Saturday of the 30th week after Pentecost

And Jesus answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? But they remained silent. What is said of Jesus answering refers to what has been mentioned earlier: And they watched him closely. For the Lord knows the thoughts of men. But they rightly remain silent when questioned, seeing that whatever they say is said against them. For if it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath, why do they watch the Savior to see if he heals? If it is not lawful, why do they themselves provide care for animals on the Sabbath?

When it is said that Jesus answered, there is a reference to the words which went before, And they watched him. For the Lord knew the thoughts of men.

Second, as regards the question that uncovers, he adds: And Jesus answering said to the lawyers and Pharisees. He pointedly says answering, although no one had previously asked anything, because he was responding to their thoughts, which he saw and heard, according to that passage in Matthew nine: "When Jesus had seen their thoughts, he said: Why do you think evil in your hearts?" Whence the Gloss: "Jesus answering, the treacherous observers," because it is said in Wisdom one: "The ear of jealousy hears all things, and the tumult of murmurings shall not be hidden." And therefore he responds to their thoughts by posing to them the question which they themselves were also pondering, when he adds: Saying: Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?

The Pharisees are read to have posed this question to the Lord, as is read in Matthew twelve: "They asked whether it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath, that they might accuse him." But Luke expresses their thoughts, while Matthew expresses the spoken word. The Lord was asking this of them because they professed themselves to be lawyers; whence the Gloss: "From the lawyers he seeks the judgment of the Law." On account of which, Malachi two: "The lips of the priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law from his mouth"; and the Gloss on the same passage: "If the priest is questioned about the law, let him teach; otherwise he vainly boasts of a dignity whose function he does not exercise."

The Lord exposes the foolishness of those who intended to reproach Him; therefore He asks whether it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not. Does He not clearly put them to shame as fools? For while God Himself blessed the Sabbath, they forbid doing good on it, and thus make it accursed. For that day is not blessed in which no good deed is performed.

But by His question He exposes their folly. For while God blessed the sabbath, (Gen. 2:1.) they forbade to do good on the sabbath; but the day which does not admit the works of the good is accursed.

And responding to them, he said: "Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull it out on the Sabbath day?" Thus he convicts the observing Pharisees, so that he also condemns them for avarice. He said, "If you on the Sabbath hasten to rescue a donkey or an ox or any other animal that has fallen into a pit, not for the sake of the animal, but consulting your avarice, how much more ought I to free a man, who is much better than an animal?" Accordingly, he compared the dropsical man to an animal that had fallen into a pit, for he was oppressed by fluid. Just as he had compared the woman who had been bound for eighteen years and was freed from that bondage to an animal that is loosed to be led to water. And fittingly in both cases he placed the ox and the donkey, because whether we perceive them to signify the wise or the dull, or as it is said above, both peoples, so that he whose neck the yoke of the law has chafed, and him whom any deceiver has found, like a brute animal retaining no reason, has led astray with error wherever he wished, the Savior, coming, found all bound in the chains of Satan, all sunk in the deep pit of desire. For there is no distinction. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Rom. III).

By these words He so refutes His watchers, the Pharisees, as to condemn them also of covetousness, who in the deliverance of animals consult their own desire of wealth. How much more then ought Christ to deliver a man, who is much better than cattle!

By a suitable example then He settles the question, showing that they violate the sabbath by a work of covetousness, who contend that he does so by a work of charity. Hence it follows, And they could not answer him again to these things.

In this example also He well refers to the ox and the ass; so as to represent either the wise and the foolish, or both nations; that is, the Jew oppressed by the burden of the law, the Gentile not subject to reason. For the Lord rescues from the pit of concupiscence all who are sunk therein.

Second, as regards the efficacy of the word, he adds: And answering them He said: Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fall into a pit, namely by a chance occurrence, because this possession of temporal things can be endangered and lost in many ways: sometimes from within, through its own death, as we see every day; sometimes from without, through the tyranny of others, as in Job 1: "The oxen were plowing and the asses were feeding, and the Sabeans rushed in and took everything"; sometimes from above, through pestilence; Exodus 9: "Behold, my hand shall be upon your horses and asses and camels and oxen, a very grievous plague"; sometimes from below, through a fall, as here. Whence these things are not to be greatly loved, which can be lost in so many ways.

And yet the Pharisees loved these possessions greatly; whence the Gloss says: "You are all alike in this avarice"; for love of ox and ass made them not care about the observance of the Sabbath. Therefore he adds: And will he not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day? by swift assistance; the Gloss says: "Not providing for the animal, but for his own avarice." And this indeed they considered themselves to do without offense to the Law. If therefore the welfare of a man is to be preferred to the welfare of an ass and an ox, it is manifest that in the healing of a man the Sabbath is not violated; and it is an argument from the greater. For it seems more likely that the Sabbath should be violated by a more servile work, because it is said in Leviticus 23: "You shall do no servile work therein"; but it is a more servile work to pull out an ass or an ox than to heal a man. If therefore he does not violate the Sabbath who pulls an ox from a ditch, much more neither does he who heals a man. For if a work of avarice does not violate it, then neither does a work of mercy, since a work of avarice belongs to servitude, while a work of mercy belongs to generosity.

The third thing, however, that must be considered is the example of instruction, in which he sets forth a likeness concerning the ox and the donkey falling into a well, which are pulled out on the Sabbath. By the ox and the donkey is understood each people, namely the Gentile and the Jewish, according to that passage of Isaiah one: "The ox knows its owner, and the donkey the manger of its lord." For so Gregory expounds it.

Or by the ox and the donkey is understood the wise man and the foolish; whence the Gloss on that passage of Deuteronomy twenty-two: "You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together, that is, you shall not associate the foolish with the wise in preaching, so that they announce the word of God with equal authority." These therefore fall into the well of concupiscence through original sin, and then into the limbo of hell—and this universally before the coming of Christ. On account of which the Psalm says: "Let not the tempest of water drown me, nor let the deep swallow me up, nor let the pit shut its mouth upon me." Hence therefore Christ pulls them out on the Sabbath day, that is, on the seventh day, which is the day of Christ's burial, on which the rest of souls begins, according to that passage of Zechariah nine: "You also, by the blood of your covenant, have sent forth your prisoners from the pit in which there is no water."

As they were silent from ill will, Christ refutes their unrelenting shamelessness by the convincing arguments that he uses. "Whose son of you," he says, "or whose ox shall fall into a pit, and he will not immediately draw him out on the sabbath day?" If the law forbids showing mercy on the sabbath, why do you take compassion on that which has fallen into the pit?… The God of all does not cease to be kind. He is good and loving to people.

But seeing the Pharisees awkwardly silent, Christ baffles their determined impudence by some important considerations. As it follows; And he answered and said unto them, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?

Then by this act He also shames the Pharisees, saying to them as if thus: if the Law forbade showing mercy on the Sabbath, would you not care for your son who fell into misfortune on the Sabbath? And why do I speak of a son? Would you leave an ox without help if you saw it in distress? How is it not madness, then, to lie in wait to accuse someone for healing on the Sabbath a man suffering from dropsy? Every person who has become gravely ill in soul from a dissolute and careless life and is in need of Christ also suffers from dropsy. Such a person will be healed if he presents himself before Christ. For whoever constantly keeps in mind that he is before God and that God sees him will sin as little as possible.

As though He said, If the law forbids to have mercy on the sabbath-day, have no care of thy son when in danger on the sabbath-day. But why speak I of a son, when thou dost not even neglect an ox if thou seest it in danger?

(in reg. fus. ad inter. 12.) To take then the lowest place at a feast, according to our Lord's command, is becoming to every man, but again to rush contentiously after this is to be condemned as a breach of order and cause of tumult; and a strife raised about it, will place you on a level with those who dispute concerning the highest place. Wherefore, as our Lord here says, it becomes him who makes the feast to arrange the order of sitting down. Thus in patience and love should we mutually bear ourselves, following all things decently according to order, not for external appearance or public display; nor should we seem to study or affect humility by violent contradiction, but rather gain it by condescension or by patience. For resistance or opposition is a far stronger token of pride than taking the first seat at meat, when we obtain it by authority.

Second, with regard to the persuasion dissuading from pride, he adds: Saying to them: When you are invited to a wedding, do not recline in the first place. Although this could be understood of carnal weddings, nevertheless the following text itself and the expositors wish it to be understood of spiritual weddings: whence the Gloss: "When through the grace of faith, called by a preacher, you have joined yourself to the members of the Church: do not exalt yourself, boasting of your merits, as though you were higher than the rest." These nuptials, however, are not just any nuptials, but the nuptials of the Lamb, of which Apocalypse nineteen says: "The nuptials of the Lamb have come, and his wife has prepared herself." God the Father made these nuptials, according to what is said in Matthew twenty-two: "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who made a wedding for his son." These nuptials were celebrated in the bridal chamber of the virginal womb: the Psalm: "He set his tabernacle in the sun, and he himself as a bridegroom coming forth from his bridal chamber." There the marriage between the divine and human nature was consummated, and consequently between Christ and the Church, according to that passage in Ephesians five; the Apostle, speaking of marriage, says: "This sacrament is a great one, but I speak in Christ and in the Church." The banquet at these nuptials consists in the reception of the Sacraments of the Church and the teachings of Sacred Scripture: Proverbs nine: "Wisdom has built herself a house, she has hewn out seven pillars. She has slain her victims, mixed her wine, and set forth her table. And she has sent her handmaids to call to the citadel," etc. To this banquet are called all who are called to the faith through the preaching of truth; Matthew twenty-two: "He sent his servants to call those invited to the wedding."

Those thus invited recline and eat through the searching out and rumination of divine and mystical words. As a sign of this, that heavenly food was called manna in Exodus sixteen, which is interpreted: "What is this?" because it is necessary to understand what they receive. Whence also in Leviticus eleven it is said that the animal which "does not chew the cud is unclean."

In the first place reclines he who is preferred above others, whether in the office of dignity, or in the privileges of holiness, or in the magisterium of truth. And to this no one ought to ascend of himself, because it is said in Hebrews five: "Neither does anyone take the honor to himself, but he who is called by God, as Aaron was." And therefore Ecclesiasticus six: "Do not exalt yourself in the thought of your soul like a bull, lest perhaps your strength be dashed to pieces"; nor even before others: whence Ecclesiasticus eleven: "Never glory in your clothing, and in the day of your honor do not exalt yourself."

Third, however, as regards the reason explaining the shame he adds: Lest perhaps one more honored than you has been invited by him, worthy of greater honor on account of interior grace; the Gloss: "More pleasing to the one who invited, even if he is hidden from others"; whence 1 Kings 16: "Do not regard his countenance nor the height of his stature, for I have rejected him; nor do I judge according to the sight of man. For man sees those things which are apparent, but the Lord beholds the heart".

Gatherings for the sake of mirth, and such entertainments as are called by ourselves, we name rightly suppers, dinners, and banquets, after the example of the Lord. But such entertainments the Lord has not called agapae. He says accordingly somewhere, "When thou art called to a wedding, recline not on the highest couch; but when thou art called, fall into the lowest place;" and elsewhere, "When thou makest a dinner or a supper;" and again, "But when thou makest an entertainment, call the poor," for whose sake chiefly a supper ought to be made.

He saw certain of those who were invited foolishly seizing the uppermost seats as a thing of importance, and worth the taking, and that they were eager after vainglory, for the benefit both of them and us He utters an urgent warning, saying; "When you are bidden of any one, seat not yourself at the head of the seat, lest a more honourable man than you be bidden of him, and when he that bade you and him comes, he say unto you, Give this man place; and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place."

Now such things may seem perchance to some to be but trifling matters, and not worthy of much attention. But when any one fixes upon them the eye of his mind, he will then learn, from what blame they deliver a man, and how great orderliness they produce in him. For in the first place to hurry inconsiderately after honours neither suitable, nor due to us, shows us to be foolish, rude, and arrogant, seizing what is not fitting for us, but for others rather, who are greater than and superior to ourselves. Whoever he is that thus acts, is hated, and often too becomes an object of ridicule, when he has to restore to others, and that often against his will, the honour which in no respect belongs unto him.

For to rush forward hastily to honours which are not fitting for us, indicates rashness and casts a slur upon our actions. Hence it follows, lest a more honourable man than thou be invited, &c.

(non occ.) And so the seeker of honour obtained not that which he coveted, but suffered a defeat, and busying himself how he might be loaded with honours, is treated with dishonour. And because nothing is of so much worth as modesty, He leads His hearer to the opposite of this seeking; not only forbidding him to seek the highest place, but bidding him search for the lowest. As it follows; But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room.

Look from the other side also at this: from what mockery He delivers man and how He teaches him propriety. For how much shame there is in the case where you take a place unbefitting to you, and then someone more honored than you arrives, and the one who invited you says: "Give him your place!" And this can happen often. And you yourself will have to yield, while they will sit higher.

Lest perhaps someone more honorable than you has been invited by him, and the one who invited both him and you comes and says to you, "Give this man your place," and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. He gives place to the one invited after, who, made more secure by the confidence of his long conversation, is surpassed by the swiftness of those who have followed Christ. And with shame, he holds the lowest place when, recognizing better things in others, he humbles whatever high thoughts he had of his own works, saying with the Prophet, "I am poor and in labor from my youth, yet having been exalted, I am humbled and confounded" (Psalm LXXIII).

For he will have to give place to one more honourable who is bidden afterwards, seeing that he is overtaken by the activity of those who followed him, and with shame he occupies the lowest place, now that knowing better things of the others he brings low whatever high thoughts he once had of his own works.

For if we could clearly know in what state God holds each one of us, we should neither depart above nor below, acquiescing in the truth in all things. But now, because this counsel has placed darkness as its hiding place, and the word is hidden from us, so that no one knows whether he is worthy of love or of hatred, more justly and more safely surely, according to the counsel of Truth itself, we choose for ourselves the last place, from which afterward we may be led up higher with honor, than we presume a higher place, from which we must soon withdraw with shame.

There is therefore no danger, however much you humble yourself, however much you think yourself less than you are, that is, less than the truth holds you to be. But it is a great evil and a dreadful danger if you exalt yourself even slightly beyond the truth, if in your thought you set yourself before even one person whom the truth perhaps judges to be your equal, or even your superior. For just as if you were passing through a doorway whose lintel, to speak so as to be understood, were too low, it would not harm you however much you stooped; but it would harm you if you raised yourself even a finger's breadth more than the measure of the door allows, so that you would strike and be bruised with your head battered; so in the soul there is plainly no humiliation however great to be feared, but rather the slightest self-exaltation rashly presumed is to be dreaded and exceedingly feared. Wherefore do not compare yourself, O man, to those greater, nor to those lesser, nor to any, nor to one. For what do you know, O man, whether that one person whom you perhaps consider the most vile and most miserable of all, whose most wicked and singularly foul life you shudder at, and on that account you think him to be despised not only in comparison with yourself, who perhaps already trust that you live soberly, and justly, and piously, but also in comparison with all other sinners as the most sinful of all -- what do you know, I say, whether by the change of the right hand of the Most High he is to be better than both you and them in himself, and indeed in God already is? And for this reason he willed us to choose not a middling place, not even the second to last, not even a place among the last, but: sit down, he says, in the last place; so that you alone sit as the last of all, and do not, I will not say place yourself before anyone, but do not presume even to compare yourself to anyone.

And then he who invited both you and him, coming, through the disposition of justice: Proverbs 16: "God is the weigher of spirits"; will say to you: Give this one your place, on account of the preeminence of dignity: 1 Kings 15: "The Lord has torn your kingdom from you and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you".

And then you will begin with shame to hold the last place, through manifest abasement, according to that verse of the Psalm: "But having been exalted, I was humbled and troubled". And therefore Sirach 13: "Take heed lest, being led astray in folly, you be humbled"; but that one is led astray by folly, who considers himself something great: Galatians 6: "If anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself". And such a one is humbled by God in just judgment, according to that passage above in chapter one: "He has put down the mighty from their seat and has exalted the humble." Concerning this kind of judgment it is said in Sirach 11: "Many tyrants have sat upon the throne, and one whom no one would suspect has worn the diadem. Many mighty ones have been greatly oppressed, and the glorious have been delivered into the hands of others". And therefore it is said in Sirach 7: "Do not seek from man a position of leadership, nor from a king a seat of honor"; because, Proverbs 20, "an inheritance to which one hastens in the beginning, in the end will lack blessing".

But when you are invited, go, recline in the lowest place. The more you are, he says, humble yourself in everything (Eccli. III). And the Psalmist boasts: "I have been humbled in every way, Lord, revive me according to your word" (Ps. CXVIII). Clearly indicating that he can be revived by the Lord if he himself feels humble about his virtues.

So that when the one who invited you comes, he may say to you: Friend, move up higher. The Lord, coming and finding him humble, calling him blessed by the name of friend, will order him to ascend higher. For whoever humbles himself as a little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Then you will have glory in the presence of those who recline with you. It is beautifully said: Then you will have glory, so that you do not begin to seek now what is reserved for you at the end; for, as Solomon says, an inheritance hastened at the beginning will lack blessing in the end. But it can also be understood in this life, that he who is found reclining in the lowest place will be exalted by the coming of the Lord, because the Lord enters his marriage daily, judging the manners, seats, and habits of those dining, despising the proud and often granting such great gifts of his spirit to the humble that he rightly glorifies them with the admiration of the unanimous assembly of those who recline, that is, of those who rest in faith, and jumping up in praise of his author, he says: "But to me, your friends, O God, have been greatly honored; their sovereignty has been greatly strengthened."

But a man sits in the lowest place according to that verse, The greater thou art, humble thyself in all things. (Eccles. 3:18.) But the Lord when He cometh, whomsoever He shall find humble, blessing him with the name of friend, He will command him to go up higher. For whoever humbleth himself as a little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. But it is well said, Then shalt thou have glory, that thou mayest not begin to seek now what is kept for thee in the end. It may also be understood, even in this life, for daily does God come to His marriage feast, despising the proud; and often giving to the humble such great gifts of His Spirit, that the assembly of those who sit at meat, i. e. the faithful, glorify them in wonder.

For if we could clearly know in what state God holds each one of us, we should neither depart above nor below, acquiescing in the truth in all things. But now, because this counsel has placed darkness as its hiding place, and the word is hidden from us, so that no one knows whether he is worthy of love or of hatred, more justly and more safely surely, according to the counsel of Truth itself, we choose for ourselves the last place, from which afterward we may be led up higher with honor, than we presume a higher place, from which we must soon withdraw with shame.

There is therefore no danger, however much you humble yourself, however much you think yourself less than you are, that is, less than the truth holds you to be. But it is a great evil and a dreadful danger if you exalt yourself even slightly beyond the truth, if in your thought you set yourself before even one person whom the truth perhaps judges to be your equal, or even your superior. For just as if you were passing through a doorway whose lintel, to speak so as to be understood, were too low, it would not harm you however much you stooped; but it would harm you if you raised yourself even a finger's breadth more than the measure of the door allows, so that you would strike and be bruised with your head battered; so in the soul there is plainly no humiliation however great to be feared, but rather the slightest self-exaltation rashly presumed is to be dreaded and exceedingly feared. Wherefore do not compare yourself, O man, to those greater, nor to those lesser, nor to any, nor to one. For what do you know, O man, whether that one person whom you perhaps consider the most vile and most miserable of all, whose most wicked and singularly foul life you shudder at, and on that account you think him to be despised not only in comparison with yourself, who perhaps already trust that you live soberly, and justly, and piously, but also in comparison with all other sinners as the most sinful of all -- what do you know, I say, whether by the change of the right hand of the Most High he is to be better than both you and them in himself, and indeed in God already is? And for this reason he willed us to choose not a middling place, not even the second to last, not even a place among the last, but: sit down, he says, in the last place; so that you alone sit as the last of all, and do not, I will not say place yourself before anyone, but do not presume even to compare yourself to anyone.

But when you shall have been invited. After he has censured arrogance, here secondly he invites to reverence; which indeed he does by persuading to perfect humility, by assigning the attendant benefit, by confirming through divine equity.

First, therefore, persuading to perfect humility, he says: But when you have been invited, to the wedding, go and recline in the last place, that is, placing yourself after all others, according to that passage of Matthew 20: "Whoever wishes to become greater among you, let him be your minister. And whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your servant: just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve". Whence He Himself sat down in the last place; Isaiah 53: "We saw Him the last of men, a man of sorrows and knowing infirmity; therefore His face was hidden and despised".

In commendation of this humility, the seats of more excellent persons are farther from the altar, and in processions those prior in dignity are last, in imitation of Christ himself, who indeed invited to this humility when he washed the feet of all the Apostles: John 13: "If I, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example," etc.: because "the disciple is not above the master," etc. And therefore the Apostle, First Corinthians 9: "Though I was free from all, I made myself the servant of all"; and again in the fifteenth chapter: "I am the least of the Apostles, who am not worthy to be called an Apostle"; and Ephesians 3: "To me, the least of all the Saints, this grace was given." And therefore the prince of the Apostles, Peter, said in First Peter 2: "Be subject to every human creature for God's sake." Recline therefore in the last place, esteeming yourself lower than all.

But you will say: How shall I truly reckon myself worse than all, when many are worse? To this Bernard responds in his homilies on the Canticles, homily thirty-seven: "For if we clearly knew in what state God holds each one of us, we ought to sit neither above nor below, acquiescing to truth in all things. But now, because this counsel has made darkness its hiding place, and the word is hidden from us, so that no one knows whether he is worthy of love or hatred: more justly and more safely indeed, according to the counsel of Truth itself, we choose the last place for ourselves, from which we may afterward be led up higher with honor, than presume a higher place, from which we must soon withdraw with shame. There is therefore no danger, however much you humble yourself, however much you reckon yourself less than you are, that is, than Truth holds you to be. But it is a great evil and a dreadful danger if you exalt yourself even slightly beyond the truth, and if in your thought you prefer yourself to one whom Truth perhaps judges your equal, or even your superior. Just as, if you pass through a doorway whose lintel, to speak for the sake of understanding, is exceedingly low, it does no harm however much you stoop; but if you stand even a finger's breadth taller than the measure of the door allows, you will strike and dash your head. So in the soul, no humiliation however great is to be feared; but even the least rashly presumed self-exaltation is to be dreaded and greatly feared. Wherefore do not compare yourself, O man, to those greater, nor to those lesser, nor to any, nor to one."

For what do you know, O man, whether that one person, whom you perhaps consider the most vile and most wretched of all, whose most wicked and singularly most foul life you abhor, and whom you therefore think should be despised not only in comparison with yourself—who perhaps already trust that you live soberly and justly and piously—but even in comparison with all other wicked persons as the most wicked of all: what do you know, I say, whether by the change of the right hand of the Most High he is not to become better than you and them in himself, and indeed already is so in God? And therefore He did not wish us to choose a middling place, nor even the next to last, nor even merely a place among the lowest: but sit down, He says, in the lowest place, so that you may sit as the lowest of all, and that you—I do not say set yourself before anyone—but not even presume to compare yourself to anyone."

Second, assigning the adjoined benefit, He adds: So that, when he who invited you comes, he may say to you: Friend, go up higher. He who invited us is Christ, who comes to us either through inspiration, according to that passage of John 14: "We will come to him and make our abode with him." Or He comes through death: above in chapter 12: "That when he comes and knocks at the door, they may open to him immediately." Or He comes through the final judgment: Revelation, last chapter: "Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to each one according to his works."

He, coming thus, calls the humble friends. For Christ is a true friend, according to that passage of Proverbs 17: "He who is a friend loves at all times." And He acknowledges the humble as friends, because such persons obey Him; John 15: "You are my friends, if you do what I command you." And then He calls them not by the name of servant, but of friend: John 15: "I will no longer call you servants, but friends, because all things whatsoever I have heard from my Father I have made known to you."

To such a one He says: Go up higher, that is, to a higher honor and dignity: Psalm: "Your friends are exceedingly honored, O God."

And therefore He adds: Then you shall have glory before those who sit at table together with you, that is, before all: whence Proverbs 29: "Humiliation follows the proud, and glory shall receive the humble in spirit"; Psalm: "I am with him in tribulation; I will deliver him and glorify him. With length of days I will fill him and show him my salvation." And on account of this, Job 22: "He who has been humbled shall be in glory, and he who has cast down his eyes, he himself shall be saved."

But the modest and praiseworthy man, who might without fear of blame have claimed the dignity of sitting among the foremost, seeks it not, but yields to others what might be called his own, that he may not even seem to be overcome by vainglory; and such an one shall receive honour as his due: for he shall hear, He says, him who bade him say, "Come up hither."

A modest mind therefore is a great and surpassing good: for it delivers those who possess it from blame and contempt, and from the charge of vaingloriousness.

For if a man wishes not to be set before others, he obtains this honour according to the divine word. As it follows; That when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher. In these words He does not harshly chide, but gently admonishes; for a word of advice is enough for the wise. And thus for their humility men are crowned with honours; as it follows, Then shall thou have worship.

Now, this is one of the two or three vital defences of working democracy. The mere machinery of voting is not democracy, though at present it is not easy to effect any simpler democratic method. But even the machinery of voting is profoundly Christian in this practical sense--that it is an attempt to get at the opinion of those who would be too modest to offer it. It is a mystical adventure; it is specially trusting those who do not trust themselves. That enigma is strictly peculiar to Christendom. There is nothing really humble about the abnegation of the Buddhist; the mild Hindoo is mild, but he is not meek. But there is something psychologically Christian about the idea of seeking for the opinion of the obscure rather than taking the obvious course of accepting the opinion of the prominent. To say that voting is particularly Christian may seem somewhat curious. To say that canvassing is Christian may seem quite crazy. But canvassing is very Christian in its primary idea. It is encouraging the humble; it is saying to the modest man, "Friend, go up higher." Or if there is some slight defect in canvassing, that is in its perfect and rounded piety, it is only because it may possibly neglect to encourage the modesty of the canvasser.

On the contrary, how praiseworthy it is when one who is worthy of the first place initially sits below others, and then turns out to be the one presiding, so that everyone yields precedence to him. Does it really seem to you a small thing, this teaching of the Lord, which prescribes the highest of virtues — humility, plants it in the souls of the listeners, and leads the one who is obedient to it toward propriety? The same thing was later taught by the disciple of Christ, Paul: "all things," he says, "should be done decently and in order" (1 Cor. 14:40). And how shall this be? "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Phil. 2:4). Do you see that the disciple preaches the same thing as the Teacher?

Let him therefore be sober, prudent, decent, firm, stable, not given to wine; no striker, but gentle; not a brawler, not covetous; "not a novice, test, being puffed up with pride, be fall into condemnation, and the snare of the devil: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abused." Such a one a bishop ought to be, who has been the "husband of one wife," who also has herself had no other husband, "ruling well his own house." In this manner let examination be made when he is to receive ordination, and to be placed in his bishopric, whether he be grave, faithful, decent; whether he hath a grave and faithful wife, or has formerly had such a one; whether he hath educated his children piously, and has "brought them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord;" whether his domestics do fear and reverence him, and are all obedient to him: for if those who are immediately about him for worldly concerns are seditious and disobedient, how will others not of his family, when they are under his management, become obedient to him?

There are humble religious, and there are proud religious. The proud ones should not promise themselves the kingdom of God. The place to which dedicated chastity leads is certainly higher, but the one who exalts himself will be humbled. Why seek the higher place with an appetite for the heights, when you can make it simply by holding on to lowliness? If you exalt yourself, God throws you down. If you cast yourself down, God lifts you up. One may not add to or subtract from the Lord's pronouncement.

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. And from this conclusion it is clearly evident that the preceding speech of the Lord must be understood figuratively. For not everyone who exalts himself before men will immediately be humbled, nor will everyone who humbles himself in the sight of men be exalted by them, but on the contrary, sometimes those who elevate themselves either to the height of honor or to some other obtained glory continue to be exalted until the end. Similarly, anyone who is humble and modest, content in his own mediocrity, perseveres until the end of life. And therefore, according to the truth, everyone who imprudently elevates himself because of his merits will be humbled by the Lord, and he who wisely humbles himself concerning his good deeds will be exalted by Him; without a doubt, this preceding speech of the Redeemer, which forbids seeking the first seats at feasts, corresponds to the same meaning.

But in the general conclusion which is added, it is plainly declared that the preceding discourse of our Lord must be understood typically. For not every one who exalts himself before men is abased; nor is he who humbleth himself in their sight, exalted by them. But whoever exalteth himself because of his merits, the Lord shall bring low, and him who humbleth himself on account of his mercies, shall He exalt.

The Scripture asserts that "everyone that exalts himself will be humbled, and he that humbles himself will be exalted." …If we want to attain to true humility and come quickly to the top of that heavenly ascent to which we can only mount by lowliness in this present life, we must ascend by good works. We must erect the mystical ladder of Jacob, where angels ascending and descending appeared to him. Ascent and descent mean that we go downward when we exalt ourselves and rise when we are humbled. The ladder represents our life in this world, which our Lord erects to heaven when our heart is humbled. The sides of the ladder represent our soul and body, sides between which God has placed several rungs of humility and discipline, whereby we are to ascend if we would answer his call.

Third, confirming through divine equity, He adds: For everyone who exalts himself, through proud self-elevation, according to that passage of Job 15: "Why does your heart elevate you, and why do you have astonished eyes, as though thinking great things?"

He shall be humbled, through judicial severity: Isaiah 2: "The lofty eyes of man shall be humbled." "For the day of the Lord shall be upon every proud and arrogant one, and he shall be humbled." "And all the loftiness of men shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be humbled." An example of this was manifest in Lucifer; Isaiah 14: "How have you fallen, O Lucifer, who rose in the morning? Who said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of heaven." And therefore he fell, because he exalted himself: whence Ezekiel 28: "Because your heart was lifted up like the heart of God, therefore behold, I will bring strangers upon you, and they shall defile your beauty and shall slay you and cast you down, and you shall die the death of the slain." On account of which it is said to every imitator of Lucifer, to any proud person, Obadiah 1: "The pride of your heart has lifted you up, you who dwell in the clefts of the rocks, who exalt your throne"; and afterward: "If you be exalted as the eagle, and if you set your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down." Therefore the Wise Man counsels in Ecclesiasticus 6: "Do not exalt yourself in your thought like a bull, lest perhaps your strength be crushed, and you be left like a dry tree in the wilderness."

Thus divine justice humbles the proud, and on the contrary exalts the humble: therefore he adds: And he who humbles himself, through voluntary self-abasement: the Psalm: "The Lord is the keeper of little ones; I was humbled, and he delivered me"; and 2 Kings 6: "I will play and become even more vile than I have been, and I will be humble in my own eyes"; shall be exalted, through divine glorification. The example is in the Lord the Savior: Philippians 2: "He humbled himself," etc.; and afterward: "For which reason God also exalted him," etc. And therefore it is said in 1 Peter 5: "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in the time of visitation." And concerning these two in the Psalm: "All the horns of sinners I will break, and the horns of the just shall be exalted"; and Ezekiel 17: "All the trees of the country shall know that I the Lord have humbled the lofty tree and exalted the lowly tree."

Now the reason for this justice and equity is that, the more one exalts himself, the less he honors God and the less he magnifies God, and through this the more he is turned away from God, and thus consequently the less he is: Ezekiel 28: "You have been brought to nothing and you shall not be forever."

Again, the more one exalts himself, the more he raises himself above himself, and thereby the more he vanishes; and the more he vanishes, the more he recedes from truth and the less he is; therefore the more anyone is exalted by himself, the more he is cast down: Job 30, "You lifted me up, and placing me as it were upon the wind, you dashed me violently." Finally, the more anyone exalts himself, the more he loves the glory of men, and the more he embraces it, the more he is subject to human praises, and on this account the more he is a servant of men and the more he is cast down: Psalm: "Indeed on account of deceits you set things for them; you cast them down while they were being lifted up."

But on the contrary, the more anyone humbles himself, the more he honors God; Sirach 3: "Great is the power of God alone, and he is honored by the humble"; and the more he honors God, the more he draws near to him, and thereby the more he is elevated to higher things. Furthermore, the more he humbles himself, the more he returns to interior things, and the more he is gathered inwardly, the greater his power becomes; therefore the more anyone is humbled, the greater he becomes according to truth; whence 2 Corinthians 12: "Power is made perfect in weakness." — Finally, the more he is humbled, the less he esteems earthly glory, and the less he esteems it, the more he tramples upon it and the more he is set above all inferior things, and thus the greater he becomes: Isaiah 60: "I will make you the pride of ages." Therefore everyone who exalts himself, the more he exalts himself, the more he distances himself from things above, and the more he distances himself from things above, the more he recedes from things within, and thereby the more he subjects himself to things below. Therefore the more anyone is puffed up, the more he is in truth cast down and according to divine judgment is to be cast down; and on the contrary, everyone who humbles himself, the more he humbles himself, the more he draws near to things above and the more he returns to things within and the more he tramples upon things below; therefore the more he humbles himself under God, the more he is exalted by divine judgment.

Plato himself says that happiness is to possess rightly the daemon, and that the ruling faculty of the soul is called the daemon; and he terms happiness the most perfect and complete good. Sometimes he calls it a consistent and harmonious life, sometimes the highest perfection in accordance with virtue; and this he places in the knowledge of the Good, and in likeness to God, demonstrating likeness to be justice and holiness with wisdom. For is it not thus that some of our writers have understood that man straightway on his creation received what is "according to the image," but that what is according "to the likeness" he will receive afterwards on his perfection? Now Plato, teaching that the virtuous man shall have this likeness accompanied with humility, explains the following: "He that humbleth himself shall be exalted." He says, accordingly, in The Laws: "God indeed, as the ancient saying has it, occupying the beginning, the middle, and the end of all things, goes straight through while He goes round the circumference. And He is always attended by Justice, the avenger of those who revolt from the divine law." You see how he connects fear with the divine law. He adds, therefore: "To which he, who would be happy, cleaving, will follow lowly and beautified." Then, connecting what follows these words, and admonishing by fear, he adds: "What conduct, then, is dear and conformable to God? That which is characterized by one word of old date: Like will be dear to like, as to what is in proportion; but things out of proportion are neither dear to one another, nor to those which are in proportion. And that therefore he that would be dear to God, must, to the best of his power, become such as He is. And in virtue of the same reason, our self-controlling man is dear to God. But he that has no self-control is unlike and diverse." In saying that it was an ancient dogma, he indicates the teaching which had come to him from the law.

Let them imitate the Lord, who at the very time of His passion was not more proud, but more humble. For then He washed His disciples' feet, saying, "If I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." Let them also follow the example of the Apostle Paul, who, after often-repeated imprisonment, after scourging, after exposures to wild beasts, in everything continued meek and humble; and even after his rapture to the third heaven and paradise, he did not proudly arrogate anything to himself when he said, "Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought, but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you."

These several matters, I pray you, suggest to our brethren. And as "he who humbleth himself shall be exalted," now is the time when they should rather fear the ensnaring adversary, who more eagerly attacks the man that is strongest, and becoming more virulent, for the very reason that he is conquered, strives to overcome his conqueror. The Lord grant that I may soon both see them again, and by salutary exhortation may establish their minds to preserve their glory. For I am grieved when I hear that some of them run about wickedly and proudly, and give themselves up to follies or to discords; that members of Christ, and even members that have confessed Christ, are defiled by unlawful concubinage, and cannot be ruled either by deacons or by presbyters, but cause that, by the wicked and evil characters of a few, the honourable glories of many and good confessors are tarnished; whom they ought to fear, lest, being condemned by their testimony and judgment, they be excluded from their fellowship. That, finally, is the illustrious and true confessor, concerning whom afterwards the Church does not blush, but boasts.

That humility and quietness are to be maintained in all things. In Isaiah: "Thus saith the Lord God, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is the stool of my feet. What seat will ye build for me, or what is the place for my rest? For all those things hath my hand made, and all those things are mine. And upon whom else will I look, except upon the lowly and quiet man, and him that trembleth at my words? " On this same thing in the Gospel according to Matthew: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Of this same thing, too, according to Luke: "He that shall be least among you all, the same shall be great." Also in the same lace: "Whosoever exalteth himself shall be made low, and whosoever abaseth himself shall be exalted." Of this same thing to the Romans: "Be not high-minded, but fear; for if God spared not the natural branches, (take heed) lest He also spare not thee." Of this same thing in the thirty-third Psalm: And He shall save the lowly in spirit." Also to the Romans: "Render to all what is due: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour; owe no man anything, except to love another." Also in the Gospel according to Matthew: "They love the first place of reclining at feasts, and the chief seat in the synagogues, and salutations in the market, and to be called of men Rabbi. But call not ye Rabbi, for One is your Master." Also in the Gospel according to John: "The servant is not greater than his lord, nor the apostle greater than He that sent himself. If ye know these things, blessed shall ye be if ye shall do them." Also in the eighty-first Psalm: "Do justice to the poor and lowly."

If then any one wish to be set above others, let him win it by the decree of heaven, and be crowned by those honours which God bestows. Let him surpass the many by having the testimony of glorious virtues; but the rule of virtue is a lowly mind that loves not boasting: yes! it is humility. And this the blessed Paul also counted worthy of all esteem: for he writes to such as are eagerly desirous of saintly pursuits, "Love humility." And the disciple of Christ praises it, thus writing; "Let the poor brother glory in his exaltation: and the rich in his humiliation, because as the flower of the grass he passes away." For the moderate and bridled mind is exalted with God: for "God, it says, will not despise the contrite and abased heart."

But whosoever thinks great things of himself, and is supercilious, and elate in mind, and prides himself on an empty loftiness, is rejected and accursed. He follows a course the contrary of Christ's, Who said; "Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart." "For the Lord, it says, resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." The wise Solomon also shows in many places the safety of the humble mind; at one time saying, "Exalt not yourself, that you fall not:" and at another time, he figuratively declares the same thing; "He that makes his house high, seeks an overthrow." Such a one is hated of God, and very justly, as having mistaken himself, and senselessly aimed above the limits of his nature. For upon what ground, I pray, does man upon earth think great things of himself? For certainly his mind is weak, and easily led into base pleasures: his body is tyrannized over by corruption and death: and the duration of his life is short and limited. Nor is this all, for naked were we born, and therefore riches, and wealth, and worldly honour come to us from without, and are not really ours: for they belong not to the properties of our nature. For what reason therefore is the mind of man puffed up? What is there to exalt it to superciliousness and boasting? Were any one but to regard his state with understanding eyes, he would then become like Abraham, who mistook not his nature, and called himself "dust and ashes." And like another also who says; "Quit man who is rottenness, and the son of man who is a worm." But he who is a worm and rottenness; this dust and ashes: this very nothingness becomes great and admirable and honourable before God, by knowing himself; for so he is crowned by God with honour and praise: for the Saviour of all and Lord gives grace to the humble...

Having shown therefore from so slight an example the degradation of the ambitious and the exaltation of the humbleminded, He adds a great thing to a little, pronouncing a general sentence, as it follows, For every one who exalts himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. This is spoken according to the divine judgment, not after human experience, in which they who desire after glory obtain it, while others who humble themselves remain inglorious.

The whole secret of the practical success of Christendom lies in the Christian humility, however imperfectly fulfilled. For with the removal of all question of merit or payment, the soul is suddenly released for incredible voyages. If we ask a sane man how much he merits, his mind shrinks instinctively and instantaneously. It is doubtful whether he merits six feet of earth. But if you ask him what he can conquer—he can conquer the stars. Thus comes the thing called Romance, a purely Christian product. A man cannot deserve adventures; he cannot earn dragons and hippogriffs. The mediaeval Europe which asserted humility gained Romance; the civilization which gained Romance has gained the habitable globe.

For the truth is much stranger even than it appears in the formal doctrine of the sin of pride. It is not only true that humility is a much wiser and more vigorous thing than pride. It is also true that vanity is a much wiser and more vigorous thing than pride. Vanity is social—it is almost a kind of comradeship; pride is solitary and uncivilized. Vanity is active; it desires the applause of infinite multitudes; pride is passive, desiring only the applause of one person, which it already has. Vanity is humorous, and can enjoy the joke even of itself; pride is dull, and cannot even smile. ... Stevenson had found that the secret of life lies in laughter and humility. Self is the gorgon. Vanity sees it in the mirror of other men and lives. Pride studies it for itself and is turned to stone.

As a matter of fact, the strongest nations are those, like Prussia or Japan, which began from very mean beginnings, but have not been too proud to sit at the feet of the foreigner and learn everything from him. Almost every obvious and direct victory has been the victory of the plagiarist. This is, indeed, only a very paltry by-product of humility, but it is a product of humility, and, therefore, it is successful. Prussia had no Christian humility in its internal arrangements; hence its internal arrangements were miserable. But it had enough Christian humility slavishly to copy France (even down to Frederick the Great's poetry), and that which it had the humility to copy it had ultimately the honour to conquer. The case of the Japanese is even more obvious; their only Christian and their only beautiful quality is that they have humbled themselves to be exalted.

The wheel is an animal that is always standing on its head; only "it does it so rapidly that no philosopher has ever found out which is its head." Or if the phrase be felt as more exact, it is an animal that is always turning head over heels and progressing by this principle. Some fish, I think, turn head over heels (supposing them, for the sake of argument, to have heels); I have a dog who nearly did it; and I did it once myself when I was very small. It was an accident, and, as delightful novelist, Mr. De Morgan, would say, it never can happen again. Since then no one has accused me of being upside down except mentally: and I rather think that there is something to be said for that; especially as typified by the rotary symbol. A wheel is the sublime paradox; one part of it is always going forward and the other part always going back. Now this, as it happens, is highly similar to the proper condition of any human soul or any political state. Every sane soul or state looks at once backwards and forwards; and even goes backwards to come on.

For those interested in revolt (as I am) I only say meekly that one cannot have a Revolution without revolving. The wheel, being a logical thing, has reference to what is behind as well as what is before. It has (as every society should have) a part that perpetually leaps helplessly at the sky and a part that perpetually bows down its head into the dust. Why should people be so scornful of us who stand on our heads? Bowing down one's head in the dust is a very good thing, the humble beginning of all happiness. When we have bowed our heads in the dust for a little time the happiness comes; and then (leaving our heads' in the humble and reverent position) we kick up our heels behind in the air. That is the true origin of standing on one's head; and the ultimate defence of paradox. The wheel humbles itself to be exalted; only it does it a little quicker than I do.

The mountain tops are only noble because from them we are privileged to behold the plains. So the only value in any man being superior is that he may have a superior admiration for the level and the common. If there is any profit in a place craggy and precipitous it is only because from the vale it is not easy to see all the beauty of the vale; because when actually in the flats one cannot see their sublime and satisfying flatness. If there is any value in being educated or eminent (which is doubtful enough) it is only because the best instructed man may feel most swiftly and certainly the splendour of the ignorant and the simple: the full magnificence of that mighty human army in the plains. The general goes up to the hill to look at his soldiers, not to look down at his soldiers. He withdraws himself not because his regiment is too small to be touched, but because it is too mighty to be seen. The chief climbs with submission and goes higher with great humility; since in order to take a bird's eye view of everything, he must become small and distant like a bird.

At the coming of the Redeemer, therefore, valleys were filled, but mountains and hills were brought low, because according to his voice: Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted. For a valley that is filled grows, but a mountain and hill that is brought low decreases, because indeed in the faith of the Mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus, the Gentiles received the fullness of grace, while Judea through the error of unbelief lost that by which it was puffed up.

May I enjoy you in all respects, if indeed I be worthy! For though I am bound, I am not worthy to be compared to one of you that are at liberty. I know that ye are not puffed up, for ye have Jesus in yourselves. And all the more when I commend you, I know that ye cherish modesty of spirit; as it is written, "The righteous man is his own accuser; " and again, "Declare thou first thine iniquities, that thou mayest be justified; " and again, "When ye shall have done all things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; " "for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." For says [the Scripture], "God be merciful to me a sinner." Therefore those great ones, Abraham and Job, styled themselves "dust and ashes before God. And David says, "Who am I before Thee, O Lord, that Thou hast glorified me hitherto? " And Moses, who was "the meekest of all men," saith to God, "I am of a feeble voice, and of a slow tongue." Be ye therefore also of a humble spirit, that ye may be exalted; for "he that abaseth himself shall be exalted, and he that exalteth himself shall be abased."

How should we understand the words: "everyone who exalts himself will be humbled"? For many who exalt themselves in this life enjoy honor. "Will be humbled" means that whoever enjoys great honor in this world is wretched and lowly before God. Moreover, such a person is not honored to the end nor by all, but as much as some respect him, so much do others revile him, perhaps even among those very ones who respect him. Thus, this saying of truth is just. And everyone unworthy of a high position, yet claiming it for himself, will be humbled both before God at the time of the last judgment, even if in this life he were above all. No one is worthy of exaltation by nature. Therefore let no one exalt himself, lest he be humbled to the utmost.