Works › Sermons for the Seasons of the Year
Volume 13 · p. 217
Sermon LV, Conclusion
immunditias verbis commisit et factis? et similiter de omnibus aliis peccatis et criminibus dici potest.
III.
De tertio nota, quod cujusdam Lazari mentio hic habetur, qui per grave flagellum magnum praemium est consecutus. Tria etiam circa hunc Lazarum sunt notanda. Primum est, in quibus etiam flagellum attendatur. Secundum est, in quibus virtus ejus perpendatur. Tertium est, in quibus praemium ejus cognoscatur.
1. Flagellum Lazari attenditur in quinque. Primum est, quod gravi mendicitate premebatur. Unde legitur 1: Et erat quidam mendicus, nomine Lazarus. Secundum, quod infirmitate saevissima torquebatur. Unde sequitur: Qui jacebat ad januam ejus, ulceribus plenus: ita enim infirmus fuit ulcerosus, quod nec stare poterat nec sedere, sed quod oportuit eum cum dolore jacere. Tertium est, quod opulentiam intuebatur. Unde dicitur quod jacebat ante januam. Ex hoc enim quod quotidie vidit fercula divitis, magis eum angebat sua paupertas. Quartum est, quod magno aestu famis angebatur. Unde sequitur: Cupiens saturari de micis, quae cadebant de mensa divitis, et nemo illi dabat. Ita enim famelicus fuit, quod nisi semel cupiebat saturari de contemptibilibus micis quae de mensa inter canes cadebant; sed tamen ille immisericors dives ita immisericordes servos habebat, quod nec micas pauperi dabant. Quintum est, quod acutam linguam canum patiebatur. Unde sequitur: Sed et canes veniebant, et lingebant ulcera ejus. Nullus enim erat qui depelleret eos. Et certe acuta lingua canum dolorem faciebat illi pauperi.
2. Virtus Lazari ex hoc potest perpendi, quod non legitur blasphemasse, nec contra Deum murmurasse, sed ipsius flagellum in patientia tolerasse. Si qua enim ei eleemosyna dabatur, non legitur eum vendidisse, et denarios in suis peccatis vestibus consuisse, sicut quidam mendicantes facere consueverunt.
3. Praemium Lazari notatur ibi (Luc. XVI, 22), ubi dicitur: Factum est autem ut moreretur mendicus, et portaretur ab Angelis in sinum Abrahae. Nota, quod sinus Abrahae est sinus Dei Patris, in quem Lazarus et quilibet beati pauperes ab Angelis deportati, quintuplex accipiunt praemium.
1. Ibi enim abstersa omni lacryma feliciter consolantur. 2. Ibi gloriosis vestimentis adornantur. 3. Ibi divinis ferculis recreantur. 4. Ibi corona gloriae coronantur. 5. Ibi in grata quiete jugiter collaetantur. Haec enim quinque mater charo puero exhibet in sinu suo. Accipiens enim eum super sinum suum, lacrymas ejus abstergit, vestit, et cibat, et etiam sertum capiti suo imponit, cumque in sinu suo dormire facit.
Rogate ergo Dominum, ut si divites estis, sic in divitiis pauperum misereamini; si vero pauperes, sic paupertatem vestram laeto animo patiamini, ut in sinum Dei Patris post hanc vitam deportari mereamini. Amen.
uncleannesses in words and deeds? and similarly it can be said concerning all other sins and crimes.
III.
Concerning the third, note that mention is made here of a certain Lazarus, who through a grave scourge obtained a great reward. Three things also are to be noted concerning this Lazarus. The first is in what things the scourge is observed. The second is in what things his virtue is weighed. The third is in what things his reward is known.
1. The scourge of Lazarus is observed in five things. The first is that he was oppressed by grave beggary. Hence it is read 1: And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus. The second, that he was tormented by a most savage infirmity. Hence it follows: Who lay at his gate, full of ulcers; for he was so infirm and ulcerous that he could neither stand nor sit, but it was necessary for him to lie with pain. The third is that he looked upon opulence. Hence it is said that he lay before the gate. For from this, that daily he saw the dishes of the rich man, his poverty distressed him more. The fourth is that he was distressed by a great heat of hunger. Hence it follows: Desiring to be filled from the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table, and no one gave to him. For he was so famished that he desired to be filled even once from the contemptible crumbs which fell from the table among the dogs; but nevertheless that merciless rich man had such merciless servants that they did not give even crumbs to the poor man. The fifth is that he suffered the sharp tongue of dogs. Hence it follows: But the dogs also came and licked his ulcers. For there was no one who would drive them away. And certainly the sharp tongue of dogs made pain for that poor man.
2. The virtue of Lazarus can be weighed from this, that he is not read to have blasphemed, nor to have murmured against God, but to have endured his scourge in patience. For if any alms were given to him, he is not read to have sold it and sewn the coins in his sinful garments, as certain beggars are accustomed to do.
3. The reward of Lazarus is noted there (Luke XVI, 22), where it is said: But it happened that the beggar died, and was carried by Angels into the bosom of Abraham. Note that the bosom of Abraham is the bosom of God the Father, into which Lazarus and any blessed poor persons, carried by Angels, receive a fivefold reward.
1. There, every tear having been wiped away, they are happily consoled. 2. There they are adorned with glorious garments. 3. There they are refreshed with divine dishes. 4. There they are crowned with the crown of glory. 5. There they continually rejoice together in pleasing quiet. For a mother offers these five things to a dear boy in her lap. For receiving him upon her lap, she wipes away his tears, clothes and feeds him, and also places a garland on his head, and makes him sleep in her lap.
Therefore pray to the Lord that if you are rich, you may so have mercy on the poor in riches; but if you are poor, you may so endure your poverty with a joyful mind, that after this life you may deserve to be carried into the bosom of God the Father. Amen.
Notes
- Luke XVI, 20 and 21. (Luc. XVI, 20 et 21.) ↩
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