By occasion of the Pharisees murmuring at him for receiuing penitent sinners, he sheweth what
ioy shal be in Heauen for the conuersion of ones sinner, 11. and for the yonger some, which is
the Gentils: 25. the elder (to wit the Iewes) in the meane time disdaining thereat, and refusing
to come into his Church.
1.
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The Ghospel vpon the 3. Sunday after Pentecost.
AND there approched Publicans and sinners vnto him for to heare him.
2. And the Pharisees and Scribes murmured saying: That this man receiueth sinners,
and eateth with them.
3. And he spake to them this parable, saying:
4.
*
Mat. 18,12.
What
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This man, is our Sauiour Christ: whose care and trauaile in searching and
reducing sinners to repentance, al spiritual men specially should follow.
man of you hauing an hundred sheep: and if he hath lost one of them, doth he
not leaue the ninetie nine in the desert, and goeth after that which was lost vntil he find it?
5. And when he hath found it, laieth it vpon his shoulders reioycing:
6. and comming home calleth together his freindes and neighbours, saying to them:
Reioyce with me, because I haue found my sheepe that was lost?
7. I say to you, that euen so there shal be ioy in Heauen vpon one sinner that doth
penance, then vpon ninetie nine iust that neede not penance.
8. Or what
✟
This woman is the catholike Church, who also continually seeketh her lost children.
woman hauing ten grotes: if she leese one grote, doth she not light a
candle, and sweepe the house, and seeke diligently, vntil she finde?
9. And when she hath found, calleth together her freindes and neighbours, saying:
Reioyce with me, because I haue found the grote which I had lost?
10. So I say to you, there shal be ioy before the Angels of God vpon one sinner that
doth penance.
11.
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The Ghospel vpon Saturday in the 2. weeke of Lent.
The prodigal sonne is a parable, both of the Gentils conuersion, & also euery
dissolute sinner penitently returning to God.
And he said: A certaine man had two sonnes;
12. and the younger of them said to his father: Father, giue me the portion of
substance that belongeth to me. And he deuided vnto them the substance.
13. And not many daies after the yonger sonne gathering al his things together went
from home into a farre countrie: and there he wasted his substance, liuing riotously.
14. And after he had spent al, there fel a sore famine in that countrie, and he began
to be in need.
15. And he went, and cleaued to one of the citizens of that countrie. And he sent him
into his farme to feed swine.
16. And he would faine haue filled his bellie of the huskes that the swine did eate;
and no bodie gaue vnto him.
17. And returning to him self he said: How many of my fathers hirelings haue
aboundance of bread, and I here perish for famine?
18. I wil arise, and wil goe to my father, and say to him: Father, I haue sinned against
Heauen and before thee:
19. I am not now worthie to be called thy sonne: make me as one of thy hirelings.
20. And rising vp he came to his father. And
✟
Gods wonderful and tender mercie toward penitent sinners.
when he was yet farre off, his father
saw him, and was moued with mercie, and running to him fel vpon his necke, and kissed him.
21. And his sonne said to him: Father, I haue sinned against Heauen & before thee,
I am not now worthie to be called thy sonne.
22. And the father said to his seruants: Quickely bring forth the first stole, and doe
it him, and put a ring vpon his hand, and shoes vpon his feete:
23. and bring the fatted calfe, amd kil it, and let vs eate, and make merie
24. because this my sonne was dead, and is reuiued: was lost, and found. And they began
to make merie.
25. But his elder sonne was in the field, and when he came and drew nigh to the house,
he heard musicke and dancing:
26. and he called one of his seruants, and asked what these things should be.
27. And he said to him: Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted
calfe, because he hath receiued him safe.
28. But he had indignation, and would not goe in. His father therfore going forth
began to desire him.
29. But he answering said to his father: Behold, so many yeares doe I serue thee, and
I neuer transgressed thy commandement, and thou didst neuer giue me a kidde to make mercie with my
freindes:
30. but after that this thy sonne, that hath deuoured his substance with whoores, is come,
thou hast killed for him the fatted calfe.
31. But he said to him: Sonne, thou art alwaies with me, and al my things are thine.
32. But it behoued vs to make merie and be glad because this thy brother was dead, and
is reuiued, was lost, and is found.
ANNOTATIONS.
Cʜᴀᴘ. XV.
7. Then vpon ninety nine iust.)
Ioy in Heauen for euery penitent.
Neither God, nor the Saints in Heauen, nor men in earth do for al that esteeme more
of penitent sinners, then they doe of them that continue iust and godly: though by
the soden motion and present affection of ioy that man taketh and expresseth in such
alteration and new fallen good, it be here signified that the conuersion of euery
sinner is exceeding acceptable to God, and giueth his Saints new cause of ioy and
thankes-giuing to God in another kind then for the continuance of the iust.
10. Before the Angels.)
The Angels and Saints know our hartes.
The Angels and other celestial spirits in Heauen, do reioyce at euery sinners
conuersion: they know then and haue care of vs, yea our hartes and inward repentance
be open to them: how then can they not heare our prayers? *And betwixt Angels and
the blessed soules of Saints there is no difference in this case, the one being as
highly exalted as the other and as neere God, in whom and by whom only they see and
know our affaires, as the other.
*Mat. 22,30.
23. The fatted calfe.)
The B. Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Altar.
This feasting and festiuitie (saith S. Augustine li. 2, qu. Euan. c. 33. to.
34.) are now celebrated throughout the whole world the Church being dilated and
spred: for, that calfe, in the body and bloud of our Lord, is both offered to the
Father, and also feedeth the whole house. And as the calfe signifieth the B.
Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ, so the first stole may signifie our
innocencie restored in Baptisme: and the rest, other graces and guifts giuen vs in
the other Sacraments.