Of these seven petitions, the three placed first pertain to eternity; the four following, to the necessity of the present life. For the sanctifying of God's name, and His coming in which He shall come in glory, and His will fully accomplished as in heaven so on earth — whether we understand the righteous and sinners, or the soul and the body, or Christ and the Church — although they take their beginning from the humble coming of Christ, yet they shall not be completed except at the ending of the world. And all three shall abide unto eternity. But the remaining four seem to pertain to this temporal life: for the daily and spiritual bread, though it be everlasting, pertains to this time only in so far as it is ministered to the soul;
by certain sayings, whether spoken or written; and it is therefore called bread, because by labour and discourse it is learned, and so, as it were, by chewing it is swallowed. Now also our sins are forgiven us, and we forgive others — which is the second among the four petitions. And now temptations infest our life; and this very deliverance from evil pertains to this life, because through God's justice we incur death, from which by His mercy we are to be delivered. Since these things are so, the very words of the petitions must be treated more diligently, so that, being understood, they may both beget a greater affection of the heart, and that which is sought may be brought to a swifter effect. 4. Whence Christians are distinguished from the Jews, and therein not distinguished among themselves. The stirring up of charity.
Confidence in obtaining. Why we who pray turn toward the east. Let us therefore say, 'Our Father,' whom we serve not by fear, but by love. This was not said to the former people, that they should pray to Him as Father; but the Lord was made known to them as One whom they obeyed not with filial love, but were subjected to with servile fear. By this word, moreover, the rich and noble are admonished, when they have become Christians, that they should not exalt themselves against the poor and lowly; since they say together, 'Our Father,' which they cannot truly and piously say unless they acknowledge themselves to be brethren. By this name charity too is stirred up; for to sons nothing ought to be dearer than a father.
And there is a suppliant affection when men say, 'Our Father'; and a certain presumption of obtaining what is asked, since even before the petition we have received so great a gift, that we can say, 'Our Father.' For what will the Father now not give to His sons who ask, who has already given this very thing, that they should be sons? Finally, with what great care does concern touch the soul of him who prays, that he should not be unworthy of so great a Father? Let the people of the New Testament, then, use this voice — a new people called to eternity — 'Our Father.' It is a fraternal prayer: he does not say, 'My Father,' as though praying for himself alone; but, 'Our Father,' embracing all together in one prayer, who acknowledge themselves to be brethren in Christ.
'Who dwellest in the heavens' — that is, in those whose manner of life is in the heavens. And most fitting is this comparison, that just so great a distance is to be believed to lie spiritually between the righteous and the sinner as lies bodily between heaven and earth. For it was said to the sinner, 'Earth thou art, and unto earth thou shalt go' (Gen. 3:19). And for the sake of signifying this thing, when we stand to pray, we turn toward the east, whence heaven rises: not because God is there, as though He had abandoned the other parts of the world; but that the soul may be admonished to rise up to a more excellent nature, that is, to God. 5. The beatitudes are enumerated. The fear of God. Let us now attend to what is to be asked. 'Hallowed be Thy name.'
This is not so asked as though God's name were not holy; but that it may be held holy by men, and that God may so become known to them, that they may deem nothing to be holier: whereby they may the more fear to offend Him, since it is just to hallow the name of God, and to fear God, of whom it is said, 'The Lord is His name' (Amos 9:6). This fear is on the first step among the beatitudes, of which it is said, 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom' (Ecclus. 1:16); and elsewhere, 'The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever and ever' (Ps. 18 [19]:10). 6. Piety. There follows, 'Thy kingdom come' — that is, let it be made manifest to the world. Just as present light is absent to the blind, so the kingdom of God, though it be everywhere, is nevertheless lacking to those who are ignorant of it;
or thus: that Thou mayest reign in us, and we in Thee, by Thy gift. This petition pertains to piety, which is on the second step among the beatitudes. For if piety is that by which the meek are blessed, let us ask that the kingdom of God may come into us, that is, that we may become meek, and not resist. 7. Knowledge. There follows, 'Thy will be done, as in heaven so in earth' — that is, as in the angels, so also in men; and as in the righteous, so also in sinners; or, that the flesh may so consent to Thy will as the spirit consents. This petition pertains to knowledge, which is on the third step among the beatitudes. For if knowledge is that by which they that mourn are blessed, let us pray that the will of God may be done, as in heaven so in earth;
that is, that the flesh may consent to the spirit; for human misery ought to grieve from no other source so much as from this, that the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh (Gal. 5:17): so that with the Apostle we are compelled to cry out, 'O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?' (Rom. 7:24). 8. Fortitude. There follows the fourth petition, 'Give us this day our daily bread.' This can be understood both simply of bodily food, and spiritually of the bread of the divine word. If it is treated of bodily food, this suppliant does not extend his petition into the long term; he follows the Gospel precept, where it is said, 'Take no thought for the morrow. For the morrow itself shall take thought for itself' (Matt. 6:34).
So too the blessed Apostle admonishes, 'Having food and covering, with these let us be content' (1 Tim. 6:8). But if you take this bread spiritually, either understand it of Christ Himself, who is the supersubstantial bread of the soul, because He surpasses all substance, who says of Himself, 'I am the living bread which came down from heaven' (John 6:41); or understand it of the very understanding of the divine word, which is necessary to us for repairing the ruins of the soul, so long as it is called 'today.' This petition pertains to fortitude, which is placed in the fourth place for those ascending to the highest blessedness. For if fortitude is that by which they are blessed who hunger and thirst after righteousness, we must pray that this daily bread may be given to us,
by which, being strengthened, we may be able to come to that perfect satiety. 9. Counsel. There follows, 'And forgive us our debts.' Perhaps someone has sinned against you; forgive him when he seeks pardon from you, lest, while you deny mercy to your brother, you shut against yourself the indulgence of the Father, as the apostle James says, 'For judgment is without mercy to him that hath shewed no mercy' (James 2:13). This petition is referred to counsel, which is placed in the fifth place among the steps of the beatitudes. For if counsel is that by which the merciful are blessed, let us then forgive our debtors their debts;
and so let us pray that our debts may be forgiven us — that is, our sins, on account of which we are deferred from obtaining pardon, unless our brethren's indulgence hasten it. 10. Understanding. There follows, 'And lead us not into temptation' — that is, suffer us not to be led into temptation. For it is one thing to be tempted, without which no righteous man has been proved; another to be led into temptation, that is, to be led on by the tempter. This, then, is what we pray: that God may not permit us to be tempted above that which we are able; but may with the temptation make a way of escape, that we may be able to bear it (1 Cor. 10:13). This petition pertains to understanding, which is placed in the sixth place in the number of the beatitudes.
For if understanding is that by which the pure in heart are blessed — that is, those who have the eye of the mind cleansed from earthly dust — let us pray not to be led into temptation; that is, not to have a double heart, but to desire the one and simple good. 11. Wisdom. There follows, 'But deliver us from evil' — not only from that into which we can be led, but also from that into which we have been led, which being accomplished, nothing will remain to be bewailed. To this petition wisdom is congruous, which holds the seventh place among the beatitudes. For if wisdom is that by which the peacemakers are blessed — that is, those who by their ordered conduct compel all things to serve the spirit — we must therefore pray that we may be delivered from evil.
For that very deliverance makes us free, that is, sons of God, so that in the spirit of adoption we may cry, 'Abba, Father' (Rom. 8:15). Now the 'Amen' in these petitions signifies that what is asked will undoubtedly be granted by the Lord, if the covenant of the last condition be firmly kept. 12. Three remedies for sins. A threefold manner of sinning. These three kinds of remedies the heavenly Physician has spiritually commended to us — namely, almsgiving and fasting and prayer — by which, as by medicinal antidotes, we may be able to cure inveterate evils, to drive off present ones, and by preserving our health to guard against those to come. And fittingly there are three kinds of cure, just as three kinds of corruption go before.
For every sin is committed either in the soul, by consenting to an evil suggestion so as to violate the temple of God; or is committed by an evil use of the body to injure one's neighbour, which is criminal; or is committed by an evil use of the body to corrupt oneself, which is shameful. For crimes, although they are done through the body — such as murders, plunderings, thefts — do not, however, affect or corrupt the body of the doer. Of these the Apostle said, 'Every sin that a man doeth is without the body.' But shameful deeds are both done through the body and affect and infect the body. Of these the Apostle says, 'But he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body' (1 Cor. 6:18).
Deservedly, therefore, crimes which are done outside the body are purged by almsgiving as by an outward medicine: because just as the crime harmed one's neighbour, so the alms which is outside us, and yet is given through the body, ought to profit one's neighbour. But shameful deeds are fittingly cleansed by the medicinal remedy of abstinence; because just as the pampered flesh drew us to guilt, so the afflicted flesh ought to lead us back to pardon. But if there be any to whom these medicines are not suited — so that they can neither give alms because of excessive poverty, nor fast because of weakness of stomach — they have a third kind of medicine, from which they cannot excuse themselves, except those who have despised to heal the diseases of their own soul.
This medicine, then, which can be lacking to no mind, let us diligently and piously frequent, fulfilling that apostolic precept, 'Pray without ceasing' (1 Thess. 5:17). For this antidote so meets all diseases, that, applied assiduously, it drives off all diseases and restores all that is corrupted to integrity — our Lord Jesus Christ granting it, to whom be honour and glory unto the ages of ages. Amen. Sermon 65. Again on Matthew, chapter 6, verses 9-13: On the Lord's Prayer. 1. By this word, 'Our Father,' we profess the goodness and grace of God.
Since, by the Lord's help and governance, you are now established in the royal court, and near is the day when you shall come, as it were, to the council-chamber of the heavenly King, I admonish you, most beloved, that you should first learn the lawful prayer to be offered to the Father and to God. For because the fastidious and heaven-ignorant mind of men could neither know nor find out how it might worthily pray to God, the true Lord and Master Himself showed and taught — through Himself indeed to the holy Apostles, but through them to us — how we ought to pray. 'Thus,' He says, 'shall ye pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done,' etc. O truly heavenly prayer, in which all is fully prayed!
For if we should wish to treat each single word at greater length, as they are, the day would fail before the discourse. Nevertheless, let us run through it briefly. We say, 'Our Father, who art in heaven.' By thus beginning, we profess the goodness and grace of God. For when would we — earthly and wretched, feeble and unprofitable servants — dare, lifting up our countenance to heaven, to say, 'Our Father,' unless He Himself had granted us this confidence through His Only-begotten? As it is written, 'But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, to them that believe on His name' (John 1:12). Having received power, therefore, we call God Father: because through faith we have received the spirit of adoption, so that we may rejoice that we have been made sons of God. 2.
It is fitting that they should give thanks who have merited grace. What these words signify: 'Thy kingdom come.' We ought always to look to God's will, not to our own. Next we say, 'Hallowed be Thy name.' This is an act of thanksgiving, as if it were said, 'Holy and blessed be Thy name.' For it is fitting that they should give thanks who have merited grace. 'Thy kingdom come.' Not indeed that He should begin to reign whose kingdom is of all ages; but this we desire, that He may make an end of our evils, and coming from heaven may take us up into His kingdom. For by this saying we are admonished where we ought to hope for our life and substance and kingdom. Likewise we say, 'Thy will be done, as in heaven so in earth.'
For who resists God, so that His will should not be done everywhere? But this we pray, that as in heaven the will of God is done, where none offends, so He may grant strength to our souls, that we who are on earth may be able to do and fulfil His will. Or, certainly, when we say, 'Thy will be done,' we are taught always to look to God's will, not to our own: because in our own will there are sometimes things contrary; but in the Lord's will there is always life and goodness. 3. The rooting out of avarice, and the remembrance of death in the word 'today.' Consequently, now after heavenly things, we ask also for earthly things, yet such as are necessary. For we say, 'Give us this day our daily bread.'
O true wisdom and divine providence, which taught us both to ask for bread alone, and to name 'today'! For by this saying both greed together with avarice is taken away, and the uncertainty of human life is intimated: according to that word, 'Be not anxious for the morrow' (Matt. 6:34). For truly it would be unfitting that one should ask for the necessities of many years and seasons, or certainly for another day, when perhaps under this very night life must be ended. For thus also that most avaricious rich man, who having rebuilt his barns and filled them had said to his soul, 'Thou hast much goods laid up for many years; feast,' heard from the Lord, 'Thou fool, this night they require thy soul of thee: whose then shall those things be which thou hast prepared?' (Luke 12:19-20).
Fittingly, therefore, we pray that our daily bread be given to us today: because what the morrow may bring forth we know not. 4. One's brother must be forgiven, that the Father may forgive you. We say next, 'Forgive us our debts.' By debts, brethren, sins are understood. For a debt is contracted whenever an offence is committed: which debt must one day of necessity be paid in hell. And because human frailty does not lack occasion to offend daily, therefore we ask that our debts may be forgiven us while we are in the body, lest we should sweat it out to the very last farthing. And it is well added, 'Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.' You see, most beloved, by how great a condition the divine word binds us.
Forgive, therefore, that it may be forgiven you. You have some debtor who has sinned against you, who perhaps has done you an injury; forgive him when he asks, be indulgent when he entreats, spare him when he repents: lest, while you refuse mercy to your brother, you shut against yourself the indulgence of the Father. 5. Why God tempts. And now with a most useful ending is the sacred prayer completed, by praying against temptation and evil. For we say, 'And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.' God leads a man into temptation when He permits him to be tempted, in order to prove, not to destroy him. And He tempts not as one ignorant of human minds; but that He may make His faithful ones manifest in the world, as it is written, 'The furnace proveth the potter's vessels, and the trial of tribulation proveth righteous men' (Ecclus.
27:6). Thus He tempted Abraham in his son, and honoured him (Gen. 22); thus He proved Job by delivering him over to various temptations (Job 1 and 2); thus the holy Apostles, thus the most blessed martyrs He crowned even through fire and swords. From which it appears that temptations of this kind proceed from God, and that the devil can do nothing without God's permission. Therefore God alone is to be adored, who is able to bring us out of temptation. And He brings us out when He delivers us from evil: and He delivers us from evil when He does not permit us to be tempted above that which we are able. 6. The sum of the Lord's Prayer. You have, brethren, been shown both whom you ought to pray to, and to whom to give thanks, and whose kingdom to desire, or whose will to await.
Then, against temptations and evil, whose aid is to be looked for. Behold, in few words all things, and completed in brevity. Because, therefore, it is not learned with difficulty, but rather easily retained, I exhort all, both men and women, learn to retain it: so that when you have obtained the grace of the Lord which you desire, you may be able among all the saints to utter this prayer with concordant voice, and to love it with a pure heart; that Christ, sitting at the right hand of the Father, seeing His own words in your mouth and His own precepts in your heart, may both keep you here, and make you worthy of the age to come. To Him be glory unto the ages of ages. Amen. Sermon 66. On the words of the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7, verses 1-5, 'Judge not, that ye be not judged,' etc. 1.
Open evils are to be judged; but not those that are unknown or doubtful. It is better to think well of the bad than ill of the good. Open evils can and ought to be judged, but with charity. We have heard the evangelist saying, most beloved brethren, 'Judge not, that ye be not judged.' What is this, brethren, when the Lord Himself in another place of the Gospel has said, 'Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment' (John 7:24); and elsewhere it is said, 'Judge true judgment' (Zech. 7:9)? For the divine reading cannot be contrary to itself; but it seeks a sober understanding. For in human conduct, dearly beloved, there are some things which are reasonably reprehended;
but there are certain things which are not judged without sin. For open evils both ought to be judged and reproved; but those things which either we do not know, or of which we cannot know whether they are done with a good or an evil intent, we ought by no means to judge. For example, you see a man fasting more frequently; rejoice with him, and do not praise him too much, because this can be done for human glory; but neither disparage him, because he can fast both for God's sake and for the remedy of his soul. You have seen another wishing to dine on a day of publicly appointed fast; admonish him with love. If he says he cannot fast because of a weakness of the stomach, believe him and do not judge: because both may be the case — that he wishes to dine out of gluttony or luxury, and that he cannot fast because of infirmity.
You have seen another imposing discipline on his subordinates with severity, and granting indulgence too slowly; do not judge him cruel: because perhaps he does this not from the disease of wrath, but from zeal for discipline and love of justice; on account of that which is written, 'The zeal of Thy house hath eaten me up' (Ps. 68 [69]:10). Perhaps some neighbour or friend of yours, while his mind is occupied with matters quite necessary to himself, has greeted you too slowly, or met you more slowly than he ought; do not judge him proud, do not believe him malicious, but rather believe this to have been done either through forgetfulness or through negligence, rather than through contempt or pride:
because perhaps this too, as is human frailty, frequently befalls you, that being too intent on other matters, you seem to have done something less carefully or less attentively; and yet you did not wish to be judged in an evil sense on account of this thing. In these things, therefore, and in others like them, of which we cannot know whether they are done with a good or an evil intent, it is better that we incline our mind to the right side: because it is more tolerable for us to err in this, that we believe those who are evil to be good, than that, by the habit of judging, we should suspect that which is evil even of the good. Concerning these things, therefore, which are known to God and unknown to us, we judge our neighbours perilously. For of these very things the Lord said, 'Judge not, that ye be not judged.'
But those things which are open and public evils, we both can and ought to judge and reprove — yet with charity and love — hating not the man, but the sin; not the vicious person, but the vice; detesting rather the disease than the sick man. For the open adulterer, the plunderer, the habitual drunkard, the traitor and the proud man, if they be not judged or chastised, that shall be fulfilled in them which the blessed martyr Cyprian said of such: 'He who soothes the sinner with flattering words supplies fuel for his sin.' 2. Sudden anger is a mote; inveterate anger, a beam. Anger disturbs the eye of the heart, hatred blinds it. To this matter pertains also, most beloved brethren, that which we have heard in this very Gospel reading:
'Why beholdest thou the mote in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam in thine own eye?' For you have seen a man suddenly grow angry; do not immediately judge him, but wait a little: perhaps as quickly as he grows angry, so speedily is he pacified. Let us see, however, what the mote and what the beam signifies. For sudden anger is a mote; but that which is drawn out over a long time becomes a beam. So then, to grow angry and be quickly appeased is a mote; but anger long kept in the heart is a beam. Therefore inveterate anger is turned into a beam. And with what face does he who keeps hatred in his heart presume to judge that man in whose eye he recognizes not a beam, but a mote? For the mote disturbs the eye of the heart, the beam blinds it.
What I have said, brethren, I ought to confirm by the testimonies of the Scriptures. How anger of the heart troubles the eye, hear the Psalmist saying, "My eye is troubled because of anger" (Ps. vi, 8). And how hatred blinds the eye of the heart, John the Evangelist bears witness: "He that hateth his brother," he says, "is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth; because the darkness hath blinded his eyes" (I John ii, 9, 11). According to these things, therefore, through sudden wrath the eye of the heart is troubled; through hatred the light of charity is extinguished. 3. Recapitulation. Rash judgment is no small sin. Therefore, most beloved brethren, I set before you certain headings and brief indications of how you ought to understand and receive these things.
For you, by God's mercy, are able to grasp and observe these things better. That the things I have said may be more firmly implanted in your hearts, I briefly repeat what I have set forth. In these matters, therefore, as I have already said above, we judge others at our peril, where it is doubtful whether they are done with a good or an evil intention; that is, to fast, to keep vigil, to give alms, to abstain or not to abstain from wine and from meat, and other things like these, which can be done for God or for human glory. And since we do not know with what intention they are done, we ought by no means to judge. For this reason the Lord said, 'Judge not, that you be not judged.' But concerning open iniquity it is said, 'Reprove, entreat, rebuke, with all patience and doctrine' (2 Tim.
(4:2). And that which we have already mentioned above: 'Judge righteous judgment.' For these things, brethren, if we are willing diligently to consider them, as we believe, and with great solicitude, by God's gift, to observe them, we are freed by God's help from no small sin. For the greatest part of the human race is proved to be prompt and ready for censuring others with indiscriminate judgment, while nevertheless it does not wish to be judged by others in the way it wishes to judge others. On this account divine Scripture admonishes, saying: 'Before you inquire, blame no one; and when you have inquired, reprove justly' (Sir. 11:7). Every man first wishes to be questioned; and afterward, if he is guilty, he patiently endures being reproved.
And since we all wish this to be done to us by others, it is just that we should strive to fulfill this toward others. Let us first inquire with patience and be solicitous; and when we have come to know something more certainly, then, if the things are evil, let us be willing to reprove; or if they are good, to defend them: because of that which is written, 'All things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them likewise. For this is the Law and the Prophets' (Matt. 7:12). And therefore, turned toward the Lord, let us implore His help, that He Himself may deign, out of His own mercy, to bestow upon us both true discernment and perfect charity; to whom is glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, world without end. SERMON 67.
On the words of the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7, verses 13, 14, 'Enter through the narrow gate,' etc., and concerning the two ways, the strait and the broad. 1. Free will. You have heard, most beloved brethren, when the Gospel was read, that the Lord mentioned two ways: one to be dreaded and terrible, the other to be sought after and greatly to be desired; one by which, after a little labor, the just are raised up into heaven, the other by which, after a brief sweetness, the lovers of the world are dragged down into hell. 'Enter,' He says, 'through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who enter by it. How strait,' He says, 'is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and few there are who find it.'