Migne Reading Room
PL 38 · cols. 1179–1185
Augustine, Sermones 253-255 (Classis II, de Tempore)
Sermons CCLIII–CCLIV
SERMO CCLIII. In diebus Paschalibus XXIV. De ultima lectione Evangelii Joannis, cap. XXI, ℣. 15-25.
Sermon 253. On the Days of Easter, 24. On the last reading of the Gospel of John, chapter 21, verses 15-25.
CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Petrus ob trinam negationem, ter interrogatus de sua dilectione. Evangelium sancti Joannis apostoli, quod dicitur secundum Joannem, hodie terminatum est, de his quae narravit quomodo apparuerit Dominus post resurrectionem discipulis suis. Compellavit ergo apostolum Petrum, illum praesumptorem et negatorem, cum loqueretur ei jam vivus morte devicta, et dicebat: Simon Joannis (sic enim appellabatur Petrus), amas me? Respondebat ille quod erat in corde ipsius. Si Petrus respondebat quod in
Chapter I. — 1. Peter, because of his threefold denial, is questioned three times about his love. The Gospel of the holy apostle John, which is called "according to John", was finished today, concerning the things he narrated about how the Lord appeared to His disciples after the resurrection. He addressed, then, the apostle Peter, that presumer and denier, when He was speaking to him, now alive with death conquered, and He said: Simon of John (for so Peter was called), do you love Me? He answered what was in his heart. If Peter answered what in
Editors' notes and page, col. 1179
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: discipulis suis› · call in col 1179
Sermonis hujus initium sic se habet apud Er. Lugd. Ven. Lov.: Hodie terminatum est de his quae narravit Joannes, quomodo apparuerit Dominus post resurrectionem discipulis suis. M.
In Er., Lugd., Ven. and Lov. the beginning of this sermon reads thus: Today was finished what John related, how the Lord appeared to His disciples after the resurrection. M.
(*) ‹anchor: SERMO CCLIII› · call in col 1179 Emendatus ad f. r. t. v. et ad Am. Er. Par. Lov.
Corrected against f. r. t. v. and against Am., Er., Par., Lov.
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(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CCLIII› · call in col 1179
Alias, de Tempore 149.
Formerly, On the Season 149.
(printed under page 596)
(b) ‹anchor: In diebus Paschalibus› · call in col 1179
In vetere Floriacensi codice praenotatur, « Habitus die sabbato. » Eidem diei in manuscriptis assignatur, qui in eamdem lectionem compositus est sermo supra 147. Ad quem etiam diem pertinet forte ejusdem argumenti sermo 146.
In the old Fleury manuscript it is headed, "Delivered on the Saturday." To the same day the manuscripts assign sermon 147 above, which was composed on the same reading. To that day perhaps also belongs sermon 146, on the same subject.
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corde habebat; Dominus quare quaerebat, qui cor videbat? Denique ipse etiam Petrus mirabatur, et cum quodam taedio audiebat quaerentem, quem novera⟨t⟩ scientem. Semel dictum est: Amas me? Responsum est: Diligo te, Domine, tu scis. Et iterum: Amas me? Domine, tu omnia nosti; tu scis quia diligo te. Et tertio, Amas me? Contristatus est Petrus. Quid contristaris, Petre, quia ter respondes amorem? Oblitus es trinum timorem? Sine interroget te Dominus: medicus est qui te interrogat, ad sanitatem pertinet quod interrogat. Noli taedio affici. Exspecta, impleatur numerus dilectionis, ut deleat numerum negationis.
his heart he had; why did the Lord ask, Who saw the heart? Indeed Peter himself also wondered, and with a certain weariness heard Him asking Whom he knew to know already. Once it was said: Do you love Me? The answer was: I love You, Lord, You know. And again: Do you love Me? Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You. And a third time, Do you love Me? Peter was saddened. Why are you saddened, Peter, because three times you answer with love? Have you forgotten your threefold fear? Let the Lord question you: it is a physician Who questions you, what He asks pertains to your healing. Do not be overcome by weariness. Wait, let the number of love be filled up, so that it may blot out the number of denial.
2. Dilectionem Christus postulat sibi erga oves suas impendi. Ubique tamen, ubique, id est, in ipso ternario numero interrogationis suae Dominus Jesus respondenti amorem commendat agnos suos, et dicit, Pasce agnos meos, pasce oves meas: tanquam diceret, Quid mihi retribuis, quia diligis me? Dilectionem tuam ostende in ovibus meis. Quid mihi praestas, quia diligis me; quando ego tibi praestiti, ut diligeres me? Sed dilectionem tuam erga me, habes ubi ostendas, habes ubi exerceas: pasce agnos meos.
2. Christ demands that the love towards Him be spent on His sheep. Yet everywhere, everywhere, that is, in the very threefold number of His questioning, the Lord Jesus commends His lambs to the one answering with love, and says, Feed My lambs, feed My sheep: as if He were saying, What do you give back to Me, because you love Me? Show your love in My sheep. What do you bestow on Me, because you love Me, when it was I Who bestowed on you that you should love Me? But your love towards Me, you have where to show it, you have where to exercise it: feed My lambs.
CAPUT II. — Qualiter autem essent pascendi agni dominici, oves tanto pretio comparatae quanta essent dilectione pascendae, in consequentibus demonstravit. Postquam enim Petrus impleto legitimo numero trinae responsionis professus est se esse Domini dilectorem, commendatis sibi ovibus ejus, audit de sua futura passione. Hic demonstravit Dominus, sic diligendas oves suas ab eis quibus eas commendat, ut parati sint mori pro eis. Sic idem Joannes in Epistola sua ait: Sicut pro nobis Christus animam suam posuit, sic et nos debemus pro fratribus animas ponere (I Joan. III, 16).
Chapter II. — But how the Lord's lambs were to be fed, with how great a love the sheep bought at so great a price were to be fed, He showed in what follows. For after Peter, having filled up the due number of a threefold answer, had professed himself to be a lover of the Lord, His sheep having been commended to him, he hears of his own future passion. Here the Lord showed that His sheep are to be loved by those to whom He commends them in such a way that they be ready to die for them. So the same John says in his Epistle: As Christ laid down His life for us, so we too ought to lay down our lives for the brethren (1 John 3:16).
3. Petrus de se ante infirmus, nunc ex gratia Christi maturus ad passionem. Responderat ergo Domino Petrus per superbam quamdam praesumptionem, quando ei dixerat, Animam meam pro te ponam. Nondum acceperat vires, quibus impleret promissum. Modo jam ut possit hoc facere, impletur charitate. Ideo ei dicitur, Amas me? Et respondet, Amo: quia hoc non implet nisi charitas. Quid est ergo, Petre? quando negasti, quid timuisti? Totum quod timuisti, hoc erat, mori. Vivus tecum loquitur, quem mortuum vidisti: noli jam timere mortem; in illo victa est, quam timebas. Pependit in cruce, confixus est clavis, spiritum reddidit, lancea percussus est, in sepulcro positus. Hoc timuisti, quando negasti; ne hoc patereris, timuisti; et mortem timendo, vitam negasti. Modo intellige: quando timuisti mori, tunc es mortuus. Mortuus est enim negando: sed resurrexit plorando. Quid deinde ait illi? Sequere me: sciens ejus maturitatem. Si enim meministis, imo quia meminerunt qui legerunt; commemorentur etiam qui non meminerunt, aut cognoscant qui non legerunt. Dixerat Petrus: Sequar te quocumque ieris. Et Dominus ad illum: Non potes me sequi modo: sequeris autem postea (Joan. XIII,
3. Peter, weak before when relying on himself, now through the grace of Christ ripe for the passion. Peter, then, had answered the Lord through a certain proud presumption when he had said to Him, I will lay down my life for You. He had not yet received the strength by which to fulfil the promise. Now, so that he may be able to do this, he is filled with charity. Therefore it is said to him, Do you love Me? And he answers, I love: because nothing but charity fulfils this. What is it, then, Peter? When you denied, what did you fear? All that you feared was this: to die. He Whom you saw dead speaks with you alive: do not fear death any longer; in Him the death you feared has been conquered. He hung on the cross, He was fastened with nails, He gave up the spirit, He was pierced with a lance, He was laid in the tomb. This you feared when you denied; you feared lest you should suffer this; and by fearing death, you denied the Life. Understand now: when you feared to die, then you died. For he died by denying, but he rose again by weeping. What does He then say to him? Follow Me: knowing his ripeness. For if you remember, or rather, since those who have read it remember; let those also who do not remember be reminded, or those who have not read it learn. Peter had said: I will follow You wherever You go. And the Lord to him: You cannot follow Me now, but you will follow afterwards (John 13:
Editors' notes and page, col. 1180
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Editi, vita est. At manuscripti, victa est. Et mox ex iis nonnulli, quem timebas mori.
The printed editions have vita est ("is life"). But the manuscripts have victa est ("is conquered"). And just after, some of them have quem timebas mori ("which you feared to die").
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37, 36). Modo, inquit, non potes: promittis, sed ego video vires tuas. Ego venam cordis inspicio, et quod verum est aegroto renuntio. Non potes me sequi modo. Sed ista medici renuntiatio, non est desperatio: adjunxit, et ait, Sequeris autem postea. Eris sanus, et sequeris me. Jam quia videt quid agatur in corde ipsius, et videt quod donum dederit dilectionis animae ipsius, dicit ei: Sequere me. Ego certe dixeram, Non potes modo: ego modo dico, Sequere me.
37, 36). "Now," He says, "you cannot": you promise, but I see your strength. I examine the vein of the heart, and I report to the sick man what is true. You cannot follow Me now. But this report of the physician is not despair: He added, and said, But you will follow afterwards. You will be healed, and you will follow Me. Now, because He sees what is happening in his heart, and sees what gift of love He has given to his soul, He says to him: Follow Me. I certainly had said, You cannot now: now I say, Follow Me.
CAPUT III. — 4. Quaestio de verbis Domini, quomodo velit manere Joannem donec veniat. Sed nata est quaedam quaestio non omittenda. Cum dixisset Dominus Petro, Sequere me: respexit Petrus ad discipulum quem diligebat Jesus, id est, ad ipsum Joannem, qui Evangelium hoc scripsit; et ait Domino, Domine, iste quid? Scio quia diligis eum, quomodo ego sequor, et ipse non sequitur? Ait Dominus: Sic eum volo man⟨e⟩re, donec veniam: tu me sequere. Ipse vero Evangelista, ipse qui scripsit, de quo dictum est hoc, Sic eum volo manere, donec veniam; secutus adjunxit verba sua in Evangelio, et ait, natam fuisse famam inter fratres propter hoc verbum, quia discipulus ille non esset moriturus. Et ut tolleret istam opinionem adjunxit: Non autem dixit, eum non fuisse moriturum: sed tantum dixit, Sic eum volo manere, donec veniam: tu me sequere. Hanc ergo opinionem, qua putabatur Joannes non moriturus, abstulit Joannes ipse consequentibus verbis suis, et ne hoc credatur, ait: Non hoc dixit Dominus, sed dixit hoc. Quare illud antem dixerit, Joannes non exposuit, sed nobis reliquit propter quod pulsemus, si forte aperiatur nobis.
Chapter III. — 4. A question on the words of the Lord, how He wills John to remain until He comes. But a certain question has arisen that must not be passed over. When the Lord had said to Peter, Follow Me, Peter looked round at the disciple whom Jesus loved, that is, at John himself, who wrote this Gospel; and he said to the Lord, Lord, what about this man? I know that You love him; how is it that I follow, and he does not follow? The Lord says: So I will him to remain until I come: you follow Me. But the Evangelist himself, the very one who wrote it, about whom this was said, So I will him to remain until I come, went on to add his own words in the Gospel, and says that a rumour had arisen among the brethren because of this saying, that that disciple was not going to die. And to remove this opinion he added: But He did not say that he was not going to die, but only said, So I will him to remain until I come: you follow Me. This opinion, then, by which John was thought not to be going to die, John himself removed by his following words, and so that this should not be believed, he says: The Lord did not say this, but He said this. But why He said that, John did not explain, but he left it to us so that we might knock, in case perhaps it may be opened to us.
CAPUT IV. — 5. Verba illa Domini duobus modis intelligi possunt. Primo de passione non a Joanne subeunda, secundo de Joannis Evangelio non bene intelligendo nisi in futura felicitate. Quantum mihi Dominus donare dignatur, quantum mihi videtur (videtur autem et melius melioribus), sic puto istam solvi quaestionem duobus modis: aut de passione Petri dixit Dominus, quod dixit; aut de Evangelio Joannis. Quod est de passione: ut sit, Sequere me, patere pro me, patere quod ego. Crucifixus est enim Christus, crucifixus est et Petrus. Expertus est clavos, expertus est cruciatus. Joannes autem nihil eorum expertus est: hoc est, Sic eum volo manere, sine vulnere, sine cruciatu dormiat, et exspectet me. Tu me sequere, patere quod ego: sanguinem fudi pro te, funde pro me. Uno ergo isto modo e⟨x⟩poni potest, quod dictum est, Sic eum volo manere, donec veniam: tu me sequere: Nolo ut ipse patiatur, tu patere. Secundum autem Evangelium Joannis, hoc mihi videtur intelligi: quoniam Petrus scripsit de Domino, scripserunt et alii; sed scriptura eorum magis circa humanitatem Domini est occupata. Dominus enim Christus et Deus est, et homo. Quid est homo? Anima et caro. Quid est ergo Christus? Verbum, anima et caro. Sed qualis anima? quia et pecora habent animas. Verbum, rationalis anima et caro; hoc totum Christus. Sed de divinitate
Chapter IV. — 5. Those words of the Lord can be understood in two ways. First, of a passion not to be undergone by John; second, of John's Gospel, which is not well understood except in the future happiness. As far as the Lord deigns to grant me, as far as it seems to me (and it seems better to better men), I think this question is solved in two ways: either the Lord said what He said about Peter's passion, or about John's Gospel. As for the passion, the meaning would be: Follow Me, suffer for Me, suffer what I [suffer]. For Christ was crucified, and Peter too was crucified. He experienced the nails, he experienced torments. But John experienced none of these: that is, So I will him to remain; let him sleep without wound, without torment, and await Me. You follow Me, suffer what I [suffer]: I shed My blood for you, shed yours for Me. In this one way, then, what was said can be explained, So I will him to remain until I come: you follow Me: I do not will that he should suffer; you suffer. But [as to] the second, John's Gospel, this seems to me to be understood: since Peter wrote about the Lord, and others also wrote; but their writing was occupied rather with the humanity of the Lord. For the Lord Christ is both God and man. What is man? Soul and flesh. What then is Christ? The Word, soul and flesh. But what kind of soul? For cattle too have souls. The Word, a rational soul and flesh; this whole is Christ. But concerning the divinity
Editors' notes and page, col. 1181
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(1) ‹anchor: not visible in the page-foot image› · call in col 1181 or 1182 (above the rendered foot)
Sic aliquot manuscripti. Alii vero, non aliquid. Editi, non aliud.
So read several manuscripts. Others, however, have non aliquid ("not anything"). The printed editions have non aliud ("not another thing").
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(2) ‹anchor: not visible in the page-foot image› · call in col 1181 or 1182 (above the rendered foot)
Editi, Tunc hunc qui bene intelligit. Emendantur veterum codicum auctoritate, e quibus nonnulli omittunt particulam, bene.
The printed editions have Tunc hunc qui bene intelligit ("Then him who understands well"). They are corrected on the authority of the old manuscripts, some of which omit the particle bene ("well").
(*) ‹anchor: SERMO CCLIV (heading not visible)› · call in col 1182 (above the rendered foot) Hunc sermonem in ante editis invenimus, non autem in manuscriptis.
We found this sermon in the earlier editions, but not in the manuscripts.
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Christi in litteris Petri aliquid : in Evangelio autem Joannis multum eminet. In principio erat Verbum, ipse dixit. Transcendit nubes, et transcendit sidera, transcendit Angelos, transcendit omnem creaturam, pervenit ad Verbum, per quod facta sunt omnia. « In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum : hoc erat in principio apud Deum. Omnia per ipsum facta sunt » (Joan. I, 1-3). Quis videt, quis cogitat, quis digne suscipiat, quis digne pronuntiet? Tunc habet bene intelligi, quando venerit Christus. Sic eum volo manere, donec veniam. Exposui sicut potui : potest ipse melius in cordibus vestris.
of Christ something in the letters of Peter; but in the Gospel of John it stands out greatly. "In the beginning was the Word," he said. He passed beyond the clouds, and passed beyond the stars, passed beyond the Angels, passed beyond every creature, and reached the Word, through Whom all things were made. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God: this was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him" (John 1:1–3). Who sees this, who thinks it, who worthily takes it in, who worthily proclaims it? Then it is to be well understood, when Christ has come. "So I will that he remain, until I come." I have expounded as I could: He Himself can do it better in your hearts.
SERMO CCLIV. In diebus Paschalibus, XXV.
Sermon 254. On the Days of Easter, 25.
CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Tristitiae tempus prius tempore laetitiae. Sic se habet, fratres mei, sic se habet miseria nostrae conditionis et Dei miseratio, ut tempus moestitiae tempus laetitiae praecedat : id est, ut prius sit tempus moestitiae, posterius tempus laetitiae ; prius sit tempus laboris, posterius quietis ; prius sit tempus calamitatis, posterius felicitatis. Sic se habet miseria nostrae conditionis, ut diximus, et divina miseratio. Tempus enim moestitiae, laboris, miseriae, peccata nostra nobis pepererunt : tempus vero laetitiae, quietis, felicitatis, non venit de meritis nostris, sed de gratia Salvatoris. Aliud meremur, aliud speramus : meremur mala, speramus bona. Hoc facit misericordia ejus, qui creavit nos.
Chapter I. 1. The time of sadness comes before the time of joy. So it stands, my brothers, so stand the misery of our condition and the mercy of God, that the time of sorrow precedes the time of joy: that is, that first there is the time of sorrow, afterwards the time of joy; first the time of toil, afterwards that of rest; first the time of calamity, afterwards that of happiness. So stand the misery of our condition, as we have said, and the divine mercy. For the time of sorrow, of toil, of misery, our sins have brought forth for us; but the time of joy, of rest, of happiness, does not come from our merits, but from the grace of the Saviour. We deserve one thing, we hope for another: we deserve evils, we hope for good things. This is the doing of the mercy of Him Who created us.
2. Tristitia unde esse debet. Poenitentia impoenitenda. Sed tempore miseriae nostrae, et, sicut Scriptura loquitur, diebus nativitatis nostrae, nosse debemus unde debeat esse ipsa tristitia. Tristitia enim sic est, quomodo stercus. Stercus non loco suo positum, immunditia est. Stercus non loco suo positum, immundam facit domum : loco suo positum, fertilem facit agrum. Videte stercoris locum ab agricola provisum. Ait Apostolus : « Et quis est qui me laetificet, nisi qui contristatur ex me » (II Cor. II, 2)? Et alio loco : « Tristitia, » inquit, « secundum Deum poenitentiam in salutem impoenitendam operatur » (Id. VII, 10). Qui secundum Deum tristis est, in poenitentiam tristis est de peccatis suis. Tristitia de iniquitate propriam justitiam parturit. Prius tibi displiceat quod es, ut possis esse quod non es.
2. From what source sadness ought to come. A repentance not to be repented of. But in the time of our misery, and, as Scripture says, in the days of our birth, we ought to know from what source sadness itself should come. For sadness is like dung. Dung not put in its proper place is filth. Dung not put in its proper place makes a house unclean; put in its proper place, it makes a field fertile. See the place for dung provided by the farmer. The Apostle says: "And who is it that makes me glad, but he who is made sad by me" (2 Cor. 2:2)? And in another place: "Sadness," he says, "that is according to God works repentance unto a salvation not to be repented of" (2 Cor. 7:10). He who is sad according to God is sad unto repentance over his sins. Sadness over iniquity brings forth its own righteousness. First let what you are displease you, so that you may be able to be what you are not.
CAPUT II. — « Quae secundum Deum est, » inquit, « tristitia, poenitentiam in salutem impoenitendam operatur. Poenitentiam, » inquit, « in salutem. » Qualem salutem? « Impoenitendam. » Quid est, « Impoenitendam? » Cujus te omnino poenitere non possit. Habuimus enim vitam cujus nos debuimus poenitere : habuimus vitam poenitendam. Sed non possumus pervenire
Chapter II. "The sadness," he says, "that is according to God works repentance unto a salvation not to be repented of. Repentance," he says, "unto salvation." What kind of salvation? "Not to be repented of." What is "not to be repented of"? One of which you could never in any way repent. For we have had a life of which we ought to repent: we have had a life to be repented of. But we cannot attain
Editors' notes and page, col. 1182
Footnotes
(a) ‹anchor: SERMO CCLIV (heading not visible)› · call in col 1182 (above the rendered foot)
Alias, de Tempore 151.
Formerly, On the Season 151.
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(b) ‹anchor: de iniquitate propriam› · call in col 1182
Forte, propria.
Perhaps propria ("from one's own [iniquity]").
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ad vitam impoenitendam, nisi per malae vitae poenitentiam. Numquid, fratres, ut dicere coeperam, in massa tritici purgata invenies stercus? Tamen ad illum nitorem, ad illam speciem et pulchritudinem per stercus pervenitur: rei pulchrae foeditas via fuit.
to a life not to be repented of, except through repentance for an evil life. Surely, brothers, as I had begun to say, you will not find dung in a purged heap of wheat? Yet to that brightness, to that beauty and loveliness, one arrives through dung: foulness was the way to a beautiful thing.
3. Infructuosae arbori stercus adhibitum figura poenitentiae. Merito etiam Dominus dicit in Evangelio de quadam arbore infructuosa: Jam ecce triennium est quod venio ad eam, et fructum in ea non invenio: praecidam illam, ne mihi agrum impediat. Intercedit colonus: intercedit jam securi imminente infructuosis radicibus, et pene feriente; intercedit colonus, quomodo intercessit Deo Moyses; intercedit colonus, et dicit: Domine, dimitte illam et hoc anno; circumfodio ei, et adhibeo cophinum stercoris: si fecerit fructum, bene; si quo minus, praecides eam (Luc. XIII, 6, 9). Arbor ista genus est humanum. Visitavit istam arborem Dominus tempore Patriarcharum, quasi primo anno. Visitavit eam tempore Legis et Prophetarum, quasi secundo anno. Ecce in Evangelio tertius annus illuxit. Jam quasi praecidi debuit: sed interpellat misericors misericordem. Qui enim se volebat exhibere misericordem, ipse sibi opposuit intercessorem. Dimittatur, inquit, et hoc anno: circumfodiatur ei fossa; signum est humilitatis: adhibeatur cophinus stercoris, si forte det fructum. Imo quia dat fructum, ex parte non dat fructum, veniet Dominus ejus, et dividet eam (Luc. XII, 46). Quid est, dividet? Quia sunt boni, et sunt mali: modo autem in uno coetu, tanquam in uno corpore sunt constituti.
3. Dung applied to a fruitless tree a figure of penitence. Rightly also does the Lord say in the Gospel concerning a certain fruitless tree: Behold, it is now three years that I have been coming to it, and I do not find fruit on it: I will cut it down, lest it encumber my field. The husbandman intercedes: he intercedes when the axe is already hanging over the fruitless roots and all but striking; the husbandman intercedes, as Moses interceded with God; the husbandman intercedes, and says: Lord, let it alone this year also; I will dig around it, and apply a basket of dung: if it bears fruit, well; if not, you shall cut it down (Luke 13:6–9). That tree is the human race. The Lord visited this tree in the time of the Patriarchs, as it were in the first year. He visited it in the time of the Law and the Prophets, as it were in the second year. Behold, in the Gospel the third year has dawned. Now, as it were, it ought to have been cut down: but the merciful One intercedes with the merciful One. For He Who wished to show Himself merciful set up an intercessor against Himself. Let it be let alone, He says, this year also: let a trench be dug around it; that is a sign of humility: let a basket of dung be applied, in case it may bear fruit. Nay, because it bears fruit, [and] in part does not bear fruit, its Lord will come, and will divide it (Luke 12:46). What is "will divide"? Because there are good, and there are bad: but for the present they are set in one assembly, as it were in one body.
CAPUT III. — 4. Tristitia de saeculi rebus perniciosa. Quae hic lugenda. Ergo, fratres mei, ut dixi, stercoris locus opportunus dat fructum, importunus autem locum facit immundum. Nescio quis tristis est, inveni nescio quem tristem: stercus video, locum quaero; dic, amice, unde tristis es? Perdidi, inquit, pecuniam. Locus immundus, fructus nullus. Audiat Apostolum: Tristitia mundi mortem operatur (II Cor. VII, 10). Non solum fructus nullus, sed et magna pernicies. Sic et de caeteris rebus ad gaudia saecularia pertinentibus, quas res longum est enumerare. Video alium tristantem, gementem, flentem: multum stercoris video, et ibi locum quaero. Et cum viderem tristem, flentem; inspexi et orantem. Orans nescio quid mihi bonae significationis ingesait: sed adhuc locum quaero. Quid enim si iste orans, gemens, magno fletu mortem roget inimici sui? Etiamsi sic jam plorat, jam rogat, jam orat; locus immundus, fructus nullus. Plus est quod invenimus in Scripturis: rogat ut moriatur inimicus ipsius, incidit in maledictionem Judae: Oratio ejus fiat in peccatum (Psal. CVIII, 7). Inspexi alium rursus gementem, flentem, orantem: stercus agnosco, locum quaero. Intendi autem orationi ejus, et audio dicentem, Ego dixi: Domine, miserere mei; sana animam meam, quoniam peccavi tibi (Psal. XL, 5). Gemit peccatum: agnosco agrum, exspecto fructum. Deo gratias: bono loco est stercus; non ibi vacat; fructum parturit. Hoc est
Chapter III. — 4. Sadness over the things of the world is pernicious. What is to be mourned here. Therefore, my brothers, as I said, a suitable place for dung yields fruit, but an unsuitable one makes the place unclean. Someone or other is sad; I have found some sad person: I see dung, I look for the place; tell me, friend, why are you sad? I have lost money, he says. An unclean place, no fruit. Let him hear the Apostle: The sadness of the world works death (2 Cor. 7:10). Not only no fruit, but also great ruin. So too concerning the other things that pertain to worldly joys, which it would take long to enumerate. I see another sorrowing, groaning, weeping: I see much dung, and there I look for the place. And when I saw him sad, weeping, I looked and saw him praying too. His praying put before me something of good significance: but still I look for the place. For what if this man, praying, groaning, with great weeping, is asking for the death of his enemy? Even if he thus now weeps, now asks, now prays: an unclean place, no fruit. There is more that we find in the Scriptures: he asks that his enemy may die, he falls into the curse on Judas: Let his prayer become sin (Ps. 108:7). I looked at another, again groaning, weeping, praying: I recognize the dung, I look for the place. But I attended to his prayer, and I hear him saying, I said: Lord, have mercy on me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee (Ps. 40:5). He groans over sin: I recognize the field, I expect fruit. Thanks be to God: the dung is in a good place; it is not idle there; it is bringing forth fruit. This is
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vere tempus fructuosae moestitiae, ut conditionem mortalitatis nostrae, abundantiam tentationum, subreptiones peccatorum, adversitates cupiditatum, rixas concupiscentiarum contra bonas cogitationes semper tumultuantium doleamus: hinc tristes simus.
truly a time of fruitful sorrow, so that we may grieve over the condition of our mortality, the abundance of temptations, the stealthy inroads of sins, the adversities of desires, the brawls of lusts that are ever in tumult against good thoughts: for this reason let us be sad.
CAPUT IV. — 5. Duo tempora, Quadragesimae et Quinquagesimae, quid significent. Alleluia quid. Hoc tempus miseriae nostrae et gemitus nostri, quadraginta dies illi significant ante Pascha: laetitiae vero, quae posterior erit, quietis, felicitatis, vitae aeternae, regni sine fine, quod nondum est, his diebus quinquaginta, quibus diebus Deo laudes dicuntur, significatur. Significantur enim nobis duo tempora: unum ante resurrectionem Domini; alterum post resurrectionem Domini; unum in quo sumus, alterum in quo nos futuros esse speramus. Tempus moeroris, quod significant dies Quadragesimae, et significamus et habemus: tempus autem laetitiae et quietis et regni, quod significant dies isti, significamus per Alleluia, sed nondum habemus laudes. Sed nunc suspiramus ad Alleluia. Quid est, Alleluia? Laudate Deum. Sed nondum habemus laudes: in Ecclesia frequentantur laudes Dei post resurrectionem, quia nobis erit perpetua laus post resurrectionem nostram. Domini passio tempus nostrum significat, in quo nunc flemus. Flagella, vincula, contumeliae, sputa, spinea corona, vinum fellitum, in spongia acetum, insultationes, opprobria, postremo ipsa crux, in ligno membra sacra pendentia, quid nobis significant, nisi tempus quod agimus, tempus moeroris, tempus mortalitatis, tempus tentationis? Ideo foedum tempus: sed foeditas ista stercoris sit in agro, non in domo. Moeror sit de peccatis, non de cupiditatibus fraudatis. Foedum tempus: sed si bene utamur, fidele tempus. Quid foetidius agro stercorato. Pulchrior fuit ager, antequam cophinum stercoris haberet; perductus est ager ad foeditatem, ut veniret ad ubertatem. Ergo foeditas hujus temporis signum est: sed nobis sit ista foeditas tempus fertilitatis.
Chapter IV. — 5. The two seasons, of Quadragesima and of Quinquagesima, what they signify. What Alleluia [is]. This time of our misery and of our groaning is signified by those forty days before Easter; but the time of gladness, which will come afterwards, of rest, of happiness, of eternal life, of the kingdom without end, which is not yet, is signified by these fifty days, on which praises are spoken to God. For two times are signified to us: one before the resurrection of the Lord; the other after the resurrection of the Lord; one in which we are, the other in which we hope that we shall be. The time of mourning, which the days of Quadragesima signify, we both signify and have; but the time of gladness and of rest and of the kingdom, which these days signify, we signify through the Alleluia, but we do not yet have the praises. But now we sigh after the Alleluia. What is Alleluia? Praise God. But we do not yet have the praises: in the Church the praises of God are multiplied after the resurrection, because we shall have perpetual praise after our own resurrection. The Lord's passion signifies our time, in which we now weep. The scourges, the bonds, the insults, the spittle, the crown of thorns, the wine mixed with gall, the vinegar on the sponge, the mockeries, the reproaches, and lastly the cross itself, the sacred limbs hanging on the wood: what do they signify to us, if not the time we are passing through, a time of mourning, a time of mortality, a time of temptation? Therefore it is a foul time: but let this foulness of dung be in the field, not in the house. Let the mourning be over sins, not over desires that have been cheated. A foul time: but if we use it well, a faithful time. What is more fetid than a manured field. The field was more beautiful before it had the basket of dung; the field was brought to foulness that it might come to fruitfulness. Therefore the foulness of this time is a sign: but let this foulness be for us a time of fertility.
CAPUT V. — Videamus ergo cum propheta, quid dicat, Vidimus eum, Qualem? Non habentem speciem neque decorem (Isai. LIII, 2). Quare? Alium prophetam interroga: Dinumeraverunt omnia ossa mea (Psal. XXI, 18). Dinumerata sunt ossa pendentis. Foeda species, crucifixi species: sed ista foeditas pulchritudinem parturit. Quam pulchritudinem? Resurrectionis. Quia speciosus forma prae filiis hominum (Psal. XLIV, 3).
Chapter V. — Let us see, then, with the prophet, what he says: We have seen Him. Of what sort? Having neither comeliness nor beauty (Isa. 53:2). Why? Ask another prophet: They have numbered all my bones (Ps. 21:18). The bones of the One hanging were numbered. A foul appearance, the appearance of the crucified One: but this foulness gives birth to beauty. What beauty? That of the resurrection. Because [He is] beautiful in form above the sons of men (Ps. 44:3).
6. Debitor Deus quia promisit, non quia accepit. Deo retribuere aliquid non valemus. Laudemus ergo, fratres, Dominum; quia ejus fidelia promissa retinemus, nondum accepimus. Parum putatis, quia promissorem tenemus, ut jam debitorem exigamus? Promissor Deus debitor factus est bonitate sua, non praerogantia nostra. Quid ei dedimus, ut eum debitorem teneamus? An forte quod audistis in Psalmo: Quid retribuam Domino? Primo quando dicit, Quid retribuam Domino? verba sunt debitoris, non debitum exigentis. Praerogatum est illi: Quid retribuam Domino?
6. God is a debtor because He promised, not because He received. We are not able to repay anything to God. Let us therefore praise the Lord, brethren; because we hold fast His faithful promises, [though] we have not yet received [them]. Do you think it a small thing that we hold the Promiser, so that we may now press Him as a debtor? God the Promiser became a debtor by His own goodness, not by any advance payment of ours. What have we given Him, that we should hold Him as a debtor? Perhaps what you heard in the Psalm: What shall I render to the Lord? In the first place, when he says, What shall I render to the Lord?, these are the words of a debtor, not of one exacting a debt. It was advanced to him: What shall I render to the Lord?
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Quid est, Quid retribuam? Rependam. Pro qua re? Pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi. Quid retribuit mihi? Primo nihil eram, et fecit me; perieram, quaesivit me; quaerens invenit me, captivum redemit me, emptum liberavit me, de servo fratrem fecit me. Quid retribuam Domino? Non habes quod retribuas. Quando ab illo totum exspectas, quid habes retribuere? Sed exspecta: nescio quid vult dicere. Cur quaerit, Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi? Circumspiciens undique quid retribuat, quasi invenit. Quid invenit? Calicem salutaris accipiam. Retribuere cogitabas, adhuc accipere quaeris. Vide, rogo. Si adhuc accipere quaeris, adhuc debitor eris; quando retributor? Si ergo semper debitor eris, quando retribues? Non invenis quod retribuas: nisi quod dederit, non habebis.
What is "What shall I render?" It is: shall I repay. For what? For all the things He has rendered to me. What has He rendered to me? First, I was nothing, and He made me; I had perished, He sought me; seeking, He found me; a captive, He redeemed me; bought, He set me free; from a slave He made me a brother. What shall I render to the Lord? You have nothing to render. When you expect everything from Him, what do you have to render? But wait: I do not know what he means to say. Why does he ask, "What shall I render to the Lord for all the things He has rendered to me?" Looking around on every side for what he might render, he has as it were found it. What has he found? I will take the cup of salvation. You were thinking of rendering, and you still seek to receive. Look, I beg you. If you still seek to receive, you will still be a debtor; when [will you be] one who renders? If then you will always be a debtor, when will you render? You do not find anything to render: except what He has given, you will have nothing.
7. Homo de suo non habet nisi mendacium. Vide, quando dicebas, Quid retribuam? ad illud pertinet quod dixisti, Omnis homo mendax (Psal. CXV, 11-13). Qui enim voluerit dicere quia retribuet aliquid Deo, mendax est (omnia ab illo speranda sunt; a nobis ipsis praeter illum nihil nisi forte peccatum), et mendacium de suo loquitur. Vere plene de suo abundat homo; mendacium omnino hic habet et thesaurum mendaciorum: cor suum mentiatur, quantum potest, non deficit; fingat quidquid potest, mentiatur quidquid potest. Quare? Quia quod gratis habet, de se habet, non illud emit. Quando venitur ad veritatem, si verax vult esse, non erit de suo.
7. Man has nothing of his own except a lie. See: when you were saying, "What shall I render?", that pertains to what you said, Every man is a liar (Ps. 115:11–13). For whoever wishes to say that he will render something to God is a liar (all things are to be hoped for from Him; from ourselves, apart from Him, nothing, except perhaps sin), and he speaks a lie from what is his own. Truly man abounds fully in what is his own; a lie he has here altogether, and a treasury of lies: let his heart lie as much as it can, it does not run short; let him invent whatever he can, let him lie whatever he can. Why? Because what he has for nothing, he has from himself; he did not buy it. When one comes to the truth, if he wishes to be truthful, it will not be from what is his own.
CAPUT VI. — Mendax Petrus de suo. Ubi mendax? Promisit nobis Dominus passionem: et dicit, Absit a te, non fiat illud. Omnis homo mendax. Unde mendax? Ipsum Dominum audi: Non sapis quae Dei sunt, sed quae sunt hominis. Verax autem Petrus: quando? Tu es Christus Filius Dei vivi. Unde ista veritas homini mendaci? Ecce homo dicit, Tu es Christus Filius Dei vivi. Quis dicit? Petrus. Quid erat Petrus? Homo, qui dixit verum. Certe, Omnis homo mendax. Ecce, ecce lingua ejus; ecce lingua de lingua ejus: quomodo, Omnis homo mendax? Audi, quia Omnis homo mendax, quia de suo. Ergo unde Petrus verax? Audi ipsam veritatem: Beatus es, Simon Bar-Jona. Unde beatus? de suo? Absit! Quia tibi non revelavit caro et sanguis, sed Pater meus qui in coelis est (Matth. XVI, 22, 23, 16, 17).
Chapter VI. — Peter a liar from what is his own. Where a liar? The Lord foretold to us His passion, and he says, Far be it from Thee, let that not happen. Every man is a liar. Whence a liar? Hear the Lord Himself: You do not savour the things that are of God, but those that are of men. But Peter truthful: when? Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Whence this truth for a lying man? Behold, a man says, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Who says it? Peter. What was Peter? A man, who spoke the truth. Surely, Every man is a liar. Behold, behold his tongue; behold a tongue from his tongue: how then, Every man is a liar? Hear: because Every man is a liar, because from what is his own. So whence is Peter truthful? Hear the Truth itself: Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona. Whence blessed? From what is his own? Far from it! For flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but My Father Who is in heaven (Matt. 16:22, 23, 16, 17).
8. Laudandus Deus nunc et semper. Laudemus ergo Dominum, charissimi, laudemus Deum, dicamus Alleluia. Significemus istis diebus diem sine fine; significemus locum immortalitatis, tempus immortalitatis; festinemus ad domum aeternam. Beati qui habitant in domo tua; in saecula saeculorum laudabunt te (Psal. LXXXIII, 5). Lex dicit, Scriptura dicit, veritas dicit. Venturi sumus ad domum Dei, quae est in coelis. Ibi non quinquaginta diebus Deum laudabimus; sed quemadmodum scriptum est, in saecula saeculorum. Videbimus, amabimus, laudabimus. Nec quod videbimus deficiet, nec quod amabimus peribit, nec quod laudabimus tacebit; sempiternum totum erit, sine fine erit. Laudemus, laudemus; sed non solis vocibus,
8. God is to be praised now and always. Let us therefore praise the Lord, dearly beloved, let us praise God, let us say Alleluia. Let us signify in these days the day without end; let us signify the place of immortality, the time of immortality; let us hasten to the eternal home. Blessed are they who dwell in Thy house; for ages of ages they will praise Thee (Ps. 83:5). The Law says it, Scripture says it, the truth says it. We are going to come to the house of God, which is in heaven. There we shall not praise God for fifty days, but, as it is written, for ages of ages. We shall see, we shall love, we shall praise. Neither will what we shall see fail, nor will what we shall love perish, nor will what we shall praise fall silent; the whole will be everlasting, it will be without end. Let us praise, let us praise; but not with voices alone,
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