Homo quidam erat dives: et reliqua.
The Sovereign Lord spake this parable to his disciples, thus saying, "There
was a certain rich man adorned with purple and fine linen, and daily lived
sumptuously. A certain poor man lay at his gate, and his name was Lazarus,
who was a leper," etc.
This gospel is now simply said. The holy pope Gregory has revealed to us
the mystery of this text. He said, "The holy gospel did not express that
the rich man was a robber, but that he was parsimonious, and exulted in his
wealth." By this it is to be considered how he will be punished who
bereaves another, when he is condemned to hell, who would not give his own
for love of God. This man's parsimony and pride sank him into quick
torment, because he had no compassion, so that with his treasure he might
have redeemed his own soul. Now some men will imagine that there is no
peril in precious garments, but if there were no sin, the holy gospel would
not have so evidently manifested with respect to the rich man, that he was
adorned with purple and with fine linen. No man heeds precious garments
save for vain pride, verily that he may through his splendour be accounted
before other men. The Lord in another place praised John {331} the Baptist
for the rudeness of his garment, because he was clothed with camel's hair,
poorly and ruggedly.
When Jesus spake of the rich man he said, "There was a certain rich man."
Again, of the poor man, "There was a certain poor man called Lazarus." It
is known to you that a rich man is more known by name among his people than
a poor one; nevertheless Jesus named not the wealthy man, but the needy
one; because the names of humble men are known to him through election, but
he knows not the proud through their rejection. Some excuse the rich man
might have had for his parsimony, if the leprous beggar had not lain before
his sight: the mind of the poor man would also have been easier, if he had
not seen the rich man's wealth. Divers afflictions he endured, seeing that
he had neither nourishment, nor health, nor garments, and saw the rich man,
hale and sumptuously decorated, enjoying his luxuries. For the beggar his
infirmity had been enough, though he had had food; and again, his indigence
had been enough for him, although he had been healthful. But the manifold
hardship was the cleansing of his soul, and the parsimony and pride of the
rich man were his condemnation; because he saw the other's misery, and with
inflated mind despised him. But when he was despised of men, the dogs
approached, and licked his wounds. The licking of a dog heals wounds.
It then happened that the beggar died, and angels bare his soul to the
dwelling of the patriarch Abraham; and the rich man's spirit after death
was sunk into hell; and he then wished to have him for protector, to whom
he would not before give his crumbs. He then bade Abraham with piteous
voice, that Lazarus might moisten his tongue; but that little favour was
not granted him, because Lazarus might not before in life gather the crumbs
of his table. He particularly complained of his tongue, because it is usual
that the wealthy in their feasting practise pernicious scoffing; therefore
was his tongue, through righteous retribution, more harshly punished {333}
for his scoffing speech. The patriarch Abraham said to him, "My son, be
thou mindful that thou receivedst riches in thy life, and Lazarus misery."
This saying is rather to be feared than expounded. The rich man was
requited with transitory prosperity, if he did aught of good; and the poor
man was requited with misery, if he had perpetrated aught of evil. Then the
wealthy man received his happiness in reward for short enjoyment, and the
indigence of the needy one cleansed away his little sins. Poverty afflicted
and purified him; his abundance enriched and deceived the other.
I pray you, men most beloved, despise not God's poor, though they
perpetrate anything reprehensible; because their misery cleanses that which
a little superfluity corrupts. Observe each one, for good often befalls the
evil for life. The patriarch said to the wealthy man, "Betwixt us and you
is fixed a great vapour; though any-one will pass from us to you, he
cannot; nor also from you to us." With great eagerness the wicked desire to
pass from the torment in which they suffer, but the fastening of the
hellish enclosure never allows them to break out. Also the holy are so
filled with their Creator's righteousness, that they in no wise lament the
misery of the wicked; because they see the fordone ones as greatly
estranged from them, as they are thrust away from their beloved Lord.
When the rich man became hopeless of his own deliverance, the remembrance
of his brothers entered into his mind; for the punishment of the wicked
very often uselessly stimulates their minds to love, so that they then love
their relatives, who before in life loved neither themselves nor their
kinsmen. He loves not himself who binds himself with sins. He recognized
Lazarus, whom he had before despised, and he remembered his brothers, whom
he had left behind; for the needy one would not have been fully avenged on
the rich, if {335} he in his punishment had not recognized him; and again,
his punishment would not have been complete in the fire, unless he had
expected the same torments for his relatives.
The sinful will now sometimes see the chosen in glory, whom they in the
world despised, that the affliction of their minds may be the greater: and
the righteous will ever see the unrighteous suffering in their torments,
that their bliss and love to their Lord may be the greater, who rescued
them from the power of the devil, and from the wicked band. That spectacle
will excite no terror to the righteous, nor will their glory wane; for
there will be no sorrowing for the misery of the wicked, but their torments
will turn to the greater bliss of the chosen, as in a picture a dark
likeness is provided, that the white may appear the brighter. The chosen
will constantly see their Creator's brightness, and therefore there is
nothing in creation concealed from him.
The rich man would not in life hear the teacher Moses, or God's prophets:
then he thought that his brothers would also despise them as he did, and
desired therefore that Lazarus might warn them, so that they came not to
his torment. The patriarch answered him, "If they despise the law of Moses
and the preachings of the prophets, they will not believe, though one arose
from death." Those who neglect the easy commandments of the old law, how
will they obey the sublime commandments of Christ's doctrine, who arose
from death?
I pray you, my brethren, that ye be mindful of Lazarus's rest and of the
rich man's punishment, and do as Christ himself taught, "Gain to yourselves
friends among God's poor, that they at your end may receive you into
eternal dwelling-places." Many Lazaruses ye have now lying at your gates,
begging for your superfluity. Though they are esteemed as vile, they will,
nevertheless, be hereafter your interceders with the Almighty. Verily we
ought to enjoin the poor to pray for us, because they will be our
protectors, who, now begging, desire sustenance of us. We should not
despise their {337} vileness, for Christ himself is served through
reception of the poor, as he himself said, "I was hungry, and ye fed me; I
was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink; I was naked, and ye clothed me."
Now says the holy Gregory, there was a reverend monk in the country of
Lycaonia, very pious, his name was Martyrius. He went by order of his abbot
to some other monastery, on his errand, when he found a leper lying by the
way all chapped, and having no power of his feet: he said he wished to
reach his hut, if he could. Then the monk was grieved for the helplessness
of the leper, and he wrapt him in his cloak and bare him towards his
monastery. Then it was disclosed to his abbot whom he was bearing, and he
cried with a loud voice, and said, "Run, run, and undo the gate of the
monastery quickly, for our brother Martyrius bears Jesus on his back." When
the monk had reached the gate of the monastery, he who seemed a leper
quitted his neck, and appeared in the likeness of Christ. The monk then
looked up, and beheld how he ascended to heaven. Then said Jesus, while
ascending, "Martyrius, thou wast not ashamed of me on earth, nor will I be
ashamed of thee in heaven." Then the abbot hastened towards the monk, and
eagerly said, "My brother, where is he whom thou didst carry?" He said, "If
I had known who he was, I would have lain at his feet. When I bore him I
felt no heaviness of any burthen." How could he feel the heaviness of any
weight, when he carried one who bore him? Now says the holy Gregory, Jesus
verified the saying which he himself said, "That which ye do for the poor
in my name, that ye do for myself."
What is there in human nature so glorious as the humanity of Christ, and
what is esteemed more foul in human nature than the carcase of the leper,
with tumours, and ulcers, and reeking stench? But he who is to be venerated
above all creatures, vouchsafed to appear in that foul form, to the end
that we might pity the misery of human beings, and {339} according to our
power comfort them, for love of the merciful and humble Jesus; that he may
grant us a dwelling in his kingdom to eternal life, who rescued us from the
devil's thraldom; who reigneth to eternity with the Almighty Father and the
Holy Ghost, those three existing in one Godhead, without beginning and end,
ever to eternity. Amen.
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