De sermone et oratione Domini in coBna
The Farewell Discourse
Jesus comforts his disciples with divine eloquence, preparing them for his departure and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
[Needs review: text appears corrupt.] Regarding the fifth point, look toward the overflowing abundance and notice other signs of his love. For after Judas had left—when the world and the one who cleanses the world were finally alone—and after the other things mentioned above, the Lord Jesus, in order to comfort his disciples, gave them a most beautiful sermon. It was filled with burning coals of sweetness and love, spoken in the sweetest words, honeyed with the honey of heaven and luminous with the light of God; John, who was especially loved by God and who drank in these words, wrote it down. Anselm says: 'Then at last that holy gathering was watered by the overflowing flood of your most divine eloquence, Lord, from your own mouth.' For that corrupt wineskin had been cast out, which you knew was unworthy of the pouring out of this most clear liquid. Faithful. From the ornate, venerable, and useful magnitude of this sermon, take five points for primary meditation. First, by foretelling his departure to the disciples, he comforts them. He said, "Little children, I am with you only a little while longer," meaning for a short time—that is, until his arrest or death, because he was taken from them then; or, according to some, until his Ascension, because he appeared to them in the body only until that time. By calling them "little children," he showed the tenderness of his friendship and love for them. According to Priscian, diminutives are sometimes used to express familiarity and love. So he calls them this now out of the tenderness of love, because when friends part, they burn all the more with the affection of love. And again: "A little while longer, and the world will no longer see me"—that is, those who love the world—"but you will see me," and the good ones indeed, because after the Resurrection he appeared in the flesh only to the good. And again: "Do not let your heart be troubled"—that is, by my departure through death, since it is for my glorification and the sending of the Holy Spirit. In this we are taught not to be troubled when our friends die in the confession of faith, for it is a path to their glorification and our own help, because our friends, existing with God, can help us much more than when they were living in the world. Do not let your heart be troubled, I say. Do not let your heart be troubled, but let it be steadied by faith, believing that I will rise again; and do not be afraid because of the pressure of your trials, so that you don't lose the constancy of your faith, but persevere, strong, until the end. The Lord intended to strengthen the spirits of his disciples against two things: against the one that was imminent in the present, which was his Passion, and against the other that was feared for the future, namely, the tribulation that was to come upon them. Hence he says to them: 'Don't let your heart be troubled or saddened,' referring to the present evil, as far as the first is concerned; and don't be afraid. And don't be afraid, referring to the future, as far as the second is concerned. You believe in God, and in me; consequently, believe that I am God, whom you have also confessed to be God. He assumes one thing—their faith in God, for they had already been instructed in this through him—and he commands another: that they believe in him, because he is God and not merely a man. According to Augustine, so that they wouldn't fear the death of Christ as that of a mere man, and be troubled on that account, he consoles them by also declaring himself to be God, who is able to raise up man. Of the heavens and of the Holy Spirit. "In my Father’s house there are many rooms"—that is, various ways of sharing in beatitude—because, according to the differences in our merits, there are also distinctions in our rewards. It was as if he were saying to them: "You are now certain of my Passion, and yet you must still look to me for eternal life." According to Augustine, they were rightly troubled when it was said to the more confident one that he would deny the Lord; but when they hear about the rooms in heaven, they are refreshed from their distress, certain that after their trials they will remain with the Lord, which is what the many rooms signify. And again: "I go to prepare a place for you," a place so beautiful and so delightful, by dying, by rising again, and by ascending into heaven. And: "I will come again," appearing in judgment, "and I will take you to myself," to the beatitude of body and soul, "so that where I am, you also may be," namely, in eternal beatitude. Already, as he had said, the rooms were prepared—that is, in predestination—but they still had to be prepared by him through the work of redemption, and by the disciples themselves through their own meritorious actions. O Lord, prepare what you are preparing: prepare us for yourself, and yourself for us, so that there may be a multitude of rooms according to the diversity of our merits; we will be partakers of you, some more, some less. And again: "I will not leave you orphans," in which he indicates that he is a father to them; "I go and I come to you," namely, by sending the Holy Spirit; he says this, however, so that he would not be thought to be sending the Spirit without himself. And again: "Peace"—meaning peace of heart—"I leave with you," which is threefold in a person: toward oneself, toward God, and toward one's neighbor; "my peace"—meaning the peace of eternity—"I give to you," if you persevere in that first peace. According to Augustine, he leaves us peace in this life so that we might overcome the enemy and love one another. He will give us his peace in the future, when we will reign without an enemy and without conflict. And he says "my peace" for good reason, to distinguish the peace of the saints from the peace of the world, which is more apparent and fake than it is true. Hence he adds: "Not as the world gives, do I give to you," because the world gives carnally, while I give spiritually; the world gives temporarily, while I give eternally; the world gives outwardly, while I give inwardly. And again: "If you loved me, you would surely rejoice at my departure," because I am going to my exaltation—that is, because I am going to the Father, since the Father is greater than I. According to the same Augustine, human nature is to be congratulated because it was so assumed by the only-begotten Word that it was established as immortal in heaven, and thus earth became so exalted that incorruptible dust sits at the right hand of the Father. Who would not rejoice here, who so loves Christ and congratulates his own nature, now immortal in Christ, and hopes that he himself will be so through Christ? And again: "It is to your advantage"—that is, it's useful for you—"that I go away," meaning by ascending to the Father, so that you may know me spiritually and stop knowing me only in a fleshly way, lest you remain content with the Word made flesh as if it were merely milk. And it is truly to your advantage: "For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." If I don't make this fleshly love depart from you, you won't be worthy for the Advocate to come to you; for as long as you perceive me in a fleshly way, you won't be fit to receive the Holy Spirit. This isn't because, while placed on earth, I couldn't give him, but because you aren't fit to receive him unless you stop knowing him according to the flesh, so that, having become more spiritual, you may yearn more after his divinity to embrace heavenly things. For the Spirit is so much the world that he rests in nothing except in one who is entirely spiritual, unhindered by any fleshly comfort. As Bernard says: "Divine consolation is delicate, and it isn't given to those who admit something foreign." As Hugo also says: "For this reason, the Lord Jesus undoubtedly withdrew himself from the disciples bodily, so that they might learn to love spiritually." He ascended into heaven, indeed, to draw hearts after him, so that love might follow the Beloved. But even to this day, Christ consoles his friends with a kind of bodily presence in Holy Scripture, the sacraments of the Church, and other visible exercises of virtue. He withdraws the use of things in a way that is meant to be helpful, so that they might perceive the sweetness of spiritual love all the more purely, desiring nothing else—even in the work of virtue—than to pour out their minds toward Him through their intention: so says Hugo. We must consider, therefore, that if the presence of the flesh of the Son of God hinders the reception of the Spirit... ...how much more does carnal attachment in us hinder it? The Lord spoke these and similar things to them, which pierced their hearts completely. For they could not peacefully tolerate anything regarding His departure.
The New Commandment of Love
Jesus establishes the new commandment of love as the defining mark of his disciples and the proof of true friendship.
The commandment of love by which Christians are to be known. Secondly, meditate on the discourse, and how heartily and insistently the Lord Jesus instructed His disciples on many occasions about keeping love, saying: 'A new commandment I give to you,' by which you'll be prepared to follow Me—namely, that you love one another as I have loved you; for this is the way the Lord must be followed. It isn't called 'new' in terms of its substance, because it was given in the Old Law, which also commands us to love our neighbors, though not to die for them; but it is called 'new' in terms of the form of the commandment, just as He Himself loved us, who even deigned to die for us. One way to renew old wine, when it has lost its color and flavor, is to put it with new and strong wine, because it then regains its color and flavor from the strength of that wine, and in this way it's said to be renewed. The commandment of love was very old and had nearly lost its flavor; therefore, the Passion of Christ, which held the greatest fervor of love, renewed that commandment like a powerful wine. It's also called a new commandment because of its effect, since it renews the soul and makes a person new; for such love brings newness and takes away oldness. And again: 'By this'—that is, by this sign, as if by my own special mark—'everyone will clearly know that you are my disciples,' meaning those who are steeped in my teachings and instructed in my school: not if you cast out demons or perform other signs, but if you have love for one another; for this is what the Lord desires most. Whoever is counted among the militia of any king must wear his insignia; the insignia of Christ, however, are the insignia of love. Therefore, whoever wants to be counted among the militia of Christ must be marked with the sign of love. It is as if he were saying, according to Augustine: 'My other gifts are shared with you by those who are not mine: not only nature, life, sense, reason, and that health which humans have...' '...and which is common even to beasts; and truly even sacraments, prophecy, knowledge, faith, the distribution of one's goods to the poor, and the offering of one's body to be burned—but because they do not have love, they are like clanging cymbals; they are nothing, and it profits them nothing.' This is a fountain in which no stranger shares; love alone distinguishes between the children of God and the children of the devil. People may sign themselves with the cross of Christ, they may all respond 'Amen,' they may all sing 'Alleluia,' they may all be baptized, they may enter churches, and they may build the walls of basilicas; yet the children of God are not distinguished from the children of the devil except by love. Have whatever you want; if you don't have this one thing, it does you no good. If you lack other things but have this, you have fulfilled the Law—so says Augustine. And again: 'This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you'—which means you should love in deed, so that you do for another what you want done for yourself, and what you do not want done to you, you do not do to another. We should note that Christ loved us in three ways. First, freely: because He took the initiative in love, for He began and did not wait for us to start loving Him; so, therefore, we too ought to love our neighbors first, not waiting to be anticipated or benefited by them. We ought to love God even more, because, as Augustine says, there is no greater invitation to love than to take the initiative by loving. A heart is too hard if it is unwilling to return the love it was given, even if it didn't initiate it. The love of God, therefore, is the cause of our love, not the other way around. It isn't because we love God that He loves us, but because He loves us that we love Him, and because of Him, our neighbor. Because Christ came to redeem us through charity, let us pursue charity, so that through this path of love by which Christ descended to us, we too may be able to ascend to Him. Second, effectively: which is clear through His work, by giving Himself and laying down His life for us, because the proof of love is the showing of the work. Let us, therefore, love one another effectively and fruitfully by this example, according to the words of John: Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.✦ And let us love God all the more, so that we may keep His word and His commandments. Third, it is right, because He ordained this love for our blessedness and to draw us to God; it isn't like the way people love one another carnally, for the sake of earthly convenience. So, we too must love our neighbors—not for the sake of any benefit or affection, but for the sake of what is God's—and love one another to this end, that we may possess God. For there are friends of nature, friends of fortune, and friends of grace; and only these last are approved by God. Although the love of God is included in the love of neighbor as its primary element—because a neighbor is not to be loved except for God's sake—the Savior here makes more explicit mention of the love of neighbor than of God when He says "one another," because He intended to lead the Apostles to the edification and consolation of the faithful, and to the endurance of the tribulations of persecutors, for which the charity of neighbor is necessary. Which, however, as has been said, includes the charity of God. And again: "No one has greater love than this, that someone should lay down his soul for his friends." He calls this the sign and proof of love—that is, the outward expression of the work—moving from the cause to the effect. And indeed, there is no greater argument for love. than to lay down one's soul for friends; for this is the ultimate sign of love, beyond which nothing else can be found. For love can be shown by four signs: first, by words, for when the heart overflows with love, the mouth overflows in speech, because the mouth speaks from the abundance of the heart; second, by benefits conferred, and this is a greater sign than the first, because many would serve with their words who would not serve with their possessions; third, by personal service. And this is still a greater sign than the first or the second, for many would serve from their wealth who would not serve with their own person; fourth, by adversity, when someone exposes himself to death for the love of a friend, for many would give their person to serve who would not give their soul to die. In this, therefore—that Christ was willing to be crucified and die for us—He showed us infinite love. Gregory says there: "The Lord had come to die even for His enemies, and yet..."1 He spoke of laying down his soul for his friends to show us that, since we can gain something from our enemies by showing them love, even those who persecute us are, in a sense, our friends. It follows, then, that just as Christ laid down his soul for us, we should likewise lay down our souls for our brothers. There are four things that must be loved in order out of charity: God, the soul, our neighbor, and the body. So, when charity is rightly ordered, the other three must be set aside for God himself—who is the first and greatest object of love—just as the lesser is set aside for the greater. For the sake of one's own soul, one must hold one's neighbor and one's own body in contempt; and for the sake of a neighbor's salvation, one's physical life must be laid down. And again: "I give you this command, that you love one another," because otherwise you will have no comfort unless you have it in one another; for without love, you cannot have comfort and consolation in one another. He constantly emphasizes the commandment of love and commends it always, as if love were the only thing that must be commanded. And truly, the one who says, "Have love and do whatever you want," seems to have commanded love alone; and rightly so, because it is effective without the practice of many other virtues, but all other things are worth nothing without it. Hence, according to Gregory, the Lord speaks of love as if it were the singular commandment, because every commandment is about love alone. It is, and all things are one commandment. For whatever is commanded is solidified in love alone. Many things exist through the diversity of work, but they are one in the root of love. And the Lord spoke many other things of this kind that incite love, which John recorded here. No apostle speaks as much about brotherly love as John does, both here and in his letters. They say that when he was an old man, his disciples would carry him to church to instruct the faithful, and he would say only this: "Little children, love one another." And in this lies the perfection of the Christian life. That is why he is called the one especially loved by God—not only because of the privilege of his virginity, but also because of the special nature of his love.
Obedience and the World's Hatred
Jesus instructs his followers on the necessity of obedience and warns them of the world's hatred, promising peace in him.
Third, you should meditate on the Lord's words and how he warned his disciples to observe his commandments, saying, "If you love me, keep my commandments," by fulfilling them in deed and action. It's as if he were saying, "Don't show the love you have for me merely with tears, but through obedience to my commandments." For in this world, those in power test and recognize their friends and loyal followers by whether they obey them and keep their commands, because, according to Gregory, the proof of love is the showing of it in action. And again: "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he is the one who loves me," specifically in action and truth, not just in tongue and speech; that is, he has true love for me. Augustine says on this: "Whoever has them in memory and keeps them in life; whoever has them in words and keeps them in conduct; whoever has them by hearing and keeps them by persevering—he is the one, he says, who loves me." Love must be demonstrated by action, so that the name itself doesn't become an empty label. Hence also that saying of John: "Whoever says that he loves God and does not keep his commandments is a liar." And again: "If anyone loves me," that is, directs his love toward me, "keep my word," that is, my commandments, to do them; because obedience proceeds from the love that is in the heart. We keep God's sermons and words, then, when we do what He has commanded and love what He has promised. But those who only keep these words in their memory and don't cling to them through obedience find no benefit in them. They serve only as a testimony to their condemnation. Hence Gregory says: "We truly love if we restrain ourselves from our own pleasures." For anyone who still drifts along through illicit desires doesn't truly love God, because they contradict Him by following their own will. That person, therefore, truly loves, whose mind is not overcome by the consent to perverse pleasure. For the more someone finds delight in lower things, the more they are separated from heavenly love—so says Gregory. And again: If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; that is, by this you will know that you are loved by me, and that you remain in my love—the love with which I love you—and in my grace, if you keep my commandments. Keeping the commandments is the result and sign of divine love—not only the love with which we love Him, but also the love with which He loves us; for it is because He loves us that He warns us and helps us to fulfill His commandments, which cannot be fulfilled except through grace. According to Augustine, this shows not where love comes from, but where it is demonstrated, so that no one deceives himself by saying he loves God if he doesn't keep His commandments. For we love God only to the extent that we keep His commandments; and to the extent that we keep them less, we love Him less. No one keeps the commandments who doesn't love, and no one loves who doesn't keep them. We don't keep the commandments first so that Christ will love us; rather, unless He loves us, we cannot keep them. And again: 'You are my friends if you do what I command you,' which is to say, if you show the works of friendship and love; for fulfilling the commandments is the sign of love, and the commandment itself is the sign of His will. Therefore, if they didn't do what He commanded, their wills wouldn't be in harmony, and so they wouldn't be friends. According to Gregory, a friend is, as it were, a guardian of the soul. So, it’s not without reason that someone who is said to guard the will of God in His commandments is called His friend. And, according to the same Gregory, great is the mercy of the Redeemer, and great is the dignity of men to be friends of God. But you have heard the glory of this dignity when it is said: 'You are my friends'; now hear also the labor of the struggle when it is added: 'If you do what I command you.' Hence Augustine says: 'Since a servant cannot be good unless he does the commandments of his Lord, He meant for His friends to be understood as those by whom good servants can be proven.' Oh, the great goodness of God! Since we ought to render Him service by virtue of our condition—as servants to a Lord, as household members to God, as subjects to a powerful one, as property to a Redeemer—He promises us the rewards of friendship so that He might extort from us the service that is due; so that those whom He sees are unwilling to serve, He might invite by the voluntary promises of His own benefits. No one, therefore, should believe they love God without the evidence of their actions; rather, as Gregory says, tongue, mind, and life must all be examined regarding one's love for the Creator. Love for God is never idle; if it exists, it does great things. But if it refuses to act, it isn't love. Therefore, no one should believe they love God if they rarely think of Him in their heart, rarely praise Him with their mouth, or fail to keep His commandments in their actions. As Gregory also says: 'If someone is asked whether they love God, they answer freely, "Yes"; but it is clear that the proof of love is showing it in action.' Therefore, if you truly love God, you must seek it in your heart, your mouth, and your actions. First, examine your own heart, because what a person loves, they think about often. This is why the lustful often think of the pleasures of the flesh, the greedy of their wealth, and the proud of their status, but those who are truly spiritual think of divine things. If you don't think of God often, don't believe that you truly love Him. Likewise, everyone thinks most about what they love above all else; therefore, if you think more about the world than about God, you love the world more than God. Second, if you love God, examine your tongue; for it is written: "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." The word of the heart and the word of the mouth are the same, though in the heart it is naked and in the mouth it is clothed; therefore, the tongue willingly names what the heart loves. Consequently, if you talk more about the world than about God, it's clear that you love the world more than God. Third, examine whether you love God by looking at your actions, for fire cannot exist without burning. If, therefore, the divine fire is in your heart, you cannot be idle; but if you are idle, you don't have the fire, because, as it is written: "Charity is not idle; it works if it exists; if it refuses to work, it is not charity." For someone to truly love Christ, it is necessary that they prefer nothing to loving God, that they love their neighbor as themselves, and that they show this love in heart, word, and deed. This statement, "You are my friends," can be understood in two ways, since the word "friend" is used in two ways: one who loves and one who is loved. It is true in both senses that he adds: "If you do what I command you," because those who love God keep his commandments, and those whom God loves also keep his commandments, insofar as he helps them to keep them by bestowing his grace upon them. But, as was seen above, the observance of the commandments is not the cause of divine friendship, but rather its sign—a sign that God loves us and that we love him. The Lord spoke many other things like this at that time. 10. A commendation for the one who suffers, because Christ himself was subject to hatred, and sorrow will be turned into joy. Fourth, you should meditate on his discourse and how he prepares and encourages them toward patience by giving them confidence regarding the pressures he predicted would come. This way, they won't fail in their tribulations, as he says: "If the world hates you"—that is, those who are worldly and love the world, given over to pleasures and honors—"know," for your own consolation, "that it hated me before it hated you." That is why it is written in the Psalm: "They hated me without a cause." As if he were saying, according to Chrysostom: "I know this is hard and difficult, but you will suffer for my sake; therefore, you shouldn't grieve, but rather rejoice. It is enough for your consolation that you suffer for my sake." It is a great consolation for the members to receive this from the Head, because they shouldn't refuse the condition of the Head. Hence Augustine says: "Why does a member exalt itself above the Head?" You refuse to be in the body if you don't wish to endure the hatred of the world alongside the Head. Next, he explains why the world hates them: because they don't belong to the world—that is, they aren't part of it. They have nothing in common with earthly things, for they have become citizens of heaven; and for this reason, the world's hatred must be endured patiently. Chrysostom says: "This is proof of virtue: to be hated by the world. And you ought to be sorry if you were loved by the world, for that would be a sign of your own malice." Gregory also says: "The disparagement of the perverse is the approval of our life; for it is already shown that we have some justice if we begin to displease those who do not please God." And because he warned us to bear the world's hatred by his own example—than which there is nothing greater or better—he adds why they ought to imitate him: because he is the Lord, and they are his servants. "Remember," he says, "the word I spoke to you: No servant is greater than his master." If they persecuted me because I am the Lord, they will also persecute you because you are servants; they will persecute you in whom I am, and consequently, me in you. A servant cannot please those to whom the Lord is displeasing. Chrysostom says: "It is as if to say: You shouldn't be troubled if you share in my sufferings, because you are not better than I." And again: "The world—that is, worldly people living in luxury, wealth, and ambition—will rejoice, as if it had triumphed over me; for during the three days of Christ's death, the Jews, given over to the world, rejoiced, believing they had extinguished the whole sect of Christ. But you will be sorrowful at my death and absence; yet your sorrow will be turned into joy in the Resurrection, and in my appearance or presence, and in the Ascension, and especially in the sending of the Holy Spirit." In truth, they were saddened by the Lord's death, but they soon rejoiced at His Resurrection. For after the weeping and the wailing, God poured in exultation and joy. It's worth noting that if someone were promised by a person who was truthful and capable of fulfilling the promise that he would turn all his stones into gold, that person would certainly gather up as many and as large stones as he could from everywhere. Now, therefore, since it is promised to us by Him who is Truth itself and is powerful over everything that exists that our sadness will be turned into joy, we ought to endure the sadness and pressures of this world very willingly, for the increase of our joy. Hence He didn't say, 'After your sadness, there will be joy for you,' but He said, 'Your sadness will be turned into joy,' so that this very thing—the experience of having sadness—will later be converted into a heap of joy. To illustrate the depth of both sorrow and joy, he uses a comparison, explaining his point through the example of a woman who feels the pain of childbirth, but whose joy at the birth of her child swallows up all the sorrow that came before. He then explains the example the Lord gave regarding the woman and applies the comparison: 'You, too, have sorrow now—that is, during the time of my Passion and death—as if you were already in labor; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice,' meaning after my Resurrection; 'and no one will take your joy from you,' because the life of Christ, which was the source of this joy, was from then on immortal and could no longer be taken away by death. They certainly felt sorrow when the Lord suffered, but after the Resurrection they rejoiced, for they saw the Lord, and their joy was not taken from them. Even though they later suffered persecutions and torments for Christ, they were so inflamed by the hope of the resurrection and the vision of him that they willingly bore every adversity, and indeed considered it a joy when they fell into various trials. These things can also be understood in such a way that the Lord is speaking to the whole Church in the disciples, just as when he says: 'Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.' Those who love the world rejoice because they delight in present things, hoping for no joys in another life. But the good are saddened by the miseries of this life and weep for their own sins and the sins of others, for their sojourn in this world, and for the delay of the heavenly kingdom. Through the tribulations and hardships of this life, they strive for the eternal joys of heaven, because 'through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.' When the Lord says, 'I will see you again,' he is promising his coming to the whole Church, to reward it completely. It is as if he were saying: 'I will appear to you again to be seen in an eternal vision, I will rescue you from your adversaries, I will take you to myself, I will crown you as victors, and I will prove that I have always watched you as you struggled.' Hence Alcuin says: 'The holy Church is the woman, because of the fruitfulness of her good works and because she generates spiritual children for God. This woman, while she gives birth—that is, while she persists in the world in the practice of virtues, while she is tempted and afflicted on all sides—has sorrow because the hour has come for her to suffer, for no one ever hated his own flesh. But when she has given birth—that is, when, having overcome the struggle of labor, she has reached the palm of victory—she no longer remembers the preceding hardship because of the joy of the reward she has received, because a human being has been born into the world.' For just as a woman rejoices when a human being is born into this world, so the Church is filled with exultation when a people of the faithful is born into eternal life. Bede also says: "It shouldn't seem strange if someone who has departed from this life is called 'born'." We usually say someone is born when they emerge from their mother's womb and enter this light; in the same way, someone who is released from the bonds of the flesh and raised to eternal light can be called 'born'. This is why the solemnities of the Saints are called birthdays, not funerals: Then the Lord concludes with his main point; for he said all these things so that the disciples might be strengthened against the trials and adversities looming over them, which is why he says: "I have said all these things to you in this sermon." ... This is the purpose and the end—that you may have peace in me when future trials come—because just as a heavy object finds rest in its proper place, so the human heart finds rest in God. This is why worldly people, who aren't joined to God through love, have trials without peace; but the saints, who have God in their hearts through love, have peace in Christ even when they suffer trials from the world. He ends his sermon here like a loving Father, placing the most useful things at the end—namely, the subject of peace, to which he tries to invite everyone. Hence the Gloss says: "He speaks not only of what happened at the Supper, but also of what he said from the beginning of his preaching, and especially of what he said at the Supper, for this reason: so that they might have peace in him—the peace of the heart in the present, and the peace of eternity in the future." This is the peace for which we were made Christians, for which we are instructed by the Sacraments, for which we are trained by scourges and other means, for which we have received the pledge of the Spirit, and for which we believe in him, hope in him, and are set on fire by his love. This is our consolation and liberation in times of trial, so that in the end we may reign happily with Christ. He concludes His teaching on this point because He Himself is the fulfillment of the journey and the blessedness of our true home. Therefore, Augustine also says: "This peace will have no end in time, but it will be the end of all our holy intention." And He adds: "In the world you will have tribulation"—that is, from people who will certainly persecute you—"but in Me you will have peace." As if He were saying, according to Gregory: Let there be something in Me within you that refreshes you with consolation, because there will be something from the world outside that presses hard upon you with its cruelty. For holy people don't have pure tribulations, because they have the consolation of God mixed in; but the wicked have pure tribulations, lacking this consolation. But take heart—that is, have confidence in Me—because I have conquered the world for you, and it won't prevail. As if He were saying: Turn back to Me, and you will have peace in Me. Christ conquered the world by stripping it and taking away the weapons with which it attacks; these, however, are its desires: for everything that is in the world...2 It is either the craving of the flesh, which He destroyed through His suffering, or or the craving of the eyes, which He destroyed through His poverty; or the pride of life, which He destroyed through His humility. In this. The saints should trust in Christ's victory, because, armed by reflecting on Him and fortified by virtues, they easily overcome the temptations of the world. For this reason, Peter says: Since Christ suffered in the flesh, you too must arm yourselves with the same way of thinking. Whoever, therefore, overcomes these cravings just as Christ did, overcomes the world; and this, according to Our faith accomplishes this, because since it is the substance of things hoped for—which are spiritual and eternal goods—it makes us despise bodily and transitory goods. And the Lord said many other things similar to these at that time.
The High Priestly Prayer
Jesus prays to the Father for himself, his disciples, and all future believers, seeking their unity and glorification.
You should quietly meditate on this discourse, just as the Lord Himself did. Jesus, once the discourse to the disciples was finished (about which, according to Bede, He spoke at the Supper up to the words: 'Rise, let us go from here'), then stood until the end of the hymn, the beginning of which is this; and with eyes lifted up, looking toward heaven, He turned Himself to His Father and, directing His words to Him, began to pray. Christ didn't pray only to obtain something, but also to give us an example of how to pray; that is why His prayer is described here as being arranged with the best circumstances. First, in regard to what preceded: because after the discourse and the instruction of the disciples, He turned Himself to prayer. This is to show that the completion of a good work must be sought from God, and that we should help those we instruct with words by the support of our prayers, because divine discourse has the greatest effect on the hearts of those who hear it when it is supported by prayer, through which divine help is implored; and therefore the end of our discourse ought to conclude in prayer. Second, in regard to what follows. In praying, He primarily lifted His eyes to heaven to show that in every prayer, the mind ought to be lifted up to God; for, according to Damascene, prayer is the ascent of the mind to God. Among other parts of the body, the interior disposition of the soul shines most brightly in the eyes; for where love is, there is the eye. That is why Chrysostom says: He lifted His eyes to heaven so that we might look upward—not just with our physical eyes, but with the eyes of our mind. When the saints sometimes pray while standing erect and lifting their eyes to heaven, they do so not as the proud, but as the humble, to show that prayer should be directed to God and that only heavenly things should be sought. This is why the Psalmist says: 'To you I have lifted up my eyes, you who dwell in the heavens.' We should lift up not only our eyes but also our actions to God, as the verse from Lamentations says: 'Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the heavens,' for hands represent our actions. Third, regarding what follows: because when the moment of His Passion was near, and the aforementioned pressures from the disciples were upon Him, He prayed to His Father to show that when pressures and tribulations are near, a person should turn to God through prayer, just as Moses, Susanna, and many others cried out to the Lord in their tribulation, and He delivered them. First, Christ prays for Himself. Christ prays first for Himself, then for His members. He prays for Himself both according to His human nature and according to His divine nature: according to His human nature, for His glorification in the Passion, for the glorification of the Resurrection, for the glorification of the Ascension, and for the glorification of the judgment which He will have in it after that; according to His divine nature, He prays for the knowledge and manifestation of the glory of the Father and the Son, in whom the bond and love of both—that is, the Holy Spirit—is understood, because the medium is often understood in the extremes. These three share the same glory, nature, and essence, as well as the same power, knowledge, and goodness. Christ himself therefore asks for his glory, which he has had from the eternal Father, to reach human understanding and knowledge, so that people won't mistake him for a mere man, feel ashamed because of the disgrace of his Passion, or lose heart and give up because they despair of the glory of his Resurrection. Christ prays for the Apostles. He prays for his members in two ways: first, for those who already believe and are joined to the Head; second, for those who will come to believe through the word of those who already believe. He prays, therefore, for his disciples and for the members who already believe, and he commends them to the Father, saying: 'Holy Father, keep them,' by preserving them from evil and guarding them in goodness, in your name—that is, in the faith, confession, truth, and power of your name. He commends those you gave me to be the foundation of the Church that is to be built through them, joining them to me through a spiritual friendship, so that they may be one and united through charity, just as we are one by nature. This doesn't imply equality, but a certain likeness and a distant imitation. I am your Son by nature, just as they are your children and my brothers by grace. Or, according to Augustine, just as the Father and the Son are one not only by equality of substance but also by will, so they too may be one not only because they are of the same nature, but also through the same bond of love. Anyone's perfection is nothing other than a participation in the divine likeness: for we are good only to the extent that we are made like God. I pray for them, in terms of efficacy, because they are yours by eternal predestination; I do not pray for the world—that is, for those who love the world and are lost according to your foreknowledge. He says this because the efficacy of his prayer extends only to the elect. Although it is in itself effective for everyone, the wicked still place an obstacle in their own way, so that they don't share in it. And although they were no longer of the world, it was still necessary for them to be in the world; therefore he adds: 'I do not ask that you take them out of the world'—either for the sake of others' salvation, because they were still needed for the time being, or for their own benefit, because they weren't yet perfected in merit. Bede says: 'It's as if to say: The time is now drawing near for me to be taken from the world, and therefore it's necessary that they not be taken from the world now, so that they may first announce you and me to the world.' 'But that you may keep them from evil and from failing under pressure.' —rescuing them from dangers, and giving them perseverance in faith and constancy in the tribulations that were coming. From this you understand that the saints shouldn't ask to depart from the world if it isn't yet appropriate for them, just as it wasn't appropriate for these men. "Sanctify them" means to confirm them in the truth of the Catholic faith, as well as in their life and teaching; after all, in one sense, "holy" means the same thing as "firm." This confirmation of the Apostles was brought about by God the Father when He sent them the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The Lord prays for the faithful, saying: "I don't pray for them alone, but also for those who, throughout the whole world, will believe in me through their word"—that is, through the word of faith and the Gospel they preached, by which everyone who held the faith the Apostles preached came to believe in Christ. This "word" is attributed to them, not because it was preached by them alone—for it was also preached by Paul and any other preachers—but because it was entrusted to them first and foremost to preach, and it was first and primarily preached by them. This is the preached word of faith, the inspired word of God, through which the thief believed, Paul believed, and everyone who has ever believed in Christ has believed. Hence, according to Augustine: "He wanted all his own to be understood there; not only those who were then in the flesh, but also those who were to come." For as many as have believed in him since then have undoubtedly believed through the word of the Apostles, and will continue to believe until he comes. Through them the Gospel was ministered, even before it was written; and indeed, whoever believes in Christ believes the Gospel, as Augustine says. He prays, however: "That they all may be one," in the unity of faith and charity, "just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, we are one," in the unity of nature and substance, "that they also may be one in us," by faith and charity. Or, according to Augustine, it can be referred to the unity of love, thus: "Just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, through love; so they also may be one in you." It is through love, because charity makes one to be with God. It's as if he were saying: Just as the Father loves the Son, and the Son in turn loves the Father, so they loved the Son and the Father. The fruit of this unity is that the whole world, converted by their preaching, might believe and know that you sent me, and that the teaching I gave them is from you; for in this way, all will be one. For the truth of the Gospel is made manifest by nothing else as much as by the love of the faithful. As Chrysostom says: "Nothing scandalizes everyone as much as being divided from one another; but that believers should become one, this builds up faith." "And the glory that you gave me, I have given them"; because he gave the Apostles the power of miracles, through which the divinity of Christ was declared. Chrysostom adds: "He calls glory the splendor that comes through signs and teachings, and that they might be of one mind." He continues: "That they may be one, just as we are one," meaning that they may be in the true unity of the Church, without schism. The same Chrysostom says: "For this glory, that they may be one, is even greater than signs." "I am in them through grace and through the Spirit of love, and you are in me through the unity of nature and substance; and consequently, you are also in them through that same Spirit." Or, as Hilary puts it, I am in them—meaning I exist in them through the unity of human nature that I share with them—and also because I give them my Body as sacramental food; and you are in me through the unity of essence, so that they may be brought to completion, that is, made perfect in one, because through the union of Christ’s humanity with God, the union of all creation has been accomplished. "That they may be brought to completion in one," he says, "in the present, in the unity of love and grace through faith; and in the future, in the unity of glory and divine enjoyment through sight." For the whole prayer tends toward this, in which he repeatedly emphasizes in his prayer that they may be one. Thus, everyone ought to pray for the unity of grace while on the journey, and for the completion of glory in the homeland: so that here they may have the unity of love and grace through faith, and there the unity of enjoyment and glory through sight. The perfection of the Christian life consists in the unity of love, because through this the members of the Church are joined to one another, to their Head, the man Christ, and further to God himself; for whoever clings to the Lord is one spirit with him. Consequently, the first principle, which is God, is joined to man, who is in a certain sense all of creation. The goal of this unity, however, is that the world—having been transformed from an enemy into a friend, that is, the believers—may then know through sight that you sent me, and that you loved them just as you loved me. As Augustine says: "The Father loves us in the Son, because He chose us in Him." Since He hates nothing that He has made, who could ever adequately describe how much He loves the members of His Only-Begotten, and how much more He loves the Only-Begotten Himself? He then asks for the union of the members to the Head, saying: "Father, those whom You have given Me through true faith in Your eternal predestination—I will, that is, I pray and desire, that where I am, soon to be, they also may be with Me," meaning in the eternal beatitude where Christ was already present in His soul, which is the more principal part of a human being. He continues: "that they may see My glory, which You have given Me," that is, My divinity, or the glory of My body that is to be glorified. For the saints will see both of Christ’s glories—both according to His divinity and according to His humanity—in glory; "because You loved Me" with an essential love "before the foundation of the world" and from eternity. This is clear regarding Christ’s divinity, and likewise regarding His humanity, insofar as God the Father eternally predestined it to this glory and exaltation. In Him, He also loved us before the foundation of the world by predestination, because we are His members; and we are loved in Him who is loved entirely—that is, both Head and body. He is in us as if in His own temple, and we are in Him, insofar as He is our Head. Augustine says: "The Lord Jesus lifts His own into a great hope, which could not be greater; listen and be joyful in hope, so that you may be patient in tribulation; listen, I say, and consider in whom our hope is lifted up." Christ Jesus says: listen, believe, hope, and consider what He says: "Father," He says, "those whom You have given Me, I will that where I am, they also may be with Me." Who are these whom He says were given to Him by the Father? Aren't these the ones about whom He says elsewhere: "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him"? And again: "Therefore, He promises this reward to all His members, that where He is, we also may be with Him." What the almighty Son said He wills to the almighty Father cannot fail to happen—so says Augustine. Hence Anselm also says: "Amidst these things, while commending His disciples in that most sacred prayer—'Father,' He said, 'Father, keep them in your name'—bow your head, so that you may deserve to hear: 'I will that where I am, they also may be with me.' It is good for you to be here, but you must move on." How sweet the words of this prayer are—an antidote and remedy for every adversity and sin. The beginning and end of this most sweet prayer consist of peace and love, toward which, as has been said, it especially tends. The Lord Jesus also spoke many other things to His disciples that truly pierced their devout hearts. If, therefore, you examine what was said in that discourse attentively and ruminate on it through diligent meditation, resting in their sweetness, you'll deservedly be able to burn with love for such great condescension, kindness, providence, diligence, and charity, and for the other things the Lord did that evening. From these things you can gather a bundle against every temptation and adversity—a wholesome remedy of consolation.
The Final Banquet and Departure
The chapter concludes with a reflection on the Last Supper, the walk to Gethsemane, and a final prayer for all the faithful.
Among all the memorials of Christ, it's clear that the final banquet of the most holy Supper is the most worthy of special remembrance; in it, not only is the paschal lamb offered for eating, but the Lamb who was sacrificed—who takes away the sins of the world—is provided as food under the appearance of bread. In that very banquet, the wondrous sweetness of Christ's goodness shone forth, when He dined at the same table and from the same dish with His poor disciples, and with Judas the traitor. A wondrous example of humility was made clear when the King of glory, girded with a towel, most diligently washed the feet of the fishermen and of His own betrayer. The vastness of His generosity was made manifest when He gave His most sacred Body and Blood to those first priests, and consequently to the whole Church and the entire world, truly as food and drink. Finally, a wondrous excess of love shone forth when, in the end, He comforted His own in goodness with such sweet exhortation, specifically preparing Peter for faith and strength, and granting John a place to rest his head in a sweet and holy embrace. Oh, how wondrous all these things are, filled with sweetness for that soul alone which, called to such a celebrated banquet, runs with such ardor of mind that it can sing that prophetic verse: 'As the deer longs for the fountains of water,' and so on. ! Consider, therefore, the Lord as He speaks, and how, speaking effectively, devoutly, and delightfully, He imprints what He says upon His disciples; and feed yourself on the beauty of His presence and His words. Look at the disciples, too, and see how they are filled with sadness, weeping and sighing. They are full of sorrow, as the Truth Himself bears witness, saying: "But because I have said these things to you—that is, about my leaving—sorrow has filled your heart, and you are pained that I am being taken from your physical sight." Among the others, however, look at John. See how closely he stays with Him, how attentively and diligently he watches his beloved Lord, and how, in his tender anxiety, he gathers up every word He speaks. For he alone wrote these things down and handed them on to us. Blessed is John, who, reclining on the Lord's chest, drank in these things, and keeping them in his memory, wrote them down for us. No one clung to the Lord as faithfully and familiarly as John. At the Last Supper he sat next to Him, even though he was the youngest of them all; and when He was arrested, he followed Him into the high priest's courtyard; and he did not leave Him during the crucifixion, or in His death, or even after His death, until He was buried. The Lord goes forth with grace. And because the Lord saw that the disciples were afraid and anxious—partly because of the time, for it was night, and partly because of the place, for they were clearly exposed in the city, so that they kept glancing toward the door of the house as if expecting to be invaded and captured by enemies, and because of this were paying less attention to what He was saying—He said to them while they were still reclining, so that they might better understand the words He was about to speak and so that He might come to the place where He was to be handed over: 'Get up, let us go from here,' meaning to another place that is more secure and private, where you may think yourselves safe and listen more attentively to My words, and pay better heed to what I must say to you; to the place where I am to be handed over to death, to the separation from you bodily in this world, to the anguish and My Passion; and whoever wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. And you, pray to Him that He may not allow you to be separated from His side, but may grant you to go with Him and to follow Him, whether to death or to life. Oh, what fear gripped the disciples, not knowing where or how they were to go, and fearing greatly because of His departure! It was right to give thanks to God for such a great feast; therefore, after the supper, He sang a hymn—a song of divine praise—and gave thanks, just as He had done before the meal, so that you might learn to offer thanks both before and after you eat. Chrysostom says: 'Let those hear who, like pigs, simply eat and rise up in drunkenness, when it would be fitting to give thanks, to sing a hymn, and to leave the table. Let those hear who do not wait for the final prayer in the sacred mysteries, for the final prayer of the Mass is the sign of that hymn.' He gave thanks, therefore, before He gave the sacred mysteries to the disciples. So that we, too, might give thanks; He said a hymn after He gave them, so that we might do this very thing; these are the words of Chrysostom. And Bede says: "He also showed by this that it was something He embraced, to die for us, because even when He was about to be betrayed, He deigned to praise God. He teaches us, too, that when we fall into distress, we shouldn't be saddened for the sake of many people's salvation, but rather give thanks to God, who works the salvation of many through our tribulation." Finally, having completed many mysteries and said a hymn for the institution of the Sacrament and the announcement of a new life, at the hour of Compline, He left the place of the Supper with His disciples; they went out to the Mount of Olives, to a place outside the city where He knew the traitor would come, offering Himself freely to the Passion to show that He was voluntarily undergoing death and desiring our redemption. For that place was suitable for capturing Christ, because it was far from the city; and they were looking to seize Him without the noise of the crowds. He goes ahead—you follow Him—and watch the disciples going after Him, and with Him, how each one who is able to, draws closer to Him. Moving along together, just as it is the habit of chicks to follow a hen, they press toward Him, one now, another then, out of a desire to draw near and hear His words. He Himself, however, endured it from them willingly and patiently, and it was then that He spoke to them, finishing His discourse as He went along the way and into the garden. The Valley of Josaphat and the garden of Gethsemani, where the Lord was accustomed to spend the night in prayer. And when Jesus had said these things, He went out with His disciples toward the East, across the brook Cedron and the Valley of Josaphat, which lies between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives, stretching from the North to the South, through the middle of which valley runs the same brook Cedron. Cedron is, however, a genitive plural, which in Latin is called 'of the cedars,' for there was an abundance of those trees there on the banks of that same brook, which is why it is so named. In this valley there is a small, level field, well-watered, wooded, and full of delights. The valley takes its name from King Jehoshaphat, who is buried there; where, descending from the side of Mount Zion to the foot of the Mount of Olives into the valley itself, there is a tower containing his tomb. To its right, carved out of the rock of the Mount of Olives, is a separate house with two hollowed-out tombs—namely, those of Simeon and of Joseph, the husband of the Virgin Mary—and there was a garden there into which Jesus himself and his disciples went, and he entered it with them. This place is called Gethsemane, at the root or foot of the Mount of Olives, near the field that was called Gethsemane; hence the village is also named this, where there is a church clinging to the rock, under which the Apostles were weighed down by sleep, and inside were the canons regular with their Abbot, serving the Lord according to the rule of Saint Augustine. And he entered with them into the garden, which was at the edge of the village and belonged to the estate, where he awaited his betrayer and those sent to arrest him, knowing all that was to come upon him according to the mystery of the highest disposition. And he who knew that he had received his persecutors and all things into his own hand—because the Father had given all things into his hands—voluntarily placed himself into the hands of those who were persecuting him. Judas, who was to betray him, also knew the place, because Jesus had frequently gathered there with his disciples, specifically for the sake of praying more privately away from the tumult of the city, and for the sake of speaking more privately with his disciples to instruct them familiarly. Therefore, about to be betrayed by a disciple, he went to the place of his accustomed retreat, which was also known to Judas, so that the matter might be carried out most easily; he gave himself up openly to be captured, so that he would not appear to fear death or to be crucified against his will. So it is well said: And when they had sung a hymn, they went out. as was the custom. . . . to the Mount of Olives—that is, toward the Mount of Olives—because he was accustomed to go there and stay through the night for the sake of prayer. For, according to Chrysostom, the Lord was accustomed to spend the night frequently in prayer outside the cities and villages, and in this way, he would avoid the crowd; indeed, according to that same Chrysostom, it was Christ’s custom, especially on feast days, to lead the disciples aside after supper and seek out a place free from noise, so that their minds would not be distracted from hearing, and to teach them some sublime things about the feast that it was not right for others to hear. Compline is so named because it marks the completion of the day's course. Similarly, our Lord Jesus Christ, having completed the course of his preaching and that singular supper so gloriously celebrated and held with his disciples—a supper of which, and of the most sacred gift of his Body and Blood given there, you ought to think frequently and most devoutly—and having washed the disciples' feet, and having given a sermon, and having said a hymn (that is, a prayer of thanksgiving), went out with his disciples toward the Mount of Olives, where he was to be captured and separated from his friends. And when that which the Prophet had said was to be fulfilled: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered'; go. Stay with him always and don't abandon him, so that he doesn't abandon you. Mystically, Jesus went out beyond the city of Jerusalem to signify that we, too, must go out from the world and its dwellings whenever we wish to offer a sacrifice to God; and to teach us to flee the noise of people whenever we intend to pray or discuss private matters with our own. He went across the Kidron brook, which is interpreted as 'sad torrent,' signifying the way of the Passion that Christ chose to walk; for just as a torrent rushes down with the heat of the sun, so Christ, burning with the heat of charity and the light of truth, endured the rush of the waves of his Passion by his own will. The fact that Christ went there as his Passion drew near signifies that a Christian who wishes to move toward martyrdom must think ahead about the coming suffering and arm himself with patience; for, as Gregory says: “The blows we foresee strike us less, and the evils we know are coming are more bearable.” He also came to the village of Gethsemane, which means 'valley of fatness.' This interpretation shows how humble and how full of devotion the prayer was that Christ offered there; for humility is found in the 'valley,' and devotion in the 'fatness.' According to Remigius, the Lord, as he approached his Passion, prayed in the valley of fatness to demonstrate that he took on death for us through the valley of humility and the fatness of charity. For he humbled himself even to death, and out of love he laid down his soul for his friends. He also prayed in the garden and chose to be captured to show that he had come to make satisfaction for the sin of our first parents committed in a garden—that is, in the earthly paradise—or to show that through his Passion he brings us into the garden of paradise to be crowned. It's also said that after Communion, He went out to the Mount of Olives and prayed; the brothers' procession after their meal represents this. He goes into the oratory to give thanks; by this, we also understand that through the power of the Lord's Sacrament, we ascend to the heights of grace and glory. According to Origen, it's significant that after the hymn was sung, they went out to the Mount of Olives; this signifies that after receiving such a great Sacrament, a faithful person shouldn't be busy with anything in the valley, nor occupy themselves with anything earthly. But, according to Jerome... One must ascend to the Mount of Olives—that is, to the heights of virtue—where there is refreshment from labor, comfort for sorrow, and the knowledge of true light is grasped. The Lord prayed, therefore, on the Mount of Olives, or in the garden at the foot of that same mountain, which is all alive and full of symbols. For when He prays on the mountain, He teaches us to lift our hearts in prayer toward heavenly things and to seek only what is sublime. When He prays in the valley—specifically the valley of fatness—He teaches us to maintain humility and internal devotion in our prayer, reaching toward the richness of love, and not to carry a heart dried up and lacking the richness of charity. The Lord, about to suffer, rightly ascended that mountain from which He was to ascend into heaven, to show that it is through the endurance of the Passion that one ascends to the rest of the heavenly dwelling. Hence Jerome says: 'On the Mount of Olives, Jesus watches and prays, is taken and bound, and from there ascends to the heavens; so that we may know that we ascend to the heavens from the same place where we watch and pray, are bound, and do not resist on earth.' This Mount of Olives is worthy of all acceptance, for the Lord deigned to stay and pray there often, and to perform many wonderful works. There is, however, a church on this mountain where black monks used to live with their Abbot. You can meditate on the fact that the Lord Jesus gave us an example of five great virtues on that evening: humility, in washing the feet of his disciples; charity, in instituting the Sacrament of his Body and Blood and in the discourse filled with loving admonitions; prayer, in praying three times in the garden and estate of Gethsemani; patience, in enduring his betrayer and the many insults when he was captured and led away like a thief; and obedience, in going to his Passion and death at the Father's command. Therefore, strive to imitate him in these virtues and in others as best you can. PRAYER: Most kind Jesus, who before the time of your Passion humbly prayed to the Father for those who believe and will believe in you, I ask, Lord, for your clemency and mercy for them and for me, and for all who are joined to me by blood, affinity, friendship, kindness, prayer, recommendation, or any other way, or who are held in my heart, and universally for all the faithful, both living and dead. May you grant us who are living grace in the present and glory in the future, and may you grant the dead mercy and eternal rest; and may you, who are the Redeemer of all, show yourself to be their Savior as well. Amen.
Read the original Latin
iiABiTus ? — Circa quintum vero ad omnem cumulum supereffluentem, attende alia dilectionis insignia. Post egressum enim Judae, cum scilicet mundi cum mundatore remansissent,et post alia supradicta,Dominus Jesus discipulos consolando, fecit eis sermonem pulcherrimum, ignitis plenum carbonibus dulcedinis et amoris, scilicet verbis dulcissimis de coeli melle mellitis, et de Dei lumine luminosis, quem scripsit Joannes specialiter a Deo dilectus et his potatus. Ubiait Anselmus : « Tunc demum divinissimi eloquii uberrima inundatione conventus ille sacer ex ore tuo, Domine, potatus est. Siquidem corruptus ille uter foras missus fuerat, quem hujus limpidissimi hquoris infusione sciebas indignum. » 9 FiDELis. — Ex hujus autem sermonis ornata ac veneranda et utih magnitudine, quinque meditanda principaliter assume. Primum quahter prgedicens discipuhs discessum suum, confortat eosdem.
Dicebat namque : Filioli, adhuG modicum vobiscumsum, id est modico tempore, scilicetusque ad captionem vel moftem, quia tunc fuit iilis subtractus; vel, secundum quosdam,usque adascensionem,quia usque tunc apparuit eis corporaliter. Dicens autem, Filioli, ostenditteneritudinem amicitiae, et dilectionis ad eos. Diminutiva etenim, secundum Priscianum, aliquando pro familiaritate, et amore dicuntur. Sic ergo nunc eos vocat prse amoris teneritudine, quiacum amici ab invicemrecedunt, affeclu amoris maxime inardescunt. Et iterum : Adhuc modicum, scilicet tempus erit, et miindus me jam non videt, id est amatores mundi ; vos autemvidebitis me, etboni quidem ceteri, quia solis bonis post resurrectionem apparuit in carne. Et iterum : Non turbetur cor vestrum, scilicet de meo recessu per mortem, cum sit ad meam glorificationem, et Spiritus Sancti missionem. Et in hoc docemur non turbari de nostris amicisin confessione fidei decedentibus, nam est via ad eorum glorificalionem et nostram subventionem, quia amici nostri existentes cum Deo, multo plus nos juvare possunt, quam viventes in mundo. Non turbetur, inquam, cor vestrum.
quidLcUxi memoriturum, sed stabiliatur hde, credeates me resurrecturum ; neque formidet^ propter tribulationum instantiam, ne dimittatis fidei constantiam, sed perseverate fortes usque in finem. Dominus intendebat animos discipulorum confortare contra duo, scihcet : contra unum, quod imminebat in praesenti, quod eratejusPassio ; et contra ahud quodtimebatur futurum, scihcet superventura ejustribulatio. Unde dicit eis : Non turbetur, et tristetur cor vestrum, scilicet de malo praesenti, quantum ad primum ; neque formidet. et timeat, scihcet de futuro, quantum ad secundum. Creditis in Deum, et in me, per consequens credite, qui sum Deus; et quem etiam confessi estis Deum. Unum supponit, sciJicet fidem eorum in Deum, hac enim jam instituti erant per eum; et aliud praecipit, scilicet ut credant in ipsum, quia est Deus, et non homo tantum. Secundum Augustinum, ne mortem Christi tamquam hominis timerent,et ideo turbarcntur, consolatur eos, etiam se Deum esse contestans, qui possit hominem suscitare. ccELi Spiritusque Sancti.
— In domo Patris mei mansiones midtde sunt, id est diversae participationes beatitudinis, quia, secundum differentias meritoruin,sunt etiamdistinctionespraemiorum. Quasi eis diceret : Jam certi estis de Passione mea, et tamen a me exspectate vitamaeternam. Secundum eumdem Augustinum, merito turbabantur, quando quidem fidentiori dictum erat, quod negaret Dominum; sed, cum audiunt de mansionibus coeli, aperturbatione recreantur, certi post pericula se apud Dominum forc mansuros, quod significant multae mansiones. Et iterum : Vado parare vobis locum, tam pulchrum, tam delectabilem moriendo, resurgendo, in coelos ascendendo. Et : Iterum venio, in judicio apparendo, et accipiam vos ad meipsum, ad beatitudinem corporis et animae ; ut ubi sum ego^ et vos sitis, scilicet in aeterna beatitudine. Jam,ut dixerat, paratae erant mansiones, scilicet in prcedestinatione, sed tamen adhuc parandae erant ab eo redemptionis opere, et ab ipsis meritoria operatione. 0 Domine, para quod paras, nos scilicet tibi, et te nobis, ut sit multitudo mansionum pro diversitate meritorum : alius plus, alius minus participes tui erimus. Et iterum : JSonrelinquam vos orphanos, in quo indicat se esse patrem illis, vado et venio ad vos, Spiritum Sanctum scilicet mittendo ; hoc autem dicit, ne putaretur Spiritummitteresine se.
Et iterum : Pacem, scihcet pectoris, relinquo vobis, quee triplex est in homine, scilicet : ad seipsum, ad Deum, et ad proximum ; pacem meam, scihcet aeternitatis, do vobis, si in pace prima perseveraveritis. Secundum Augustinum, pacem nobis relinquit in hoc seculo, qua hostem vincamus, et quanosinvicem dihgamus. Pacem suam dabit nobis in futuro, quando sine hoste, et sine dissensione regnabimus. Et bene dicit, pacem meam, ad distinguendum pacem Sanctorum a pace mundi, quae est magis apparens et ficta, quam vera. Unde subjungit : Non quomodo mundus dat, ego do vobis : quia mundus dat carnaliter, ego spiritualiter ; mundus temporaliter, ego aeternaliter ; mundus exterius, ego interius. Et iterum : Si diligeritis me, gauderetis utique, de recessu meo, quia vado ad exaltationem meam, scilicet quia vado ad Patrem, quia Pater major me est. Secundum eumdem Augustinum, naturae humanae gratulandum est, eo quod sic assumpta est a Verbo unigenito, ut immortalis constitueretur in coelo ; atque ita fieret terra sublimis, ut incorruptibihs pulvis sederet ad dexteram Patris. Quis non hic gaadeat, qui sic diiigit Christum, et suam naturam jam immortalem gratuletur in Ghristo, atque ipsum speret futurum esse per Ghristum ?
Et iterum : Expedit, id est utile est vobis, ut ego vadam, scilicet ad Patrem ascendendo, ut spirituahter me cognoscatis, et carnaliter jam me nosse desistatis, ne Verho carnem facto, quasi lacte contenti sitis. Et vere expedit : Si enim non abiero, Paracletus non veniet ad vos ; si autem abiero mittam eum ad vos. Si hanccarnalem dilectionem a vobis abire non fecero, non eritis digni, ut Paracletus veniat ad vos, quamdiu enim de me carnaliter sentietis, non eritis idonei ut Spiritum Sanctum recipiatis : non quod positus in terra nonpossetdare, sed quia illi non sunt idonei accipere, nisi eum secundum carnem nosse desistant,quo magis spirituales effecti, magis ad coelestia amplectenda ejus deitate anhelant. In tantum enim mundus est Spiritus, quod innullo quiescit, nisi in eo, qui omnino est spiritualis, nullo carnali solalio impeditus. Ubi Bernardus : « Delicataest divina consolatio, et non datur admittentibus alienam. » Ubi et Hugo : « Idcirco nimirum Donus Jesus discipulis se subtraxit corporaliter, ut cum discerent amare spiritualiter. Ascendit siquidem in coelum, ut corda post se traheret, ut dileclio pergeret post dilectum. Sed et usque hodie Ghristus amicos suos, quasi quadam corporali praesentia consolatur in Scriptura Sacra, et Ecclesiae sacramentis, atque aliis visibilibus exercitiis virtutum, quo rualimDE EiNA.
quan<io dispeosatorie subtrahit usum, ut spiritiialis amoris dulcedinem , tanto purius percipiant, quo nihil Ibris halient etiam in opere virtutis ad quod mentem suam per intentiunem effundant : » haec Hugo. Pensandum ergo cst, quia, si praesentia carnis FiHi Dei irapedit Spirilus rereptionem. quanto magis carnalis alTectus in nobis impediat eamdem ? Haec et his similia eis dicebat Dominus, quae corda ipsorum totahter penetrabant. Non enim de suo discessu aliquidpacifice tolerare poterant. 4 PRiECEPTUM CARITATIS QUO ChRISTIANi coGNoscENDi suNT. - Secuudo circa sermonem mediteris, qualiter cordiaiiter el instanter Dominus Jesus instruxit discipulos pluribus vicibus de caritate servanda, dicens : Mandatum novum do vobis, quo scilicet dispositi ad meam sequelam eritis, videlicet, ut diligatis invicem, sicut ego dilexi vos, hac enim via sequendus est Dominus. Non diciturnovum, quantum ad substantiam, quia fuit datum in Veteri Lege, quae etiampraecipit pruximos diligere, non tamen pro eis mori; sed diciiur novum, qunntum ad mandati formam, sicut ipse dilexit nos, qui etiam niori dignatus est pro not)is.
Unus modus renovandi vinum vetus, est quando amisit colorem et saporem, ponendi ipsum cum vino novo et forti, quia ibi recipit colorem et saporem ex fervore vini, et sic dicitur renovari. Mandatum de dilectione fuit valde antiquum,etjam quasi nu]lisapiebat,ideo Passio Ghristi, in qua fuit maximus fervor dilectionis, quasi vinum fortissimum illud mandatum renovavit. Dicitur etiam mandatum novum ab effectu, quia animam renovat et liominem novum facit; dilectio enim talis confert novitatem, et aufert vetustalem. Et iterum : In hoc, scilicet signo, quasi in meo proprio charactere cognoscent, omnes aperte, quia mei estis discipuli, scilicet disciphnis meis imbuti, et de schola mea instructi : non si daemonia ejiciatis, vel aha signa faciatis ; sed si dilectionem habueritis ad invicem, hoc est enim quod maxime desideratDominus. Quicum> que connumeratur miiitiae aiicujiis regis, (iebet portare insignia ejus; insignia autem Christi sunt insignia caritalis; quicumque ei'go vult annumerari militiae Cliristi, dcbet caritatis cliai-actereinsigniri. Tamquam diceret, secundum Augustinum : <( Alia munera mea hahent vobiscum cliam non mei : non solum naturam, vitam, sensum^ rationem et eam salutem quae hominibus? pecoribusque communis est; verum etiam sacramenta, prophetiam, scientiam, hdem, distributionem reruni suarum pauperibus, et traditionem corporis sui ut ardeant, sed quoniam caritatem non habent ut cymbala concrepant, nitiil sunt, nihil eis prodest. Hic est fons cui non communicat alienus; dilectio sola discernit inter filios Dei et tilios diabuli.
Signent se omnessigno crucis Christi,respondeantomnes,amew, cantent omnes alleluia, baptizentur omnes, intrent ecclesias, faciant parietes basilicarum : non discernuntur filii Dei a tiliis diaboli nisi caritate. Quidquid vis habe, hoc soJum si non habeas, nihil tibi prodest ; alia si non habeas, hoc habe, et implevisti Legem : )) haec Augustinus. Et ilerum : HoG estprdeceptum meum, ut diligatis invicem, sicut dilexi vos, id est ut diligatis opere, ut quod tibi vis fieri facias alteri, et quod tibi non vis fieri, nec tu alteri facias.
Ubi notandum,quod tripHciter diiexit nos Christus. — Primogratuite, quia in dilectione nos praevenit, ipsu enim incepit, non exspectavit, quod nos inciperemus diligere ; sic ergo et nos dehemus prius diligere proximos, non exspectantes praBveniri,seu beneficiari. Et multo magis debemus Deum rediligere, quia, secundum Augustinum, nulla est major ad amorem invitatio, quam praevenire amando, et nimis durus est animus qiii dilectionem, etsi nolebat impendere, nolit et rependere. Dilectio ergo Dei causa est dilectionis nostrae, sed non e converso : non enim quia nos dili • gimus Deum, diligit nos; sed (^uiadiligit nos, diligimus eum, et quia eum, et proximurn. Et quia per caritatem Christus ad nos redimendos venit,sectemur caritatem,ut per hanc, qua ad nos Christus descendit dilectionis viam,etiam nos ad ipsumpossimus ascendere. — Secundo efficaciter, quod patet per opus, dando seipsum, etponendo animampro nobis, quiaprobatio dilectionis exhibitio est operis. Nos ergo hoc exemplo efficaciter et fructuose invicem diligamus, secundum illud Joannis : JSondiligamus verbo, neque lingua, sed opere et veritate. Et multo magis Deum dihgamus,ut sermonem et mandata ejus servemus.
— Tertio recte, quiahanc dilectionem ad nostrambeatitudinem ordinavit, et ut ad Deum nos traheret; non sicut homines sese invicem carnaliter, et pro commodo terreno diligentes. Sic ergo et nos in proximis, non quod beneficii est, seu dilectionis, sed quod Dei est debemus dihgere, et invicem ad hoc, ut Deum habcamus. Sunt enim : amici naturae, et sunt amici fortunae, et sunt amici gratise, et hi ultimi soh approbantur a Deo. Licet enim in dilectione proximi, includaturdilectioDei tamquam principaliur, quia proximus non est dihgendus nisi propter Deum ; Salvator tamen hic magis facit mentionemexpressamde dilectione proximi, quam Dei, cum dicit, invicem, quia intendebat Apostolos inducere ad aedificationem, et consolaticnem fidelium, et ad perferendas tribulationes persecutorum, ad quod necessariaest caritas proximi. quae tamen, ut dictum est, includit caritatem Dei.
Et iterum : Majorem hac dilectionem nemo habet, ut animam suam ponat quis pro amicis suis. Dilectionem vocat hic signum, et probationem dilectionis, id est exhibitionem operis, transferens de causa ad eflFectum. Et quidem nuilum majus dilectionis argumentum est. quam ponere animam pro amicis, hoc enim est ultimum signum amoris, uitra quodnon estaliudinveniri. Amor namque per qualuor signa potest manifestari : primo, per verba, quando enim cor abundat in amore, tunc osabundat in sermone, quia, ex abundantia cordis os loquitur ; secundo, per collata beneficia, et istud est majus signum quam primum, quia multi servirent de verbis suis, qui non servirent de suis rebus ; tertio, per obsequia personalia. et istud est adhuc majus signum quam primum vel secundum, multi enim servirent de sua substantia, qui non servirent de sua persona; quarto per adversa, quando scihcet quis pro amore amici se exponit morti, multi enim darent personam ad serviendum, qui non darent animam suam ad moriendum. In hoc ergo quod Christus pro nobis crucifigi et mori voluit, infinitam nobis caritatemostendit. Ifbi Gregorius : « Mori etiam pro inimicis Dominus venerat, et tamen po.
siturum se animam pro amicis dicebat, ut nobis ostenderet, quoniam cum diligendo lucrum facere de inimicis possumus, etiam ipsi amici sunt qui persequuntur. Consequens ergo est, ut quemadmodum Christus animam pro nobis posuit, sic et animas pro fratribus ponamus. » Quatuor enim sunt diligenda per ordinem ex caritate, scilicet : Deus, anima, proximus, et corpus. Et ideo cum caritassitordinata: pro ipso Deo, qui est primum et maximum diligibile, ex caritate debent alia tria exponi, sicut minus promajori ; pro anima vero propria debet proximus et corpus proprium contemni ; et pro salute proximi debet vita corporalis exponi.
Et itCrum : Hwc mando vobis, ut diligatis invicem, quia aliter nullum solatium habebitis, nisi in vobis iuvicem habeatis, sed absque dilectione, solatium, et consolationem in vobis invicem habere non potestis. Prgeceptum dilectionis semper inculcat, et tamquam sola dilectio praecipienda sit, eam semper commendat. Et revera ille qui ait, habe caritatem et fac quaecumque vis, quasi solam caritatem visus est pra3cepisse ; et merito, quia ipsa valet sine usibus multarum virtutum,sed ceteraomnianon valent sine ea. Unde, secundum Grregorium, de dilectioce quasi de singulari mandato Dominus loquitur, quia omne mandatum de sola dilectionc L)E I\ CoFW. est, et omnia unum praeceptum sunt. Quidquld enim praecipitur , in sola caritate soiidatui'. Multa sunt per diversitatem operis, unum in radice dileclionis. Et plura alia hujusmodi dilectionem incitantia Dominus dicebat, quae Joannes hic conscripsit.
De dilectione fraterna nullus Apostolorum tantum loquitur quantum Joannes, et hic et in cpistolis suis. Leoitur etiam de eo quod jam senex effectus portabatur ad ecclesiam a discipulis suis, ut fideles instrueret, quibus hoc tantummodo dicebat : Filioli, diligatis invicem. , et in hoc estperfectio disciplinae Christiange. Unde dicitur specialiter a Deo dilectus, non solum propter privilegium virginitatis, sed etiam propterspecialitatem caritatis.
Tertio, circa sermonem mediteris, quoniodo monuit discipulos ad observantiammandatorumsuorum,dicens : Si diligitis me,mandata mea servate, implendo ea facto, et opere. Quasi diceret : Non ostendatis amorem quem habetis ad me fletusolum, sed per obedientiam mandatorum. In hocenim mundi hujus potestates suos amicos et fideles probant et cognoscunt, si eis obediunt, et eorum mandata custodiunt, quia, secundum Gregorium, probatio dilectionis exhibitio est operis. Et iteruin : Qui habet mandata mea et servat ea, ille est qui diligit me, scilicet opere et veritate, et non tantum lingua et sermone, hoc est : ille habot veram dilectionem ad me. Ubi Augustinus : « Qui habet in memoria, et servat in vita; qui habet in sermonibus, et servat in moribus; qui habet audiendo, et servat, perseverando : ille est, inquit, qui diligit me. Opereest demonstranda dilectio, ne sit intructuosa nominis appellatio. » Unde et illud Joannis : Quidicit quia diligit Deum, et mandata ejus non custodit^mendax est. Et iterum : Si quis diligit me, \d est dilectionem in me tendit, sermonem meum serva6«Xidest mandata mea ad faciendum ea ; quia obedientia procedit ex amore, qui est in corde.
Sermonem ergo et verba Dei tunc servamus, quando facimus quse praecepit, et diligimus quai promisit. Qui autem verba tenet per memoriam, et non cohaeret illis per obedientiam, non sunt ei in beneficium, S(! d in damnationis testimonium. Unde ait Gregorius : « Vere diligimus, si a nostris nos voluptatibus coarctamus. Nam qui adhuc per illicita desideriadefluit, Deum profccto non amat; quia ei in sua voluntate contradicit. Ille ergo vere amat, cujus videlicetmentemdelectatioprava, ex consensu non superat. Nam, tanto quisque a superno amore disjungitur, quauto iuferius delectatur : )» haec Gregorius. Et iterum : Si praeceipta mea servaveritis, manebitis in dilectione mea, id est ex hoc scietis vos dilectos a me, et quod in dilectione mea qua vos diligo, et in gratia mea manetis, si praeceptamea servaveritis.
Servatio enimmandatorumest effectus etsignum divinae dilectionis; non solum ejus qua nos diligimus, sed et ejus qua ipse diligit nos ; ex hoc enim quod ipse nos diligit, monet nos, et adjuvat ad implendum ejus mandata, quae impleri non possunt nisi per graliam. Ostendit ergo, secundum Augustinum, non unde dilectio generetur, sed unde monstraretur, ut nemo se fallat, dicendo quod Deum diligat, si ejiis praecepta non servat. Nam in tantum Deum diligimus, in quantum ejus praecepta servamus; in quantum autemminusservamus, minus diligimus. Nemo praecepta servat, qui non diligit ; et nemo dilioit, nisi qui servat. Nec prius servamus praecepta , ut nos diligat Christus ; sed nisi nos diligat,ea servare non possumus.
Et iterum : Vos amici mei estis, si feceritis quas ego prsecipio vobis, id est, si opera ostenderitis amicitiae et dilectionis : quoniam impleiio praeceptorum est signum dilectionis, et praeceptum est signum suae voluntatis; ideo, si ea quae praecepit non facerent, voluntatrs non consonarent, et sic amici non essent. Secundum Gregorium, amicus, quasi animi custos dicitur. Unde, non immerito, qui voluntatem Dei in praeceptis ejus custodire dicitur, illius amicus vocatur. Et, secundum eumdem Oregorium^ magna est misericordia Redemptoris, et dignitas hominum esse amicos Dei. Sed audisti gloriam dignitatis, cum dicitur : Vos amici mei estis ; audi et laborem certaminis, cum subditur : Sifeceritis qu8e ego praecipio vobis. Unde ait Augustinus: « Gumservusbonus esse nonpossit, nisi praecepta Domini sui fecerit, tiinc amicos suos voluit intelligi, unde boni servi possunt probari. 0 magna bonitas Dei ! Cum ei pro conditione reddere debeamus obsequia, utpole servi Domino, famuli Deo, subjecti potenti, mancipia Redemptori, amicitiarumnobispraemia promittit, ut a nobis obsequia debita servitutis extorqueat; ut quos nolle servire conspicit, sponte suorum beneficiorum possit promissionibus invitare : » liaec Augusiinus.
Nulius ergo sine operis attestatione credat se Deum diligere; sed, ut ait Gregorius, de dilectione Gonditoris lingua, mens et vita requiratur. Numquam est Dei amor otiosus, operatur etenim magna si est; si vero operari renuit, amor non est. Nemo itaque debet credere quod Deum diligat, qui eum ssepe corde non cogitat, qui eum ssepe ore non laudat, qui ejus mandata opere non servat. Unde idem Gregorius : « Si ab aliquo quaeretur, utrum Deum amat, libere, respondet : Ita; sed constat, ut ipse dicit, quod probatio dilectionis, exhibitio est operis. » Ergo, si vere Deum diligis, quaerendum est a corde, ab ore, et ab opere. — Primo requiras a corde tuo, quia quod amat, deeosaepe cogitat ; unde luxuriosi saepe cogitant de deliciis carnis, avari de divitiis, et superbi de eminentiis, sed viri vere spirituales de divinis. Si ergo non saepede Deo cogitas,non credas te vere amare eum. Item omnis, homo maxime de eo cogiiat, quod prae ceteris amat; ergo, si de mundo magis quam de Deo cogitas, mundum magis quam Deum amas.
— Secundo, si Deum diligis, a lingua tua requiras ; quia dixit : Exabundantia enim cordis os loquitur. Nam idem est verbum cordis et oris, sed in corde est nudum, in ore vestitum, lingua ergo libenter illum nominat, quem cor amat; et ideo, si plus de mundo, quam de Deo fatur, magis mundum, quam Deum diligere convincitur. — Teriio, an Deum diligas, ab opere tuo requiras, non enim potest ignis esse, et non ardere. Si ergo ignis divinus est ia corde tuo, non poteris vacare otio ; sed si otio vacas, ignem non habes, quia, ut scriptum est : Garitas non est otiosa, operatur enim, si est; si operari renuit, caritas non est. Ad hoc ergo quod aliquis Ghristum veraciter diligat, necesse est, ut Deo amando nihil praeponat, et proximum suiim sicut se diligat, ac dilectionem corde, ore, et opere ostendat. Hoc etiam quod dictum est : Vos amici mei estis, dupliciter potest intelligi, secundum quod amicus dupliciter dicitur, scilicet et qui amat. et qui amatur; et secundum utrumque verum est quod subdit : Si feceritis quss ego prdecipio vobis, quia et qui Deum amant, mandata ejus servant, et quos Deus amat, mandata illius servant, in quantum conferendo eis gartiam suam adjuvat ad ea servandum. Sed, ut visum estsupra,mandatorum observatio non est divinae amicitiae causa, ast signum, scilicet quod Deus diligat nos, et quod nos diligamus eum.
Et plura alia hujuscemodi Dominus tunc dicebat. 10 Patienti^ commendatio, eo quod Christus et ipse odio fuit obnoxius et tristitia vertetur in gaudium. — Quarto, circa sermonem mediteris, qualiter dando eis confidentiam circa pressuras , quas eis praedixit esse venturas, praemunit et hortatur ipsos ad patientiam, ne deficiant in tribulationibus, dicens : Si mundus vos odit, id est mundani et amatores mundi, qui deliciis et honoribus sunt dediti, scitote, scilicet ad consolationem vestram, quia me priorem vobis odio habuit. Unde scriptum est in Psalmo : Odio habuerunt me gratis. Quasi diceret, secundum Chrysostomum : Scio hoc esse durum et difficile, sed propter me patiemini ; et ideo non doIere,sed et laetari oportet, et sufficit vobis in consolationem propter mehsec pati. Grandis consolatio membris ex capite, quia non debent conditionem capitis refutare. Unde Augustinus : « Cur se membrum supraverticemextollit? Recusas esse ia corpore, si non vis odium mundi sustinere cum capite.
» Deinde ostendit, cur oditeos mundus,scilicet quia aon sunt demundo, id est ex parte ejus : nihil enim communecumterraesleis, sed coelestium facti cives; et propter hoc mundi odium patienter est sustinendum. Unde dicit Chrysostomiis : (( Hoc est virtutis argumentum, a mundo odio haberi ; et inde dolere oportet, si a mundo diligeremini, hoc enim esset malitiae vestrae ostensivum. )) Unde et Gregorius : a Nam perversorum derogatio vitse nostrae approbatio est; quia jam ostenditur nos aHquid justitiae habere, si illis displicere incipimus, quinon placent Deo. » Et, quia exemplo sui, quo aliud majus et melius non est, monuit ad ferenda odia mundi, subdit quare eum debeant imitari, quia ille Dominus, ipsi servi. Mementote, inquit, sermonis mei, quem dixi vobis : Non est servus major Domino suo. Si, pro quia, me persecuti sunt, quia sum Dominus, et vos persequentur, qui servi estis ; persequentur vos in quibus ego sum, et per consequens me in vobis. Non potest placere servus, quibus displicet Dominus. Unde Chrysostomus : « Quasi diceret : Non vos turbari oportet, si communicabitis meis passionibus, quia vos non estis me potiores '» Et iterum : Mundus quidem, id est mundani, in deliciis, divitiis, atque ambitione viventes, gaudebit, lamquam de me triumphaverit; quia in triduo mortis Christi Judaei mundo dediti gavisi sunt, credentes exstinxisse totamsectam Christi, vos autem constristabimini, de mea morte et absentia ; sed tristitia vestra vertetur in gaudium, in Resurrectione, et apparitione seu praesentia, et Ascensione, et maxime in Spiritus Sancti missione.
Et revera contristatisuntdemorteDomini,sedmox de Resurrectione laetati. Nam post lacrymationem et Iletum. infudit Deus exsultationem et gaudium. Ubi notandum, quod si cui promitteretur, ab 60 qui esset verax et potens facere promissum, quod omnes illius lapides verteret in aurum, utique ille congregaret hinc inde lapides, quam posset piures etmajores; nunc igitur promittitur nobis, ab ipso qui veritas est, et potens super omne quod est, quod tristitia nostra vertetur in gaudium, ideo multum libenter debemus sustineretristitias, et pressuras hujus mundi, in augmentum nostri gaudii. Unde non dixit : Post tristitiam vestram vobis erit gaudium ; sed ait : Tristitia vestra vertetur in gaudium^ ita quod hoc ipsum, quod est tristitiam habere, in cumulum gaudii postea convertetur.
Ad ostendendum autem et moeroris et gaudii immensitatem, inducit similitudinem, declarando quod dixerat per exemplum mulieris, in dolore partus tristitiam habentis ; sed in nativitate pueri gaudium superveniens absorbet in ea omnem tristitiam praecedentem. Deinde hoc paradigma, quod de muliere proposuit Dominus exponit, et similitudinem adaptat, dicens : Et vos igitur nunc quidem tristitiam habetis, scilicet in tempore meae Passionis, et mortis, quasi jam parturientes, iterum autem videbo vos, et gaudebit cor vestrum, scilicet post meam Resurrectionem; et gaudium vestrum nemo tollet a vobis, quia vita Christi quae fuit materia hujus gaudii, erat deinceips immortalis, non amplius auferenda per mortem. Tristitiam enim habuerunt, passo Domino; sed post Resurrectionem gavisi sunt, nempe, viso Bomino, et gaudium eorum non tollebatur ab eis, quia etsi postmodum persecutiones et tormenta pro Christo passi sunt, spe tamen resurrectionis et visionis illius accensi, libenter adversa quaeque ferebant, imo gaudium existimabant, cum in tentationes varias inciderent. Possuntautem et haec ita intelligi, ut in discipulis universae loquatur Dominus Ecclesiae, velut etiam quando ait : Ecce ego vobiscum sum usque ad consummationem seculi. Mundi enim amatores gaudent, quia in praesentibus delectantur, nuUa alterius vitae gaudia sperantes; sed boni inserumnis hujus vitae tristantur, et plorant pro peccatis propriis, et alienis, pro hujusce mundi incolatu, et dilatione re^ni coelestis; et per hujus vitae tribulationcs et angustias, ad seterna contendunt gaudia coeli, quia per multas tribulationes oportet nos intrare in regnum Dei. Dicens ergo Dominus : Lterum autem videbo vos, secundum promittit adventum, quoad universam videlicct Ecclesiam,ad remunerandum ex integro. Ac si diceret : Iterum videndus apparebo vobis seterna visione, eripiam vos ab adversariis, assumam vos ad meipsum, coronabo vos victores, probabo me semper vidisse vos decertantes. Unde Alcuinus : « Mulier autem sancta Ecclesia est, propter fcecunditatem bonorum operum, et quia spirituales Deo filios generat; hsec mulier^ dum parit, id est dum in mundo virtutum protectibus insistit, dum undique tentatiir et affligitur, tristitiam habet de hoc, quia venit hora ut patiatur, quia nemo carnem suam odio habuit Sed cum peperit, id est cum, devicto laboris certamine, ad palmam pervenerit, jam non meminit pressurse prsecedentis, propter percepta& gaudium retributionis, quia natus est homo in mundum.
Sicut enim mulier, nato in hoc mundo hominc, laetatur; ita Ecclesia, nato in vitam aeternam fidelium populo, exsultatione repletur. » Unde et Beda : « Nec novum debet videri, si natus dicatur, qui ex hac vita migraverit. Sic enim consuete nasci dicitur, cum quis de utero matris procedens in hanc lucem progreditur; ita potest natus appellari, qui solutus a vinculis carnis ad lucem aeternam sublimatur. Unde Sanctorum solemnia non funebria, sed natalitia vocantur :
Deinde concludit Dominus conclusionemprincipaliterintentam ; ad hoc enim dixit praedicta omnia, ut firmarentur discipuii contra tribulationes eis imminentes,et adversa, unde ait : Hdec ornnia^ quae dixi in sermone isto,/ocM^M5. 5wmi;o6i. ^,scilicet ad hunc finem, et ideo, ut inmepacem habeatis, advenientibus tribulationibus futuris, quia sicut grave quietatur in loco proprio, ita cor humanum in Deo. Et inde est, quod homines mundani, qui Deo per amorem non sunt conjuncti, hahent tribulationes absque pace ; sed Sancti, qui Deum per amorem habent in corde, etsi ex mundo habent tribulationes, in Christo tamen habent pacem. Hic finit sermonem suum, ut pius Pater utiliora ponens in fine, scilicet de pace, ad quam omnes conatur invitare. Unde Glossa : « Non solum quae in coena, sed etiam quae ab initio praedicationis suae, et maxime quae in coena, hac de causa dicit, ut in illo pacem habeant : pacem pectoris in praesenti, pacem aeternitatis in futuro. Haec pax est pro qua Christiani facti sumus, pro qua sacramentis imbuimur, pro qua flagellis et aliis modis erudimur, pro qua Spiritus pignus accepimus, pro qua in eum credimus et speramus, et amore ejus accendimur. Haec est in pressuris consolatio et liberatio, ut hac in fine feliciter regnemus cum Christo.
In hoc ergo sermonem concludit, quia ipse est consummatio viae, et bealitudo patriae. » Unde et Augustinus : « Haec pax finem temporis non habebit, sed om nis piae nostrae intentionis. actionisquefinisipsaerit » Et subjungit : In mundo pressuram habebitis , scilicet ab hominibus vos utique persequentibus, in me autem pacem habebitis. Quasi diceret, secundum Gregorium : Sit vobis de me interius quod consolando reficiat, quia erit de mundo exterius, quod saeviendo graviter premat. Sancti enim viri non habent tribulationes puras, quia habent consolationem Dei admixtam; scd mali habent tribulationes puras, non habentes consolationem istam. Sed confidite^ id estfiduciamin mehabete, quia ego pro vobis vici mundum, et non praevalebit. Quasi dicerel : Recurratis ad me,et habebitis pacem in me. Christus vicit mundum, diripiendo et auferendo arma ejus quibus impugnat, haec autem sunt ejus concupiscibilia : Nam omne quod est in m.
undo, aut est concupiscentia carnis, quani destruxit per afnictioiieiii e. t laborem ; aut concupiscentia oculorum, quam destruxit per paupertatem suam; aut superbia vit ae, qudim destruxit per humiiitatem. In liac. victoria Christi debent confidere Sancti, quia consideratione ejus armati, et virtutibus muniti, faciliter superant tentationes mundi. Propter quod dicit Petrus : Christo in carne passo, et vos eadem cogitatione armamini. Qui ergo sicut Christus istaconcupiscibiliavincit, vincit mundum Et hoc, secun(ium . foannem, facit fides nostra, quia cum sit substantia sperandorum, quae sunt bona spiritualia et aeterna, facit nos contemnere bona corporalia et transitoria. Et alia plura his similia tunc dicebat Dominus.
Quiuto, circa sermonem mediieris, quahter ipse Dominus . Jesus, eo, qui erat ad discipulos serm »ne finito, (de quo, secundum Bedam, in coena locutus est usque ad haec verba : Surgite, eamus hinc) deinde stando usque adhymni finem, cujus hoc initium est, et sublevatis oculis^ aspiciens in coilum se ad Patrem suum convertit, et ad ipsum verba dirigens orare coepit. Chnstus nontantumoravitadahquidimpetrandum,scd etiam ad dandum nobis orandi exempium ; et ideo oratio sua hic describitur optimis circumstantiis disposita. — Primo, respectu praecedentium : quia post sermonem, et discipulorum instructionem, convertit se ad orationem. -ad ostendendum quud complementum boni operis est a Deo requirendum, et, ut quos instruimus verbo, juvemus orationum suffragio, quia sermo divinus maxime habet etfectum in cordibusaudientium, cum fulcitur oratiune, per quam divinum impioratur auxilium ; et ideo finis sermonis nostri debet ad orationem terminari. — Secundo, respectu prae. sentium : quia orando principaliter oculos levavit ad coelum, ad denutandum, quod in omni oratione mens debet elevari in Deum ; quoniam, secundum Damascenwjw, oratio esfascensusmentisad Deum. Inter aiiasautem partes corporis, dispositio interior liienlis maxime relucet in oculis; ubi enim amor, ibi oculus.
Unde Chrysostomus: a Propterhoc in coelum oculos levavit, ut stanlessursum aspiciamus; non oculis carnis solum, sed et mentis. Sancti ergo quandoque erecti et elevantes oculos ad coeluni orant , non ut superbi, sed ut humiles, ut orationem ad Deum dirigendam , et c(jelestia tantum petenda esse ostendant. » Unde Psalmista : Ad te levavi oculos meos^ qui habitas in caelis. Et non solum oculos, sed et operationes nostras in Deum rc^ferre debemus, secundum illud Threoorum : Levemus corda nostra, cum manibus ad Deum in ccbUs ; per manus enim designantur operationes. — Tertio, respectu sequentium : quia articulo Passiunis sibi imminente, et pressuris discipulorum prsedictis, oravit ad Patrem suum, ad designandum, quod pressuris et tribulationibus imminentibus, debet homo per orationem recurrere ad Deum, sicut Moyses, Susanna, et alii plures, clamaverunt ad Dominum cum tribularentur, et ipse liberavit eos. i4 Primo Christus orat pro semetipso. — Orat autem Christus primo pro se, deinde pro membris. Pro se orat, tum secundum humanam naiuram, tum secundum divinam : secundum humanam naturam, pro clarificatione in Passione, pro clarificatione Resurrectionis, pro clarificatione Ascensionis, pru clarificatione judicii, quam habebitin eo post illud; secundum uivinam naturam orat pro notitia et manifestatione claritatis Patris et Filii, in quibus intelligitur nexus et amor amborum, scilicet Spiritus Sanctus, quia medium saepe intelligilur in extremis.
Horum trium sadem e^t claritas, natura, et essentia, eadem pbtentia, scientia , et bonitas. Postulat ergo ipse Christus claritatem suam, ab aeterno Patre habitani, ad huoianam cognitionem et notiliam pervenire; ne ipsum purum hominem arbitrantes, de Passiunis ignominia verecundiam recipiant, ac de Resurrectionis gloria desperantes a fine deficiant. i5 Christus orat pro Apostolis. — Pro membris dupliciter orat : primo, pro membris credontibus, et jam capiti adhaerentibus; secundo , pro credituris per verbum jam credentium. Orat ergo pro discipulis et memhris jam credentibus, et recommendat eos Patri, dicens : Pater sancte^ serva eos, conservando a malo, et custodiendo in bono, in nomine tuo, id est iti fide ac confessione, et veritate et virtute nominis tui, quos dedisti mihi, pro fundamento Ecclesiae per eos fundandae, per spiritualem amicitiam eos mihi conjungendo; ut sint unum^ et uniti per cat-itatem, siGut et nos, unum sumus per naturam, ita quod, sicut, non importat aequalitatem, sed quamdam similitudinem et imitationem longinquam. Sum ego Filius tuus per naturam; sicut et illi filii tui et fratres mei per gratiam. Vel, secundum Augustinum, ut quemadmodum Pater et Filius non tantum aequalitate substantiae , sed etiam voluntate unum sunt; ita et hi non tantum per hoc quod ejusdem naturae sunt, sed etiam per eamdem dilectionis societatem unum sint. GujusCumque perfectio nihil aliud est quam participatio divinae similitudinis : in tantum enim boni sumus, in quantum Deo assimilamur.
Ego pro eis rogo, quoad efficaciam, quia tui sunt, per aeternam praedestinationem; non pro mundo rogo, id est mundi dilectoribus, etperdilis secundum tuam praescientiam. Hoc dicit, quia efficacia suae orationis tantummodo ad electos se extendit. Quamvis enim in se sit efficax pro omnibus, tamen mali ponunt sibi impedimentum, ne sint participes ipsius. Et licet jam non essent de mundo, adhuc tamen necessarium erat eos esse in mundo, ideo subdit : Non rogo, ut tollas eos de mundo; vel, propter aliorum salutem, quia adhuc sunt modo necessarii; vel, propter eorum utilitatem, quia in meritis non sunt consummati. Ubi Beda : « Quasi diceret : Jam imminet tempus ut ego tollar de mundo, ideoque necesse est ut isti nunc non tollantur de mundo, ut te et me primum annuntient mundo. » Sed ut serves eos a malo et defectu in pressuris. etipiendo de periculis, et dando eis permanentiam in fide, et constantiam in tribulationibus imminentibus. Hinc habes, quia Sancti non debent rogare, ut transeant de mundo, si adhuc eis conveniens non est, sicut nec istis conveniens erat.
Sanctifica eos, id est confirma in veritate fidei catholicae, ac vitae et doctrinae; sanctutn enim uno modo significat idem quod firmum. Ista autem confirmatlo Apostolorum facta est a Deo Patre, quando in die Pentecostes misit eis Spiritum Sanctum.
Deiudc orat pro fideli populo, dicens : Non pro eis autem rogo tantum; sed et pro eis qui, per totum orbem, credituri sunt in me, per verhum eorum, scilicet per verbum fidei et Evangelii, quod praedicaverunt, per quod omnes in Christum crediderunt, qui fidem illam habuerunt, quam Apostoli praedicaverunt. Quod verbum, dicitur eoruai, non quod per eos tantum sit praedicatum, imo et per Paulum et alios quoslibet praedicatores; sed eis primo et principaliter commissum est ad praedicandum, et ab ipsis est primitus ac praecipue praedicatum. Hoc est verbum fldei praedicatum, verbum Dei inspiratum, per quod credidit Latro, credidit Paulus, et quicumque umquam credidit in Christum. Unde, secundum Augustinum : « Oiimes suos ibi intelligi voluit ; non solum qui tunc erant in carne, sed etiam qui futuri erant. Quotquot enimpostea crediderunt in eum, per verbum Apostolorum sine dubio crediderunt, et donec veniat, credituri sunt. Per hos Evangelium ministratum est, et antequam scriberetur; etutique quisquis in Christum credit , Evangelio credit : » haec Augustinus. Rogat autem : Ut omnes unum sint, unitate fidei et caritatis, sicut et tu, Pater,^ in me, et ego in te, unum sumus, in unitate naturae et substantiae, ut et ipsi in nobis unum sint, fide et caritate ; vei, secundum Augustinum, potest referri ad unitatem amoris, sic : Sicuttu Pater es in me, et ego in te, per amorem; ita et ipsisint unum in uobis, Cm^K. per amorem, quia caritas facit unum esse cum Deo.
Quasi diceret : Sicut Pater diligit Filiuin, et e converso Filius Patrem; ita ipsi diiigebant Filium et Palrem. Fructiis autem unitatis est, ut mundus^ totus pi^iedicationeeorum conversus,creda^, et cogQoscat, quia tu me misisti, et quod doctrina quam dedi eis sit a te; sic onim omnes unum erunt. Nam per nihil aliud manifestatur veritas Evangelii, sicut per caritatem fidelium. Unde ait Chrysostomus : « Nihil enim tam scandalizat omnes, ut ab invicem dividi ; quod autem credentes fiant unum, hoc aedificat ad fidem. » Et ego claritatem quam dedistimihi, dedi sis; quia potestatem miraculorum, per quam declarata est divinitas Ghristi, dedit Apostolis. Unde ChrysostO' mus : « Claritatem dicit gloriam, quae est per signa et dogmata, et ut unanimes sint. » Subdit itaque : Ut sint unum, sicut et nos unum sumus, id est ut sint in vera unitate Ecclesiae , absque schismate. Unde idem Chrysostomus : « Haec enim gloria, ut sint unum, etiam signis major est.
» Ego in eis, per gratiam et per caritatis Spiritum, et tu in me, per unitatem scilicetnaturae et substantiae,et per consequcns etiam tu in eis per eumdem Spiritum. Vel, secundum Hilarium, ego in eis, scilicet sum per unitatem naturae human£e,quam eamdem habeo cum ipsis, et etiam quia do ipsis Corpus meum in cibum sacramentalem ; et tu in me per unitatem essentiae, ut sic sint consummati, id est perfecti in unum, quia per unionem humanitatis Christi ad Deum facta est unio totius creaturae. IJt sint, inquit, consummati in unum, in praesenti, in initate caritatis et gratiae per fidem ; et in futuro in unitate gloriaei, et fruitionis divinae per speciein. Ad hoc enim tota tendit oratio, in qua pluries inculcat orando ut sint unum. Sic omnes orare debent pro unitate gratiae in via, et pro consummatione gloriae in patria : ut hic habeant unitatem caritatis et gratiae per fidem, et ibi unitatem fruitionis et ^loriae per speciem. Inunione caritatis eonsistitperfeetio Christianae religionis, quia per hoc membra Ecclesiae conjuniruntur ad invicem, et capiti homini Christo, et ulterius ipsi Deo ; Qui enim adhseret Domino, unus spiritus est;ei sic pcr ." onseqiiens primum principium, quod est Deus, conjungitur homini, qui est quodammodo omnis creatiira. Finis autem unitatis est, ut cognoscat, tunc per speciem, mundus, cx inimico amicus effectus, id est credentes, quia tu me misisti, et dilexisti eos, sicut et me dilexisti.
Unde Augustinus : « In Filio quippe Pater nos diligit; quia in eo nos elegit. Cum igitur eorum quse fecit nihil oderit, quis digne possit loqui quantum diligat membra Unigeniti sui, et quanto amplius ipsum Unigenitum. » 17 Petit — Deiude petit conjunctionem membrorum ad caput, dicens : Pater, quos dedisti mihi, per veram fidem in tua praedestinatione ab aeterno, volo, id est oro et desidero, ut ubi sum ego, cito futurus, et illi sint meoum, id est in aetgrna beatitudine, in qua etiam jam erat Christus actualiter, quantum ad animam, quae estpars principalior hominis : ut videant claritatem meam, qiiam dedisti mihi, id est divinitatem meam, vel claritatem corporis mei glorificandi,utramque enim Christi claritatem, et secundum divinitatem , et secundum humanitatem Sancti ingloria videbunt; quia dilexisti me, essentiali dilectioue, ante constitutionemmundij et ab aeterno : hoc patet quantum ad Christi deitatem, similiter quantum ad humanitatem, in quantum Deus Pater aetermliterpraedestinavitipsam ad hanc gloriam et exaltationem. In ipso etiam dilexit nos ante mundi constitutionem praedestinatione, quia membra ejus sumus; et diligimur in illo qui totus diligitur, id est caput et corpus . Est enim iu nobis tamquam in templo suo, nos autem in illo secundum quod caput nostrum est. Ubi Augustinus : « In magnam spem Dominas Jesus suos erigit, qui majop esse non possit ; audite et estote in spe gaudentes, ut esse possitis in tribulaiione patientes, audite, inquam, et in quo spes nostra levetur, attenSKfirxlCK PARTIS CAfTT IVIT dite. Christas Jesus dicit ; audite, credite, sperate, considerate quod clicit : Pater, inquit, quos dedisti mihi^ volo ut ubi ego sum, et illi sint mecum. Qui sunt isti quos ait a Patre datos sibi?
Nonne illi de quibus alio in loco dicit : Nemo potest venire ad me nisi Pater, qui misit me , traxerit eum? )) Et iterum : a Quapropter omnibus membris suis promittit hoc prcemium, ut ubi est ipse et nos cum illosimus. Nec poterit non fieri,quod omnipotenti Patri se velle dixit omnipotens Filius : » haec Augustinus. Unde et Anselmus : « Inter haec, cum discipulos sacratissima illa oratione commendans : Pater, dixerit, Pater, serva eos in nomine tuo, inclina caput tuum, ut merearis audire : Volo ut ubi ego sum et illi sint mecum; bonum est tibi hic esse, sed exeundum est : » haec Anselmus.
0 Quam dulcissima orationis verba, antidotum et remedium ad omnem adversitatem et peccatum ; cujus dulcissimae orationis principium et finis in pace et dilectione consistit, ad quam praecipue, ut dictum est, tendit ! Et multa alia Dominus Jesus discipulis dicebat, quae vere corda devota scindebant. Si ergo in sermone quae dicta sunt attente discusseris, et diligenter meditando ruminaveri. s, in eorum dulcedine requiescens; merito inardescere poteris ad tantam dignationem, benignitatem, providentiam, diligentiam, et caritatem, et circa alia per Dominum hoc sero gesta. Ex quibus potcris colligere fasciculum contra omnem tentationem et adversitatem , salubre consolationis remedium.
Interomnia enim memoralia Christi, praecipua recordatione constat esse dignissimum finale illud sacratissimae coenae convivium, in quo non solum agous paschalis proponitur ad edendum ; verumetiam Agnus immolatus, qui tollit peccata mundi, sub specie panis praebetur incibum. Inquo quidem convivio mira dulcedo bonitatis Christi refidsit, quando cum pauperculis illisdiscipulis,et Judaproditore, eadem mensa et scutella coenavit. Mirum claruit humilitatis exemplum, dum pedes piscatorum et proditoris sui, Rex gloriae praecinctus linteo studiosissime lavit. Mira patuit munificentiae ipsius largitas,dum sacerdotibus illis primis, et per consequens toti Ecclesiae et orbi terrarum Corpus suum sacratissimum, et Sanguinem vere in cibum dedit et potum. Mirus tandem emicuit dilectionis excessus, quando in fine diligens suos tam dulci exhortatione confortavit in bono, Petrum specialiterpraemonens ad fidem et robur, et Joanni conferens pectus ad recubitum dulcem et sacrum. 0 quam mira sunt haec omnia repleta dulcedine illi dumtaxat animae, quae ad tam celebre vocata convivium, tanto mentis currit ardore, ut possit illud propheticum cantare : Quemadmodum desiderat cervus ad fontes aquarum, etc. ! Conspice ergo Dominum dum loquitur, quomodo efficaciter, devote et delectabiliter loquens, imprimit discipulis suis quae narrat; et pascaris in amoenitate aspeclus et verborumejus.
Conspice etiam discipulos, quomodo sunt moesti, lacrymantes et suspiria dantes. Pleni enim sunt tristitia, ut de hoc ipsa Veritas testimonium fert, dicens : Sed quia hxc, scilicet de recessu meo, locutus sum vobis, tristitia implevit cor vestrum, et doletis me vestris corporalibus subtrahi oculis. Inter alios autem conspice Joannem. eidem familiarius cohaerentem, qualiter attente et diligenter hunc dilectum suum aspicit, et tenerius anxiatus omnia verba ejus recolligit. Ipse enim solummodo ea describens tradidit nobis. Benedictus ipse Joannes, qui supra pectus Domini recumbens haec potavit, et memoriter retinens nobis ea scripsit. Nullus sic fideliter et familiariterDomino adhaesit, ut Joannes. In coena juxta eum sedit, licet esset junior aliorum; et quando captus fuit, secutus est eum in atrium principis sacerdotum; et nec in crucifixione nec in morte,necpost mortem eum dimisit, quousque sepultus fuit.
QO (jRATIIS egreditur Dominus. — Et, quia DomiDE SEKMONE ET OllATlONE iiLis videbat discipulos formidare ettimere : tum ratione temporis, qiiia nox erat; tum ratione loci, quia in civitate manifeste sistebant, ita ut frequenter circumvolverunt oculos ad ostium domus, quasi imaginantes et exspectantes invadi et capi ab hostibus, et propter hoc minus intendentes his qua) dicebat; idi;o ut melius verba qu3e dicturus erat intelligerent, et ut ad locum unde tradendus erat veniret, inter alia eis discumbentibus dixit : Surgite, eamus hinc^ scilicet ad locum alium magis securum et secretum, ubi aestimantes vos securosattentiusaudiatis verba mea, et melius attendaiis ad ea (juae sunt vobis dicenda ; ad locum unde tradendus sum ad mortem, ad separationem a vobis corporaliter in hoc mnndo, ad angustiam et Passionem meam ; et quicumque voluerit post me venire, abneget semetipsum ; et tollat crucem suam, et sequatur me. Et, tu, ora eum, ut non sinat te a suo latere separari sed concedat tibi secum ire, et eum sequi, sive ad mortem,sivead vitam. 0 quantus pavor in discipulos intravit nescientes quo velquaiiterire deberent, et de ipsius separatione plurimumformidantes! Merito autem de tanto convivio gratiae reddendseerant Deo; et ideo post coenam, hymnum, id est canticum divinae laudis dixit, et gratias egit, sicut et ante coenani fecerat, ut sciiicet addiscas, et ante cibum et post cibum gratiarum reddere actiones. Unde Chrysostomus : (( Audiantquicumquevelut porcisimpliciter manducantes cum ebrietate surgunt, cum deceret gratias agere, et hymnum concinere, et mensam desinere; audiant quicumque ultimam orationem in sacris mysteriis non exspectant, ultima enim oratio missae, illius hymni est signum. Gratias ergo egit antequam sacra mysteria discipulis daret. ut et nos gratiasagamus ; liymnumdixitpostquam dedit,utet noshoc ipsum faciamus; » haec C hry sostomus.
t nde etBeda : «Simul etiam et hocostendit, quod amplectibile erat sibi pro nobis mori, quia cum tradendus erat Deum Jaudare dignatus est ; docet et nos cum in angustias incidimus, propter multorum salutem non contristari, sed Deo gratias agere, qui in nostra tribulatione, operatur multorum salutem )) Tandem multiscompletis mysteriis, et hymno dicto, pro Sacramenti institutione, et novoe vitae denuntiatione, hora completorii, egreditur de loco ccenae , cuni discipulis suis ; exierunt in montem Oliveti, ad locum extra civitatem, ad queni sciebat venturum proditorem, ultro se ofTereiis Passioni, ut ostenderet se voluntarie subire mortem, et desiderare nostramredemptionem. IIieenim locus erataptusad capiendum Ghristum, quia erat a civitale remotus ; et i[)si quaerebant capere eum sinc strepitu turbarum. Praecedit ipse, tu eum sequere, et conspice discipulos euntes post eum, et cum eo quomodo quilibet qui magis potest, magis eidemapproximat, el congregatim pergentes, sicut moris est pullorum pergere post gallinam, impellunt eum modo unus, modo alius ex desiderio appropinquandi et audiendi verba ipsius. Ipse vero libenter et patienter sustinebat ab eis, et tunc locutus est eis complendo sermonem, euado per viam et in horto. 21 Vallis Josaphat et hortus Gethsemani, ubi in oratione pernoctare CONSUEVERAT DoMiNus. — Et hsec cum dixisset Jesus, egressus est cum discipulis suis versus Orientem, trans torrentem Cedron, et vallem Josaphat, quae est inter Jerusalem et montem 01iv€ti a Septemtrione in Austrum porrecta,percujus vallismedium currit idem torrens Cedron. Est autem Cedron genitivus pluralis, qui Latine cedrorum dicitur, de quibus arboribus copia ibi erat in ripis torrentis ejusdem, unde sic appellatur. In hac valleest parvacampi planitiesirrigua et nemorosa, plenaque deliciis.
Vallis vero nomen accepit a rege Josaphat ibi sepulto, ubi a parte montis Sion in pede montis Oliveti, in ipsam vallem descendendo, est turris sepulchrum ejus continens ; cujus ad dexteram de rupe montis Oliviti, excisa et separata domus duo cavata habet sepulchra, scilicet Simeonis seuis, et Joseph sponsi iMariae Virginis, ibiqiie ei^at horlus in quem nitJesus ipse et discipuU ejus Et, veintroivit cum illis in viUam. quse dicitur Gcthsemani, ad radicem, seu pedem montisOliveti juxta campum,qui Gethsemani dicebatur ; unde et villa sic vocatur, ubiestecclesia adhserens rupi, sub qua Aj^ostoli erant somno praegravati, et intra erant canonici regulares cum Abbate, secundum regulam beati Augustini, Domino servientes. Et intravit cum ipsis in hurtum, qui in finevillae erat,et ad villam pertinebat, ubi traditorem suum et afhiatos exspectabat, sciejis omnia qude ventura erant super eum, secundum altissimae dispositionis arcanum. Et qui persecutores suos, etomnia in manu sua accepisse se noverat ; quia omnia dedit ei Pater in manus, sponte in manus persequentium se pone bat. Sciebat autem et Judas, qui tradebateum,locum ; quiafrequenterJesus convenerat illuc, cum discipuli suis, scilicet causa orandi secretius extra tumultum civitatis, et cnusa secretius loquendi cum discipluis familiariter instruendis. Itaque tradendus a discipulo, consueti secessus locum et Judae notum adiit, quo faGiilime re periri posset, manifestum se dans ad capiendum, ne mortem timere, vel invitus crucifigiputaretur. Unde bene dicitur : Et hymno dicto, exierunt,. , secundum consuetudinem,.
. . . in montem Oliveti, id est versus montem Oliveti; quia censuetus erat illuc ire, et morari de nocte, causa orationis. Nam, secundum Chrysostomum, consueverat frequenter Dominus extra civitates et vicos, in oratione pernoctare, et sic stratus molHtiem dechnare ; quinimo, secundum eumdem Chrysostomum, consuetudo Christi erat, maxime in solemnitatibus, post coenam discipulos seorsum ducere, et purum a tumultibus locum inquirere, ne mens impcdiretur ab auditione, et aliqua sublimia de festo eos docere, quae non erat fas alios audire. Gompletorium potest dici, quia in ipso completur cursus diei. SimiliterDominus noster Jesus Christus, completo cursu praedicationis, et coena ilia singulari tam gloriosissime celebratu et facta cum discipulis suis ; de qua coena et de sacratissimo dono Corporis et Sanguinis ejus ibi tradito debes frequenter devotissime cogitare, et quod lotis discipulorum pedibus, ac facto sermone, et dicto hymno, id esl gratiarum actione, exivit cum discipulis suis versus montem Oliveti, ubi capiendus eratet ab amicis separandus. Et quando complendum erat quod Propheta dixerat : Percutiam pastorem et dispergentur oves gregis; vade.
et tu, semper cum eo, et noli eum deserere, ne et ipse deserat te.
Mystice, egressus est Jesus extra civitatem JerosoIymam> ut nos egressuros de mundaniset mundi habitatione significaret, quando sacrificium Deo offerre volumus, et ut tumultum hominum fugere doceret,quandoorare vel familiaria cum nostris tractare intendimus. Egressus autem fuit traus torrentem Cedron, qui interpretatur tristis moBror, et significat viam Passionis, quam Christus perambulare voluit : quia sicut torrenstorrorecaloris solis cum impetu descendit; sic Christus calore caritatis et luce veritatis suocensus fluctus passionum impetum proprise vokmtatis sustinuit. Per hoc ergo quod Christus ivit illuc, imminente sua Passione, significatur quod Christianus ire volens ad marlyrium, debet imminens supplicium praecogitare, et per patientiam se armare : quia,secundum Gregorium. minus feriunt jacuia quae praevidentur, et tolerabiliora sunt mala quae praesciuntur. Et venit in villam Gethsemani, quae interpretatur t^tt//^s pmguedinis^ quae interprelatio ostendit, quantumhumilis,quantumdevotafuit Christi oratio quam ibi fecit ; in vallo enim humilitas, et in pinguedine devotio notatur. Secundum Remigium, Dominus appropinquans Passioni, in valle pinguedinis oravit, ut demonstraretur, quia per vallem humilitatis et pinguedinem caritatis pro nobis mortem suscepit. Humiliavit enim se usque ad mortem, et ex caritate posuit pro amicis animam suam. la horto etiaai oravit et capi voiuit, ut osteiideret quod satisfacere venerat pro peccato primoriim pareiitum iu horto commisso, id est interrestri paradiso ; vel, quod per suam Passioiiem nosmetipsos in hortum paradisi coronandos introducit.
Dicitur etiam posl communionemin montem Oliveti exxivisse et oravisse : quod repraesentat processio fratrum, quando post refectionem. exit in oratorium, ad gratias agendum ; per quod etiam datur intelligi, quod virtute Dominici sacramenti ascenditur ad culmengratiae et gloriae. Secundum autem Origenem, signanter hymno dicto, exierunt in mentem Oliveti seu Olivarum, per hoc designans quod, post perceptionem tanti sacramenti, fidelis homo nihil debet agere in convalle, nec circa aliquod terrenum se occupare. Sed, se cundumHiero? z^mww,debetascen(iere in montem Oliveti, id est in virtutum sublimia, ubi est laboris refectio, et doloris solatium, ac veri lumiuisnotitia apprehenditur. Oravit ergo Dominus in monte Ohveti, sive in horto a'd radicem ejusdem montis, quod totum vivum est, et plenum figuris : cum enim in monte orat, sursum nos, et pro coelestibus habere cor in oratione, et sublimia tantum orando inquiri debere docet ; cum in valle et hoc in valle pinguedinis, docet nos in oratione humilitatem et internae devotionis ad dilectionis pinguedinem servare, et ut non gestemus cor ariduni a caritatis pinguedine ; merito autem passurus Dominus ascendit in illum montem,un(le erat ascensurus in coelum, ut per hoc ostenderetur quod per tolerantiam passionis ad quietetn coelestis mansionis ascenditur. Unde Hieronymus : a In monte quidem Oliveli Jesus vigilat et orat, tetietur ac ligatur, ac inde ad coelos ascendit; ut nos sciamus, quia inde ad coelos ascendimus, unde vigihimus et oramus,Iigamur, et non repugnamus in terra. » Hic mous Oiiveti omni acceptione est dignus, in quo Dominus freijuenter morari et orare, ac multa et mira operari dignatus est.
Est autem in hoc moute ecciesia, in qua cum Abbate nigri monachi esse solebant.
Potes autem meditari quod Dominus Jesus dedit nobis in isto sero exemplum quinque magnarum virtutum, scilicet : humilitatis, in lavando pedes discipulorum ; caritatis, in instituendo sacramentum Corporis et Sanguinis sui, et in sermone qui est monitis caritatis repletus; orationis, in orando in horto et villa Gethsemani, tribus vicibus ; patientiae, insustinendo proditorem suum, et multaopprobria, quando fuitcaptuset ductus ut latro ; ohedientiae, in eundo ad Passionemet mortem ex Patris praecepto. In his ergo virtutibus et aliis eum pro posse imitari coneris. ORATIO Benignissime Jesu, qui pro credentibus et crediluris in te, ante tempus Passionis Patrem suppliciter exorasti, rogo, Domine, tuam clementiam et misericordiam pro illis et pro me, et pro omnibusmihi consanguinitate, affinitate, familiaritate, beneficio, oratione, recommendatione, vel quocumque modo conjunctis, seu cordi meo insertis, et universaliter pro omnibus fi(lelibus tam vivis quam defunctis, ut nobis vivis et gratiam in praesenti, et gloriam in futuro exhibeas ; ac defunctis misericordiam et requiem aeternam indulgeas, et, tu, qui omnium Redemptor es, etiam eorum Salvatorem te esse ostendas. Amen.
Scripture echoes
- ↩1John.3.18 — Little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and truth.
Notes
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