Lecture 4
Lectio 4
Fasting
Ieiunitas
6:16 And when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. [n. 603]
6:16 Cum autem ieiunatis, nolite fieri sicut hypocritae, tristes; exterminant enim facies suas, ut appareant hominibus ieiunantes. Amen dico vobis, quia receperunt mercedem suam. [n. 603]
6:17 But you, when you fast anoint your head, and wash your face; [n. 607]
6:17 Tu autem, cum ieiunas, unge caput tuum, et faciem tuam lava, [n. 607]
6:18 That you appear not to men to fast, but to your Father who is in secret: and your Father who sees in secret, will repay you. [n. 609]
6:18 ne videaris hominibus ieiunans, sed Patri tuo, qui est in abscondito; et Pater tuus qui videt in abscondito, reddet tibi. [n. 609]
603. When you fast. After he has defined the manner of praying and giving alms, here he defines the manner of fasting. And first he excludes the unfitting manner; second, he adds the truth at but you.
603. Cum ieiunatis. Postquam determinavit modum orandi et eleemosynam faciendi, hic determinat modum ieiunandi. Et primo excludit modum inconvenientem; secundo astruit verum ibi tu autem.
Concerning the first he does three things:
Circa primum tria facit:
first, he teaches us to avoid the example of the manner of hypocrites;
primo docet vitare hypocritarum modi exemplum;
second, he shows this example;
secundo manifestat illud;
third, he assigns the reason of his teaching,
tertio rationem sui documenti assignat,
604. The second is at they disfigure;
604. Secundum, ibi exterminant;
the third, at amen.
tertium, ibi amen.
605. Fittingly enough after prayer he treats of fasting, for prayer is thin when not accompanied by fasting. And it is not because prayer is the raising of the mind to God, but the more the flesh is strengthened, the more prayer is weakened: prayer with fasting is good (Tob 12:8). And everywhere that it reads that some solemn prayer is done, mention is made of fasting (cf. Dan 9:3); or sanctify a fast (Joel 2:15).
605. Satis convenienter post orationem de ieiunio tractat, quia gracilis est oratio quam non concomitatur ieiunium. Et non est quia oratio est elevatio mentis in Deum. Quanto autem caro magis roboratur, tanto magis debilitatur . Tob. XII, 8: bona est oratio cum ieiunio. Et ubicumque legitur aliqua oratio solemnis facta, ibi fit mentio de ieiunio. Dan. IX, 3, et Ioel. II, 15: sanctificate.
Therefore he says when you fast. Chrysostom: he does not say, do not be, for it is impossible for those fasting not to fall into feelings of sadness, just as on the other hand, those who fast are made happy by eating and drinking. But he says, do not become, that is, do not exert yourself to show your sadness externally, but by inward sorrow for sins: worldly grief produces death (2 Cor 7:10); do not give yourself over to sorrow, nor afflict yourself by your own counsel (Sir 30:21).
Dicit ergo cum ieiunatis. Chrysostomus: non dicit: nolite esse, quia impossibile est quod ieiunantes non incidant in passiones tristitiae, sicut e converso illi qui ieiunant ex comestione et potatione redduntur laeti. Sed dicit nolite fieri, idest non detis operam ut tristes fiamini exterius, sed interius dolendo de peccatis, II Cor. VII, 10: tristitiam saeculi, Eccli. XXX, 22: tristitiam non des animae tuae et ne affligas temetipsum in consilio tuo.
606. Like the hypocrites, that is, by this intention. Hypocrites are called so from simulators, who simulate the person of a just man, as was explained above. But when they become sad, he adds they disfigure their faces. Jerome: this they disfigure was improperly set down as metaphorically, for ‘exterminare’ properly means ‘to put outside the boundaries’: hence it is taken from those exiled from a nation. Hence it is said that Saul banished magicians and diviners from the land. But here it is properly said that they destroy. Or it could be said that they disfigure their faces, by placing them beyond the common manner. So that they may seem: this is their prayer; a man is known by his look, and by the encounter of his face (Sir 19:29).
606. Sicut hypocritae, idest ea intentione. Hypocritae dicuntur simulatores, qui simulant personam iusti, sicut supra expositum est. Quando autem fiant tristes, subiungit exterminant. Ieronimus: hoc scilicet exterminant improprie positum est ut metaphorice, quia exterminare proprie dicitur ‘extra terminos ponere’: unde sumptum est ab exulibus civitatum. Unde dicitur quod Saul exterminavit magos et ariolos de terra. Hic autem proprie ponitur quod demoliuntur. Vel dicendum quod exterminant facies, ponendo extra modum communem. Ut videantur: ista est oratio, Eccli. XIX, 26: ex visu cognoscitur vir et ab occursu faciei.
Note that, according to Augustine, here glory is not only sought in resplendence of clothing, but even in shabbiness of clothing; and according to him this is more dangerous, for the fact that others deceive by splendid clothes and the like, cannot harm since it is recognized, but when it is sought from the squalor of the body it can be a danger because if a man is not spiritual he can easily be led into error. Nevertheless Augustine says that such a man can be detected from his other acts, for if in one area he pursues the abjection of the world and in another he acquires profit, he is a faker. But if some hypocrites make use of shabby clothes to hide their malice, should those who do it for the sake of God abandon it? It should be said no, for as the Gloss says, the sheep should not abandon its fleece although the wolf sometimes disguises himself in it.
Hic nota, secundum Augustinum, quod non solum gloria quaeritur de pompa vestium sed etiam de vilitate vestium; et secundum eum hoc est magis periculosum quia quod alii fallant de pompa vestium et huiusmodi non potest nocere cum cognoscatur, sed quando quaeritur de squalore corporis potest esse periculum quia si non est spiritualis homo potest de facili inducere in errorem. Dicit tamen Augustinus quod talis potest discerni ex aliis actibus, quia si ex una parte sequitur abiectionem mundi et ex alia acquirit lucra, simulator est. Sed numquid propter hoc quod aliqui hypocritae usurpant sibi vilitatem vestium ad malitiam occultandam, debent dimittere illi qui faciunt propter Deum? Dicendum quod non, quia sicut dicit Glossa non debet dimittere pellem suam ovis quamvis lupus aliquando ea se contegat.
607. Amen. He assigns the reason for his teaching: for it is stupid to lose an eternal reward for the sake of men’s praise: I, God . . . am your great reward (Gen 15:1).
607. Amen. Assignat rationem sui documenti: stultum enim est pro laude hominum amittere praemium aeternum, Gen. XV, 1: ego Deus, merces tua magna.
But you. Here he sets down the proper mode of fasting. And concerning this he does three things: first, he sets down the mode; second, he assigns the reason; third, the benefit. Therefore he says but you, like in: let your garments always be white and do not let oil be lacking on your head (Eccl 9:8). And Augustine here raises the question that although the custom among many is to wash their face every day, nevertheless to anoint one’s head is considered lasciviousness: does the Lord then want this? Likewise, Chrysostom says that fasting should be done secretly; but whenever we see someone anointed we say that he is fasting.
Tu autem. Hic ponitur modus conveniens ieiunandi. Et circa hoc tria facit: primo ponit modum; secundo assignat rationem; tertio utilitatem. Dicit ergo tu autem, simile Eccl. IX, 8: omni tempore sint vestimenta tua candida, et oleum de capite tuo non deficiat. Et movet hic Augustinus quaestionem quod quamvis consuetudo sit apud multos quod cotidie faciem suam lavent, tamen quod caput ungant ad lasciviam reputatur: numquid ergo hoc Dominus vult? Item dicit Chrysostomus quod ieiunium occulte debet fieri; sed quandocumque videmus aliquem unctum dicemus quod ieiunat.
608. Jerome responds to these objections three ways. He says, and I believe this is the most literal, that the custom in Palestine at that time was that men anointed their heads and washed their faces every day. Hence it said these things: I have nothing but a little oil to anoint myself (2 Kgs 4:2). Hence that custom is considered necessary. Therefore the Lord wishes to say that the man who fasts should not change his mode of living, which is that he anoint his head and wash his face.
608. Istis obiectionibus tripliciter respondet Ieronimus. Ita dicit, et credo quod sit magis litteralis, quod consuetudo erat apud Palestinos tempore illo quod homines cotidie ungebant caput oleo et lavabant faciem. Unde illa dixit IV Reg. IV, 2: non habeo nisi modicum oleo quo ungar. Unde consuetudo ista inter necessaria computabatur. Vult ergo Dominus dicere quod ille qui ieiunat non debet mutare modum vivendi qui est quod caput ungat et faciem lavet.
Or otherwise, according to Chrysostom, the Lord speaks by way of excess, as he also did above at but when you give alms. Because, if it were fitting, you should do all things together with the hypocrites. Third, according to Augustine and also Chrysostom, the Lord speaks by way of likeness. And this is the mystical interpretation. By the head two things are understood: the head of the man is Christ (1 Cor 11:3). But you anoint the head when you show mercy to your neighbor, as below: whatever you did to one of these little ones, you did to me (Matt 25:40). Or, according to Augustine, the head of the man is his reason, or spirit, which is a man, as though, ‘You should so afflict your flesh that your inward spirit is renewed through devotion’: though our outward man is corrupted, what is inward is renewed day by day (2 Cor 4:16). Our outward man, that is, the flesh, exposed to evils, is corrupted; what is inward, that is the soul, fortified in hope of the future, is not affected by human frenzy; it is renewed day by day, i.e., it is a friend made constantly purer by the fire of tribulation.
Vel aliter, secundum Chrysostomum, Dominus loquitur per excessum sicut etiam supra. Te autem faciente eleemosynam; quare, si conveniens esset, deberes facere communia hypocritis. Tertio, secundum Augustinum et etiam Chrysostomum, Dominus loquitur similitudine. Et ista expositio est mystica. Per caput duo intelliguntur. I Cor. XI, 3: caput viri Christus. Tunc autem ungis caput quando misericordiam proximo impendis, infra X, 42: quod uni ex minimis etc. Vel caput hominis ratio est, vel spiritus, secundum Augustinum, qui est vir, quasi sic debes carnem affligere ut spiritus interius recreatur per devotionem, II Cor. IV, 16: licet is qui foris est noster homo corrumpatur, tamen is qui intus est renovatur de die in diem. Noster homo idest caro qui foris est, idest expositus malis, corrumpitur; is qui intus est, idest anima munita spe futuri, non accedit humanus furor; renovatur de die in diem, idest assidue purior amicus efficitur per ignem tribulationis, licet is qui foris homo noster.
609. But he says wash your face, i.e., your conscience. For as man is made agreeable because of a respectable face for men, so is a pure conscience before God: Those who love a pure heart . . . will have the king as a friend (Prov 22:11); is this the fast that I chose? (Isa 58:5). And he says, anoint your head, and not wash it, for Christ does not need cleansing, like our conscience.
609. Dicit autem faciem tuam lava, idest conscientiam. Sicut enim homo redditur gratiosus propter faciem honestam hominibus, ita per conscientiam puram Deo, Prov. XX, 11: qui diligunt cordis munditiam, Is. LVIII, 5: nonne hoc est ieiunium quod elegi. Et dicit unge caput, et non lava, quia Christus non indiget lotione; sic conscientia nostra.
Lest you appear. This is the reason, to be understood of individual fasts, not of group fasts. But your father who is in secret of eternity: hidden from the eyes of all (Job 28:21). Or in the secret of your conscience, for God lives in us by faith.
Ne videaris. Haec est ratio, intelligendum est de ieiunio singulari, non de communi. Sed patri qui est in abscondito aeternitatis, Iob XXVIII, 21: abscondita est ab oculis. Vel in abscondito conscientiae, quia Deus habitat in nobis per fidem.
610. Will repay you. He will repay each according to his works (Rom 2:6), as he searches the hearts and depths (Ps 7:9).
610. Reddet Rom II, 6: reddet unicuique secundum opera sua, sic scrutans corda et renes. Ps.
Lecture 5
Lectio 5
Seek first the kingdom of God
Quaerite primum regnum Dei
6:19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust and moth consume, and where thieves break through and steal. [n. 611]
6:19 nolite thesaurizare vobis thesauros in terra ubi erugo et tinea demolitur ubi fures effodiunt et furantur [n. 611]
6:20 But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth consumes, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal. [n. 613]
6:20 thesaurizate autem vobis thesauros in caelo ubi neque aerugo neque tinea demolitur et ubi fures non effodiunt nec furantur [n. 613]
6:21 For where your treasure is, there is your heart also. [n. 614]
6:21 ubi enim est thesaurus tuus ibi est et cor tuum [n. 614]
6:22 The light of your body is your eye. If your eye be sound, your whole body will be lightsome. [n. 614]
6:22 lucerna corporis est oculus si fuerit oculus tuus simplex totum corpus tuum lucidum erit. [n. 614]
6:23 But if your eye be evil your whole body will be darksome. If then the light that is in you is darkness: the darkness itself, how great will it be. [n. 614]
6:23 si autem oculus tuus nequam fuerit totum corpus tuum tenebrosum erit si ergo lumen quod in te est tenebrae sunt tenebrae quantae erunt. [n. 614]
6:24 No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other: or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. [n. 619]
6:24 nemo potest duobus dominis servire aut enim unum odio habebit et alterum diliget aut unum sustinebit et alterum contemnet non potestis Deo servire et mamonae [n. 619]
6:25 Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your soul, what you should eat, nor for your body, what you should put on. Is not the life more than the meat: and the body more than the raiment? [n. 622]
6:25 ideo dico vobis ne solliciti sitis animae vestrae quid manducetis neque corpori vestro quid induamini nonne anima plus est quam esca et corpus plus est quam vestimentum [n. 622]
6:26 Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns: and your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you of much more value than they? [n. 624]
6:26 respicite volatilia caeli quoniam non serunt neque metunt neque congregant in horrea et Pater vester caelestis pascit illa nonne vos magis pluris estis illis [n. 624]
6:27 And which of you by taking thought, can add to his stature one cubit? [n. 627]
6:27 quis autem vestrum cogitans potest adicere ad staturam suam cubitum unum [n. 627]
6:28 And for raiment why are you solicitous? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they labor not, neither do they spin. [n. 628]
6:28 et de vestimento quid solliciti estis considerate lilia agri quomodo crescunt non laborant nec nent [n. 628]
6:29 But I say to you, that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. [n. 629]
6:29 dico autem vobis quoniam nec Salomon in omni gloria sua coopertus est sicut unum ex istis [n. 629]