Works › Sermons for the Seasons of the Year
Volume 13 · pp. 289–291
Sermon LXXV. On the Twenty-First Sunday After Trinity
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SERMO LXXV.
IN DOMINICA XXI POST TRINITATEM.
Domine, descende prius quam moriatur filius meus. Joan. IV, 49.
In praesenti Evangelio tria principaliter sunt notanda:
I. Quid per regulum qui accessit ad Dominum rogaturus, intelligatur? II. Quid significetur per filium reguli qui apud Capharnaum infirmatur? III. Quid per horam septimam in qua filius reguli convaluit, exprimatur?
I.
De primo nota, quod per regulum quilibet homo intelligitur. Quilibet enim homo sub illo magno et aeterno Rege caelorum quasi quidam regulus existit. Suscepit quippe de manu Domini regnum cordis et quinque sensuum suorum gubernandum. Cor namque, et quinque sensus hominum sunt quasi sex civitates. Populus harum civitatum sunt cogitationes, locutiones, et operationes.
Iste regulus ut bene regat regnum suum, jugiter sedere debet in solio judicii, ut continuo discutiat, si cogitationes, locutiones, ac operationes suae dignae sint caelesti praemio, vel infernali supplicio: ut sic ea, quae digna sunt supplicio, proscribat, et abjiciat: illa vero, quae caelesti praemio digna sunt, amplectatur et foveat. Unde dicitur Proverb. XX, 8: Rex, qui sedet in solio judicii, dissipat omne malum intuitu suo. Intuitu videlicet judiciariae discussionis.
II.
De secundo nota, quod per filium reguli ipsa anima, vel spiritus hominis intelligitur: quem filium apud Capharnaum infirmari contingit. Capharnaum quippe interpretatur ager pinguedinis, vel villa consolationis, et significat abundantiam saecularem, et voluptatem carnalem. Abundantia namque saecularis, et voluptas carnalis saepissime sunt occasio et causa quod anima vel spiritus hominis infirmatur infirmitate peccati.
Quod abundantia saecularis nociva sit animae sive spiritui, per hoc manifeste probatur, quod sapiens sic orat ad Dominum, Proverb. XXX, 8 et 9: Divitias ne dederis mihi: tribue tantum victui meo necessaria: ne forte satiatus illiciar ad negandum, et dicam: Quis est Dominus? Divites ergo hujus mundi incidunt in vanitatem cordis, et oblivionem Dei. Et certe haec est infirmitas maxima: dicit enim aliquis abundans in hoc saeculo: Dives sum, et locupletatus, et nullius egeo: et nescis, quia tu es miser, et miserabilis, et pauper, et caecus, et nudus, sicut dicitur Apoc. III, 17.
Voluptas etiam carnalis saepe facit animam sive spiritum infirmari per peccatum maxime luxuriae. Unde dicitur in Psal. LXXII, 7: Prodiit quasi ex adipe iniquitas eorum, id est, luxuria eorum provenit ex voluptate et satietate corporali. Unde dicitur Deuteron. XXXII, 15: Incrassatus, impinguatus, dilatatus, dereliquit Deum factorem suum, et recessit a Deo salutari suo. Multi ergo per satietatem corporalem recedunt a Deo salutari, et adhaerent immundae fornicatrici, sed certe finis eorum est interitus sempiternus 1.
SERMON LXXV.
ON THE TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.
Lord, come down before my son dies. John IV, 49.
In the present Gospel three things are principally to be noted:
I. What is understood by the little ruler who came to the Lord to ask? II. What is signified by the son of the little ruler who is sick at Capharnaum? III. What is expressed by the seventh hour in which the son of the little ruler recovered?
I.
Concerning the first, note that by the little ruler any human being is understood. For any human being exists under that great and eternal King of the heavens as a certain little ruler. For he received from the hand of the Lord the kingdom of his heart and of his five senses to govern. For the heart and the five senses of human beings are as it were six cities. The people of these cities are thoughts, speeches, and operations.
In order that this little ruler may rule his kingdom well, he ought continually to sit on the throne of judgment, so that he continually discusses whether his thoughts, speeches, and operations are worthy of heavenly reward or infernal punishment, so that thus those things that are worthy of punishment he proscribes and casts away, but those things that are worthy of heavenly reward he embraces and cherishes. Hence it is said in Proverbs XX, 8: The king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters every evil by his gaze, namely by the gaze of judicial discussion.
II.
Concerning the second, note that by the son of the little ruler the very soul or spirit of a human being is understood, which son happens to be sick at Capharnaum. For Capharnaum is interpreted field of fatness or town of consolation, and signifies worldly abundance and fleshly pleasure. For worldly abundance and fleshly pleasure very often are the occasion and cause that the soul or spirit of a human being is sick with the sickness of sin.
That worldly abundance is harmful to the soul or spirit is proved manifestly by this, that the wise man thus prays to the Lord, Proverbs XXX, 8 and 9: Do not give me riches; grant only the things necessary for my food, lest perhaps, being filled, I be enticed to deny and say: Who is the Lord? Therefore the rich of this world fall into vanity of heart and forgetfulness of God. And certainly this is the greatest sickness; for someone abundant in this age says: I am rich and made wealthy, and I need nothing; and you do not know that you are miserable and pitiable and poor and blind and naked, as is said in Revelation III, 17.
Fleshly pleasure also often makes the soul or spirit sick through sin, especially of lust. Hence it is said in Psalm LXXII, 7: Their iniquity came forth as if from fatness, that is, their lust comes from bodily pleasure and fullness. Hence it is said in Deuteronomy XXXII, 15: Being made fat, fattened, enlarged, he abandoned God his maker, and withdrew from God his salvation. Therefore many through bodily fullness withdraw from God their salvation and cling to the unclean fornicator; but certainly their end is everlasting destruction 1.
Igitur quicumque intellexerit per gemitum et remorsum conscientiae animam suam sive spiritum per qualecumque peccatum infirmari, necesse habet ut pedibus desideriorum, et affectuum vadat ad Jesum, ac supplices preces fundat ad ipsum, sic inquiens: Domine, descende prius quam moriatur filius meus. Quasi diceret: O Domine, scio, quia tibi proprium est "misereri semper et parcere:" descende igitur per compassionem et misericordiam, et sana animam meam, quae graviter infirmatur, priusquam morte moriatur aeterna.
III.
De tertio nota, quod ad curationem seu sanationem spiritus sive animae per peccatum infirmatae, septem horae requiruntur. Prima hora est, quod homo recognoscat quod a Deo sit creatus. Secunda est, quod etiam sciat ad quid sit creatus. Tertia est, quod recolat quae mandata a suo Creatore acceperit. Quarta est, ut videat si contra aliquod mandatum peccaverit. Quinta est, ut peccata utpote vilia detestetur. Sexta est, ut futuri judicii attente memoretur. Septima est, ut pro peccatis suis intime doleat, et conteratur.
1. Prima itaque hora est, quae requiritur ad curationem, ut videlicet homo recognoscat, a quo sit creatus. Jumento enim similis est homo, qui non agnoscit Creatorem suum. Quis autem nos creaverit, ostendit Psal. XCIX, 3, ita dicens: Scitote quoniam Dominus ipse est Deus: ipse fecit nos, et non ipsi nos. Improperat Deus peccatori, quod oblitus sit sui ita, Deuter. XXXII, 18: Deum qui te genuit, dereliquisti, et oblitus es Domini creatoris tui.
2. Hoc igitur qui attendit a quo sit creatus, debet etiam scire ad quid sit creatus: et haec est secunda hora. Creatus autem est homo ad hoc, ut serviat Creatori suo. Hinc dicitur Deut. X, 12: Israel, quid Dominus Deus tuus petit a te, nisi ut timeas Dominum Deum tuum, et ambules in viis ejus, et diligas eum, ac servias Domino Deo in toto corde tuo, et in tota anima tua?
3. Ut vero homo competentius possit servire Creatori suo, oportet ut recolat quae praecepta a Domino creatore suo recepit: et haec est tertia hora. De praeceptis autem Dominicis dicit Deut. IV, 39 et 40: Scito, et cogitato in corde tuo quod Dominus ipse sit Deus in caelo sursum, et in terra deorsum, et non sit alius. Custodi praecepta ejus atque mandata: ut bene sit tibi, et filiis tuis post te, et permaneas multo tempore super terram, quam Dominus Deus tuus daturus est tibi. Sequitur in quinto capitulo, 7 et seq.: Non habebis deos alienos in conspectu meo.... Ego enim sum Dominus Deus tuus. Non usurpabis nomen Domini Dei frustra, vel in vanum: quia non erit impunitus, qui super re vana nomen ejus assumpserit. Observa diem sabbati, ut sanctifices eum. Non facies in eo quidquam operis. Honora patrem tuum et matrem, ut longo vivas tempore, et bene sit tibi in terra, quam Dominus Deus tuus daturus est tibi. Non occides. Neque moechaberis. Furtumque non facies. Non loqueris contra proximum tuum falsum testimonium. Non concupisces uxorem proximi tui; non domum, non agrum, non servum, etc. et universa quae illius sunt. Ecce decem praecepta Domini, quae quilibet servare tenetur.
Therefore whoever has understood through groaning and remorse of conscience that his soul or spirit is sick through any sin whatsoever must necessarily go to Jesus with the feet of desires and affections, and pour out suppliant prayers to him, saying thus: Lord, come down before my son dies. As if he were saying: O Lord, I know that it is proper to you "always to have mercy and to spare"; therefore descend through compassion and mercy, and heal my soul, which is gravely sick, before it dies by eternal death.
III.
Concerning the third, note that for the curing or healing of the spirit or soul made sick through sin, seven hours are required. The first hour is that a human being recognize that he has been created by God. The second is that he also know for what he has been created. The third is that he recall what commands he has received from his Creator. The fourth is that he see whether he has sinned against any commandment. The fifth is that he detest sins as vile. The sixth is that he attentively remember the future judgment. The seventh is that he grieve inwardly and be crushed for his sins.
1. Therefore the first hour required for curing is that, namely, a human being recognize by whom he has been created. For a human being who does not acknowledge his Creator is like a beast of burden. But who created us Psalm XCIX, 3 shows, saying thus: Know that the Lord himself is God; he made us, and not we ourselves. God reproaches the sinner because he has forgotten him thus, Deuteronomy XXXII, 18: You abandoned God who begot you, and you forgot the Lord your creator.
2. Therefore he who attends to this, by whom he has been created, ought also to know for what he has been created; and this is the second hour. But the human being has been created for this, that he may serve his Creator. Hence Deuteronomy X, 12 says: Israel, what does the Lord your God ask from you, except that you fear the Lord your God, and walk in his ways, and love him, and serve the Lord God in your whole heart and in your whole soul?
3. But so that a human being may more fittingly serve his Creator, it is fitting that he recall what precepts he received from the Lord his creator; and this is the third hour. Concerning the Lord's precepts Deuteronomy IV, 39 and 40 says: Know and think in your heart that the Lord himself is God in heaven above and on earth below, and there is no other. Keep his precepts and commandments, so that it may be well for you and for your sons after you, and that you may remain for a long time upon the land that the Lord your God is about to give you. It follows in the fifth chapter, 7 and following: You shall not have strange gods in my sight.... For I am the Lord your God. You shall not usurp the name of the Lord God in vain or for nothing, because he will not be unpunished who has taken his name concerning an empty thing. Observe the sabbath day, that you sanctify it. You shall do no work on it. Honor your father and mother, that you may live a long time, and that it may be well for you in the land which the Lord your God is about to give you. You shall not kill. Nor shall you commit adultery. And you shall not commit theft. You shall not speak false testimony against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife; not house, not field, not servant, etc., and all things that are his. Behold the ten precepts of the Lord, which anyone is bound to keep.
4. Qui vero praecepta Dei accepit, debet attendere, si contra aliquod illorum peccaverit: et haec est quarta hora. Debet enim homo sollicite apud semetipsum conferre de observantia mandatorum Dei, et studiose perscrutari tenetur, si contra aliquod illorum deliquerit. Quicumque enim offendit in uno, factus est omnium reus. Propter quod dicit Jacob. II, 10: Quicumque totam legem servaverit, offendat autem in uno, factus est omnium reus.
5. Si vero invenerit homo se contra mandata Dei peccasse, debet etiam peccati vilitatem considerare, ut peccatum eo fortius detestetur: et haec est quinta hora. Omnibus enim sordibus vilius est peccatum. Unde dicit Seneca Philosophus: "Si scirem deos ignoscituros, homines autem ignoraturos, adeo vile est peccatum, quod peccatum dedignarer."
6. Qui igitur vilitatem peccati considerat, debet etiam strictissimi judicii memorari: et haec est sexta hora. Apud quem enim tunc peccati vilitas inventa fuerit, inaestimabiliter confundetur. De hac conversione dicit Jerem. II, 26: Quomodo confunditur fur quando deprehenditur, sic confusi sunt domus Israel, id est, mali Christiani.
7. Qui igitur districtissimi judicii recordatus fuerit cum effectu, necesse est ut pro peccatis suis, et gravissima Dei offensione doleat, ac acriter conteratur; et haec est hora septima, in qua aeternae salutis anima, quae colebat vilitatem peccatorum, de caetero contritionem eorum plenarie habeat. De hac hora dicitur Joan. IV, 52, in hodierno Evangelio: Heri hora septima reliquit eum febris, videlicet avaritiae, et luxuriae. Per avaritiam quippe filius hominis, id est, anima sive spiritus ejus frigus patitur inordinatum. Per luxuriam etiam calore exardescit inordinato. Qui autem vere contritus fuerit, relinquit eum ista febris. Contritio vero, ut plenum virtutis suae consequatur effectum, debet habere duos comites, videlicet purissimam confessionem, et voluntariam satisfactionem.
Rogate ergo, charissimi, Dominum, ut sic pro peccatis nostris conteramur, ut vitam aeternam assequi mereamur. Quod nobis praestare, etc.
4. But he who has received the precepts of God ought to attend whether he has sinned against any of them; and this is the fourth hour. For a human being ought solicitously to confer with himself concerning the observance of the commandments of God, and he is bound studiously to search whether he has offended against any of them. For whoever offends in one has been made guilty of all. Because of this James II, 10 says: Whoever has kept the whole law, but offends in one thing, has been made guilty of all.
5. But if a human being has found that he has sinned against the commandments of God, he ought also to consider the vileness of sin, so that he may detest sin more strongly; and this is the fifth hour. For sin is viler than all filths. Hence Seneca the Philosopher says: "If I knew that the gods would forgive and human beings would not know, sin is so vile that I would disdain to sin."
6. Therefore he who considers the vileness of sin ought also to remember the strictest judgment; and this is the sixth hour. For he in whom the vileness of sin will then have been found will be confounded inestimably. Concerning this conversion Jeremiah II, 26 says: As a thief is confounded when he is caught, so the house of Israel, that is, bad Christians, have been confounded.
7. Therefore he who has remembered the strictest judgment with effect must necessarily grieve and be sharply crushed for his sins and for the most grave offense against God; and this is the seventh hour, in which the soul of eternal salvation, which was cherishing the vileness of sins, thereafter has contrition for them fully. Concerning this hour it is said in John IV, 52, in today's Gospel: Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him, namely of avarice and lust. For through avarice the son of man, that is, his soul or spirit, suffers disordered cold. Through lust also it grows hot with disordered heat. But if someone has been truly contrite, that fever leaves him. But contrition, so that it may obtain the full effect of its power, ought to have two companions, namely most pure confession and voluntary satisfaction.
Therefore ask the Lord, dearest ones, that we may be so crushed for our sins, that we may deserve to obtain eternal life. May he grant this to us, etc.
Notes
- To the Philippians I, 19. (Ad Philip. I, 19.) ↩
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