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Post by Hildegard on Mar 18, 2019 16:02:35 GMT
St. Vincent Ferrer Sermon - On Ash Wednesday
Mt 6:16-18 16 And when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fastest anoint thy head, and wash thy face; 18 That thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee. "But you, when you fast anoint your head, and wash your face..."(Mt 6:17ff) That which above all in this moral life is especially necessary for us for the remission of sins and the pursuit of the kingdom of heaven, is penitence. Nor do we have any other remedy for sins committed after baptism.
Note the similarity to a sailor undergoing shipwreck, after which the sailors have no other life saver except to place themselves on some planks and firmly hang on, otherwise... So it is with us. For the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the great captain, has built a beautiful ship for sailing safely to paradise, namely baptismal innocence. And whoever rightly sails with this, like the Blessed Virgin, arrives at paradise and to its gates. Of this ship according to the spiritual sense of the [scriptural] authority, "And when he entered into the boat," that is, baptism, " his disciples," that is Christians, "followed him," (Mt 8:23). This ship, baptismal innocence, has suffered shipwreck, and has been broken, wrecked upon the rocks of mortal sins, from the winds of diabolic temptations or the waves of carnal inclinations, or the dangers of worldly occupations, to the extent that there are so many dangers in the sea of this world that in ten thousand souls not one makes it with this ship of baptismal innocence, without sinning mortally, and so is wrecked. So, like sailors, if they are willing to cling firmly to the flotsam of penitence, they might yet survive. All the doctors say this, and the theologians, and canonists and lawyers are saying that penance is the second plank after shipwreck. But why is it called the second plank? What is first? For an answer note that there are two shipwrecks in human nature, and the first is general, the second particular. The first shipwreck was [the loss] of original justice from the sin of Adam, for then the ship of original justice was wrecked and all in it were drowned. Authority: "Wherefore as by one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death; and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned," (Rom. 5:12). For this reason, so that all can be saved, God ordained two planks, and the first
was baptism, the second, penance. Thus penance is called the second plank. But if we wish to speak of the special or particular shipwreck, which happens when you or another sin mortally,
then penance is called the first plank and not the second, because we do not have another remedy for salvation. Thus Christ said, "I say to you: but unless you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish,” (Lk 13:3). So penance is necessary for us. In the sermon theme Christ shows us how it is to be done, saying, "when you fast, anoint...etc." Christ shows us three necessary things, which we should be busy about at this time, if we wish to be saved with the plank of penance. This is subtly understood in the theme. First is penitential affliction (afflictio penitentialis), where, "When you fast," Second, spiritual prayer (oratio spiritualis), where "Anoint your head." Third is sacramental confession (confessio sacramentalis), where, "Wash your face." PENANCE I say first, etc. when it is said, "When you fast, etc." It must be known, however, that Christ and holy mother the Church which orders this fast, that the fast is an affliction for those who are not accustomed to fast. I say, therefore, "when you fast," presuming that all Christians fast, beginning today, from this day up to Easter, except for the six Sundays. And so there are
forty fast days, and so by fasting we are conformed to Christ like good disciples and good ministers to our Lord, who for us fasted for forty days. Thus the Apostle, "In all things let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, ... in fastings,” (2 Cor. 6:4-5). Note the word when he says "in much patience," because with much patience the affliction
of such fasting is accomplished, by conforming us to our Lord Jesus Christ. And first [patience] with ourselves, second with our neighbors, third in our own house. First, because you are not accustomed to fast, in the beginning it is difficult for you , because the first thing in the morning your stomach growls "I'm hungry, I'm hungry, I'm hungry," and a headache follows. Then, because you have not eaten, you find it hard to sleep, and so patience is necessary for yourself, because in this consists merit. Nor because of this should
you stop fasting, remembering that Christ endured much for you, and your sins have deserved much. So, to the extent that you diligently observe a diet for your physical health, you should the more so keep the diet ordained by Christ for the health of your soul, lest it happen to you like the fearful soldiers, who in the center of the battle when they hear the cannons,
are terrified and then retreat, when they should be more aggressive and fight more fiercely. Second, it is necessary to be patient with our neighbors. For some clergy because of their fasting become impatient. Even when someone speak to them politely, they react with anger.
Thus patience is necessary, otherwise the fast would become diabolical, if one would fast always, but impatiently and with malice.
Third, it is necessary that you be patient in your own home. If for example, when you come home for dinner, and the dinner is not ready, you should not be indignant with your wife or family, but patiently wait and in the meantime say a prayer, and if dinner is over-cooked or less well prepared, hold your patience and don't throw the plate at your wife's head. Behold why "in much patience." Sacred scripture concurs: " For patience is necessary for you,” supply, fasting, "that, doing the will of God," i.e. fasting, "you may receive the promise,"(Heb. 10:36).
Note, "in much fastings," namely forty days as he said. Now there arise three questions which you commonly ask. And the first is of those saying: I have already fasted three or four Lents, or even ten, and you always are saying that Lent happens after the example of Christ who fasted only one forty-day period, why therefore, do we fast for forty days every year? Since Christ did not fast but once in his life, especially because he said, "The disciple is not above the master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord," (Mt 10:24f)? For the answer note that this question proceeds from the ignorance of not considering the fact of Jesus Christ. How do you believe that Christ fasted those forty days? Some simple
folks would say that Christ fasted as we fast, eating once in the day etc. Others say that Christ took with him forty loaves of bread into the desert, and each day ate one. This is wrong. Some say that he was eating herbs, and this is false. Behold what the text of the gospel says. He fasted forty days in the desert, "And he ate nothing in those days," (Lk. 3:2). Now if you wish to fast one Lent in that way, and to endure a forty day period like that, I give you permission, lest you fast any other way. For Christ, his entire life was like the Lent which we observe, because he would eat only once in the day, and nowhere do we read that he ate meat, except the paschal lamb, to fulfill the law. Because, therefore, we cannot be compared
to him in this kind of fasting; because we are not able to go for forty days without food, thus holy mother the Church in ordering our fast takes the number forty days from Christ, namely forty in general. And in a general way, from his ordinary way of living, according the Master of History, we now receive the manner of our annual fast, namely eating only
once in the day, not meat, but Lenten food, because every action of Christ is an instruction, as Gregory says. Also, "... Jesus began to do and to teach," (Acts 1:1). The second question is whether some are exempt from this fast? I respond that many persons are excused because neither God nor holy mother the Church intends to oblige someone to the impossible, or to put someone in danger. So you ask what kind of people are exempted? I submit that, according to the theologians, there are eight kinds of people who are dispensed from this fast.
- The first exempted are pregnant women The reason is that such women have to provide for two persons, themselves and their son or daughter, because if they were to fast, the creation growing in their womb could be severely weakened and would not live long. Thus they can eat without sin. But if the woman is healthy and hearty, she can fast a little. - Second, women breastfeeding are excused for the same reason as above. - Third the sick are excused, not sick of any illness whosoever, but only of those which take away the appetite, lest they might be deprived of a good meal even once. Not [dispensed] are gout-sufferers, or the wounded and such illness, which do not disturb the appetite, and from indigestion, [de gutta] which results from excessive food and drink etc. They do not excuse. - Fourth, the poor, who at supper time do not have enough food, like those who beg at the door or others who have nothing or barely some cabbage with oil. If such can fast, they would
have great merit, but they are not obliged. About this see St. Thomas [Summa] II-II q. 118. The rich, however who are able to have fish and other such foods are bound to fast. - Fifth, those journeying on foot, because of necessity; those on horseback are not excused; the horse or the mule can eat, but you can't without sinning. - Sixth, laborers or miners, construction workers, who in whole or in part can't, and who otherwise could not provide for their wives and children. Seamstresses however and tailors, clerks and the like who do their work sitting down are not excused. - Seventh, children. But of what age? St. Thomas in IV Sent. and in II-II, q. 147, says that not all are bound to fast. Children may even be excused, who have not yet completed 21 years. The give you this advice for children seven or eight years old, it is enough that they fast on Good Friday. Others who are older, if eleven or twelve years old, once in the week and so on for the others. - Eighth, old folks of a certain age. When they have lost their appetite for eating or because they have lost their teeth, they should eat often or more often, like children. But old folks, eighty
years old or even older, who once could eat well, are not excused in some of the above lest they sin mortally. Therefore we all should fast with diligence. Otherwise if they are not excused for one of the aforesaid reasons, they sin mortally because they transgress the ecclesiastical precept, about which De Conse. di. 3. It is not permitted, and chap. It is not necessary and chap. It pleases. Thus the response to the second question is clear. So it is said, "And all the people cried to the Lord with great earnestness, and they humbled their souls in fastings, and prayers, both they and their wives," (Judith 4:8). The third question posed by some, and especially by rich people, asks if they can redeem their fasting through alms, or commute their obligation, saying since there are three penitential works,
namely fasting, prayer and almsgiving, and fasting is the least of the works, so these say, they may commute a lesser good into a greater good, i.e. fasting into almsgiving, and on their own, by their own authority and without permission commute [their obligation to fast]. But they are not excused by this. Note, as a response, just because simply speaking, all things being equal,
almsgiving is better than fasting, but on the other hand I say that obedience is better than fasting, prayer and almsgiving, "For obedience is better than sacrifices," (1 Kgs. 15). So, on this account, if you would give all that you possess in alms for the love of God, and by your own authority you break your fast, against obedience, all would be lost. Because the universal Church ordains this
fast, obedience to her should be observed. So Christ says to the keepers of the Church, "He that hears you, hears me; and he that despises you, despises me," (Lk 10:16). If therefore you have any need, you should go to the pastor, and if by chance the pastor is not certain of your need, you should consult the doctor, and if the doctor advises not to fast, with the advice and permission of the doctor and the pastor you can replace fasting with almsgiving, otherwise not. PRAYER I say secondly, etc. that the task which we should now be occupied and doing is spiritual prayer, when he says, "Anoint your head." And it is understood that in sacred scripture we find that
Christ is the head of the Church, both militant and triumphant. The reason is because like the head, he is above and generally influences the members. St, Thomas beautifully defines this in III q. 8 and in III Sent. dist. 13. And the doctors in the same dist. 3. [Scriptural] authority: "And he has subjected all things under his feet, and has made him head over all the church, which is his body," (Eph. 1:22f). Note: "all things," namely universals and particulars. Therefore the Apostle says, "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ," (1 Cor. 11:3).
By spiritual prayer this head, namely Christ, is anointed, which softens him and renders him gentle to sinners. You know that anointing softens and makes anointed skin smooth, although it was rough before. So Christ, to the extent that he might have seemed to be harsh and strict to sinners, by spiritual prayer is rendered soft and gentle. St. Bernard: "Prayer anoints [ungit]
God, tears pierce [compungit] him." And so the Lord Jesus Christ, who in his fleshly time, is hard and strict because of our sins, and through the rigor of his justice, if now in this holy time is anointed with devout prayers, he becomes gentle and soft. And by this oil he wishes to be anointed, because it pleases him much. And note this parable which he told about himself:
"Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a king, who would take an account of his servants. And when he had begun to take the account, one was brought to him, that owed him
ten thousand talents. And as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be sold," (Mt 18:23-25). That worthless servant began to anoint his head with the oil of
prayer saying, "Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all,"(v. 26). up to "because you asked me" And the lord of that servant being moved with pity, let him go and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that servant was gone out, he found one of his fellow servants that owed him an hundred pence: and laying hold of him, throttled him, saying: Pay what thou owest. 29 And his fellow servant falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he paid the debt. 31 Now his fellow servants seeing what was done, were very much grieved, and they came and told their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord called him; and said to him: Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all the debt, because you asked me: In this parable Christ is speaking about himself, who is the Lord and our King. We are the servants and must render to him an account, how we have dealt with thoughts, words, deeds and all are obligated to "ten thousand," which ten are the commandments in which are included all the perfections of this life. We by sinning are obliged to satisfaction. If therefore you wish that your debt be dismissed to you, anoint his head, namely of Christ. If you wish to know the manner of anointing, look to Mary Magdalen, about whom it is said, "There came to him a
woman having an alabaster box of precious ointment, and poured it on his head as he was at table," (Mt 20:7).
Here is shown three ways for those who are serving in devout prayer: - The first way is when he says "There came to him a woman," that is, a devout soul, thinking devoutly when one is saying when he says "Our Father who art etc.." - The second way is when it is said "having an alabaster box," that is a body of precious ointment, namely reverential fear. - The third way is where it says "and poured it on his head," and this is when the mouth is opened, saying devoutly the words of a prayer. And just as Mary Magdalen twice anointed Christ, so you twice a day ought to anoint Christ, devoutly praying, in the morning and in the evening. Behold therefore why he says, "Anoint your head, etc." And this for the second part. CONFESSION Third: I say that the third work which we should occupy ourselves in this holy time is sacramental confession, when he says, "and wash your face, etc." Conscience is the face of the soul.
Reason: Because just as in the face we recognize the person, so God in the face recognizes who are his disciples. And of this face David speaks saying in Psalm 26:8, "My heart has spoken to you, my face has sought you," that is, the conscience. This face is washed now through sacramental confession. O who washes the face of his body only once a year? How much dirt and grime would it have! So it is of the face of conscience. This washing was prefigured in 4 Kgs. 4:5, where God prefigured the necessity of confession in the leper Naaman. And note, briefly
the story when Elisha the prophet said, "Go, and wash seven times in the Jordan, and thy flesh shall recover health, and you shall be clean." Note that leprosy stands for mortal sin. And note, that the leper has the effects of every mortal sin.
- First, because the leprosy makes a man swell. See here the effects of the sin of pride. - Second, it induces a great thirst, through which is symbolized the sin of avarice. - Third, it infects those living with him. Behold the effects of the sin of lust. - Fourth, it dehydrates. Behold here, envy. - Fifth, it makes the breath smell bad. Behold here the effects of gluttony. - Sixth, it makes the voice hoarse. Behold here the effects of anger. - Seventh, it weakens all the members in their functioning. Behold here the sin of sloth. Therefore the remedy, the cure, is to go to the Jordan, and the name comes from Jor, i.e. river, and dan, i.e. judgment. Behold here confession, which is nothing but the river of judgment.
For there judgment of sins happen. Here, indeed, a man ought to get undressed, showing all his shames, i.e. naked sins, clearly, to the confessor. So he says "go", namely to the confessor,
"to wash seven times", i.e. to confess the seven mortal sins to which all the other sins are reduced. The first time man is washed of the sin of pride, in the second, of avarice, etc. In the seventh, however a man is clean and his face cleansed of all mortal stains, so that, having confessed, none remain to him. There are some miserable people who choose not to confess their sins. If God had had commanded us to hurl ourselves into a fire for the remission of sins, we should do it. How much more ought we confess, since it is so easy. Thus the servants said to Naaman, "If the prophet had bid you do some great thing, surely you should have done it. How much rather what he now has said to you: Wash, and you shall be clean?" (4 Kgs. 5:13). If it were possible, all of you ought to confess already today, that you might participate in the church's blessings. Thus John says,
agreeing with the aforesaid image, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity," (1 John 1:9). Now you know what you should be
doing in this holy time [of Lent].
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Post by Hildegard on Mar 18, 2019 16:11:13 GMT
St. Vincent Ferrer – On Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving
(Mt 6:1 ff) Mt 6:1-6 Douay transl. Take heed that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them: otherwise you shall not have a reward of your Father who is in heaven. 2 Therefore when thou dost an almsdeed, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honoured by men. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth. 4 That thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father who seeth in
secret will repay thee. And when ye pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, that love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men: Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But thou when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee.. "Take heed that you do not your justice before men," (Mt 6:1) The theme is the word of Christ, advising us, saying "Take heed..." The Lord Jesus Christ in this theme calls penitence "justice." It is the custom in sacred scriptures, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, that true penitence is called "justice." The reason: because through good penitence man does true justice for himself, and for all the good things, by which we commonly sin which are three, namely The material body, [corpus materiale] The rational soul, [anima rationalis] And temporal goods [substantia temporalia] For penitence, if it is true, ought to do justice, and punishment [punitionem] to these three. And first it does justice to the body by afflicting it through fasting, vigils, disciplines, and pilgrimages etc., because from its inclination we commit many sins. And so lest God do justice to the body in hell through those evil ministers, man ought to do justice here through
penance. This privilege God gives uniquely to human nature, that each renders judgment in his own case. Even though man renders justice to himself, he [God] is content. Behold the privilege: "But if we would judge ourselves, we should not," by the Lord, "be judged," (1Cor 11:31), in our body. And so when the repentant soul, which has done justice, comes before Christ at judgment, and is accused by the demons, then the soul responds with the saying of David in Ps. 118: "I have done judgment and justice: give me not up to them who slander
me," (v. 121). The same penitence for the soul. Many sins are within the soul through wicked thoughts, through hatred, rancor, malice, through ill will, or through errors and false opinions. But
penitence does justice through devout prayers, as if by binding up the soul in the chain of devout prayers, which pass verbally through the neck, whose head is bound at the foot of the throne of Christ, as if saying, "Lord, because I am judge in my own case, I suspend my soul etc. lest you suspend it in the fork of hell." Third, penitence does justice regarding temporal goods, which have been for you an occasion of sin, in committing secret thefts, robbery, usury, overcharging, for extortion, withholding salaries of your workers, or the goods of the church, or of the dead, not paying tithes, first fruits etc. Penitence does justice by repaying. It is clear therefore true penitence is nothing other than justice, and so it is said, "But if the wicked do penance for all his sins which he has committed, and keep all my commandments, and do judgment, and justice, living he shall live, and shall not die. I will not remember all his iniquities that he has done: in his justice which he has wrought, he shall live," (Ez 18:21-22). Of this justice, true penitence, the theme speaks when it says, "Take heed that you do not your justice," that is, penitence, "before men," (Mt 6:1). The theme therefore is clear. Christ
himself shows and declares in the holy gospel today how it is to be avoided, lest penitential justice happens before men. There are three parts in which he shows how penitential justice should not be practiced before men. First about the physical body, Second about material affluence, Third about the rational soul. BODILY PENITENCE I say first etc., and this, when he says in the first part of the gospel, "Take heed that you do not your justice before men," (Mt 6:1), which is about the body through fasting, vigils and
abstinences, you do before men, for their recognition, not for God. Note here the difference between the recognition of men and of God. For the recognition of men extends itself only
to the exterior works, and not to the interior. But the recognition of God extends itself to both works, because he sees all things clearly, "Nor do I judge according to the look of man: for man sees those things that appear, but the Lord beholds the heart," (1Sam 16:7). Note, according to St. Thomas I, q. 57, a. 4, where he asks whether the angels know the thoughts of the heart. Response: A secret thought can be known in two ways: first, in its effect. In this way it can be known not only by an angel, but also by man; and with so much the greater subtlety according as the
effect is the more hidden. For thought is sometimes discovered not merely by an outward act, but also by change of countenance; and doctors can tell some passions of the soul by the
mere pulse. Much more then can angels, or even demons, the more deeply they penetrate those occult bodily modifications... In another way thoughts can be known as they are in the mind, and affections as they are in the will: and thus God alone can know the thoughts of hearts and affections of wills. The
reason of this is, because the rational creature is subject to God only, and He alone can work in it Who is its principal object and last end... Consequently all that is in the will, and all
things that depend only on the will, are known to God alone. Now it is evident that it depends entirely on the will for anyone actually to consider anything; because a man who has a
habit of knowledge, or any intelligible species, uses them at will. Hence the Apostle says (1 Corinthians 2:11): "For what man knows the things of a man, but the spirit of a man that is in him?" (I, q. 57, a. 4). Cf. Also II Sent., d. 8, ad 5m. Also in IV Sent d. 45, q. 3, ad 5m. Now therefore returning to the point, let us see what it is to fast "before men," and what it is to fast before God. To fast before men is to abstain from meat and especially to eat only once a day. Also to abstain from those delights of the body. This is fasting, which falls into the recognition of men. But to fast before God is when not only the body but also the heart abstains from stews [cibis potionatis], whether of the poisons of wicked thoughts, or depraved desires, of rancors, of ill will and from the desire for revenge. And because there are many who fast before men and not before God, he says, "Take heed that you do not your justice before men," (Mt 6:1), supply "only" before men, but also before God, which is to say just as you fast by abstaining from bodily foods, fast also from the deadly and indigestible foods of the heart. etc. This fast Christ commands in the gospel of Matthew 5, in the first part of the gospel, saying, "You have heard that it has been said, You shalt love your neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that
persecute and calumniate you: That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who makes his sun to rise upon the good, and bad, and rains upon the just and the unjust. For if you love them who love you, what reward shall you have? do not even the publicans do this? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? do not also the heathens do this? Therefore be perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect," (Mt 5:43 48). Note when he says "be perfect," by fasting, not only before men but also before God, "as also your heavenly Father is perfect," who in this world has many enemies, all sinners and infidels, yet he loves them and gives them the blessings of the sun, the moon, the rain and provisions. And so like good children we are assimilated to our heavenly Father. Also because we are
bound to do more for God than the infidels, because they alone love those loving them, this also dogs do. But when a creature loves with the love of God, they not only love those who love
him, but also their enemies, this is meritorious. Also if you greet those who greet you, no thanks for that. But there are many who say they do not hate someone, but they do not speak to
them, unless the other speaks to him first. I tell to you that he who speaks first and greets the other, he then gains merit, a crown. And so we not only fast before men but also before God, then we shall be perfect in our fasting. Today's epistle agrees with the gospel. It tells how the Jews, in the time of Isaiah the prophet, as is found in Isaiah 58, had great tribulations in Jerusalem of drought, famine, locusts and such. The rulers of the city ordered that all would fast for some days, and the more they fasted, the worse the troubles grew, on which account they came to the temple and praying said, "Why have we fasted, and you have not regarded. We have humbled our souls, and you have not taken notice?" – by accepting it. And God responded to them through Isaiah the prophet,
"Behold in the day of your fast your own will is found," (Isa 58:3) – note, he did not speak of God who commanded to forgive and love enemies –"and you exact of all your debtors. Behold you fast for debates and strife, and strike wickedly with the fist. Do not fast as you have done until this day, to make your cry to be heard on high. Is this such a fast as I have chosen: for a
man to afflict his soul for a day? ... will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord?” (Isa 58:3-5). Note, enemies are called "debtors." This is clear when it is said, "Forgive us our
debts as we forgive our debtors," our enemies (Mt 6:12). The debts are recalled through the desire of revenge. But the fast, which he wants and chooses is that which follows, "Loose the bands of wickedness," (Is 58:6), which happens in two ways, through parents, or through a valet or aide. And
when it is said to them that they make peace, they say "I will not make it, unless with my friends, or my valet or aide makes it. It is good to require them that they make peace, otherwise
you go with God." And if you swear an oath to them via your valet or aide, it need not be kept, because it is contrary to charity. Therefore it is said in the plural, "Loose the bands..." Second, "undo the bundles that oppress," (Is 58:6), namely hatred which someone holds in his heart, and this is the fast, which he chooses. Thus, the first part is clear. See why he says, "Take heed..." PENITENCE OF MATERIAL AFFLUENCE Second, I say that Christ warns lest penitential justice happen before men, from our material affluence [de abundantia temporali], which happens through restitution and almsgiving. And this Christ shows in the second part of the gospel, Matthew 6, when he says, "Therefore when you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honored by men. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But when give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. That your alms may be in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you," (Mt 6:2-4). To explain this text note how, the Jewish rabbis and Pharisees of old did not care about heavenly glory but about temporal and terrestrial glory, and so everything whatsoever they did they did only before men. And when they were to give alms, first it was cried out through the city, and
they followed the crier that they might hear the praises from the people saying, "O how pious is this man!" and they delighted in these praises. Behold vainglory! And so Christ said about
them, "Amen I say to you, they have received their reward." So that great reward is lost which God promised to persons of mercy saying, "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy, " (Mt 5:7). When the soul which gives alms or other goods out of vainglory, comes to judgment before Christ, immediately it will be remitted to hell, saying that it has already received its
reward here. If it is asked, therefore, what manner should we hold to in giving alms, this Christ shows saying, "But when you give alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing," (Mt 6:3). Note here three moral points. First, temporal riches are called "hands." Reason: because just as by hands we do all our deeds, — hence the Philosopher says that the had is the organ of organs
— so with riches man does all his business. The right hand is good and just money earned, from his own labors or acquired possessions. The left hand is bad money, unjustly acquired or collected, from theft, usury, robbery, simony and the like. So about this Solomon wrote: "His left hand is under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me," (Song 2:6). Restitution should
be made from the left, and alms given from the right,. And so he says, "But when you give alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing." (Mt 6:3). And so I give you useful
advice, that in your financial books, or accounts you should put yourself in the middle, and money from good work is put in one side and from the unjust deed on the other side, because when they are placed together restitution is forgotten; and through that middle stance it is remembered. And then you know from which hand you give alms, and from which you make restitution.
And according to this understanding Tobias said to his son, "My son... Give alms out of your substance, and turn not away your face from any poor person: for so it shall come to pass that the face of the Lord shall not be turned from you," (Tob 4:7). The second point is on the part of the intention of giving alms. The hand is called "right," when the intention is righteous [recta]. When alms are given solely out of love and honor of God who has given us so much alms, by creating, providing and redeeming us with the treasure of his blood. This intention is called the right hand. Or by thinking, "I shall now give alms, so that when
I ask for alms at the gate of paradise, God might give me a crumb of his glory. This therefore is a right intention. Beware therefore lest you give alms from a "left" [sinistra] intention, of praise
or vainglory. "Let not your left hand know," the intention of vain glory. Many great works are lost because of a "left" intention. The third point, the manner of giving alms, which can be good or evil, it is said to be a "right hand" or "left." The good way of giving alms is, when alms, a work of piety, are given with piety, benignity, and out of pure charity; then they are given with the right hand. When however given in a bad way, it is given like bread to a dog, or because they pretend not to hear the poor, or
with indignation at the insistence of a beggar, then it is given by the left hand. And so the text says, "Therefore when you give alms..." And so the counsel of the Apostle must be kept saying, "Every one as he has determined in his heart, not with sadness, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver," (2Cor 9:7). A practical note. When someone goes to church, he should carry in
his hand what he proposes to give out of love of God. See why he says, "But when you give alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing." So the advice of the theme is kept, "Take heed that you do not your justice before men," (Mt 6:1). PENITENCE OF THE SOUL
I say, third, that in the third part of the gospel, Christ our Lord shows how to do penitential justice from a rational soul, not before men, but secretly. "And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men: Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But you when you
shall pray, enter into your chamber, and having shut the door, pray to your Father in secret: and your Father who sees in secret will repay you," (Mt 6:5-6). This is said about the manner of
praying of the ancient hypocrites in the synagogues, villages and street corners, where people would gather so they might be seen. O about these blessed ones, about whom Christ in the gospel said, "Amen I say to you, they have received their reward," (Mt 6:5). O stupid ones, that such a precious jewel, as is prayer, they give away for such a paltry and contemptible price. And so
Christ shows us how to pray saying, "But you when you shall pray, enter into your chamber, and having shut the door, pray to your Father in secret: and your Father who sees in secret will repay you," (Mt 6:6). Note, "into your chamber." But someone can say about this, "Should one NOT pray in the temple of God, or in the church?" Response: this is understood in two ways. In the first way, the
conscience is said to be the secret chamber, and this prayer happens in the churches, namely not crying out nor making grand gestures in order to be seen, lest others be disturbed, but "by shutting the door," i.e. praying secretly. And this ought to be understood about prayers which happen in public or in common. About other special prayers, and the rest a man should shut himself up in his room. So the text is understood. But here someone can argue saying, It seems that our Lord in his teaching is contradicting himself, because he says in today's gospel, "Take heed that you do not your justice before men,"
And in another place he says, "So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven," (Mt 5:16). This seems to be a contradiction.
Response: It is not a contradiction. But hear the explanation. Christ since he is the Lord and universal master gives his teaching to men, both to perfect persons, and also to the imperfect.
Because they had to instruct others and to inform them in the spiritual life and teaching, he was saying, "You are the light of the world," (Mt 5:14). And he was speaking to the apostles and other perfect persons, whom the winds of adulation did not harm. And so he said, "So let your light shine," namely your good works and catholic teaching, "before men, that they may see ..," etc. as if he had said, "Bear the royal banner," that is, the evangelical teaching, "under the standard of a good life," that all might say, "Certainly this one practices what he preaches, because otherwise he is not believed." But to the imperfect, and those just beginning a good life, whom the winds of praise might harm, he says, "Take heed that you do not your justice before men," This question was once asked
by St. Antoninus, who explained it in this way, "Just as a great fire is not extinguished by the wind, rather it is even increased, but a tiny light is blown out by the wind, so also a great fire of
ardent devotion and charity is in the body of the perfect, but a modest fire in the imperfect. And so it is immediately extinguished by the slightest breath of praise, but in the perfect it is fanned
and grows the more. And note this in the great honor given to St. Peter, when he came to Antioch, and to St. John returning from exile, and to St. Paul in Galatians, as is clear in Galatians 4.
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Post by Hildegard on Mar 18, 2019 16:24:01 GMT
St. Vincent Ferrer - Sermon for the First Sunday of Lent The Temptation in the Desert – Mt 4:1-11
Mt 4:1-11 Douay trans. 1 Then Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry. 3 And the tempter coming said to him: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 Who answered and said: It is written, Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every
word that proceedeth from the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him upon the pinnacle of the temple, 6 And said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written: That he hath given his angels charge over thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said to him: It is written again: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again the devil took him up into a very high mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, 9 And said to him: All these will I give thee, if falling down thou wilt adore me. 10 Then Jesus saith to him: Begone, Satan: for it is written,
The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil left him; and behold angels came and ministered to him. "And behold angels came and ministered to him," (Mt 4:11) Today's gospel tells us of the holy fast of Jesus. The four points are as follows: First, a convenient location, Second, a sufficient time during which he fasted, Third, an appropriate manner how he fasted, Fourth, the fruit which resulted from the fast. And about this fourth the theme speaks, "...angels came." etc., the fruits of what follows from the fast, because the angels came, etc. LOCATION I say that today's gospel tells us about the holy fast; and first, the convenient place where he fasted. Notice that when Christ wished to fast for forty days, he chose not to fast in the city of Bethlehem, where he was born, nor in the temple where he was presented, nor in Nazareth where he was nourished, nor among men, but in the desert which is the habitat of beasts. This he says at the beginning of the gospel, "Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert," (Mt 4:2) – supply, wishing to fast – and this location was very appropriate. The reason is because of the fittingness which the desert offers for the purpose of the fast. A fast is ordered to a three-fold end; namely restraining, liberating and for merit. First for restraining sins and vices, which for the most part happen from the inclinations of the flesh. Because of this fasts are ordered for refraining. For just as in the case of a stupid man who is armed, the arms with which he could do much harm are taken away, so likewise the body of man, stupid, armed with food and drink and other delights, which God gave us for the necessity of nature, when indiscreetly taken often kill the soul. So they should be prudently taken away and removed from him. Second, a fast is ordered for freeing the soul, which, as long as it is united to the body, is much impeded by the body in spiritual goods. And so it is said, "For the corruptible body is a load upon the soul," (Wis 9:15). So that the soul might be free for working spiritually, the flesh is restrained through fastings, and so the soul is raised freely to God. It's like a
scale. When one side is weighed down, the other is raised, and vice versa. holy season, you labor for the soul. Thus the Apostle, "...every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labor," (1 Cor 3:8). For all of these reasons, see the authority of St. Gregory [the Great], who says, "You who restrain your vices by a bodily fast," –note the first, to restrain – "you raise your mind," – see the second, namely, to free the soul – "you will receive virtue and rewards," – see the third, to merit. Thus the triple ends of fasting very much fit a desert place, where vices are restrained, because you do not have the
occasion of sinning, nor by seeing with your eyes, etc. and so for the other senses. It is clear, therefore, that the desert is the convenient place for a fast. Thus about that text, "Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert," St. Gregory say in his homily today, "some are accustomed to doubt by which spirit Jesus is led into the desert?
Truly and without any question it is appropriately understood that he is believed to be led into the desert by the Holy Spirit." But some might say these reasons are not appropriate
for Christ, who in his body never had any bad inclinations. Also neither is his soul impeded by the flesh, and that he had merited his complete blessings. Also, because already he merits, both as God and as man. I respond that regarding the person of Christ there is a good reason. For he did this so that he might give us an example, that in the time of the fast we might go to the desert leaving our cities, villages and communities. Understand it this way, that in the holy time we set aside our daily business, problems and conflicts etc. The model here is given for all. First to
the religious and clerics. In this holy time [of Lent] it is enough that they are occupied about the hours and the office. Workers however in this holy time ought to hear Mass and a
sermon, if there is preaching in some place, the first thing in the morning, and afterwards go about their business, so that they might provide for their children and household. The wealthy ought to get up in the morning for worship. They should hear a high Mass and a sermon, and afterwards pray the psalms after Mass, praying up to lunchtime. Those rich
people who don't know the psalms, after Mass, should visit churches, monasteries and hospitals for prayer, where often there are many indulgences. After lunch then they can take a nap. Finally, they should go to Compline, [night prayer], and afterwards say Vespers [evensong] or the seven penitential psalms or the Our Father, etc. This is how someone goes out to the desert. The great king David believed this, saying of himself, "Lo, I have gone far off flying away; and I abode in the wilderness. I waited for him who has saved me from pusillanimity of spirit, and a storm," (Ps 54:8f). We don't read that David, after he was crowned king, was in the desert, but he remained alone in his palace room, far from his business, and so he achieves his purpose, "I waited for him who has saved me." And the fruit of his merits, "from pusillanimity of spirit," –see the freedom of the soul – "and a storm," – supply, of the evil inclinations of the spirit. It is clear then, [the desert is] a convenient place for a fast. TIME I say secondly, etc. that the duration of forty days was sufficient. For the text says that he fasted forty days and forty nights. And why does it say forty nights? I respond that this is
said to differentiate the fast of the Jews who of old fasted through the day, and at night would eat their fill, just as the Muslims do. Do not believe that the fast of Christ in that forty days and forty nights was like that, because he consumed nothing. Nevertheless, the duration of forty days and forty nights was sufficient. Reason: Because already you know that all God’s commandments are ten in number, in which all others are fundamentally included. Just as God gave ten fingers to the body for doing all things, so he gave ten commandments, like ten fingers, for working meritoriously. These commandments we break in four ways, namely by thought, word, deed and omission. - By thought we break two precepts especially [9 & 10], that: You shall not desire your neighbor's wife, because it does not suffice to keep the body clean from this deed, but also the soul from the thought. Secondly that: You shall not desire your neighbor's house nor anything which is his. From desires arise divisions and war, and so it is said, "For the desire of money is the root of all evils," (1 Tim. 6:10). - By speech we break two other commandments, namely [2 & 8], that: You shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, because one should never swear unless out of necessity or usefulness. And the other: Thou shalt not bear false witness, for whatever reason, neither in court or outside. - By deed we break four, namely [1, 5, 6 & 7]: Thou shall not worship other gods. Thou shall not kill. Thou shall not commit adultery. Thou shall not steal. - By omission we break two, namely [3 &4]: Not keeping the holy days, and not honoring our parents. Therefore by these four ways we break the ten commandments, and four times ten equals forty. For this reason we undertake forty days of penance, because we sin 4 x 10 [ways] because
of the flesh. And so Gregory: "Through mortal wills of the flesh we break the Lord's commandments, which were received in the Decalogue, because therefore through the desires of the flesh we show contempt for the commandments of the Decalogue, it is fitting that we afflict the same flesh forty times.” Behold, therefore, it is a sufficient time that Christ fasted, giving us an example. Now there is here a three-part question about Christ, since Christ fasted in the desert for forty days:
- And the first question is, where did he sleep? - Second, what did he do? - Third, what company did he keep? Now listen devoutly, for the evangelists have not said expressly where he was sleeping, but often through symbols the truth can be elicited, just as from a husk the grain can be extracted.
Christ’s sleeping in the desert was prefigured in the patriarch Jacob. When he was a pilgrim and traveler from Canaan to Mesopotamia, he passed through parts of this desert. At night
when he wished to sleep he put a stone under his head and in the night he saw the heaven opened and a ladder etc. See the story found in Genesis 28. All the [church] teachers say that
Jacob signifies Christ. The ladder, penance. You have forty rungs for fasting. Some [people] ascend continuing their fasting, some descend breaking their fast. And Jacob, excited, was
afraid, and he trembled at this vision. To him it was divinely revealed that Christ, the Savior of the world, would fast there and sleep at that place. Then Jacob said, "Indeed the Lord is in this place," (Gen 28:16). The first question is clear. But contemplate this a while. Christ began his fast on the day after the Epiphany [his Baptism], when it was the coldest, and he was sleeping on the ground then, giving us an example, that in this holy season we should set aside our linens, mattress and [such] luxuries. And so David said, "Blessed is he who understands concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord wil l deliver him in the evil day...The Lord help him on his bed of sorrow: thou hast turned all his couch in his sickness," (Ps. 40:2,4). The second question: What was the man Christ doing? Both because he was not working with his hands, and since he stayed forty days, was he not idle? The text doesn't clearly tell what he was doing, but Luke elsewhere says what Christ was doing in the desert: "And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and he passed the whole night in the prayer of God," (Lk. 6:12). Therefore he would spend his nights in dreaming and in prayer. But during the day what was he doing? I reply, that in three activities, namely in reading,
in contemplating and in praying. -- Of the first he was reading in the book which he always had with him, the greater part of the whole bible, namely the book of life, i.e. of the knowledge of God in which is written all the things that ever were, are, or can be. And every day Jesus Christ was reading this whole book, reading the first chapter, namely of the glory of Paradise. And second, of the arrangement of the angels. Third, of the penalties of the damned. Fourth, of the sufferings of those in purgatory, and so on. Also about the natures of the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the animals of the earth. And all these he was seeing not only in general but even in particular, in their individuality, not only as God but also as man. -- Second, he spent time in contemplating all these things. -- As for the third, after the previous reading and contemplation, he was praying saying the prayer which later he would teach us, the Our Father. For "Jesus began to do and to teach,"
(Acts 1:1). And in our person he himself would say "Our Father." And, "forgive us, etc.," because just as the mouth speaks for the feet and the other members, so Christ as the head, speaks in the person of his members. In these [activities] therefore we should be about in this lenten time after the example of Christ. So he was saying, "Labor not for the meat which perishes," namely, the business of this world, "but for that which endures unto life everlasting," (Jn 6:27), namely, meritorious works. The third question: Whose company did he keep? I say, that of wild animals, and beasts and robbers. Of beasts, it is said in Mark 1, that in that jungle [frondoso] desert there were lions,
bears, wolves and many other animals. The text says: "And he was in the desert forty days and forty nights, and was tempted by Satan; and he was with beasts, and the angels ministered to him," (Mk 1:13). Practically, you can imagine that the aforesaid animals hid during the day in caves, and at night they went out to eat. And when they saw Christ we are able to say that, just as the ox and the ass adored Christ, so also [these] etc. This was the company Christ kept at night. During the day he had the company of thieves and other evildoers. For that desert is
between Jerusalem and Jericho, of which Luke 10 says, "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers," (Lk 10:30). Here the place is called "adumim" in Hebrew, and is translated "redland" or "red rise." This place, where the man fell among robbers, is cruel and bloody. Imagine how it was when the robbers spied him from afar, they would approach to see if by chance he might have some money. But Jesus Christ changed their hearts and wills, and they showed Christ a great reverence. So we, in a moral sense, dwell with the beasts, the wild beasts of sin, thinking how we have lived like beasts, by sinning etc. Among robbers, thinking how by sinning, by appropriating honor and grace for ourselves, we have robbed God of [his due] honor and reverence and fear. On this account David said: "Not to us, O Lord, not to us; but to thy name give glory," (Ps 113:9). MANNER Third, the way in which Christ fasted, who overcame the temptation of the devil, is seen to be fitting The teachers and especially the Master of History says that when in the baptism of Christ the voice of the Father sounded saying, This is my beloved Son, " You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased," (Lk 3:22), he says that the devil heard this voice. He already knew that the time for the Messiah was completed, and so when he saw the miracles of Christ he concluded that he was the Son of God. But when he saw him hungry, he suspected the opposite. For this reason he wished to tempt him. Taking a human form and in the robe of a holy man, he saluted him. To whom Christ, responding, said, "You have come. You do not believe." Briefly he spoke to Christ, "If you be the Son of God...," (Lk 4:3). But the evangelist leaves it to us that we might touch on the practical point. So note, when the devil came to Christ himself saluting him he said: "Some are thinking that you are the Son of God. For the Son of God of old changed the staff of Moses into a snake, the water of Egypt into blood, (Ex 7), the wife of Lot into a pillar of salt. (Gen 19). So 'If you be the Son of
God, command that these stones be made bread,'" (Mt 4:3) And replying, Jesus said: "It is written, Not in bread alone does man live, but in every word that proceeds from the mouth of God,"
(Mt 4:4; Deut 8:3). See how appropriate this is for us, because when we fast now, the devil tempts us saying, "command that these stones be made bread," (v.3) etc. We impatiently complain
using harsh and cruel words, if our dinner is not ready or something else etc. Second temptation. The devil, defeated by Christ in the first temptation from scripture, "Not in bread alone, etc." taking the next move from the fact that scripture, the word of God, is taught in
the temple, proceeds to the second temptation, saying, "Are you willing that we go to the city to the temple?" Christ, however, as a good soldier, wishing to present himself to his enemy in every
situation, followed him to the temple where there was a great crowd of people gathered. Then the devil said to Christ, "Are you willing that we ascend to the pinnacle? because there we can pray
more privately." And when they were on the very top, the devil said to Christ, "Look at the crowd of people here below! There are many who do not believe you to be the Son of God, so, "throw yourself down,"(v. 6) because it is written of you, "For he has given his angels charge over you; to keep you in all your ways," (Ps 90:11). Christ said to him, "It is written again: You shall not tempt the Lord your God," (v.7). Here Christ gives an example to spiritual and devout people. When the devil tempts them to vainglory, they should stand firm, lest they fall. The devil, seeing that Christ excused himself, so he would not incur vainglory, wished to tempt him again, and said to Christ, "Let us go to the desert, to a mountain high enough where we will be
alone and can pray." And when they were on the mountain the devil showed Christ every corner of the earth, saying that all was his and he was able to give it to whomever he wished – but he lied –
and he said, "All this will I give you, if falling down you will adore me," (v. 9). Christ, who in the other temptations patiently excused himself, in this temptation became indignant and shouted out saying, "Be gone, Satan: for it is written, The Lord your God shall you adore, and him only shall you serve,"(v. 10; Deut 6:13). But why? Chrysostom says that some temptations touched on humility, but this touched on adoring the divinity, and on the crown of God, etc. St. Jerome says that Christ here gives us an example that we
should tolerate injuries to our person, but those which touch upon God we should rebuke indignantly. Chrysostom: "In all personal injuries it is praiseworthy to be patient; injuries to God, however it is not wrong to rebuke to the utmost." Note the story about St. Louis the king of France who used to brand the tongues of those who blasphemed God. A text from the prophets: "They who rule over them treat them unjustly, says the Lord, and my name is continually blasphemed all the day long," (Isa 52:5). REWARD Fourth. The fruit resulting from fasting, is shown in the theme, when it is said: "And behold angels came," (Mt 4:11). Here is an image you can understand. It is like this, when two great lords, or princes, fight a duel in a closed arena, where the king keeps the field secure, and the friends and the army of both await the outcome on one side and the other. And when the battle is over, the
defeated one flees with his entourage and servants, and the friends of the victor joyfully rush out to him with all the assistance necessary. So it was with Christ and Lucifer, the greater princes of the world, as the Master of History says, but with a difference, for Christ is the prince of holiness and Lucifer of iniquity. Today they fought a duel, and God the Father kept the arena secure. Christ, as Chrysostom tells us, commanded the angels to stand back so they wouldn't be seen by Lucifer. Lucifer did the same with his minions, and only the two entered the arena. The weapons of the devil were three: the lance, the sword and the dagger. With the lance of pride and vainglory, with the dagger of gluttony and with the sword of avarice he tempted Christ and approached him. Lucifer himself had slain may with these weapons, but they could not harm Christ in any way. So, vanquished, he fled. And so it is of Christ the theme speaks, "and behold angels came and ministered to him," (v.11). But how did they minister to him? Note that Christ was most in need of food, so they ministered to him in this way. Some devout contemplatives have said that the holy angels hastened to the
Virgin Mary, who did not know anything of her son nor where he was. They told her of his battle and victory. When she heard from them the story of his victory, she sent him some food which she had prepared for him: cabbage, bread, spinach and perhaps some sardines, asking the angels if she could go to him, or if he could come to her, for lunch. Thus did the angels approach and
minister to him. So will it be for us. Now, in Lent, we are in a battle with the devil in a closed stadium. If we are victors over gluttony, vainglory and avarice, when the battle is over, on Easter day the angels will come, that is, the priests, and they will minister the food which the Virgin Mary prepared for us, at least materially – the Holy Spirit effectively – in the oven of her virginal womb, namely the
body of Christ, in the consecrated host. Thus Christ says, "To him who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna, ... which no man knows, but he who receives it," (Rev 2:17). Greg., Hom. in Ev., 16, 1: Some doubt what Spirit it was that led Jesus into the desert, for that it is said after, "The Devil took him into the holy city." But true and without question agreeable to the context is the received opinion, that it was the Holy Spirit; that His own Spirit should lead Him thither where the evil spirit should find Him and try Him. Greg., Hom. in Ev., 16, 5: The Creator of all things took no food whatever during forty days. We also, at the season of Lent as much as in us lies afflict our flesh by abstinence. The number forty is preserved, because the virtue of the decalogue is fulfilled in the books of the holy Gospel; and ten taken four times amounts to forty. Or, because in this mortal body we consist of four elements by the delights of which we go against the Lord's precepts received by the decalogue. And as we transgress the decalogue through the lusts of this flesh, it is fitting that we afflict the flesh forty-fold.
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Post by Hildegard on Mar 18, 2019 16:31:15 GMT
A440 Sabbato ante Reminiscere Sermo i St. Vincent Ferrer - Sermon for the Second Sunday of Lent
The Transfiguration - Matthew 17:1-9 Gospel: Mt 17:1-9 Douay Trans. 1 And after six days Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart: 2 And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow. 3 And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4 And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5 And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright
cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him. 6 And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face, and were very much afraid. 7 And Jesus came and touched them: and said to them, Arise, and fear not. 8 And they lifting up their eyes saw no one but only Jesus. 9 And as they
came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead. "Let us make here three tents," (Mt 17:4). We continue our reading in today's gospel. By way of introducing these words and the matter to be preached about, it must be known that in sacred scripture the devout hearing and listening to the gospel teaching are called tabernacles [or tents]. For if we analyze well the usefulness of tents, rightly they are compared to gospel teaching. For when tents or tabernacles, are pitched by soldiers, they are done for three reasons: 1. The first reason is because of the heat of the sun, to keep cool, 2. The second, against the gusting of the wind, for protection, 3. Third, for shelter against the rain. All these benefits gospel teaching gives to those who listen carefully, and this against a threefold defect. 1. First, gospel teaching cools and preserves a man against the stimulation and ardor of the flesh, which moves many and stimulates them into sins of lust. Some are tempted to avarice, others into other sins. These teachings, therefore, give cool shelter against the ardor of the flesh. 2. Second, in this world there are many winds and storms and temptations of demons, but not inside the tent, i.e.of prayer and contemplation. For prayer and contemplation keep out the temptations of the devil. 3. Third, there are great rains and floods, and these are the world, which offers many occasions for sinning. But enter the tent of gospel teaching and you will find there a remedy. And so Isaiah says of gospel teaching, "Over all the glory shall be a protection. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shade in the daytime from the heat, and for a security and covert from the
whirlwind, and from rain." (Isa 4:5-6). So, prayer or contemplation gives cooling in the day against the ardor of the flesh. See, the first usefulness. And it gives security against the force
of the wind, and this is its second strength or utility. And it provides shelter from the rains, and so the third benefit. And so, by both reason and authority, these teachings appear like a tent, and so I intend to preach on three teachings, which are the three tents. "Let us make here three tents," which was our theme. Our sermon, therefore, shall contemplate this glorious transfiguration in three ways, a triple contemplation. First because this transfiguration was gloriously celebrated, Second because this transfiguration was calmly received, Third because this transfiguration was piously kept hidden. THE FIRST TENT – GLORIOUSLY CELEBRATED My good people, let us place ourselves in these three tents, or in one of them. I say first that it was gloriously celebrated, because in the gospel it is said, " ...Jesus takes with him Peter and
James, and John his brother, and brings them up to a high mountain apart: And he was transfigured before them. And his face shone like the sun: and his garments became white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him," (Mt 17:1-3). And here I wish to pitch the first tent for our Lord. Jesus chose three to follow him, whom he led to the top of the mountain, to show them the secret. When he prayed, he was transfigured, not that his figure which he already had was changed,
but that it shone like the sun – not like the sun shines, but incomparably greater than the sun. But in the gospel it is said "like the sun," because in the world nothing is found that is brighter, and not only in his face and hands, but also his clothes were like snow, although incomparably more so. And two holy men from the past appeared there, i.e. Moses and Elias. You should understand [it was] the soul of Moses, for he was dead and his soul was in the limbo of the holy patriarchs, but Elias was not dead, rather he was alive, still living in a terrestrial paradise. He it was who was to preach at the time of the antichrist and against that very antichrist who would kill him,
in martyrdom. And these three apostles, although they never had seen them, instantly recognized them, because of their splendor, and they saw them speaking with Jesus. Neither Mark nor Matthew report what they talked about, but St. Luke says that they were speaking with each other about the "excess of the passion" of Christ to take place in Jerusalem in those days. ["And they spoke of his decease that he should accomplish in Jerusalem." (Lk 9: 30f)] Now, good people, let us examine this in a practical way. These two, standing with Jesus, Moses and Elias, adored Jesus, knowing Jesus to be God and man, and they wondered much why he would permit himself to be chained and bound by the Jews, even if for sinners, since he could have accomplished his task by a single word. Filled with admiration, since he it was who
gave glory to the angels and to all the others, they were saying, "O God, how great is this charity." Each of them discussed every aspect of his passion and detailed its excesses. The passion is said to be "excessive" because of the extremes of sufferings and love which he has shown to us, for, God, indeed is rich in mercy and because of this exceeding charity and mercy he has loved us, according to what is said in Ephesians, 2, "But God, (who is rich in mercy,) for his exceeding charity wherewith he loved us," (Eph 2:4). See how gloriously this transfiguration is celebrated. Behold, the first tent. Here we rest against the attack and the temptation of the devil. And this is the literal sense. And now we enter [its] secrets. First we ask why Christ wished to be transfigured. Second, about the people he wished to invite. My answer to the first is so that he might reveal his intrinsic glory and secrets. Just as it is said by the teachers. When Christ assumed humanity, let us see why he assumed it. I say for two
reasons. For his soul, as it was created in the womb of the Virgin Mary, immediately had such glory as he has now in heaven, and this because of his divinity. It was a spiritual substance.
Nevertheless it was hidden in the body. And so we say, "...and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father," (Jn 1:14). It assumes a body, not glorious, but vulnerable and mortal, like us, and even more vulnerable than ours, and this for our sake. But it was otherwise for the soul. So because of his weakness he could be assimilated to his brothers in all things, as we read in Hebrews, "Wherefore he had to be made like unto his brethren in all things, that he might become merciful," (Heb 2:17). In such a body was the glorious soul, but it was not seen by people. By which it is believed that, just like the body, so too the soul would be vulnerable. Christ wished to show that this was not so. For this reason he wished to show his glory which
pouredout of his body and overflowed. And listen to this parable. There is a man dressed in rags, yet he is extremely rich. People would consider him to be poor. He might gather all his friends and his family and show them his wealth,and the people followed him saying, that, although he is badly dressed, he is rich, we will follow him. So the common saying is, "Money makes for good friends." So Christ wished to be transfigured.For already he had promised when he said, "There are some of them that stand here, that shall not taste death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom," (Mt 16:28).
And hewas speakingof those whom he now took with himself. Morally, for your sake. Christ first had glory and yet his body was capable of suffering. So for the souls of the saints who pass from this life to the next. First their souls are in glory, and yet
their bodies remain in corruption. Nevertheless our body shall be transfigured, on the day of the resurrection, and the glorified soul will take up its body and overflow into the body. And that glorified body is called bright, and on the day of judgment it shall be brighter than the sun. And so it is said: "Then shall the just shine as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father," (Mt 13:43). To the second question, why did he take just three apostles and not more, and why not all the saints, but just these two from the Old Testament – he called five, the holy teachers say that from the testimony of two or three every word stands, if you ask about the number. But if you ask about the people, I say that these Apostles were Christ's friends. For by divine promise St. Peter
was already constituted pope, he was invited so that he might know even more. Secondly he called James the Greater, because he was the first to receive martyrdom, as we read in the Acts, 12: "And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword," (Acts 12:2). Third, he called John, because he was a virgin chosen by God, and more beloved than the others, therefore he deserved to be honored more by the Lord. I say that he wished to call the dead and the living to the transfiguration, since he is seen to be judge of the living and the dead. No so for the lords of this age, because they do not judge the
dead. Therefore it is said: "And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul," (Matt. 10:28). And Acts 10: "...that it is he who was appointed by God, to be judge of the living and of the dead," (Acts 10:42). But why more Elias than Enoch, since he too was still alive? The question is unresolved. And why the dead Moses rather than the other holy patriarchs? Because there are many dead, especially since Abraham was the principal one. And so it is said, "in the bosom of Abraham," (cf. Lk 16:23). I say that I prefer one side of the various opinions about this, that which holds that only two of the holy patriarchs ever fasted for forty days: Moses, in Exodus 34, "And [Moses] was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights: he neither ate bread nor drank water," (Ex 34:28). And Elias: "And [he arose, and] ate, and drank, and walked in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights, unto the mount of God, Horeb, "3Kgs 19:8). Therefore because they fasted forty days,
so they merited to be present at the transfiguration, in which it is clear how much this sacred fast of Lent is pleasing to God. So we should fast for the forty days of Lent so on Easter Day we shall be at the transfiguration, namely by receiving communion, and we shall say with the Apostle [Paul], "But we all beholding the glory of the Lord with open face, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord," (2Cor 3:18). Note here how Christ, Moses and Elias fasted for forty days, and it says that Christ fasted praying. Luke 6: "That he went out into a mountain to pray, and he passed the whole night in the prayer of God." (Lk 6:12). Moses fasted for forty days by listening, (cf. Ex 34,) where it is said that he stayed on the mountain with God. Elias fasted by journeying or walking, (cf. above. 3Kgs 19). So we, at the example of Christ, should devote ourselves to praying. "Be ye therefore followers of God, as most dear children," (Eph 5:1), by praying every prayer and observance. Secondly, following the
example of Moses, we should try to attend masses, and sermons and so we will be like Moses. Third, at the example of Elias, we should try to walk, to journey, in pilgrimage, because when you fast by praying like Christ and listen like Moses, you ought to fast like Elias traveling, that is by visiting churches, because there are many indulgences in such. Later, go to vespers, so that finally, on Easter, you shall be worthy to have the glory of paradise. You ought in these times to set aside your courtrooms, your lawsuits, and your objections and allegations, by rather saying prayers, by saying the Our Father, the Hail Mary, etc. and after hearing a sermon and praying, you should journey forth, as I told you, that you might acquire some riches for your soul. And remember what Christ said: "Murmur not among yourselves," (Jn 6:43). In
olden days, during this time [of Lent] court was not open nor was it held, but it is no longer such. And this about the first tent. SECOND TENT – QUIETLY RECEIVED
The second point is that this transfiguration was quietly received by the Apostles, Moses and Elias. That is clear because St. Peter said, "Lord, it is good for us to be here: if you wish, let us pitch
three tents here," (Mt 17:4). It was therefore quietly received, because when Christ so stood, transfigured, and the onlookers were perceiving the glory of paradise, Peter said, "It is good for us to be here," (v. 4), because he tasted the tabernacle (tent) of paradise, because he said, "Let us pitch three tents here," as if believing that John would stay with Moses, James with Elias, and that he would be with Christ. St. Luke says about him, "not knowing what he said," (Lk 9:33). Then the shining cloud came and overshadowed them. About this see, for although a cloud is bright of itself, nevertheless because of an impediment it is seen like a shadow. And so to those
standing there, a voice comes from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son," (v. 5). And everyone fell on their face. And Jesus came to the apostles lying there and he raised them up. Once on their feet they saw that Moses and Elias had already departed; Moses to the place of the holy patriarchs, Elias to the earthly paradise. You can imagine that when the soul of Moses came to its place, he was questioned saying, "Where did you go and what did you see?" He replied, "I have seen the redeemer of the world, who is
already many years old. Soon he shall come to free us." O, what a great joy came over them. The same can be imagined about Elias, when his companion Enoch saw him, and he said to him, "O companion, where did you go? Where were you? Tell me some news. Have you seen the Savior?" "Certainly," he replied, "I have seen the Savior. For I was carried by St. Michael and I clearly saw the Lord transfigured." He told him everything. Consider the sorrow of the other saying, "O why did I not go? O why was it not I?" Then he could have replied, "Because you have not fasted." So,
about Moses someone might think what questions there had been. So it was received quietly. But I ask what was the reason why Christ did not reply to the proposal of Peter saying, "Let us make here three tabernacles." According to the Gloss, he did not reply verbally, because it was not a rational request. Well enough! But I say that Jesus replied secretly. For Peter was seeking his glory on that mountain and Christ showed that it could not happen for five reasons: 1. The first is because of the arrival of the cloud. See, in deed, he replied. 2. Second because of the voice of the Father. 3. Third because they had fallen down. 4. Fourth because Christ helped them to rise up. 5. Fifth because they saw no one but Christ. And so Christ wanted first to show Peter the five [events], before he was to come and to have glory. And first the cloud came and this signifies penance, and so: "Do penance, for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand," (Matt. 4:17). So first penance must be done. Second the voice of the Father sounded, "This is my beloved Son, ...hear ye him," (v. 5). It signifies obedience. So it is said, " But if the wicked do penance for all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my commandments, and do judgment, and justice, living he shall live," (Ezek. 18:21). Third, fear and humiliation are required, because they fell down. For every saint fears death. For according to the Philosopher (Aristotle), " Death is the most terrible of all things," (Aristotle,
Nichomachean Ethics 3.6 [1115a27]). Fourth, Christ has to come and this on the day of judgment, when, by divine power they shall be raised from death, because Christ made them rise up at his transfiguration when he said to them,
"Arise, and fear not." (v. 7), because sinners fear his appearance. But it is said to the just, "Do not fear, arise." Fifth " they lifting up their eyes saw no one but only Jesus," (v. 8), as is understood that only The divine essence and no creature is the object of glory, or of eternal life, speaking of essential or principalglory, about which St. Thomas, [Summa theologiae] I, q. 12, a. 8 in the response to the 4th objection. And to this vision no creature through its own natural powers can come, as the same St. Thomas beautifully proves in the same question, namely q. 12, a. 4. And so it is said in Romans 6: "But the grace of God, life everlasting, in Christ Jesus," (Rom. 6:23). So that shall be the tent. Therefore he has to do all these things after, and in this way Christ responded by action (facto). And so in the Psalm, "Judge me O God," it is said, "Send forth your light and your truth: they have conducted me, and brought me unto your holy hill," (Ps 42:3), namely to Mount Thabor. Thus, the second point, namely how the transfiguration was calmly received. THIRD TENT - DEVOUTLY HIDDEN The third part follows, in which that transfiguration was devoutly hidden. For the text says: "And as they came down from the mountain, etc.," Jesus said to them, "Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead," (v. 9). But why did he wish that the aforesaid transfiguration be kept hidden? Response: according to the teachers, the reason of his hiding was the piety of Christ, lest the Apostles and disciples hearing of such glory of Christ, if the transfiguration was revealed to them, and later having seen the ignominy of the passion of Christ, would have been more scandalized and would have sinned more by losing faith. Thus these three Apostles, "held their peace, and told no man in those days any of these things which they had seen," (Lk 9:36). I believe, however, that St. John, with the permission of Christ, told the Virgin Mary of the glory of the transfiguration of Christ, and so, it seems, that Christ wished more for our salvation, than for his glory, when he says, "But I seek not my own glory: there is one that seeks and judges," (Jn 8:50). And so it was devoutly hidden, therefore now you have three tents. Here you rest, especially in
these times [of Lent].
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Post by Hildegard on Mar 22, 2019 21:58:28 GMT
St. Vincent Ferrer - Sermon for the Third Sunday of Lent
The Samaritan Woman at the Well John 4: 5-42 "We...know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world," (Jn 4:42) This holy gospel contains a beautiful story which contains three great disputations between Christ and others: The first was between Christ and the Samaritan woman, The second was the Samaritan woman with Christ, The third was with Christ and the disciples. And each disputation has an excellent question. The conclusion of the first disputation was, "Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet," (v.19). The conclusion of the second disputation is that Christ is the Messiah. The conclusion of the third disputation is the theme, that [he is] the Savior of the world (v. 42).. THE FIRST ARGUMENT – WITH THE WOMAN AT THE WELL As for the first disputation which was with the Samaritan woman it must be known that it was friendly, because Christ began it. So as Christ was traveling from village to village
personally preaching, he came to Samaria, a great city, larger even than Paris. Near that city there was a high fountain -- it was called a fountain, because it gushed fresh water -- and a deep well. Christ was wearyand totally exhausted from the journey. He sat himself on the edge of the well so he might wash his blessed face over the fountain, and so its coolness might refresh him. In the mean time he Apostles and disciples went into the city to buyfood and bread. And when Christ was alone at the fountain --the hour was noon -- a woman from the city of Samaria came to draw water. She found Christ there, and she did not greet him,
recognizing that he was a Jew by his clothing, for Jews were not talking to Samaritans, just as we Christians do not talk with unbelieving Saracens. Christ began the disputation, saying, "[Woman,] give me a drink,"(v. 7). She, looked at him with a fierce eye, began to argue with Christ, saying, "How do you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink,? For the Jews do not communicate with the Samaritans,(v. 9) I shall certainly not give you a drink." Christ replied saying, "O woman, if you knew the gift of God, and who he is that says to you, 'Give me to drink;' perhaps you would have asked of him, and he would have given you living water," (v. 10). Note the gift of God given to the human race. This gift is the Son of God given in the incarnation, about which Isaiah, 9, "...A son is given to us," (Isa. 9:6). Behold the gift given in our redemption. The woman continued arguing, saying to Christ, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where then do you have living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and himself drank there, and his children, and his cattle?" (vv. 11-12). Christ responds: "Woman, you do not understand of which water I speak, because this is not it. Whosoever drinks of this water, shall thirst again; but he who shall drink of the water that I will give him, shall not thirst for ever: But the water that I will give him, shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into life everlasting," (vv. 13-14), and he shall have eternal life. Such was the power of Christ's words that the woman bowed to him, and already contrite in heart with humility and reverence said, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor
have to come here to draw," (v. 15). Then Christ responded, "You want some of this water?" The woman replied, "Yes, lord." "Go to the city, and call your husband, and come back here, " (v. 16). She said," I have no husband," and Christ said,"Well have you said, 'I have no husband,' for you have had five husbands: and he whom you now have, is not your husband. He is
a bully and a lecher [ruffianus et ribaldus], and you are his mistress." And he told her the names of all her husbands, and their characters, and what work they did. This one was called such, and had such a job, and died in this way, and so on with the others. "But this one which you now have isnot your husband but a lecher and you too are a lecher." Then she began to cry out, "O Lord, Lord clearly I see that you are a prophet (v.19) and you know everything that I have done (cf. v.39). Spare me, because Icalled you a Jew." The conclusion of the first disputation. Note she first called him a Jew, and later she calls the Lord a prophet. So much for the literal sense of the first disputation.Morally. Now we uncover themoral lessons hidden for us. In this disputation their are six hidden moral [lessons], which we begin to explore through questions.
First, who is this Samaritan woman and what does she signify? Response: this Samaritan woman signifies the every Christian sinner in two ways, and the gospel tells us. First, because
she comes often, every day, tothe water, but she is not satisfied. Such is the condition of sinners, because they come daily to the water of temporal prosperity, and are not satisfied. Such is the way of cupidity. For example, if a priest has a simple benefice, he tries to get a larger one, and is never satisfied. Behold the condition of the water of temporal goods which do not satisfy, because they do not hit the spot where the thirst is. For the thirst is for having worldly goods, such as, lands, possessions, gold, silver etc. These temporal goods do not enter within the heart. Even if you had a wagon filled with liquid gold, it would not satisfy you. But just as a starving man is not satisfied by the sight of food on the table, because hunger is in the stomach, and so
unless the food goes in, it will not take away the hunger or thirst. So it is with the consumption of temporal goods. Thus however much a man has, he thirsts and desires for more, because such things do not enter into his heart. Authority: "A covetous man shall not be satisfied with money: and he that loves riches shall reap no fruit from them, etc.," (Eccl 5:9).
And so direct pleasures and worldly delights, are like a fever which burns a person with thirst. He is then given a drop of water on the tongue, with a feather. The same with the delights of
lust, of avarice, etc. And so wherever flesh seeks refreshment in temporal things, it discovers only failure. For the heart of a man is greater than the heavens and can be satisfied only by God, whom the heaven cannot embrace, but nevertheless the heart of man always holds fast to grace, and then man is satisfied, so Christ says, " Whosoever drinks of this water, shall thirst again; but he who shall drink of the water that I will give him, shall not thirst for ever,But the water that I will give him, shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into life everlasting," (vv. 13-14), by the water of grace and his presence. Thus the conclusion is from theology, that sanctifying grace [gratia gratum faciens] brings and has with it the presence of God. And by this sign it can be known if a person is in grace, when someone does not desire things leading to sin. Note:"springing up into life everlasting."What a leap is that which the soul makes, when by
mouth it leaps immediately into heaven. Think if a man would jump from the earth into heaven. O what kind of a leap would it be, even if it is beyond higher, how much higher yet is it to heaven.
The second secret: Jesus, fatigued by the journey, was sitting there at the fountain. It was almost noon. Why was Jesus more exhausted at that hour from the journey than any of the Apostles?
Because he was sustaining the whole world and all creatures. Reason: you know, good people, that there never was there a man of such a delicate constitution like Christ as man. Why? Because we are conceived and begotten from most vile and corrupt stuff, and so we have a coarser constitution for enduring labors. The body of Christ formed by the Holy Spirit, was not of most vile
matter but from the purest drops of the blood of the Virgin Mary, and so it was more delicate; or because he was fasting every day, and "passed the whole night in prayer," (Luke 6:12), and he
labored preaching every day.
And about this sensitivity [delicatura] it is said in Isa 53: " ...To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? And he shall grow up as a tender plant before him, and as a root out of a thirsty ground: there is no beauty in him, nor comeliness: and we have seen him, and there was no sightliness, that we should be desirous of him: Despised, and the most abject of men, a man of sorrows,
and acquainted with infirmity: and his look was as it were hidden and despised, whereupon we esteemed him not. Surely he has born our infirmities and carried our sorrows: and we have thought him as it were a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed. All we, like sheep, have gone astray, every one has turned aside into his own way: and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all," (Isa 53:1-6). The arm of the
Lord through which God the Father has worked all things, is Christ as God. "All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made." (John 1:3). And speaking of his humanity he says, " And he shall grow up as a tender plant before him, and as a root out of a thirsty ground," (v. 2 ). A tender plant is a little shoot and delicate, which grows up atthe base of other large trees, or which sprouts in dry ground where there is not any water. It is very delicate and fragile. So it is clear the reason why Christ was more exhausted than the Apostles.If it is
said "Could he not care for himself?" I reply: Always, but he would not have given us an example of laboring for good works, so that we might have patience when we are tired and exhausted, as Christ was, and when from preaching of fasting or other reasons we are worn out, we take comfort from the example of Christ and we acquire patience. Thus the Apostle, "But in all things
let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in tribulation, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in prisons, in seditions, in labors, in watchings, in fastings, in chastity, in knowledge, in long suffering, in sweetness, in the Holy Ghost, in charity unfeigned, in the word of truth, inthe power of God," (2 Cor 6:4-7).
The third secret is: Why did the Apostles leave him alone? because no one remained with him. The text says: " For his disciples had gone into the city to buy meats," (v. 8), and they left him alone in the desert, because that well was a considerable way from the city of Samaria. Response: why they left him alone, because it was at the command of Christ that all should go, so that the might save that woman. For if some disciple had been there, the woman would have been deterred, nor would she have spoken with him, and so he ordered that they all should go to the city to buy what was needed.
In this we are morally instructed. And we have an example, that just as Christ in the incarnation has dismissed the company of thousands of thousands of angels, Job 25: " Is there any
numbering of his soldiers?"(Job 25:3). For our salvation he dismissed them. The same way, as he dismissed the company of apostles for the salvation of that Samaritan woman. So likewise
we [should dismiss] the company of friends, children,wife, etc. Also he says," And every one that has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting,"(Mt 19:29). Note "for my name's sake" which is Jesus, translated as Savior. "For my name's sake," i.e. for the salvation of a soul, that the religious leaves his homeland for the purpose ofpreaching. The same for the priest or layman, who leaving the world "shall receive a hundredfold, etc." Or wife, or children.
The question is: Is a man able to dismiss his wife for Christ, and the salvation of a soul, either his or of others? Response: that a man cannot dismiss a wife which he already has, unless they
both agree upon entering religious life, and if the other is to remain in the world, they are bound to live continently. Likewise a father should not leave his children unless thy are well provided with necessities, and are well instructed, educated and adult enough. The same holds for children, who should not leave their parents, poor and old, unless they are taken care of. Second,
one "leaves a wife," not a wife which he has, but one which he might have, and children which he might have. For the love of Christ he leaves everything. So this text [auctoritas] is to be understood.
The fourth secret, or the fourth question is shown in this, when the woman says, "How do you, being a Jew, etc." (Jn 4:9). How does the woman know that Christ is a Jew? Response: that she recognized him by his speech in the same way as Peter was recognized on the night of the passion. "Surely you are also one of them; for even your speech betrays you," (Mt 26:73). Morally. Everyone is recognized for where his homeland is. There are two opposing homelands: paradise, and hell, and in each they speak differently. The language of paradise is like that in the Psalm, "Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord: they shall praise you for ever and ever," (Ps 83:5). Therefore when a religious or priest or layman freely praises God, it is a
sign that he is one of those from paradise. ".. for even your speech betrays you," (Mt 26:73). It is otherwise when, with weariness in a confused and irreverent and non devout way one recites the Office or prayers. It is a great sign of predestination to praise God with delight. The language of hell is that of which John says in Apocalypse 16: "And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God, who has power over these plagues, neither did they do penance to give him glory," (Rev 16:9). Therefore when one swears, contradicts [renegat], blasphemes, etc., it is a sign that he is a townsman and citizen of hell, whence, "you also are one of them, etc." Thus to swear and contradict is a manifest sign of predicted damnation.
The fifth secret is that water of which Christ spoke, "Whosoever drinks...," (v. 13) This is the spiritual grace which extinguishes ardor of pride in the proud, avarice in the greedy, lust in the
lusting, etc., just as natural water puts out the heat of the body. Such a one does not wish for things inordinately, nor ardently seeks dignities, positions etc, like those do who still burn with the fever of pride, avarice etc. For the pure water of the grace of God extinguishes that burning in them. They who have grace say, with the Apostle [Paul], in 1 Tim. 6: "But having food, and wherewith to be covered, with these we are content," (1 Tim 6:8). He does not say"delicacies" [delectamenta] and by which we are "decorated" [ornemur] etc. This the grace of God accomplishes, or the water of grace "springing up into life everlasting," (v. 14). O, what a spring. Behold why he says, "he who shall drink of the water that I will give him, shall not thirst for ever," (v.13), namely, w ith that temporal [thirst] from the heat of sin. Of this grace, Romans 6: "But the grace of God, life everlasting," (Rom 6:23),that is through "the grace of God" one has "eternal life."
The sixth secret or sixth question: Since Christ said, "Go call your husband," Why did he say that, since Christ knew that she did not have a husband? Response: that Christ chose this way of speaking so that the woman herself would speak the truth with her own mouth, that she did not have a husband.
Morally. " For you have had five husbands; and he whom you now have, is not your husband," (v.18). So when one sins out of weakness, or from ignorance, each person has five husbands, and finally takes on the bully [ruffianum], the devil. The five husbands are the five natural bodily senses. For just as a man rules his household, so these five senses rule the body in [those] sins which
come from weakness, like Peter when he denied Christ out of fear. But when one sins out of habit and malice, one is ruled by the devil, like a bully or a pimp. The Apostle says about this, "And
they may recover themselves from the snares of the devil, by whom they are held captive at his will," (2 Tim 2:26). The same St. Paul says: "Know also this, that, in the last days, shall come dangerous times. Men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, haughty, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents," (2 Tim 3:1-2). SECOND ARGUMENT – THE SAMARITAN WOMAN WITH CHRIST
The second argument, of the Samaritan woman with Christ begins with her boldness. And to understand this disputation you should know that between the Jews and the Samaritans there was an ancient question as towhere they should pray, in Jerusalem or there, on Mount Gerazim. The Jews said "in Jerusalem," because thus God commanded. The Samaritans however said "on this mountain," because the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob worshipped there. The Samaritan woman seeing Christ to be a prophet, who revealed her secrets to her, thought, "O this one tells you the truth." To seek the solution to this subtle question, she begins the by saying: "Our fathers adored on this mountain, and you say, that at Jerusalem is the place where
men must adore," (v. 20). "Since you are a prophet , what do you say about this question?" In his reply Christ acknowledged two opinions. First, that the truer opinion was that of the Jews, because although the patriarchs had adored there, nevertheless the place of prayer had been moved. The second opinion,hat one can worship in every place, because God is everywhere. Then Christ replied: "Woman, believe me, that the hour is coming, when you shall adore the Father neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem. You adore that which you do not know; we adore that which we know, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour comes, and is now, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeks such to adore him. God is a spirit; and they who adore him, must adore him in spirit and in truth," (vv..21-24). And so Jesus resolved the question against the Samaritan woman. "The woman said to him: I know that the Messias (who is called Christ) is coming. Therefore, when he comes, he will tell us all things,"(v. 25). Jesus replied, " I, who am speaking with you,
am he," (v.26). Nowhere in thegospels is it found that Christ so clearly said that he was the Christ, the Savior of the world, as he does here. And instantly the woman, enlightened, left her water jug and ran into the city, crying out and declaring and callingthe people, "O my good people, come, and see a man who has told me everything that I have done. Is not he the Christ?
They went therefore out of the city, and came to him," (v.29-30). In this question there are three secrets.
1. The first is, God is spirit. What does it mean to adore "in spirit and in truth?"
1) To understand this, realize that it is an principle of philosophy, that truth is the correspondence of thing to intellect. For example when the spirit thinks about the infinite sanctity and
purity of Christ, and on the otherhand it thinks about the gravest sins which man himself commits, then when the external gesture of the body corresponds to the spirit saying: "Lord I am not worthy to behold you. Alas, how many sins have I committed against your will and holiness etc.," and physically one bows down, by revealing humility externally, then [the body]
corresponds with the spirit in the heart. But when the heart is in the tavern, and the body bows, it is not truth. In this way the publican prayed to God in the siprit and truth saying:" O God,
be merciful to me a sinner," (Lk 18:13). For this reason we now say. "Bow your heads to the Lord," [Invitation to the prayer at the end of Lenten Masses] as if the church is saying, you are not worthy to look upon him. For this reason the statues are veiled in Lent as if to say we are not worthy to look upon these images. 2) Second, God is adored in spirit and truth. First in spirit by thinking of his dominion, how he created body and soul and all things are his. Otherwise of other lords. Second, he is to be adored in truth, by the genuflecting of both knees to him, temporal lords only the left, and prelates the right. In this way we say, "Let us bend the knees," [Flectamus genua. Levate. A
liturgical command during Good Friday intercessions.] and it does not say by a knee . "Raise up," namely, the spirit on high. So when you wish to say a prayer, first you should pray in the spirit, thinking with whom you should be speaking, then in truth, by reverence of the body on the outside. Behold why Christ says," The Father also seeks such to adore him...in spirit and in truth," (Jn 4:23). And scriptures agree saying," As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me," (Rom 14:11).
3) Third, God is adored in spirit and in truth. First in spirit thinking of his eternity, and in contrast of our own vile beginnings, because [we are] made of earth, and thinking of our end, because we shall die. And in truth by rostrating oneself on the earth,which is to say "to earth we shall return," and shall die, and God is in his eternity. This is signified in his passion when it is said, "He gave up his spirit," (Mt 27:50). There every Christian prostrates. Thus David says, " Come let us adore and fall down: and weep before the Lord that made us," (Ps 94:6).
4) Fourth, God is worshipped in spirit, by thinking of the generosity of God who gives all temporal and spiritual goods, and on the other hand our uncleanness and needs. And in truth.
So we raise our hands: the right for spiritual goods, the left for temporal goods.
5) The fifth manner of adoring God in spirit, by thinking of God's mercy, because since we are condemned to the pitchfork of hell, the Son of God was so merciful that he said to his
Father: Blessed Father, I alone wish to be suspended for the whole people. And on the other hand by thinking about sins for which the sentence has been given. And in truth, when
the crossis signed in the heart saying: "The earth is full of the mercy of the Lord," (Ps 32:5) from your passion. Thus Paul, " "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ," (Gal 6:14).
6) The sixth way of adoring in the spirit by striking our breast, thinking of God's infinite immensity and thinking of the offense committed toward him by our sins. Thus the heart is struck with five fingers, just as we have five ways of sinning, namely, thought, word, work, omission and by persistence, because in these ways God is offended.
2. The second secret is when it says, "She left her jug, etc." Literally, why does she leave it? So she can run more quickly to the city. But spiritually, the jug symbolized the evil companions of the woman, who blocked her path, and so she left it. Many are such, who by the association and familiarity and love of certain people are impeded from the path to paradise. So the woman left her jug, i.e. her bad companions. Thus the Poet," Things you have which are harmful, [though dear, let go,]" (Cato, Distich, Lib. I, v. 6).
3. The third secret is when it is said that she went to the city, crying out, "Come, I shall show you a man...etc.," (v.29). Thus she was not satisfied with her own conversion, but wished to convert her neighbors, because she converted the whole city. Here we are instructed that no one ought to be content with his own conversion, but ought to go out to convert his neighbor,
like the good and devout wife, sweetly to convert her crude husband. Likewise, brother, the brother; neighbor, their neighbor; servant, their lord; master, their disciple; a lady, her handmaiden.
Ecclesiasticus 17, "And he gave to every one of them a commandment concerning his neighbor," (Sir 17:12). Also the Apocalypse, last chapter, " And the spirit and the bride say: Come. And he that hears, let him say: Come. And he who thirsts, let him come," and drink, "and he who wishes, let him take the water of life, freely," (Rev 22:17). Note how the Holy Ghost say s to man, "Come to Paradise etc."
THE THIRD ARGUMENT – BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS APOSTLES
The third disputation was between Christ and the Apostles, humbly, because they said, "Rabbi, eat," (v. 31). and they set a meal before him. However, Christ refused to eat, but replied saying, " I have meat to eat, which you know not," (v. 32). The evangelist says that, "The disciples therefore said one to another," namely between themselves, "Has any man brought him [something] to eat?" Christ however declaring which food he was talking about said," My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, that I may perfect his work," (v. 34). This he was saying for the sake of the people who were coming from the city, and when he saw the people, he thought, "It is necessary for me to preach," because he did not say I do
not prefer to eat food, but he said, I have other food to eat, namely the word of God. For not by bread alone does a man live, "But in every word that proceeds from the mouth of God,"
(Mat 4:4). Note that, in the example of Christ, a sermonshould come from a fasting stomach. And he preached to those from the city, O how sweetly, "and he remained there two days," (v. 40). And they believed in him, to such an extent that they said to the woman, "We now believe, not for your saying so:for we ourselves have heard him, and know that this is indeed the Savior of the world. (v. 42) In such a way he illuminated us." Behold therefore the conclusion of this dispute.
Morally. The food of Christ is to do the will of God the Father. Thus we do the will and we give him to eat, because this food is greatly pleasing to him.
- He wants food from bishops, that they enter through the door, not through simony. Second after they are inside, that they be more concerned about souls that stipends. Finally, that they live from stipends and share with the poor and give good example and good teaching. From this food God is satisfied.
- As for secular lords he wants food, namely that they minister justice both to the little ones and to the great, both to the poor as well as to the rich, and they do not qualify justice
because of bribes and favors. Shunning robbery, content with their own income, they serve the people in peace.
- In religious he wants four foods, and from these Christ wishes to be fed, namely apostolic poverty, evangelical chastity, complete obedience, and ceremonial observance.
- And of priests he wants three foods, namely devoutly to pray their breviaries, celebrate worthily, and behave properly. 1 Tim 3:7, "Moreover he must have a good testimony of them who are without: lest he fall into reproach."
- Of the laity he wants two foods, and they are enough, namely the articles of the faith and the observance of the precepts of God. And finally he would say to you in judgment, from Mat 25:34, " Come, you blessed of my Father, etc." namely with the aforesaid foods and so you shall be with Christ at the table of glory, about which he said, "And I dispose to you,
as my Father has disposed to me, a kingdom; That you may eat and drink at my table, in my kingdom," here through grace, and in the future, through glory (Lk 22:29). ================================== Jn 4:5-42 Douay trans. 5 He cometh therefore to a city of Samaria, which is called Sichar, near the land which Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria, to draw water. Jesus saith to her: Give me to drink. 8 For his disciples were gone into the city to buy meats. 9 Then that Samaritan woman saith to him: How dost thou, being a Jew, ask of me to drink, who am a Samaritan woman? For the Jews do not communicate with
the Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered, and said to her: If thou didst know the gift of God, and who he is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou perhaps wouldst have asked of him, and
he would have given thee living water. 11 The woman saith to him: Sir, thou hast nothing where into draw, and the well is deep; from whence then hast thou living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered, and said to her: Whosoever drinketh of this water, shall thirst again; but he that shall drink of the water that I will give him, shall not thirst for ever: 14 But the water that I will give him, shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into life everlasting. 15 The woman saith to him: Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come hither to draw. 16 Jesus saith to her: Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
17 The woman answered, and said: I have no husband. Jesus said to her: Thou hast said well, I have no husband: 18 For thou hast had five husbands: and he whom thou now hast, is not thy husband.This thou hast said truly. 19 The woman saith to him: Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 20 Our fathers adored on this mountain, and you say, that at Jerusalem is the place where men must adore. 21 Jesussaith to her: Woman, believe me, that the hour cometh, when you shall neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, adore the Father. 22
You adore that which you know not: we adore that which we know; forsalvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeketh such to adore him. 24 God is a spirit; and they that adore him, must adore him in spirit and in truth. 25 The woman saith to him: I know that the Messias cometh (who is called Christ); therefore, when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith to her: I amhe, who am speaking with thee. 27 And immediately his disciples came; and they wondered that he talked with the woman. Yet no man said: What seekest thou? or, why talkest thou with her? 28 The woman therefore left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men there: 29 Come, and see a man who has told me all things whatsoever I have done. Is not he the Christ? 30 They went therefore
out of the city, and came unto him. 31 In the mean time the disciples prayed him, saying: Rabbi, eat. 32 But he said to them: I have meat to eat, which you know not. 33 The disciples therefore said one to another:Hath any man brought him to eat? 34 Jesus saith to them: My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, that I may perfect his work. 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life everlasting:that both he that soweth, and he that reapeth, may rejoice together. 37 For in this is the saying true: That it is one man that
soweth, and it is another that reapeth. 38 I have sent you to reap that in which you did not labour: others have laboured, and you have entered into their labours. 39 Now of that city many of the Samaritans believed in him, for the word of the woman giving testimony: He told me all things whatsoever I have done. 40 So when the Samaritans were come to him, they desired that he would tarry there. And he abode there two days. 41 And many more believed in him because of his own word. 42 And they said tothe woman: We now believe, not for
thy saying: for we ourselves have heard him, and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world.
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Post by Hildegard on Mar 31, 2019 22:17:09 GMT
St. Vincent Ferrer -- Sermon - Fourth Sunday of Lent
The Cure of the Man Born Blind
John 9: 1-38
"And falling down, he adored him," (Jn 9:38). Our sermon shall be from the holy gospel today which contains a great and beautiful miracle which Christ performed, the cure [Vincent prefers the word, enlightenment] of the man born blind. But first, let us salute the Virgin Mary, etc. [Here he has everyone recite the Hail Mary.] The complete gospel consists of three points, The first is the miraculous work (operatio miraculosa), The second is malicious attack (impugnatio malitiosa), The third is gracious approval (approbtio gratiosa). And of this third, when the blind man, illuminated by Christ, approves the miracle by adoring Christ, [John] the Theologian says, "And falling down, he adored him," (Jn 9:38). Thus the gracious approval. MIRACULOUS DEED The first shown in the holy gospel is the miraculous deed, about which the Gospel, "And Jesus passing by," i.e. exiting the temple, "saw a man, who was blind from birth," (v.1), who was standing there begging, and he whom Christ saw was familiar to all. The Gloss on Chrysostom, i.e. he looked on him attentively. Because of this attentive look, the Apostles found a reason for interrogating Christ saying, "Rabbi, who has sinned, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind?" (v. 2). They didn't ask whether this punishment had come from sin, because they presumed this, but they were asking through which sin. It seems that the Apostles were of the same opinion as the friends of Job, who were saying that all evil and illness come upon man from sins. Job was holding to the contrary: "I have not sinned, and my eye abides in bitterness," (Job 17:2). Christ wishing to disabuse the Apostles of this opinion replied, saying, "Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him," (v. 3). Note that Christ doesn't deny simply that children suffer something from the sins of the parents, especially in body which they have from their parents. Blessed Jerome even says that the secret sins of parents, which they commit behind closed doors, are often manifested in punishments of the children. Exodus 20: "I am the Lord your God, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation," (Ex 20:5). And Isaiah: " Prepare his children for slaughter, for the iniquity of their fathers," (Isa 14:21). Ezekiel: "The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father," (Ezek 18:20), and this with respect to the soul. But the penalties, with respect to the body, because God never punishes the soul of a child directly just because of the sin of the father. Thus he says in the same place, "Behold all souls are mine: as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sins, the same shall die," (Ezek 18:4). But not so for this man; not from the sins of the parents, nor from his own was he born blind, "but that the works of God should be manifested in him," (v. 3). Note, [he says] "works" in the plural. For when an innocent infant suffers, four works of God are manifested. First is manifested a work of justice. The Doctors of theology say that the first parents had been formed in original justice, and although the body is naturally vulnerable, nevertheless God had given that grace to Adam, because as long as he was obedient to God and the body also was obedient to the soul and that the body did not suffer some accident. But because Adam was disobedient to God, for this the body lost grace and remains in its misery and vulnerability. Whenever therefore you should see an infant suffering some evil, divine justice is manifested there, because on account of the sin of Adam bodies suffer justly. So David says, "And his justice unto children's children," (Ps 102:17). So in this blind man there was a defect of some principle of nature so that the work of divine justice would be manifested in him. Second, in a suffering infant the work of divine mercy is made manifest, because the infant avoids sin. To the extent that this blind man lacks vision, many sins are avoided which are committed by the eyes. He was humble and merited from his patience. Thus Habakkuk 3: ”When you are angry, you will remember mercy," (Hab 3:2). Third, is manifested the work of penance, because when the sinner sees that he who is innocent is suffering, he says to himself, "O wretched one, what shall become of me?" Fourth, is manifested the work of the grace of God, when God decided to cure him miraculously. So Christ cured this blind man miraculously. He says, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day," (v. 4). Here Christ calls his presence the "sun," which makes the day bright, and his absence through bodily death he calls "night." The Gloss says, "I must work," namely, miraculously, his "works, of him who sent me," namely the Father, "while it is day," i.e. as long as I am of the Father. "The night comes," namely of death and of my passion, when no one can work, miraculously. After his death through the prayers of the holy Apostles, Christ would work miracles. So David, "Give glory to the Lord," of lords, "for his mercy endures for ever," (Ps 105:1). Note how Christ when curing the blind man used seven ceremonies. First he looked at him attentively. Second was the questioning of the Apostles, Third Christ spat on the earth. Fourth he made mud from the spittle. Fifth he rubbed it over his eyes. Sixth he sent him to the pool of Siloe. Seventh was the washing in that pool. Why did he want to keep so many ceremonies and details, when he could have enlightened him by a simple command, as we read regarding another blind man, in Luke 18, when Christ said, "What do you wish that I do to you?" The blind man said, "Lord, that I may see. And Jesus said to him: Receive your sight, etc.," (Lk 18:41f), and immediately he could see. Why, therefore in this case did he use so many ceremonies? I respond, that Christ wished to cure [literally, illuminate] this blind man in this way so that he might give an example to every blind sinner how he can be enlightened. Note how everyone in the state of mortal sin is blind, because he does not see the danger of suddenly plummeting into the pit of hell. Now he is just falling from sin into sin. So, the Prophet says about sinners, "And they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord," (Zeph 1:17). Thus to cure him, it was necessary for Christ to follow the above ceremonies in bringing light to this blind man. First, Jesus sees, i.e. looked at him attentively. See here the recognition of sins which comes from the glance of Christ, as was made clear to Peter, who on the night of the passion denied Christ three times. He did not acknowledge his sin until Christ looked at him, Luke 22: "And the Lord turning looked on Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, as he had said: Before the cock crows, you shall deny me three times. And Peter going out, wept bitterly," (Lk 22:61). See how the look of Christ is necessary for the recognition of sins. So David said, "Look upon me, and have mercy on me; for I am unique and poor," (Ps 24:16). Note "unique," i.e. alone, from whom God withdraws. Before his sin God was with him. The second circumstance was the questioning of the Apostles, "Rabbi, etc.," (v. 1), in which is shown contrition for sins, which is nothing other that the questioning of the heart or a debate, for which reason the sinner, out of contrition, says to himself, "O wretch, what have you done? You have committed so many sins, what will happen to my soul? I have lost so many good things," etc. Note here the similarity with that merchant who on market day buys a straw basket as a gold one, who buys fish eyes for pearls, for which he paid everything that he had. He shows his purchase to his friends, who asked how he could be so duped, and that it was worthless. He did not despair because he counted on his rich father, but he blamed himself saying, "O miserable one, why did I not seek some advice. How stupid it was to make my purchase." So there are also today many stupid buyers in the world, who believed that they had bought a golden urn, namely honors, dignities, which nevertheless is worthless. Likewise they believe carnal delights to be pearls. But when they are enlightened by God and see themselves deceived, then they put their hope in Christ, like a rich father. It is clear therefore how contrition is only an indicting questioning of oneself. Thus Job, 14, in the person of a sinner says, "How many are my iniquities and sins? make me know my crimes and offences," (Job 13:23). Where he points out four differences between sins. First is "iniquities," i.e. not equals, which are the sins which happen against the neighbor, and nevertheless God wishes that we be equal in love. Second is where, "and sins," which are about deeds which happen against our own body, like lust, gluttony, laziness. Thus sins are called beastly. Third where, "crimes," which happen directly against God, like blasphemy. Fourth where, "and offenses," which are about deeds which happen against the soul, like pride, avarice, anger and envy. Therefore, "offenses," as if abandoned, because by these defects the miserable soul is forsaken. See why he says, "How many are my iniquities and sins? make me know my crimes and offences," (Job 13:23). The third circumstance why Christ spat on the ground. Behold here oral confession which is nothing but to vomit sins and to purge of sins the stomach of the soul. And in this it is shown the manner of confessing by which the sinner ought to go, on bended knees before the confessor, and there to spit out and vomit those uncleannesses of stinking sins by giving himself the power to expel sins. See how Christ "spat on the ground," (v. 6). Say against those who vomit on the altar, who confess on foot, where the confessor since he be the judge ought to sit. Some, however, confess, neither on the ground, nor on the altar, but looking the confessor face to face, which is bad for two reason. First because of the shame of the sinner. Second because of the danger to the confessors, looking on the face of a beautiful woman, etc. Therefore it is said to sinners, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity," (1 Jn 1:9). The fourth, he makes "clay of the spittle," (v. 6). Behold here the imposition of a penance, because the prudent confessor ought to mix the saliva of the sinner with the earth, i.e. to recognize the gravity of the sins, so that, according to the condition and quality of the person, and the quantity of sins, he would know how to proportion the penance to what the sinner is able to do. Deuteronomy 25: "According to the measure of the sin shall the measure also of the stripes be," (Deut 25:2) The same is said of sinners, "As much as she has glorified herself, and lived in delicacies, so much torment and sorrow give to her," (Rev 18:7). Fifth, he anoints his eyes. He does not say punished, but anointed, namely in two senses, in which is shown a gentle admonition, which the confessor ought to give, namely anointing the eyes of the soul of the sinner, inducing him to penance, because it is better do penance here, than in the next world. Therefore the confessor ought to say to the sinner, "Whatsoever your hand is able to do, do it earnestly: for neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge shall be in hell, where you are hurrying," (Eccl 9:10). The sixth is, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloe," (v. 7). See here the actual continuation of the appointed penance, namely from day to day, from week to week, etc. unless it is changed for him by another confessor, otherwise unless the penance is accepted, the sinner is damned. Thus is said, "Go to the side of the holy age, with them that live and give praise to God. Tarry not in the error of the ungodly, give glory before death. Praise perishes from the dead as nothing. Give thanks while you are living, while you are alive and in health you shall give thanks, and shall praise God, and shall glory in his mercies," (Sir17:25-27). "The holy age," i.e. the penitential parts of the damned world are sins. The seventh ceremony is, "He went..and washed, and he came seeing," (v. 7). Siloe is interpreted '"sent". See here eucharistic communion. After the sinner completed the six aforesaid works, he ought to go to the pool of Siloam, i.e. to the church of Christ who is "sent" by the Father, therefore, Mass is said by the sent Christ, in which the soul is washed, and bathed contemplating the depth of the sacrament. In this way the blind sinner is enlightened according to that in 1 Kings 14, " that my eyes are enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey," (1 Kings 14:29), namely of the sweetest body of Christ. MALICIOUS ATTACKS The second point of the gospel is about a malicious attack. The Jews held four attacks or examinations about the cure of the blind man. The first was of the bystanders, the second, of the Pharisees, the third of the parents, and the fourth was by the high court [lit.: princes]. -- As to the first, it must be noted that after the bystanders saw him who had been blind coming without a guide, and without a staff, and that he was seeing clearly, they said to each other, "Is not this the one who sat and begged? Some said: This is he. But others said: No, but he looks like him. But he himself said: I am he," (vv. 8-9). -- As for the second, which was of the Pharisees, who having heard about it, asked him how it was that he could see. He told them everything, saying, "That man called Jesus made clay," out of spittle, "and anointed my eyes, and said to me: Go to the pool of Siloe, and wash. And I went, I washed, and I see," (v. 11). So they led him to the Pharisees. "It was the sabbath." To them he gave the same story. Then the Pharisees said of Christ, " This man is not of God, who keeps not the sabbath. But others said: How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them," (v. 16). -- The third examination was of the parents to whom the Pharisees said, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind?" How then does he now see? His parents answered them, and said: "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: But how he now sees, we know not; or who has opened his eyes, we know not: ask himself: he is of age, let him speak for himself. These things his parents said, because they feared the Jews," (vv. 19-22), because the parents fearing the sentence of excommunication which the Jews imposed, had not dared to say who enlightened him, and so the sign was complete which Isaiah had promised, "God himself will come and ... then shall the eyes of the blind be opened," (Isa 35:4f). -- The fourth dispute was with the high court [lit.: princes of the law], to which the healed blind man had been led. They said to him, "Give glory to God," that is, you should not say that this man cured you, because he is a sinner," (v. 24). He replied, " If he be a sinner, I know not: one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see," (v. 25). They then said, " What did he do to you?" tell us, etc. "Will you also become his disciples? They reviled him therefore, and said: You be his disciple; but we are the disciples of Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses: but as for this man, we know not from whence he is," (vv. 27-29). He said to them, "Why, herein is a wonderful thing, that you know not from whence he is, and he has opened my eyes. Now we know that God does not hear sinners: but if a man be a server of God, and does his will, him he hears." (v. 30f) They replied, "You were wholly born in sins, and you dear to teach us? And they cast him out," (v. 34), excommunicating him. This cured blind man was a holy man called Saint Cedonius [Celidonius, Sedonius], who with Mary Magdalen, Martha and Lazarus came to the province of Marseilles, etc. Morally. This blind man, cured by Christ signifies the sinner enlightened by Christ, by returning him through penance from the darkness of sins to the brightness and the light of grace. He is challenged and examined by four. -- First by the neighbors. Say when a religious or priest, man or woman is converted to God, immediately the bystanders and others challenge him jokingly, deriding, so that the saying of David about his is fulfilled, "We are become a reproach to our neighbors," (Ps 78:3). There are many who at this time do not dare to begin a good life. Christ, comforting, says to such, " Blessed shall you be when men shall hate you," (Lk. 6:22). -- Second he is challenged by the Pharisees, i.e. by carnal inclinations which separate us from God. Galatians 5: "For the flesh lusts against the spirit," (Gal 5:17), or by the Pharisees, i.e. by the demons who are alienated from God, from paradise, and from us, who challenge us tempting, first our faith, next with avarice, and lust etc., to withdraw a person from a good life begun. The sinner ought to keep himself strong and happily endure such temptations. James 1: " My brethren, count it all joy, when you shall fall into diverse temptations; knowing that the trying of your faith works patience, and let patience be a perfect work; that you may be perfect and entire, failing in nothing," (Jas 1:2-4). Gregory: "He fails to tempt those whom he perceives possess themselves with a undisputed right. Augustine: "Don't judge yourself to live without temptation, for if you avoid one, expect another, if however you should say that you do not have a temptation, then you shall be tempted even stronger." -- The third temptation, from the parents, i.e. from sickness, pain etc. which we have from our parents, namely Adam and Eve, because when a person is not overcome by derision and the temptations of demons, afterwards, come sicknesses, pains and the such by which they are compelled to go to God, so David, "Their infirmities were multiplied: afterwards they made haste," (Ps 15:4), i. e. to go to God. So Gregory: "Evils which press us now, drive us to go to God." 2 Cor 12: " Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me," (2 Cor 12:9). -- The fourth assault is from the princes of the law, i.e. from the temporal lords who want to have temporal goods of devout people. The first assault touches upon fame, by crying hypocrite, etc. the second touches the soul, the third the body, the fourth temporal goods, because when a person wishes to live well and serve God, immediately come litigious questions, quarrels against the goods until it is driven away by them. Thus patience is necessary. 2 Tim 3: " And all who will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution," (2 Tim 3:12). Or say that the fourth confrontation is from the princes, that is the demons who tempt, etc., as above. Thus the Apostle, Eph last: "Finally, brethren, be strengthened in the Lord, and in the might of his power. Put on the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers," (Eph 6:10). GRACIOUS APPROVAL The third point is the gracious approval of the miracle, from which comes the theme, "And falling down, he adored him." (v. 38). After the blind man now cured was thrown out by the Jews and excommunicated, no one dared to receive him in their homes, not even his parents, nor even to speak with him, nor to give him a light, or anything. He said to himself, "O miserable wretch, if we can only find that holy prophet Jesus who cured me, at least I would have his company." Christ however knowing his tribulation and his good desire came to him on the street saying, "Do you believe in the Son of God? He answered, and said: Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him? And Jesus said to him: You have both seen him; and it is he who is talking with you. And he said: I believe, Lord. And falling down, he adored him, (vv. 35-38). Christ welcomed him into his company. He can say with David, "For my father and my mother have left me: but the Lord has taken me up," (Ps 26:10). Morally. We have here a teaching, because just as this one did not hesitate to leave those unfaithful associates, to be in the company of Christ, so neither should you. Note this against merchants, who keep company with infidels, against whom holy Scripture says, "Bear not the yoke," i.e. the company, "with unbelievers," (2 Cor 6:14). The question which the Muslims make, because they hold and possess the Holy Land, therefore they should not be stamped out etc. Response. The truth is that God wishes that this land rather be in the possession of the Muslims than the Christians. Reason, for the greater confusion of the Muslims and the excusing of the Christians. The Muslims, of old, were at one time Christians who were deceived by Sergius and Mohammed, who held that Christ was not God. When the Christians out of devotion went there, they showed the Christians the place in which Christ gave sight to the blind man and raised the dead etc., which miracles could not have happened, unless by God alone. Also, they say that they should not be baptized in the name of the Trinity; nevertheless they show there the place where Christ was baptized and the whole Trinity was revealed, which they deny. Also, they do not believe in the sacrament of the altar, all the while showing where Christ held the [Last] Supper and instituted that sacrament. Also they do not believe that Christ suffered, died or was buried, yet they show Christians the place of the passion, death, and the holy tomb, to their own confusion, because they show what they do not believe. Thus David says, in the person of the Christian people, "Show me a token for good: that they who hate me may see, and be confounded," etc., (Ps 85:17). Second, the Muslims hold that land for the excusing of Christians, for no one is able to excuse himself of sins. Eccl 7: " For there is no just man upon earth, that does good, and sins not," (Eccl 7:21). Christ did not wish that Christians should commit sins and wicked deeds in that Holy Land. If it is asked, Why should he permit that the Muslims would commit sins there? I reply, because it is not as displeasing to him, as Christians. Just like the king who permits his dogs to do their uncleanness in his room, which he would not tolerate with his children or soldiers. So that Holy Land is the chamber of God, where it is permitted that his dogs make their uncleannesses of sin, but it is not permitted to his children, namely the Christians. Hence, that whole homeland was once the Christians', but because they committed sins there, God said, "Outside, outside!" So Christ said, Lk 21: "...and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles," (Lk 21:24). Third, the Muslims hold that land for the consolation of Christians, because through this it is realized that that land is not the final goal of Christians, as it was of the Jews. But the heavenly homeland is the final goal of Christians, gained for us by the merit of the passion of Christ. Thus the Apostle, in Hebrews, last chapter: " For we have not here a lasting city, but we seek one that is to come," (Heb 13:14). To which Jesus leads us, etc. ==================== John 9: 1-38 Douay trans. 1 And Jesus passing by, saw a man, who was blind from his birth: 2 And his disciples asked him: Rabbi, who hath sinned, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind? 3 Jesus answered: Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 4 I must work the works of him that sent me, whilst it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 6 When he had said these things, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and spread the clay on his eyes, 7 And said to him: Go, wash in the pool of Siloe, which is interpreted, Sent. He went therefore, and washed, and he came seeing. 8 The neighbours therefore, and they who had seen him before that he was a beggar, said: Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said: This is he. 9 But others said: No, but he is like him. But he said: I am he. 10 They said therefore to him: How were thy eyes opened? 11 He answered: That man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me: Go to the pool of Siloe, and wash. And I went, I washed, and I see. 12 And they said to him: Where is he? He saith: I know not. 13 They bring him that had been blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was the sabbath, when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. 15 Again therefore the Pharisees asked him, how he had received his sight. But he said to them: He put clay upon my eyes, and I washed, and I see. 16 Some therefore of the Pharisees said: This man is not of God, who keepeth not the sabbath. But others said: How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. 17 They say therefore to the blind man again: What sayest thou of him that hath opened they eyes? And he said: He is a prophet. 18 The Jews then did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and had received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight, 19 And asked them, saying: Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then doth he now see? 20 His parents answered them, and said: We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: 21 But how he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: ask himself: he is of age, let him speak for himself. 22 These things his parents said, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had already agreed among themselves, that if any man should confess him to be Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore did his parents say: He is of age, ask himself. 24 They therefore called the man again that had been blind, and said to him: Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner. 25 He said therefore to them: If he be a sinner, I know not: one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see. 26 They said then to him: What did he to thee? How did he open thy eyes? 27 He answered them: I have told you already, and you have heard: why would you hear it again? will you also become his disciples? 28 They reviled him therefore, and said: Be thou his disciple; but we are the disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses: but as to this man, we know not from whence he is. 30 The man answered, and said to them: Why, herein is a wonderful thing, that you know not from whence he is, and he hath opened my eyes. 31 Now we know that God doth not hear sinners: but if a man be a server of God, and doth his will, him he heareth. 32 From the beginning of the world it hath not been heard, that any man hath opened the eyes of one born blind. 33 Unless this man were of God, he could not do any thing. 34 They answered, and said to him: Thou wast wholly born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out: and when he had found him, he said to him: Dost thou believe in the Son of God? 36 He answered, and said: Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him? 37 And Jesus said to him: Thou hast both seen him; and it is he that talketh with thee. 38 And he said: I believe, Lord. And falling down, he adored him. Mary Magdalen and CedoniusTradition has it that fourteen years after Our Lord's death, St. Mary [Magdalen] was put in a boat by the Jews without sails or oars - along with Sts. Lazarus and Martha, St. Maximin (who baptized her), St. Sidonius ("the man born blind"), her maid Sera, and the body of St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin. Expelled by persecutions from the Holy Land, they were put adrift out to sea in a frail boat with neither rudder nor mast. They traversed the Mediterranean and landed at the place called Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer near Arles. Mary Magdalene came the shores of Southern France, to Marseille St. Mary spent the rest of her life as a contemplative in a cave known as Sainte-Baume. Sergius and MohammedA legend of the Christians is, that the chief help Mohammed had in the contriving his Koran was from a Nestorian monk named Sergius. supposed to be the same person with the monk Boheira. with whom Mohammed. in his younger years, had some conference at Bosra, a city of Syria Damascena, where that monk resided.' To confirm which supposition, a passage has been produced from an Arab writer, who says that Boheira's name, in the books of the Christians, is Sergius ; but this is only a conjecture.
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Post by Hildegard on Apr 7, 2019 17:24:03 GMT
St. Vincent Ferrer – Passion Sunday - Sermon On the Raising of Lazarus
John 11:1-46
He cried with a loud voice," (Jn 11:43) Today we read the gospel of the raising of Lazarus by Christ. This shall be our sermon. But first let us salute the Virgin Mary, etc.
"With a loud voice," etc. (v. 43). The holy gospel today briefly contains three miraculous incidents about the raising of Lazarus: The first situation is humanly reluctant. [humanitus retractiva] The second situation is leading to merit. [meritalis inductiva] The third situation is principally effective. [principaliter effectiva] And of this third the theme speaks, "He cried out with a loud voice," i.e. Jesus commanding, saying "Lazarus, come forth," (Jn 11:43). HUMANLY RELUCTANTThe first situation is human reluctance. The apostles were afraid that Christ would try to raise Lazarus, for they all could be stoned in Jerusalem, and so they were discouraging Christ from going to Bethany which is near Jerusalem, where Lazarus had died. The promised land had been divided into three provinces: Judea, Galilee and Samaria. Christ had many enemies in the province of Judea and they frequently wanted to kill him. He had denounced the notorious sins, and vices of the Pharisees, the princes and the priests, and he was proving himself to be divine. But because the hour of his passion had not yet come, he withdrew from the province of Judea and came to the province of Galilee where he was beloved. In the mean time Lazarus died in the province of Judea. So Jesus said to the apostles, "Let us go into Judea again," (Jn 11:7). The apostles, afraid of the situation, said to Christ, "Rabbi, the Jews but now sought to stone you: and you are going there again?" (v.8). See here the human reluctance, but indirectly, because it is human to fear carnal death. Then Christ told them that Lazarus, his friend, had died, so he wanted to go there. To counter their fear he said to them, "Are there not twelve hours of the day?" If you ask, "And how is this to the point?" I say, very much so, and according to all four of the senses of sacred scripture. First according to the literal sense. When Christ said these words it was the time of the vernal equinox, which came after the 25th of March. That was the same day he had been conceived. Fifteen days before his passion, Christ said these words, "Are there not twelve..., etc." Literally, a day has twelve hours, as if Christ wished to say to the apostles, "You should know that the rancor or ill will of the Jews against me already has changed, for just as the day and time changes from hour to hour, so also the heart of man changes, because therefore they have already changed [their minds], not only twelve hours ago, but many days ago, therefore, etc. This Christ said by way of rebuking the bad opinion which they had of the Jews, because a man ought always to presume the best about his neighbor, according to that in Luke 6, "Judge not, and you shall not be judged," (v. 37). "Are there not twelve, etc." is allegorical when the saying or deed is understood to be about that which a man should believe. According to this explanation Christ is called "day." Note, because just as morning and evening make one day, according to Genesis 1: "...and there was evening and morning one day," (v. 5). So God and man make one person of Christ. Morning is the [day's] beginning, so also the divinity is the beginning of all things. I am, "the beginning, who also speak unto you," (Jn 8:25). Christ, as man was the evening and end of all things. Because God made daylight first, second the firmament, third the plants, fourth the sun and stars, fifth the birds and fishes, sixth the beasts, and seventh he made man. When therefore the Son of God took on humanity, then "there was evening and morning one day," i.e. God and man have become one person. Hence the church sings, "Whose wisdom joined in meet array the morn and eve, and named them Day," (Hymn: Lucis creator optime). About this one David says to God the Father, "By your ordinance the day goes on," (Ps 118:91). This day has twelve hours, namely the twelve apostles, Luke 6, "And when day was come, he called his disciples unto him; and he chose twelve of them (whom also he named apostles)," (v. 13) The first hour was Peter, and so on for the rest. In the same place it is clear in the text when he said, "Are there not twelve hours, " i.e. twelve Apostles are for the day, that is of Christ, which is to say just as the hours do not dismiss the natural day, nor days the hours, rather the hours follow the day inseparably, so neither ought you dismiss me, nor I you, rather I defend you. He did just that on the night of the passion, when he said to the Jews, "If therefore you seek me, let these go their way," (Jn 18:8). Behold the day, that is how it defends the hours. So he said to the Father, "Of those whom you have given me, I have not lost any one, " (Jn 18:9). The third explanation is tropological, that is moral. According to this exposition the bright day is penance. Reason: because guilt is called a dark night. Thus grace to which man comes through penitence, is called day. About this the authority: "The night is passed, and the day is at hand," (Rom 13:12). This day has twelve hours, namely twelve works of repentance.
-- The first hour is the acknowledgement of sins. Just as in the first hour the brightness of the day begins, and people can recognize each other, so in the recognition of sins man knows himself. -- The second is the contrition of the heart. -- Third, the purpose of amendment. -- The fourth, the avoidance of occasions [of sin]. -- Fifth, oral confession. -- Sixth, bodily penance. -- Seventh, spiritual prayer. -- Eighth, almsgiving. -- Ninth, repayment of debts. -- Tenth, forgiveness of injuries. -- Eleventh, the restoration of [another's] good name. -- Twelfth, Eucharistic Communion. About this day and [these] hours Christ says to the Apostles in the gospel, "Are there not twelve hours in the day, " namely of penance which you keep, observe and do? Therefore you need not fear from death, and so he adds, " If a man walks in the day, he stumbles not, because he sees the light of this world: But if he walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light," namely, of grace, "is not in him," (v. 9-10). The fourth explanation is anagogical, from "άνώ" which is above, and "άγώ" I lead, as in "I lead above," when the saying or action is explained as pertaining to hope. And according to this explanation the bright day is celestial glory. Reason: because in that place there is no night or darkness, nor obscurity of ignorance. Rather, when the soul enters paradise, God immediately shows it a book in which all things are revealed and made clear. This book of life is Christ who has two pages, namely divinity and humanity. About this day of glory the authority in Psalm 83: "For better is one day in thy courts above thousands." (:s 83:11). From which follows this conclusion, that saint stays in paradise for only one day. Our life now has many days because of the interposition of nights. But in paradise there is no night. It is always day, brightly illuminated by the sun of justice. This day has twelve hours, that is twelve beatitudes, namely four of the soul and four of the body, and four of the composite. The first beatitude of the soul is wisdom of divine things. The second, knowledge of creatures. Third, memory of the past. Fourth, the joys of the universe. The first beatitude of the body is invulnerability. The second, clarity. The third, subtlety. The fourth, agility. The first beatitude of the composite or of the blessed life is general harmony. Second, general abundance. Third, full satisfaction. Fourth certain perpetuity. There shall be one day which is noted by the Lord in Zechariah 14: "And there shall be one day, which is known to the Lord, " (v. 7). Or if you wish according to a second allegorical interpretation, say that the Catholic faith is a bright day, when it is without error, doubt and false opinion, about which the Apostle [Paul] to the Romans, 13: "The night is passed," namely of error, of darkness and of false opinions, "and the day is at hand," namely of the Catholic faith. This day has twelve hours, namely twelve articles of the faith according to the number of the twelve Apostles, all of which are in the "We believe in God..."
-- The first hour is of the creation of the world: " I believe in God, the Father Almighty," etc. The philosophers did not know this hour. They posited that the world was eternal. -- The second, of the eternal generation of the son of God: "And in Jesus Christ His only Son, Our Lord," who is generated from the Father like a ray from the sun, etc. -- The third of the incarnation of the Son of God: "Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary," like the rays of the sun passing through a glass window pane which they do not break. -- Fourth of the passion of Christ: "Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified, died and was buried," lest some believing for themselves and obeying, would suffer in the pit of hell. -- Fifth about the freeing of the holy patriarchs: "He descended into hell," namely to free the holy patriarchs. -- Sixth on the resurrection of Christ: "On the third day he rose again from the dead." -- Seventh, about his miraculous ascension: "He ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty." -- The eight about his coming judgment: "He will come again to judge the living and the dead," that is the good and the bad. Whence he will come, namely from the right hand of God the Father. -- Ninth, about the spiration of the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, like heat from the sun and its ray: "I believe in the Holy Spirit." -- Tenth, the universal authority of the church which it is necessary to believe, because the universal church can not err in those things which are of the faith, Christ saying to Peter, " But I have prayed for thee," Peter, " that thy faith fail not, (Lk 22:32). Christ does not say this to Peter insofar as he was an individual person, but insofar as he was the Pope, a common person: "I believe in the Holy Catholic Church," that is, universal. -- Eleven is about the sanctification by the sacraments. By the sacraments the soul is made holy: "The Communion of Saints," that is of the sacraments, "the forgiveness of sins." -- Twelfth is the general resurrection of all: "The resurrection of the body, and life everlasting." When therefore Christ says to the Apostles, "Are there not twelve hours of the day?" which is to say, "Why do you fear temporal death since you are strong in the faith?" It is otherwise for those who are dying without faith and in error. Thus Christ says, " If a man walk in the day," that is, in the faith, "he stumbles not," by falling into hell forever. See how there was a remedy against a tucked-in tail [caudam retractativam, i.e. a fearful spirit]. So men are given this advice, to say every day, "I believe...," and "Try your own selves if you be in the faith; prove ye yourselves," (2 Cor 13:5). LEADING TO MERIT The second situation was leading to merit. This was the charity or love which Christ had for Lazarus his disciple, and Mary and Martha his sisters, and vice versa. Thus they drew him like a smoking candle which draws to itself the flame of another nearby candle, and this naturally, because since their hearts were like burning lamps, they drew that light. About which John 1: "It was the true light, which enlightens every man who comes into this world," (v. 9). See, this is the motivating reason, and so the Gospel says, "Jesus therefore came," to Bethany, "and found that he had been four days already in the grave (v.17)"....up to ... "he troubled himself and groaned in the spirit," (v. 33) Men do act in such a way, and "he troubled himself," namely by showing sadness in his face, and he wept, not only out of compassion for Mary and Martha, but also for the resurrection of Lazarus himself. He was about to bring [Lazarus] back from the state of sinlessness in which he presently was, to the state of being capable of sinning, for at the passion of Christ he also sinned. He lost faith in Christ. Behold the motivating situation which is called meritorious, because the love of Lazarus and his sisters for Christ was meritorious. Morally. It must be noted here that in these words when it is said, "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister Mary, and Lazarus," (v. 5), it is insinuated that this signifies three kinds of people who are loved by Christ. First, persons purely continent; second, persons worthily repentant; and third, persons justly governing. First Christ loves purely continent persons, which is shown where it says, Jesus loved Martha, who always was a virgin, pure and continent. There are however here noted three grades of continence. - First conjugal continence, which is between husband and wife, keeping the manner and faithfulness to each other. So Paul says, "Marriage honorable in all," keeping the manner, "and the bed undefiled,", that is, keeping faith. "For fornicators and adulterers God will judge," (Heb 13:4).
- The second kind is the continence of widows, and this is better when widows avoid that act, because God wishes it to be only between husband and wife. The Apostle [Paul writes], "For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that you should abstain from fornication," (1 Thess 4:3).
- The third grade is virginal purity, and it is better than the others, which is never to have sensed that experience, neither desiring in the heart, nor speaking of it with the mouth, nor touching upon the deed, etc. And of this kind is Martha, and so she is loved much by Christ. About these three grades, Bede says, "Conjugal chastity is good, better is the continence of widows, but best is virginal purity." Second the Lord loves repentant persons, which is shown where, "Jesus loved Mary Magdalen who was a penitent, whom the Lord Christ loved more after her repentance than before, according to the parable in Luke 15: "What man of you that hath an hundred sheep: and if he shall lose one of them, doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the desert, and go after that which was lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, lay it upon his shoulders, rejoicing: And coming home, call together his friends and neighbors, saying to them: Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost? I say to you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance," etc. (Lk 15:4-7). Note, he "lay it on his shoulders," and this when he carries the cross on his shoulders, then is fulfilled, "and the government is upon his shoulder," (Isa 9:6). Third, God loves persons who rule justly, which is shown where, Jesus [loved] Lazarus who was the prefect and lord of one third of the city of Jerusalem. Say how [secular] lords and [churchly] prelates are loved by the Lord when they "enter through the gate." Second, when they live decently after they are in, and they care more for the souls than for their salaries. Third, when they divide their income into three parts, namely, one for themselves, another for their family and a third for the needy. Such men are presiding justly. It is otherwise with those who do not enter through the gate [i.e. legitimately promoted], but leap over, through robbery and simony [i.e. by bribery]. The temporal lords can be saved only by rendering just decisions and giving alms, because in judgment Christ does not ask the lay leaders whether they had said their breviary [literally, hours], or if they had fasted, but he asks of them if they had done justice for criminals, if they kept the people at peace, and if they corrected notorious sins. But for many lords it happens that stupidly, they cover themselves with a shield, not just from where the arrows are coming, but from other direction. Many lord covers himself with the shield of devotion, but not in that part whence come the arrows of censure. They recite the hours, and hear many masses, but do not care about justice and peace, nor for the correction of sins. For this they will be rejected by Christ. About God's love for good lords, scripture says, "My heart loves the princes [of Israel]," (Judg 5:9). PRINCIPALLY EFFECTIVE The third situation, designated principally effective, is about the power and authority of Christ, his precept and command, at the resurrection of Lazarus. This is the theme: "He cried with a loud voice: Lazarus, come forth," (Jn 11:43). The story from the Gospel begins when Jesus "comes to the tomb. Now it was a cave; and a stone was laid over it," etc. and continues to the end. In this raising of Lazarus, Christ performed five ceremonies The first was when he had the tomb opened, saying," Take away the stone." (v. 39). Martha said to him, " Lord, by this time he stinks, for it is now four days," wholly covered with worms. Christ said to her, "Did not I say to you, that if you believe, you shalt see the glory of God?" (v. 40). The second ceremony when Jesus, "lifted up his eyes said: Father, I give you thanks that you have heard me. And I knew that you always hear me; but because of the people who stand about I have said it, that they may believe that you have sent me," (v. 42). As a man he is less than the Father, and so he was praying, because as God it was not necessary. The third ceremony: "He cried with a loud voice: Lazarus, come forth," (v. 43). And he was not speaking to a corrupt body, because it hears nothing, but he was speaking to the soul existing in the limbo of the holy fathers, as is believed, because he [Lazarus] was a holy man, and "immediately he came forth." v. 44. The fourth ceremony was when he said, " Lazarus, come forth " because he was " bound feet and hands with winding bands " according to Jewish custom. The fifth ceremony was when he said, "Loose him, and let him go." "Many therefore of the Jews,...had seen the things that Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees, and told them the things that Jesus had done." vv. 45-46 Morally. In these five ceremonies Christ showed how a sinner is resuscitated from the death of guilt to the life of grace through penitence . First the tomb ought to be opened, "Take away the stone," etc. In sacred scripture the body of the sinner is said to be a tomb. Reason: because outside it is a tomb and seems like a burial place, but from within it is filthy and stinking and full of corruption, where the dead soul lies. And so Christ says to the sinners, "Woe to you...because you are like to whitened sepulchers, which outwardly appear to men beautiful, but within are full of dead men's bones, and of all filthiness," (Mt 23:27). This first speaks about religious who externally wear the habit of decency, but inwardly are full of all kinds of sorrow. Same of priests, who externally wear their white surplices, but within, corruptibility. Same of laity, both men and women. The first task to be done, if dead, if the spirit should be raised, is to open the tomb. This happens in oral confession, namely, to roll back the huge and heavy stone of shame. O how many there are who prefer not to remove this stone, nor open the tomb to clearly confess sins, but wish to mitigate their sins, like women, and so many are damned for this. See why Christ said, "Take away the stone." Martha said, "Lord, by this time he stinks, for it is now four days." He sins by thought, word, deed and omission, and gives forth such a stink that all cover their noses, except Christ who was standing as if he perceived nothing. By this confessors are instructed that when they hear grave and stinking sins, they should not show fastidiousness, nor spit, nor gasp, lest the sinner be shamed and not dare to tell their sins, saying, "What would he do if I were to tell him some even greater sins?" Rather, he should listen, patiently and cover his face, and encourage the penitent to tell his sins and not be ashamed. Thus scripture says to the confessor, Deut. 23: "Thou shall not abhor the Edomite," i.e. the bloodstained sinner "because he is your brother: nor the Egyptian," i.e. the gloomy sinner, because you also were a sinner. Thus, "Now we that are stronger, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak," (Rom 15:1). And of those who confess their sins, clearly can be said that, "Their throat is an open grave," (Ps 5:11). The second ceremony was when Christ prayed after the opening of the tomb, in which he showed that after the confession is done, the confessor ought to pray saying, "May almighty God have mercy on you," etc. and so the heart of the sinner is disposed to contrition and to the good resolve to refrain from sins. James 5: "Confess therefore your sins one to another," that is, the laity to the priests, "and pray one for another, that you may be saved." (Jas 5:16). Third, Christ "cries out with a loud voice, Lazarus come forth," from the tomb with respect to the body, and out from hell, with respect to the soul. So the sinner as he hears the penance assigned to him ought to come forth, forgiving sins himself, because otherwise he is not absolved, and he should come out of hell to which he was bound through guilt, if he does his penance, otherwise not. Hence, Luke 13: "unless you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish, " (Lk 13:3). The fourth ceremony. Christ said, "Loose him." This saying is by the confessor when he absolves the sinner by saying, "By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ commissioned to us and granted to you, I absolve you," etc. Thus, about this absolution it is said to confessors, "And whatsoever you shalt loose on earth," namely, you confessors, "it shall be loosed also in heaven, and whatsoever you shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven." (Mt 16:19). This binding is the imposition of the penance. The fifth ceremony, "... and let him go," so namely if the penitent is not able to bear a large penance, give him a small one, because it is better to make it to purgatory with a small penance than with a large penance to end up in hell, and this is said against those confessors who give exceedingly heavy penances. About which Matthew says, c. 23: " For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens, and lay them on men's shoulders," (v.4). It can also be understood another way, namely that many are absolved by a confessor from the bonds of sins who are prevented from completing their penance, because a husband prevents his wife, and e converso, a friend a friend, a father his son, and e converso. No one should interfere with another doing penance unless it might possibly be hurtful, to whom Christ says, "But woe to you...[who] shut the kingdom of heaven against men, for you yourselves do not enter in; and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter. " (Mt 23:13) ================================= John 11:1-45 Douay translation.1 Now there was a certain man sick, named Lazarus, of Bethania, of the town of Mary and Martha her sister. 2 (And Mary was she that anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair: whose brother Lazarus was sick.) 3 His sisters therefore sent to him, saying: Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. 4 And Jesus hearing it, said to them: This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God: that the Son of God may be glorified by it. 5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister Mary, and Lazarus. 6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he still remained in the same place two days. 7 Then after that, he said to his disciples: Let us go into Judea again. 8 The disciples say to him: Rabbi, the Jews but now sought to stone thee: and goest thou thither again? 9 Jesus answered: Are there not twelve hours of the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world: 10 But if he walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him. 11 These things he said; and after that he said to them: Lazarus our friend sleepeth; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep. 12 His disciples therefore said: Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13 But Jesus spoke of his death; and they thought that he spoke of the repose of sleep. 14 Then therefore Jesus said to them plainly: Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad, for your sakes, that I was not there, that you may believe: but let us go to him. 16 Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples: Let us also go, that we may die with him. 17 Jesus therefore came, and found that he had been four days already in the grave. 18 (Now Bethania was near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off.) 19 And many of the Jews were come to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Martha therefore, as soon as she heard that Jesus had come, went to meet him: but Mary sat at home. 21 Martha therefore said to Jesus: Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But now also I know that whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus saith to her: Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith to him: I know that he shall rise again, in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said to her: I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, although he be dead, shall live: 26 And every one that liveth, and believeth in me, shall not die for ever. Believest thou this? 27 She saith to him: Yea, Lord, I have believed that thou art Christ the Son of the living God, who art come into this world. 28 And when she had said these things, she went, and called her sister Mary secretly, saying: The master is come, and calleth for thee. 29 She, as soon as she heard this, riseth quickly, and cometh to him. 30 For Jesus was not yet come into the town: but he was still in that place where Martha had met him. 31 The Jews therefore, who were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary that she rose up speedily and went out, followed her, saying: She goeth to the grave to weep there. 32 When Mary therefore was come where Jesus was, seeing him, she fell down at his feet, and saith to him: Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 33 Jesus, therefore, when he saw her weeping, and the Jews that were come with her, weeping, groaned in the spirit, and troubled himself, 34 And said: Where have you laid him? They say to him: Lord, come and see. 35 And Jesus wept. 36 The Jews therefore said: Behold how he loved him. 37 But some of them said: Could not he that opened the eyes of the man born blind, have caused that this man should not die? 38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself, cometh to the sepulchre. Now it was a cave; and a stone was laid over it. 39 Jesus saith: Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith to him: Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he is now of four days. 40 Jesus saith to her: Did not I say to thee, that if thou believe, thou shalt see the glory of God? 41 They took therefore the stone away. And Jesus lifting up his eyes said: Father, I give thee thanks that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always; but because of the people who stand about have I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 When he had said these things, he cried with a loud voice: Lazarus, come forth. 44 And presently he that had been dead came forth, bound feet and hands with winding bands; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus said to them: Loose him, and let him go. 45 Many therefore of the Jews, who were come to Mary and Martha, and had seen the things that Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees, and told them the things that Jesus had done.
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Post by Hildegard on Apr 15, 2019 15:38:48 GMT
St. Vincent Ferrer – Sermon for Palm Sunday (3)
Matt 12:1-9
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” (Mt 12:9)
This text is taken as the basis of our sermon. It is a short and very devout song composed by the Holy Spirit, and today sung with devotion to Christ, when he solemnly entered the city of Jerusalem. We sing it today many times, representing that solemnity, Christ coming into the city of Jerusalem: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” The whole solemnity of Palm Sunday today consists of three points: -- First is about the honor and solemnity today coming to Christ shown by the city of Jerusalem in which he was received honorably [receptus honorabiliter]. -- Second is about the solemnity which we today give, representing him appropriately [repraesentando appropriate]. -- Third is about the way which Christ walks today, coming into the city of Jerusalem virtuously [veniendo virtuose] And for each of these in particular and for all of them in general we should sing and say to God, "Blessed is he who comes,” etc. RECEIVED HONORABLY The first point today is about the honor and solemnity which the Jews showed. In the temple they praised and blessed Christ coming into the city of Jerusalem, where he was received honorably with great joy and festivity. Very remarkable. I find that Christ came to Jerusalem often and for many reasons, and there was never any celebration nor honor given like today. Christ first came to Jerusalem for the Presentation, fifty days after his birth, when the Virgin Mary presented him in the temple. We do not read that there was a solemn reception then, except that Simeon and Anna adored him, as is clear in Luke 2. He was tiny, and the procession was tiny. But his body grew, and his compassion grew, and the time came when he was no longer carried in the arms of the Virgin, but on the back of an ordinary donkey, not to be redeemed with [sacrificed] doves [birds], but he would redeem all men by his blood. Second, Christ came to the city of Jerusalem for debating, when he was twelve years old. There was no celebration for him at that time. Third, he came for prayer. In accord with the law, he would come to Jerusalem for every feast day, and would enter the temple. Fourth, he came to stamp out sins and notorious vices, because the high priests by their greed had made of the temple a house of business, Jn 2. Nor was there any celebration for him then. Fifth he came to preach, often, because that city was a metropolis and the capital of the province. Sixth, he came to reveal his divinity by working miracles, healing the sick, raising the dead. Not even then was there a celebration. Seventh, he came for sacrificing himself. Today he wished to enter Jerusalem , [the place] where he should suffer for the redemption of the human race. Then there was a great festival for him and a solemnity celebrated. For this reason, I reply there that although Christ had performed many good things for us, nevertheless we are bound and obliged to him more for the work of his passion and death, that for all the others. We are bound to praise and bless him for the work of the incarnation which he did out of love of us. Also for the teaching and preaching which he had given, going from village to village. But above all we are bound [to bless] him for the work of the passion, because the Lord himself wished to die for the servants, the king for his subjects, a just man for the unjust, the innocent one for sinners. So Bernard: "Above all , good Jesus, the chalice of the passion which you drank, the work of our redemption, renders you beloved to me." See the reason why God put it into the hearts of the people that he be received so solemnly when he came to Jerusalem for sacrificing. This solemnity consists in six circumstances or ceremonies which were done for him First, because he wished to enter riding. It is not read anywhere that Christ ever rode an animal. Only today, when he entered Jerusalem. And then he rode on a colt of an ass, according to the prophecy of Zach 9 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem: Behold your king will come to you, the just and savior: he is poor, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass," (Zach 9:9). Then was fulfilled that prophecy. Read how he sent two disciples from Bethphage, according to the Gloss, Peter and Philip, for the donkey and colt, etc. A tethered ass signifies the Jewish people, the synagogue bound by the chain of the law of Moses, which chain has three links, namely the three kinds of precepts: the ceremonial precepts which order a person toward God; second, the judicial precepts, which order one to the neighbor; third, the moral precepts which order a person regarding himself, how everyone should live. The colt which had not yet had been tied, nor had ever borne a burden on its back, signifies the Gentiles, who had no chain of law around their neck, nor burden of precepts on their back. It signifies that Christ not only had come to redeem and save the Jews, abut also the Gentiles and pagans. Thus he observed this ceremony, because he wished first to ride on the ass, which he had to untie, because at the time of the Messiah-king all prefiguring and ceremonies should cease. Second, he wished to ride on the unbroken colt, not out of necessity, but that the scripture and prefiguring should be fulfilled. Because the Gentiles also should be converted to Christ. Thus the Apostle, "and whosoever believes in him shall not be confounded," (Rom 9:33). The second ceremony or circumstance is this. He wished today to enter Jerusalem in a procession, because a great crowd preceded him and followed him, and he with the apostles went in the middle. Just as we do today in processions in which many precede and many follow, and the bishop or priest who represents Christ, in the middle with the priests. And the gospel says that both the ones preceding and the ones following were looking back saying "Hosanna to the son of David," (v. 9). In this is shown that all who preceded, from Abel down to Christ, namely the Patriarchs and Prophets, as well as also those who would follow, down to the end of the world, all look upon Christ through faith, saying, "Hosanna," etc. Because no one can be saved, unless through Christ. Therefore Gen 49: "I will look for thy salvation, O Lord," (Gen 49:18). And, in Acts 4: "Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved," (Acts 4:12). The third circumstance is this. The entire route, from the Mount of Olives up to Jerusalem was covered. Such was the devotion of the people, that not with caps [cappis] or other decorations [ornamentis], but with the coats and capes of men and women, they paved the path, the Evangelists says, " Ad a very great multitude spread their garments in the way," (v. 8). Why this? I reply that this was a figure of future martyrs, as is clear in sacred scripture. The human body is called the clothing of the soul, which clothing the vast crowd of martyrs, would lay down on the way, dying for their faith in Christ. So David says, in the person of martyrs: " Because for thy sake we are killed all the day long: we are counted as sheep for the slaughter," (Ps 43:22). Also in the Apocalypse 7 it says of martyrs: "These are they who are come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb," i.e. of Christ, (Rev 7:14). The fourth ceremony consisted of the tree branches. The Evangelist says that " others cut boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way," (v. 8), namely flowers and leaves and branches from trees. It was a sign. For in sacred scripture men are called trees. Mark 8: "I see men as it were trees, walking," (Mk 8:24). From these trees, flowers, leaves and branches of merit and good works are to be spread out before the way of Christ, namely that they be done for him, because otherwise they are worthless. Jn 15: "for without me you can do nothing," (Jn 15:5), of merit. The fifth was, because he wished to be praised and blessed both by the great as well as by the small, and Hosannas cried out, according to that of David: "Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings you have perfected praise," (Ps 8:3). This was to show that by virtue of his passion not only adults and great ones are saved through penance, but also children through innocence. Wis 6: "For he made the little and the great, and he has equally care of all," (Wis 6:8). Sixth, because all, both the great as well as the small with one voice were saying, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” (v. 9). In which it is shown that he was the universal redeemer of all. Authority: "For there is one God, and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus: Who gave himself a redemption for all," (1 Tim 2:5f). From all this we understand why and how today this solemnity was celebrated for Christ and not otherwise. About this Zacharias,the father of John the Baptist, had prophesied saying: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; because he has visited and wrought the redemption of his people," (Lk 1:68). REPRESENTED APPROPRIATELY The second point which touches us more, is about the solemnity which we make, representing that solemnity appropriately given today to Christ, because just as Christ today with solemnity and procession came to the place of his passion, so also we today with great solemnity and procession, come to the passion which today is read in the mass. Someone might ask: "Why is the passion of Christ read today with such solemnity?" Because the passion of Christ ought to generate sadness and pain in the hearts of the faithful, and not happiness and joy. Note how the passion and death of Christ can be received and considered in a fourfold way, according to which it is read four times in the church, according to the four gospels. First it can be viewed and thought about from the point of view of his personal dignity, considering the person who suffers, who is Christ, King, father [papa], Lord, innocent and pure. And according to this consideration the passion of Christ brings sadness, pain, tears and sighs to Christians. In this respect the passion of Christ is read on Good Friday, on which the bells are not rung, and people prostrate themselves, sad, and bowing their heads. In this respect the prophet Jeremiah considered the passion of Christ saying, "And I was as a meek lamb, that is carried to be a victim," (Jer 11:19). In a second way the passion of Christ can be received and considered according to human necessity, because we are all weak and wounded by the plague of sins, nor can we be cured except by the blood of Christ, who willed to suffer for our sins. Isa 53: "But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins," (Isa 53:5). And according to this point of view the passion of Christ urges us to contrition and sorrow for our sins, for which it was necessary for Christ to suffer and die. And in this respect the passion of Christ is read in the church on Wednesday, according to the gospel of Luke. A third way it can be considered according to judicial perversity, because the Jews had been honored by God, the sons of the prophets and patriarchs, the people chosen by God and yet so strongly they had rebelled against their God. In this respect the passion of Christ gives us an occasion for compassion for that reprobate people, destroyed and damned by the passion of Christ. And from this point of view the passion of Christ is read in church on Tuesday. And in this way the prophet Zacharias considered the passion of Christ, saying: "What are these wounds in the midst of your hands? And he shall say: With these I was wounded in the house of them who loved me," (Zach 13:6). Fourth, the passion of Christ can be heard and pondered according to its ultimate usefulness, because from the passion of Christ we have been freed from damnation to hell, from mortal sins, and we have grace in this world and glory in the next. See the ultimate utility of the passion of Christ. And seen in this way the passion of Christ generates in us joy, happiness, exultation and consolation. This is why the passion of Christ is read today [on Palm Sunday] with such solemnity, joy and happiness, singing, "Glory and praise." So Isaiah says: "Rejoice, and give praise together, deserted Jerusalem: for the Lord has comforted his people: he has redeemed Jerusalem," (Isa 52:9). Note, the "deserted Jerusalem," about which the Apostle says in Galatians 4: "But that Jerusalem, which is above, is free," (Gal 4:26), and from her all men of the world had deserted by her sins. But now, already, it must be rejoiced, "...for the Lord has comforted his people," by paying for them the price. This is the reason why the passion today is read with joy. Here note the six differences of today's joy as opposed to the six sorrows of Good Friday. The first sadness, because on Good Friday the holy bells are not rung, they are silenced. Because in the passion and death of Christ, the bells, i.e. the apostles whose sound of preaching goes out to the whole world, according to the prophecy of David, lose their sound, because none dared to announce Christ, moreover the greater bell, namely Peter was broken by denying Christ, nor did John who was next to the cross dare to say anything in Christ's behalf. But today, considering the ultimate benefit of the passion of Christ we make a great solemnity, ringing the bells. The second sadness, because then the tables are struck, a sound of sadness and pain, and it symbolizes the sound of derision and blasphemy which they heaped on Christ in the passion. But today the priests sing with a high and clear voice. Reason: because of the passion of Christ, the souls of the blessed shall sing with the angels in glory. The third sadness is this. On Good Friday the holy images, crosses and icons are hidden and covered, just as in the passion of Christ, the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalen and John and others covered their heads out of grief and sadness. They could not gaze upon the cruel passion of Christ. But today the cross is held high, solemnly, in a sign of the benefits of the passion of Christ. The fourth sadness is because on Good Friday, the holy passion is commemorated with tears and sorrows, to show the tears and sighs of the Virgin Mary and the others. But today it is remembered with joy and gladness because of its ultimate usefulness. The fifth sadness is because on Good Friday, people prostrate themselves, shoes off, grieving, and many fast on bread and water. But today people walk in procession with great joy, well dressed, carrying branches in their hands which signify the victory which we have over our enemies by the passion of Christ. The sixth sadness, because then the passion is sung without any procession and order, for the apostles were dispersed, separated and divided. But today a solemn procession takes place, and we all go, gathered and ordered, because from the passion of Christ we all are united and gathered. John 6 says that Christ was to die "to gather together in one the children of God, who were dispersed," (Jn 11:52). So we sing with joy: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” (v. 9). THE WAY TO JERUSALEM The third point is about the way which Christ took coming into Jerusalem, which way is made up of six stages. The first stage. Christ, today, in the morning, left Bethany and came to Bethphage. Second, from Bethphage to the Mount of Olives. Third from the Mount of Olives he descended into the Valley of Josephat. Fourth from the Valley of Josaphat he came to Jerusalem. Fifth, from Jerusalem he went into the Temple of God. Sixth, from the Temple he returned to Bethany with the twelve apostles, as in Mark 11. So, it seems that he had six stations. And this represents our path which we walk by sinning and returning to grace through t the way of penance. First, through sin we depart from Bethany which is interpreted "house of obedience," from which we withdraw whenever we break the precepts of God for the sake of gaining some earthly prize. In this withdrawal there should be weeping. So when Christ left Bethany, leaving Mary Magdalen, Martha and Lazarus, thanking them, because often they had received him into their home, Mary Magdalen began to weep, saying to Christ, "Lord where do you wish to go? because it is already decided in Jerusalem that they should kill you. So keep the paschal feast here, and your mother will come here." The apostles said the same, and Martha and Lazarus. They were afraid. Christ replied to them, "It is necessary to fulfill the will of him who sent me." Magdalen and all the others wept, saying, "Perhaps we shall never see you again." Tears in the departure from Bethany, in which it is shown that man, when he departs from the house of obedience ought to weep, through contrition, according to the prophecy of Jeremiah, 2: "Know you, and see that it is an evil and a bitter thing for you, to have left the Lord your God, and that my fear is not with you," (Jer 2:19). So, the first station. Second he comes to Bethphage, which is interpreted the "house of the cheek" or "house of the mouth." This represents oral confession. After you have left Bethany, i.e. the house of obedience, with tears of contrition, it is necessary that you come to Bethphage, i.e. to the house of confessing your sins by mouth. Bethphage is a village of priests. So confession has to be done to priests, because no one else, no matter how holy, can forgive sins, because only to the priests did Christ say, "Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them," (Jn 20:23). Note "they are forgiven them," he does not say they will be forgiven, because that very same hour in which they are forgiven by a confessor, they are forgiven by God. "and whose sins you shall retain," namely by not absolving, because they were unwilling to refrain from sinning, or because they were unwilling to make restitution, or because they were unwilling to forgive injuries, "they are retained," (Jn 20:23) by God. Thus, the second station. Third, from Bethphage he went up the Mount of Olives. So, the works of satisfaction. The Mount of Olives has three conditions in which are signified the three works of satisfaction. First because the Mount of Olives is difficult. See here the difficulty of fastings, of vigils etc. Second because it is high. This stands for the height of prayer, which according to Damascene is the "elevation of the mind to God." Third because there olives grow, which are medicinal. See, the generous giving of alms. "Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of penance," (Mt 3:8). Fourth, from the Mount of Olives he descended into the valley of Josaphat, which means "the judgment of the Lord." Thus the repayment of debts, because the Lord shall judge irrevocably that everyone repay his debts. Although you are in the Mount of Olives through satisfactory works, it is also required that you descend into the Valley of Josaphat, by restoring things taken in two ways, either spiritually or temporally. Spiritually a clergyman descends into the valley of Josaphat who obtained his prelacy or dignity or benefice by simony, because he committed theft. John 10: "He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up another way, the same is a thief and a robber," (Jn 10:1). The door represents legitimate election, without your assistance, or dealing. It means a spiritual appointment is pure, because the Pope appointed you without your knowledge or dealing. If you wish to be saved it is necessary to descend into the Valley of Josaphat by making reparations saying, "Lord I have stolen this, so I restore it to the hands of your vicar." In a secular matter, he who stole a castle, a villa, a home, a field or possessions or money, or something else descends into the Valley of Josaphat, when he restores it. It is necessary to descend from the evil state. Let no one deceive you. Also if you defame someone, it is necessary to descend to restoring to him his good name if it not true what you said, or if it is hidden or a secret. If you say that it will be embarrassing or dangerous for you to recant, I respond, it doesn’t matter, because the sin is not remitted until what was taken is restored. Fifth, from the valley of Josaphat he comes to Jerusalem which is interpreted as "peaceful". See here the forgiveness of injuries, when a man makes peace for himself with his enemy. So David: "Pray you for the things that are for the peace of Jerusalem: and abundance for them who love you. Let peace be in your strength: and abundance in your towers," (Ps 121:6-7). Note: "abundance," because unless a greater person has peace with lesser and e converso, and the greater among themselves do not "abound" then there will be poor and the earth will be sterile. So the Apostle says: "Follow peace with all men, and holiness: without which no man shall see God," (Heb 12:14). Note peace and holiness go together, because some have peace but no holiness, but malice and sin likes robbers among themselves, like procurers with their prostitutes. Thus the buyer, seller and manager have peace but not holiness when they defraud each other. Sixth, from Jerusalem he enters the Temple of the Lord. This means Holy Communion. After you have done the previous stations, you go to the Temple of the Lord for communion, nor do you expect that the Lord would come to you in your weakness, etc. Gen "Come in, you blessed of the Lord: why do you stand without?…And bread was set before him," (Gen 24:31,34), which is allegorically said to every Christian. This is the way to paradise which Christ showed to us by entering into Jerusalem. And so: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” Mt 12:9 Matthew 12: 1-9 Douay translation
1 And when they drew nigh to Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto mount Olivet, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 Saying to them: Go ye into the village that is over against you, and immediately you shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them and bring them to me. 3 And if any man shall say anything to you, say ye, that the Lord hath need of them: and forthwith he will let them go. 4 Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5 Tell ye the daughter of Zion: Behold thy king cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of her that is used to the yoke. 6 And the disciples going, did as Jesus commanded them. 7 And they brought the ass and the colt, and laid their garments upon them, and made him sit thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and others cut boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way: 9 And the multitudes that went before and that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
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Post by Hildegard on Apr 18, 2019 0:55:08 GMT
St. Vincent Ferrer, O.P. - Sermon on Holy Thursday
"Do this in commemoration of me," (1 Cor 11:24)
In our present sermon, three great solemnities come together. First is that of the supper which Christ wished to eat with his disciples accepting farewells from them. Second, is the washing of the feet of the apostles, for Christ who was Lord and king and master wanted humbly to wash the feet of the apostles so he might give us an example of humility. These two solemnities are told in the gospel, and after dinner there is a sermon. Third is of the blessed sacrament of the altar, about which today's epistle speaks. We treat the wonderful usefulness of this sacrament in the sermon for Corpus Christi. Today, however the matter at hand is the institution of this sacrament, namely why and how this sacrament was instituted and ordained by Christ. But first the Virgin Mary is saluted. "Do this," etc. I am seeking in sacred scripture the manner and reason why Christ, true God and man wished to institute and ordain this blessed sacrament. And I have found five principal reasons. First, for showing a memorial, Second, for perpetual prayer, Third, for spiritual nourishment, Fourth, for medicinal healing, and Fifth for heavenly promotion. MEMORIAL
About the first Christ speaks in our theme to priests and generally to all Christians saying: "Do this," namely, sacrifice, "in remembrance of me," namely, by celebrating, offering, sacrificing in memory of me, not for the acquisition of money, nor for vainglory, or for showing hypocrisy. And you laity do this, namely, hearing mass, serving, contemplating and communicating in my memory. The first reason for the institution of this sacrament is to keep a memorial, namely, for pointing out what should be adored by man. This reason is based on a philosophical principle which says, "Nothing is in the intellect unless it is first in the senses." For example, just as by a church which has five doors, about which it is true to say that no one is in the church unless he entered through one of these doors. So nothing is in the intellect unless it entered through one of those, namely, physical senses, either according to the property or according to the diversity of the thing, either according to the fittingness or difference of the thing, or according to quantity, or quality, or action or passion. God, however in his essence is a substance imperceptible to any bodily sense, because he cannot be seen by physical eyes, nor heard by ears, nor touched by hands, etc. Because of this God, from the beginning of the world until now always wished to be adored by some visible form or figure. It is certain that God appeared to Adam, Abraham and other holy patriarchs who did not see God in his essence, but they beheld a form or figure, which was not God. And they did not adore that form or figure, but God in that form or figure. And so God, through that form or figure, entered into the understanding of the one to whom he appeared. Then came the time of the prophets, among whom Moses was the first. The Lord appeared to him in the form of fire when he was keeping sheep for his father-in-law Jethro. And Moses did not adore the fire, nor the bush, but God in that image, through which he entered into the intellect of Moses. Thus when God in Exodus 20 gave the law on Mount Sinai, he appeared there in the form of fire, and Moses and the people adored not the fire but God in that form in which he wished to be adored, for showing his activity in punishing, that he might frighten them, and so Moses said to the people, " Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that the dread of him might be in you, and you should not sin," (Ex 20:20). Then he commanded Moses that he would build an ark, covered with purest gold inside and out, and on top there were two Cherubim who held the propitiatory, that is the table of gold, and within the ark were the two tablets of the law, the staff of Aaron and a jar of manna. The entire Jewish people adored, not the wood of the ark, nor the gold, but God, because in that form or figure he wished to be adored. The reason is, just as the ark held that which was contained in it, so God would keep and conserve that people, as long as they believed in him and obeyed him. And when they were carrying it the people adored, and today the Jews ridicule us when we adore God in the host. Then at the time of the kings, after king Solomon at God's command built the temple and put the ark in the holy of holies of the temple, nor could it be seen, God wished to be adored in another form, namely, in the figure of a cloud, 3 Kgs 8: "The Lord said that he would dwell in a cloud," (v. 12). And Solomon and all the people were not adoring the cloud, but God in that form. Reason: because then he wished to be adored in the form of a cloud, for just as a cloud cools against the heat of the son, so at the time of Solomon the Jews had a great refreshing period of peace and quiet with all its enemies. Finally, God came and took human form in the virginal womb, and as long as Christ lived, God was adored in human form. But when Christ wished to withdraw from this world through bodily death, and after he had instituted the other sacraments, Christ instituted another form, or figure, under which God wished to be adored, not fearsome fire, nor the ark, nor clouds, but bread which is better that the aforesaid figures, and gives life; because the life of man is fundamentally sustained by bread, other foods are for well being. In this it is shown that God gives the life of grace and glory to those believing in him and obeying him. See the reason why he wanted to be adored now under such a form or figure, because we do not adore bread, nor whiteness which represents divine purity, nor roundness which represents divine eternity, which lacks beginning and end, but God contained within. Priests are to take care lest the hosts be broken or stained. See why Christ says, " Do this in remembrance of me," namely, of my passion. Hosea 14: " They shall be converted that sit under his shadow: they shall live upon wheat, and they shall blossom as a vine: his memorial shall be as the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols?" (Hos 14:8-9). The law of Moses was the shadow of Christ. Also, from the New Testament, the text, "Because through the Mystery of the Word made flesh, [the new light of Thy glory hath shone upon the eyes of our mind]," (Preface for the Christmas Mass at Dawn). OFFERING The second reason for the institution of this sacrament as a perpetual offering. To explain this it must be noted that God from the beginning of the world wished that all men should offer sacrifice. Reason: because he is the source which gives us everything, and so he wishes that we make some offering to him. But the offerings changed just as also the figures or forms of worship changed. Cain offered the fruits of the earth, worse. Abel however from the flocks, better. Melchisedech however standing before Abraham offered to the Lord not grain nor lambs but bread and wine, (Cf Gen 14:18f). Even the pagans who were living in the land of Canaan before the children of Israel lived there, offered their sons and daughters to idols. Tell now of how they molded idols from brass, and with great excitement dragged their children through fire, and offered them to that idol – a father did not even feel to weep for his son, etc. About which David said: "And they sacrificed their sons, and their daughters to devils," (Ps 105:37). But it was a wicked sacrifice and forbidden, and so God commanded the children of Israel to offer, not their sons nor their daughters, but animals: oxen, sheep, heifers, lambs and doves, etc. Ant this lasted until the time of Christ, who would change the sacrifice and get rid of all the other sacrifices and ways of sacrificing, namely those of Cain, Abel, Aaron, etc. He chose the sacrifice of Melchisedech who offered bread and wine, who was the priest of the Most High God. According to the prophet. "The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent: [Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech.] " (Ps 109:4). He doesn't say "according to the order of Aaron," who offered animals. See here the perpetual offering, and it is of such a power that in the whole world there is not any other sacrifice remaining, only that one, because with its coming, all other sacrifices ought to cease. So neither Muslims [Agareni], nor Jews nor other pagans have any sacrifice, for God does not allow that there be any other sacrifice in the world. And so the prophecy of Malachi is fulfilled, "I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts: and I will not receive a gift of your hand. For from the rising of the sun even to the going down, my name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to my name a clean oblation: " (Mal 1:10-11). It speaks to the priests of the old law. This text [auctoritas] ought to be written in gold letters. Note, "in every place." The Jews dared not offer sacrifice but only in Jerusalem, under pain of death. And it is called a "clean oblation," on the other hand the oblation of the Jews, unclean. The priests of the Jews are butchers, etc., but the Christian oblation is clean. Priests should take care that the altar cloth and the corporals are clean, and the hosts are clean and the wine, chalice etc. In this holy sacrifice God comes down every day, and although he does not depart from heaven, just as the rays of the sun descend, and comes in through every open window, and nevertheless does not separate from the sun or from the heavens. "Behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world," (Mt 28:20). REFRESHMENT
The third reason for this institution was spiritual refreshment. You certainly understand that no living creature, neither corporeal nor spiritual can live, nor survive in being without food, which, for bodily creatures is evident to the eyes. About spiritual creatures however, namely angels, it is evident because even they need food, spiritual food not corporal. Authority: Raphael said to Tobias, "For when I was with you, I was there by the will of God: may you bless him, and sing praises to him. I seemed indeed to eat and to drink with you: but I use an invisible meat and drink, which cannot be seen by men," (Tob 12:18-19). So God, as a good provider [paterfamilias] provides bodily food for bodies, when he said to Adam living in paradise, "Of every tree of paradise you shall eat," (Gn 2:16). See, the first food. He did not give permission to eat meat and fish nor drink wine until up to the time of Noah, after 1,500 years had gone by. If you might say, he gave fruit as a snack [modicam confortationem]. I respond, no, he gave fruit with water then as a substantial meal [maiorem confortationem], now we eat capons, hens and drink wine. Hence God says, "Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed upon the earth, and all trees that have in themselves seed of their own kind, to be your meat, and to all the beasts of the earth," (Gn 1:29f). Then, after the flood in the time of Noah, when he washed the world of its uncleanness, he changed the menu, because the waters of the flood had so destroyed the earth that its fruit then would not have been so good, nor as nutritious as before. So now it is not good to eat only fruit and to drink water. Therefore after the flood God gave permission to eat meat, fish and drink wine, saying, "All the fowls of the air, and all that move upon the earth: all the fishes of the sea are delivered into your hand. And every thing that moves and lives shall be meat for you," (Gn 9:2-3). Then, in the desert where the children of Israel ran out of food of the aforesaid kinds, God provided manna for them, which every day descended in the morning like coriander seeds, which lasted until they arrived to the promised land. So David, "The eyes of all hope in thee, O Lord: and you give them meat " (Ps 144:15). But he had not yet provided spiritual food for the souls, which are spiritual, and the soul is the most important part of man. Therefore David, weeping, said, "They were hungry and thirsty: their soul fainted in them," (Ps 106:5). But Christ came, who instituted food, and spiritual food for souls, namely this holy sacrifice, which is not only an offering, but also for spiritual refreshment. In this food souls are restored and strengthened in devotion and virtues. Nor should you believe that this food would go down just into the stomach of the body to be digested there, but rather into the stomach of the soul, namely, the memory. About this food David prophesied saying: "And [God] had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them the bread of heaven. Man ate the bread of angels: he sent them provisions in abundance," (Ps 77:24-25). First he speaks of the manna of the Jews, where it says, "And had rained down manna," namely from the clouds and not from the empyrean heaven, but from the aerial heaven. Then he speaks of this sacrament, "and had given them the bread of heaven." He is not speaking of manna like the Jews speak, because angels do not eat the manna. Note "bread;" this cannot be understood of manna, because it was just one food, but of this sacrament in which is the body of Christ, soul, divinity, powers and influences of all good things. Therefore he says "bread", and thus the church sings: " The Bread of Angels becomes the bread of men; The Bread of heaven ends all prefigurations: What wonder! a poor and humble servant consumes him, the Lord." [Thomas Aquinas: Panis angelicus]. Practically speaking, see how Christ on this day at the supper took a loaf of unleavened bread, for this reason we consecrate unleavened bread, and raising his eyes to heaven blessed and said those same words which we say in the consecration. And at the moment the words are said, the substance of bread does not remain there, because it has been converted into the body of Christ, and because it was a living body, therefore there was blood and soul and divinity there, but the apostles were not seeing flesh there. And he received communion first, just as the priest first communicates himself, then the others, nor by breaking the host is the body of Christ broken, just as the image is broken in breaking a mirror. Then he communicated the apostles saying, "Take and eat, this is my body." "Lord," Peter said, "this bread is your body?" "Peter," Christ said, "it is not bread, but it is my body. Therefore, eat." After he had received communion Peter said, "O Lord this food comforted me completely and enlightened my soul." Then Christ said to him, "I give you the power of doing the same." He then gave communion to Judas, who without devotion and badly prepared took it and sinned just as bad by badly receiving communion, as by betraying Christ. If it is asked why Christ gave communion to him whom he knew to be in sin and ill prepared, I reply: because he did not wish to make it public, because his sin was hidden. So neither should a parish priest deny communion to someone whom he knows to be a secret sinner, if he lines up with others to receive communion, because he would defame him. Every Christian ought to communicate on Easter etc. Children from the age of twelve or fourteen years. So Christ says, " This is the bread that came down from heaven," (Jn 6:59), not from the aerial heaven but from the empyreal. In apostolic times Christians received communion each day. "And they were persevering...in the communication of the breaking of bread, " (Acts 2:42). "Bread," Gloss, of the Eucharist. Then it was required to communicate every Sunday. Then in the four principal festivals of the year. Later it was mandated that once a year, namely on Easter everyone should communicate. But good counsel says it is good to communicate on the four special feast days. John 6: "Amen, amen I say unto you: Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you." (Jn 6:54). HEALING The fourth reason for the institution of the sacrament was for a medicinal healing, namely for curing bodily and spiritual wounds. All evils, tribulations and miseries, and ultimately death itself had their origin and came from Adam's eating of that food contrary to the commandment of God. From that food the doors to all evils were opened, because otherwise people would have lived in the earthly paradise without any miseries and punishments whatsoever. And after they had lived there according to the divine plan, God would have said to Michael, Descend into the earthly paradise and bring back here all those there who are of such an age." Without pain and death we would have ascended to glory, but because of the sin of Adam, etc. Therefore, the Grammarian says, [Mala mali malo mala contulit omnia malo]. "The jaw of the evil man by an apple brings all evil to evil." Construction: "mala", that is the jaw, "mali" of an evildoer, namely Adam, "malo," by an apple, "omnia mala contulit," brings all evil, "malo," to an evil, supply, world. [the Latin dictum in fact is: Mala mali malo mala contulit omnia mundo.] Even though Eve had eaten of this food, if Adam had not eaten, we would not have been obliged to this evil, nor would we have been conceived in original sin. Only Eve would have been punished. The Lord God, seeing that the devil had so ordained that from fruit would come all evil, on the other hand ordained that from the fruit, namely, of the tree of Mary, to whom we pray, "Blessed is the fruit of thy womb," would come all good to the whole world. Just as the devil, by his scheme knew how to do to much, that from the fruit he would wound and plague all peoples, on the other hand I shall make a universal medicine against all sicknesses, both of the body and of the soul. Therefore the church sings, " For this work of our salvation, Needs must have its order so, etc., [And the manifold deceiver's, Art by art would overthrow. And from thence would bring the healing, Whence the insult of the foe.]" (From Pange, lingua, gloriosi, v. 3, by Venantius Fortunatus, Hymn for the Veneration of the Cross on Good Friday). The question here is, because there are many sick and wounded in body who receive communion and who nevertheless are not cured of sins in their soul, moreover their sins are increased. How is it then a curative medicine? I respond, that physicians giving medicine to a sick person consider two things, namely the disposition of the patient and the effectiveness of the medicine. First, they consider the disposition of the sick one. And so. before they give strong laxatives to a sick person, they mix a syrup to prepare and dispose him. They look to and consider the ultimate effectiveness, because although they might cure the sick one, nevertheless they choose not to, because the medicine might kill him, as was evident with a certain king. There is required in the patient both a certain disposition and ultimate usefulness. And if either of these is lacking, it is not the fault of the medicine. It is the same for the proposed question, when someone is indisposed and ill prepared and receives this medicine, or purgation, without the previously disposing syrup. The four spoons of syrup for disposing are: contrition of the heart, confession of the lips, deeds of satisfaction, and bodily affliction with the hot water of tears. Thus is a soul cured of sins. It is the same for the body. Since God knows that the sickness of the body overflows to the soul, sometimes God gives illness to the body for the health of the soul, because[physical] health and the curing of the illness would be harmful to the soul. And so he does not give health, which he would otherwise infallibly give if it were [spiritually] useful.
Without doubt, therefore, you hold that if a person is well disposed and well prepared and receives this medicine, both the body and the soul gain health, and so the priest says, "May this most holy mixing of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ be for me, and all who receive, health of mind and body."
See, now, the reason why it was instituted as a universal medicine. Authority. "The most High has created medicines out of the earth, and a wise man will not abhor them, " (Sir 38:4). Note, "has created." It seems that this text contains a contradiction, because to create is to make something out of nothing, according to the Philosopher, but when something is made out of something, it is not said to be created, but made. Since, however, it is said "The most High hath created medicines out of the earth," he does not seem to create but to make.
I respond, that in this sacrament there is not properly speaking generation, nor alteration, nor transmutation, because in alteration and substantial change the subject remains the same. Even of that which happens through generation something remains, as is clear in ashes. But it is not so in creation. For in a thing newly created there is nothing which existed previously, as is clear with the soul newly created by God. So in this sacrament, beneath the whiteness is a substance, or matter of bread, and when transubstantiation takes place, everything is changed. Nothing remains of the matter or substance of bread. Therefore, on this account, it comes closer to creation, because it takes place entirely from divine power. Therefore he says, "The most High…out of the earth," that is out of earthly substance, creates medicine. He does not say generated, made or formed, because in these there always remains something of the term from which it came [de termino a quo] in the term which it becomes [terminum ad quem], which is not the case in transubstantiation. "And a wise man will not abhor them," because ordinarily fastidious people abhor medicines, like laxatives or pills, because they would rather not take them. But a prudent doctor hides the medicine with honey or some other good [flavor], so it is not seen, or tasted. Thus Christ the best physician hides his flesh which cannot be seen or sensed, in the host. Therefore he says, "a wise man," etc.
Christ could have made it so that he would be seen in the consecrated host, like an image is seen in a mirror. But such a host ought not be consumed by a priest, as the Doctors of theology say, because it would seem abhorrent visibly to eat the flesh of a man. Therefore Christ is not seen. Rather he remains hidden under that veil of whiteness, like a king under a cauldron. Isaiah, to whom this sacrament was revealed, says, "Truly you are a hidden God, the God of Israel the savior, " (Isa 45:15).
HEAVEN
The fifth reason for the institution was for heavenly promotion, so that we might ascend to heaven. No one can ascend to heaven naturally, only God. "The heaven of heaven is the Lord's: but the earth he has given to the children of men," (Ps 113:24). Note, "heaven," that is, the glory of heaven, "is the Lord's", supply belongs to him by nature. "But the earth he has given to the children of men."
Therefore if we wish to ascend to heaven, we need a promoter and helper by whom we ascend, because Christ says, "No man has ascended into heaven, but he who descends from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven," (Jn 3:13). Unless this text is properly understood it could be an occasion for despair. "No man has ascended into heaven," therefore neither the innocent, nor the penitent, nor martyrs, nor confessors etc., because none of them descended from heaven. But it must be understood in this way, "No man hath ascended into heaven," supply, by his own power, but well does he ascend into heaven by virtue of the body of Christ contained in this sacrament.
For just as a fog, which in the morning lies on the ground which of itself cannot ascend because of its weight, but when the sun come which warms it, then the sun makes it ascend, so it is for us, terrestrial and heavy, who by our own power cannot ascend into heaven. The sun of justice shines, which is in this sacrament, and by his power we are able to rise. Therefore it is called viaticum, that is the food of travelers.
Tell of the miracle of Hugo of Saint Victor, who when he received communion said, "Ascend, Son to Father and Spirit to God, who sent him." And he died and his soul ascended with Christ into heaven. This was prefigured in the prophet Elijah, sleeping. "And the angel of the Lord…touched him, and said to him: Arise, eat: for you have yet a great way to go," (3 Kgs 19:7). When a man is in mortal sin he is sleeping like the prophet in the desert, in danger from the lions and leopards of hell. And it is said to him by the angel, that is the priest, "Arise," you who are sleeping and rise up from the dead, etc., and "eat" that is by receiving communion. "And [he] walked in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights, unto the mount of God," (v.8). In sacred scripture a day signifies prosperity, and night signifies adversity. The divine commandments are ten, which are to be kept in four ways, namely in the heart, by thinking, on the lips by speaking, in deed by doing, and by persevering in their fulfillment. Four times ten is forty, and so we shall go up to the mountain of God, into the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
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Post by Hildegard on Apr 18, 2019 23:45:25 GMT
St. Vincent Ferrer, O.P. – Sermon on Good Friday
John 18-19
" We have a law; and according to the law he ought to die," (Jn 19:7).
This passage is found in John 19, and is recited today in the passion of the Lord. Daily through the whole week the passion of Jesus Christ has been represented and remembered, but much differently today than on the other days. It was represented before as something already past. And so at Mass we said, "At that time...," etc. But today it is recited like it is happening now, and we are eyewitnesses. And so today "At that time" is not said, but today we simply begin, "He goes forth," (Jn 18:1) in the present tense. And there is a reason for the difference, because a present thing moves the heart of men more that something past, like a fly stinging us now more than a sting from the past. And so that we might sense its sweetness and our souls might be compassionate with the death of Christ, it is represented today like something present. So the [divine] Office and sermons take place as if Christ is seen now to be on the cross, that we might perceive, according to what God says, "Remember my poverty, and transgression, the wormwood, and the gall," (Lamentations 3:19). Note: "poverty" because he was crucified naked. And the prophet responds in the person of the Christian people, "I will be mindful and remember, and my soul shall languish within me," (Lam. 3:20). "I will be mindful," namely of the past, "and remember," as if it were in the present. Therefore just as I said, we speak as if we are looking at Jesus Christ crucified now. What about the sorrow of the Virgin Mary. You know that you do not greet [cheerfully] a grieving person, nor does one dare to say words of joy to a person drowning in sadness. So we shall not salute her in our usual way [with the Hail Mary], because it would cause her sorrows to increase. She would say, "Why do you say 'Hail,' because I am full of all grief and pain, bitterness and misery," etc. If we were to say, "The Lord is with thee," she would say, "The Lord is not with me, because they have taken him from me and crucified him." If we would say, "Blessed," she would say, "Why do you call me 'blessed,' because everyone speaks ill of me." And so we shall not salute her. But less we preach without devotion, let us turn to God hanging on the cross crucified saying, "We adore you O Christ and we bless you, because by your cross you have redeemed the world," etc. "We have a law," etc. as above. For the declaration of the proposed text and the introduction of the matter for preaching, it must be known that in sacred theology there is this question: Whether some other work of Christ besides his death would have been sufficient to redeem mankind, or whether it was necessary that he should die? And this question is decided by the holy doctors of theology through two conclusions. The first conclusion is, if we speak according to the dignity of the divine person and according to the holiness of his divinity and humanity, we say that any work whatsoever and any effort [taedium], even without death, would have been sufficient to redeem mankind. And the reason is because Jesus Christ, insofar as he is God, had in his actions infinite power. Same also because of the holiness of his humanity, to the extent that just one prayer or tear, or one drop of blood, without death, would have sufficed to redeem humanity. And David understands this conclusion in Ps 138 which begins, "Lord, you have proved me, etc." in the verse where he says, "I will praise you, for you are fearfully magnified: wonderful are your works, and my soul knows right well," (Ps 138:14). David is speaking in the spirit of prophecy of the messiah king. And he says, "fearfully", and this because of the infinite power of divinity, and "magnified," because of his humanity. The second conclusion is, if we speak of Jesus Christ according to the plan of God embedded [inserta] in the law of Moses and the prophets, then it was necessary that he should die, so that death might be redeemed by death, because, after man has been handed over to death because of the sins of a man, namely Adam, and after Christ wished to free mankind, it was necessary that he should die. Whence Christ by his death has freed us from a double death, namely from the spiritual death of the soul through baptism, and from the death of the body at the end of the world after resurrection. This God revealed to Moses in the book of Numbers 35, when he commanded that if one has killed someone by accident he should flee to a city of refuge -- which were six, three this side of the Jordan and three beyond -- and that there he could await the death of the high priest, and at his death he could then return a free man. In this it is seen that there was given a reason for desiring the death of the high priest. The text nevertheless says, "and he shall abide there until the death of the high priest, who is anointed with the holy oil," (Num 35:25). One might ask who is this killer, and where are these cities of refuge, and who is this high priest? It must be said that the killer is every sinner. In the old testament, Ezek 18 says, "The soul that sins, the same shall die," (Ez 18:4). The sinner is a killer by accident, and not voluntarily, not deliberately, because he who sins with pride or commits other sins, does not indent to kill his soul, because no one deliberately acts for evil. But the sinner takes pleasure in sin, as for example in pride or another sin, from which sin the death of the soul follows by accident. This sinner is a killer, because he kills the principal part of a man, namely the soul. Therefore he cannot enter that city Jerusalem, our mother above, i.e. heaven, but he must flee to a city of refuge. And so all the dead after completing their penance went to limbo, and were not able to go to the city of Jerusalem, however good they might have been, until the high priest who is our Lord Jesus Christ would die. David says about him, "You art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech," (Ps 108:4). Heaven had been closed, for in Genesis 3 it is said that after the sin of the first man, God, "placed Cherubim before the paradise of pleasure, and a flaming sword, turning every way, to guard the way to the tree of life,"(Gen 3:24). Hence, St. Thomas, [Summa theologiae,] III Pars, q. 49, a. 5, where he pursues this image says at first that the ancient fathers through their good works merited to enter the kingdom of heaven through faith in the passion of Jesus Christ, according to Heb 11 "by faith conquered kingdoms, wrought justice," (Heb 11:33), through which they also would be cleansed of their personal sins, to the extent that it pertained to the healing of their own person. Not however did the faith or justice of someone suffice to removing the obstacle which was the condition of the whole human race. This was removed through the outpouring of the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus before the passion of Christ, no one was able to enter or access the celestial kingdom by obtaining eternal beatitude which consists in the full enjoyment of God. Christ merited for us the entrance to the kingdom of heaven. It is clear therefore that it was not absolutely necessary for Christ to die as says the first conclusion, which also St. Thomas says in III, q. 45, a. 1. He posits that because he could have freed men in another way. But according to his preordained plan, expressed through the prophets, and foreshadowed through figures in the old law, it was necessary that Christ die so that the scriptures would be fulfilled. And this is what Luke says in 22: "And the Son of Man indeed goes, according to that which is determined," (Lk 22:22). And Luke 24: "These are the words which I spoke to you, while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me," (Lk 24:44). And because it has been written, for that reason it was necessary that Christ suffer and rise from the dead. This St.Thomas has in the same place. And therefore this sermon's theme is proposed not in the person of the Jews unjustly seeking the death of Christ, but it is proposed in the person of all the prophets who say, "We have a law," because in their written law a bronze serpent and paschal lamb were figures of the death of Christ, therefore that scriptures might be fulfilled, and the kingdom of heaven opened, Christ according to that law ought to die. The theme, therefore, is clear. Now it is necessary to declare how the passion of Christ took place for our redemption and reconciliation. To understand this we should note that just as in the sin of Adam there were six circumstances or conditions, so in the passion of Christ there were six circumstances or conditions, corresponding to the sin. First there was a physical meal, Second a binding of the person, Third, human condemnation, Fourth, social compassion, Fifth, dying for a time, Sixth, an earthly burial. DINNER First, in the passion of Christ there was a physical dinner. Before his passion Christ wished to eat with his apostles. Reason: for just as the sin [praevaricatio] of Adam began with eating, when Adam ate of the forbidden fruit, so Christ to show that he had come to reform the evil of Adam, wished to eat with his apostles. Practically speaking, note how the apostles, Peter and John, as Luke makes clear, ch. 22, said to him, "[Rabbi] Where do you wish that we prepare for you to eat the Passover?" (Mt 26:17). In that year the Passover of the Jews was on Good Friday, and the solemnity began on the evening before, when they ate the paschal lamb with bitter herbs. Thus they said to him, "Rabbi. Where do you wish that we prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He replied to them saying that they were to go to the city, Jerusalem, to the house of a certain good man, his secret disciple. "And he sent Peter and John," (Luke 22:8). Peter and John told the lord of the house that their master, Christ, had sent them to him. And he replied, "O blessed are you who are the disciples of the savior, and what do you wish?" They said, "You already know how our master, although he is the Lord of all things, nevertheless wishes to be poor. He sent us to say that he wished to celebrate the Passover in your house." The man was most grateful to God for such an honor, that the savior wished to celebrate the Passover in his house. He showed them the large dining room which he had prepared for them saying, that he wished to pay for all the necessities and make the preparations. "And you should return to him and warn him lest he come by daylight, because the chief [priests] had issued a death sentence against him, and they wished to seize him." So Christ arrived at a late hour and secretly entered the city. Think how that good man, the lord of the house, reverently greeted Christ when he arrived, thanking him, because it pleased him to come to his house. He wished to wait on Christ and offer water to wash his hands, but Christ refused. Then Christ gave the blessing of the table, "The eyes of all [hope in you, O Lord: and you give them meat in due season]," (Ps 144:15). [The traditional monastic prayer before meals.] And he sat down at the table with the apostles. The evangelists did not report that the Virgin was in the room, but indeed they do say that she was present at the passion, so she was in Jerusalem on the day of the Passover, and also at the passion of Christ. The evangelists say this. Therefore, some devout contemplatives believe it to be likely that she also wished to be at the dinner with her son. He had withdrawn with the apostles to the city of Ephraim near the desert. The Virgin thinking that her son would be at the paschal feast in Jerusalem as he was accustomed to do, on the previous night had come joyfully to Jerusalem hoping to hear a sermon from her son on Passover day. She went directly to the house of Mary Magdalen to find out what was happening with her son. Magdalen said that he was in a citizen's house with his disciples. The Virgin Mary said, I would like to ask that we go to him. Magadalen however who knew the whole business, wished to keep her back until the next day, but the Virgin insisted on going. So Mary Magdalen, Martha, and Lazarus accompanied her to that house. Magdalen knocked at the door. Think how frightened that citizen was that the Jews were coming to arrest Christ. He said to Christ, "Your mother wishes to come in," He agreed. The Virgin entering said to her son, "O son, I wanted to see you very much." And she scolded John, her "grandson" [nepote] because he had not shared with her news of her son. He made an excuse, saying that they were in a different town. Christ however invited his mother to eat with them. Christ knowing that his passion was approaching, at the end of the meal said farewell to his mother lest she be present. But she wanted by all means to remain with her son. Christ did not permit it. Then the virgin invited him with the apostles to lunch the next day because she was throwing a big feast for Passover, and because on that day, namely Friday she had conceived him. Christ, knowing the "dinner" that was being prepared for him, did not explicitly tell his mother all that would happen on the next day, but responding gently said, "Mother you and I shall eat together tomorrow at the same table," namely of the passion of Christ, "and of the same food," namely of sorrow. But his mother did not understand this. Thoroughly comforted and content she departed. Think how Magdalen, who knew everything, was saying, "Lord tomorrow an evil meal awaits you and us." And if this is not told by the evangelists, it nevertheless is not contrary to the gospel, and the devout doctors and saints have written in this fashion of these things, so it ought piously to be believed. It is much like the things that were going to happen. After his mother's departure Christ did four things. First he told his apostles about his passion, as Luke says, "And he said to them: With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you, before I suffer. For I say to you, that from this time I will not eat it, till it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And having taken the chalice, he gave thanks, and said: Take, and divide it among you: For I say to you, that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, till the kingdom of God comes...The hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. And the Son of man indeed goes, according to that which is determined: but yet, woe to that man by whom he shall be betrayed," (Lk 22:15-18, 22). Think how the apostles hearing these words were sad and desolate and each was saying, "Is it I?" that is to say, "I should kill myself now, for I would have a lesser punishment." Christ however did not wish to reveal the sin of Judas publicly, which had been hidden, but secretly he revealed it to John who asked, "Who is he who shall betray you?" (Jn 21:20). Jesus said that he to whom he would give a portion of bread…saying, "The Son of man indeed goes, as it is written of him," (Mt 26:24) I say also to you more, that, "All you shall be scandalized in me this night. For it is written: -- by Zechariah (13:7) the prophet -- I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be dispersed." (Mt 26:31). Then Peter, more passionate than the others said, "Although all shall be scandalized in you, I will never be scandalized," (Mt 26:33). He believed he was speaking the truth, because at that time he had a good heart, but out of weakness later he sinned. To him Christ said, "Amen I say to you, that...before the cock crows, you will deny me three times," (Mt 26:34). Then Christ said to Peter comforting him, "I have prayed for you, that your faith does not fail," that is, in the end. Then Peter was consoled. Second Christ rose from the table, as John (ch. 13) said, and put on an apron and poured warm water into a basin for washing the feet of the apostles. He came to Peter first. "Lord," Peter said," do you wash my feet?" Jesus answered, and said to him: "What I do you do not know now; but you shall know hereafter," (Jn 13:6-7). Peter said to him "You shall never wash my feet. Christ answered him: If I do not wash you, you shall have no part with me," (v. 8). In which he shows that we ought to wash away the uncleanness of temporal affections. Then Peter said, "Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head," (v.9). Christ said to him, "He who is washed," i.e. through baptism, "needs only to wash his feet," i.e. of earthly affections, "but is wholly clean. And you are clean, but not all. For he knew who he was that would betray him; therefore he said: You are not all clean." (vv.10-11). And he washed the feet of all the apostles who were weeping, even of Judas, who he started with [after Peter], as some say, so that he might be inclined to repentance. Then he said to them, "You call me Master, and Lord; and you say well, for so I am," (Jn 13:13). " For I have given you an example," i.e. of humility, "that as I have done to you, so you do also," (v. 15). Third he instituted the sacrament of the altar, wishing to put an end to the sacrifice of the old law and to institute the sacrifice of the new law. After the washing of feet, he returned to the table and took up a plate of unleavened bread and consecrated and first communicated himself, then the apostles. as the priest does, because first he communicates himself then others. The text of Mat 26: "And while they were at supper, Jesus took bread," and giving thanks, "blessed, and broke: and gave it to his disciples, and said: Take, and eat. This is my body." (v. 26), "which shall be delivered for you," (Cf I Cor 11:24). Peter asked him, "Lord this bread is your body?" Christ replied, "Peter, there is nothing left of bread. It is my body. Eat." After he ate he said, "O Lord it completely comforts me. Never has my soul found such sweetness in any food." All the other apostles received communion, and even Judas. Then the devil entered into him to possess him more fully, because he who unworthily receives communion, welcomes the devil. Jesus said to Judas, "What you do, do quickly," (Jn 13:27). The apostles did not understand, believing that he was speaking to him about some task he had to do. Then Christ ordained the apostles and made them priests, saying, "As often as you do this, do it in memory of me," (Cf I Cor 11:24f). Likewise "taking the chalice," after they had eaten, " he gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying: "Drink you all of this. For this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for [you and for] many.., " (Mt 26:27). Fourth he proceeds to give the apostles some good lessons which John calls his testament, saying, "A little while, and now you shall not see me," (Jn 16:16), therefore bear with tribulations and persecutions patiently, because, "If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you," (Jn 15:20). I send you the spirit of truth. (v. 26) And having finished speaking, he prayed for them saying, "I pray for them," (Jn 17:9). The apostles couldn't stop weeping. See here the physical dinner for our reformation, just as there had been one in the sinning. And so the prophecy of Moses was fulfilled about this meal saying, " And they shall eat the roasted flesh that night," (Ex 12:8). "They shall eat," namely Christ and the apostles, "the flesh," etc. BOUND Second, in the passion, Christ was personally tied up, when he was arrested and bound in person in the garden. Reason: because just as in the sin, after Adam ate there was a binding through sin in the terrestrial garden of paradise, where before they had been free with original justice, so too Christ, to show that he came for the reforming of the sin of Adam, wished to be arrested and bound. Practically, now having sung a hymn of thanksgiving, specifically, "I will praise thee, O Lord, " (Ps. 110:4) [the traditional monastic prayer after meals], he expressed his gratitude to the master of the house, because Christ is not ungrateful, saying that he should persevere in good works, and that he would receive him in the house of his glory, and then "he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron," (Jn 18:1). so named from the cedar trees there. Note that the valley of Josaphat is between the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem. And down the middle of the valley of Josaphat passes the brook of Cedron. He entered the garden where he had gone often. The moon was full -- according to the law, Ex 12, the Passover was always at the time of the full moon. Mark says that "he began to fear and to be heavy." (Mk 14:33). This was to show his true humanity which naturally flees from death. Seeing this the apostles said to themselves, "O Lord, what is happening?" Christ said, "My soul is sorrowful even unto death," (v.34), and this because of the flight of the apostles, because of the sorrows of his mother and for the destruction of the Jews, and so he said this, "My soul is sorrowful…" The remedy is to pray. So, "Watch, and pray that you enter not into temptation," (v. 38), because I am going to do the same. And so distancing himself a stone's throw away (Lk 22:41) he prayed three times for the three intentions. "Father, all things are possible to you: remove this chalice from me," (Mk 14:36). In this prayer Christ shows himself to have true humanity which naturally flees from death, but Christ was ready for death giving us an example that in tribulations we should conform ourselves to the divine will. Second he asked for his resurrection saying, Father, "Let this chalice pass from me," i.e. of the measured passion from God the Father, may it pass, i.e. last only three days, and his glorious resurrection might come. And so he says "Father, let it pass from me." About this Hilary says, "He does not seek that it not come, but that it pass from him to the martyrs, so that the courage and patience of his martyrdom would pass to the martyrs and they would become courageous and patient in enduring martyrdom for him. Because of this prayer, the holy martyrs, Lawrence, Vincent, Catherine, Agnes and others were brave in patiently enduring martyrdom." Luke then says, "And being in an agony," (Lk 22:41) not of sensuality against reason, because such struggle was never in Christ—it is only in us—but the agony was of sensuality against the object of the passion. Christ saw clearly [principaliter] all the sufferings of his passion which his sense nature was shunning. So his veins were so pressured from the memory of the passion they began to exude blood. Then angels came to comfort him, not that he needed it , because he was stronger than the angels, but the angel paid him the honor that he ought to show to his Lord, like a shield-bearer comforting his much stronger lord before he entered battle. He said to Christ according to the mind of devout holy doctors, "Lord this passion is not contrary to your will. You yourself have planned it with the Father and the Holy Spirit for the salvation of believers and obedient followers. Therefore the holy fathers joyfully await you in limbo. From this passion a great glory is prepared for you. Because of this you shall be the universal judge over all creatures." After the angel left Christ came to his disciples and "found them sleeping for sorrow," (Lk 22:45), and he said to them, "Arise, let us go," (Mt. 26:46). "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak," (Mt 26:41). And the Jews came with swords and clubs. Then Peter asked Christ, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" (Lk 42:29). Christ replied that we should not defend ourselves with weapons, but with patience. Then the traitor Judas, who had given them a cue, lest they arrest James, who looked like Christ, in place of Christ, said to Christ, "Hail, Rabbi. And he kissed him," (Mt 26:49), for Christ was accustomed to kiss his disciples when they first returned to him. But Christ turned his face and said to Judas, "Judas, do you betray the Son of man with a kiss?" (Lk 22:48), which is to say, "Wretched man [miser], think of the damnation prepared for you today." He approached the Jews and asked "Whom do you seek?" (Jn 18:4). They answered: "Jesus of Nazareth," (v. 5). Wishing to humble them he said, "I am he," [Ego sum] which is the proper name of God. And upon hearing that name all the Jews fell down on the ground. This is how Christ showed that they could not arrest him unless he wished to be arrested. Think how the apostles were rejoicing when the Jews fell down, saying to themselves that Christ would not be arrested. Chrysostom says, "Consider Christian how much power is in Christ about to be judged, that the one to be judged, has so much power by a single word." Therefore he says, "No one takes my soul from me," namely unwilling (Cf Jn 10:18). With Christ's permission they got to their feet. Christ again asked them: "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus answered, "I have told you that I am he. If therefore you seek me, let these go their way." (Jn 18:8). Then "they laid hands on Jesus, and held him," (Mt 26:49). Christ said to them, " You have come out as it were for a robber, with swords and clubs, to apprehend me. I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not lay hands on me." (Mt. 26:55), "but this is your hour, and the power of darkness." (Lk 22:53). Then Peter, as if desperate, wishing to die for Christ, drew his sword and wanted to kill one of this servants. He ducked his head, and Peter cut off his right ear. Christ said to him, "Put up thy sword its scabbard. The chalice which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" (Jn 18:11). "How then shall the scriptures be fulfilled?" (Mt 26:54). He restored his ear to him. Then the apostles seeing Christ arrested and bound, fled, fearing that they too would be arrested. Think how each was saying to himself: "O wretched one, now is fulfilled the scandal which he had predicted. O wretched one, I so deny my master and without a blow I desert him." "O wretched one," John says, "what shall I say to your mother?" And he returned to Christ. Peter, seeing that John was returning, also returned and followed at a distance to witness the end. Some say that when Christ, arrested, entered through the gate of the city of Jerusalem, the stone images of the roman emperors which were sculpted there bowed down to Christ, saying, "Lord, rational men bound you, and we insensible ones adore you." See here, the binding of Christ. And the prophecy was fulfilled (Lamentations 4) in the person of the prophet of old, "The breath of our mouth, Christ the Lord, is taken in our sins: to whom we said: Under your shadow we shall live among the Gentiles," (Lam 4:20) CONDEMNATION Third, in the passion of Christ there is human condemnation. Before four judges Christ was condemned, namely before Annas, Caiaphas, Herod and Pilate. Reason: because the sin of Adam mankind was condemned to corruption under the four elements, for if Adam had not sinned, fire would not have harmed us, nor would air convey bad impressions, nor would there be storms against us, nor would water drown us, nor would earth harm us as we worked or traveled on it. So Christ to make satisfaction for us, so that after the day of judgment we would be free from these corruptions of the elements, wished to be condemned before four of the aforesaid judges. Practically speaking, Christ, arrested and bound, was lead, first before Annas the priest who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year, a most intense enemy of Christ. Fortunately John was known to them, because he used to bring him orders of fish. John's father would send him. Because the wicked judge freely received that service, so the door maid allowed John to enter. He also got permission for Peter to come in with him. The door maid said to Peter, "Are not you also one of this man's disciples?" (Jn 18:17). He denied him out of fear of arrest. Then he approached the fire with the rest. Then Annas questioned Christ about two matters, namely about his teaching and his disciples. saying, "Is not the teaching of Moses sufficient? It seems that you are wiser than God," etc., and, "You wish yourself to be the captain of the people, why so?" Christ replied to the first question about his teaching saying, "I have spoken openly to the world: I have always taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, where all the Jews gather; and in secret I have spoken nothing. Why do you ask me? Ask them who have heard what I have spoken unto them," (Jn 18:20-21). And he replied to the second question, but just then the servant of the priest "struck Jesus a blow, saying: Do you answer the high priest so?" And he knocked him to the ground. After he had gotten up Jesus said to him, "If I have spoken evil, give testimony of the evil; but if well, why do you strike me? " (Jn 18:23), which is to say you do not know whom you strike, but you will know on judgment day. Peter seeing how Christ was struck, wept. They said to him, "Are not you too one of his disciples?" (v. 25). He denied it, and said: "I am not," (v. 26). One of the servants of the high priest (a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off) says to him: Did I not see you in the garden with him?" (Jn 18:25-26) Then Peter not only denied Christ but also swore and cursed saying that he did not know him. O Peter, where are the words of the promise which you made? I am prepared to be jailed with you and to go to my death. And if it is necessary that I die with you I shall not deny you, etc. "Although all shall be scandalized in thee, I will never be scandalized," (Mt 26:33). O how badly you have kept your promise. And the cock crowed. And Christ turning, gazed on Peter, which is to say, "Peter, you have denied me." Then Peter "Going forth, wept bitterly," (v. 33). The Master of History (Peter Comestor) says that Peter hid himself in a certain tomb, and whenever a cock crowed Peter would always weep. So he always carried a towel. He denied Christ only because of fear. What about you who deny him and rebel out of malice? Then Annas having seen that the cock crowed, considering that it was late night, passed sentence that Christ should be led before Caiaphas, and so it happened. Think how Christ was received there, where his enemies were gathered, saying, "Wise guy [Ribalde], how often did you confound us in your sermons!" They brought forward many false witnesses against him. The judge said to him, "Listen, they present so much adverse testimony against you." Jesus however did not respond. Reason: because when suffering from lying testimony it is better to remain silent than to say anything. Again the judge said, "Why do you not speak? I demand that you, under oath, tell us if you are the Christ." Then Christ, out of respect for the name of God said, "You have said it–supply, the truth–because I am the son of God and the messiah, the savior of the world." "Nevertheless hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming in the clouds of heaven," (Mt 26:65) "Then they all said: Are you then the Son of God? He said: You say that I am," (Lk 22:70). Hearing this Caiaphas, signaled blasphemy by rending his garments, saying, "He has blasphemed!" (Mt 26:65), "Have you heard the blasphemy? What does it seem to you?" And he condemned him saying he deserved to die. "Then they spat in his face and struck him blows," (v. 67), and so held him through the whole night. And today, in the first hour of the morning, they led him to Pilate, handing him over to the secular jurisdiction for the death sentence, accusing him and saying, "We have found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding [people] to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he is Christ the king." (Lk 23:2). "Pilate asked him, saying: Art you the king of the Jews? But Christ answering, said: You say it." (v. 3) –supply, "the truth." "And Pilate said to the chief priests and to the scribes: "I find no cause in this man". But they were more earnest, saying: "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place." Then Pilate asked if the man were from Galilee? And when he understood that he fell under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him away to Herod, who was also himself at Jerusalem, in those days," (Lk 23:2-7). Herod was pleased. For a long time he had desired to meet Jesus and to witness his miracles. He hoped to see some sign from him, not out of devotion, but as amusement. And he had a number of questions for Christ to answer. First he said to him, "I have heard that you know how to change water into wine; so do it in front of me." He had a large jug of water brought in saying, "Change it." But Christ said nothing to him. Rather he looked down on him like a fool. Then Herod said, "I have heard that you know how to multiply loaves of bread. Do it for me." He did nothing. Again, "I have heard that you can walk on water. Do it for me." But Christ said nothing to him. Herod said to him, "Don't you know that I have the power to free you?" Christ said nothing to him. "And Herod with his guard treated him with contempt, and mocked him, put a white garment on him, and sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate became friends with one another, that very day; for they were enemies before. (Lk 23:11-12). "And Pilate, calling together the chief priests, and the magistrates, and the people, said to them: You have presented this man to me as one who perverted the people. Having examined him before you, I find no cause in this man, in those things wherein you accuse him. No, nor Herod either. For I sent him to him. Look, nothing worthy of death is found in him," (Lk 23:13-15). The devil, seeing Christ's great patience, and the joy of the holy fathers in limbo, and wishing to thwart the passion of Christ appeared in a dream to Pilate's wife, still in her bed sleeping, so that through the woman's intervention our redemption might be impeded. She was threatened. She had to persuade her husband so in no way would he kill that good and just man. Then Pilate, as much out of love for his wife, as also because he knew that they had handed him over out of envy, worked to free Christ, all the while striving to keep the good will of the Jews. He wished to free him for four reasons. First because of his innocence, which he had determined by his private meeting with Christ. When he asked if he had forbidden tribute to Caesar, Christ replied "No." Moreover he had said, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's," (Mt. 22:21). Again, when asked if he were the king of the Jews, Christ replied, "My kingdom is not of this world." (Jn 18:36). "The Jews wanted to make me king after the meal which I had provided for them, but I fled." Then Pilate said to the Jews, "I find no reason for a death sentence for this man. But they cried out saying, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" Second, Pilate wished to free Christ using the exemption which the Jews had from a privilege granted by the Emperor, that on the Passover they were able to set free one prisoner, whomever they asked for. Reason: because on that day the people of Israel were freed from slavery in Egypt, and so in memory of that liberation they had obtained this privilege. Pilate was arranging for Christ to be freed using this privilege, saying, "But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover; do you wish, therefore, that I release the king of the Jews to you? Then they all cried out again, saying: Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber," (Jn 18:39-40), and a murderer. Third, he wished to free Christ out of compassion. Pilate knew that he was arrested out of envy and malice of heart, out of the misery of those beset with envy. Thus Pilate said to Christ, "I see that the whole people have turned against you out of envy, so I shall have you scourged, so that their malice for you may be transformed, lest you die." Christ replied, "Do whatever you wish." Then Pilate took Jesus and bound him naked to a column, according to the Master of History, so tightly that one hand does not touch the other hand, for the space of two palms, but wrapped and tied by cords. He was whipped so fiercely, that from the soles of his feet to the top of his head no part of his blessed body was unmarked, except only his tongue, which would pray and bear witness for sinners and the thief on the cross. And so scriptures were fulfilled which had predicted that the Son of Man would be handed over to the people and whipped and spit on. According to some, there were four soldiers whipping him,. The first two, according to Jerome in the Gloss, had prepared switches with thorns and sharpest brambles by which to puncture his skin. When these two were tired, the other two would take up whips, at the tips of which there were nodules with sharp points attached for ripping his holy skin. The other two had chains with hooks at their ends, to tear out flesh. Hence Eusebius and Chrysosom on this text, "The discipline [i.e. whipping] of our peace was upon him. They say that Christ was wounded by this discipline in a triple way, namely hard, because of rods and thorns, and harder because of the nodules on the whips, and hardest because of the iron chains. Since, according to doctors, there are 276 bones in the human body, Christ was so whipped that each bone received a triple blow, one from the rods, another from the whips, the third from the chains. When he was untied, Christ wished to put on his own garments, but they wouldn't permit it. The soldiers taking Jesus, led him from the whipping post into the atrium where they gathered the whole cohort. And they clothed him in a rough, old purple garment, as a sign of royal majesty, for kings wear purple. Shaping a crown of marine [marinis] thorns, which have sharper and longer spines than other thorns, they pressed it on his head, cruelly wounding it in 72 places. It was shaped like a cap [ad modum pilei] so that wherever it contacted the head, the spines penetrated to the skull. These contacts, according to Isidore, were concave on the inside drawing up the blood of Christ. They put a reed in his right hand like a royal scepter, and they mocked him and began to genuflect before him and to salute him in derision saying, "Hail king of the Jews," which is to say, "You call yourself king of the Jews, Now you are crowne." And spitting on him they struck him at will. For this reason the church, when praying for them, does not have us genuflect, as with the prayers for the pagans and for others. And then Pilate went out again and said, "Look, that you may know that I find no cause in him, I bring him forth to you (Jesus therefore came forth, bearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment.) And [Pilate] said to them: Behold the Man, " (Jn 19:4-5). Which is to say, "Here is the man who says he is your king, as you allege. It is enough for you that such abominable contempt be laid on this man for this accusation," etc. When the priests and ministers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify, crucify him!" which says, "That punishment was not sufficient. We ask that he be crucified," and "We want no other death but crucifixion," since, according to Chrysostom, crucifixion was so ignominious that one crucified would be remembered only as cursed. And that David bewails saying, "I am poured out like water," (Ps 21:15), because the smell of every liquid remains in the empty jar, except for water. They wanted his name to be forgotten, as St. Thomas says on this text, therefore they sought that he be crucified. Pilate however said, "Take him yourselves, and crucify him: for I find no cause in him. The Jews answered him: We have a law; and according to the law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore had heard this saying, he feared the more," (Jn 19:6-8), not the law, because he was a Gentile, but lest by chance, according to Jerome, it was true that he had a divine origin, and so he would have committed an enormous crime by whipping him. Pilate wanted even more certainty. Again he entered the pretorium with Jesus and said to Jesus, "Where are you from? of divine or human generation?" Jesus did not reply because of the difficulty of the question, for Pilate was not sufficiently ready to accept the answer. "Pilate therefore said to him: Do you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to crucify you, and I have power to release you?" With these words Pilate condemned himself. "Jesus answered: You should not have any power against me, unless it were given you from above. Therefore, he who has delivered me to you, has the greater sin," (Jn 19:11) Augustine says that whoever sins from avarice, sins more that he who sins from human fear. "From henceforth," i.e. from this case, " Pilate sought to release him," (v. 12), as a clever man seeing that he had cleared him of sin, and lest he should kill an innocent man, he was seeking an opportunity to dismiss him, as he had done before. "But the Jews," seeing him, "cried out, saying: If you release this man, you art not Caesar's friend. For whosoever makes himself a king," etc. "Now when Pilate had heard these words, he brought Jesus forward, and sat down in the judgment seat, in the place that is called Lithostrotos, and in Hebrew Gabbatha. And it was the preparation day [parasceve]…," that is, the first solemn day on which they prepared food for the Sabbath. On the Sabbath itself it is not permitted to prepare food because of the solemnity, but only on the preceding day, Friday, therefore every Friday was called the evening of the Passover [parasceve], "at about the sixth hour," (Jn 19:13f). Because on the sixth day man was created. And Pilate said: "Behold your king. But they, "as if hysterically, "cried out: Away with him; away with him; crucify him! Pilate said to them: Shall I crucify your king? " which is to say, "Indeed, from this shall be generated great shame, when it is told that you crucified your king." The priests replied: "We have no king but Caesar," (v. 15). Then Pilate realizing that he was incurring the indignation of the people, and of Caesar, granted them their petition. "And as he was sitting in the place of judgment, his wife sent to him, saying: Have you nothing to do with that just man," (Mt 27:19). I have endured much this night because of this holy and just man. Then the devil recognized the fruit of the passion of Jesus Christ from the joy of the souls awaiting in limbo which from many prophets were hoping that they be redeemed. Pilate seeing however that he was making no progress, but a great riot was breaking out, taking water washed his hands before the people saying: " I am innocent of the blood of this just man; look you to it. And the whole people answering, said: His blood be upon us and our children " (Mt 27:19). O what a terrible legacy did these stupid people leave. The heritage remains to this very day. For, as a sign of this claim, when Jewish boys are born, of the race which cried out such, they have their right hand full of blood positioned on their heads.
So Pilate, shaken with fear released Barabbas the murderer to them. Jesus, however, scourged, he handed over to their will, to be crucified, contrary to the law of justice. Pilate's sentence of Jesus read: "Jesus, seduced the people, blasphemed God, calling himself Christ, to be the king of the Jews, judged and condemned to be nailed to the cross." And because today is offered the a [alpha] and w [omega], the beginning and the end, therefore on these days the church omits the usual beginnings and endings of the hours [of the Divine Office].
COMPASSION
Fourth in the passion of Christ is social compassion, because not only Christ endured the passion and the sorrows of the heart, but also the Virgin Mary his mother, and many others. Reason: because Adam did not suffer the evils of his sin alone, but also Eve.
The sentence of death was issued. Next they mocked him. They clothed him in purple and dressed him in a way that would make it more recognizable that he was going to his death, so he would be jeered at all the more. And then, without doubt, Christ experienced afresh extreme pain, because that purple garment had become encrusted, and deeply embedded in the wounds of the scourging. It could not be ripped off without excruciating pain. You can imagine, especially when his tunic was torn away, that all his wounds were reopened, and this was a harsher penalty than scourging, or even the crown. Fresh bleeding began, and his whole body was coated in red. And laying the cross on him, they led him out of the city.
Because the glorious passion of Christ extends itself not only to the Jews but also to all, as a sign of this, he wished to suffer outside of the city. O how many good things the blessed Jesus always did for this city. For all these things, to disgrace him more, they laid the cross on his own shoulders to carry. St. Bernard: "O silent [inauditu] spectacle, never heard, seen or done, that some thief or malefactor would be forced to do this, that he carry his own yoke, only the savior, so the passage of Isaiah was fulfilled: 'and the government is upon his shoulder,'" (Isa 9:6).
This was prefigured in Isaac, who when he went to be sacrificed by his father, carried the wood on his own back (See Gn 22:6). There we find that the Lord said to Abraham: "Abraham, Abraham. And he answered: Here I am. He said to him: Take your only begotten son Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of vision: and there you shall offer him for a holocaust upon one of the mountains which I will show you. So Abraham rising up in the night, saddled his ass: and took with him two young men, and Isaac his son: and when he had cut wood for the holocaust he went his way to the place which God had commanded him," (Gn 22:1-3) This was a figure of the passion of Christ, because Abraham signified the Father in divinity, who offers his only begotten Son on the altar of the holy cross in redemption for all us miserable sinners. And just as Isaac, the son of Abraham, obedient to the will of his father, carried on his own shoulders the wood of the holocaust, so the Son of God, our savior Jesus, patiently like an innocent lamb, carried the yoke of the holy cross laid upon his shoulders.
And because the Jews had so weakened him with blows, strokes, and mockeries, not to mention the scourgings and crowning, he was not able to carry the cross very long or very far, because he was totally spent and exhausted. So he fell under the cross. No wonder, from the blood shed from all his veins, which flowed from the wounds of the scourging and thorns, and the immensity of the cross which was fifteen feet high and ten feet across. Going out to the place they call Calvary, as he was being led there, he found he could not continue. They picked out a man, Simon of Cyrene by name, coming from the village, father of Alexander and Rufus. They seized him and forced him to carry his cross. They, not moved by mercy, but that they might more quickly get on with the execution, had him carry the cross after Christ. Nor should anyone judge this to be contrary to the perfection of Christ, as true God and true man. The divinity of Christ yielded to his humanity suffering from all the human weaknesses, not wishing to favor itself in anything which would alleviate his punishment. The condition of human weakness demanded that the man Christ would fail under such a burden, so exhausted by the whole night, and weakened by the outpouring of blood. No surprise, because when even under lesser stress, think of the journey elsewhere [through Samaria], when he sat down to recover his strength [at the well] on the mountain, Jn 4.
Learned doctors believe that this news, that Christ her son had been condemned to death, was first told to the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was then at the home of Mary Magdalen. With how much heartfelt pain and anxiety of the soul did she receive this news. The faithful mother pondered it all in her heart. Nevertheless she never did anything indecent to her modesty or deflecting from her virginity. Nor is that fable true, by which the wicked would seem to injure the glorious Virgin, which says that the Virgin ran here and there from house to house like a hysterical woman, to where Christ was being taken, and as a sign of her anxiety she tore her hair out, peering through windows, wringing her hands, and wailing pitifully. There are many other such tales, all of which are false and frivolous. Reason: otherwise many women would have been more perfect than the Virgin Mary, namely Sophia, the mother of the seven sons, and many other such. But since there are three manners of weeping. Some express excessive sorrow in exterior works, like Eli, (1 Kgs 4) who hearing that the ark [of the covenant] was captured and his two sons killed, fell over backwards, and died of a broken neck. Some suffer nothing harmful, yet because of a certain honesty they let out a cry of pain like the cry of some animal, like young women at the death of her misshapen babies, and old women [ut iuvenculae de morte virorum deformium et vetulorum]. But both afflict themselves in vain. The first, without inordinate emotion, is thought well of by all. The second, the more insanely they act, the less faith they show. So the Virgin mother discovered the third human way, which with bitter taste of sorrow in her heart, did nothing wrong or indecent, neither forgetting her catholic faith, and virginal modesty. In her alone remained faith in the resurrection of her son. So she moderated the incomparable pain, and she did nothing that was undisciplined. Origin in a certain sermon on the passion says: All the pain conceived in the Blessed Virgin by the passion of Christ, she so kept within the cloister of her soul, that neither excessive impatience or exterior sign of something inordinate came from her, unless insofar as a flow of tears from her maternal eyes which revealed her crushing anxiety. Hence she had the maximum compassion with Christ.
Bernard described the lamentable procession saying, "When, he says Christ was so led forth, there was a crowd of people following him, just as when thieves and malefactors are led to death. Some went laughing, others mocking, others throwing dirt on him. Looking up, he sees the yoke laid on his shoulders, pressing heavily on him. Looking behind, he sees his mother with the great crowd of people and of women who follow, who wept and lamented him out of their great compassion. "But Jesus turning to them, said: Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over me," (Lk 23:28). "Because I freely choose to die, and because of the divine plan, which ordains that I die in such a way, and because of the utility of my death, that by dying I destroy death." He commands [them] to weep for past and future sins, the cause of the passion, which makes Christ suffer in the order of justice. It is necessary that he suffer these sorrows for our salvation. This Bernard. "But weep for yourselves, and for your children. For behold, the days shall come, wherein they will say: Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the breasts that have not given suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains: Fall upon us; and to the hills: Cover us." (Lk 23:28-30). He was speaking of the assault of the Romans by Titus and Vespasian, princes of Jerusalem in the year 42 after the ascension of the Lord [70 AD], destroying it to the ground, when so great a slaughter occurred, that the blood of those killed flowed like a river through all parts of the city. And the city was taken on the day of Passover, and all the Jewish officials killed. And thirty were sold for one denarius. And in the siege of the city 1,100,000 died from famine and the sword, and 80,000 sold to slavery or dispersed. And so was verified that curse which they had said to Pilate: "His blood be upon us and our children," (Mt 27:25). Christ wept for that disaster on Palm Sunday. The famine was such at the time of the siege, that mothers were eating their children, as Josephus says, who was actually there, although he had hidden in the clefts of the rocks until the persecution ceased.
Jesus was also speaking of the final judgment, when, out of fear "they begin to say to the mountains: Fall upon us; and to the hills: Cover us over." For he adds the clause. "For if in the green wood they do these things," that is, in me. Christ is said to be green wood, because, [he is] green in the root of his divinity, in the stem of his humanity, in the branches of his virtues, in the leaves of his words, in the fruit of good works. "In the dry," that is the sin which lacks the moisture of grace, the fruit of justice, the healthy growth of constancy, "what shall be done?" (Lk 23;31), that is, "How much punishment do you think they deserve?" The compassion of his mother and the women are clear from this.
DEATH
Fifth in the passion of Christ is temporal death, because he wished to die on the cross. Although the other sufferings of Christ would have been sufficient to redeem mankind, nevertheless he yet wished to die. Reason: because from the sin of Adam we not only have troubles, sorrows and sufferings, but also death, Gen. 2: " For on the very day you shall eat of it, you shall die the death." (Gn 2:17). And this manner is more convenient. Hence the holy doctors and especially St. Thomas III, q 46, a. 2 says there indeed were for God other possible ways of redemption, absolutely speaking, because Luke 1 says, "Because no word shall be impossible with God," (Lk 1:37) and Isaiah 59 saying, "Behold the hand of the Lord is not too short that it cannot save," (Isa 59:1). And so there were many other ways possible to God, as Thomas says at the third argument. If God had freed man without any satisfaction from sin, it would not have been against justice, because the sin was committed against him, and so he acted with mercy. But it would not have been a more convenient manner, as Thomas says in the same place, same question, article 3, because Augustine says in XIII De Trinitate: "There was no other more suitable way of healing our misery" than by the Passion of Christ. "Hence absolutely it was not necessary that Christ should die, but out of necessity of the end," as he says in the same question, in article 1. And this can be understood in two ways. First from our part who through his passion have been liberated according to that in John 3: "So must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believes in him, may not perish; but may have life everlasting," (Jn 3:14-15). Second on the part of Christ himself who through the humility of the passion merits the glory of his exaltation, and through this it is clear what Luke says, last chapter: "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into his glory?" (Lk 24:26).
[Here Vincent quotes the entire body of article 3 from St. Thomas' Summa, ]
"But in this that man was delivered by Christ's Passion, many other things besides deliverance from sin concurred for man's salvation.
In the first place, man knows thereby how much God loves him, and is thereby stirred to love Him in return, and herein lies the perfection of human salvation; hence the Apostle says: "God commends His charity towards us; for when as yet we were sinners... Christ died for us," (Rom 5:8).
Secondly, because thereby He set us an example of obedience, humility, constancy, justice, and the other virtues displayed in the Passion, which are requisite for man's salvation. Hence Peter says: "Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps." (1 Peter 2:21)
Thirdly, because Christ by His Passion not only delivered man from sin, but also merited justifying grace for him and the glory of bliss. We have …. confidence in the entering into the hollies" i.e. of the faithful, " by the blood of Christ," (Heb 10:19).
Fourthly, because by this man is all the more bound to refrain from sin, when he thinks himself redeemed by the blood of Christ from sin, according to that in I Cor 6: "For you are bought with a great price. Glorify and bear God in your body," (I Cor 6:20).
Fifthly, because it redounded to man's greater dignity, that as man was overcome and deceived by the devil, so also it should be a man that should overthrow the devil; and as man deserved death, so a man by dying should vanquish death. as it says in I Cor 15: " Thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ," (v. 57) It was accordingly more fitting that we should be delivered by Christ's Passion than simply by God's good-will. This St. Thomas q. 46, a. 3.
Practically speaking this is how they led Christ with the cross which he was carrying on his shoulder. Two other criminals were led with him to be executed on the hill of Calvary. And when they arrived there they said to him, "Get undressed," and he did it. The soldiers "took his garments, (and they made four parts, to every soldier a part,) and also his coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They then said to one another: Let us not cut it, but let us cast lots for it, [to see] whose it shall be; that the scripture might be fulfilled, saying: They have divided my garments among them, and upon my vesture they have cast lots," (Jn 19:23-24). Then, "They crucified him, and with him two others," (v 18).
Think when they crucified him as the Virgin was witnessing the hammering of the nails, how they pierced her heart. And when the cross was raised, the people backed away. Then the Virgin with John and Magdalen approached the foot of the cross, and drops of blood from her son were falling on the head of the Virgin. Think of the pain of Christ and the compassion of his mother. Then Christ prayed for his crucifiers, saying, "Father, ignore [ignosce] them, because they do not know what they do." The Virgin Mary hearing her son, raised her eyes and beheld him bloodied from head to feet. The thief who was hanging on a cross to Christ's right, seeing that Christ was praying for his executioners, and considering the patience of Christ, found faith in Christ and contrition in his heart for his sins, and said tearfully to Christ, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom," (Lk 23:42). "I do not say that you spare me now, because I am not worthy, but afterwards I shall be in purgatory, then remember me." To whom Christ replied, "Amen I say to you, this day you shall be with me in paradise." (v. 43).
Question: Why one of the two thieves crucified with Christ was converted and not the other? Reason: some allege that it was the shadow of his arm which fell upon him and converted him. Authority: From the lesser reference to the shadow of Peter, as is clear from Acts 5. No wonder then that the shadow of Christ saved the soul of the thief.
The Virgin seeing her son speaking to the thief said, "O son, you have spoken to the thief and you say nothing to me who am dying here with you?" Then Christ wishing to comfort his mother, nodded to John with his head and said, "Woman, behold you son." And to John, "Behold your mother," honor her and serve her as your mother. (Cf Jn 19:26f). The Virgin might have replied, "O son, what kind of comfort, what kind of exchange is this, to give the son of the Creator for the son of a fisherman, the son of God for a son of Zebedee. O my son, now it is fulfilled the prophecy of Simeon saying, 'your own soul a sword shall pierce,'"(Lk 2:35). Then Christ began to say, "Eli, Eli, that is My God, my God," look on me, "why have you forsaken me?" (Mt 27:46), that my friends have deserted me, the apostles and disciples. And if someone had asked of him, "O Lord where are the blind whom you gave sight to, where the sick whom you cured? where the possessed, where the lepers whom you cleansed? where the dead whom you raised? where the apostles whom you honored?" He would have answered, "All have abandoned me."
And when all things were fulfilled, it was the ninth hour, and he cried out: "I thirst," (Jn 19:28). The Virgin replied, "O son, I have only the water of my tears." Then someone with a sponge stuck on a reed gave him vinegar mixed with gall. And when he tasted it he said: "It is consummated," (v. 30) namely the work and the mystery of human redemption. The Virgin replied, "O son, my sorrows are complete." Then Christ with a loud voice cried out, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit," (Lk 23:46). And bowing his head, as if bidding farewell to his mother, gave up the spirit.
It is a wonder that the Virgin Mary did not drop dead, but immediately there followed consolations and comforting remedies, because darkness fell over the whole land, because the sun removed the bright clothing of its clarity and put on darkness, and there was an earthquake and rocks were split open, and many bodies of the saints who were sleeping arose. And the centurion was converted saying "Truly this was the son of God," (Mt 27:54). And the people were striking their breasts saying, "O misery, what have we done." These fruits of the passion which the Virgin was seeing consoled her.
See here his temporal death, because he wished to die that he might free us from eternal death, and would give us glorious life according to the prophet Isaiah 53: "He has delivered his soul unto death, and was reputed with the wicked: and he has borne the sins of many," (Isa 53:12).
BURIAL
Sixth in the passion of Christ is an earthly burial. Reason: because from the sin of Adam mankind was not only condemned to death but also to the tomb and dissolution and corruption. Gen. 3: "for you are dust, and into dust you shall return " (Gn 3:19). So Christ wished to be buried but not corrupted, according to that of David: "Nor will then give your holy one to see corruption," (Ps. 16:10).
Because it was Passover, the Jews, did not wish his body to remain on the cross on the sabbath. It was a feast, and they have the commandment of God in Lev. 23:6ff. Therefore lest their feast day be dishonored, and the solemnities begin on the evening of that day–that sabbath was a great feast day—Pilate commanded that their legs be broken so that they might die more quickly. Because this festival of unleavened bread is entirely joyful, and for these seven days men and women lead processions around the circuit of Jerusalem singing the Canticle of Moses, "Let us sing to the Lord: for he is gloriously triumphant," (Ex. 15:1-19), in remembrance of the time when he freed them from slavery to the Egyptians and to Pharaoh, drowning his army in the Red Sea. Therefore lest such a solemnity be spoiled by the spectacle of the corpses near the city, they asked that they be taken down.
"The soldiers therefore came; and they broke the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him. But after they came to Jesus, when they saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers..,"who according to Isidore was called Longinus, according to the Master of History, and was not able to see whether Jesus was dead, because he had cataracts on his eyes, took his lance and plunged it into the heart of Christ," and immediately," miraculously, "there came out blood and water," (Jn 19:33-34), and running down the shaft of his spear touched his hand. Immediately upon contact he received perfect sight, and having converted to the faith lived for 28 years as a monk. When a persecution of Christians arose, having become a bishop, he was crowned with glorious martyrdom, and so ascended to heaven. This solder did this with good intentions and out of compassion. And so God interiorly and exteriorly illuminated him, since he was blind.
This wound, according to Alexander of Hales, was not thrust into Christ in that part in which there might be a bone, namely a rib, but it was below, into the soft flesh and between the ribs and the arms, and so thrusting up it struck the heart. Reason: because Christ was hanging on high and the soldier was standing on the ground. So if the lance had struck around the ribs, it would have broken a rib because of the size of the lance. But according to John, who saw it and bore witness to it, and his testimony is true: "For these things were done, that the scripture might be fulfilled: You shall not break a bone of him. Exod 12," (Jn 19:36), "And again another scripture says: They shall look on him whom they pierced," (v.37).
Why is it portrayed in that way? It must be said that pictures are the scriptures of the laity. Therefore so that more expressly for the laity, the lance pierces the heart of Christ, as a sign, that out of the heart our sins are forgiven to us through his death. These two miracles happened after death, namely the flow of blood and the cure of the blind soldier. Blood in a dead man coagulates, but not in Christ, so that it might be shown that he had power in his body even without his soul.
And there are three opinions about soul, that it would be in the blood, in the head and in the heart. The first opinion holds that when the blood flows out of the body, the soul is accustomed to flee the body. But the second, because the soul seems to show a greater force of its powers in the head. Others however because they have seen the heart of a man first living and ultimately dying. And so they look effectively in these three places, although Christ did not sense this wound, because he was already dead. All these things happened at the ninth hour. Thus the church sings Nones [Divine Office for the afternoon] to give thanks.
After this had happened, it was already late, i.e. the evening hour. There was a nobleman by the name of Joseph of Arimathea, a city in Judea, who was a captain, and wealthy, a good and just man, from the fact that he was a disciple of the Lord, secretly however because of fear of the Jews. He had not agreed with the decision and the deeds of others, because he awaited the kingdom of God. He boldly went in and approached Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, that he might take it. The evangelists report all these things to express the goodness and reverence of this Joseph. Heaven had arranged that he be rich, so that he would be able to pay for the Lord's tomb. That he be a nobleman and a captain, i.e. in charge of ten soldiers, so he could approach the procurator. Just and good, so he would be worthy to receive the body of Christ. A disciple, but not one of the twelve, since all believers in the early church were called disciples. Boldly, because he did not fear the Jews. And they believed that he did this not just because he was a disciple, but out of devotion.
He asked for the body of Jesus, because it was not permitted to bury the bodies of condemned criminals without the permission of the prefect. Pilate however wondered if he had already died. His wonder, according John, proceeded from levity and vanity of heart. No one else wondered with Pilate why Jesus had died quickly, while the thieves were still alive, because he had endured many cruelties through the whole night and morning, while the thieves were left undisturbed. And summoning, i.e. calling, the centurion, he questioned him if he was already dead. When he had understood from the centurion that he was, he gave the body of Jesus to Joseph.
He came and took the body of Jesus. He came, and also did Nicodemus who first had come to Jesus by night, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. They received the body of Jesus and wrapped it in clean linens with spices, and they wrapped it in a clean shroud which had been newly purchased, in the manner of Jewish burials. This ointment, by its bitterness, protected the cadaver from worms and corruption, and decay. From which it is clear, according to Chrysostom, that these two did not yet have full and perfect faith, not understanding that Psalm, "Nor will then give thy holy one to see corruption," (Ps 15:10). Hence if the body of Christ had lain in the tomb to the last day, it would not have been burned, or decayed, because it was embalmed with divinity.
This burial according to Bede and Origen was done in the presence of his mother Mary, who with her arms, sweetly embraced the body of her son, as piously believed, and kissed his wounds with an outcry of inexplicable maternal affection. Jesus however for the consolation of his mother was so glorified that no wounds or bruise appeared in his body except the five wounds of his hands, feet and side which he kept, not because of his inability to heal them, but so that he might show to the apostles and especially to Thomas, Judas, and to confound wicked Christians in the final judgment in the sight of the Father and for rejoicing the blessed by the vision of his redemption. These wounds did not dishonor the glorified body, for they shone forth brighter than the sun in the firmament of heaven. And because the body had been wrapped in linens, so in the church, the custom grew that the altar be covered [consecretur] not with lace or textured gold, but with a clean white linen cloth [sindone].
Thus although this anointing of Christ was done with honor, and reverence by friends and those who loved him, nevertheless, taken by itself it was exceedingly miserable task, because namely the Lord of such nobility, was handled like a corpse, although Christ because of the divine person's presence [suppositum] was not a corpse. The crown of glory lies prostrate. As a sign of this to give thanks the church instituted the saying of Vespers [Evening Prayer].
"Now there was in the place where he was crucified, a garden; and in the garden a new tomb, wherein no man yet had been laid," (Jn 19:41), and it was carved out of stone. This monument was Joseph's. In a garden the Lord was arrested, in a garden he now is buried, to show that in virtue of his passion we are freed from the sin which Adam had committed in the garden of delights. According to the divine plan he was placed in "a new tomb, wherein no man yet had been laid" lest his resurrection would be ascribed to another who was placed there first. Just as in the virgin's womb no one was conceived before him, or after him, so according to Augustine, no one before him or after was buried there. "Therefore, because of the preparation day [parasceve] of the Jews, because the tomb was near at hand, they laid Jesus [Christ]," (Jn 19:42). Friday had come to an end and Saturday was beginning. According to Jerome, the Jews begin to count the following day from the preceding evening. So, because it was late, they could not bury the body farther away, fearing the arrival of the Sabbath. Not disrespectfully but honorably the Jews bury their dead, because according to the prophecy of Isaiah 11: "And his tomb shall be glorious," (Isa 11:10).
[Another lengthy borrowing from St. Thomas' Summa theologiae]
So, St. Thomas III, q. 51, a. 1 Whether it was fitting for Christ to be buried.
First, to prove the truth of his death. No one is placed in a tomb unless already the truth of his death is certain. Therefore Pilate before he gave permission that Christ be buried, with a diligent inquiry learned that he was already dead, as is clear from Mark 15.
Second, because the hope of resurrection is given through him to those who are in the tomb.[Cf Jn5:25ff]
Third, as an example of those who through the death of Christ spiritually die to sins, namely who are hidden from the" turmoil of men." [Cf Ps 30:21] Whence it is said in Colossians 3: "For you are dead; and your life is hid with Christ in God," (Col 3:3). Hence the baptized who through the death of Christ die to sins, are as if they are buried with Christ through immersion, according to that in Romans 6: "For we are buried together with him by baptism into death;" (Rom 6:4). This Thomas.
"And Joseph rolled a large stone to the door of the tomb," and withdrew (Cf. Mk 15:46). And the women, who had come with him from Galilee, followed after, seeing the monument and seeing how and where the body of Jesus was placed. They were sitting opposite the tomb. In the group were Mary Magdalen and the other Mary, who diligently, and with great affection planned how they could reverently to enter the tomb, once the sabbath was over, to thoroughly anoint the body of Jesus a second time with prepared ointments. It is manifestly clear that they too were doubting in faith, because they believed that he would not rise. The Blessed Virgin Mary in whom was true and certain faith, did not come with them for the anointing. For this reason the church devotes Saturdays throughout the whole year to a special devotion to her.
On the day after the preparation day, the high priests and the Pharisees met with Pilate saying: "Lord, we have remembered," (Mt 27:63), It is noteworthy that the Jews acknowledged Pilate as their lord, reduced to the service of foreigners, even by flattering him so that thy might more easily seek his favor, said, "Lord, ...the seducer said," – amazing, that their envy had not yet ceased. "Seducer," rightly they were calling him by that name, according to Jerome, but they did not intend in the correct way. There is an evil seduction, from virtue into error. They tried to label Christ so, but they lied falsely. There is another meaning, from falsity into truth, from vices into virtues, in this way Christ was the seducer of the faithful. "After three days I will rise again. Command therefore the tomb to be guarded until the third day: lest perhaps his disciples come and steal him away, and say to the people: He is risen from the dead; and the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said to them: You have a guard; go, guard it as you know. And they departing, made the tomb sure, sealing the stone, and setting guards," (Mt 27:64-66). The guard by gentile soldiers was not sufficient for them, even though they had affixed the stone over the tomb entrance with their seals and chains. In memory of this tomb the church instituted Compline [night prayer of the divine Office].
Since on the cross Christ handed over his spirit to the Father, he soon went to hell, that is to the limbo of the fathers, for their comfort, and for the confusion of the demons. And on the third day he rose from the tomb. The Jews gave the soldiers a considerable sum of money so they would testify that he was stolen by his disciples. (Cf. Mt 28:12-13) But after they had taken the money, they still told what had happened. Soldiers are not able to remain silent. For they confessed that they had seen a choir of angels, and that they had accepted money from the Jews. Vincent [of Beauvais] in his Speculum tells that Joseph of Arimathea that very evening when he buried the Lord, was jailed by the Jews, but the Lord freed him.
From these words it is clear the reason, the manner and the order of the whole series of events of the Lord's passion according to the intention of the evangelists, in order and according to the letter, which I have followed entirely, and I have described them according to the sequence of true facts. May Jesus grant us that through our grieving at his passion we might arrive at the glory and joy of the blessed resurrection. Amen.
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Post by Hildegard on Apr 21, 2019 0:36:07 GMT
St. Vincent Ferrer -- Sermon for Holy Saturday
Colossians 3
"For you are dead; and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ shall appear, who is your life, then you also shall appear with him in glory."(Col 3:3-4)
At Colossians 3:3 and in today's epistle. Yesterday, the end of the sermon was the burial of the body of Christ, but about his soul where did it go, or what it did do, nothing was said. So now I wish to preach on this matter. But first we salute the Virgin Mary, etc. Already we can wish her joy and happiness, because soon the glorious resurrection of her son will happen, so we can greet her humbly and devoutly saying to her, Hail Mary. etc. "Your life," etc. For introducing the declaration of this word and preaching this matter it must be understood that sacred doctrine is general and certain to the Christian faith, that after the bodily death of Christ, his soul descended into hell, and it is an article of the faith saying, "died and was buried," with respect to the body, "he descended into hell," with respect to the soul, although he could have immediately ascended into heaven if he had wished, but he chose not to, rather he wished to be so humbled, because he wished to descend principally to comfort the holy fathers, for liberating them. Just as a king, having a battlefield victory wishes to enter the city in person, so Christ. And as long as his body was in the tomb, that long was his soul in limbo, and the next day the soul of Christ, together with the holy fathers would come out of limbo and assuming his glorious body resurrected. This is the true teaching of Christian faith, confirmed by the authority of Christ saying, " "For as Jonas was in the whale's belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights," (Mt 12:40). Tell briefly the story of Jonah the prophet, as is found Jonah 1 and 2. And how he was a figure of the passion of Christ. The ship in which Christ sailed is human nature. Reason, because like the way a ship is made, namely narrow in the beginning, wide in the mille etc., likewise in the time of Christ, Gal 4: "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent his Son," (Gal 4:4). Now it is trimmed off like a stern. In the middle of the deck is placed the cross of Christ [Malus huius vanis in medio positus fuit crux Christi]. The sail is the body of Christ. "She is like the merchant's ship," (Prov 31:14). This ship is battered by great waves and dangers of sinking into hell, nor was there another remedy of escaping but only that Jonah, i.e. Christ, be thrown into the sea, namely into the bitterness of suffering and death. And the whale, i.e. hell, opened its mouth and received him and held him three days and three nights, but on the next day he spit him up, and although the body of Christ and the soul on that day were divided and separated, nevertheless divinity never was separated nor divided, neither from the body nor from the soul, but all was with the body in the tomb, and all was with the soul in limbo, as St. Thomas says in the Third Part, q. 50, a. 2 & 3. If it is asked how is this possible. I shall give you two comparisons for your eyes to strengthen your understanding. First the apple, one part white and the other part red. which if it is cut by a knife into two parts, its odor remains with both divided parts. The same with the humanity of Christ. Think that the humanity of Christ is like an apple, whose white part is the soul of Christ, purest without any defect, the red part his flesh, bloodied from the passion. Abut which Solomon, Canticle 5 in the person of the virgin Mary saying, "My beloved is white and ruddy, ," (Song 5:10). The eternal divinity is united to the body and soul of Christ before the passion and death, like smell is joined and united to an apple. But the humanity of Christ, by the sword of death was divided and separated into two principal parts, but nevertheless, the odor, i.e. the eternal divinity always remained with both part inseparably. A second image is more beautiful and clear, of a piece of crystal to the ray of sun which completely is filled with light and the brightness of the sun. For which reason if it is divided into two parts, the whole clarity of the sun remains with each divided part. So too with the humility of Christ, purer than crystal, illumined by the light and brightness of divinity, which broken in death, the whole divinity remains inseparably with each divided part, hidden, namely with the body in the grave, and with the soul in limbo or in hell. "His brightness shall be as the light; horns are in his hands: There is his strength hid: Death shall go before his face.," (Hab 3:4f). In which is found three times of Christ, namely the time of his preaching, where " His brightness shall be as the light,". Second is the time of his bitter passion, " horns are in his hands," namely of the nails in his hands. And [third] the time of his death, where," There is his strength hid," namely his divinity, which was hidden with his body in the tomb and with his soul in limbo. Note, " Death shall go before his face " Before the passion of Christ death itself followed from the persecution of the Jews, not that death would have something in Christ, and Christ was followed until it caught him. But after his resurrection death went before him. So he says "Death shall go before his face," Of this hiding Isaiah also speaks: "Verily thou art a hidden God, the God of Israel the savior.," (Isa 45:15). Of this hiding speaks the theme, " your life," that is divinity is hidden with Christ. Note for continuing of the sermon that although divinity is eternal, then it was hidden to those who were in the world, nevertheless then it was shown and manifested to those from hell, not that all from hell would see it, but all who were in hell and who knew Christ to be true God and true man. And divinity was shown to them and manifested in four ways, according that there were four places in hell -- First, the lowest place is the prison of the damned. -- Second, is the limbo of the fathers. -- Third is the limbo of those being purified, -- Fourth is the bosom of the holy fathers. In each of these four the divinity of Christ was manifested in some way, because he descended to all, as the article of faith says, "died and was buried, and descended into hell [inferos]. Note the plural, "hells" [inferos]. But they did not see the divinity but only those who were in the bosom of the holy fathers, although he descended to all. So the Apostle, Ephesians 4: "he also descended first," that is before he rose, "into the lower parts of the earth ," (Eph 4:9). So it is good to know what he did there. HELL The first place, and the lowest, is the place of hell, the prison of the damned, filled with inextinguishable fire, which by divine power, tortures demons and damned souls. The soul of Christ descended to this place and there showed his divinity by rigorous reproaches, not according to its essence but according to effect, as St. Thomas says, [Summa theologica] III, q. 55, a. 2. For two reasons the soul of Christ descended to these. First to bind Lucifer, who from the beginning of the world up to this time captured souls for one of the aforesaid four places. But yesterday, while Christ was on the cross with such a painful passion, abandoned by the apostles, disciples and friends, Lucifer, who first doubted whether he was the son of God , saying to himself, to the extent that this man is a holy prophet, nevertheless I shall lead him with me to hell, also came to Christ, and sat himself on the arms of the cross awaiting the soul of Christ. This is the image which St. Bede tells of this purpose, and it is also touched upon in the Gloss. It is said, briefly, the story of the son of Tobias going with Raphael, who wished to wash his feet in the river, and suddenly an immense fish, the biggest, lurched out to eat him. However he grabbed it by the gills and dragged it on shore etc., Tob. 6. Bede explains, that the river, quick and turbulent signified the sudden and turbulent death of Christ, because it came without due legal process. Christ wished to wash his feet, which are ourselves, we who touch the earth and are dirtied by sin. But suddenly a great fish, namely Lucifer or Satan came to devour Christ, and he seized it by the gills, etc. He was not seen by anyone ,only by Christ, who said, "O Traitor, in this evil hour you have come here." But when the soul of Christ separated from his body, Lucifer knew that he was God, and he wished to flee, but he could not, because Christ seized him. He who wished to capture Christ, was captured by Christ, like the fish by Tobias. That the devil came to Christ, Authority: "For the prince of this world comes," namely, Lucifer who like a tyrant was ruling the world, "and in me he has not any thing.," (Jn 14:30). And that he was captured by Christ, Scripture: "Now is the judgment of the world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.," (Jn 12:31). Furthermore, it was Christ himself who seized and bound him in the prison of the damned, until the time of the antichrist, then he will be let loose for a time. And so Christ showed himself to be the Lord of hell, whose brass gates and barred windows he shattered. The second reason why the soul of Christ descended was for rigorous rebuking, After he bound Lucifer, he scolded and reproved the damned. About this Peter seems to write in his epistle saying "Christ also died once for our sins," (1 Pet 3:18f). And it follows "In which," at the time of death, "also coming he preached to those spirits that were in prison:," (v. 19). St. Thomas says in III, q. 52, a.2 ad 3 that this preaching was not instructive, but rebuking [increpativa], because as John Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii): "As He evangelized them who are upon the earth, so did He those who were in hell"; not in order to convert unbelievers unto belief, but to put them to shame for their unbelief, since preaching cannot be understood otherwise than as the open manifesting of His Godhead to the hell-dwellers and in the descent of Christ to hell. This Thomas has in the same place. Practically what was he saying to the evil emperors, kings and lords damned from their wicked lives and tyrannical rule, like Nero who was first who wished to have dominion, and Alexander and others wicked [strubis], that is accursed. "If you had used the good things I had given to you, gifts, for your lord, now you would have been saved." And he scolded the great philosophers, Plato, Aristotle and others about which Jerome says that they were damned, Christ says, "O Stupid ones, you were teaching and legislating and disputing about the one first principle and prime mover and first cause, in your schools, and in the temple you adored idols. You had great knowledge and bad conscience." Also he scolded the proud, saying, "O wretched ones ,if you had been humble, now you would have had glory." And the greedy, etc, priests, false prophets, the simoniacal. And the lustful, saying "O you who lived like pigs, see now you will not have the delights of glory,"etc. So too the gluttons, the wrathful, the envious, like Cain. So the blasphemers, saying to the condemned thief, "O wretched one, did you not today blaspheme me on the cross?" So he reproached Judas, "O traitor, behold what you have bought, for such a cheap price." Think how many tears, cries wailings of those damned, despairing of salvation. See how Christ manifested his divinity there, rigorously confounding them.
LIMBO The second place is called the place of children, as we say one place [porta, door] where all the children are who died with only original sin. Original sin is not committed by them, but received, like a painting falling into the mud, etc. Therefore that sin is not called actual, but original, because that stain is received in bodily generation. And so because it is not an actual sin, they do not have physical pain there, but they are said to have fire from the fact that they shall never see the face of God. And the wrath of God, in which they are born, is seen to be fire. According to Deuteronomy 32: "A fire is kindled in my wrath, and shall burn even to the lowest hell:," etc. (Deut 32:22). Holy scripture says, because they do not sleep bodily, so, like those who sleep are unaware of pain, so neither do these children sense pain [poenam]. Moreover Job sais in the person of someone damned: "Why did I not die in the womb, why did I not perish when I came out of the belly? Why received upon the knees? why suckled at the breasts? For now I should have been asleep and still, and should have rest in my sleep, " (Job 3:11-13). St. Thomas says II Sent., dist. 34, a. 1 and see there the good doctor, that when they see the glory of the blessed, that they do not grieve nor are saddened, because that it is not relevant for them, just as you are not saddened because you do not have a kingdom, which doesn't pertain to you. But the son of a king a prince, to whom the kingdom pertains, grieves about this. Neither are you saddened when you see an eagle flying, because you do not have wings. So neither do these children grieve. To these the soul of Christ descends for glorious consolation. Practically, imagine how as the soul of Christ appeared at the gate of limbo, those children immediately knew Christ to be the savior. Seeing his soul and adoring him, saying: "Glory be to you, Lord, who have died for mankind," etc. To whom he said, 'How are you?' They replied, "Lord it is good with us. We have great natural understanding and many graces and virtues," -- although they do not have sanctifying grace, "We debate with each other and we love each other." Christ said, "Therefore give thanks to God who freed you from the fire of hell," -- he showed them the place of the damned-- "and praise the Lord, and you will rest in peace."
PURGATORY The third place is called the place of purgation. About which it must be known that some people die without original sin, therefore they do not go with those children dying without the sacrament of baptism in limbo [literally, at the border of hell, ad inferni limbum], and they are without mortal sin, so they do not go with the damned. But because they had not made appropriate penance for sins committed after they had been washed from original sin, according to the quality and quantity of sins, such people, because of the fact that they have contrition, do not go with the damned, but into another world. Divine mercy ordained a place which is called purgatory, where souls are purified, where there is fire but there are no demons there, because no one there enters unless he was in the grace of God. Tthis fire of purgatory lasts until judgment day. It burns souls by divine power, which our physical fire cannot do. If your soul would be thrown into the pit of a furnace, that fire would hot harm it. But after the day of judgment the fire of purgatory will be extinguished. You might ask what if someone who on the day of judgment has not completed his penance, was not purged, what happens to him? Response: God shall increase the intensity of his punishment, etc. Of this place holy scripture says: "For gold and silver are tried in the fire, but acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.," (Sir 2:5). To these Christ descends and visits with abundant liberation. The Doctors ask the question, and St. Thomas in III, q. 52, a. 8: Whether Christ liberated all the souls which were then in purgatory? To that question it must be answered with a distinction. We can speak about this matter in two ways, either with the rigor of justice, or with the sweetness of mercy. If we speak in the first way, he liberated only those who had completed their time of penitence, and this path St. Thomas follows in III Pars. If however we speak from the sweetness of mercy, we can say that he liberated all. And for this I will offer you two comparisons. The first image is that of a newly crowned king, entering his city, who frees all the prisoners, unless they were captured for being between sides [? pro interesse partis]. Thus the king of glory, Christ, newly crowned with the crown of thorns, enters purgatory. All the souls in purgatory cried out to him, "Lord, free us." And Christ questioned, although he already knew, how long had they been there. They replied, "Lord we have been here already for a month, for a year," etc. Therefore, it is piously believed that Christ freed all. Authority: Isaiah reciting the word of God the father to his son, saying: "I have given you to be a covenant," that is peace, "of the people, that you might raise up the earth, and possess the inheritances that were destroyed: That you might say to them who are bound: Come forth: and to them who are in darkness: Show yourselves," (Isa 49:8f) There are four phrases [clausulae], of which two are about the life of Christ, the others about his death. First where, " I have given you to be a covenant of the people, that you might raise up," namely those who were sleeping in sins, whom Christ awakens by preaching. Second where, "and possess the inheritances that were destroyed," namely the rational souls which are the inheritance of God, destroyed through sin. Third where, "That you mightest say to them who are bound: Come forth." He does not speak there of those who are in the hell of the damned, because no one escapes from there, but about those in purgatory. Fourth where, "and to them who are in darkness: Shew yourselves," A second comparison is with a newly created Pope, who then grants great indulgences and numerous graces. How much greater Pope Jesus who is the Lord of graces and indulgences, because the Pope, his vicar, is not the lord of the church, but dispenser and manager [dispensator et procurator]. Since therefore the Pope can be so liberal, how much more so Christ, who is Lord. Authority, Isaiah 61: "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me: he has sent me to preach to the meek, to heal the contrite of heart, and to preach a release to the captives, and deliverance to who are shut up," (Isa 61:1). Note: the Spirit of the Lord, namely the Holy Spirit, is over me, Christ speaks insofar as he is man, because, insofar as he is God the Holy Spirit is not over him but equal, and one God. "He has sent me to preach to the meek," namely in this world for preaching and after death he says, "and to preach a release to the captives." Say how before the passion of Christ, after a soul had completed its purgatory, it would go forth from there and go to the place of the holy fathers, which is called the bosom of Abraham. Authority, Lk 16: "And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom.," (Lk 16:22), because those fittingly repentant used to go there, but now they ascend to heaven and even after they leave purgatory. Say how the time assessed by God for staying in purgatory, can be reduced by suffrages of the living. So inheritors are bound to fulfill the last will and testament of the deceased, otherwise Christ says, Lk 18: "And will not God revenge his elect who cry to him day and night: ," (Lk 18:7). BOSOM OF ABRAHAM The fourth place is called the bosom of Abraham. Here the souls of the holy fathers were staying, who had been there from the beginning of the world until the resurrection of Christ. The first of those who entered it was Abel, and when Christ arose all came out of there with Christ. None there suffered punishment, but they did not yet have glory. Into this home the soul of Christ entered. Augustine says that just as the soul of Christ entered through this home, all those holy patriarchs beheld the divinity of Christ and experienced glory and paradise. About which Christ had said to the thief, "This you shall be with me in paradise.," (Lk 23:43). Augustine says that all the other souls of the holy fathers adored Christ, saying: "You have come, redeemer, you have come, whom we had expected every day. Now our joy is complete." Christ greeted them saying, "Peace be to you." Adam with all his sons and daughters humbly adored Christ, with all the patriarchs. Then Moses with the Prophets. Next Aaron with all the Priests, David with all the Kings. John the Baptist with all the Holy Innocents. Then, Eve with all the Holy Women. And Christ stayed with them until the resurrection. Authority, Mt 12: "For as Jonas was in the whale's belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights," (Mt 12:40). Also, the authority of Wisdom in the person of Christ: "I will penetrate to all the lower parts of the earth, and will behold all that sleep, and will enlighten all that hope in the Lord. ," (Sir 24:45). Note: " I will behold all that sleep," that is all the dead, "and will enlighten all that hope in the Lord," supply, with the light of divine glory. Now there remains tomorrow the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. To which may he lead us, etc. A752 The most fruitful sermons of winter time, of the spokesman and preacher of the divine word, professor of sacred Theology, the distinguished saint Vincent,
confessor, of the divine Order of Preachers, are finished.
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Post by Hildegard on Apr 21, 2019 0:39:44 GMT
St. Vincent Ferrer, O.P. – Easter Sermon "He has risen, he is not here, " (Mt 28:6)
In the present sermon on the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, God wishes to pour into our hearts a spiritual feeling of sweetness and of blessings of the feast for the consolation of our souls. We return to the virgin saying to her, Hail Mary, etc. Note, the assigned text implies the good news of the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ which the good angel announced to these three Marys, who with great devotion running together arrived at the tomb of Christ, saying to them, "He is risen," as if he said, "His body has already left the tomb, his soul is no longer in limbo, because he is already gone. And his humanity is not here, nor his body, because he has already risen," as if he said, you should not seek him here. To explain these word it must be known that the resurrection of Christ above all other resurrections of dead persons which had ever happened previously, had two great excellences. First because it was powerful [virtuosa]. Second because it was glorious. POWERFUL Many had risen from the dead to life, both in the Old Testament and in the New, but they did not rise through their own power, but by another's. Christ, however, rose from the dead to life by his own power and not another's, as true God. Because his body in the tomb had infinite power for raising itself from its conjunction with divinity, and also his soul in limbo, as St. Thomas says, III, q. 53, a. 4. It was not such for any other dead person, because a dead body otherwise has no power, nor even the soul to raise itself up, as David says, "A spirit that goes," supply, to death, "and returns not.," (Ps 77:39), supply, by its own power to life. Of Elijah and Elisha we read that they raised the dead in the Old Testament. Likewise we read that the apostles and other saints raised various dead people, but how? By praying and petitioning not of their own power nor of the dead, but the power of God and only ministerially. St. Thomas says, I, q. 110, a. 4, where he concludes that only God can make miracles, in the response to the first objection, that "Some angels are said to work miracles; either because God works miracles at their request, in the same way as holy men are said to work miracles; or because they exercise a kind of ministry in the miracles which take place; as in collecting the dust in the general resurrection, or by doing something of that kind." (ad 4). These words, he [Thomas] in the above location. Also the same St. Thomas, II-II, q. 7, ch. 78, a. 1 to the first objection, and III, q. 88, a. 3, ad 4m [These references in the Latin edition are erroneous]. And in De potentia, q. 6, c. 4, that the saints can work miracles in two ways, namely by petitioning and by power, that is without a manifest prayer preceding. However in both cases God works principally, the saints only instrumentally. From these words it is clear that the saints do not work miracles by their own virtue or power, but by God's. because they work miracles only by praying and ministering instrumentally. But the resurrection of Christ today happens only through his own power, and so Christ was saying, "I put down," that is, lay down, "my life and take it up again." "No man takes it away from me." that is, violently, "but I lay it down of myself, and I have power to lay it down," namely, through death, "and I have power to take it up again," (Jn 10:18), namely, through resurrection. GLORIOUS The second excellence was because this resurrection was glorious. Christ rose to a glorified, immortal and invulnerable life. Others who have been raised in the Old and New Testaments, and who have been raised by the general law and course are raised to mortal life to the hurtful miseries [ miseriam passibilem] of this world, and afterwards would have to die again. But Christ, by a singular privilege [arose] from death to glorious life. Authority. "Christ rising again from the dead, dies now no more, death shall no more have dominion over him." (Rom 6:9). St. Thomas lists three reasons for this glorious resurrection III, q. 54, a. 2. Because his resurrection was the model and cause of our resurrection, as is clear in 1 Cor 15. And second, because of the humiliation of his passion, from which he earned the glory of the resurrection. And third, because with the accomplishment of the mystery of redemption, from the glory of the soul glory overflowed into his body, although before by special dispensation, that overflowing had been impeded, so that he might complete the mystery of our redemption by his passion. These two excellences of the resurrection of Christ are subtly touched on in the theme. First, namely that it was powerful, it touched in that word, as if active, "He has risen." It doesn't say "He has been raised," by another, as was Lazarus, but "He has risen," namely through his own power. Christ has risen from the dead through the glory of the father, Rom 6: "Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father," which is his glory with the Son and the Holy Spirit. The second excellence, namely that it was glorious, is shown where it says: "He is not here," namely the body in the tomb, nor the soul in limbo, nor the humanity in this moral life, but sacramentally in the sacrament of the altar. Thus the angel said to the women seeking Christ in the tomb, "I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. Come, and see the place where the Lord was laid. And going quickly, tell ye his disciples that he is risen: and behold he will go before you into Galilee; there you shall see him. Lo, I have foretold it to you." (Mt 28:5-7). The theme is clear. About the blessed resurrection of Jesus I have noticed three points, in which is contained the whole practicality [practica] of this blessed resurrection. The Resurrection of Christ was: celebrated lovingly [celebrata affectuose]; Revealed graciously [demonstrata gratiose]; and Publicized virtuously [publicata virtuose]. In these three points or conclusions stands the whole meaning of my sermon [practica sermonis]. CELEBRATED LOVINGLY
First, I say that the resurrection of Christ was celebrated lovingly. So many holy fathers, almost innumerable, who were in limbo, were ardently desiring to see that glorious body, which sustained the blow and the whole burden of the passion. The holy patriarchs seeing that Good Friday and Saturday had already passed, were desiring to witness the resurrection and his wounds tonight, just as a man desires to see the horse on which a king has triumphed. The holy fathers, together, entreated Christ that he rise, because although God from eternity certainly had predestined the resurrection of his Son, he also predestined it that it would happen through the prayers and supplications of the holy fathers. Thus the faithful soul here can sweetly contemplate the intense desire of the holy fathers in limbo, how, with one heart, they begged Christ to rise in the order and fashion here noted. First, Adam, the first patriarch, with Noah, Methuselah, Melchisedech, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and others who had the first place for offering, and on bended knees before the soul of Christ proposed their supplications, which David registered in his record book, namely in his Psalter, and they said to Christ, "Arise, O Lord, into your resting place: you and the ark, which you have sanctified," (Ps 131:8). Note, you most holy soul "Arise…in your resting place," namely flesh, which never opposed the spirit; and "you," soul, and "ark" of your holiness, namely flesh, full of all the fruits of virtues. The second supplication was of the holy prophets, namely, Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, others saying Psalm 67:2 "Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered," namely, demons and the soldiers who watch over his tomb, "and let them that hate him flee from before his face," like the Jews, who flee the face of Christ even today. Third was of the holy priests, Aaron, Eliezar, Ithamar, Phinees, and others saying Ps 7:7-8: "And arise, O Lord my God, in the precept which you have commanded: and a congregation of people shall surround you." Note "in the precept which you have commanded," namely, "...he who humbles himself, shall be exalted." (Lk 18:14). "So Lord, because you humiliated yourself so much, arise etc," and "the synagogue," i.e. the congregation of your disciples, "who lost faith "shall surround you," believing your resurrection. The fourth supplication was that of the holy kings: David, Hezekiah, Joshua, Josaphat, and of the holy judges and leaders, Gideon, Jephte, Samson, Judas Maccabeus and others saying: "Arise, O Lord, help us and redeem us for your name's sake." (Ps 43:26). Note, "help us," because it was permitted that they have essential glory just as today, nevertheless, they did not have a place of glory. So they said "and redeem us, with regard to our place," because with respect to place they were not redeemed, because they were yet in the prison of limbo and thus were not able to exit without God's help. The fifth was [the petition] of the holy women: Eve, who after her sin did great penance, and Sara, Rebecca, Rachel, Leah, Judith, Esther, Hannah, Elizabeth and others repeating what Eve proposed saying, "Arise, and be attentive to my judgment: to my cause, my God, and my Lord," (Ps 34:23). While Eve was living in this life, the living were able to say to her when they were suffering some evil: "because of you we have this evil." Even in limbo they spoke thus to her, not with injury or indignation; "because of you we all are here." So Eve was saying and praying that he would rise, that they could be led out of there, so that from now on they wouldn't say such things to her. The sixth was of the saints of the New Testament: John Baptist, the Holy Innocents, Joseph, and the good thief saying, "Arise, O God, judge your own cause: remember your reproaches with which the foolish man has reproached you all the day." Ps. 73:22. Note Eve spoke "judge my cause," and John and others say "your cause": Each speak the truth in different ways, because as I say, John and the saints of the New Testament say: "Arise O God," and "judge," etc. For the Jews when they heard it said that Christ shall rise on the third day, laughed, and ridiculing said: "He cannot come down from the cross and escape the tomb," and they placed guards, lest the disciples steal his body; and they were hurling many insults at Christ, on this account they say, "Arise O God, judge your cause" and the Jews were silent who believed he did not have the power of rising. And why Eve said "my case," is already is explained in the fifth petition. The seventh petition is that of the holy Angels, who associated with the soul of Christ, who seeing that the holy fathers had prayed to Christ that he rise, also offer their good desire humbly pleading saying, "Arise, why do you sleep, O Lord? arise, and cast us not off to the end," (Ps 43:23). The angels spoke as a friend speaks to a friend, rousing him from sleep. The angels knew that the general resurrection would happen at the end of the world so they were saying "Arise, why are you sleeping," i.e. you sleep too much, because today is the third day, and "cast us not off to the end," i.e. you delay your resurrection "to the end," namely in the general resurrection when we all will rise and be 30 years of age or thereabouts. St. Thomas says in IV [Sentences], Dist. 44 q. 1, art 3 that all will arise in a youthful age, not just with respect to the numerical age but with respect to condition. When these seven supplications were proposed to Christ, at dawn, with great desire, Christ, responded to all those about him, saying, “On account of the suffering of the helpless and sighs of the poor, now I rise, says the Lord” (Ps 11:6), "Save me." ( v. 2) Note: because of "the suffering," of the local saints, and "the sighs of the poor," i.e. his disciples now weeping, "now I rise." Behold how he wished that his glorious resurrection be brought about through the supplications of the saints, although from eternity it had been predestined. And the soul of Christ with all the holy fathers came out of limbo. And that place remained empty, because no one was left there. And the soul of Christ assumed his glorious body and he arose. At his resurrection the earth trembled and the guards became like dead, and Christ came out of the tomb without its opening, just as he was born of the virgin without destroying her virginity, and standing on [supra] the tomb he showed his glorious body, wounds and bruises to all the holy patriarchs, who with bent knees adoring said, "Glory to thee, O Lord, who have risen from the dead, with the Father and Holy Sprit," etc. See the first point of this blessed resurrection of Jesus Christ. GRACIOUSLY REVEALED The second point is how the resurrection was graciously revealed to Mary. It is the conclusion of many theologians saying that Christ in his resurrection, first appeared to the Virgin Mary his mother. This Ambrose expressly says in the book On Virgins, saying that Mary witnessed the resurrection of Christ and was the first to see him. But the gospel writers did not choose to include this, but they cared only to list undeniable witnesses, because the witness of a mother for her favorite son could be lying. There are three reasons to believe that he first appeared to his virgin mother. First by divine precept because she suffered above all others in the passion of her son. Christ, by special privilege was born of his mother, so that she gave birth without pain, and contrary to the ordinary course of nature. So lest she perceive the sorrows in his death which exceeded all the sorrows of this life, as the lord Albert says on "He has been sent," [dominus Albe.super, missus est.) Death is the end of all terrible things because the whole soul is uprooted like a tree, but all the pains of birth and death came over her in the passion of her son. Since, scripture says, "Honor your father, and forget not the groaning of your mother," (Sir 7:29), Christ most perfectly kept the law of honoring parents. It follows that he appeared to his mother first, who was stressed [tribulata] more than all the others. Second because of the merit of her faith. For certainly it happened and is shown clearly enough from the text that at the time of the passion of Christ all the apostles and disciples lost their Christian faith entirely; some doubting whether he was truly God and Messiah, although all considered him a very holy prophet. Only the Virgin Mary on that holy Saturday invariably believed. Because of this on every Saturday the office of the day in the Church of God is celebrated in her honor. When therefore scripture says, "The Lord shows himself to them who have faith in him," (Wis 1:2), it seems that as a reward of merit for her faith, that he would appear to her first. Third because of the intensity of her love. There never was a mother who loved her son more that Mary loved Christ. Since therefore he said, "And he that loves me, shall be loved of my Father: and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him," (Jn 14:21) therefore it shall be etc. From these three reasons it is clear that he appeared to the Virgin Mother first, although the holy Evangelists are expressly silent about it. Practically speaking, how it now happened could be as follows. The devout soul can piously contemplate, as God grants them to perceive the sweetness of this vision in their hearts. The Virgin Mary was most certain that her son would rise on the third day, as he had predicted, but perhaps she did not know the hour of his resurrection, because it is not written that Christ had revealed the hour of his resurrection, whether at prime or terce [first or third hour of daylight] etc. So the Virgin Mary on this very night, which was so long for her, awaited the resurrection of her son and she began to think at which hour he would rise, but she did not know. And knowing that among other prophets, David spoke most about the passion and resurrection of Christ, she set about by reading the Psalter, to discover if David had said anything about the hour, and she read the first psalm, the second, the third…and found nothing about the time. Then reading Psalm 56:9 where it says and David speaks in the person of a father to son saying, "Arise, O my glory, arise psaltery and harp," Response of the son to the father: "I will arise at dawn." Note that the father calls his son three times. Namely, his glory, psaltery and harp on account of three [things] which Christ had in his life. First God the Father calls Christ his "glory" and this because Christ in this life, in all that he said and did procured the honor of the Father. Second he calls him “psaltery.” A psaltery or lyre has ten strings and it is an instrument for a small room and doesn’t make much sound and stands for the law of Moses, which like a small instrument was given only to the Jewish people, which consisted in the ten commandments, like ten strings. To this Christ was extremely obedient. So he said, " I am not come to destroy [the law], but to fulfill it," (Mt 5:17). From such obedience he is called by the father a “psaltery." Third he is called a "harp." The harp signifies the law of the Gospel. Why? Because it has a louder sound and is easier to hear. Such was the gospel law, which was heard through the whole world. "Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth," etc., (Ps 18:5, Cf Rm 10:18). The son responds to the father, "I will arise at dawn." Imagine, when the virgin Mary knew the time of resurrection, how she arose from prayer, to see if it was dawn, and saw that it was not. Again Mary returned to her reading to see if she could find another witness to the time of the resurrection, and in continuing her reading she came to Psalm 107:2-3 namely: “My heart is ready, O God." Where she found the same verse again: "Arise my glory," and again she looked out her window to see if it was dawn yet. Then she wanted to see if any of the other prophets had said something of the hour of the resurrection and she found in Hosea speaking in the person of the apostles: "He will revive us after two days: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. We shall know, and we shall follow on, that we may know the Lord. His going forth is prepared as the morning light," (Hos 6:3). Note, "He will revive us," because the apostles were mortified because of unbelief. Then Mary got up saying, its enough for me to have three witness of the hour of the resurrection. And she prepared the room, and found a chair for her son saying "Here my son shall sit and here I will speak with him." And she looked out of the window, and she saw the dawn breaking, and she rejoiced saying "Now my son is rising." And on her knees she prayed, saying: "Rise up Lord to meet me, and behold: even you, O Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel," (Ps 58:6). And Christ immediately sent the messenger Gabriel to the virgin saying: "Just as you announced to my mother the incarnation, now announce to her my resurrection." With unbridled great joy he came to the Virgin saying: "Queen of heaven rejoice, Alleluia. Because he whom you did merit to bear, Alleluia. Has risen as he said, Alleluia," as was revealed to Blessed Gregory, who added, "Pray for us to God, Alleluia." [The Regina Cœli, an Eastertide replacement for the Angelus]. Immediately following that her blessed Son came to her with all the holy fathers. etc. If it is asked, how can they [all] be received in that little room? I say that such is their magnificence, that if they wish, a thousand thousands can be received in it, even a smaller place, through divine power helping them at his nod, as St. Thomas touches in the IV [Sentences] Dist. 44. Christ greeted his mother saying: "Peace be with you." The Virgin fell to her knees and weeping abundantly for joy adored him kissing his hands and feet saying: "O blessed wounds, which have given me such pain on Good Friday.” Christ kissing his mother said: "My mother, rejoice, because from now on, you will have nothing but joy and celebration." Drying her tears, he sat down on the chair and they spoke with each other very sweetly. Oh if only someone could have been present to this exchange! The Virgin said to her son, "Son, I am used to celebrating a feast on the Sabbath [Saturday], signifying [God's] rest from the creation of the world, but from now on I celebrate a feast on Sunday, in memory of your resurrection, and rest and glory." It pleased Christ. Christ told his mother the things which he did in hell, how he had bound the devil, and he introduced her to the holy fathers, whom he had delivered from there. They then showed their great reverence to the virgin Mary. Imagine how Adam and Eve spoke to the Virgin Mary. "Blessed are you our daughter and the lady, about whom the Lord said to the serpent devil, 'I will put enmity between thee and the woman,'" (Gen 3:15). Eve said, "I by sin closed the gates of paradise, but you by grace have opened them." Also each of the prophets spoke to the Virgin Mary, "I have prophesied of you in this place saying...," and humbly saluting her they all together said to the Virgin Mary: "You are the glory of Jerusalem, you are the joy of Israel, you are the honor of our people," (Judith 15:10). Saluting them, the Virgin Mary said. "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people: that you may declare his virtues, who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light," (1 Pet. 2:9). Then the holy angels said to her, as before, "Queen of heaven rejoice…" etc., because this was one of the seven principal joys of the Virgin Mary. The Virgin humbly acknowledging their praises said, "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to minister for them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation?" (Heb 1:14) ANNOUNCED PUBLICLY
Third. The resurrection was announced publicly. After Christ had comforted the Virgin Mary, the virgin Mother of consolation asked her Son to please go to console the most beloved Mary Magdalen, who so greatly suffered his passion, so saying: "Although the Apostles had a great sorrows at your passion, Mary Magdalen however had the greatest, so would you please console her and my sisters, who today, at early morning went to the tomb to anoint you." "And early in the morning the day after the Sabbath they came to the tomb, the sun having just risen…And going into the tomb they beheld a young man sitting on the right, clothed in a white garment, and they were amazed, he said to them 'Be not afraid; you seek Jesus of Nazareth,'" etc., (Mk 16:2, 5-6). – Note "early in the morning," that is in the first light of the sunrise, because the brightness of the dawn is the arrival of the sun – "So, Son, comfort them. Magdalen, your very beloved, is dying of your love. [Illa enim Magdalena philocapta vestra, moritur amore vestri.] Also the Apostles weep, especially Peter who hiding in some tomb can do nothing but weep. " Immediately Christ sent an angel to the tomb, to announce to the three Marys his resurrection. He found them with their jars of ointment, worrying, "Who will roll back the stone for us?" etc. And "because the guards are not permitting us to enter." And when they were at the tomb, a second time they saw the stone removed. It was very big. "And going into the tomb they saw the young man," etc. as is said above. And when they left the tomb, Christ appeared to them. Adoring, they embraced his feet, perhaps saying to him, "Lord, we shall go to your mother, who endured so many sorrows at your passion." He replied to them, "It is not necessary for you to go, because I have already seen her, and have comforted her." But he sent them to the disciples, that they might announce to them his resurrection, and later he himself appeared to the disciples, who rejoiced at the sight of the Lord. They had not believed the women. See how [the glorious resurrection] was publicly announced. Morally. It is clear that the resurrection of Christ was made public and manifest to three kinds of persons. First to the Virgin Mary. Second to the three Marys. Third to the disciples. It is shown mystically, that he shall appear in glory in paradise to the innocent, because they are signified by the Virgin, always innocent of all sin. And so Christ was saying "Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come to me: for the kingdom of heaven is for such," (Mt 19:14). Second, he shall appear to the repentant, who are designated by the women. Penitents carry the containers of ointment, i.e. the body, in which are the medicinal ointments of repentance, curative of the wounds and the weakness of sins. So Christ said "Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," (Mt 4:17). Third, he shall appear in glory to the obedient, who are signified by the disciples. Note, there are two grades of obedience. First is to obey the precepts or commandments of God, which generally oblige all, and to obey all the precepts of the Church, especially of fulfilling the precept of receiving communion today [Easter], unless at the good advice of your confessor it was anticipated or delayed, Extrav. de peni. & re. omnis. For today Christ has triumphed and set up camp. Today he wishes to enter the castle which he gained by so much effort, and so he was saying, "If you wish to enter life, keep the commandments," (Mt 19:17). Thus he shall appear to the Apostles at a table, to signify that today he appears to those who by grace are worthy of receiving communion.. The second grade of obedience is to obey the counsels. To this grade are bound those who oblige themselves through a vow to observe poverty, chastity, and obedience, etc., like religious. Of this grade Christ was saying, "If you would be perfect, go sell what you have," (Mat 19:21).
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Post by Hildegard on Apr 21, 2019 0:44:01 GMT
St. Vincent Ferrer, O.P. --- Sermon 2 on Easter
Why should we today sing Alleluia, Praise the Lord? Because this day we are fed, freed, assured of the truth, and given promises of being endowed, in our resurrection, with the gifts of clarity, agility, brightness and impassibility, which Christ showed in his resurrection.
"Alleluia," (Tobit 13 and Rev 19:1.)
This day is very desirable; many were excited [anhelaverunt, breathed heavy] over it, because of the sanctity of the day, and not rather because of the weariness of penance in fasts, or what is worse, because of the desire of returning to former sins, just as a dog returns to its vomit, (Cf Prov 26:11), about which the Apostle says to the Hebrews 6: "...Crucifying again to themselves the Son of God, and making him a mockery," (Heb 6:6). So it is not is desirable for these reasons, but for the sanctification of this day, and its greatness. You know that all the feast days of the year are given in memory of the blessings of God, which he gave to his holy church, so that it might praise God for them and give thanks. Isaiah 63 says: "I will remember the tender mercies of the Lord, the praise of the Lord for all the things that the Lord has bestowed upon us, and for the multitude of his good things to the house of Israel, which he hath given them according to his kindness, and according to the multitude of his mercies," (Isa 63:7). The greater the blessings given, the greater is the feast. About this see St. Thomas [Commentary] on John, 10. The day of the Annunciation of the Lord is great, because then we receive the blessing of the beginning of our salvation, God assuming human nature in the womb of the virgin. A greater day is that of his Nativity, because on that day our salvation is openly made manifest, divinity seen in flesh, in humanity. Titus 2: "For the grace of God our Savior has appeared to all men," (Titus 2:11), and "the goodness and kindness of God our Savior appeared," (Titus 3:4). And Ps. 97: "All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God," (Ps 97:3). Greater still is the day of the Lord's Passion, because then through the death of Christ, the price has been paid, by which we have been redeemed from eternal death, 1 Cor 6: " For you are bought with a great price," (v.20), and 1 Peter: " not ...with corruptible things as gold or silver," etc.(1 Pet 1:18). It would not have profited us that he be born if redemption had not followed. But the greatest of all is Easter Day, the day of the Lord's Resurrection, because today assurance was given to us to obtain eternal and immortal life in soul and body. Christ gave it to us through his resurrection, which is the cause and the assurance of our resurrection. Therefore today we should rejoice the most, and praise him by saying "Alleluia," for alleluia is said from "allelu" which is to praise, and "ia" which is the name of God, according as he is invisible. Whence "alleluia," that is, praise to God according to Huguccio [Hugh of Pisa]. Papias [says. Alleluia, in Latin, praise the Lord. We ought therefore today to praise the Lord. Psalm: "O praise the Lord, all you nations, etc." (Ps 116:1). Today indeed all creatures praise the Lord and rejoice, namely the superior creatures, the intermediate [mediocres], and the lower [infimae], as is clear from the preceding sermon, namely, "He is risen, he is not here." FED There is, however, a multiple reason why today we ought spiritually to rejoice and praise God. First because God feeds us with his body and blood in the sacrament of the altar, for families celebrate much by eating together. So the body which today he gives us sacramentally is the same body which he assumed from the Virgin, in which he lived for 33 years, and in which he wished to suffer, be buried and rise. With his body, he gives his soul and divinity, because of natural concomitance. According to St. Thomas III, q. 76, a. 1, something is in this sacrament in two ways. From the power of the sacrament, that is signified through the form, and from natural concomitance, that is, really conjoined to Christ. So the soul of Christ and his divinity is in this sacrament. Secondly, to the extent [tantum] under both species there are similarly the quantity and the soul of Christ. His flesh and bones and such are under the species of wine in the second manner only, and under the species of bread in the first manner. Blood however conversely is under the species of wine from the power of the sacrament and under the species of bread from natural concomitance, as also St. Thomas says in III Sent, dist. 10. Whence through this gift is signified the state of blessedness in which he gives himself inseparably, unfailingly [inamissibiliter], immediately and visibly, not under the species of bread. And this is the difference between this giving and the eternal giving, because here he gives himself bodily, there totally; here temporally, there eternally; here under the species of bread hidden, there openly without any intermediate. O what a gift, where God gives himself. Never can anyone receiving such a gift be a poor man, because in him is whatever is desirable. He can never be able to be disturbed or become saddened, because he is joy without end. Never can he become sick or grow old, because God is life. O truly is he a poor man who today is not fed with this food. But before he can receive, it is necessary that the one receiving be well disposed, for just as medicine the more powerful it is, so much more ought the one receiving it fear that he be will prepared. Just as strong medicine heals the one well prepared, so it kills the one indisposed. The body of Christ is just such medicine, which cures the one receiving it well disposed from all sin, because someone should receive communion with such devotion, that he should be without any sin, just like a newly baptized child. As St. Thomas says III, q. 79, through the whole question, and in IV Sent., dist. 12, the Eucharist is a great fruit. For the remission of sins it causes threefold, namely of the unknown future , insofar as it confers on us strength against future sins, by avoiding and causing contrition, and this happens in two ways. One way, not perceived in act, but in intention [non actu, sed voto] just as when one is previously justified from sin. Another way also perceived by him who is in mortal sin, of whom he has no conscience and sentiment [affectum]. Perhaps in the first he was not sufficiently contrite, but devoutly and reverently coming forward he pursues through this sacrament the grace and charity, which perfects contrition and the inquiry of sin both mortal and venial. He deletes the punishment due to sins, not all, but according to the measure of sins and devotion. The Eucharist frees us from purgatory according to the same St. Thomas, III, q. 52, a. 8, ad 2, insofar as it is a satisfactory sacrifice for sins. Moreover it has other effects. For since it is effective of spiritual life, it acts like bodily food, because it sustains, grows, restores and delights, and in the blessed it increases accidental glory, but not essential. The proper effect of the Eucharist according to St. Thomas in IV Sent., dist. 12, is the transformation of man into God, to which follows growth of virtues and the restoration of what was lost. The consequent effects and less principal is the diminution of temptation [fomitis]. The same St. Thomas notes that Isaiah 10, The Eucharist gives five, namely pardon of sins, life of grace, confirmation in the fight, strengthening in life and a foretaste of glory. It strengthens from sin and preserves in two ways, as St. Thomas in III, and IV Sent where above., namely interiorly strengthening through grace and repelling externally every attack of the demons through the passion of Christ of which it is a sign. One can however approach with such lack of devotion that he would earn damnation. Whence, 1 Cor. 11, " For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself," (1 Cor 11:29). One taking the Eucharist conscious of mortal sin, sins mortally as St. Thomas says, IV Sent, dist. 9, and III, q. 79, a. 2 ad 3m and 8m, and [a. ] 4. Therefore with great fear and reverence we ought to prepare ourselves, and so, in the same place, " But let a man prove himself:" namely by premeditating [praemeditando], " and so let him eat of that bread," etc.(1 Cor 11:28). The manner of eating is given under the sign, in Exodus 12, of the paschal lamb. etc. FREED Second, we should rejoice and praise him, because he has liberated us from the captivity of hell. For a captive rejoices much at his liberation and we should rejoice over our liberation from hell. For the jail of hell is fire, and eternal fire, and the punishment is inflicted there without measure by the devil, and his minions living there. This hell God destroyed when he descended into hell. Ps 106, "Because he has broken the gates of brass, and burst the iron bars," (Ps 106:16). The gates of brass of hell are the desires [cupiditates] and vicious habits of men, which do not allow those imprisoned to escape. Christ shatters the iron bars with his power. We have a figure of this from Judges 16, about Samson, who "…went also into Gaza, and saw there a woman a harlot, and went in unto her. And when the Philistines had heard this," they placed guards there, "and watching there all the night in silence, that in the morning they might kill him as he went out. But Samson slept till midnight, and then rising he took both the doors of the gate, with the posts thereof, and the bolt, and laying them on his shoulders, carried them up to the top of the hill, " (Judg 16:2-3). Where Gregory in the Gloss asks "What is signified in this deed. Samson signifies the redeemer; what is Gaza but hell? what the Philistines but the faithless Jews? who when they say Christ dead and his body laid in the tomb, posted a guard there, and they rejoiced that they had captured the author of life. But Christ straightaway [recte] destroyed the enclosure of hell, just as Samson the gates in Gaza. And Samson in the middle of the night broke out alone, but he also carried away its gates, because our redeemer rising before daylight, not only exited from hell a free man, but also destroyed the enclosure of hell. He took the gates and raised them to the top of a mountain, because by rising he broke the enclosure of hell and by ascending penetrated to the kingdom of heaven. Not only did Christ destroy hell, but also he diminished the power of the devil. For from the beginning of the world before the passion of Christ the devil freely went about the earth, that he might seduce all peoples, and so Christ therefore bound him. Apoc. 20: "And [the angel] laid hold of the dragon the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. And he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should no more seduce the nations, till the thousand years be finished," (Rev 20:2-3). The Interlinear Gloss has "Angel," Christ, apprehended the "dragon" for the violence of his harming, the "serpent" for deceptions, "old," because from the beginning of the world he has done harm, who is the "devil" coming down, and "Satan," that is, the adversary, and "bound him," that is deprived [him] of his prior power, and "cast into the abyss, and shut him up and marked with a sign," that is he put on him the sign of the holy cross, so that "he would not seduce more people," until the thousand years be accomplished," that is until antichrist comes. Note according to St. Thomas in III, q. 49, a. 2 that through the passion of Christ we have been freed in three ways from the power of the devil. "There are three things to be considered regarding the power which the devil exercised over men previous to Christ's Passion. The first is on man's own part, who by his sin deserved to be delivered over to the devil's power, and was overcome by his tempting. Another point is on God's part, whom man had offended by sinning, and who with justice left man under the devil's power. The third is on the devil's part, who out of his most wicked will hindered man from securing his salvation. As to the first point, by Christ's Passion, man was delivered from the devil's power, in so far as the Passion is the cause of the forgiveness of sins, as stated above (1). As to the second, it must be said that Christ's Passion freed us from the devil's power, inasmuch as it reconciled us with God, as shall be shown later (4). But as to the third, Christ's Passion delivered us from the devil, inasmuch as in Christ's Passion he exceeded the limit of power assigned him by God, by conspiring to bring about Christ's death, Who, being sinless, did not deserve to die. (Summa theol. III, q. 49, a. 2, body.). Augustine says in De trinitate, Bk 14: "By the justice of Christ the devil is conquered, because although in him is found nothing worthy of death, he killed him. So indeed he is just, that the debtors whom he held, they are set down [dimitterentur] they who believing in him whom without any debt he killed. ASSURED: APPEARANCES Third we should rejoice and give him praise, because through his resurrection he gave us the certitude of knowledge. For he rejoiced much who saw the one desired for a long time. First he cannot appear or be seen clearly. Reason is because in a book with tiny letters [subtilis litterae]. the careful eye cannot read well, and so there is laid over itself with a crass body and obscure, but when a clear and lucid body is placed over it, it is read better, because indeed it appears larger, just as when a crystal or magnifying glass is held over it. The Son of God is a book containing in himself what is necessary for the salvation of mankind. He also is the book of life, and the testament of the most high, and the acknowledgement of truth. But this subtle book is his divinity; so that no created intellect can read there in the present life. Ex 33: "for man shall not see me and live," (Ex 33:20). After the incarnation this book was bound with coarse and rough hide, namely a mortal body. Therefore the divinity cannot be read nor be seen hiding under such a body. Therefore the Jews were wishing to stone him saying: "For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy," ( Jn 10:33). But today in the blessed resurrection since the glorious body, bright, and lucid was placed over divinity, then freely was it known and appeared, (Jn 12). His disciples did not recognize him at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered, that these scriptures were about him. Therefore through the resurrection he gives us recognition. As a sign of which it is read that he appeared often on the day of the resurrection. The first apparition he did was to the Blessed Virgin Mary, although the gospel does not tell us about this. And this can be shown by the authority of Sedulius, saying, "Always remaining a virgin, standing at his side. His own light first the Lord showed to her." Secondly, from the custom of the church. The Pope, on Easter, goes to St. Mary Major first to celebrate the station, through this suggesting that [Christ's] first appearance was made to the Blessed Virgin. Third through the observance of the commandment. God indeed commands: "Honor your father and your mother," etc. If indeed someone was overseas, and his mother had understood that he had died, and he nevertheless healthy returned and would visit [first] other friends, and only last come to his mother, this would not be a good son, nor would he seem to have honored his mother. But if Christ first had rejoiced with others, and only later had appeared to his desolate mother, he would not seem to have kept the commandment of honoring parents. For more reasons about this, see the preceding sermon. The second apparition was made to Mary Magdalen about which today's gospel speaks saying, "Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought sweet spices," (Mk 16:1).
You ask why especially did these women seek out Christ? Reason, because they were especially obligated to Christ from the fact that they had received many favors [plura officia] from him. Mary Magdalen was greatly bound to Christ, because he had cast out seven demons from her, (Cf Mk 16:9). Martha her sister had been cured of a flow of blood, and her brother Lazarus was raised after four days. He always spoke favorably of her, especially with the Pharisees who were calling her dirty, and with her sister who called her lazy, and with Judas who was calling her a spendthrift. Second, Mary of James, mother of James the Less, owed much to him. He was her nephew, and because her three sons, namely James, Simon and Jude the son of Alpheus, he made cardinals, that is apostles. Third, Mary Salome was obligated to him, because he was her nephew, and because made her two sons, James and John, apostles.
Second, why did the three of them go together? Reason, first for the greater truth of their testimony, because from the mouth of two or three witnesses every word stands. Second out of a sense of decency and modesty, it is more fitting that these women [matrones] go together. Third, because of the mystical significance. They who had faith, charity and works came to Christ. Fourth, to commend community. It is better to serve God in society than singularly. Eccl 4: "It is better therefore that two should be together, than one: for they have the advantage of their society," (Eccl 4:9). Such persons, by their associations, sometimes rightly are kept free from the evil of committing sin. If some [tempter] shall prevail against one, two will resist him, and sometimes they encourage each other in the love of God, therefore it is added, "And if two lie together, they shall warm one another," (Eccl 4:11), one warmed by the other. Sometimes they are protected from the temptations of the devil, whence is said, " A threefold cord is not easily broken," (v.12). The devil cannot break the servants of God who are gathered together [insimiliter]. Ps. 132: "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell in unity," (Ps 132:1) Nor can he invade those united 1 Kg 17: "Choose out a man of you, and let him come down and fight hand to hand," (1 Kgs 17:8).
These three women show a great devotion in three ways. First, they wished to anoint Christ, where it is said that they "bought sweet spices," (Mk 16:1), that is aromatic oils, so that coming [to the tomb] they might anoint Jesus. Out of great devotion they wished to anoint the body of Christ. It was the custom of the Jews to anoint the bodies of the dead, that they might be preserved from decay and from putrefaction, and from worms. But these women were deceived, because the body of Christ had been embalmed [balsamatum] by his divinity, and so if it had laid in the ground for a million years, it would never have putrefied, or decayed, nor would it have generated maggots. Psalm: "nor will then give your holy one to see corruption," (Ps 15:10). So in this they show very well their love for the dead Christ, a love which they had for the living Christ.
There are few friends in life who truly love, because almost everyone loves for themselves, and not for the friend. [propter sua, non propter se]. Sir 6: "And there is a friend a companion at the table, and he will not abide in the day of distress," (Sir 6:10). Fewer still are those who love in death, usually parents look to their children and children to their parents in death, when they wish to make some arrangements [prayers, Masses] for their salvation. Fewest of all are those who love someone after their death, because after a short time a father is forgotten by his son, a son by his father, and a friend by his friend. Psalm: "I am forgotten as one [dead from the heart. I am become as a vessel that is destroyed]," (Ps 30:13). And elsewhere, "Their memory hath perished with a noise," (Ps 9:7). These holy women loved Christ in life, and they followed him preaching. Luke 8: "Mary Magdalen and the other women followed, " who ministered to him of their substance," (Lk 8:3). They loved him in death, because they were there with him on the cross. Jn 19: "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen, " (Jn 19:25). And they loved him after his death, because they wished to anoint him lying in the tomb.
Second, the devotion of these women is shown in this that they wished to come at the most appropriate time, and so it is said: "And very early in the morning," (Mk 16:2). But if it was "very early in the morning" how then was the sun risen? And if the sun had already risen, how was it very early in the morning? Reason: because these women lived in the city, and the tomb of Christ was outside the city. They arose very early in the morning, but because it was a long way, and decent ladies [honestas matronas] ought not to run, but proceed maturely, therefore the sun had already risen when they arrived at the tomb. And this is the meaning, they came "very early in the morning," that is, they began to come, but the sun had risen when they arrived. Or they came at sunrise, with respect to its becoming light, which is called dawn, not with regard to its orb. So Augustine says, "The sun having risen, that is, when the heavens in the east had brightened." Or by the name of sun is understood Christ, who "had risen" from the womb of his mother through physical birth, and from the tomb through a certain glorious birth. This is the meaning, they came "very early in the morning," namely, when the true sun, Christ who had risen in this world from the womb of his mother by a bodily birth, now is risen by resurrecting from the tomb in a heavenly birth.
Where it says, "the first day of the week, [una sabbatorum]," it is to be understood the first day of the Sabbath, which is now called Sunday. The Jews name days one way, the Romans another and the church still another. The Jews name them from the Sabbath, saying first of the Sabbath, second of the Sabbath etc, and this out of reverence for the Sabbath, in which God rested from his work, and which he then sanctified. The Romans name the days from the planets and especially from that which rules the first hour, because the sun dominates the first hour of Sunday, it is called the Day of the Sun, and so of the others. The church names days from "ferias" saying Feria Prima, Feria Secunda, Feria Tertia, etc., and so for the rest. Feria is the same as rest [cessatio]. Hence the ancients called a solemn day a ferial, because they rested from servile work. Or it is called feria for offering sacrifices, because in the festive days they offered sacrifices. But on the other hand the Church now calls every day a ferial, because for all time there is a cessation from sacrificial victims. The ceremonial precepts of the old law were in force up to the passion of Christ, but from then on, they are dead, and after the spread of the Gospel, they are deadly, as St. Thomas says I-II, q .103, a. 3, and II-II, q. 87, a. 1 and q. 93, a. 1 and in IV Sent., dist 1 & 2.
Third the devotion of these women are shown in this that they were desiring to see the tomb open, and so they were asking themselves, "Who shall roll back the stone for us?" (Mk 16:3). The tomb had been closed in three ways: by rolling a large stone over its entrance; by the affixing of seals; and by the posting of an armed guard. So the women could not imagine how they would enter, because they were not able to move such a great stone, since they were fragile, and the soldiers would chase them away, and they did not dare break the official seals. However Christ, who had come out of the closed womb of the virgin, and who would come to the apostles through closed doors, came out of the tomb with the stone still closed, the seals unbroken, and the guards overwhelmed with terror. After he had risen, an angel rolled back the stone, so he might give the women access for entering. The soldiers were like dead men, half crazy, from this sudden opening of the tomb, and the ground shuddered mightily. There was a great earthquake which terrified the soldiers. It was as if the earth showed its happiness at the resurrection of Christ. Just as in the passion of Christ there was an earthquake as a sign of sadness, so now in the resurrection it was moved as a sign of gladness. Or the earthquake happened that to signify that the hearts of earthly persons through faith in the passion and resurrection might be promoted in faith.
The women approaching and taking it all in, saw the stone rolled away. But why did these three women wish to approach the tomb, when they had no assurance of the stone being rolled back? Reason: because, believing that the body of Christ would be in the tomb, they were saying to themselves: "Even if we are not able to anoint him, at least we would be able to touch the tomb, and there weep for him and be near him." See how wonderful was the love and devotion of the women for their dead [friend]. Today, for many, the memory [of the dead] fades like an echo. Today many are like pigs, who come running to the cry of one pig, [slaughtered,] bleeding to death, and when they see the pig thrown into a bucket, they flee and forget about him. Many [today] when mourning the dead, when he has been buried, forget about him.
The women, however "entering into the tomb, saw a young man," (Mk 16:5), that is, an angel, whom they saw as a young man, to signify, that we all will rise as young people, not with respect to our numerical age, but with respect to our physical stature, as St. Thomas says, IV Sent., dist 44, a. 2, and III, q. 46, a. 9, ad 2. He was "sitting on the right side." Gregory: "What is designated by the left, but the present life? what by the right but eternal life?" (Cf Glossa ordinaria), Therefore since our redeemer has passed over the corruption of the present life, rightly the angel who came to announce his eternal life, would be sitting on the right, etc. "Clothed with a white robe." Truly this robe is not from mortal cloth, but shining with celestial vitality, not in an earthly color. The prophet says, "Clothed with light as with a garment," (Ps 103;2), And of the just Matthew 13 says: "Then shall the just shine like the sun, in the kingdom of their Father," (Mt 13:43). Gregory: He appears clothed with a white robe because he announced the joy of the festivity. Whiteness of the clothing bespeaks the splendor of our festival. Matthew also says, "His countenance was as lightning, and his raiment as snow," (Mt 28:3). Lightning is from heaven, snow from earth, through which it is given to understand that in Christ' resurrection earthly things are joined to heavenly. According to Gregory in lightning the terror of the fearful is signified, in snow the allurement of the sincere [blandimentum candoris]. through which it is understood that Christ in the [Last] Judgment shall appear terrifying to sinners and comforting to the just.
This angel spoke to the women first to comfort them saying, "Do not be afraid," (Mt 16:6), In this you can tell a good angel from a bad angel, because a good angel in the beginning terrifies with lightning, in the middle he comforts with his speaking, and in the end brings gladness from immense consolation and his pleasing appearance. A bad angel, on the other hand, in the beginning would terrify [you] from his horrible appearance, in the middle from his conversation would terrify you even more, and at the end would inflict sorrow from his deceptions which follow, as St. Thomas says, III, q. 30, a. 3 ad 3, and On Job, ch. 4, and II Cor. 11, and there saying that every angel appearing exhorts to good, but the good angel persists, the bad however, reveals himself as evil.
Second, by convincing them and making certain of the resurrection [the angel] said, " Jesus of Nazareth, whom you seek, who was crucified…is not here," (Mk 16:6) Gregory: "He is not here through the presence of the flesh, but nevertheless he is everywhere through the presence of his majesty." That this is true, "Behold the place where they laid him," (v. 6). For this reason he rolled back the stone, so that he could show them the place, as if he had said, "If you don't believe my words, believe the empty tomb."
Third the angel sent them to the apostles, saying, "But go, tell," etc (v. 7). It should be noted that the first woman was the intermediary between the serpent and man, leading to perdition. The second, namely the virgin Mary was the intermediary between God and men fashioning our reconciliation. These women, [in the tomb,] were the intermediaries between the angel and the apostles, announcing to them our welfare and salvation. Already man was not able to be conquered from a woman, because if the first damned, the second saved, the third announced. If the first was the cause of our death, the second was the cause of our life, the third the herald [annunciatrix] of our salvation, and so the angel made these women messengers of our resurrection..
But why did he say and [tell] "Peter?" Response: three reasons. First, because Peter through denial had ceased to be a disciple and still was not certain, whether he had been restored to grace. So if he had not been named, he would have been confused, and perhaps he might have despaired. And so that he might know that through [his] tears his sin had been forgiven, and that he had been restored to the office of disciple, it was appropriate that he be mentioned by name. Secondly, that the angel might defer to him as the supreme pontiff. If someone sends letters to the pope and to the college of cardinals, the Pope is addressed by name, and the cardinals in general. Therefore the angel expresses Peter by name, as the pope [summum pontificium], the disciples however in general, as if a college. Third because Peter is interpreted as unbelieving or broken up, through which it is understood that those come to Christ, who have broken themselves up by carnal love, and who acknowledge their sins with contrition, and judge themselves humbly to be nothing. Fourth, the angel announces to these women Christ's appearance in Galilee, saying to them, "He goes before you into Galilee; there you shall see him," etc. (Mk 16:7). The apparition took place in Galilee. There is a mystery in this name. Galilee, is interpreted as "transmigration." Christ while he was in this mortal life endured a threefold weakness, namely, mortality, with respect to his body, vulnerability with respect to his soul, punishment and multiple miseries with respect to both. But in the resurrection a transmigration has taken place, because the body migrates from mortality to immortality, the soul from vulnerability to impassibility, the body and soul from miseries and punishment to glory and happiness. Whence Pope Leo: "After the passion, the chains of death, shattered, weakness passes into strength, mortality into eternity, contempt into glory."
Those women going out announced to the apostles that he has risen. But the apostles thought that they were hallucinating, and did not believe them. Then Peter and John ran to the tomb, and saw the linens and the napkin etc. "The disciples therefore departed again …But Mary stayed outside the tomb, weeping," (Jn 20:10-11). There Christ, appeared to her in the guise of a gardener. And this was the firs appearance, about which the Gospel speaks, although he had first appeared to his mother, as was said. But why does Christ appear first to Mary Magdalen? There are four reasons: First, because she had loved him more ardently, and so she remained there weeping. Second, that he might show that he died for sinners, (Cf Matt. 9 and Luke 5). "I came not to call the just, but sinners, " (Lk 5:32, Cf Mt 9:13). Third that just as a woman was the messenger of death, so she would be the messenger of life, according to the Gloss. Fourth, that where sin abounded, grace would abound the more, (Cf Rom 5:20).
The second apparition was made to the women returning from the tomb, when he said to them , "Hail," (Mt 28:9). The third to Peter, but where or when the evangelists do not say. Fourth to the disciples going to Emmaus. Fifth to the disciples gathered as one.
We should therefore rejoice at his resurrection, just like the apostles and women rejoiced, because they beheld the one they thought to be dead. Hence if we wish to see Christ, we must serve diligently with the fervor of enkindled charity, like Mary Magdalen. For we see that excessive moisture [humor] especially impedes our seeing of the brightness of the sun, but dry eyes see well. So man having eyes of his heart filled with the juices [humores] of carnal pleasure, cannot see Christ. So Mary Magdalen when she was living voluptuously, did not see Christ interiorly, because her interior eye was filled with moistures impeding it. But afterwards, the fervor of divine delight excited her, then Christ appeared to her. Therefore those wishing for Christ to appear to them should remove every depraved moistures and excite in themselves the fervor of divine delight. Romans 12: " In fervent spirit. Serving the Lord," (Rom 12:11).
ENDOWED
Fourth we should be glad and rejoice, because through his resurrection he has opened the gates of heaven for us. For many rejoice who are invited to be in the company of princes, so etc. Whence, just as Christ in his resurrection has four endowments [dotes] although not according to the proper sense of endowments, just as neither the angels, as the Doctor [St. Thomas] says, in IV Sent., dist.49, q. 4, a. 3 and 4, so the blessed in the future resurrection will be endowed with four endowments [dotes] in their body, as also the Doctor touches in IV Sent,, dist. 44, and III, q. 45, a. 1 and 3. The body of Christ was subtle, agile, bright and impassible. With these four our body will be endowed. They are called endowments [dotes] because the Lord gives them as a dowry to the saints, who are joined to him her through true faith and life and in the future through eternal enjoyment, just as a bride is given a dowry by her groom.
Subtlety
The first endowment or nobility is subtlety, which the body receives from the soul which makes the body wholly subject to the soul and elevates it into a certain likeness to the soul just as it had been elevated into a likeness of God, so that us the body seems as if one spirit with the soul. And this the Apostle says I Cor 15: "It is sown a natural body," (1 Cor 15:44), that is having animal movements of inordinate concupiscence, like in other animals, but, "it shall rise a spiritual body," that is totally subjected to the spirit and conformed, so that in offers no impediment to the soul in anything, by which God would be the less contemplated, loved, and adhered to, which the soul does not have in this present state of life. Now indeed "For the corruptible body is a load upon the soul," (Wis 9:15), and " For the flesh lusts against the spirit," (Gal 5:17), and impedes the soul, so it cannot continuously meditate on God, nor can it attain to his perfect awareness or love, and the grossness and weight of the body depressing the soul does this. Sleep gives us a sign of this, when the soul is not occupied with the use of the exterior senses, as when awake, then revelations can take place. The mind has two views [respectus], namely to the things above by which it is enlightened, and to the body in respect of which it is bound in sleep, not [bound] however with respect to the first, but [in sleep] it becomes freer than when awake, as St. Thomas says in De veritate, q. 12, a 3. ad 2m, and q. 28, a. 2, ad 6m.
Moreover we see that the heaviness of the body impedes, that it cannot pass freely, because other bodies resist it, like a walls or panels. But a glorified body shall be so subtle that it shall penetrate any body without resistance. Something similar is found in nature. For oil penetrates the vessel containing it without breaking the vessel. By oil is understood grace. Just as indeed a sailor dives in the sea, bearing oil in his mouth, [or, on his face. portans oleum in ore], by means of which he is enlightened seeing the dangers of the sea, so the grace of God illuminates and directs those navigating between the dangers of the world lest they perish, in 2 Cor 12: "My grace is sufficient for thee," (2 Cor 12:9). Therefore the glorified body is not only full of grace but of glory which is consummated grace. Every body also penetrates heaven without division. "Glory shall uphold the humble of spirit," (Prov 29:23).
Agility
The second endowment [dos] will be agility, which also flows from the glory of the soul into the body, so where the spirit wills, immediately there the body will be without any impediment. For it is because of the weight of the body in this life that the soul cannot be where it wishes. Whence when a soul wishes to raise up the weight of the body with it, and lead it to good works, frequently it [the body] casts it down, just as a monkey when it tries [credit] to raise up a ball tied to its back, the weight of the ball hurls the monkey into the mud, so the body hurls the soul into the mud of sin. But in the resurrection, the body entirely obeys the soul. Augustine, "Wherever the spirit wishes, immediately it shall be and the body." Therefore the Apostle says in 1 Cor 5, " It is sown in weakness, it shall rise in power," (1 Cor 15:43). We see a similarity in nature. For some stone lying on the earth cannot be moved by ten, which is moved nevertheless by a child outside of the earth or its proper existing place. So the body which cannot be moved by the soul when it lies on the earth, in the resurrection shall be raised to heaven, and is moved by the soul at will. This power God gives to the very glorious body. Eccl 17: "God created man of the earth, and made him after his own image. And he turned him into it again, and clothed him with strength according to himself,"(Sir 17:1-2), for just as a ray suddenly passes from east to west and the eye from earth instantly sees a star, so suddenly, at will, the body shall be where the soul wishes.
Clarity
The third endowment, will be clarity, which also flows from the glory of the soul. And according as every saint shall have greater merit, so shall there be greater clarity in the body, 1 Cor 15, " For star differs from star in glory," (1 Cor 15:41). So shall it be in the resurrection of the dead, for one [saint] shall be and shall appear more splendid than another, nevertheless each shall have a bodily brightness more than seven times brighter than the sun, because then the light of the sun will be like the light of seven days, and then " shall the just shine as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father," (Mt 13:43). And although now the light of the sun is disproportionate to our eyes, nevertheless it shall not be such there, because the light shall be moderated [demulces], and our eyes will be stronger and more noble. This clarity, according to Gregory, shall be everywhere [pervia], so that without impediment of the body one saint shall see what is in the body of another, and as much as he shall abound in the light of glory, to that extent shall he more clearly see, as in a clear spring. Therefore the Apostle says in the above citation, "It is sown in dishonor, it shall rise in glory." (1 Cor 15:43), not however in that glory about which 1 Macc 2, " for his glory is dung, and worms," (1 Macc 2:62), just as a snake puts his whole power in its beautiful colored skin, but under its skin has nothing but putridity and poison. So some care so much about bodily beauty, that interiorly there remains only the putridity of sin. Such beauty shall not be there. But because the beauty of the glorious body comes from the soul, Ps.44: "All the glory of the king's daughter is within," (Ps 44:14), it therefore lasts forever. Not so with modern beauty, about which James 1 writes: "For the sun rose with a burning heat, and parched the grass, and the flower thereof fell off, and the beauty of the shape thereof perished," (James 1:11), Then all bodily defects shall cease and the body shall have whatever is beautiful.
Impassibility
The fourth endowment shall be impassibility [impassibilitas], and immortality, so that neither hunger or nor thirst, neither cold nor heat, nor any wound which the body suffers now shall have any place there. And this also shall be in respect to the glory of the soul, because just as then it shall be entirely elevated into divine likeness, so the body through the soul, attains impassibility and immortality. Augustine: "God has made the soul with such powerful strength, that it redounds into the body with the vigor of incorruptibility."
The reason is, change alters nature, just as it is clear, the tree situated in bad earth does not bear fruit, but transplanted to good earth immediately bears fruit, because the tree draws nourishment from the earth, so fruit follows from the condition of the earth in which it is situated. For this reason Augustine says, that the first parents if they had stayed in innocence, their bodies would have been immortal and incorruptible, because whoever ate of the tree of life would be incorruptible. So, I say that we now eat corruptible and rotten food, as is clear of bread and wine, and so now the body nourished by such food has to corrupt. In fact, the more it eats and delights, the quicker it putrefies and dies.
But after the resurrection in paradise we eat the food of life in which there is no corruption or decay. Apocalypse 2: " To him, who overcomes, I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of my God," (Apoc 2:7). Again we shall drink from the spring of life, Apoc. 7: "and shall lead them to the fountains of the waters of life," (Rev 7:17). To drink the delights of this world is to drink of the spring of death. Therefore just as it is necessary now that our body decay because of the corruption of the food which we eat, so in paradise we shall be immortal because of the food which we use. John 6: Whoever "eats of this bread, shall live for ever," (Jn 6:52). Therefore, because of the condition of food in paradise, "For this corruptible must put on incorruption; and this mortal must put on immortality," (1 Cor 15:53). This is what the Apostle says in the same place as above: "It is sown in corruption, it shall rise in incorruption," (v. 42).
These are the four endowments or nobilities which our bodies receive from God, through the mediation of the soul in glory. And in order that he might convince us, he wishes in the present to show them in his body for a time, while he was still in the world. For he had subtlety, when he emerged from the closed womb of the virgin. Agility, when he walked over the waves of the sea. Mt 14 and Jn 6. Clarity, when on Mount Thabor he was transfigured, and showed the glory of clarity to his disciples. Mt 17. Impassibility, when he escaped from the hands of the Jews who wished to cast him down or to stone him. Lk 4 and Jn 8. If therefore in the resurrection we desire to be renewed by these ennoblements of the body, which the Lord showed in his body before the resurrection, and after the resurrection had permanently, it is necessary that we should so walk in newness of life.
Previews: Spiritual Subtlety
In this life we have a hint of them spiritually in the soul, so that we have subtlety and agility etc. We have subtlety when our heart has been purged from the inordinate love of earthly things, from which it contracts impurity and grossness. Inordinate love makes for impurity in the soul through this, that it causes it to flow out of itself into that thing which one loves, and to be united with it. Ps 21: "My heart is become like wax melting in the midst of my bowels," (Ps 21:15). Just as silver when melted and mixed with copper is made impure, so the soul through inordinate love, mixed with earthly things, is made impure. And so, the more the soul is elevated above earthly things, by despising them, so much subtler it is. Just as air is called subtle when it is not filled with heavy clouds, and wine subtle when it is elevated above sediments and impurities, likewise a man is said to be subtle in spirit, whose mind is not weighed down by sensual and gross things, who is able to grasp and sustain spiritual things. We see this too in everything that is well designed, that that which is subtler is more eminent, as a flower on a tree, and fire among the elements. So the soul when it rises above these earthly things is made subtle, from this, that it is united to God, who is the ultimate [in termino] of all subtlety. Whatever thing, how much more it approaches its perfective [source], and that from which it receives its perfection, by so much more is it ennobled, just as air filled with light is more noble that murky, and likewise a body joined to the soul, than separated from it. When therefore the soul adhering to God alone, seeks "the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth." (Col 3:2), as the Apostle says, "our conversation is in heaven," (Phil 3:20), then it is subtle and supple, and also merits subtlety in the body. On the other hand when it turns to earthly things, and pursues the desires of the body, it becomes weighed down, as it clear in an avaricious sinner who has an earthly soul, because he centers his whole pleasure in acquiring earthly things. Likewise, a lustful person has a filthy soul, because it lies in the filth through lust. A proud man has a soul puffed up, and so for the rest. Therefore if the soul wishes to have subtlety, it is necessary to remove such things and to extract itself from the inordinate love of earthly things, and to raise itself through this subtlety to contemplating heavenly things.
Spiritual Agility
There follows another nobility, namely agility. When in our mind we are withdrawn from the love and grossness of earthly desires, and the mind is totally elevated in the love of God and the desire of heavenly things, then we become agile and quick to running through the increasing number of good works there where our love and desire tends. Augustine: "My Love, my weight, in the same way, I am carried wherever I am carried." To grow in this agility the Apostle urges us, saying: "So run that you may obtain," (1 Cor 9:24), and he gives an example saying: "But I follow after, if I may by any means apprehend," (Phil 3:13). And through this running and following he intends nothing else but to be perfect in good and virtues through the exercise of good works. To this we are obliged as long as we are in this life. Because according to Jerome, Gregory, Augustine and Bernard, no one can be satisfied to stand still, neither in the body nor the soul, because on the path to God, not to progress is to regress.
Spiritual Clarity
Third it is necessary that we have a preview of clarity, if we wish to rise with Christ. And I call a preview of clarity [praeviam claritatem], when man is bright interiorly and exteriorly. Interiorly through the testimony of a good conscience, externally through a good reputation. Of the first the Apostle says, 2 Cor 1, "For our glory." that is joy, "is this, the testimony of our conscience," (2 Cor 1:12), and rightly so because what is naturally bright and lucid rejoices, as is clear in birds, for when dawn breaks, they rejoice and sing. Even men living in dark places are afraid and seeing light are comforted. If such extrinsic things bring joy, how much more the intrinsic clarity which shines in the conscience? Prov. 15: "A secure mind is like a continual feast." (Prov 15:15). And just as a pure conscience rejoices, so on the other hand a conscience shadowed with sin, upsets and saddens. Wis. 17: "For a troubled conscience always forecasts grievous things," (Wis 17:10).
Spiritual Impassibility
Fourth it is necessary for us to have impassibility, that is, not to be elevated by good fortune and depressed by adversity, but to patiently suffer all troubles, all adversities, for Christ. Nevertheless we ought not have the patience of an ass. For naturalists tell us that an ass when it sees the wolf coming, hides its head in the bushes and permits itself to be bitten by the wolf, until it gets near the heart, and then it tries to resist. So it is with many, the wolf is the devil, the ass, a man seeking delight in sins. Such patience we should not have, but we ought bravely to resist the devil in his bad suggestions, and when temptation begins, [to resist] contempt and disgrace [contumelias et opprobria], willingly and cheerfully for Christ, and following his example to bear up, and to pray for those doing us evil, so that by such an impassibility of soul as clothed Christ's soul and body in the resurrection, we might merit to be clothed in the general resurrection.
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Post by Hildegard on Apr 28, 2019 1:34:12 GMT
St. Vincent Ferrer, O.P. Sermon 1 for Whitsunday, the Octave of Easter,
on John 20:26ff
Douay translation Jn. 20:26-29
26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said: Peace be to you. 27 Then he saith to Thomas: Put in thy finger hither, and see my hands; and bring hither thy hand, and put it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing. 28 Thomas answered, and said to him: My Lord, and my God. 29 Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed.
"And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus came…" Jn 20:26. The proposed word according to the historical or literal sense [of scripture] speaks of the coming of Christ and of his appearance which happened, so he might convert the unbelieving apostle, Thomas. Lest Thomas be damned, Christ again after eight days appeared to him, and this is what the theme says: "And after eight days again…" But according to the mystical and spiritual sense the theme speaks of the coming of Christ to the soul to justify it of sin, and for giving grace and blessing to it. And now in the present sermon I wish to explain these two senses. According to the first sense, history of the gospel is literally called literal. Note he breathes saying, "Receive the holy Spirit," (Jn 20:22). Breath has two qualities, it is warm and moist. The Holy Spirit gives these two. First he gives the warmth of love and devotion. Second he gives the moisture of contrition and tears. These two are the effect of the Holy Spirit – Christ breathes, implying that the Holy Spirit proceeds not only from the Father, but also from him. He gives to the apostles and priests the power of forgiving sins, saying, "Whose sins you forgive," etc. By this commission of Christ priests can forgive sins instrumentally, for it is Christ who principally forgives sins. At this apparition of Christ, Thomas was not with the other disciples. They said to Thomas, "We have seen the Lord," (v.25) He replied, saying, "Unless I shall see in his hands," etc. As if he were saying, "He has now risen? I certainly do not believe. Because when he hung on the cross still alive and the Jews were saying to him, 'If he is the king of Israel,' etc., they were offering him their conversion, he was not able to descend from the cross. How therefore now dead could he come out of the sealed and guarded tomb? I say to you that unless I shall see," etc. See how filled with doubt and unbelief Thomas was, so that if he had died in such unbelief, he would have been eternally damned. Think about it, and I tell you, perhaps all through the whole week the apostles worked to convince him. Even the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalen. Thomas would have been embarrassed perhaps to deny it in the presence of the Virgin Mary, but behind her back he was possibly asking, "Would not a mother tell a lie on behalf of her son?" Christ saw that neither the apostles, nor his mother were able to convince him. So Christ himself, moved by mercy, after eight days from his first appearance, came and the doors closed entered saying, "Peace be to you." Note this secret, that Jesus saluted the apostles in today's gospel three times, to teach that if every good of the community ought to be conserved in good, it ought to have three peace's. First between the greater and lesser, by supporting the lesser and honoring the greater. Second, between the principals themselves there ought to be concord and charity, so that in good charity they pursue the common good. Third, peace between the ordinary people, that they be in harmony among themselves. So he said three times "Peace be to you, peace be to you, peace be to you." Note how Christ was able to speak to Thomas. "Were not you the one who refused to believe my resurrection?" Thomas replies, "Yes, Lord but I believe you are my God and my Lord." O what shame he had over his unbelief. Thomas, when he saw Christ and Christ called him saying, "Put your finger," etc., Thomas believed. The Gloss cites Augustine, that Thomas preferred not to touch because he was already believing immediately when he saw Christ. But Blessed Gregory says that Christ insisted that he touch the place of the nails, so no one could have any doubt. And Thomas said, "I believe, Lord." To whom Christ said, "Because you have seen me Thomas, you believed," etc. He did not say "because you touched." I say to you that "blessed are they who have not seen, and have believed." So the theme is clear according to the historical and literal sense. Now it is necessary to explain it according to the mystical and spiritual sense. For which it must be known that two works are at the top through which Christ comes into a creature through grace. He comes first through baptism. Second through penance. If indeed Christ is lost after he had come to a creature through baptism, after eight days he comes again through penance. I say first that Christ through grace comes into creature through baptism, because before baptism Christ is not in a creature through grace. Moreover I say to you that before baptism the creature is the dwelling place of demons. I say that Adam and Eve because of the sin they committed are made slaves to the devil. Just as when two soldiers fight a duel in a closed stadium, and one says, "Woe to me. I hand myself over to you." He is made slave of the other. So it was between those two solders, namely Adam and the devil, in the closed stadium of the terrestrial paradise, there was a duel, where Adam was defeated and handed himself over to the devil by consent. Moreover he was captured with his wife. And the law is such that if the slaves beget children, even the children are slaves. So of Adam. Authority, Isaiah 5, "Therefore is my people," that is the human race, "led away captive, because they had not knowledge," (Isa 5:13). Note, "because they had not knowledge," because the sin of Adam came from the desire of knowledge, because the serpent said, "You shall be as gods, knowing good and evil, " (Gen 3:5). It is clear therefore that all were enslaved to the devil. How is the devil expelled? I reply, through baptism. Therefore when the creature ought to be baptized, the priest does not permit him to enter the church until he is conjured or exorcized saying, "I exorcize you, etc. Go out accursed devil." From this the conclusion is inferred, that all Jews and infidels belong to the devil [sunt daemoniaci], because they are not exorcized. Therefore in baptism he is expelled, so when driven out and the room cleaned, Christ comes through grace. Behold the first coming of Christ in the creature. Authority. "This is he that came by water and blood, Jesus Christ: not by water only, but by water and blood. " (1 Jn 5:6). Note: "by water and blood," If it is said, "I was often at baptisms and I saw no blood there, " I reply: that by virtue of the blood of Christ baptism has its power and efficacy. Augustine. "Such is the power of that water, that it touches the body, and the soul is washed," which is to say by the blood of Christ. But see, after baptism when we sin, we drive out Christ by the uncleanness of our sins. He is not a pig, that he would prefer to stay in the mud of lust. An then the infernal devil pigs would return and Christ would withdraw, as he said, "And when an unclean spirit is gone out of a man," etc. (Mt 12:53, & Lk 11:24). Note: "and the last state of that man in made worse than the first," (v. 45), because the actual sins are intensively worse than original sin, as St. Thomas says III, q. 1, a. 4, because it has more of the reason of being voluntary, although original sin is extensively worse. I repeat, the way the devil is expelled is through the conversion of penance. See how divine providence provides that through humble penance and a devout conscience one is purified and cleaned, and the devil is driven out. So, James "Resist the devil, and he will fly from you," (James 4:7). So the theme says, "After eight days again," etc. Here eight days are the works of penance, which, when completed, Christ comes again. The first day is recognition of sin, Second, contrition of the heart, Third, confession by word, Fourth, correction of life, Fifth, forgiveness of injuries, Sixth, restitution of debts, Seventh, reparation of someone's good name, Eighth, Eucharistic communion. About these the theme says, "After eight days again Jesus came." I say first, that the first day is the recognition of sin, when a man because of the clarity of divine grace comes to know his sins saying, "O, I am a wretched religious, and I have not observed obedience, poverty, nor chastity, nor the regulations of our order regarding food, and the habit and bowing in the chapel," etc. Behold the first day. The same for clergy as well as lay people. And after realizing [their sinfulness] they can say with the Apostle Paul to the Romans, "The night is passed, and the day is at hand," (Rom 13:12) The second dayis the contrition of the heart. What good would it do to recognize the gravest sins, unless they would be displeasing? This is against those who celebrate when they commit evil etc. It is necessary therefore after the recognition of [your] sins, to be sorry and weep out of contrition, just as, for example, the boy falling into a mud puddle, who cries, because he got his coat dirty, etc. So also you who have soiled your new suit of innocence, which your father Christ had made for you in baptism, because you have fallen into the filth of lust or avarice, or gluttony. So you ought to weep and accuse yourself, according to that saying of Proverbs 6, "Because the jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge, Nor will he yield to any man's prayers, nor will he accept for satisfaction ever so many gifts," (Prov 6:34-35). Note. "jealousy," like one who has a beautiful wife or daughter is jealous, and this for an excessive love, all the more one should be jealous of his soul, lest it be touched by demons or sin. "Rage" is that reprehension which a man has about himself out of contrition, saying: "O miserable one, how much have I offended God," etc. The third day is the outward confession of sin, by which a person knows sins and is sorry for them, and so they are thrown away, as a maidservant carries away or throws the garbage out of the room of her mistress through the window. This broom with which we sweep the room of our conscience, is the remembrance of sins. David, "And I meditated in the night with my own heart: and I was exercised and I swept my spirit," (Ps. 76:7). So they are thrown out through the window of our mouth in the sewer of confession. This is what is sung today, "This is the day," namely of confession, "which the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it." Confession is called the "day" because of the brightness of the grace of God. And it is called the day of "the Lord," because Christ instituted confession. But James when he says:" Confess your sins one to another…" (James 5:16) But this is in error, because neither James or blessed Peter were able to institute some sacrament; Christ instituted seven sacraments. But James said this, as St. Thomas Aquinas says in III, q. 64, a.. 2 , ad 3, "The apostles and their successors are God's vicars in governing the Church which is built on faith and the sacraments of faith. Wherefore, just as they may not institute another Church, so neither may they hand on another faith, nor institute other sacraments. On the contrary, the Church is said to be built up with the sacraments "which flowed from the side of Christ while hanging on the Cross." And in the body of the article he says, that God alone can institute a sacrament, and he reminds us that Christ instituted it. So we say, "This is the day the Lord has made," because he instituted confession, "let us rejoice and be glad in it," and after confession man finds himself very happy, because he feels himself unburdened of the weight of sin. The fourth day is the correction of life. Having confessed, it is necessary to correct and emend ones life through devout prayers. And it is useful to everyone morning and evening to think, that you have seen Christ in the throne of his majesty angry at you, the same for the Virgin Mary. So punish your flesh -- which occasions all sins -- through fasting, or a hair shirt, or the discipline. Also give alms, especially on Sunday when you come to mass, thinking, now I come to ask alms from God. So that I might receive the best of alms, I give alms also by correcting my life, because if before you were proud and vain, you will be humbled and so for the other sins. About this day the Apostle Paul says, " Let us walk honestly, as in the day: not in rioting and drunkenness," (Rom. 13:13). The fifth day is the redressing of injuries, namely, that you are willing to forgive your enemies' injuries and refuse to take revenge, but by the love of Jesus, spare them, saying to God, "Lord that person inflicted an injury on me, but, Lord, I have committed greater injuries on you. So lest you take revenge on me, I choose not to take revenge, but I forgive all because of your love." About this day Christ says, "If a man walk in the day, he stumbles not, because he sees the light of this world: But if he walk in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him," (Jn 11:9-10). "He stumbles," that is falling into hell, because the light of God, namely peace and love, is not in him. Because when he who does not wish to forgive dies, his soul, which would wish to ascend to heaven from a natural desire, then stumbles and falls into hell. The sixth day is the repayment of debts, namely that whoever has a beautiful house, or garden (tasseam) should look around to see if there is something there that is stolen, seized illegally, by fraud, or kept illegally, which needs to be returned. Blessed is that day of restitution, About which Scripture says, "For we are come in a good day [to you]," (I Kgs 25:8). The seventh day is restoring a person's good name. Many there are who have not had their goods stolen, nor their money, but have had more stolen, namely their good name, which is worth more. Proverbs 22:1: "A good name is better than great riches." A good reputation is necessary both for us and for others. For us, because it is a special good among exterior goods. Because it makes one fit for human offices and preserves from sin. And for others lest they be scandalized and they take to sinning from bad example, as Thomas Aquinas says in De veritate, q. 3, a. 2 [?]and II-II, q. 73, a. 2. Just as a thief is bound to restitution, so one who steals the good name of ones neighbor out of malice, even if what he says is true and it is a secret, is bound to restitution of that good name, otherwise he is not able to enter into paradise. But you ask how does one restore it? I reply, that in front of all of those before whom you have spoken ill, you are bound to make a retraction saying that they should not believe what you have maliciously reported, and if he who is defamed knows this, it is necessary also to ask forgiveness from him, otherwise it is not necessary. About this see at length Thomas Aquinas II-II, q. 73, virtually all. Many are damned because of these defamations, because a word travels, then they do not care nor confess it, nor does it enter their conscience. About this day David says symbolically [tropologice], " By your ordinance the day goes on," (Ps 118:91). Note it "goes on" to the extent that if he does not restore the good name in this life, or because he does not have the opportunity, and dies with contrition, and the intention to ask pardon, the soul as it sometimes happens, returns from the other world to ask pardon. So note that there were two who had defamed someone, and the one defamed and one of the defamers was still living, but one defamer died and lingered for some time in purgatory. And when he came out, he believed that he would go straight to heaven. And God said, "You shall not enter, because you first have to make restitution of the good name of that person." And I know that to be true that the soul returned, because I myself was the one defamed by that person and he sought pardon from me. The eighth day is receiving the Eucharist. After a person knows his sins, and is repentant, confesses, corrects his life, forgives injuries, repays his debts and restores a good name, and finally devoutly receives Holy Communion, then is verified the theme: "After eight days," i.e. through eight aforesaid penitential works, "Jesus comes again." About this day David said, Ps. 83:11, "For better is one day in thy courts," i.e. in the churches where Communion is received, "above thousands." Therefore, "After eight days Jesus came again," etc.
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Post by Hildegard on May 5, 2019 2:45:58 GMT
St. Vincent Ferrer – Sermon on the Good Shepherd
John 10:12-16 Douay translation
12 But the hireling, and he that is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and flieth: and the wolf catcheth, and scattereth the sheep: 13 And the hireling flieth, because he is a hireling: and he hath no care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know mine, and mine know me. 15 As the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father: and I lay down my life for my sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, that are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.
Jn 10:14 "I am the good shepherd." Our sermon shall be from the holy gospel of this Sunday. And we shall have many good teachings for the illumination of the mind and reformation of life. But first let the Blessed Virgin be saluted.
The proposed word for a theme and the basis of our sermon is the world of our Lord Jesus Christ speaking of himself saying: "I am the good shepherd," (Jn 10:14). The goodness of this Blessed shepherd toward his sheep, namely of the Christian faithful, is shown in today's holy Gospel in four ways: First reason, because he buys the sheep dearly [pretiose], Second, because he keeps them carefully, Third, because he feeds them abundantly, and Fourth, because he guards them safely. BUYS DEARLY I say first that Christ as the good shepherd buys his sheep at a great price [pretiose], namely by the price of his blood. He does not get them by stealth or stealing, or by deception, but he buys them for a just price and then some. About this he speaks in the beginning of the gospel, "I am the good shepherd," (Jn 10:14). Reason, because "The good shepherd gives his life," that is his bodily life, "for his sheep," (v. 11). Reason: why he gives such a precious price, is the incomparable value of a soul, because no bodily creature is comparable in value to the soul. Hence, on the scale of divine justice, which is just and fair, if on one side is placed all bodily creatures, namely gold and silver, pearls and elements, sun, moon and all the stars, and on the other side one rational soul, the rational soul would weigh more in value than all the creatures. Authority: "For what does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for his soul?" (Mt 16:26), as if he says, not enough. He profits little who loses his soul. If therefore for the redemption of one soul the whole world does not suffice, how much more for all souls? Therefore there was no price sufficient but the blood of Christ, of infinite value, because of its union with divinity. Hence if on the scale of divine justice one side would be all souls, and on the other the least drop of the blood of Christ, the blood of Christ would weigh more in value than all the souls, because of its union with the divinity, nor would any other price able to be paid be sufficient. About this Scripture says, "Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as gold or silver, from your vain conversation of the tradition of your fathers: But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled," (1 Pet 1:18-19). Note, "tradition of your fathers," that is of selling. Tell of how our father Adam sold himself and all of mankind for the price of one apple, although he was not bound of which he was to the species, and he himself had been made captive to the devil, his wife and consequently all his children, Authority: "For by whom a man is overcome," for example as in a duel, "of the same also he is the slave," (2 Pet 2:19). Thus Adam and Eve consenting to sin handed themselves over to the devil. If therefore the slaves beget children, the children are also slaves. But Christ comes, the best merchant from heaven to earth, knowing the value of souls, and he gives not an apple, nor gold, etc., but only his precious blood of inestimable value, which redeems us. Therefore he says, "You have been redeemed," (Cf 1 Pet 1:18). Note "redeemed" [redempti], that is re-purchased [iterum empti]. Thus it is a conclusion of theology that the least drop of the blood of Christ was a price sufficient and more so [superabundans] for redeeming a thousand worlds by virtue of its divinity and infinite charity. Now think how many drops of blood Christ shed for us. First, while yet a baby in his circumcision. In the first drop he redeemed us. Again in the second, etc. Second, on the night of his passion how many drops of blood did he shed. In Luke 22:44, "And his sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground." Each drop would have been a sufficient price. Third, when he was led off to the house of Pilate, etc. Fourth, when he was crowned with thorns, his whole head flowed blood. Fifth, when he was crucified in hands and feet, how many drops of blood were falling on the head of the Virgin Mary. Also how many tears, how many drops of sweat, how many labors when he would go preaching. Thus he does not say you have been bought, but you have been redeemed, that is bought many times over. Therefore the Apostle [Paul]: "In whom we have redemption" he does not say purchase [emptionem], "through his blood, the remission of sins, according to the riches of his grace, which hath superabounded in us," (Eph 1:7-8). See the first reason why Christ is the Good Shepherd, because he buys his sheep at great price [pretiose]. Morally. [Moral sense]. Here one can ponder if the soul is of such great value, and Christ has paid such a price, how everyone ought to value his own soul. How is that man worthy of great reprehension who for some mundane usefulness, or for gaining some earthly good gives his soul to the devil by sinning mortally, because then the soul is sold to the devil for a cheap price of pride or avarice, and so for the other sins. Then the soul already purchased by Christ, you give away for such a vile price. A story is told about the exceedingly rich merchant who in a transaction puts up all his money, and buys one precious pearl, and gives it to his wife, who places it in her purse, and a certain woman comes by carrying lettuce, and she gives it for some lettuce. Wouldn't you judge her to be stupid, or to have become so? Likewise you would be in this or in such a stupidity. This merchant is Christ who came down from heaven to the marketplace and the everyday of this world, and bought a most precious pearl, namely the soul, for which he gave all his blood, and gave it to me and to you. The old woman passing by with the lettuce is temptation, saying: "O what a delight, etc." And when you consent to her, then you hand over the pearl to her, that is your soul. When temptation tempts you to vainglory, pride and so of the other sins, then you sell your soul. Or when for a little bribe you swear falsely. Others give [it away] for a little pleasure, like the lustful. Others for a meal or a jug of wine, like gluttons breaking the fast. Others for a little sleep, like the lazy [pigri] when they skip Mass, etc. So scripture says Deut 4: "Keep yourself therefore, and your soul carefully," (v. 9), namely, lest you return to the servitude to the devil. When the merchant returns, i.e. Christ in death, today or tomorrow, what would he say to you? See, therefore, how sins must be avoided. The holy doctor Pope Leo says in his sermon on the Passion of the Lord, "Recognize, O Christian, your dignity, etc.
KEEPS CAREFULLY Second, I say, Christ, the Good Shepherd, keeps his sheep carefully. You already see how every lord who has sheep on earth where there are wolves, keeps them well. So Christ does for the Christians lest they be devoured by the wolves of hell. About this he himself speaks in the second part of the gospel. "But the hireling, and he that is not the shepherd,” etc. until, "and mine know me," (Jn 10:12-14), where he states the difference between a true shepherd and the hireling. 12 But the hireling, and he that is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and flieth: and the wolf catcheth, and scattereth the sheep: 13 And the hireling flieth, because he is a hireling: and he hath no care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know mine, and mine know me. Note how a lord who has sheep in the desert, has two custodians for the sheep, namely the shepherd and a dog against the raiding wolf. So Christ for the custody of his sheep provides two custodians, namely of pastoral ministers. The shepherds are the holy angels. Whence it is a teaching of sacred theology that everyone from the beginning of his birth has an angel commissioned for his protection. About this see Thomas [Aquinas] I, q. 113. Practically speaking. When a woman is about to give birth, Christ in heaven calls an Angel by name, because he have them all names, saying, "I commit to you my son or daughter, keep them," etc. The infant as it is born is first received by the angel into the hands of the angel, that is in its keeping and care, and next to the midwife, however much she is present. From which it follows that a woman never gives birth without a midwife. Jerome says, about these words, "Their," i.e. of men, "angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven," (Mt 18:10). Here the Gloss of Jerome says: "How great is the dignity of souls, that each from the moment of their birth would have a good angel assigned to its care." Note, "each." No owner provides a shepherd for each of his sheep, but he commits 100 or 200 to one shepherd. But Christ loves souls so much that he gives to each their shepherd or keeper. See how he cares for his sheep. Think here, etc. If a king would have sheep like David had them in old times, and the other kings, and would say to his soldiers and barons I commit to you these sheep of the desert, that you keep them, how indignant would he be, nor would he have any patience, and the holy angels of whom the least is greater than this Pope, King, or Emperor, would regard it as an honor for them, that God wished to commit creatures to them whom he made to his image and likeness, and redeemed by his blood and they would thank God. Nor would any angel desert the creature committed to him up until death, whom then, if he be perfect, he would lead to paradise, or to purgatory, or turn him over to the hands of the devils, if he be wicked and impenitent. Of this David, "For he hath given his angels charge over you; to keep you in all your ways," (Ps 90:11). Note, universally "in all," and through the sea and through land, etc. Morally. You have hear the teaching, when you have some temptation, or occasion of sin, you should think repentance of the angel. No thief would steal when another person is watching, nor a lustful person commit a sin of lust. Think how the angel sees you always, etc. Again, Bernard, "In every corner, and every direction [diversorio] give reverence to the angel, and do not do in his presence what you would not do if I were present. Second, Christ for keeping his sheep, provides dogs who hunt down the wolves of hell. The dogs are all who have the office of preaching. Demons are more afraid of and are are more terrified by the clamor and barking of preaching, than wolves are of the barking of dogs. It is a greater dignity to be such a minister and watchdog – because it is the apostolic office on behalf of the flock of Christ – than to be a patriarch or prophet. Authority: Job in the person of Christ crucified, said, "But now the younger in time scorn me, whose fathers I would not have set with the dogs of my flock," (Job 30:1). Note, "But now," namely in the midst of the passion, "the younger in time scorn me," namely the Jews who were then were, "whose fathers," the patriarchs and prophets, "I would not have set with the dogs of my flock," namely with the apostles, because the apostles were of greater dignity, and the apostolic men, than the patriarchs and the prophets. Note therefore how great is the office of preaching, and with how much vigilance is it to be exercised by manly barking [viriliter latrando]. So David, in Ps 67:23-24, "The Lord said: I will turn them from Basan, I will turn them into the depth of the sea: That your foot may be dipped in the blood of your enemies; the tongue of your dogs be red with the same." Note, "The Lord said: I will turn them," namely, sinners, "from Basan," i.e. from confusion. "I will turn them into the depth of the sea," i.e. by bitter contrition. And how does this happen? David replies, "That your foot," the body, "may be dipped in the blood," of the passion, "and the tongue of your dogs," of the preachers preaching of the passion of Christ, "of your enemies," supply the sheep are freed by him, namely by Christ, and not by virtue of the preaching. Morally. Nowadays the dogs provided by Christ to keep the sheep, make peace with the wolves of hell. Therefore the sheep are kept badly. Note here the parable of Aesop on the dogs and the wolves wishing to wage war. One old wolf who had seen and heard much said, I ask that before the battle you permit me to speak with the dogs. He said to the dogs, It will be a great evil for you to fight with us, because either you shall be conquered and [not] so good for you, or you will be victorious and if we die you shall lose your livelihood. With us dead they will no longer need you. Hearing this, the dogs changed their minds and made peace. The significance of this parable is good. The wolves are the demons; the dogs, the preachers, who ought to fight but make peace. For now the preachers are not barking against the demons for the sake of keeping the flock, but as clergy are seen thus: they either have mistresses [familiarites], wealth, etc., and they preach the teachings of the poets and not of Christ. Thus it is already true what Isaiah said: "All you beasts of the field come to devour, all you beasts of the forest. His watchmen are all blind, they are all ignorant: dumb dogs not able to bark, seeing vain things, sleeping and loving dreams. And meet impudent dogs, they never had enough: the shepherds themselves knew no understanding: all have turned aside into their own way, every one after his own gain, from the first even to the last," (Isa 56:9-11). Thus the wolves, that is the demons, devour so many sheep. If it is said, "It is a wonder that some sheep would perish, because they have a guardian angel," etc., I reply that God through the angels guards the sheep, but does not force free will. Christ commands, the angels however give counsel, and persuade but do not force; Christ as Lord and principal shepherd commands humility, and the angel induces you to the same, but you are so wicked and stuborn in your wickedness etc, that you do not wish to believe Christ commanding, nor the angel counseling, but you wish to act in a proud way and with pomp etc. The same of other virtues and their opposite vices. Behold why the sheep of Christ are lost, because they prefer not to remain under the care or rule of the shepherd. So David: "I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost," (Ps 118:176). FED ABUNDANTLY I say third, that the goodness of Christ the shepherd is shown in this that he feeds his sheep generously, namely in the sacrament of the altar. It is great when a lord permits his sheep to graze in his garden; greater still when at his table and of his own bread. Christ does more for his sheep, whom he permits to eat in his house, namely the church, and at his table, the altar, where he provides not bread, but his body as food, and his blood as drink, not one piece but his whole body. About this the gospel says, "As the Father knows me, and I know the Father: and I lay down my life for my sheep," (Jn 10:15). Here Gregory comments that he says this about the sacrament of the altar. Christ did what he admonishes, he shows what he commands. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep, that he changes his body and blood into our sacrament, and he feeds the sheep which he has redeemed with the food of his flesh. About this pasture the prophecy of Ezekiel 34, Thus says the Lord, "I will feed [my sheep] in the mountains of Israel ... I will feed them in the most fruitful pastures, and their pastures shall be in the high mountains of Israel," (Ez 34:13,14), namely in the three highest substances which are in the consecrated host. Hence the higher mountain or creature of the corporal world, and better is the body of Jesus Christ which is in the host. Christ said to the apostles at the last supper "Take and eat. This is my body," (Mat 26:24). The second highest mountain better and more excellent than all spiritual creatures is the soul of Christ, which is also there in the consecrated host through natural concomitance. The third highest mountain, because better and more excellent of all liquid substances is the blood of Christ, which is there through natural concomitance. Therefore it is not given to you in the chalice. Also over all bodily and spiritual and liquid creatures is the divinity, which is entirely in the consecrated host. Behold what a haul [qualis bolus]. See why he said? "I will feed my sheep," etc., (Ez 34:15). Morally. If therefore you wish to be with the angels in the pastures of paradise, receive communion each year at Easter, prepared well for you, otherwise you will not be received in paradise. A great reason is that he who does not wish to receive Christ in his house will not be received by Christ in paradise. "Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you," (Jn 6:54). But he who receives communion, is received by Christ saying, "It is right, because you have received me, that I receive you into my house." "Well done, good and faithful servant," (Mt 25:21). Note that just as Christ should be received sacramentally each year, so he ought to be received spiritually on each Sunday at Mass. The priest receives him sacramentally, and the whole people ought to receive him spiritually. Thus the priest says in receiving communion, "Refreshed by the heavenly food and drink," etc. Observing four conditions you should receive Christ at mass spiritually. On Sunday, you first should not drink, 1 Cor 11: "When you come together to eat, wait for one another," namely you should not drink when, etc. Second that you should have been to confession, because when man has invited, always he should have hands washed. David, "We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Go into his gates, "with praise [in confessione]," (Ps 99:3-4). He doesn't say it in the epistle or in the gospel. Third, you should not talk in church. "For thus says the Lord God the Holy One of Israel: If you return and be quiet, you shall be saved: in silence and in hope shall your strength be." (Isa 30:15). Note "if you return," namely from your labors and temporal businesses. Fourth, you shouldn't leave until the blessing is given, according to that of Deut. 32, "Give magnificence to our God. The works of God are perfect." GATHERS SECURELY Fourth, I say that Christ like a good shepherd keeps his sheep safe. Just as a shepherd gathers his sheep into a secure place, etc, so does Christ. About this the fourth part of the gospel: "And other sheep I have, that are not of this fold," (Jn 10:16), to the end. Thus good people I see that you who have sheep in pastures on the mountain, when night comes, you put them in some sheepfold, lest the wolves eat them. So Jesus does with us. When evening comes – the day of our death, Jesus gathers souls into paradise, if they have lived well, lest the wolf, that is the devil devour them. And Christ speaks to the angels saying, "Other sheep I have," men and women, and it is necessary to lead them to me, namely through innocence, or through obedience, or through penitence. The sheepfold, or place of these sheep where in the night of death they might rest most securely is the empyreal heaven, namely the society of the angels, and they make up "one fold and one shepherd," (v. 16).
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