179. Ex parte foeminarum est differentia aetatum, quia anus ut matres, maxime quae non sunt iuvenes infra V, 3: viduas honora. Iuvenculas, ut sorores, ex amore caritatis. Et hoc, in omni castitate. Quia amor spiritualis ad mulieres, nisi cautus sit, degenerat in carnalem, ideo in his, quae ad iuvenculas pertinent, adhibenda est castitas: et ideo Apostolus addit hoc. Unde Papa scribens eis dicit: dilectis in Christo. Sed viris simpliciter dicit: dilectis filiis.
179. On the part of women, there is a difference of ages, because old women, as mothers, especially those who are not young: honor widows (1 Tim 5:3); young women, as sisters, with the love of charity. And this in all chastity; because spiritual love toward women soon degenerates into carnal. Therefore, in matters pertaining to young women, chastity must be applied; that is why the Apostle adds, in all chastity. Wherefore Pope Leo writing to them, says: beloved in Christ; but to men he simply says: beloved sons.
Caput 5
Chapter 5
Viduae et Sacerdotes
Widows and Priests
Lectio 1
Lecture 1
Curatura viduarum
Treatment of widows
5:3 Viduas honora, quae vere viduae sunt. [n. 180]
5:3 Honor widows who are widows indeed. [n. 180]
5:4 Si qua autem vidua filios, aut nepotes habet: discat primum domum suam regere, et mutuam vicem reddere parentibus: hoc enim acceptum est coram Deo. [n. 182]
5:4 But if any widow have children or grandchildren, let her learn first to govern her own house and to make a return of duty to her parents; for this is acceptable before God. [n. 182]
5:5 Quae autem vere vidua est, et desolata, speret in Deum, et instet obsecrationibus, et orationibus nocte ac die. [n. 185]
5:5 But she who is a widow indeed, and desolate, let her trust in God and continue in supplications and prayers night and day. [n. 185]
5:6 Nam quae in deliciis est, vivens mortua est. [n. 189]
5:6 For she who lives in pleasures is dead while she is living. [n. 189]
5:7 Et hoc praecipe, ut irreprehensibiles sint. [n. 190]
5:7 And command this, that they may be blameless. [n. 190]
5:8 Si quis autem suorum, et maxime domesticorum, curam non habet, fidem negavit, et est infideli deterior. [n. 191]
5:8 But if any man does not have care of his own and especially of those of his house, he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel. [n. 191]
180. Supra instruxit Timotheum de usu ciborum et de abstinentia, hic instruit eum de dispensatione ciborum, quae fit spiritualibus personis, scilicet quae dispensabantur viduis et doctoribus.
180. Above, he instructed Timothy on the use and abstinence from foods; here he instructs him on the distribution of foods to spiritual persons, namely, the foods dispensed to widows and teachers:
Primo ergo instruit eum de viduis;
first, therefore, he instructs him concerning widows;
secundo de doctoribus, ibi et qui bene praesunt.
second, concerning teachers, at let the priests who rule well.
Circa primum, primo ostendit quomodo viduis et doctoribus sunt ministranda alimenta per Ecclesiam;
In regard to the first he does two things: first, he states when food is to be distributed by the Church to widows and teachers;
secundo qualis vidua sit eligenda, ibi vidua eligatur.
second, what sort of widow is to be selected, at let a widow be chosen.
Item, primo ostendit qualibus viduis sit subveniendum;
In regard to the first he does three things: first, he shows what sort of widow should be helped;
secundo manifestat quod dixit, ibi si qua autem;
second, he amplifies what he has said, at but if any widow;
tertio ostendit rationem dictorum, ibi si quis.
third, he gives the reason for his statement, at but if any man.
181. Dicit ergo viduas honora, non solum reverentiam exhibendo, sed necessaria tribuendo. Haec enim duo intelliguntur in verbo honoris. Unde in praecepto honorandi parentes intelligitur etiam de subventione; quasi dicat: in necessariis provide. Et hoc inchoatum est a principio Ecclesiae. Act. VI, v. 1: factum est murmur Graecorum adversus Hebraeos, eo quod despicerentur in ministerio quotidiano viduae eorum. II Mac. III, v. 10: in templo pecunia posita erat ad alimoniam viduarum et pupillorum.
181. He says, therefore, honor widows, not only by showing reverence, but also by supplying necessities. For these two elements are part and parcel of honor. Hence in the command to honor our parents, we understand a command to help them. As if to say: provide for them in necessity; and this was a custom from the very beginning of the Church: there arose a murmuring of the Greeks against the Hebrews for that their widows were neglected in the daily ministration (Acts 6:1); in the temple there were sums deposited for the subsistence of the widows and fatherless (2 Macc 3:10).
Sed quas viduas? Illas quae vere sunt viduae. Vidua dicitur quasi a viro idua, id est, divisa. Nam vidua vere est illa, quae non habet alias personas a quibus sustentetur, et huic necessaria dabantur de eleemosynis fidelium.
But which widows? Those who are widows indeed. For a widow is, as it were, one who has lost her husband. For a true widow is one who does not have other persons by whom she is sustained; and her needs were provided from the alms of the faithful.
182. Deinde cum dicit si qua autem, exponit quae sunt vere viduae; et
182. Then when he says, but if any widow, he explains who truly are widows:
primo ostendit, quae non sunt vere;
first, he shows who truly are;
secundo quae sunt vere, ibi quae autem.
second, who are not, at for she who is a widow.
Circa primum, primo agit de institutione earum, quae sunt vere viduae;
In regard to the first he does two things: first, he deals with the institution of those who are really widows;
secundo rationem assignat, ibi hoc enim.
second, he assigns the reason, at for this is acceptable.
183. Instruit ergo huiusmodi, quod discant domum suam regere. Tob. X, 13: docuerunt filiam suam regere familiam. Et dicit primum, quia vidua quae assumitur ad provisionem sibi ab Ecclesia fiendam, debet esse cum honestate vigilans. Et hoc est quod dicit discat. Item debet suis parentibus servire, et ideo dicit mutuam, etc., quasi dicat: sicut parentes eam nutrierunt, ita et ipsa eos si habet.
183. Therefore, he instructs such to learn first to govern her own house: they taught their daughter to take care of the family (Tob 10:13). And he says, first, because a widow who is accepted to have her needs filled by the Church ought to be watchful and honorable. And this is what he says, let her learn; she should also serve her parents; hence he says, and to make a return of duty to her parents. As if to say: just as her parents nourished her, so she them, if she has parents.
184. Et huius ratio assignatur, cum subiungit, dicens hoc enim est acceptum, et cetera. Quia haec non solum hominibus fiunt, sed Deo. Et hoc patet, quia Dominus de hoc speciale mandatum dedit, Ex. XX, 12. Quod etiam Dominus Iesus in Evangelio noluit praetermitti. Item hoc natura docet, ut homo recompenset beneficia impendentibus. At nulli tantum impenderunt quantum parentes.
184. He assigns the reason for this when he says, for this is acceptable before God; because this is done not only to men, but to God. And this is clear from the fact that the Lord gave a special commandment on this point, and Jesus in the Gospel refused to ignore it. Furthermore, nature teaches this, namely, that a man make a return to those who conferred benefits on him. But no one has conferred as much as parents have.
185. Deinde cum dicit quae autem vere, tractat de veris viduis.
185. Then when he says, but she who is a widow indeed, he treats of true widows:
Primo ostendens quae vere sint viduae;
first, he shows who are true widows;
secundo qualiter instruendae sunt, ibi speret in Deum.
second, how they are to be instructed, at let her trust in God.
186. Dicit ergo quae autem vere vidua est et desolata, id est, quae non habet consolationem humanam, scilicet filios, vel parentes, et talis quae non habet aliud confugium, speret in Deum, etiam quantum ad temporalia subsidia per Ecclesiam sustentata.
186. He says, therefore: she who is a widow indeed, and desolate, i.e., has no human consolation, namely, children and grandchildren, and no other refuge, let her trust in God, even in regard to temporal subsidies provided by the Church.
187. Et debet instrui primo, ut exercitetur in bonis;
187. First, she should be instructed to pursue the good;
secundo ut caveat a malis, ibi et hoc praecipe.
second, to avoid evil, at and command this.
Circa primum duo facit, quia
In regard to the first he does two things:
primo ostendit quibus debet occupari haec vidua;
first, he shows how a widow should occupy her time;