Latin original · 37 verses · some words can be tapped for a gloss · long chapter, split into parts; this part covers 1461:259–1461:295 (392 verses in all)
Let him possess nothing in this world by loving it, let him seek no delights of falling things, lest, from that whereby he is covered according to his wish, he be held fast unto his fall. Yet it does not suffice to leave our own things, unless we leave ourselves also. What is it that we say, 'Let us leave ourselves also'? For if we leave our very selves, whither shall we go outside ourselves? Or who is he that goes, if he has forsaken himself? But one thing we are as fallen through sin, another as created by nature; one thing what we have made ourselves, another what we were made. Let us leave ourselves such as we made ourselves by sinning, and let us remain ourselves such as we were made by grace. For behold, he who was proud, if converted to Christ he has become humble, has left himself.
If any lustful person has changed his life unto continence, he has assuredly denied what he was. If any covetous person has now ceased to grasp, and has learned to give away his own who before seized what was another's, without doubt he has left himself. He is indeed the same by nature, but he is not the same by malice. For hence it is written: 'Overturn the wicked, and they shall not be' (Proverbs 12:7). For the wicked, being converted, shall not be — not that they shall not be at all in essence, but namely that they shall not be in the guilt of impiety. Then therefore do we leave ourselves, then do we deny ourselves, when we avoid what we were through the old state, and strive toward that to which we are called through newness. Let us weigh how Paul had denied himself, who said: 'Yet now I live, not I' (Galatians 2:20).
For that savage persecutor had been extinguished, and the devout preacher had begun to live. For if he were himself, he assuredly would not be devout. But he who denies that he lives, let him say whence it is that he proclaims holy words through the teaching of truth. Immediately he adds: 'But Christ lives in me' (Galatians 2:20). As if he plainly said: I indeed am extinguished from my very self, because I do not live carnally; but yet essentially I am not dead, because I live spiritually in Christ. Let Truth therefore say, let Him say: 'If any man will come after me, let him deny himself.' For unless one departs from his very self, he does not draw near to Him who is above himself; nor is he able to lay hold of what is beyond himself, if he knows not how to slay what he is.
Thus the plants of vegetables are transplanted that they may prosper, and, so to speak, are uprooted that they may grow. Thus the seeds of things perish in their mingling with the earth, that they may rise up more abundantly in the renewal of their kind. For whence they seem to have lost what they were, thence they receive that they may appear what they were not. But he who now denies himself of vices must seek out the virtues in which he may grow. For when it was said, 'Whoever will come after me, let him deny himself,' immediately it is added: 'And let him take up his cross daily, and follow me.' For in two ways is the cross taken up: either when the body is afflicted through abstinence, or when the soul is afflicted through compassion for the neighbour. Let us weigh how in both ways Paul had taken up his cross, who said:
'I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection, lest perhaps, preaching to others, I myself should become a castaway' (1 Corinthians 9:27). Behold, in the affliction of the body we have heard the cross of the flesh; let us now hear, in compassion for the neighbour, the cross of the mind. For he says: 'Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I do not burn?' (2 Corinthians 11:29). The perfect preacher indeed, that he might give an example of abstinence, bore the cross in his body. And because he drew into himself the harms of another's weakness, he bore the cross in his heart. But because to those very virtues certain vices lie close, we must speak of what vice besieges abstinence of the flesh, and what besieges compassion of the mind.
For near at hand, vainglory sometimes besieges abstinence of the flesh, because while thinness in the body, while pallor in the face is observed, the virtue laid bare is praised; and it pours itself outward the more swiftly, the more it goes forth to human eyes through the pallor displayed. And very often it happens that this, which is believed to be done for God's sake, is done for human favours alone. This that Simon aptly signifies, who, found on the way (Matthew 27:32), carries the Lord's cross under compulsion. For others' burdens are carried under compulsion, when anything is done through the zeal of vanity. Who then are designated by Simon, but the abstinent and arrogant?
Who indeed afflict the flesh through abstinence, but do not seek inwardly the fruit of abstinence. Simon therefore carries the Lord's cross under compulsion, because, since he is not led to a good work by a good will, the sinner performs the deed of the righteous without fruit. Whence the same Simon carries the cross, but does not die, because the abstinent and arrogant indeed afflict the body through abstinence, but through desire of glory they live to the world. But false piety very often secretly besieges compassion of the soul, so that it sometimes drags this even to the point of condescending to vices, whereas one ought not to exercise compassion toward faults, but zeal.
For compassion is owed to the man, and righteous severity to his vices, so that in one and the same man we may both love the good which he was made, and pursue the evils which he has done, lest, while we incautiously overlook faults, we seem no longer to suffer with him through charity, but to have gone down with him through negligence. It follows: 'For whoever will save his soul shall lose it; and whoever will lose his soul for my sake shall save it.' Thus is it said to the faithful one: whoever will save his soul, let him lose it; and whoever will lose his soul for my sake shall save it. As if it were said to the farmer: If you keep your grain, you lose it; if you sow it, you renew it.
For who does not know that grain, when it is cast into the seed, perishes from the eyes and fails in the earth? But whence it rots in the dust, thence it grows green in renewal. But because holy Church has one time of persecution and another of peace, our Redeemer distinguishes those very times of hers in His precepts. For in the time of persecution the soul must be laid down, but in the time of peace those earthly desires which can more greatly dominate must be broken. Whence also it is now said: 'For what does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, but loses himself, and suffers loss of himself?' When persecution from adversaries is absent, the heart must be guarded with much more vigilance. For in the time of peace, because it is permitted to live, it is also pleasing to be ambitious.
This avarice, indeed, is well restrained if the very condition of the ambitious man be carefully considered. For why should he press on to gather, when he who gathers cannot himself stand still? Let each therefore consider his own course, and he will recognize that the little he has can suffice him. But perhaps he fears lest provision fail him on the journey of this life. O short road, you rebuke our long desires; in vain are many things carried when that toward which one journeys is near. For the most part, moreover, we conquer even avarice, but there yet stands in the way that we hold the paths of uprightness with too little guard of perfection. For often we despise all fleeting things, yet still we are hindered by the habit of human bashfulness, so that we cannot yet express in voice the uprightness which we keep in mind;
and we neglect the face of God for the defence of righteousness in the same measure as we stand in awe of human faces against righteousness. But to this wound too a fitting medicine is subjoined when the Lord says: 'Whoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when He comes in His majesty, and that of the Father, and of the holy angels.' But behold, now men say within themselves: We are no longer ashamed of the Lord and of His words, for we profess Him with open voice. To whom I answer that in this Christian people there are some who confess Christ only because they see that all men are Christians. For if the name of Christ were not today in such great glory, holy Church would not have so many professors of Christ.
Therefore the voice of profession does not suffice for the proof of faith, which the common practice of the general body defends from bashfulness. Yet there is a place where each may question himself. He truly shows himself in the confession of Christ, if he is no longer ashamed of His name, if with the full strength of the mind he has subdued human shame. For assuredly in the time of persecution the faithful could be put to shame, stripped of their substance, cast down from their dignities, afflicted with blows. But in the time of peace, because these things are absent from our persecutions, there is another place where we may be shown to ourselves. We often fear to be despised by our neighbours, we disdain to endure the injury of a word; if perhaps a quarrel arises with a neighbour, we are ashamed to be the first to make satisfaction.
For the carnal heart, while it seeks the glory of this life, spurns humility. And for the most part the very man who is angry desires to be reconciled to the one at variance with him, but he is ashamed to go first to make satisfaction. Let us weigh the deeds of Truth, that we may see how low lie the doings of our own perversity. For if we are members of the highest Head, we ought to imitate Him to whom we are joined. What indeed does Paul, the excellent preacher, say for the example of our instruction? 'For Christ we perform an embassy, as though God were exhorting through us; we beseech you for Christ's sake, be reconciled to God' (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Behold, by sinning we made a discord between ourselves and God, and yet God first sent His envoys to us, that we ourselves who sinned might come, when invited, to the peace of God. Let human pride therefore blush; let each man be confounded if he does not make satisfaction first to his neighbor, since, after our fault, in order that we might be reconciled to Him, even He who was offended entreats us, God interceding through envoys. 6. There follows: 'But I say to you, there are truly some standing here who shall not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.' The kingdom of God, dearest brethren, is not always called in sacred discourse the kingdom that is to come, but sometimes the present Church is so named. Whence it is written:
'The Son of Man shall send His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all scandals' (Matthew XIII, 41). Now in that kingdom there will be no scandals, where surely the reprobate are not admitted. By which example it is gathered that in this place the present Church is called the kingdom of God. And because some of the disciples were to live in the body up to the point that they would behold the Church of God established, and would believe it set against the glory of this world, it is now said by way of a consoling promise: 'There are some of those standing here who shall not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.' But since the Lord was issuing such precepts about death to be undergone, what need was there that He should suddenly come to this promise?
But if we attend subtly, we recognize with how great a dispensation of mercy this is done. For to the untrained disciples something also had to be promised concerning the present life, that they might be more sturdily made firm in things to come. Thus to the people of Israel, to be freed from the land of Egypt, the land of promise is promised; and when they were to be called to heavenly gifts, they are urged on by earthly promises. Why this? That while there was something they might perceive from near at hand, they might already believe more faithfully that which they could hear of from afar. For the carnal people, if it received not the small things, would not believe the great. Almighty God therefore, by bestowing earthly things, urges toward heavenly ones, so that receiving what it saw, it might learn to hope for what it did not see;
and that they might become the more firmly grounded concerning invisible things, the more the visible things promised propped them up toward certainty of hope. Whence rightly also it is said through the Psalmist: 'He gave them the regions of the nations, and they possessed the labors of the peoples, that they might keep His statutes and seek His law' (Psalm CIV, 44, 45). Thus therefore in this place the Truth, speaking to the untrained disciples, promises that the kingdom of God shall be seen on earth, so that this might be more faithfully presumed by them in heaven. From that very kingdom, then, which we now see exalted in the world, let us hope for the kingdom which we believe is to be received in heaven. For there are some who are reckoned by the name of Christianity, but do not have the faith of Christianity.
They reckon that only visible things exist; they do not desire invisible things, because they do not even suspect that they exist. We stand beside the bodies of the holy martyrs, my brethren. Would these men have given their flesh over to death, unless it had stood most certainly established for them that there was a life for which they ought to die? And behold, those who so believed shine with miracles. For to their extinguished bodies the living sick come and are healed; perjurers come and are vexed by the demon; the demoniacs come and are set free. How then do they live where they live, if amid so many miracles they live here where they are dead? 7. I tell a matter, brethren, brief in word but not small in worth, which I learned from certain religious elders relating it.
In the time of the Goths there was a certain matron, very devout, who came frequently to the church of these martyrs. On a certain day, when she had come to pray as was her custom, going out she found two monks standing in the garb of pilgrims; she believed them to be pilgrims, and ordered that some alms be given them. But before her almoner had approached them to bestow the alms, they stood nearer to her and said: 'You visit us now; we shall seek you out on the day of judgment, and whatever we can, we shall grant to you.' Having said this, they were taken away from her eyes. Terrified, she returned to prayer and poured herself out at length in tears. And after this she became the more urgent in prayer, the more she was made certain of the promise.
But if, according to Paul's word, 'Faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things not appearing' (Hebrews XI, 1), then we do not at all now say that you should believe in a life to come, since behold, those very ones who live in it are visibly presented to human eyes. For that which can be seen is better said to be known than to be believed. But the Lord willed rather that we should know the life to come than believe it, He who shows to us that those whom He invisibly receives live with Him even visibly. 8. These men therefore, dearest brethren, make your patrons in the cause of your examination which you have with the strict Judge; take these as defenders on the day of that great terror.
Surely, if some cause of yours were to be tried tomorrow before some great judge, the whole of today would be spent in reflection; your brotherhood would seek an advocate, and would plead with great entreaties that before so great a judge a defender might come to you. Behold, the strict Judge Jesus is to come; the terror of that great council of angels and archangels is brought to bear. In that assembly our cause is examined, and yet we do not now seek the patrons whom we may then have as defenders. The holy martyrs offer themselves as our defenders; they wish to be entreated, and, so to speak, they seek to be sought.
Seek therefore these helpers of your prayer, find these protectors against your guilt, for even He who judges is willing to be entreated, that He may not have to punish sinners. Whence also He threatens wrath for so long a time, and yet mercifully waits. But so let His mercy revive us that it in no way renders us negligent; so let our sins disturb us that the mind may not rush into despair, since even if while presuming we fear, and while fearing we hope, we shall the sooner attain the eternal kingdom, through Him who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen. At that time, a certain Pharisee besought Jesus to eat with him. And having entered the Pharisee's house, He reclined at table.
And behold, a woman who was a sinner in the city, when she learned that Jesus had reclined in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment, and standing behind at His feet, she began to bathe His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw it, he said within himself: 'This man, if He were a prophet, would surely know who and what manner of woman this is who touches Him, for she is a sinner.' And Jesus answering said to him: 'Simon, I have something to say to you.' And he said: 'Master, say on.' 'A certain moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they had nothing to repay, he forgave them both.'
'Which of them therefore will love him more?' Simon answering said: 'I suppose that one to whom he forgave more.' And He said to him: 'You have judged rightly.' And turning to the woman, He said to Simon: 'Do you see this woman? I entered into your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has bathed My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss, but she, from the time she entered, has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with ointment. Wherefore I say to you: Many sins are forgiven her, for she has loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, the same loves less.' And He said to her: 'Your sins are forgiven you.' And those who reclined together began to say within themselves:
'Who is this that even forgives sins?' And He said to the woman: 'Your faith has saved you; go in peace.' 1. It pleases me to think upon Mary's penitence rather than to say anything. For whose breast, even though it be of stone, would these tears of this sinful woman not soften unto the example of repenting? For she considered what she had done, and would not moderate what she should do. She entered in upon the banqueters; she came uninvited; amid the feasting she offered tears. Learn with what grief she burns, who is not ashamed to weep even amid a feast. Now her whom Luke calls a sinful woman, and John names Mary, we believe to be that Mary out of whom Mark testifies that seven demons were cast.
And what is designated by the seven demons, if not the universal vices? For because all time is comprised in seven days, rightly is universality figured by the sevenfold number. Mary therefore had seven demons, she who was full of all vices. But behold, because she beheld the stains of her own foulness, she ran to be washed at the fountain of mercy, and did not blush before the banqueters. For because she grievously blushed at herself within, she believed there was nothing at which she should be abashed without. Why then do we marvel, brethren—at Mary coming, or at the Lord receiving her? Shall I say receiving, or drawing? I shall better say, drawing and receiving; for indeed He drew her inwardly through mercy, who received her outwardly through gentleness.
But now, running through the text of the holy Gospel, let us see the very order in which she came to be healed. 2. 'She brought an alabaster jar of ointment, and standing behind at the feet of Jesus, she began to bathe His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with the ointment.' It is clear, brethren, that the woman, once intent upon unlawful acts, had applied to herself the ointment for the odor of her flesh. What therefore she had displayed to herself shamefully, this she now offered to God laudably. With her eyes she had coveted earthly things, but these she now, wearing them out through penitence, bewept. Her hairs she had displayed for the adorning of her face, but now with her hairs she wiped away her tears.
With her mouth she had spoken proud things, but kissing the Lord's feet, she now fixed her mouth upon the footprints of her Redeemer. As many gratifications therefore as she had in herself, so many burnt offerings did she find from herself. She converted the number of her crimes into the number of virtues, so that whatever of herself had despised God in guilt might wholly serve God in penitence. 3. But the Pharisee, beholding this, despises it, and reprehends not only the sinful woman coming, but even the Lord receiving her, saying within himself: 'This man, if He were a prophet, would surely know who and what manner of woman this is who touches Him, for she is a sinner.'
Behold the Pharisee, truly proud within himself and falsely just, reprehends the sick woman for her sickness, and the physician for His succor—he who himself was likewise sick from the wound of self-exaltation, and knew it not. Now between two sick persons the physician was present; but one sick one, though in fever, kept whole sense, while the other, in a fever of the flesh, had lost even the sense of the mind. For she wept over what she had done; but the Pharisee, puffed up over a false righteousness, aggravated the force of his own illness. In his sickness therefore he had lost sense too, who was even ignorant of this very thing, that he was far from health.
But amid these things a groan compels us to look upon certain men of our own order who, endowed with the priestly office, if perchance they have done anything ever so slightly just, forthwith despise their subjects, and disdain whatever sinners are set among the people, and are unwilling to have compassion on those confessing their guilt to them, and, as in the manner of the Pharisee, they disdain to be touched by the sinful woman. Which woman indeed, had she come to the Pharisee's feet, would surely have departed thrust back with kicks. For he would have believed himself defiled by another's sin. But because true righteousness did not fill him, he was sick with another's wound.
Whence it is always necessary that, when we behold any sinners, we should first bewail our very selves in their calamity, because perchance we have either fallen into like things, or, if we have not fallen, we can fall. And though the censure of the teaching office ought always to pursue vices by the strength of discipline, yet it behooves us carefully to discern that we owe strictness to vices, compassion to nature. For if the sinner is to be struck, the neighbor is to be nourished. But when he already through penitence smites what he himself has done, he is no longer our neighbor a sinner, because he directs the righteousness of God against himself, and punishes in himself that which the divine justice reprehends. 4. But now let us hear by what sentence this proud and arrogant man is convicted.
For a parable of two debtors is set against him, of whom one owes less and the other more; the debt of both being remitted, he is asked which loves more the giver of the debt. To which words that man forthwith replied: 'That one loves more to whom more is forgiven.' In which matter it is to be noted that while the Pharisee is convicted by his own sentence, he is like a frenzied man carrying the rope by which he may be bound. The good deeds of the sinful woman are enumerated to him; the evils of the falsely just are enumerated, when it is said: 'I entered into your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has bathed My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss, but she from the time she entered has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil;'
'but she has anointed My feet with ointment.' After the enumeration the sentence is subjoined: 'Wherefore I say to you: Many sins are forgiven her, for she has loved much.' What, my brethren, do we believe love to be, if not a fire? For what is guilt, if not a rust of the soul? And so it is now said: 'Many sins are forgiven her, for she has loved much.' As if it were openly said: She has fully burned up the rust of sin, because she burns strongly through the fire of love. For by so much more is the rust of sin consumed, by how much the heart of the sinner is set ablaze with the great fire of charity. Behold, she who had come to the physician sick is healed, but over her health others are still sick. For those reclining together complained, saying within themselves:
'Who is this that even forgives sins?' But the heavenly physician does not despise the sick, even those whom He sees made worse by the medicine. But her whom He had healed He confirms by the sentence of His compassion, saying: 'Your faith has saved you; go in peace.' Faith indeed saved her, because she did not doubt that she could receive what she sought. But she had already received this very certainty of hope from Him from whom through hope she also sought salvation. And she is bidden to go in peace, that she may no longer be diverted from the road of truth into the way of scandal. Whence also it is said through Zacharias: 'To direct our feet into the way of peace' (Luke I, 79).
For then do we direct our steps into the way of peace, when we proceed along that path of actions in which we are not in discord with the grace of our Author. 5. These things, dearest brethren, we have run through in a historical exposition; but now, if it please you, let us discuss with a mystical understanding the things that have been said. For whom does the Pharisee, presuming upon a false righteousness, designate but the Jewish people; and whom the sinful woman—but coming to the footprints of the Lord and weeping—but the converted Gentile world? She who came with an alabaster jar, poured out ointment, stood behind at the feet of the Lord, bathed His feet with tears, wiped them with her hair, and did not cease to kiss those same feet which she anointed and wiped.
We therefore, we are expressed by that woman, if with our whole heart we return to the Lord after our sins, if we imitate the mourning of her penitence. For what is expressed by the ointment, if not the odor of a good reputation? Whence also Paul says: 'We are the good odor of Christ unto God in every place' (2 Corinthians II, 15). If therefore we do righteous works, by which we may sprinkle the Church with the odor of good repute, what do we pour upon the Lord's body but ointment? But the woman stood at the feet of Jesus. For we stood against the feet of the Lord when, set in sins, we were held back from His paths. But if after our sins we are converted to true penitence, we now stand behind at His feet, because we follow the footprints of Him whom we were assailing. The woman bathes His feet with tears.
This we also truly do, if we bow down to any of the lowest members of the Lord through the affection of compassion, if we suffer with His saints in tribulation, if we reckon their sadness as our own. The woman wiped with her hairs the feet she had bathed. Hairs indeed overflow the body. And what is abundant earthly substance but that which holds the appearance of hairs? Which, when it overflows beyond the use of necessity, does not feel it even when cut off. With our hairs therefore we wipe the Lord's feet, when to His saints, with whom out of charity we have compassion, we show mercy even out of those things which overflow to us, so that thus the mind may grieve through compassion in such a way that a generous hand also shows the affection of grief.