1) Faith[1] overcomes concern[2]
This Sunday’s liturgy presents as the first reading a passage from the prophet Isaiah, who assures us that God does not forget us, and as Gospel a passage from the Sermon on the Mountain in which Jesus invites us not to trust in riches called mammon[3], but in the provident God who takes care of creation and of the creature par excellence: man.
The risk denounced by Jesus is to trust in the power of money to secure life, maybe holding the foot in both camps. This attitude denotes an ambiguous life, conducted without full commitment to God and unconditional dedication to his service which is for life, while the service to material things is a finite answer to our desire for the infinite. It is important that Jesus illustrates the choice between God and wealth using the verb to serve. In fact if we do not use money wisely and evangelically, there is a serious and certain risk to become the servants of money, concerned only to accumulate it impoverishing for this reason our personal relationships, including that one with God. We have in this verse (Mt 6, 24), a variation on the theme of the blessedness of the poor (cf. Mt 5:3) that the text that follows declines in a new way in line with the trust in the providence of God. In fact, in Matthew 6: 26 and the following passages, Jesus describes the garden of the world and invites us to look at the world with eyes of faith. By faith we see in action the concern of the Father for everything: He takes care of everything even the lilies of the field and the birds of the sky and, more importantly, He is provident to men, beloved children made in his image.
Therefore faith, namely human intelligence filled by Another to whom we give ourselves freely, voluntarily and intelligently, is the condition to understand and live today’s Gospel. From a purely human point of view to the question: «Is it true that the birds of the air are fed by the heavenly Father (Mt 5:26)? » the answer is «No» because they have to work and fly to find herbs and insects to feed on. Like, physically speaking, it is not true that the lilies of the field don’t work because inside a plant there is a lot of work going on. Even eating and drinking are not given to us easily because food and the water don’t fall from the sky.
From a material point of view everything depends on us. In fact, if we don’t exert ourselves we do not eat and do not drink. But from the point of view of faith, everything depends on God: “Are not the birds fed by the heavenly Father?” Sure. “And are not the lilies better dressed than Solomon?” Certainly (cf. Mt 5, 28.31-33).
Yet, despite the many signs of the loving providence of the Father, man often loses his trust in God and does not indulge in His love. As the Scripture reminds us from the beginning of time, man chooses to do his will taking distances from the Eternal Maker. Created with a spark of the divine spirit in his soul, promise of eternal life, man in his freedom has the choice «Before everyone are life and death, whichever they choose will be given them” (Sir 15: 17).
2 ) Providence is tenderness.
It would be wise for us to choose God, trusting in His Providence. But in this connection we must remember that God is truly Providence[4], not in the sense commonly given to this word. It is too little and almost insulting to reduce His relationship with us only to providence reduced to «social security.» He has committed to us until death, and as Jesus says, there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for his friends. How can we doubt this Love? We are the last term of the love of God. He is born, lives and dies for us. God gives us not only what we need, but He gives Himself to us. It must be our highest aspiration and joy to do what He asks.
If we truly believe, we should not be sad because sadness is the denial of faith. Let’s us be taken to God and what will happen not because of our non- preordained will is sure to have been prepared by the One who knows our capacity and acts for our good .
Let us constantly turn to Him, the eternal Sun and light of our lives, as the sunflowers do toward the sun that illuminates and gives life to the Earth.
Every river goes necessarily towards the sea, where it finds its natural outlet, joining and getting lost in it. So it is with every man in the sea of the mercy of God, whose providence is like the bed where the river of our life flows.
God is provident with His presence. He is the Principle that supports every being shaped by Him, in his existence and in his work. His Wisdom and Providence govern every creature. Man, however, to discover and perceive this presence should use the gifts that God has given him, intelligence, will and consciousness, and open to His mystery of Love in humility and sincerity of heart. Only if man recognizes God as the principle of his being, will he find in Him the truth of light. The psalm expresses it very well «For with you is the fountain of life, in your light we see light.» (Ps. 36:10).
God is provident with his tenderness. Our Heavenly Father knows what we need (cf. Mt 6:32) and takes care of us dearly. Do not worry about what we shall eat, drink or wear. We must not take care of us; we have to let the Lord take care of us.
Let our only concern be the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything else will be added unto us (cf. Mt 6:33). Excessive anxiety for the small or large daily needs dulls the interest and the memory for the purpose of life and removes the meaning of life. It may even cancel our relationship with God, who dearly calls us.
The heart of Christianity is the cross and the resurrection of Christ, the top of the tenderness of the Trinity and revelation of God’s tenderness to man. Because of Christ, whose heart was opened by a spear, we can say that we are in God’s heart, a heart welcoming and capable of compassion, infinite kindness and love really free.
To be faithful to the Gospel and the new commandment, the Church must present itself to the world as the «sacrament of the tenderness of God,» a God of goodness and grace and not of punishment and fear. The theology of tenderness must become the practice of tenderness and it calls into question a superficial and mediocre way to be Christian, a way of living without energy and enthusiasm. Without the Gospel of tenderness we cannot live fully the gospel of love which is Christ in person, and we are not able to bring to men the glad tidings of grace.
The God of Jesus Christ calls all of us to make us heralds of His tenderness, making the revolution of tenderness (Pope Francis, Evangelii gaudium, # 88). Only in Christ, man has the ability to overcome the temptation of pride and achieve a sense of tenderness as an event of grace for himself, for the Church and for humanity.
The consecrated Virgins, in particular, are called to this tenderness. They give themselves entirely to Christ not by removing or eliminating human affections, but by rooting them in the heart of Christ. Consecrated virginity is the reason for true and caste tenderness and true sign of God’s mercy. «By freely choosing virginity, women confirm themselves as persons, as beings whom the Creator from the beginning has willed for their own sake. At the same time they realize the personal value of their own femininity by becoming «a sincere gift» for God who has revealed himself in Christ, a gift for Christ, the Redeemer of humanity and the Spouse of souls: a «spousal» gift. One cannot correctly understand virginity – a woman’s consecration in virginity -without referring to spo
usal love. It is through this kind of love that a person becomes a gift for the other. Moreover, a man’s consecration in priestly celibacy or in the religious state is to be understood analogously.” (John Paul II, Mulieris dignitatem, #20).
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Roman Rite – VIII Sunday in Ordinary Time – March 2, 2014
Isaiah 49:14-15; Psalm 62; 1 Corinthians 4.1 -5 ; Mt 6.24-34
God always cares for us.
Ambrosian Rite – Last Sunday after the Epiphany called «of the forgiveness»
Hos 1.9 ; 2.7 a.b -10 , Ps 102 , Rom 8:1-4 , Lk 15:11-32
The forgiveness of tenderness.
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PATRISTIC READING
ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
HOMILY XXII.
MATT. VI. 28, 29.
«Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.» HAVING spoken of our necessary food, and having signified that not even for this should we take thought, He passes on in what follows to that which is more easy. For raiment is not so necessary as food. Why then did He not make use here also of the same example, that of the birds, neither mention to us the peacock, and the swan, and the sheep? for surely there were many such examples to take from thence. Because He would point out how very far the argument may be carried both ways: both from the vileness of the things that partake of such elegance, and from the munificence vouchsafed to the lilies, in respect of their adorning. For this cause, when He hath decked them out, He doth not so much as call them lilies any more, but «grass of the field.» And He is not satisfied even with this name, but again adds another circumstance of vileness, saying, «which to-day is.» And He said not, «and to-morrow is not,» but what is much baser yet, «is east into the oven.» And He said not, «clothe,» but «so clothe.»
Seest thou everywhere how He abounds in amplifications and intensities? And this He doth, that He may touch them home: and therefore He hath also added, «shall He not much more clothe you?»
For this too hath much emphasis: the force of the word, «you,» being no other than to indicate covertly the great value set upon our race, and the concern shown for it; as though He had said, «you, to whom
He gave a soul, for whom He fashioned a body, for whose sake He made all the things that are seen, for whose sake He sent prophets, and gave the law, and wrought those innumerable good works; for whose sake He gave up His only begotten Son.»
And not till He hath made His proof clear, doth He proceed also to rebuke them, saying, «O ye of little faith.» For this is the quality of an adviser: He doth not admonish only, but reproves also, that He may awaken men the more to the persuasive power of His words.
Hereby He teaches us not only to take no thought, but not even to be dazzled at the costliness of men’s apparel. Why, such comeliness is of grass, such beauty of the green herb: or rather, the grass is even more precious than such apparelling. Why then pride thy self on things, whereof the prize rests with the mere plant, with a great balance in its favor?
And see how from the beginning He signifies the injunction to be easy; by the contraries again, and by the things of which they were afraid, leading them away from these cares. Thus, when He had said, «Consider the lilies of the field,» He added, «they toil not:» so that in desire to set us free from toils, did He give these commands. In fact, the labor lies, not in taking no thought, but in taking thought forthese things. And as in saying, «they sow not,» it was not the sowing that He did away with, but the anxious thought; so in saying, «they toil not, neither do they spin,» He put an end not to the work, but to the care.
But if Solomon was surpassed by their beauty, and that not once nor twice, but throughout all his reign:–for neither can one say, that at one time He was clothed with such apparel, but after that He was so no more; rather not so much as on one day did He array Himself so beautifully: for this Christ declared by saying, «in all his reign:» and if it was not that He was surpassed by this flower, but vied with that, but He gave place to all alike (wherefore He also said, «as one of these:» for such as between the truth and the counterfeit, so great is the interval between those robes and these flowers):–if then he acknowledged his inferiority, who was more glorious than all kings that ever were: when wilt thou be able to surpass, or rather to approach even faintly to such perfection of form?
After this He instructs us, not to aim at all at such ornament. See at least the end thereof; after its triumph «it is cast into the oven:» and if of things mean, and worthless, and of no great use, God hath displayed so great care, how shall He give up thee, of all living creatures the most important? Wherefore then did He make them so beautiful? That He might display His own wisdom and the excellency of His power; that from everything we might learn His glory. For not «the Heavens only declare the glory of God, «but the earth too; and this David declared when he said, «Praise the Lord, ye fruitful trees, and all cedars.»For some by their fruits, some by their greatness, some by their beauty, send up praise to Him who made them: this too being a sign of great excellency of wisdom, when even upon things that are very vile (and what can be viler than that which to-day is, and to-morrow is not?) He pours out such great beauty. If then to the grass He hath given that which it needs not (for what doth the beauty thereof help to the feeding of the fire?) how shall He not give unto thee that which thou needest? If that which is the vilest of all things, He hath lavishly adorned, and that as doing it not for need, but for munificence, how much more will He honor thee, the most honorable of all things, in matters which are of necessity.
2. Now when, as you see, He had demonstrated the greatness of God’s providential care, and they were in what follows to be rebuked also, even in this He was sparing, laying to their charge not want, but poverty, of faith. Thus, «if God,» saith He, «so clothe the grass of the field, much more you, O ye of little faith.»
And yet surely all these things He Himself works. For «all things were made by Him, and without Him was not so much as one thing made. «But yet He nowhere as yet makes mention of Himself: it being sufficient for the time, to indicate His full power, that He said at each of the commandments, «Ye have heard that it hath been said to them of old time, but I say unto you.»
Marvel not then, when in subsequent instances also He conceals Himself, or speaks something lowly of Himself: since for the present He had but one object, that His word might prove such as they would readily receive, and might in every way demonstrate that He was not a sort of adversary of God, but of one mind, and in agreement with the Father.
Which accordingly He doth here also; for through so many words as He hath spent He ceases not to set Him before us, admiring His wisdom, His providence, His tender care extending through all things, both great and small. Thus, both when He was speaking of Jerusalem, He called it «the city of the Great King; «and when He mentioned Heaven, He spake of it again as «God’s throne; «and when
He was discoursing of His economy in the world, to Him again He attributes it all, saying, «He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. «And in the prayer too He taught us to say, His «is the kingdom and the power and the: glory.» And here in discoursing of His providence, and signifying how even in little things He is the most excellent of artists, He saith, that «He clothes the grass of the field.» And nowhere doth He call Him His own Father, but theirs; in order that by the very honor He might reprove them, and that when He should call Him His Father, they might no more be displeased.
Now if for bare nece
ssaries one is not to take thought, what pardon can we deserve, who take thought for things expensive? Or rather, what pardon can they deserved who do even without sleep, that they may take the things of others?
3. «Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? or, what shall we drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the nations of the world seek. «Seest thou how again He hath both shamed them the more, and hath also shown by the way, that He had commanded nothing grievous nor burdensome? As therefore when He said, «If ye love them which love you,» it is nothing great which ye practise, for the very Gentiles do the same; by the mention of the Gentiles He was stirring them up to something greater: so now also He brings them forward to reprove us, and to signify that it is a necessary debt which He is requiring of us. For if we must show forth something more than the Scribes or Pharisees, what can we deserve, who so far from going beyond these, do even abide in the mean estate of the Gentiles, and emulate their littleness of soul? He doth not however stop at the rebuke, but having by this reproved and roused them, and shamed them with all strength of expression, by another argument He also comforts them, saying, «For your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.» He said not, «God knoweth,» but, «your Father knoweth;» to lead them to a greater hope. For if He be a Father, and such a Father, He will not surely be able to overlook His children in extremity of evils; seeing that not even men, being fathers, bear to do so.
And He adds along with this yet another argument. Of what kind then is it? That «ye have need» of them. What He saith is like this. What! are these things superfluous, that He should disregard them? Yet not even in superfluities did He show Himself wanting in regard, in the instance of the grass: but now are these things even necessary.
So that what thou considerest a cause for thy being anxious, this I say is sufficient to draw thee from such anxiety. I mean, if thou sayest, «Therefore I must needs take thought, because they are necessary;» on the contrary, I say, «Nay, for this self-same reason take no thought, because they are necessary.» Since were they superfluities, not even then ought we to despair, but to feel confident about the supply of them; but now that they are necessary, we must no longer be in doubt. For what kind of father is he, who can endure to fail in supplying to his children even necessaries? So that for this cause again God will most surely bestow them.
For indeed He is the artificer of our nature, and He knows perfectly the wants thereof. So that neither canst thou say, «He is indeed our Father, and the things we seek are necessary, but He knows not that we stand in need of them.» For He that knows our nature itself, and was the framer of it, and formed it such as it is; evidently He knows its need also better than thou, who art placed in want of them: it having been by His decree, that our nature is in such need. He will not therefore oppose Himself to what He hath willed, first subjecting it of necessity to so great want, and on the other hand again depriving it of what it wants, and of absolute necessaries. Let us not therefore be anxious, for we shall gain nothing by it, but tormenting ourselves. For whereas He gives both when we take thought, and when we do not, and more of the two, when we do not; what dost thou gain by thy anxiety, but to exact of thyself a superfluous penalty? Since one on the point of going to a plentiful feast, will not surely permit himself to take thought for food; nor is he that is walking to a fountain anxious about drink. Therefore seeing we have a supply more copious than either any fountain, or innumerable banquets made ready, the providence of God; let us not be beggars, nor little minded.
4. For together with what hath been said, He puts also yet another reason for feeling confidence about such things, saying, «Seek ye the kingdom of Heaven, and all these things shall be added unto you.» Thus when He had set the soul free from anxiety, then He made mention also of Heaven. For indeed He came to do away with the old things, and to call us to a greater country. Therefore He doeth all, to deliver us from things unnecessary, and from our affection for the earth. For this cause He mentioned the heathens also, saying that «the Gentiles seek after these things;» they whose whole labor is for the present life, who have no regard for the things to come, nor any thought of Heaven. But to you not these present are the chief things, but other than these. For we were not born for this end, that we should eat and drink and be clothed, but that we might please God, and attain unto the good things to come. Therefore as things here are secondary in our labor, so also in our prayers let them be secondary. Therefore He also said, «Seek ye the kingdom of Heaven, and all these things shall be added unto you.»
And He said not, «shall be given,» but «shall be added,» that thou mightest learn, that the things present are no great part of His gifts, compared with the greatness of the things to come. Accordingly, He doth not bid us so much as ask for them, but while we ask for other things, to have confidence, as though these also were added to those. Seek then the things to come, and thou wilt receive the things present also; seek not the things that are seen, and thou shalt surely attain unto them. Yea, for it is unworthy of thee to approach thy Lord for such things. And thou, who oughtest to spend all thy zeal and thy care for those unspeakable blessings, dost greatly disgrace thyself by consuming it on the desire of transitory things.
«How then?» saith one, «did He not bid us ask for bread?» Nay, He added, «daily,» and to this again, «this day,» which same thing in fact He doth here also. For He said not, «Take no thought,» but, «Take no thought for the morrow,» at the same time both affording us liberty, and fastening our soul on those things that are more necessary to us. For to this end also He bade us ask even those, not as though God needed reminding by us, but that we might learn that by His help we accomplish whatever we do accomplish, and that we might be made more His own by our continual prayer for these things.
Seest thou how by this again He would persuade them, that they shall surely receive the things present? For He that bestows the greater, much more will He give the less. «For not for this end,» saith He, «did I tell you not to take thought nor to ask, that ye should suffer distress, and go about naked, but in order that ye might be in abundance of these things also:» and this, you see, was suited above all things to attract them to Him. So that like as in almsgiving, when deterring them from making a display to men, he won upon them chiefly by promising to furnish them with it more liberally;–«for thy Father,» saith He, «who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly;»(2)–even so here also, in drawing them off from seeking these things, this is His persuasive topic, that He promises to bestow it on them, not seeking it, in greater abundance. Thus, to this end, saith He, do I bid thee not seek, not that thou mayest not receive, but that thou mayest receive plentifully; that thou mayest receive in the fashion that becomes thee, with the profit which thou oughtest to have; that thou mayest not, by taking thought, and distracting thyself in anxiety about these, render thyself unworthy both of these, and of the things spiritual; that thou mayest not undergo unnecessary distress, and again fall away from that which is set before thee.
5. «Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof:» that is to say, the affliction, and the bruising thereof. Is it not enough for thee, to eat thy bread in the sweat of thy face? Why add the further affliction that comes of anxiety, when thou art on the point to be delivered henceforth even from the former toils?
By «evil» here He means, not wickedness, far from i
t, but affliction, and trouble, and calamities; much as in another place also He saith, «Is there evil in a city, which the Lord hath not done?» not meaning rapines, nor injuries ,nor anything like these, but the scourges which are borne from above. And again, «I,» saith He, «make peace, and create evils:» For neither in this place doth He speak of wickedness,
but of famines, and pestilences, things accounted evil by most men: the generality being wont to call these things evil. Thus, for example, the priests and prophets of those five lordships, when having yoked the kine to the ark, they let them go without their calves, gave the name of «evil» to those heaven-sent plagues, and the dismay and anguish which thereby sprang up within them.
This then is His meaning here also, when He saith, «sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.» For nothing so pains the soul, as carefulness and anxiety. Thus did Paul also, when urging to celibacy, give counsel, saying, «I would have you without carefulness.»
But when He saith, «the morrow shall take thought for itself,» He saith it not, as though the day took thought for these things, but forasmuch as He had to speak to a people somewhat imperfect, willing to make what He saith more expressive, He personifies the time, speaking unto them according to the custom of the generality.
And here indeed He advises, but as He proceeds, He even makes it a law, saying, «provide neither gold nor silver, nor scrip for your journey.» Thus, having shown it all forth in His actions, then after that
He introduces the verbal enactment of it more determinately, the precept too having then become more easy of acceptance, confirmed as it had been previously by His own actions. Where then did He confirm it by His actions? Hear Him saying, «The Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.» Neither is He satisfied with this only, but in His disciples also He exhibits His full proof of these things, by fashioning them too in like manner, yet not suffering them to be in want of anything.
But mark His tender care also, how He surpasses the affection of any father. Thus, «This I command,» saith He, «for nothing else but that I may deliver you from superfluous anxieties. For even if to-day thou hast taken thought for to-morrow, thou wilt also have to take thought again to-morrow. Why then what is over and above? Why force the day to receive more than the distress which is allotted to it, and together with its own troubles add to it also the burden of the following day; and this, when there is no chance of thy lightening the other by the addition so taking place, but thou art merely to exhibit thyself as coveting superfluous troubles?» Thus, that He may reprove them the more, He doth all but give life to the very time, and brings it in as one injured, and exclaiming against them for their causeless despite. Why, thou hast received the day, to care for the things thereof. Wherefore then add unto it the things of the other day also? Hath it not then burden enough in its own anxiety? Why now, I pray, dost thou make it yet heavier? Now when the Lawgiver saith these things, and He that is to pass judgment on us, consider the hopes that He suggests to us, how good they are; He Himself testifying, that this life is wretched and wearisome, so that the anxiety even of the one day is enough to hurt and afflict us.
6. Nevertheless, after so many and so grave words, we take thought for these things, but for the things in Heaven no longer: rather we have reversed His order, on either side fighting against His sayings.
For mark; «Seek ye not the things, present,» saith He, «at all;» but we are seeking these things for ever: «seek the things in Heaven,» saith He; but those things we seek not so much as for a short hour, but according to the greatness of the anxiety we display about the things of the world, is the carelessness we entertain in things spiritual; or rather even much greater. But this doth not prosper forever; neither can this be forever. What if for ten days we think scorn? if for twenty? if for an hundred? must we not of absolute necessity depart, and fall into the hands of the Judge? «But the delay hath comfort.» And what sort of comfort, to be every day looking for punishment and vengeance? Nay, if thou wouldest have some comfort from this delay, take it by gathering for thyself the fruit of amendment after repentance. Since if the mere delay of vengeance seem to thee a sort of refreshment, far more is it gain not to fall into the vengeance. Let us then make full use of this delay, in order to have a full deliverance from the dangers that press upon us.
For none of the things enjoined is either burdensome or grievous, but all are so light and easy, that it we only bring a genuine purpose of heart, we may accomplish all, though we be chargeable with countless offenses. For so Manasses had perpetrated innumerable pollutions, having both stretched out his hands against the saints, and brought abominations into the temple, and filled the city with murders, and wrought many other things beyond excuse; yet nevertheless after so long and so great wickedness, he washed away from himself all these things? How and in what manner? By repentance, and consideration.
For there is not, yea, there is not any sin, that doth not yield and give way to the power of repentance, or rather to the grace of Christ.
Since if we would but only change, we have Him to assist us. And if thou art desirous to become good, there is none to hinder us; or rather there is one to hinder us, the devil, yet hath he no power, so long as thou choosest what is best, and so attractest God to thine aid. But if thou art not thyself willing, but startest aside, how shall He protect thee? Since not of necessity or compulsion, but of thine own will, He wills thee to be saved. For if thou thyself, having a servant full of hatred and aversion for thee, and continually going off, and fleeing away from thee, wouldest not choose to keep him, and this though needing his services; much less will God, who doeth all things not for His own profit, but for thy salvation, choose to retain thee by compulsion; as on the other hand, if thou show forth a right intention only, He would not choose ever to give thee up, no, not whatever the devil may do. So that we are ourselves to blame for our own destruction. Because we do not approach, nor beseech, nor
entreat Him, as we ought: but even if we do draw nigh, it is not as persons who have need to receive, neither is it with the proper faith, nor as making demand, but we do all in a gaping and listless way.
7. And yet God would have us demand things of Him, and for this accounts Himself greatly bound to thee. For He alone of all debtors, when the demand is made, counts it a favor, and gives what we have not lent Him. And if He should see him pressing earnestly that makes the demand, He pays down even what He hath not received of us; but if sluggishly, He too keeps on making delays; not through unwillingness to give, but because He is pleased to have the demand made upon Him by us. For this cause He told thee also the example of that friend, who came by night, and asked a loaf;and of the judge that feared not God, nor regarded men. And He stayed not at similitudes, but signified it also in His very actions, when He dismissed that Phoenician woman, having filled her with His great gift. For through her He signified, that He gives to them that ask earnestly, even the things that pertain not to them. «For it is not meet,» saith He, «to take the children’s bread, and to give it unto the dogs.» But for all that He gave, because she demanded of him earnestly. But by the Jews He showed, that to them that are careless, He gives not even their own. They accordingly received nothing, but lost what was their own. And while these, because they asked not, did not receive so much as their very own; she, because she assailed Him with earnestness, had power to obtain even what pertained to others, and the dog received what was the children’s. So great a good is importun
ity. For though thou be a dog, yet being importunate, thou shalt be preferred to the child being negligent: for what things affection accomplishes not, these, all of them, importunity did accomplish. Say not therefore, «God is an enemy to me, and will not hearken.» He doth straightway answer thee, continually troubling him, if not because thou art His friend, yet because of thine importunity. And neither the enmity, or the unseasonable time, nor anything else becomes an hindrance. Say not, «I am unworthy, and do not pray;» for such was the Syrophoenician woman too. Say not, «I have sinned much, and am not able to entreat Him whom I have angered;» for God looks not at the desert, but at the disposition. For if the ruler that feared not God, neither was ashamed of men, was overcome by the widow, much more will He that is good be won over by continual entreaty.
So that though thou be no friend, though thou be not demanding thy due, though thou hast devoured thy Father’s substance, and have been a long time out of sight, though without honor, though last of all, though thou approach Him angry, though much displeased; be willing only to pray, and to return, and thou shalt receive all, and shall quickly extinguish the wrath and the condemnation.
But, «behold, I pray,» saith one, «and there is no result.» Why, thou prayest not like those; such I mean as the Syrophoenician woman, the friend that came late at night, and the widow that is continually troubling the judge, and the son that consumed his father’s goods.
For didst thou so pray, thou wouldest quickly obtain. For though despite have been done unto Him, yet is He a Father; and though He have been provoked to anger, yet is He fond of His children; and one thing only doth He seek, not to take vengeance for our affronts, but to see thee repenting and entreating Him. Would that we were warmed in like measure, as those bowels are moved to the love of us. But this fire seeks a beginning only, and if thou afford it a little spark, thou kindlest a full flame of beneficence. For not because He hath been insulted, is He sore vexed, but because it is thou who art insulting Him, and so becoming frenzied. For if we being evil, when our children molestus, grieve on their account; much more is God, who cannot so much as suffer insult, sore vexed on account of thee, who hast committed it. If we, who love by nature, much more He, who is kindly affectioned beyond nature. «For though,» saith He,»a woman should forget the fruits of her womb, yet will I not forget thee.»
8. Let us therefore draw nigh unto Him, and say, «Truth, Lord; for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’table.»Let us draw nigh «in season, out of season:» or rather, one can never draw nigh out of season, for it is unseasonable not to be continually approaching. For of Him who desires to give it is alwaysseasonable to ask: yea, as breathing is never out of season, so neither is praying unseasonable, but rather not praying. Since as we need this breath, so do we also the help that comes from Him; and if we be willing, we shall easily draw Him to us. And the prophet, to manifest this, and to point out the constant readiness of His beneficence, said, «We shall find Him prepared as the morning.» For as often as we may draw nigh, we shall see Him awaiting our movements. And if we fail to draw from out of His ever-springing goodness, the blame is all ours. This, for example, was His complaint against certain Jews, when He said, «My mercy is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. «And His meaning is like this; «I indeed have supplied all my part, but ye, as a hot sun coming over scatters both the cloud and the dew, and makes them vanish, so have ye by your great wickedness restrained the unspeakable Beneficence.»
Which also itself again is an instance of providential care: that even when He sees us unworthy to receive good, He withholds His file: benefits, lest He render us careless. But if we change a little, even but so much as to know that we have sinned, He gushes out beyond the fountains, He is poured forth beyond the ocean; and the more thou receivest, so much the more doth He rejoice; and in this way is stirred up again to give us more. For indeed He accounts it as His own wealth, that we should be saved, and that He should give largely to them that ask. And this, it may seem, Paul was declaring when He said, that He is «rich unto all and over all that call upon Him.»Because when we pray not, then He is wroth; when we pray not, then doth He turn away from us. For this cause «He became poor, that He might make us rich; «for this cause He underwent all those suffering, that He might incite us to ask.
Let us not therefore despair, but having so many motives and good hopes, though we sin every day, let us approach Him, entreating, beseeching, asking the forgiveness of our sins. For thus we shall be more backward to sin for the time to come; thus shall we drive away the devil, and shall call forth the loving kindness of God, and attain unto the good things to come, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might forever and ever.
Amen.
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[1] «Faith is the substance – namely the certainty – of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen» (Heb 11:1). Faith means that life is more than what you see. Faith is recognizing a Presence and the Christian is the one who lives or, at least, tends to live relationships at the light of faith, that is, with the awareness of this Presence.
[2] The concept of concern. The Greek word «merimnao» (to worry, to get worked up, to be concerned, to become distressed) occurs four times (Mt 5,25.31.34 (twice)). But the concept of concern in ancient time and in the Bible is not the same as ours. We are worried because our child is half an hour late then he comes and the worry goes away. We worry for a test or because we have guests and want to make a good impression, and so on. Concern is an aspect of our lives. But when the Gospel speaks of concern it doesn’t mean only one aspect of it but its totality. Worry is something that we always think about, something that takes all our thinking and absorbs the rest. The parallel text in Luke 12.22 to 31 , in fact, is preceded by the narration of a man who is totally worried about (he thinks only about that, and he is all focused there) his «too » abundant harvest, so that he is concerned with what to do and where to put his crops . But living in this way kills (cf. Lk 12:20) because there is only that and nothing else.
[3] The root of the Hebrew word «mammon» is «‘mn» to be taken in the sense of » in what one has confidence». We can then understand why Jesus admonishes his listeners: if man puts his trust in wealth, for him God doesn’t mean anything.
[4] Providence signifies the mystery of the heart of Christ. But the Christian language, namely the words that contain the mystery, energies, joys and interests of that existence, in the course of time and especially the last three centuries [1700 – 1900], has had an unfortunate fate. Christian life is slipped into worldliness and has taken its words. Now everywhere in our everyday language roam terms that derive from the scope of the holy Christian faith and love, but no longer retain much of their origin. Several times a residue, a vibration, an aura but for the rest they have become secular. So too was the sacred word «Providence» which was secularized into «social security”.
