De uno cseco ante ingressum Jericho illuminato
The Blind Man's Cry
As Jesus approaches Jericho, a blind man persists in calling out for mercy despite the crowd's rebuke.
It happened that as the Lord Jesus was approaching Jericho—a city located between Galilee, where he was coming from, and Jerusalem, where he was headed, situated two leagues from the Jordan and seven from Jerusalem on its eastern side— This city, once noble, is now humble and leveled to the ground; only the house of Rahab remains as a sign of faith, for its walls still stand without a roof. Near Jericho, however, there is a spring that is sweet to drink and rich for watering; it was once bitter to drink and barren for watering, but was healed through Elisha. This spring rises beneath the Mount of Temptation and then flows down to Jericho, two miles away. The Lord turned aside to this city while on his way to Jerusalem, so that, according to Jerome, he might heal many there who were suffering. At that time, a blind man was sitting by the road begging; when he heard the crowd passing by, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. Realizing that Jesus was passing by, he... he begged for mercy with a cry that was not only outward, but inward as well. And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me." In this, the blind man confesses both natures in Christ. He confesses His human nature by saying, "Jesus, Son of David," because He took on flesh from King David; he confesses His divine nature by saying, "Have mercy on me," because it is proper to God to have mercy on the creature He created, as the Psalmist says: "His mercies are over all His works." Hence Cyril says: "This blind man, raised in Judaism, did not ignore that God would be born of the lineage of David according to the flesh; and therefore he speaks to Him as to God and man." And although he was rebuked by the crowd passing by and listening to Christ’s teaching, he nonetheless cried out all the more, begging for mercy, fearing that the rebuke might hinder his being heard and the granting of his petition.
The Lord's Compassion
Jesus stops to call the man to Himself, inviting him to confess his need and desire for healing.
Jesus, however, finally stopped out of his own kindness; because the blind man couldn't follow him, he ordered him to be brought to his side, so the crowd wouldn't hold him back and he would have the opportunity to heal him. It was a sign of great compassion in Christ that he was willing to wait for the blind man and have him brought to him. Hence the same Cyril says: "A voice stops Christ, and he looks back at those who call upon him in faith." And so he calls the blind man and orders him to come forward, so that he who had already touched him by faith might now draw near in body as well. Our leaders ought to do the same when they see the poor crying out: they should stop and have them called to their side, so they might hear their complaints and see that justice is done for them. And when he had approached, he asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" It wasn't that he didn't know this, but he wanted to approve his confession; and, according to Ambrose, so that we might know that no one can be saved without confessing, and so that he might stir his heart to prayer, and grant the light that he was about to bestow out of his own goodness in response to his request, because he does not heal those who are unwilling, but those who are willing. Hence Augustine: "He who created you without you will not justify you without you." And so, Ambrose says: "He wants all people to be saved, but only if they come to Him; for He doesn't want them to be saved against their will, but by their own choice, since it isn't true salvation if it's forced upon someone who doesn't want it." Likewise, according to Cyril, He asked the question so that those standing by would know the man wasn't asking for money, but for divine power from God. See here, too, the Lord's mercy, for He didn't disdain not only to stand still, but even to speak to a person so lowly and poor. But he answered. He said, "Lord, let me see," by which he reveals his own misery and need, as well as the remedy and enlightenment he seeks; he asks for nothing else but this. The Lord therefore wanted to hear his confession—even though He is not ignorant of the intention of the heart—so that we might learn that no one can be healed of the sickness of the spirit unless they confess it. Thus, He didn't want to heal this blind man as long as he only cried out in a general way, "Have mercy on me"; but after he specifically revealed his misery and asked that the light be mercifully granted to him, then He healed him.
Faith and Illumination
The blind man receives his sight through faith and follows Jesus, leading the crowd to glorify God.
He asked to see, and Jesus—using that most powerful word by which He said, "Let there be," and it was done—said to him, "Look." It was a brief word, but most effective in its operation; and because the word of the Lord works in the faith of those who believe, it is added: "Your faith has made you well." For through faith, bodily, spiritual, and eternal salvation is obtained. He saw immediately and followed Him, magnifying God—that is, calling Him great, not in terms of physical size, but of virtue. It wasn't enough to have received sight unless the light followed as well, so that he wouldn't walk in darkness. Consider this, then. A sign of perfect illumination, both in soul and in body. Therefore, according to Cyril, it is clear that this blind man was being freed from a double blindness: physical and intellectual; for he would not have glorified Him as God unless he had truly seen. Theophilus also says: "The soul of the blind man was grateful, in that, having been made whole, he did not leave Jesus, but followed Him." The blind man wasn't just enlightened; he also became an occasion for others to glorify God, and the whole crowd was enlightened so that they might recognize something divine in Christ. It follows, then: And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God, glorifying the works of God and rejoicing in the good fortune of their neighbor. For this is what the Lord reserves for Himself from His benefits: glory. He says, "I will not give My glory to another," but He has left the benefit to us. Note that, according to the Gloss, there are four reasons for this praise: first, for the hearing of this poor man's cry; second, for the power and mercy of the One who enlightens; third, for the gift of light obtained; and fourth, for the merit of the faith of the one who was enlightened. According to Gregory, because the disciples were still carnal and could not grasp the words of the mystery, He comes to a miracle; before their eyes the blind man receives light, so that heavenly deeds might confirm them in the faith. And, according to Theophilus, so that the Lord's journey would not be in vain, He performed the miracle of the blind man, giving this lesson to His disciples: that we should be useful in all things, and that nothing should be idle for us.
The Spiritual Meaning of Sight
The miracle is interpreted as an allegory for the human race receiving the light of grace and the call to imitate Christ's path of humility.
Mystically, according to Gregory, the blind man enlightened by the Lord is the human race, which, ignorant of the brightness of the light above in its first parent, received the darkness of its own damnation. Jericho, however, is interpreted as 'the moon,' which, as it wanes and waxes in its monthly phases, aptly signifies the frailty of our mortality. When, therefore, our Creator approaches Jericho, the blind man returns to the light; for when the Divinity took on the defect of our flesh, the human race received the light it had lost. Anyone who doesn't know the brightness of the eternal light is blind; if, however, he already believes in the Redeemer who said, 'I am the way,' and so on, he sits by the way; if he truly believes and prays that he may receive the eternal light, he sits by the way and begs. Whoever, therefore, recognizes the darkness of his own blindness and understands that he lacks this light of eternity, let him cry out from the depths of his heart, let him cry out with his voice, saying: 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.' Those, however, who go before the coming Jesus and rebuke the blind man signify the crowds of carnal desires and the tumult of vices, which, before Jesus comes to our heart, dissipate our thoughts and disturb the voices of the heart in prayer, so that Jesus may not approach to enlighten the heart. For just as the crowd hinders the blind man from receiving physical light, so spiritually the crowd of fantasies and thoughts frequently hinders us from receiving the light of grace. But in the fact that the blind man, whom the crowd rebukes, cries out all the more, we are given an example that the more obstacles we encounter, the more we must cry out, and the more heavily we are pressed by the tumult of thoughts, the more attentively we must persist in prayer. That’s why Jerome says: "Many threaten him to make him be silent, because sins and demons suppress the cry of the poor." But he cried out all the more, because when the battle grows heavy, the hands must be lifted up to the source of help—that is, to Jesus of Nazareth—with a cry. And so Cyril also says: "They rebuked him to make him be silent, but he wasn't hindered by such obstacles from his boldness." For faith knows how to resist everything and triumph in all things; it’s useful, indeed, to lay aside shame for the sake of divine worship. For if some people are shameless for the sake of money, why isn't it fitting to put on such shamelessness for the salvation of the soul? But when the blind man first cried out, Jesus is said to be passing by; yet when he cried out much more, Jesus stands still. This is because when we still suffer from a crowd of fantasies in prayer, we feel Jesus is only passing by; but when we insist vehemently in prayer, God is fixed in the heart, and the lost light is restored. From this we are taught that if in prayer we first feel Jesus as if he were passing by, after a little while, by persevering instantly, we will feel him standing with us. He asks the blind man, however, what he wants, in order to stir him to pray, because he wants us to ask for what he already knows he will grant. The Lord is kind, and He wants His free gifts to be our merits; He doesn't want our goodness to be forced or coerced, but spontaneous and voluntary. What He freely gives to us, He wants to grant in response to our petitions. And so, even though He knows what we need before we ask, He still urgently invites us to ask, saying: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." In the blind man’s petition, we learn that in prayer we shouldn't be seeking gold, silver, fleeting honors, long life, vengeance against enemies, or anything temporal. Instead, we must seek the ineffable light—that is, so that we may see Him who "enlightens every man coming into this world," just as He Himself warns, saying: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things will be added to you." Faith is certainly the way to see that light, for faith made him whole. Once he could see, he immediately followed Jesus as He went on ahead; when someone understands what is good, he acts with his eyes on Him and imitates Him. Therefore, the more anyone is enlightened by God, the more fully and perfectly he ought to exert himself in good works, just as this blind man, having received his sight, did not remain lazy nor turn back. And such a person doesn't just make progress in God, but also stirs others to praise God. Gregory says: "If, therefore, dearest brothers, we recognize the blindness of our pilgrimage; if, by believing in the mystery of our Redeemer, we sit by the way; if, by praying daily, we ask for light from our Author; if, finally, having been enlightened after our blindness, we see the light through our intellect—let us follow Jesus, whom we perceive in our minds, with our actions." Let us watch where He walks, and by imitating His footsteps, let us hold fast to Him. Look: even though He is the Lord and Creator of the angels, He came to take on our nature in the Virgin's womb. Yet He didn't choose to be born to wealthy parents, but chose the poor; He didn't want to prosper in the world, but endured insults, mockery, spitting, scourging, slaps, a crown of thorns, and the cross. And because we have fallen from eternal joy through the pleasure of temporal things, He shows us with what bitterness we must return there. What, then, should a person be willing to suffer for themselves, if God endured so much for humanity? Anyone who seeks worldly joys and pleasures is walking a different path than the one whose Guide shows them the way of bitterness. If, therefore, we seek the joy of our reward at the end of the journey, we must embrace the bitterness of repentance along the way. And so it happens that not only does our life in God make progress, but this very way we live also kindles others to the praise of God; as Gregory says.
The Sinner's Return
The story is applied to the sinner's journey of repentance, concluding with a prayer for divine light.
These things, which were said about the blind man, can be applied in this way to every sinner. For whoever commits a mortal sin in deed is blind in mind. But if someone, desiring to enter the way of truth for the sake of eternal life, begins to think and to return to God after sin by weeping and asking for forgiveness, he sits by the wayside and begs. Yet those passing by want to force the blind man to be silent, because unclean spirits rise up more fiercely against the one they see returning to seek forgiveness, and they object so that the sinner does not return to repentance. It isn't just unclean spirits that do this; the very habit of sinning begins to rebel more harshly when it senses that a person wants to return to virtue after their accustomed evils. But the more fiercely you feel attacked by the temptation of evil spirits or by the habit of sinning, the more strongly you must fight in prayer, following the example of this blind man by crying out. ... For a cry to God indicates a great longing. It's truly helpful for a sinner to cry out, since he stands far from God; for "salvation is far from the wicked." And, according to Hugh, if God doesn't answer your first tears or prayers, don't stop repeating them; for great gifts are to be earned through many prayers, and divine mercy won't deny its help to one who asks, if he doesn't give up on his petition while praying. Don't let anyone presume anything based on his own merits; rather, let him trust in His mercy, to whom it is said through the Psalmist: "In God we shall do valiantly, and He will bring our enemies to nothing." The following passage declares how much mercy the Lord shows to those who repent, and what kind of help He provides to those fighting against sin. For the one who previously passed by because of the temptations we suffer in prayer—if we persevere in prayer—He commands to be brought to Himself as if standing, when He reveals the tranquility of mind restored by the sweetness of His contemplation, or even slightly manifests it. And because we ought to seek eternal glory in prayer above all else, the blind man is rightly said to have asked for light from the Lord. And since whoever does not neglect to repent should not despair of forgiveness, it is rightly said: "Your faith has made you well." . . For at whatever hour a sinner truly groans in repentance and turns back, they'll be saved. And according to Augustine, if Jericho signifies the moon—and because of that, mortality—then the Lord, as He approached death, had commanded the light of the Gospel to be preached only to the Jews, whom that one blind man, healed before entering Jericho, whom Luke commemorates, signified. But rising from the dead and ascending, He commanded the light of the Gospel to be preached to both Jews and Gentiles, whom the two blind men healed after leaving Jericho, about whom Matthew tells, seem to signify, as follows below. PRAYER: Most kind Jesus, You don't look at a person's status; You wait for everyone, Creator; You have mercy on everyone, Redeemer; You forgive everyone, Savior. Who then, unless they're unmindful of their own salvation, would delay turning to You, who wait so kindly, who knock at the door so persistently, and who wish to enter through grace? Grant therefore, Lord my God, to me, blind and wretched, that called by You, I may open my heart to You, casting out sin from it and receiving You through grace, so that, enlightened, I may follow You now in virtuous works, and after this, may deserve to rejoice forever in the vision of You in heaven. Amen.
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Factum est autem, cum appropinquaret Dominus Jesiis Jericho, quae est urbs inter Galilaeam unde ascendebat, et Jerusalem quo ibat, distans duabus leucis a Jordane, ct septem a Jerusalem, et sita ad ejus parteni Orientalem. Hsec civitas quondam nobilis, nunc autem humilis, ad solum destructa est; et sola domus Rahab, iu signum fidei, remanet, ejus enim adliuc parietes sine culmine durant. Juxta autem Jericho fons est dulcis ad potandum, pinguis ad rigandum ; qui quondam amarus ad potandum, et sterilis ad rigandum, per Elisaeum sanatus est ; hic fons sub monte QuarentanaB oritur, et deinde Jericho, quae duobus milliaribus inde distat, derivatur. Ad hanc ergo civitatem Dominus eundo Jerusalem decHnavit, ut, secundum Hieronymum, sanaret in ea muUos male habentes. Et tunc caecus quidam sedebat secus viam mendicans; qui, cum turbam prdetereuntem audiret, interrogabat quid hoc esset. Bixerunt autem ei, quod Jesus Nazarenus transiret. Jesum autem transire percipiens, mi? ericordiam cum clamorenontantum exteriori, sed etiam interiori petiit.
Et clamavit dicens : Jesu, flli David, miserere mei. ln. quo csecus iste utramque naturam in Cliristo confitetur, scilicet : humanam, in eo quod dicit : Jesu, flli David, a David enim Rege carnem suscepit ; divinam, in eo quod dicit : Miserere mei, proprium est enim Deo misereri creaturae suae, quam condidit, secundum illud Psalmistae : Miserationes ejns super omnia opera ejus. Hnde Cyrillus : « Istecsecus, iu Judaismo nutritus, non ignoravit quod de progenie David Deus secundum carnem nasceretur; et ideo ei ut Deo et homini loquitur. » Et Jicet increparetur a turba praetereunte, et docirinam Ghristi auscultante ; ipse tamen multo magis clamando petebat sibi misereri, timens ne ex increpatione impediretur auditio et exauditio petitionis suae.
Jesus autem tandem propter suam benignitatem stans, quia caecus eum sequi non potuit, jussit illum adduci adse, ne turba prohiberet, et ut occasionem sanandi haberet. Magnae pietatis in Christo signum fuit, quando ipsum caecum exspectare voluit, et ad se adduci fecit. Unde idem Cyrillus : « Sistit autem Christum vox, et invocantes in fide respicit. Et ideo vocat caecum, eique accedere jussit, ut scilicet, qui prius fide eum tetigerat, appropinquet et corpore. » Sic deberent facere nostri principes cum viderent pauperes conquerentes, scihcet : stare, et facere vocari ad se, ut audirent eorum querimonias, facerentque eis justitiam expedire. Et cum appropinquasset iuterrogavit illum, dicens : Quid tibi vis faciam? Non quod hoc ignoraret, sed ut ejus confessionem approbaret ; et,secundum Ambrosium, ut sciremus nisi confitentem non posse salvari, et ut cor ejus ad orationem excitaret, et lumen quod ex sua bonitate largiturus ci erat, ad sui petitionem tribueret, quia non sanat invitos, sed voluntarios. ^ Unde Augustinus : « Qui creavit te sine te, non justificabit te siue te.
» Unde et Ambrosius : « Vult omnes homines salvos fieri, sed, si accedant ad eum; non enim sicvult ut nolentes salventur, sed volentes, non enim vera salus est, si nolenti tribuatur. » Item, secundum Cyrillum, interrogavit, ut scirent astantes quod non pecuniam, sed divinam efficaciam a Deo petebat. Vide et hic Domiui clementiam, quia non dedignalus est non solum stare, sed et alloqui personam viJem et pauperem. At ille respondens. dixit : Domine,utvideam, uhi miseriam et necessitatem suam insinuat, ac remedium et reveiationem ; nec aliquid aliudpraeter hoc postulat. Voluit ergo Dominus audire illius confessionem, qui tamen non ignorat mentis intentionem, ut cognoscamusnon nisi confitentem posse sanari ab infirmitate spiritus. Unde hunc caecum salvare noluit quamdiu clamavit in generali : Miserere mei; sed postquam specialiler insinuavit miseriam, cujus revelationem sibi misericorditer fieri postulavit, tunc eum sanavit.
Fetiit enim ut videret, et Jesus, verbo potentissimo, quo dixit : Fiat, et factumest, dixit illi : Respice. Breve verbum, sed in operatione efticacissimum, et quia in fidecredentium verbum Domini operalur, ideo subjungitur : Fides tua salvum te fecit. Ex fide enim impetratur saius corporahs, et spirituaJis,et aeternalis : Et confestim vidit, et sequebatur iUum DE C/ magnificans Deum^ id cst magnum clicens illum, non magnitudine molis, sed virtutis. Non sutfuit lnmen recepisse, nisi etiam lumen sequatur, ne anibulet in tenebris. Ecce ergo ? ignum illuminationis perfectae, et in anima et in corpore. Unde, secundum Cyrillum^ patet quod iste caicns a duplici caecilate liheiabatur, scilicet : a corporali, et ab intellectuali, neque enim eum ut Deum glorificaHset, nisi vere vidisset. Ubi et Theophilus : (( Grata enim erat anima caeci, in eo qiiod sanus effectus Jesum non reliquit ; sed secutus cst eum.
Et uon solum fuit illuminatus csecus; sed et aliis factus est occasio glorificandi Deum, et omnis plebs illuminata est, ut (livinum aliquid in Christo cognosceret. » Unde sequitur : Et omnis plebs, utvidity dedit laudem Deo, glorificando facta Dei, congratulando utilitati proximi. Hoc enim sibi retinet Dominus de beneficiis suis, scilicet gloriam. Unde ait : Gloriam meam alteri non dabo ; nobis autem reliquit utilitatem. Et nota, secundum Glossam, quatuor causas istius laudis : prima est pro exauditione clamoris istius pauperis ; secunda, pro potentia et misericordia illuminantis; tertia, pro impetrato munere lucis; quarta, pro merito fidei ejus qui illuminatus est. Secundum GrQcjorium, quia carnales adhuc discipuli, non valebant capere verba mysterii, venitur ad miraculum ; ante eorum oculos caecus lumen recipit, ut eos ad fidem coclestia facta solidarent. Et, secundum Theopkilum, ne incessus Domini esset inutilis, fecit caeci miraculum, hoc documentum discipulis suis dans, ut in omnibus simus proficui, et nihil nobis otiosum.
Mysticc, secundum Gregorium, caecus a Domino illuminatus, estgenushumanum, quod in parente primo claritatem supernaj lucis ignorans, damnationis suaj lenchras accepit. Jericho autem jnterprctatur luna, quai dum menstruis momeiitis dt;crescit , delectum nostrae mortalitatis bene (iesignat. Cum igilur Conditor noster appropinquat Jeri cho, tunc caicus ad lumen redit; quia dum divinitas defcctum nostrae carnis suscepit,humanuni genus lumen, quod amiserat, recepit. Qui ajternae lucis claritatem nescit, caecus est ; si autcin jam in Redemptoreni credit, qui dixit : Ego sum via, etc, juxta viam sedet; si vcro credit et exorat, ut a^ternum lumen rccipiat, juxta viam se(iet _ et m(;ndicat. Quisquis ergo caecitatis sua3 tenebras agnoscit, quisquis hoc quod sihi deest lumen aeternitatis iutelligit, clamet medullis cordis, clametet vocibusoris,dicens: Jesu^ flli David, miserere mei. Illi autem, qui JesuQi venientempraecedunt, et caecum increpant, designant carnalium desideriorum turbas, tumultusque vitiorum, quae, priusquam Jesus ad cor nostrum veniat, cogitationein nostram dissipant, et voces cordis in oratione perturbant, ne Jesus ad cor illuminandum accedat. Sicut enim turba caecumi impedit, ne lumen corporale recipiat; sic spiritualiter turba phantasiarum et cogitationum frequenter impediunt, ne lumen gratiae recipiant. Sed in eo quod caecus, quem turba increpat, magis clamat, daturnobis exemplum quod quanto plura nobis occurrunt impedimenta, tanto magis est clamandum, et quanto graviori tumultu cogitationum premimur, tanto orationi attentius est insistendum.
Unde Hieronymus : « Comminantur autem multi ei ut taceat, quia peccata et daemonia compescunt clamorem pauperis. Sed ille magis clamabat, quia, gravescente bello, manus adla[)idem adjutorii, hoc est Jesum Nazarenum, cum clamore levandae sunt. » Unde et Cyrillus : " « Increpabant eum ut taceret ; sed per inhibitiones hujusmodi non impediebatur (^jus audacia. Novit enim fides omnibus repugnare, et in omnia triumphare; utile est enim pro cultu divino pudorem dej)onere. » Nam si causa pecuniae sunt iinpudentes nonnulli, quare [)ro animae salute non decct tionam induere impudentiam? Sedcum caecus primo clamaret, Jesus transire dicitur, cum autem multo niagis clamaret, stat Jesus : quia,cum adhuc turbas phautasmalum in oralione patimur , Jesum aliquatenus transeuntem sentimus; cum vero orationi vehementer insistimus, Deus in corde figitur, et lux amisso reparatur. Ex quo docemur, quod si in oratione primo senserimus Jesum nos quasi pcrtranseuntem, post paululurn instanter perseverantes, sentiemus nobiscum stantcm. Inlerrogat autem csecum, quid veiit, ut eum ad orandum excitet, quia peti vult hoc quod etnos pctere, et se concedcre praenoscit.
Pius enim Dominus sua dona gratuita, nostra vuit esse merita; nec vult bonum nostrnm invitum et coactum, sed spontaneum et voluntarium; et quod nobis sponte largitur, vult nostris petitionibus tribuere. Et ideo, quamvis sciat quid nobis necesse sit, antequam petamus; importune tamen nos ad petendum invitat, dicens : Petite autem et dabitur vobis, quxrite et invenietis, pulsate et aperietur vobis. In cseci autem peLitiune discimus, quia in oratione non aurum, neque argentum, neque fugitivos honores, neque longiturnam vitam, neque vindictam inimicorum, neque aliquod temporale; sed inefTabile jumen quaerere debcmus, hoc est ut ipsum, qui illuminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum videre possimus, juxta quod ipse admonet, dicens : Quxrite primum regnum Bei et justitiam ejus, et hsec omnia adjicientur vobis. Ad illud lumen autem videndum profecto via fides est, quia fides eum salvum fecit; videns autem confestim praeeuntem Jesum sequitur, quando quis bonum quod intelligit, intuitu ejus operatur, et eum imitatur. Quanto ergo quisque plus a Deo iJluminatur, tanto amplius et perfeclius in bonis operibus exercere se dehet, sicut iste caecus, recepto lumine, non piger remansit, nec retro rediit. Et hictalis non solum in Deum proficit ; sed etiam alios ad laudem Dei accendit. Ubi ait Gregorius : « Si ergo, fratres carissimi, caicitatem, jam nostrse peregrinationis recognoscimus ; si, credendo in Redemptoris nostri myhterium, juxta viam sedemus; si, exorando quotidieabAuctore nostro lumen petimus; si tandem lucem jam per intellectum videndo, illuminati post caecitatem sumus; Jesum, quem mente cernimus, opere sequamur. Aspiciamus quo graditur, et ejus vestigiaimitando teneamus.
Ecce, cum sit Dominus et creator Angelorum, suscepturusnaturam nostram in uteruni Virginis venit. Nasci tamen per divites noluit parentes, pauperes elegit ; prosperari in mundo noluit, opprobria, irrisionesque toleravit; sputa, flagella, alapas, spineam coronam, crucemque sustinuit. Et, quia rerum temporalium delectatione, a gaudio aeterno cecidimus, cum qua amaritudine illuc redeatur, ostendit. Quid itaque homo pro se pati debet, si tanta Deus pro hominibus pertulit ? Diverso quippe itinere ambulat, si gaudia delectationesque appetit, cui dux suus viam amaritudinis ostendit. Si ergo retributionis gaudium in perventione quaerimus,poenitentiae amaritudinem in viateneamus. Sicitaque fit, ut non solum nostra in Deum vita proficiat; sed haec ipsa nostra conversatio ad laudem Dei et alios accendat : ^> haec Gregorius.
haec eiiam, quae de caeco dicia sunt, ad unumquemque peccatorem hoc modo referri possunt. Qui enim criminale peccatum committit in opere, caecus est in mente. Sed, siiter veritatis ingredi cupiens pro aeterna vita coeperit cogitare, et ad Deum post peccatum flendo, et veniam petendo redire ; secus viam sedet, et mendicat. Praetereuntes vero siientium caeco imponere volunt, quia immundi spiritus acrius contra eum, quem ad veniam redire viderint, consurgunt, et ne peccator ad poenitentiam redeat, contradicunt. Nec solum immundi spiritus, sed etiam ipsa consuetudo peccandi durius incipit rebellare, cum senserit, post assueta mala, ad virtutes hominem velle redire. Sed quo acrius se sentit impugnari a malignorum spirituum tentatione, seu ab ipsa peccandi consuetudine, eo fortius del3et exemplo hujus caeci pugnare in oratione, clamando per deDE ZACH. iiO WIVIO. siderium , ad Deum ; clamor etenim mag-QUS magnum indicat desidoriam.
Et vere expodit peccatori clamare, quia longe distat a Deo : Longe enim a peccatoribus salus. Et, secundum Hugonem, si ad primas lacrymas, Yel preces Deus non exaudit, homo preces iterare non desinat ; magna enim munera sunt multis precibus comparanda Neque enim divina pictas adjutorium sese petenti negabit , si ille orando a petitione non defecerit. Nec de suis meritis aliquid praesumat; sed in illius misericordia confidat, cui per Psalmistam dicitur : In Deo faciemus virtutem, et ipse ad nihilum deducet trihulantes nos. Quantam autem misericordiam Dominus poenitentibus exhibeat, quale auxilium pugnantibus contra peccatum praebeat , consequenter declaratur. Qui enim prius transibat propter tentationes quas in oratione patimur, si in oratione perseveraverimus, quasi stans nos ad se adduci jubet, quando tranquillitatcm mentis redditam dulcedinc sua3 contemplationis, vel tenuitcr manifestat. Et, quia in oratione ante omnia aeternam gloriam quaerere debemus, rccte caecus lumen a Domino petisse fertur. Et quoniam quicumque nori negligit poenitere, de venia non debet desperare, recte dicitur : Fides tua te salvum fecit. .
. Quacumque enim hora peccator vere poenitendo ingemuerit, et conversus fuerit, salvus erit. Et secundum Augustinum, si Jericho lunam, et ob hoc mortalitatem interpretatur, morti appropinquans Dominus Judaeis solis lumen Evangeiii jusserat praedicari, quos signiticavit iste unus caecus ante ingressum Jericho illuminatus, quem Lucas commemorat ; a mortuis autem resurgens atque ascendens, Evangelii lumen praedicari jussit Judaeis et Gentibus, quos duos populos significare videntur duo caeci post egressum Jericho illuminati, de quibus Matthaeus narrat, ut infra. ORATIO 0 benignissime Jesu, non personas hominum respicis ; omnes exspeclas, Creator; omnium misereris, Redemptor ; omnibus indulges, Salvator. Quis igitur, nisi suae salutis immemor, tardabit ad te converti, sic benignissime exspectantem, sic ad ostium pulsantem, et per gratiam introire volentem? Da ergo, Domine Deus meus, mihi caeco et misero, ut ad te vocatus aperiam tibi cor meum, peccatum inde expeilendo, et te per gratiam recipiendo, ut illuminatus te sequar nunc in operibus virtuosis, et post haec de tua visione semper gaudere merear in coelis. Amen.
The Life of Christ (Vita Christi) companion
A prayer for every moment, already on your phone
Chosen Portion puts a curated historic prayer in front of you each day — so the words are there before the moment arrives.
Chosen Portion is the digital descendant of the carried prayer book: the short daily prayers this collection preserves, delivered one a day to your pocket.
- One short, memorable prayer delivered daily — build your repertoire a card at a time
- Prayers matched to real situations: fear, gratitude, decisions, grief, sleep
- Save favourites into your personal pocket collection you can open anywhere