Sermon XXIV. On the Day of Ashes at the Beginning of the Fast

Latin (Borgnet)English

p. 114

Sermo XXIV.

In die Cinerum in capite jejunii.

Convertimini ad me in toto corde vestro in jejunio, et in fletu, et in planctu. Et scindite corda vestra, et non vestimenta vestra, et convertimini ad Dominum Deum vestrum: quia benignus et misericors est, patiens et multae misericordiae, et praestabilis super malitia. Joelis, ii, 12 et 13.

Et nota, quod in his verbis praemissis primo peccator ex parte Domini per Prophetam ad poenitentiam vocatur. Secundo, ne peccator desperet, Dominus ex benignitate multiplici commendatur.

Primum notatur ibi: Haec dicit Dominus: convertimini ad me, etc. Haec autem conversio vel poenitentia in septem consistit, quae in consequentibus exprimuntur. Convertimini, inquam, in jejunio, id est, per mali operis dimissionem. Quia non est jejunium tantum a cibis, sed etiam a malis operibus. Unde Isa. lviii, 6: Nonne hoc est magis jejunium, quod elegi? Dissolve colligationes impietatis, solve fasciculos deprimentes, videlicet peccatorum, et in fletu, propter boni operis omissionem: et in planctu, propter peccati multiplicis commissionem. Et scindite corda vestra, triplici scissura, contritionis, confessionis, compassionis: ut lacrymae profluant per contritionem, ut peccata revelentur per confessionem, ut miseriis proximi subveniatur per compassionem. Et convertimini ad Dominum Deum vestrum per opera satisfactionis.

Secundum ostenditur ibi, Quia benignus est peccatoribus et ingratis, multa beneficia largiendo. Et misericors est, tempus ad poenitentiam sufficiens concedendo. Patiens irritatoribus et exacerbatoribus pie parcendo. Et multae misericordiae, conversos ad se misericorditer recipiendo. Et praestabilis super malitia, peccata eis commissa paterne ignoscendo, et numquam deinceps objiciendo.

Quod nobis, etc.

Sermon XXIV.

On the Day of Ashes at the Beginning of the Fast.

Be converted to me with your whole heart, in fasting and in weeping and in mourning. And rend your hearts and not your garments, and be converted to the Lord your God, because he is kind and merciful, patient and of much mercy, and able to prevail over malice. Joel 2:12 and 13.

And note that in these foregoing words first the sinner, on the Lord's part through the Prophet, is called to penance. Secondly, lest the sinner despair, the Lord is commended from manifold kindness.

The first is marked there: Thus says the Lord: be converted to me, etc. But this conversion or penance consists in seven things, which are expressed in what follows. Be converted, I say, in fasting, that is, through dismissal of evil work. For fasting is not only from foods, but also from evil works. Hence Isaiah 58:6 says: Is not this rather the fast that I have chosen? Dissolve the bindings of impiety, loosen the burdensome bundles, namely of sins; and in weeping, because of the omission of good work; and in mourning, because of the commission of manifold sin. And rend your hearts with a threefold rending, of contrition, confession, and compassion, so that tears may flow forth through contrition, sins may be revealed through confession, and aid may be given to the miseries of the neighbor through compassion. And be converted to the Lord your God through works of satisfaction.

The second is shown there: Because he is kind to sinners and the ungrateful, by bestowing many benefits. And he is merciful, by granting time sufficient for penance. Patient, by piously sparing irritators and provokers. And of much mercy, by mercifully receiving those converted to him. And able to prevail over malice, by fatherly forgiving the sins committed by them and never thereafter objecting them.

May he grant this to us, etc.