Sermon - Ask, and You Will Receive
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Petite et accipietis
Ask, and You Will Receive
PetiteDominica in Rogationibus
Sermon on the Sunday before the Feast of the Ascension (authenticity uncertain)1
PetiteIohannes 16:24
John 16:24
PetitePetite et accipietis ut gaudium vestrum sit plenum.
Ask, and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
PetiteProthema
Prologue
PetiteDicit beatus Ieronimus quod omnia opera nostra oratio dominica debet praecedere et gratiarum actio debet sequi. Unde in quadam epistola sua ad Paulam ita dicit: in principio cuiuslibet operis tui orationem dominicam praemitte et signum sanctae crucis in frontem tuum imprime. Idem: sicut non decet militem ire ad bellum sine armis, sic non decet Christi militem ire ad bellum contra demonem nisi sit munitus istis armis, dominica cruce, dominica oratione. Et ego addo cum hoc: angelica salutatione. Et ideo primo decemus Pater noster et Ave Maria, antequam etc.
St. Jerome says that the Lord’s Prayer ought to precede all our works, and the working of the graces ought to follow. Hence he says in a letter of his to Paula: pray the Lord’s Prayer at the beginning of any work of yours and press the sign of the holy Cross upon your forehead. Likewise: just as it does not befit a soldier to go to war without arms, so it does not befit a soldier of Christ to go to war against a demon unless he would be protected by these arms: the Lord’s Cross and the Lord’s Prayer. And I add to this: the angel’s greeting.1 And hence we will first say an Our Father and a Hail Mary beforehand, et cetera.
PetiteSermo
Sermon
PetitePetite, etc. Dicit Apostolus ad Romanos quod quid rogare debeamus saepius ignoramus. Ideo advocatus noster Iesus Christus, de quo Iohannes in Canonica sua: advocatum habemus ad Patrem Iesum Christum, et ipse est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris, iste advocatus invitat nos hodie ad petendum et promittit nobis dare, immo iurat nobis dare, dum modo petamus in nomine Salvatoris, quae sunt necessaria nostrae saluti.
Ask, et cetera. (John 16:24). The Apostle says in Romans 8:26 that quite often we do not know what we ought to ask. Therefore, our Advocate, Jesus Christ, of whom John says in his letter (1 John 2:1–2) that we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, and he is the atonement for our sins, this Advocate invites us today to pray, and he promises to give to us, yes, he even swears to give to us, provided that we ask in the name of the Savior the things that are necessary for our salvation.
PetiteUnde in principio Evangelii hodierni: amen, amen dico vobis: si quid petieritis Patrem in nomine meo dabit vobis, iste advocatus noster invitat nos ad petendum et docet nos formare petitionem nostram:
Thus at the beginning of today’s Gospel this Advocate of ours invites us to ask and teaches us to formulate our petition, saying: very truly, I tell you, if you ask the Father for something in my name, he will give it to you (John 16:23).1
Petitesecundum hoc in istis verbis tria tanguntur:
Accordingly he touches in these words upon three things.
Petiteprimo ad petendum nos invitat Dominus: petite;
First, the Lord invites us to pray: ask.
Petitesecundo de impetrando nos assecurat: et accipietis;
Second, he assures us about our obtaining: and you will receive.
Petiteet tertio ut recte petamus quid nobis est necessarium ad habendum, certificat cum subdit: ut gaudium vestrum sit plenum;
And third, so that we may rightly ask, he underlines what is necessary for us to have, when he adds: so that your joy may be complete.
Petitequia alibi dicitur: omni habenti dabitur et abundabit; alibi in Luca: petite et accipietis, quaerite et invenietis, pulsate et aperietur vobis. Petite confidenter et accipietis bonum fortunae quo corpus sustentatur; quaerite diligenter et invenietis bonum gratiae quo anima reficitur; pulsate incessanter et aperietur vobis ianua paradisi ut cor vestrum gaudio repleatur.
For elsewhere it is said: to everyone who has, it will be given, abundantly even (Matt 25:29); and elsewhere, in Luke 11:9: ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened for you.1 Ask with confidence, and you will receive the gift of prosperity by which the body is upheld; seek carefully, and you will find the good of grace by which the soul is refreshed; knock ceaselessly, and the door of paradise will be opened for you, so that your heart may be filled with joy.
Petite1. Primo ergo invitat nos Dominus in verbis istis ad petendum; in quo notatur summa eius curialitas, qui ita curialiter ad petendum nos invitat.
1. So first, the Lord invites us in these words to ask; in this we see the highest courtesy of him who so courteously invites us to ask.
PetiteQuatuor sunt quae multum debent nos movere ad petendum:
There are four things that really ought to move us to ask:
Petiteprimum, nostra inopia et necessitas;
(1.1) first, our poverty and want;
Petitesecundum, summa Christi liberalitas;
(1.2) second, the greatest generosity of Christ;
Petitetertium, petendi temporis opportunitas;
(1.3) third, the favorable time for asking;
Petitequartum, impetrandi securitas.
(1.4) fourth, the surety of obtaining.
Petite1.1. Primum dico quod debet nos movere ad petendum est nostra inopia et necessitas: nihil enim boni habemus a nobis sed a Deo; unde Apostolus ad Romanos: quid habes, scilicet boni, quod non accepisti? Si accepisti, quid gloriaris quasi non acceperis? Peccator nihil habet a seipso nisi peccatum suum, et qui in peccato mortali est1 amittit quidquid boni fecit, quia, ut ait Iacobus: si quis totam legem servaverit, offendat autem in uno, reus omnium factus est.
1.1. I say that the first thing that ought to move us to ask is our poverty and want. For we have nothing good from ourselves, but from God. The Apostle says in Romans: what do you have, that is, what good do you have, that you have not received? If you received, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? (1 Cor 4:7). A sinner has nothing from himself but his sin, and someone who is in the state of mortal sin loses everything good that he has done, because, as James 2:10 says: if someone has served the whole law, yet offends against one, he has become the transgressor against all.1
PetiteQui offendit Deum praeceptum eius transgrediendo ita damnabitur pro uno peccato sicut pro omnibus; non tamen ita punietur1 pro pluribus. Vel: qui offenderit in uno, largitore omnium bonorum Christo, reus omnium factus est, id est omnium malorum detrimentum patietur. Vel: qui offenderit in uno, scilicet contra praeceptum caritatis, quia caritas est mater omnium virtutum, factus est aliarum virtutum reus, sicut et qui patrem familias offendit, per consequens et totam familiam.
Someone who offends God by transgressing a mandate of his will be condemned for this one sin as he would be condemned for all sins; yet he will not be punished as he would be punished for very many sins. Or, someone who offends against one, the distributor of all goods, Christ, is made the transgressor against all, meaning: he will undergo the suffering for all evils. Or, someone who offends against one thing, namely, the precept of love, is made the transgressor against all other virtues, because love is the mother of all virtues; just as someone who offends the paterfamilias consequently offends the whole family.
PetitePeccator ergo qui iacet in multis peccatis mortalibus in magna miseria est quia non cognoscit suos defectus. Hoc plane dicit Iohannes in Apocalypsi in persona peccatoris: dicis quod dives sum et locuplex et nullius egeo; et nescis quia miser es et miserabilis et pauper et caecus et nudus. Dicis quod dives sum in scientiis, locuplex in divitiis, nullius egeo quia sanus et fortis, et nescis quia miser per peccati perpetrationem, miserabilis per virtutum spoliationem, pauper per gratiae Dei amissionem, caecus per tui non cognitionem, nudus per infamiam. Omnia ista mala facit peccatum mortale, quia miseros populos facit peccatum.
Hence, a sinner who lies down in many mortal sins is in a great misery, because he does not know his defects. John says this plainly in Revelation 3:17 in respect of a sinner: you say: ‘I am rich and wealthy, and I do not lack anything’, but you do not know that you are wretched: miserable as well as poor and blind and nude. You say: ‘I am rich’ in knowledge, ‘wealthy’ in riches; ‘I do not lack anything’, for I am healthy and strong; but you do not know that you are wretched because you commit sins, miserable because you have been robbed of the virtues, poor because you lost the grace of God, blind because you do not know, naked because of a bad reputation. Mortal sin causes all these evils, for sin makes peoples wretched (Prov 14:34).
PetiteErgo ad petendum1 primo debet nos movere nostra inopia et necessitas, quae tanta est quod nihil boni habemus a nobis, immo solum peccata et defectus nostros, et quidquid boni habemus a Deo habemus.
Hence, first our poverty and want should move us to ask. These are so big, because we do not have anything good from ourselves. Indeed, we only have our sins and defects of ourselves, and each and every good that we have we have from God.
Petite1.2. Secundum quod debet nos movere ad petendum est summa Christi liberalitas. Ipse est enim omnium bonorum largissimus distributor, qui significatur per illum regem Assuerum qui dixit Esther reginae: quae est petitio tua, Esther? Et si dimidium regni mei petieris dabo tibi. Iste non dat amicis suis partem regni sui sed totum regnum suum. Ille regnavit super centum viginti provincias, iste regnat super totum mundum. Ergo plus quam Assuerus, ipse est qui dat curialiter, generaliter, abundanter. Et ista tria tangit Iacobus in epistola sua, dicens: dat omnibus affluenter et non improperat. Dat, non vendit, ecce curialitas; omnibus, ecce abundantia; et non improperat, ecce liberalitas.1
1.2. The second thing that ought to move us to ask is the greatest generosity of Christ. For he himself is the most bountiful distributor of all goods. He is prefigured as such by King Ahasuerus, who has said to Queen Esther: what is your petition, Esther? If you asked me for half my kingdom, I would give it to you (Esth 5:3). Yet he does not give a part of his kingdom to his friends, but the whole of his kingdom (cf. Matt 5:3, 25:34). The former reigned over 120 provinces, the latter reigns over the whole world. Therefore, more than Ahasuerus, he is someone who gives (a) with courtesy, (b) to all people, (c) abundantly. These three characteristics are also mentioned by James in his letter: he gives to all abundantly and does not reproach (Jas 1:5). He does not sell; he gives: behold courtesy. To all: behold abundance. And he does not reproach: behold his generosity.
PetiteDonum eius non est donum insipientis, de quo in Proverbiis: datum insipientis non erit utile tibi. Dabit tibi et improperabit. Ibi non habet locum illud vulgare dictum: a bon demandeeur, bon escondiseeur; sed potius: “ad bonum petitorem largissimum datorem.” Omne enim datum optimum et omne donum perfectum ab eo est. Datum bonum est bonum fortunae ut divitiae; donum melius, naturae ut fortitudo corporis uel sanitas;1 optimum donum est gratiae, ut virtutes; donum perfectum est gloriae.
His gift is not the gift of a fool, about which we read in Proverbs: the gift of a fool will not be useful for you; he will give to you and reproach you (Sir 20:14). This popular dictum has no place there: à bon demandeur, bon refuseur,1 but rather: “a good requester finds a bountiful giver.”2 For, every very good present and every perfect gift (Jas 1:17) is from him. A good present is the good of prosperity like riches; a better gift is a gift of nature, like physical strength or health; the best is the gift of grace, like the virtues; the perfect gift is the gift of glory.
PetiteIpse dat omnia ista bona;1 plus paratus est dare quam nos accipere, et tamen cum tanta sit euis liberalitas, de quibusdam conquaeritur qui nolunt petere, cum tamen dicat beatus Gregorius: non se negat debitorem qui se offert petentibus multum dare, sciens quod multum indigemus. Idem: erubescat humana pigritia quia2 plus vult3 dare quam nos accipere, plus vult misereri quam nos a miseria liberari.
He gives all these gifts. He is more ready to give than we are to receive.1 And so, because his generosity is so great, a complaint is made about those who do not want to ask, because it is St. Gregory who says: he does not deny that he himself is a debtor who goes to meet those who ask him to give a lot, knowing that we need a lot. He also says: human laziness blushes with shame, because God is more willing to give than we are to receive; he is more willing to show mercy than we are to be liberated from misery.2
Petite1.3. Tertium quod debet nos movere ad petendum est temporis opportunitas. Qui habet aliquid facere in curia alicuius principis servat tempus opportunum quando dominus est laetus et familia laeta. Sic modo est tempus opportunum petendi quia Dominus noster Iesus Christus cum representatione carnis nostrae vadit ad curiam caelestem. Unde modo sunt dies Rogationum in quibus vult Dominus quod rogemus eum quia ipso ascendente in caelum laetantur angelici cives et omnes caeli barones. Et ideo quia tempus est modo opportunum quia die Iovis vadit Christus in caelum rogaturus pro nobis Patrem, modo petamus eum nec expectemus cum divite epulone qui tarde petiit guttam aquae nec impetravit, nec cum fatuis virginibus quibus clausa est ianua; sed petamus in nomine Christi Salvatoris ea quae sunt necessaria nostrae saluti et impetrabimus: unde in Evangelio hodierno: usque modo non petistis quidquam in nomine meo. Petite et accipietis.
1.3. The third thing which ought to move us to ask is the favorable time (cf. 2 Cor 6:2). Someone who has to do something in the palace of a prince serves in a favorable time when the lord is joyful and the family is joyful. Likewise, the time to ask is favorable now, since our Lord Jesus Christ goes to the heavenly palace with the representation of our flesh, [to ask the Father on our behalf]. So, now are the dies Rogationum, [“the days for asking,”] during which the Lord wants us to ask him, because, after he has ascended into heaven, the angelic citizens and all the heavenly nobles rejoice. And so, since the time is favorable now, because on Thursday Christ enters heaven to ask the Father on our behalf, let us ask him now. Let us neither anticipate with the gourmand, who was late asking for a drop of water and who did not obtain it (cf. Luke 16:24), nor let us anticipate with the foolish virgins for whom the door was closed (Matt 25:10–11), but let us in the name of Christ the Savior ask the things that are necessary for our salvation, and we will obtain it. Hence it says in today’s Gospel: until now you have not asked anything in my name. Ask and you will receive (John 16:24).
Petite1.4. Quartum est impetrandi securitas, et istud1 sequitur ex tribus primis habitis; quia ex quo est tanta nostra inopia et necessitas, summa Dei liberalitas2 et ad petendum temporis opportunitas, potest haberi impetrandi securitas. Unde Iohannis in Canonica sua haec est fiducia quam habemus ad Patrem ut quodcumque petierimus, audiet nos. Verum est si petamus necessaria nostrae saluti.
1.4. The fourth thing is the surety of obtaining it, and this follows from three things mentioned before: by reason of our great poverty and want, God’s greatest generosity, and the favorable time for asking, we can be sure that we will obtain it. Thus John says in his letter: and this is the trust we have in the Father, that whenever we ask, he will hear us (cf. 1 John 3:22).1 This is true if we ask for the things that are necessary for our salvation.
PetiteVerum quia hodie ad petendum Deum et orandum sunt homines pigri, ideo duo debent nos movere specialiter ad orandum,
It is true that nowadays people are lazy with respect to asking God and praying; therefore, two things in particular ought to move us to pray:
Petitescilicet orationis pretiositas
(1.4.1) the preciousness of prayer
Petiteet nostra necessitas.
and (1.4.2) our necessity.
Petite1.4.1. Pretiositas eius, quia cum ista tria, ieiunium, eleemosyna, oratio, sint ordinantia nos ad vitam aeternam habendam, oratio est dignior, quia eleemosyna et ieiunium sunt respectu eius quod est iuxta nos, oratio respectu eius quod est supra nos; unde est dignior quia ad Deum quasi quaedam familiaris persona vadit et ibi mandatum peragit quo caro pervenire nequit.
1.4.1. Its preciousness, because, although these three, fasting, almsgiving, and prayer, ordain us to have eternal life, prayer is the most worthy one, since fasting and almsgiving have to do with what is next to us, whereas prayer has to do with what is above us. So it is more worthy, because a person1 approaches God as someone familiar, and there he fulfills the command, where the flesh cannot arrive.2
Petite1.4.2. Necessitas orandi patet ex tribus propter quod1 clamant homines: propter ignem, aquam, latrones. Ignis luxuriae nos infestat, aqua avaritiae nos molestat, latro infernalis2 cum satellitibus suis nos perturbat. Et ideo quia tot in praesenti habemus impugnatores, frequentiores debemus mittere ad Deum orationes ut in praesenti audiat nos per suam gratiam, in futuro largiatur vitam aeternam.
1.4.2. The necessity to pray is clear because of three reasons why people cry out: fire, water, and robbers. The fire of lustfulness attacks us; the water of avarice troubles us; the infernal robber and his henchmen disquiet us. And therefore, because in the present we have so many assailants, we ought to direct prayers to God more often, so that he may hear us in the present by his grace, and in the future grant us eternal life.
PetiteCollatio in Sera
Evening Collation
PetitePetite et accipietis.1 Dictum est in primo sermone quae sunt illa quae nos movent ad petendum, quoniam quatuor ut dictum est: nostra necessitas, Christi liberalitas, temporis oportunitas, impetrandi securitas.
Ask, and you will receive (John 16:24). In the first sermon it was mentioned what those things are that move us to pray, for, as was said, there are four: our necessity, Christ’s generosity, the favorable time, and the surety of obtaining it.1
PetiteVerum quia multa sunt impedimenta propter quae frustratur petitio nostra, ideo in isto sermone possumus ponere septem impedimenta propter quae frustratur nostra petitio nec exauditur a Deo nostro oratio.
It is true that there are many hindrances because of which our prayer is frustrated. Therefore, we can put forward seven hindrances in this homily, by reason of which our asking is frustrated and our prayer is not heard by God.1
PetitePrimum impedimentum est propter petendi indiscretionem;
The first hindrance is due to the indiscretion of the asking;
Petitesecundum propter petentis dubitationem;
the second is due to the doubt of the one who asks;
Petitetertium propter petentis immunditiam et indignitatem;
the third is due to the uncleanness and the unworthiness of the petitioner;
Petitequartum propter hypocrisim et simulationem;
the fourth is due to hypocrisy and feigning;
Petitequintum propter odium et rancorem;
the fifth is due to hatred and rancor;
Petitesextum propter ad proximum duritiam;
the sixth is due to harshness towards the neighbor;
Petiteseptimum propter divinae legis contemptum et inobedientiam.
and the seventh is due to contempt of the divine law and disobedience.
Petite1. Primum ergo impedimentum est propter petendi indiscretionem. De isto dicit Iacobus: petitis et non accipitis eo quod male petatis, id est indiscrete sicut mater Ioannis et Iacobi petiit Deum ut unus ex filiis suis sederet ad dexteram, alter ad sinistram in regno suo. Quibus respondit Dominus: nescitis quid petatis. Potestis bibere calicem quem ego bibiturus sum?, hoc est pati similem passionem quam ego passurus sum. Possumus, dicunt; et Dominus: calicem meum bibetis; sedere autem ad dexteram meam vel sinistram non est meum dare vobis. Glossa: sine meritis precedentibus. Augustinus contra illos qui petunt honorem mundanum ita dicit: quando ea quae Deus laudat et dare promittit petitis, secure ab eo petite, quia Deus nobis illa concedit; si autem temporalia petitis, cum discretione petite, nam utrum prosint homini an obsint, melius scit Deus quam homo.
1. So the first hindrance is due to the indiscretion of the asking. James says about this: you ask but do not receive, because you ask in an evil way (Jas 4:3),1 that is, indiscreetly, as the mother of John and James did: she asked God that one of her sons would sit at his right hand and the other at his left hand in his Kingdom. To them the Lord responds: you do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I will drink? (Matt 20:22), meaning: suffer a passion similar to that which I will undergo. We can, they said. And the Lord: you will drink my cup, yet sitting at my right or left is not mine to give you (Matt 20:22–23; Mark 10:40). A gloss adds: without preceding merits. Augustine speaks against those who ask for worldly honor as follows: when you ask for the things that God praises and promises to give, ask him with confidence, because God grants those things to us. Yet if you ask for temporal things,2 ask with discretion, for God knows better than man whether things are good or bad for us.3
PetiteMulti tamen libentius petunt Deum propter bona temporalia quam propter aeterna, et omnes tales indiscrete petunt, quia non decet Deum dare tam parvum donum, sicut non decet regi Franciae dare obolum. Vel tales libenter non audit Deus quia non est eis ad salutem, sicut non audivit Paulum apostolum pro stimulo carnis, sicut non audit pueros in scholis ne verberentur quia non expedit eis.
Still, many ask God more freely for temporal than for eternal goods. All such people ask in an indiscreet way, because it does not befit God to give such a small gift, just as it does not befit the king of France to give a dime. Or God prefers not to listen to such people, because what they ask for is not salutary for them, just as he did not listen to Paul [asking to be delivered from] the stimulus of the flesh (cf. 2 Cor 12:7), and just as he does not listen to boys in schools asking that they not be flogged, because it is of no avail to them.1
Petite2. Secundum impedimentum quare aliquis non exauditur est propter suam dubitationem; contra quos Iacobus: postulet in fide nihil haesitans; qui enim haesitat similis est fluctui maris qui a vento movetur; et subdit: non ergo existimet se homo ille aliquid accipere a Deo. Gregorius: indignus caelesti benedictione efficitur qui dubio quaerit Deum affectu. Hoc est quod dicit Ioannes in canonica sua: omnia quaecumque petieritis, in fide, credite quia accipietis.
2. The second hindrance why someone is not heard is his doubt. Against them James says: let him ask in faith, not hesitant about anything. For someone who hesitates is like a wave of the sea that is moved by the wind (Jas 1:6).1 And he adds: therefore, that person should not think that he receives anything from God (Jas 1:7). Gregory says: someone is made unworthy of a heavenly blessing who asks the Lord in doubt to bring about something.2 And this is what John says in his letter: all things, whatever you may ask in faith, believe that you receive them (Mark 11:24).
Petite3. Tertium impedimentum est indignitas petentis et immunditia. De isto Isaias: cum multiplicaveritis orationes vestras non exaudiam vos. Reddit causam: manus enim vestrae, hoc est opera vestra, plenae sunt sanguine, scilicet peccato. Et in Threnis: nos inique egimus et ad iracundiam te provocavimus; idcirco inexorabilis es. Contra tales in Psalmo: si iniquitatem, scilicet habeo, in corde meo, non exaudiet Dominus. Glossa ibi: puritas orationis a Deo exauditur; pura est oratio quam non impedit cura saeculi, amor carnis.
3. The third hindrance is the unworthiness of the one who asks and his uncleanness. About this, Isaiah 1:15 says: when you have multiplied your prayers, I will not hear you. Then he gives the reason: for your hands, that is, your works, are full of blood (ibid.), meaning: sins. And in Lamentations 3:42 we read: we have acted unjustly and have brought about your rage; for that reason you are inexorable. Against such people it says in Psalm 66:18: if I have iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. A gloss there says: purity of prayer is heard by God. A prayer is pure which is not disturbed by worries of worldly things, by love of the flesh.1
PetiteLonge est a Deo animus quando curis saecularibus est occupatus et carnis desideriis deditus. Prior ergo purgandus est animus a saecularibus curis et desideriis carnis sequestrandus ut acies mentis ad Deum dirigatur. Hoc patet per visibile exemplum: immundis et ribaldis hominibus et manifestae usurariis non daret pontifex Parisiensis praebendas Ecclesiae suae, sic nec pontifex caelestis talibus dabit praebendas gloriae suae.
The mind is far away from God when it is occupied with worldly worries and dedicated to the desires of the flesh. Therefore, the mind must first be purified from the worldly worries and separated from the desires of the flesh first, so that the attention of the mind may be directed to God.1 This is clear through a visible example: the Bishop of Paris would not give the allowances of his church to unclean people, villains, and those who openly charge interest (cf. Lev 25:36–37); likewise, the heavenly High Priest will not give the allowances of his glory to such people.
Petite4. Quartum impedimentum quare frustratur petitio alicuius est propter hypocrisim et simulationem. Hypocrita enim ore clamat et corde tacet, in quorum persona Isaias: populus hic labiis me honorat, cor autem eorum longe est a me. Gregorius: vitam aeternam si ore quaerimus et corde non desideramus, clamando tacemus. Unde in persona hypocritae notabile verbum dicit: hypocrita, ait, clamat cum ipsum tribulatio rerum terrenarum angustat, quem tempore opportuno Deus non audit quia tempore pacis clamorem Domini non audivit.
4. The fourth hindrance why someone’s asking is frustrated is hypocrisy and feigning. For a hypocrite shouts with his mouth, but is silent in his heart. Isaiah 29:131 says, referring to such a person: this people praises me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Gregory says: if we seek eternal life with our mouth but do not desire it with our heart, we are silent as we shout.2 Hence, aiming at a hypocrite the commonly known saying goes: a hypocrite cries out when the tribulation of temporal things frightens him; God does not hear him in this favorable time, because he has not heard the cry of the Lord in the time of peace.3
Petite5. Quintum impedimentum est propter odium cordis et rancorem. In Ecclesiastico: homo homini servat iram et a Deo quaerit medelam. Nullus a Deo recipit veniam nisi fratri suo vel proximo relinquat rancorem.
5. The fifth hindrance1 is due to hatred of the heart and rancor. In Sirach 28:3 we read: a man maintains anger against another man and asks help from God. No one receives a favor from God unless he lets go of his rancor against his brother or his neighbor.
PetiteExemplum in Evangelio de servo nequam cui Dominus: serve nequam, omne debitum dimisi tibi quoniam rogasti me; nonne oportuit misereri conservi tui sicut et ego tui misertus sum? Et iussit tortoribus tradi donec redderet universum debitum. Concludit Evangelista: sic et Pater meus caelestis faciet vobis si non remiseritis unusquisque de cordibus vestris.
We find in the Gospel the example of a wretched slave to whom his lord says: ‘wretched slave, I have forgiven you every debt, because you asked me; should you then not have had mercy upon your fellow slave, just as I have had mercy upon you?’ And he ordered that he would be handed over to be tortured, until he would have paid back the entire debt.1 And the Evangelist concludes: in the same way my Father in heaven will do with you, if each one of you does not forgive from your hearts (Matt 18:32–35).
PetiteHoc est pactum quod facit nobis Dominus: dimittite et dimittetur vobis, aliter non dimittet vobis. Unde frustra dicit in oratione dominica: dimitte nobis etc.
This is the bond that the Lord has made with us: forgive, and you will be forgiven (Matt 6:14); otherwise, he will not forgive you.1 Thus one says in vain in the Lord’s Prayer: forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors (Matt 6:12).
Petite6. Sextum impedimentum est propter duritiem ad proximum, sicut sunt multi divites qui tot habent de bonis huius mundi et nihil volunt subvenire pauperibus Christi. Tales quia non faciunt pauperibus misericordiam nec a Deo invenient in futuro, sicut dives epulo in inferno non impetravit unam guttam aquae quia Lazaro pauperi negaverat unam panis micam.
6. The sixth hindrance is due to the harshness towards the neighbor: there are many rich people who have so many of the goods of this world but do not want to come to the aid of the poor of Christ at all. Because such people do not practice mercy for the poor, they will not find mercy from God in the future, just like the rich gourmand in hell who did not obtain one drop of water, because he had denied one crumb of bread to the poor Lazarus (Luke 16:19–26).
Petite7. Septimum impedimentum et ultimum est propter legis divinae contemptum et inobedientiam. In Ecclesiastico: qui obturat aurem suam ne audiat legem, oratio eius erit execrabilis, id est non audietur in oratorio curiae caelestis, sicut servus aliquis excommunicati non audiretur in curia alicuius iudicis saecularis.
7. The seventh and last hindrance is due to contempt of the divine law and disobedience. In Sirach we read: someone who closes his ear in order not to hear the law, his prayer will be detestable (Prov 28:9),1 meaning: it will not be heard in the chapel of the heavenly court, just as a servant of someone who is excommunicated may not be heard in the court of one or another worldly judge.
PetiteSuper ista septem, nota quod ad impetrandum valet homini super omnia fragilitatis propriae et consideratio bonitatis divinae; unde Isidorus: cum coram Deo ad orandum assistimus, gemere et flere debemus, recolentes quam multa et gravia sunt peccata quae commisimus, quam crudelia inferni tormenta quae timemus, quam incomparabilia in caelo gaudia quae expectamus. Latrones et trutanni docent nos orare. Latro attendens quid fecit et tormentum sibi praeparatum, inter ista duo cum multis lacrymis veniam petiit. Trutanni membra infirmiora et turpiora aliis ostendunt et alia quae sunt sana abscondunt ut alios moveant ad pietatem et dandam elymosinam.
On top of these seven, note that in order to obtain, it is important for man above all to remember how fragile he is himself and to consider how good God is. Thus Isidore says: when we stand before God to pray, we ought to mourn and shed tears, calling to mind how many and serious the sins are that we have committed, how cruel the tortures of hell are that we fear, and how incomparable the joys in heaven are to which we look forward.1 Robbers and plague-sufferers teach us how to pray.2 The robber who saw what he had done and the torture that was prepared for him asked in between these two with many tears for mercy (Luke 23:42). Plague-sufferers show the weaker and unsightly members of their body to others and hide the healthy ones, in order to move others to compassionate devotion and the giving of alms.
PetiteSic nos in praesenti Deo infirmitates nostras et peccata nostra ostendamus ut in praesenti nos audiat per suam gratiam et in futuro conferat nobis vitam aeternam.
Likewise, let us show to God in the present our weaknesses and our sins, so that he may hear us in the present through his grace and bring us eternal life in the future. Amen.
Petite