St. Ambrose: Homily on the Gospel for the 16th Sunday after Pentecost

St. Ambrose: Homily on the Gospel for the 16th Sunday after Pentecost

Dominica XVI post Pentecosten, Evangelium et Homiliae (ex Matutino)

16th Sunday after Pentecost, Gospel and Homily (from Matins)

Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Luke (14:1-11).

At that time, when Jesus went into the house of one of the chief of the Pharisees on the Sabbath day to eat bread, they watched Him. And behold, there was a certain man before Him that had dropsy: and Jesus answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? But they held their peace: but He taking him, healed him, and sent him away. And answering them, He said: Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fall into a pit, and will not immediately draw him out on the Sabbath day? And they could not answer Him these things. And He spoke a parable also to them that were invited, marking how they chose the first seats at the table, saying to them: When thou art invited to a wedding, sit not down in the first place, lest perhaps one more honourable than thou be invited by him; and he that invited thee and him, come and say to thee: Give this man place; and then, thou begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when thou art invited, go, sit down in the lowest place: that when he who invited thee cometh, he may say to thee: Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have glory before them that sit at table with thee: because every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Sequentia Sancti Evangelii secundum Lucam (14:1-11).

In illo témpore: cum intráret Jesus in domum cujúsdam príncipis pharisæórum sábbato manducáre panem, et ipsi observábant eum. Et ecce homo quidam hydrópicus erat ante illum. Et respóndens Jesus dixit ad legisperítos et pharisæos dicens si "licet sábbato curáre?" At illi tacuérunt. Ipse vero adprehénsum sanávit eum, ac dimísit. Et respóndens ad illos, dixit: "Cujus vestrum ásinus, aut bos in púteum cadet, et non contínuo éxtrahet illum die sábbati?" Et non póterant ad hæc respondére illi. Dicébat autem et ad invitátos parábolam, inténdens quómodo primos accúbitus elígerent, dicens ad illos: "Cum invitátus fúeris ad nuptias, non discúmbas in primo loco, ne forte honorátior te sit invitátus ab illo, et veniens is, qui te, et illum vocávit, dicat tibi: 'Da huic locum,' et tunc incípias cum rubóre novíssimum locum tenére. Sed cum vocátus fúeris, vade, recúmbe in novíssimo loco: ut, cum vénerit qui te invitávit, dicat tibi: 'Amice, ascénde supérius.' Tunc erit tibi glória coram simul discumbéntibus: quia omnis qui se exáltat humiliábitur: et qui se humíliat exaltábitur."

Θεραπεία ὑδρωπικοῦ τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ Σαββάτου και Ταπεινοφροσύνη καὶ φιλοξενία

ΙΔ´\ΚΑΙ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἐλθεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς οἶκόν τινος τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν Φαρισαίων σαββάτῳ φαγεῖν ἄρτον, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἦσαν παρατηρούμενοι αὐτόν. 2 καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπός τις ἦν ὑδρωπικὸς ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ. 3 καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπε πρὸς τοὺς νομικοὺς καὶ Φαρισαίους λέγων· εἰ ἔξεστι τῷ σαββάτῳ θεραπεύειν; οἱ δὲ ἡσύχασαν. 4 καὶ ἐπιλαβόμενος ἰάσατο αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπέλυσε. 5 καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἶπε· τίνος ὑμῶν υἱὸς ἢ βοῦς εἰς φρέαρ ἐμπεσεῖται, καὶ οὐκ εὐθέως ἀνασπάσει αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου; 6 καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν ἀνταποκριθῆναι αὐτῷ πρὸς ταῦτα.  7 ῎Ελεγε δὲ πρὸς τοὺς κεκλημένους παραβολήν, ἐπέχων πῶς τὰς πρωτοκλισίας ἐξελέγοντο, λέγων πρὸς αὐτούς· 8 ὅταν κληθῇς ὑπό τινος εἰς γάμους, μὴ κατακλιθῇς εἰς τὴν πρωτοκλισίαν, μήποτε ἐντιμότερός σου ᾖ κεκλημένος ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, 9 καὶ ἐλθὼν ὁ σὲ καὶ αὐτὸν καλέσας ἐρεῖ σοι· δὸς τούτῳ τόπον· καὶ τότε ἄρξῃ μετ᾿ αἰσχύνης τὸν ἔσχατον τόπον κατέχειν. 10 ἀλλ᾿ ὅταν κληθῇς, πορευθεὶς ἀνάπεσε εἰς τὸν ἔσχατον τόπον, ἵνα ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὁ κεκληκώς σε εἴπῃ σοι· φίλε, προσανάβηθι ἀνώτερον· τότε ἔσται σοι δόξα ἐνώπιον τῶν συνανακειμένων σοι. 11 ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὑψῶν ἑαυτὸν ταπεινωθήσεται καὶ ὁ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται.

From Matins of the 16th Sunday after Pentecost
Online Source: www.breviary.net

Third Nocturn
Absolutio: A vínculis peccatórum nostrórum absólvat nos omnípotens et miséricors Dóminus. R.  Amen.	Absolution:  May the Lord Almighty and merciful break the bonds of our sins and set us free. R.  Amen.
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 7: Evangélica léctio sit nobis salus et protéctio. R.  Amen.	Benediction 7:  May the Gospel's holy lection be our safeguard and protection. R.  Amen.
Lesson vii
Léctio sancti Evangélii secúndum Lucam	The Lesson is taken from the Holy Gospel according to Luke
Chap. 14, 1-11
In illo témpore : Cum intráret Jesus in domum cujúsdam príncipis pharisæórum sábbato manducáre panem, et ipsi observábant eum.  Et ecce homo quidam hydrópicus erat ante illum.  Et réliqua.	At that time : As Jesus went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees, to eat bread on the sabbath-day, they watched him.  And, behold, there was a certain man before him, which had the dropsy.  And so on, and that which followeth.
Homilía sancti Ambrósii Epíscopi	A Homily by St. Ambrose the Bishop
Liber 7 in Lucæ cap. 14
Curátur hydrópicus, in quo fluxus carnis exúberans ánimæ gravábat offícia, spíritus exstinguébat ardórem.  Deínde docétur humílitas, dum in illo convívio nuptiáli appeténtia loci superióris arcétur ; cleménter tamen, ut persuásio humanitátis aspertitátem coërcitiónis exclúderet, rátio profíceret ad persuasiónis efféctum, et corréctio emendáret afféctum.  Huic quasi próximo límine humánitas copulátur : quæ ita Domínicæ senténtiæ definitióne distínguitur, si in páuperes et débiles conferátur : nam hospitálem esse remuneratúris, afféctus avarítiæ est.	Now is healed this man sick of the dropsy, in whom too much watery matter had well-nigh drowned the functions of life, and quenched the fire of understanding.  Anon, a lesson is given in lowly-mindedness, when it is forbidden to the guests at a marriage feast to go and sit down unasked in the highest room, albeit the Lord spake gently, that the teaching of courtesy might forestall a harsh rebuke, reason prevail by dint of persuasion, and the desires be bent to follow the instruction.  And upon this, as next-door neighbour, cometh courtesy, which is so called by the Lord, when it is shewn to the poor and weak, since to shew it to them from whom we are to receive aught, is but a movement of self-interest.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
Respond vii as in the Proper
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 8: Divínum auxílium máneat semper nobíscum. R.  Amen.	Benediction 8: May help divine be with us all, for ever abiding. R.  Amen.
Lesson viii
Postrémo jam quasi eméritæ milítiæ viro contemnendárum stipéndium præscríbitur facultátum : quod neque ille, qui stúdiis inténtus inferióribus possessiónes sibi terrénas coémit, regnum cæli possit adipísci, cum Dóminus dicat : Vende ómnia tua, et séquere me : nec ille, qui emit boves, cum Eliséus occíderit, et pópulo divíserit quos habébat : et ille qui duxit uxórem, cógitet quæ mundi sunt, non quæ Dei.  Non quo conjúgium reprehendátur, sed quia ad majórem honórem vocétur intégritas : quóniam múlier innúpta et vídua cógitat quæ sunt Dómini, ut sit sancta córpore et spíritu.	Lastly, as to a soldier that hath served his full time, is apportioned a reward for esteeming lightly of riches : so he only can inherit the kingdom of God, whose soul is not given to seek after lower ends, and who purchaseth not to himself earthly possessions ; whereas the Lord saith : Sell that thou hast, and follow me.  Neither can he gain it that buyeth oxen, which beasts Elisha slew and gave unto the people.  Neither can he win it which married a wife and therefore cannot come, for he that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord ; but he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.  Not that this is to be taken for blame of marriage, but only that virginity is the more honourable way, since the unmarried woman―and the widow, careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
R.  Duo Séraphim clamábant alter ad álterum : *Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dóminus Deus Sábaoth :* Plena est omnis terra glória ejus.V.  Tres sunt qui testimónium dant in cælo : Pater, Verbum, et Spíritus Sanctus : et hi tres unum sunt. R.  Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dóminus Deus Sábaoth.V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto. R.  Plena est omnis terra glória ejus.	R.  The two Seraphim did cry the One to the Other : * Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of Hosts : * The whole earth is full of his glory.V.  For there are Three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost : and these Three are One. R.  Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of Hosts.V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. R.  The whole earth is full of his glory.
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 9: Ad societátem cívium supernórum perdúcat nos Rex Angelórum. R.  Amen.	Benediction 9: May the King of Angels give us fellowship with all the citizens of heaven. R.  Amen.
Lesson ix
Sed ut in grátiam, ut supra cum víduis, ita nunc étiam cum conjúgibus revertámur : non refúgimus opiniónem, quam sequúntur pleríque, ut tria génera hóminum a consórtio magnæ illíus cœnæ æstimémus exclúdi : Gentílium, Judæórum, Hæreticórum.  Et ídeo Apóstolus avarítiam dicit esse fugiéndam ; ne impedíti more Gentíli, iniquitáte, malítia, impudicítia, avarítia, ad regnum Christi perveníre nequeámus.  Omnis enim immúndus aut avárus, quod est idolórum sérvitus, non habet hereditátem in regno Christi et Dei.	But in all fairness, having thus spoken concerning widows, let us betake ourselves again among the married, and join with them in entertaining the opinion which is held by so many, that there are only three classes of men who are shut out from the great supper named in the Gospel, which three classes are Heathens, Jews, and Hereticks.  And therefore it is that the Apostle warneth us that we walk not as other Gentiles walk, in malice and bitterness, and uncleanness, and covetousness, and so have no entry into the kingdom of Christ, since no unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
TE DEUM LAUDAMUS	TE DEUM