with me, because I have found | saw him, and was moved with the groat which I had lost. 10 So I say to you, there shall be joy before the Angels of God upon one sinner doing penance. 11 And he said: a certain man had two sons; 12 And the younger of them said to his father: Father, give me the portion of substance that faLeth to me. And he divided unto them his substance. 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathering all together, went abroad into a far country and there wasted his substance living riotously. 14 And after he had spent all, there came a mighty famine in that country, and he began to be in want. 15 And he went, and cleaved to one of the citizens of that country. And he sent him into his farm to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17 And returning to himself, he said: How many hired servants in my father's house abound with bread, and I here perish with hunger? 18 I will arise, and will go to my father, and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee: 19 I am not now worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And rising up he came to his father. And when he was yet a great way off, his father CHAP. XV. Ver. 10 Before the Angels. By this it is plain that the spirits in heaven have a concern for us below, and a joy at our repentance, and ponsequently knowledge of it. compassion, and running to him fell upon his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, I am not now worthy to be called thy 22 And the father said to his ⚫ servants: Bring forth quickly the first robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat and make merry: 24 Because this my son was dead, and is come to life again: was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 25 Now his elder son was in the field, and when he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing: 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him: Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in. His father therefore coming out began to entreat him. 29 And he answering, said to his father: Behold, for so many years do I serve thee, and I have never transgressed thy commandment, and yet thou hast never given me a kid to make merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son is come, who hath devoured his substance with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted" calf. 31 But he said to him: Son, 127 thou art always with me, and all I have is thine. 32 But it was fit that we should make merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead, and is come to life again; he was lost, and is found. CHAP. XVI. The parable of the unjust steward: of the rich man and Lazarus. ND he said also to his disci ples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods. 2 And he called him, and said to him: How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship: for now thou canst be steward no longer. 3 And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my Lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; to beg I am ashamed. 4 I know what I will do, that when I shall be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. 5 Therefore calling together every one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my lord? 6 But he said: An hundred barrels of oil. And he said to aim: Take thy bill and sit down quickly, and write fifty. 7 Then he said to another: And how much dost thou owe? Who said: An hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: Take thy bill, and write eighty. 8 And the Lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. 9 And I say to you: Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity, that when you shall fail they may receive you into everlasting dwellings. 10 He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in that which is greater: and he that is unjust in that which is little, is unjust also in that which is greater. 11 If then you have not been faithful in the unjust mammon; who will trust you with that which is the true? 12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's; who will give you that which is your own? 13 a No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other: or he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. 14 Now the Pharisees who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. 15 And he said to them: You are they who justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts; for that which is high to men, is an abomination before God, 16 The law and the prophets were until John; from a Matt. 6. 24.-b Matt. 11. 12. CHAP. XVI. Ver. 9. Mammon of They are here called the mammon of iniquity. Mammon signifies riches. iniquity, because oftentimes ill gotten, ill bestowed, or an occasion of evil; and at the best are but worldly, and false; and not the true riches of a christian.-Ibid. They may receive. By this we see, that the poor servants alms, may hereafter, by their inter of God, whom we have relieved by our cession, bring our souls to heaven. that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every one useth violence towards it. 17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fall. 18 Every one that putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her that is put away from her husband, committeth adultery. 19 There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen: and feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, full of sores. 21 Desiring to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table, and no one did give him; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died: and he was buried in hell. 23 And lifting up his eyes his eyes when he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom: 24 And he cried, and said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, to cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. 25 And Abraham said to him: Son, remember that thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted and thou art tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is fixed a great chaos: so that they who would pass from hence to you, cannot, nor from thence come bither. 27 And he said: Then, father, I beseech thee that thou wouldst send him to my father's house, for I have five brethren, 28 That he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torments. 29 And Abraham said to him: They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 But he said: No, father Abraham, but if one went to them from the dead, they will do penance. 31 And he said to him: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe if one rise again from the dead. It is impossible that scandals should not come: but wo to him through whom they come. 2 It were better for him, that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should scandalize one of these little ones. 3 Take heed to yourselves. dIf thy brother sin against thee, reprove him: and if he do penance, forgive him. 4 And if he sin against thee seven times in a day, and seven c Matt. 18. 7. Mark 9. 41.-d L 19. 17. Eccli. 19. 13. Matt. 18. 15 times in a day be converted unto thee, saying, I repent: forgive him. 5 And the apostles said to the Lord: Increase our faith. 6 And the Lord said: If you had faith like to a grain of mustard-seed, you might say to this mulberry-tree, Be thou rooted up, and be thou transplanted into the sea: and it would obey you. 13 And lifted up their voice, saying: JESUS, master, have mercy on us. 14 Whom when he saw, he said: Go, shew yourselves to the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were made clean. 15 And one of them when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorifying God, 16 And he fell on his face behis feet, giving thanks: and this was a Samaritan. 7 But which of you having a servant plowing or feeding cat-fore tle, will say to him when he is come from the field: Immediately go, sit down to meat: 8 And will not rather say to him Make ready my supper, and gird thyself, and serve me whilst I eat and drink, and afterwards thou shalt eat and drink? 9 Doth he thank that servant, for doing the things which he commanded him? 10 I think not. So you also, when you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say: We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which we ought to do. 11 And it came to pass, as he was going to Jerusalem, he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain town, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off; a Matt. 17. 19. CHAP, XVII. Ver. 10. Unprofitable servants. Because our service is of no profit to our master; and he justly claims it as our bounden duty. But though we are unprofitable to him, our serving him, is not unprofitable to us: for he is pleased to give by his grace value to our good works, which, in consequence of his promise, entitles them to an eternal reward. 17 And JESUS answering, said: Were not ten made clean? and where are the nine? 18 There is no one found to return and give glory to God, but this stranger. 19 And he said to him: Arise, go thy way; for thy faith hath made thee whole. 20 And being asked by the Pharisees: when the kingdom of God should come? he answered them and said: The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say: Behold here, or behold there. For lo, the kingdom of God is within you. 22 And he said to his disciples: The days will come when you shall desire to see one day of the son of man; and you shall not see it. 23 And they will say to you: See here, and see there. Go ye not after, nor follow them: 24 For as the lightning that lighteneth from under heaven, shineth unto the parts that are under heaven: so shall the son of man be in his day. b Lev. 14. 2.-c Matt. 24. 23. Mat 13. 21. 25 But first he must suffer many things, and be rejected by this generation. 26 And as it came to pass in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the son of man. 27 They did eat and drink, they married wives and were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark: and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it came to pass in the days of Lot: They did eat and drink, they bought anu sold, they planted and built. 29 And in the day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the son of man shall be revealed. 31 In that hour he that shall be on the house-top, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away and he that shall be in the field, in like manner let him not return back. 32 Remember Lot's wife. 33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life, shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose it, shall preserve it. 34 I say to you: din that night there shall be two men in one bed: the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. 35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be De taken, and the other shall be left: two men shall be in the field: the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. a Gen. 7. 7. Matt. 24. 37.-b Gen. 19. 25. c Matt. 10. 39. Mark 8. 35.-d Supra, 9. 24. John 12. 25. Matt. 24. 40. 36 They answering say to him: Where, Lord? 37 Who said to them: Wheresoever the body shall be, thither will the eagles also be gathered together. CHAP. XVIII. We must pray always. The Pharisee and the publican. The danger of riches. The blind man is restored to sight. AND he spoke also a parable them, that we ought always to pray, and not to faint. in a certain city, who feared not 2 Saying: There was a judge God, nor regarded man. 3 And there was a certain to him, saying: Avenge me of widow in that city, and she came my adversary. 4 And he would not for a long time. But afterwards he said. within himself: Although I fear not God, nor regard man, 5 Yet because this widow is troublesome to me, I will avenge her, lest continually coming she weary me. |