo compatiens Domino, sicut membra capiti, ex tunc quasi lugendo recitat : Vexillum regis, mysterium crucis, clavos et lanceam perforati corporis, et his similia usque ad diem Passionis, nondum tamen plene, quia nondum traditus erat Dominus in lanistrarum manus; unde dominicam et hebdomadam illam, de Passione Domini appellamus. Divulgatum autem fuiL istud concilium de occisione Christi habitum. Sed sapiens Dominus Jesus volens dare locum irae, ct etiam quia nondum erant omnia completa, necdum venerat hora ejus qua tradendus erat et crucifigendus, post conciiium cautius se observans, jam non in palam ambulabat apud Judseos^neqne did ahquam eorum civitatem populosam abiit, sed in regionem juxta desertum, ubi pauci de Judaeis erant, et non frequentia insidiantium, in civitatem quse dicitur Ephrem^ quas erat parva et parum populosa, ac magis secreta; et ibi morabatur cum discipulis suis^ usque ad tempus suae Passionis propinquum. Sed stetit ibi paucis diebus cumdiscipulis,seoccuItansadtempus.
Ubi ait Chrysostomus : « Ipsi autem quando omnes laetabantur, et festum celebrabant, tunc occultantur et in periculis sunt, sed tamen permanebant cum eo, secundum illud : Vos estis qui permansistis mecum in tentationibus meis, » Et sic fugit Dominus ante faciem nequissimorum servorum ; et hoc non fecit propter potentiae defectum, sed ut aliis daret vivendi exemplum. Unde Augustinus : « Non quia potentia ejus defecerat, in qua, si vellet, palam cum Judaeis conversaretur,et nihil ei facerent;sed exemplum discipulis demonstrabat, m quo appareret non esse peccatum, si fideles ejus oculis persequentium se subtraherent, et furorem sceleratorum latendo potius evitarent, quam se ostendendo magis accenderent. » Secundum Origenem, honestum et laudabile est, imminente jam periculo et agone, confitendi Jesum, non evitare confessionem , nec recusare subire mortem gratia veritatis. Sed nullus debet tradere occasionem tantai tentationi ; et hoc propter duas rationes : primo, quia valde praesumptuosum est periculis se ingerere, propter inexperientiam propriae virtutis, quae et quandoque fragilis invenitur, et propter futuri eventus incertitudinem ; secundo, ne nos ingerentes persecutoribus occasionem praestemus eis, ut magis impii et noxii fiant, et nos de eorum delicto demus responsum, et luamus poenas. 5 MuLTi JuD^Ei Jerosolymam venienTES AD FESTDM PaSCHvE DE ChRISTI /EOUUM. sENTiA scisciTANTUR. ~ Proximum autem erat Pascha Judaeorum; hocsubditiir, ad ostcndendimi quod Christus parvo temporc in civitate Ephrem se occultavit, quia ante Pascha in Jerusaleni venit. Et asccnderunt multi Jerosolymamj de regione ante Pascha, ut sanctificarejit et mundarent seipsos orationibus et sacrificiis ante festum, ad digne comedendum a.
i^num paschalem, quem nullus comedere dcbebat, nisi mundus. Pra^ceperatenim Dominus per Moysen, ut undique de tota Judaea convenirent, ante Pascha, in Jerusah^m ; et ibi, secundum Legem, ante esum agni paschalis se mundarcnt, ut sic purificati, solemnitati et esui agni mundi interessent. Unde Theophilus: «Ascenderuntautem ante Pascha, ut purgarentur ; quoniam quicumque peccaverant Pascha non celebrabant, nisi prius expiarentur balneationibus et jejuniis, ac rasura, quin etiam quasdam deputatas oblationes offerendo : » hoec Theophilus. Ubi informantur qui debent communicare, quia confessione, oratione, atque jejunio ante debent purificari. Si enim hoc fiebat de agno figurali, quanto magisse debet homo sanctificare bonis operibus, ad digne recipiendum verum Agnum, id estimmaculatum corpus Christi? Sed heu ! Judaei, obliti suae sanctificationis, tractabant de nece veri Agni, et ipsum Agnum ad immolandum quaerebant in ipso loco orationis, festo sanguinem innocentem miscere cogitantes. Unde Chrysostomus : « Hi venerant in exterioribus se mundare, et in interioribus per homicidium et sanguinem se coinquinare.
Insidiabantur ei, et tempus festi tempus faciebant occisionis : » haec Chrysostomus. Quserehant ergo Jesum, et colloquebantur ad invicem, in templo stantes : Quid putatis, quia non venit ad diem festum ? Quia enim mirabantur quod in tanta congref^atione, ad docendum nonvenerat, ideo quserebant non quidem bene et ad honorandum, sed male ct ad occidendum. Sed est notandum; quod quando cst dios festus, ct a^Mtur sancte, semper Dominus cst in die festo, seciindum iliud: TJbi duo vel tres congregati fuerint in nomine meo, ibi suminmedio eorum. Et idco nos congregati in domo Dei, qua^ramus Jesum, mutuo nos consolando et exorando,utad diem festum nostrum veniat, et nos sua praesentia sanctiticet ; quando vero non recte agitur festum, tunc non venit Jesus, secundum illud Isaia) propheta^ : Festivitatesvestras non feram. Et subdit Evangelista,quasi respondens quaestioni eorum: Dederant enim pontifices et Pharisdei mandatum^ ut si c[uis cognoverit ubi sit Jesus, indicet potestati publicae, ut apprehendant eum, scilicet ministri potestatis ad occidendum ; propterhoc enim ab eis, sicut ab ingratis et obstinatis recesserat, usque ad tempus quod suae Passioni dispositum erat. Sed, ut ait Augustinus, nos qui scimus ubi Christus est, quia ad dexteram Dei Patris, indicemus Judaeis, ut sic utinam apprchendant eum per fidem.
Conspice igitur praedictos nefarios in suo concilio pessimo aestuantes, et Dominum Jesum ac discipulos tamquam pauperes, et imbecilles recedentes. Quid tunc putas Magdelanam dixisse ? Sed et qualis animi Mater Domini Jesu erat, cum sic eum recedere videret, et audiret causam quare, quia scilicet eum occidere volebant? Potes hic meditari Dominam et sorores ejus tunc cum Magdalena remansisse, et Dominum Jesum eas omnes de cita sua conversione tunc consolatum fuisse. Considcra nunc quomodo Dominus suos adversarios, quos solo nutu perdere poterat tamquani imbecilles, recedendo declinabat, nec se saltem vcrbis excusando defendebat; ac ejus mansuetudinem et humilitatem imitando omnem depone amaritudinem et furorem, quia sic et corporis et animae habebis requiem. m SEGUNJbJ: Pkrti^ CAPti xix ORATIO Domiiie Jesu Christe, magni consilii Angele, qui concilium malignantium contra te fieri permisisti, nec illis resistere per potentiam, sed magis cedere per patientiam voluisti, ne derelinquas me inerrante judicio, aut noxio consilio mei arbritii vel hominum, neque in potestate aut tentatione daemonum, sed tu ipse clementer me intus et toris dispone et rege, ac dirige in viam. salutis seternae. Da mihi, Domine, ut quidquid contra me diabolicae aut humana^ moliuntur adversitates, redigantur ad nihilum, ut illaesus et de omni periculo ereptus, laetus tibi referam gratiarum actiones.
Amen.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Ps.13.5 — But I trust in your steadfast love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
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