Works › Sermons for the Seasons of the Year
Volume 13 · pp. 145–147
Sermon XXXIII. On the Fifth Sunday of Lent
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SERMO XXXIII.
IN DOMINICA V QUADRAGESIMAE.
Abraham pater vester exsultavit, ut videret diem meum: vidit, et gavisus est. Joan. VIII, 56.
In verbis praemissis tria principaliter sunt hic notanda:
I. Quis sit dies Domini, de cujus visione Abraham gratulatur? II. Quando diem istum vidisse credatur? III. Quid a nobis, qui diem hunc expresse vidimus, requiratur?
I.
De primo nota, quis sit dies, de cujus visione Abraham gratulatur. Et nota, quod secundum Glossam Abraham in spiritu vidit diem Incarnationis Christi, vidit etiam diem aeternitatis ejus, et ex hac visione mirabiliter exsultavit, Unde Glossa, "Incertum est, an diem temporalem, quo erat venturus in carne, an diem aeternitatis: sed utrumque Abraham vidit." Unde ineffabile gaudium illi: quanti enim est videre verbum apud Patrem, et quod ipsum caro factum est? Et licet testimonio Glossae hos dies viderit, dici etiam salva fide potest, quod vidit etiam in spiritu, et vero intellectu diem redemptionis, diem videlicet Passionis Jesu Christi, per quam redemptum fuit omne genus humanum: nihil enim nasci profuit, nisi redimi profuisset.
II.
De secundo nota, quando diem Domini, scilicet diem redemptionis vidisse credatur, et dici potest, quod tunc, cum nisus fuit proprium filium immolare. Legitur enim in Genes. XXII, 3 et seq., quod Dominus ad manifestandam obedientiam Abrahae, imo ad ostendendam ipsi Passionem Jesu Christi, praecepit ei, ut filium suum, quem diligebat, Isaac in monte Moria immolaret. Igitur Abraham de nocte consurgens nemini, quod facturus erat, indicans, stravit asinum suum: ducens secum duos juvenes, et Isaac filium suum, et ivit iter duorum dierum. Tertio die, relictis juvenibus infra cum asino, et acceptis lignis et igne, solus cum filio montem ascendit: cui cum filius in mortem propriam consensisset, et pater extracto gladio jam filium esset immolaturus, clamans Angelus inhibuit ei puerum occidere. Et cum post regnum respiceret, vidit arietem inter vepres haerentem cornibus, quem arripiens immolavit. Et tunc Dominus creditur ei revelasse redemptionem totius generis humani faciendam per Passionem dilectissimi Filii Jesu Christi, supra qua redemptione ultra, quam dici potest, exsultavit.
SERMON XXXIII.
ON THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT.
Abraham your father exulted that he might see my day: he saw it and rejoiced. John VIII, 56.
In the words set before us three things are chiefly to be noted here:
I. What is the day of the Lord, over the seeing of which Abraham rejoices? II. When is he believed to have seen that day? III. What is required from us, who have expressly seen this day?
I.
Concerning the first, note what is the day over whose seeing Abraham rejoices. And note that according to the Gloss Abraham in spirit saw the day of the Incarnation of Christ; he also saw the day of his eternity, and from this vision he wonderfully exulted. Hence the Gloss: "It is uncertain whether it was the temporal day on which he was to come in the flesh, or the day of eternity: but Abraham saw both." Hence there was ineffable joy for him: for how great a thing is it to see the Word with the Father, and that the very Word was made flesh? And although by the testimony of the Gloss he saw these days, it can also be said without harm to faith that he also saw in spirit and with true understanding the day of redemption, namely the day of the Passion of Jesus Christ, through which the whole human race was redeemed: for to be born would have profited nothing unless to be redeemed had profited.
II.
Concerning the second, note when he is believed to have seen the day of the Lord, namely the day of redemption; and it can be said that it was then, when he attempted to sacrifice his own son. For it is read in Genesis XXII, 3 and following, that the Lord, to manifest the obedience of Abraham, indeed to show him the Passion of Jesus Christ, commanded him to sacrifice his son, whom he loved, Isaac, on Mount Moriah. Therefore Abraham, rising by night, indicating to no one what he was about to do, saddled his ass, leading with him two young men and Isaac his son, and he went a journey of two days. On the third day, the young men left below with the ass, and the wood and fire taken, he alone with his son ascended the mountain; and when the son had consented to his own death, and the father, the sword drawn, was now about to sacrifice the son, the Angel, crying out, forbade him to kill the boy. And when after the kingdom he looked back, he saw a ram clinging by its horns among the brambles, and seizing it he sacrificed it. And then the Lord is believed to have revealed to him the redemption of the whole human race to be made through the Passion of the most beloved Son Jesus Christ, over which redemption he exulted beyond what can be said.
Et nota, quod Abraham interpretatur pater multarum, et subintelligitur Gentium, et signat Deum patrem, qui per creationem pater est totius generis humani. Isaac interpretatur risus vel gaudium, et figurat Jesum Christum, qui risum fecit matri suae in nativitate; quia ipsa eum peperit absque dolore. Quando etiam natus fuit, gaudium fuit Angelis, suscitatum ab Angelis etiam tunc gaudium fuit pastoribus, imo omni fideli populo nuntiatum.
Nota etiam, quod sicut tradunt Hebraei, in monte Moria postea a Salomone templum factum fuit, et in eodem loco, ubi Abraham aram erexerat, altare fuit constitutum.
1. Tunc igitur verus Abraham in montem Moriam ascendit immolare filium suum, quando Deus Pater Judaeis et Gentibus potestatem permissive dedit, ut filium suum unigenitum Jesum Christum in monte Calvariae, qui erat conterminus civitati Jerosolymitanae, crucifigerent.
2. In hoc autem, quod filius non fuit laesus, sed aries immolatus, notatur quod non fuit passa divinitas, sed anima et caro Christi, quae quodammodo inter vepres haesit: quia licet non esset peccatrix, tamen videbatur similis carni peccatrici.
3. Vepres enim vel spinae signant aculeos peccatorum: signant etiam punctiones poenalitatum, in quibus Virginis Filius secundum carnem verissime haesit, quamdiu in hoc saeculo antequam crucifigeretur, vixit.
III.
De tertio nota, quod a nobis, qui diem Passionis Jesu Christi, et redemptionis humanae expressus vidimus, quam viderint Patriarchae, tria specialiter requiruntur. Primum est, ut ab illis vitiis, pro quibus diluendis passus est Dei Filius, caveamus. Secundum est, ut ei jugiter gratias agamus. Tertium est, ut ei etiam vices bonorum operum rependamus.
Et nota, quod quatuor fuerunt peccata Adam et Evae, videlicet 1. Inobedientia, qua praecepta Dei non servaverunt. 2. Superbia, qua similitudinem Dei perperam appetierunt. 3. Avaritia, qua boni et mali scientiam sitierunt. 4. Gula, qua de fructu vetito gustaverunt.
And note that Abraham is interpreted father of many, and of the Gentiles is understood, and he signifies God the Father, who by creation is father of the whole human race. Isaac is interpreted laughter or joy, and he figures Jesus Christ, who made laughter for his mother in his birth, because she bore him without pain. Also when he was born, there was joy for the Angels; joy was then also stirred up by the Angels for the shepherds, indeed announced to every faithful people.
Note also that, as the Hebrews hand down, on Mount Moriah afterward the temple was made by Solomon, and in the same place where Abraham had raised an altar, an altar was established.
1. Therefore then the true Abraham ascended Mount Moriah to sacrifice his son, when God the Father gave to Jews and Gentiles power permissively, so that they might crucify his only-begotten son Jesus Christ on Mount Calvary, which was bordering on the city of Jerusalem.
2. But in this, that the son was not harmed, but the ram was sacrificed, it is noted that the divinity did not suffer, but the soul and flesh of Christ, which in a certain manner clung among the brambles, because although it was not sinful, nevertheless it seemed like the flesh of sin.
3. For brambles or thorns signify the stings of sins; they also signify the punctures of penalties, in which the Son of the Virgin according to the flesh most truly clung, as long as he lived in this age before he was crucified.
III.
Concerning the third, note that from us, who have seen expressly the day of the Passion of Jesus Christ and of human redemption, which the Patriarchs saw, three things are especially required. The first is that we beware of those vices for the washing away of which the Son of God suffered. The second is that we give thanks to him continually. The third is that we also repay to him the returns of good works.
And note that there were four sins of Adam and Eve, namely 1. Disobedience, by which they did not keep the precepts of God. 2. Pride, by which they wrongly sought the likeness of God. 3. Avarice, by which they thirsted for knowledge of good and evil. 4. Gluttony, by which they tasted of the forbidden fruit.
Unde ab his quatuor praedictis cavere debemus, quia sunt radices et originalia omnium peccatorum.
1. Contra inobedientiam loquitur Dominus Luc. XVIII, 17: Amen dico vobis: Quicumque non accepit regnum Dei sicut puer, non intrabit in illud. Quasi dicat: Sicut bonus puer obedit patri et matri, obedit etiam magistro suo; sic quilibet Christianus debet obedire mihi; debet etiam obedire plebano suo in omni salutari mandato, alioquin non intrabit in regnum meum.
2. Contra superbiam dicit Dominus Luc. XIV, 11: Omnis qui se exaltat, humiliabitur, etc. Eadem verba dicit Luc. XVIII, 14. Legitur etiam Luc. X, 17 et 18, quod cum Discipuli dixissent: Domine, etiam daemonia subjiciuntur nobis in nomine tuo. Respondit illis: Videbam satanam sicut fulgur de caelo cadentem. Quasi dicat: Cavete vobis a vana gloria, ne a gratia et gloria sicut satanas excidatis.
3. Contra avaritiam dicit Luc. XII, 15: Videte, et cavete ab omni avaritia: quia non in abundantia cujusquam vita ejus est ab his quae possidet.
4. Contra gulam ait Luc. XXI, 34: Attendite vobis, ne forte graventur corda vestra in crapula, et ebrietate, et curis hujus vitae: et superveniat in vos repentina dies illa.
Item gratias agere debemus Domino pro eo, quod nobis sanguinem suum fudit: unde Sacerdos quotidie dicit in Missa: "Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro," et respondetur ei: "Dignum et justum est." Unde legitur Apoc. V, 9, quod exercitus caeli magnificas gratias egit Agno, quoniam occisus erat, et redemerat eos Deo in sanguine suo.
Tertio requiritur a nobis, quod Filio Dei etiam vices bonorum operum rependamus, quia per sanguinem suum redempti sumus. Unde I Petr. II, 21: Christus passus est pro nobis, vobis relinquens exemplum, ut sequamini vestigia ejus. Consequemur vestigia ejus, si corde, ore, et opere, et rebus nostris, sanguini suo fideliter serviamus.
Quod nobis praestare dignetur, etc.
Hence we ought to beware of these four aforesaid things, because they are the roots and origins of all sins.
1. Against disobedience the Lord speaks in Luke XVIII, 17: Amen I say to you: Whoever has not received the kingdom of God like a child will not enter into it. As though he said: As a good child obeys father and mother and also obeys his teacher, so any Christian ought to obey me; he also ought to obey his parish priest in every saving command, otherwise he will not enter into my kingdom.
2. Against pride the Lord says in Luke XIV, 11: Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, etc. He says the same words in Luke XVIII, 14. It is also read in Luke X, 17 and 18, that when the Disciples had said: Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name. He answered them: I saw Satan falling like lightning from heaven. As though he said: Beware for yourselves of vain glory, lest you fall away from grace and glory as Satan did.
3. Against avarice he says in Luke XII, 15: See, and beware of all avarice, because one's life is not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.
4. Against gluttony he says in Luke XXI, 34: Pay attention to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be weighed down in dissipation and drunkenness and the cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly.
Likewise we ought to give thanks to the Lord for this, that he poured out his blood for us; hence the Priest daily says in the Mass: "Let us give thanks to the Lord our God," and it is answered to him: "It is worthy and just." Hence it is read in Apocalypse V, 9, that the host of heaven gave magnificent thanks to the Lamb, because he had been slain and had redeemed them to God in his blood.
Third, it is required from us that we also repay to the Son of God the returns of good works, because we have been redeemed through his blood. Hence I Peter II, 21: Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you may follow his footsteps. We shall follow his footsteps if with heart, mouth, and work, and with our possessions, we faithfully serve his blood.
May he deign to grant this to us, etc.
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