[Sermon] 1. His Lord called him and said to him:

Tue SUNDAY SERMONS OF St. BONAVENTURE

SERMON 35: EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

What is this that I hear of you? Make an accounting of your stewardship. Luke 16:2. Our Lord, just judge of the living and the dead, so as to punish any sinner, who can be designated with the name of this administrator, because the sinner squanders the gifts of God, in the manner of any just judge, in the proposed verse first sends the command, then indicates the accusation, and finally demands satisfaction. First in the proposed verse the sending of the command is noted, when it says: He called him and said to him; second, the indication of the accusation, when it adds: What is this that I hear of you?; third, the request for satisfaction, when it introduces: Make an accounting of your stewardship.

2. It says, therefore: He called him and said to him, where he proposes a command. God commands or calls us, SO we may be able to go to his court in the celestial country, in a threefold manner: first, by the word of holy preaching that informs'the rational power; second, with the benefit of continual assistance that attracts the concupiscent power; third, with the whip of rebuking penance that deters the irascible power; so that those who are insensible and do not wish to be taught by teachings or attracted by sensible benefits, may be deterred by the whip.

3. First, God calls or commands us with the word of evangelical preaching, so he may illuminate us. Whence

PENTECOST AND THE SUNDAYS AFTER

Matthew 22:9 says: Go therefore to the highways and whomsoever you find, call to the wedding. This wedding, according to the Gloss, signifies the "sacrament of the incarnation,"*' through which "God the Father united the Church like a spouse with his Son"; to which he calls us, when he sends his preachers, saying: "Go as preachers of the Gospel, to the highways, where there are the "errors of the people" and an "absence of action," according to what the Gloss says; and whomsoever you find, that is

"in whatever condition"®* because with God there is no preference of person, but every race and every people and every condition is pleasing to him; call, with the trumpet of evangelical preaching, to the wedding, that is, "to the mystery of faith."°'

4. Second, God calls us with the benefit of continual assistance, in order to attract us. Whence Job 14:15 says:

You will call me and I will answer you; to the work of your hands you will stretch out your right hand. "The Lord calls when he comes with gifts, such that he leads back to himself with benefits that have been bestowed as if they were invitations sent out. A person responds to him, when one hastens to return worthy works equal to the gifts that have been gained,"** because the merciful God stretches out the right hand, of his benefits, to the works of his hand, that is to the human race formed by the hand

603 See the Glossa Ordinaria on Matt 22:8 in PL 114:155D.

604 The critical edition states that this citation comes from the Glossa Interlinearis.

605 The critical edition states that this citation comes from the Glossa Interlinearis.

606 The critical edition states that this citation comes from the Glossa Interlinearis.

607 The critical edition states that this citation comes from the Glossa Interlinearis.

608 Bonaventure has modified Book XIV, c. 42 n. 50 of Gregory's Moralia in Iob. See CCSL cxliiia, 728.

Tue SuNDAY SERMONS OF ST. BONAVENTURE

of his power. For he made the heaven to give human beings light during the day, so they might work; darkness at night, so they might rest, and the useful change of seasons. He made the air, so it might offer to human beings useful warmth and all types of birds so they might attend to their service. He made the water, so that it might offer drink and cleanse what is soiled, to irrigate the dry terrain and supply a diversity of fish for the nourishment of humanity. He made the earth, so it might bear human beings, fortify them with bread, and gladden them with wine.®°? The entire world serves the human race, because it was made for them, so that one may serve him who made the world and humanity. You experience then the benefit of continual assistance, return the debt of good works, otherwise you will be justly charged with ingratitude.

5. Third, God calls with the whip of rebuking penance in order to deter us. Whence Luke 14:23-24 says:

Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. But I say to you that none of those men that were invited will taste my supper. Go out into the highways, where there are the "temptations of the devil,"®° according to the Gloss; and the hedges, where there are useless vices; and compel them to come in, with the infirmities and calamities of this present life. This is what the Gloss says: "Those who are shattered by the adversities of this world and return to the love of God, are reformed from the desires of the present life, since they do not enter unless they have been

6 See Ps 103:14-15: "That you may bring bread out of the earth and that wine may cheer the human heart."

60 The critical edition says that this is from the Glossa Ordinaria.

PENTECOST AND THE SUNDAYS AFTER

restrained;"*"' so that my house, of the celestial land, may be filled. But I say to you that none of those men that were invited will taste my supper. The Gloss states: "Certain ones are called and disdain the invitation, because they accept the gift of understanding but do not complete it with works,"*" and for such as these, who are insensible to teachings and benefits, it is good that they be broken by the infirmities and adversities of this world, and those whom "the present life, or Egypt, according to Gregory, oppressed with flattery, it unites as it presses hard. And while God calls, he impels with torment because while he afflicts, he frees. For as long as violence forces, it compels one to hurry toward heavenly things. Whence, while the people of Israel were being called by Moses, they were afflicted by Pharaoh, so that as one was drawing by calling, the other was impelling by raging."®!? "Happy, I say, is such a necessity that compels to better things,"*" according to blessed Augustine.

6. Second, in the proposed text is the indication of an accusation, when it adds: What is this that I hear of you? As if to say: I truly accuse you of something grave.

For I hear of you: first, the arrogance of detestable disobedience that disregards the lofty heights of immense power; second, the malevolence of impiety and envy that expends the blood of human beings; third, the sweetness

611 This is from the Glossa Ordinaria on Luke 14:23. See PL

114:309B.

612 This is from the Glossa Ordinaria on Luke 14:23. See PL

114:309B.

613 Bonaventure greatly adapts Book XXVI, c. 13 n. 21 of Gregory's Moralia in Iob. See CCSL cxliiib, 1280 614 This is a paraphrase of Book V, c. 62 of Augustine's Contra secundam Juliani responsionem imperfectum opus. See PL 45:14991500: "Or on the contrary the happy necessity of virtue will not still exist for us, since our nature will be filled with so much grace, and God will be all things in everyone."

Tue SUNDAY SERMONS OF ST. BONAVENTURE

of carnal lasciviousness that subverts the image of the divine essence.

7. First, I hear of you, arrogance of detestable disobedience that disregards the lofty heights of immense power. Whence Psalm 77:57 says: And they turned away and did not keep the covenant, like their fathers they were even turned aside as a crooked bow. They provoked him in anger on their hills and moved him to jealousy with their graven things. God-heard and despised them, and he reduced Israel greatly as if to nothing.' Behold that these malignant and disobedient ones were reduced to nothing, before the face of God; those fearing however the Lord®' and obeying his precepts he glorifies and exalts to the magnificence of friendship and honor in the present due to the gift of grace, and in the future due to the gifts of glory. Whence the person, unless he humbly obeys

God, is never worthy to be honored by him. Instead the person is reputed to be nothing, like dung. O how lovable is the gentle virtue of obedience, which raises the humble to such an excellent name that they may be called friends rather than servants of God!*!" Oh how detestable is that vice of arrogance and disobedience, you who made a devil from an angel and sinner from an innocent person!

8. Second, I hear of you, malevolence of impiety and envy that expends the blood of human beings. Whence

Matthew 22:6-7 states: The rest laid hold of his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. But when the king heard of it, he was angry; and he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers. The rest then not only dis515 See Ps 77:57-59.

*16 See Ps 14:4: "In his sight the malignant are brought to nothing, but he glorified those who fear the Lord."

617 See John 15:15.

PENTECOST AND THE SuNDAYS AFTER

dained coming to the faith, indeed they laid hold of the servants of God, the apostles, and treated them shamefully, and killed them. But when the king had heard the voice of the blood calling out to him from the earth,*"8 he was angry, that is according to the Gloss "judging with tranquility,"*? blazed up in revenge; and sent his armies,

"of Romans under Titus and Vespasian,"®° as the Gloss says: he destroyed those murderers and their city, that is

"Jerusalem," he set aflame. "Since Jerusalem is presently constructed beyond the gate where the Lord was crucified, it appears that Jerusalem was totally burned and destroyed,"*" according to what the Gloss says about that verse, Matthew 24:2: There will not be left a stone upon a stone in you. Or: sending his armies, "that is the angels," according to the Gloss, "through whom he will exercise justice; he destroyed the murderers that is those persecuting the saints, and he set the city aflame, that is the flesh in which they dwelt with the soul, will be cremated in Gehenna."©"*

9. Third, I hear of you, sweetness of carnal lasciviousness that subverts the image of the divine essence.

Whence Psalm 77:18-21 says: They tempted God in their hearts, by asking food for their desires.... Therefore the Lord heard and was angry and a fire was kindled against 618 See Gen 4:10: "And the Lord said to Cain: What have you done?

The voice of your brother's blood cries out to me from the earth."

619 The critical edition says that this is from the Glossa Interlinearis.

620 The critical edition says that this is from the Glossa Interlinearis.

621 The critical edition says that this is from the Glossa Interlinearis.

622 The critical edition states that this is from the Glossa Ordinaria on Luke 19:44.

623 The critical edition states that this is from the Glossa Ordinaria.

THE SUNDAY SERMONS OF ST. BONAVENTURE

Jacob, and anger came up against Israel. The Jews, carnal and gluttonous, when they suffered hunger, immediately longed to be at the fleshpots in the land of Egypt;*"* it was not enough for them to sin with the sin of gluttony by desiring the carnal sweetness of Egypt, indeed they added to this by wronging him with the sin of unbelief and blasphemy, speaking badly of God, because he was not able to prepare a table for them in the desert. For that reason

God heard this voice and was himself displeased, but ever merciful, he delayed, ordering all things sweetly,®* until that time when there might be food in their mouths," so they might experience that nothing is impossible with God,®*8 and then later he justly punished them, when the anger of God came up against them.®? The truly gluttonous, whose belly is their God, are given over to food with such bestial ferocity that they think nothing of God, but merely how they may be able to cultivate and fill their bellies; of whose glory in confusion®*® due to the subversion of the reason.

10. Third, in the proposed verse the request for satisfaction is noted, when it adds again: Give an account of your stewardship. God requests satisfaction such that each person gives a reason for principally three things; first, for the unclean and perverse thoughts of the heart; second, for the vain and harsh discourses of the mouth; third, for the evil and corrupt misdeeds in works.

624 See Ex 16:3.

°° See Ps 77:19: "And they spoke ill of God. They said: Can God furnish a table in the desert?"

6 See Wis 8:1: "She (Wisdom) ... ordered all things sweetly."

°7 See Ps 77:29-30: "So they did eat and were exceedingly filled ....

When their food was in their mouths...."

628 See Luke 1:37.

°° See Ps 77:31: "And the wrath of God came upon them."

°° See Phil 3:19: "Their end is ruin. Their god is their belly. Their glory is in their shame. They mind the things of earth."

PENTECOST AND THE SUNDAYS AFTER

11. First, a person is held to give an account for the unclean and perverse thoughts of the heart. Whence Romans 14:10-12 states: We will all stand before the tribunal of Christ, ... every one of us will render an account for oneself to God. Who, in fact, will not fear to stand before the tribunal of this Judge, who scrutinizes thoughts, weighs affections, examines intentions, and seeks a reason for the perverse thoughts, unclean affections, and evil intentions, since no thought escapes his notice? "At that time it will certainly be impossible to hide, intolerable to appear."®! Dearly beloved, if we do not want to fear to stand before the tribunal of such a Judge, let us hold our heart pure and clean, so it may be without the tumor of pride, without the discoloration of envy, without the ardor of avarice, and without the numbness of aecidia, in short

I say, away from the will to sin.

12. Second, a person has to give an account for the vain and harsh discourses of the mouth. Whence Matthew 12:36 says: Every idle word that people will speak, they will render an account for it in the day of judgment.

For by your words will you be justified and by your words you will be condemned. "That is, in fact, an idle word, according to the Gloss, which it is said without utility for the one speaking or hearing, like a frivolous matter or a fable."®? Whence if a person will render an account for an idle word, how much more for slanderous words! Certainly, a person will be justified by "good" words and a person will be condemned by "evil" words, because "death and life are in the power of the tongue,"** according to the 631 See c, 22 n. 46 of Ps-Bernard, Tractatus de interiori domo in

PL 184:531D.

682 The critical edition states that this is from the Glossa Interlinearis.

} 633 The critical edition states that this is from the Glossa Ordinaria on Prov 18:21.

THE SUNDAY SERMONS OF ST. BONAVENTURE

Gloss. If we do not wish to be condemned by our words on the day of judgment, let us have words in our mouth that are sweet, not harsh; humble, not proud; edifying, not reproachful or defaming.

13. Third, a person has to make an accounting for the evil and corrupt misdeeds in works. Whence the Symbolum states: "Everyone will rise with their bodies and they will give an account of their own deeds."** And in the proposed verse: He called him and said to him: What is this that I hear of you? Make an accounting of your stewardship. "He called him, when he instilled the fear of eternal damnation,"*** according to the Gloss; and said to him, by speaking through the conscience: What is this that I hear of you? Make an accounting of your stewardship, that is according to the Gloss: "Consider while you live, how you are to act,"®*' "so that you may avoid punishments"*** that are eternal. For now "at the time of death"®® you will not be able to administer, that is, do works of satisfaction.®°

Let us ask, etc.

64 See 2 Peter 2:9: "The Lord knows how to deliver from temptation those who fear God and to reserve the wicked for torment on the day of judgment."

°5 The critical edition refers to Symbolum Ps-Athanasii in DS n.

76.

686 The critical edition states that this comes from the Glossa Interlinearis.

687 The critical edition states that this comes from the Glossa Interlinearis.

688 The critical edition states that this comes from the Glossa Interlinearis.

639 The critical edition states that this comes from the Glossa Interlinearis.

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