Sermones dominicales super evangelia et epistolas

pay the price for us and to restore us to liberty, because we were all held as hostages for the debt of our first parents in the prison of hell. Psalm 67: That which I did not take, that is, on the cross, I then paid back. Because he who did not commit sin sustained and paid the penalty of sins, and consequently freed us. John 18: If the Son has freed you, you will be truly free. Galatians 4: Therefore, we are now not children of the bondwoman, but of the free, by which liberty Christ has freed us, upon the mother Church.

¶ Eighth, he comes as a mediator to us to reconcile and pacify us to the Father, because we were all enemies of God. Romans 5: God commends his charity in us, because when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son. John 10: But he stood in the middle of you, namely before God to reconcile us to himself. He, as a mediator, received the wounds that God was inflicting upon the human race. Isaiah 53: He was wounded for our iniquities, he was crushed for our wickedness. Whence at his nativity the angels sang of holy peace, saying: And on earth, peace to men. Luke 2.

¶ Ninth, he comes as a treasure to us to provide and replenish us with true riches, because we were all beggars. Colossians 2: He is the one in whom all the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God are hidden. Romans 8: How will he not also with him, that is, with Christ, have given us all things? Indeed, he who does not have God has nothing at all, and he who has God is very rich. Augustine: He who has gold in a chest is not rich; he who has God in his conscience is rich. John 4: He who drinks of this water will thirst again; but he who drinks of this water that I shall give him will not thirst forever.

¶ Tenth, he comes as a nail to us to unite us together in one faith and worship of one God, and one law and one Church, because we were divided in all the aforementioned things, and one went this way and another that way. John 10: I have other sheep that are not of this fold, and those I must bring, and they will hear my voice; and there will be one fold and one shepherd.

¶ Eleventh, he comes as God to exalt human nature, because we were deeply depressed. For we who had been constituted lords of all things were serving under the elements of the world, as the apostle says to the Galatians 4. And see how much he exalted it, because God was made man, and man is truly God; and therefore from then on an angel refused to be adored by a man, as is evident in Apocalypse 22, when an angel said to John who wished to adore him: See that you do not do it; I am your fellow servant and your brothers.

¶ Twelfth, he comes as Lord to lead us back to our heavenly city, from which we were all in exile. John 12: If I

be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things to myself, that is, man who communicates with all things. Ephesians 4: Ascending on high, Christ led captivity captive and gave gifts to men.

¶ Fourth, we ought to receive him reverently because of meekness, because although he is King of heaven and earth, he nevertheless comes humble and meek, similar to us with the law of meekness and love. And this is indeed quite fitting for four reasons.

¶ First, because of the salvation he came to give, for he did not then come to the world to judge, but to save. John 3: For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through him. When he comes to judge, then he will come with great majesty and power. Salvation, however, consists in humility. John 12 (chapter 22 mentioned in error): He who has been humbled will be in glory. So that he might show that the salvation of the soul consists in humility, therefore he came humbly. Matthew 3: Thus it becomes us to fulfill all justice, that is, all humility.

¶ Second, because of the example by which he came to inform and teach us. For he came to teach us to despise the world and worldly things, because in order to truly teach and inform us, he himself had to despise the prosperous things of the world and walk humbly. Philippians 2: He humbled himself, taking the form of a servant. And therefore, after he had washed the feet of his disciples, he said: For I have given an example to you, so that just as I have done, so also you may do. John 13.

¶ Third, because of the divine power to be shown, because if he had come with power, like the kings of the world, the conversion of the faithful would be attributed to the power of arms and not to divine virtue, just as is evident regarding the worship of gods which Roman princes introduced violently into the whole world by the power of arms. For this reason, he also chose contemptible persons for his company so that everything might be ascribed to the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1: See your vocation, brothers, because God chose not many wise according to the flesh, but what is foolish in the world. In which it appears that Christ was truly God who came so abjectly, and yet converted the whole world from a harmful and customary rite to an arduous faith, to be understood and strongly practiced. From which is solved the question concerning Mahomet Muhammad, who converted many to his faith, because that rite is easy to understand and to practice, and therefore it attracted many.

¶ Fourth, because of the attractive suitability to be shown. For if he had come with power, he would have been held by us more through fear than through love. Fear, however, is not a suitable attractive force for serving God, but love is. Therefore, that which was from fear is not merited, because that which is from love is; indeed, perfect charity casts out fear. 1 John 4. And therefore, meek