Seeing the city, He wept over it

Saint Luke - Chapter 19

Seeing the city, He wept over it. J-J tissot

[41] Et ut appropinquavit, videns civitatem flevit super illam, dicens :
And when he drew near, seeing the city, he wept over it, saying:

[42] Quia si cognovisses et tu, et quidem in hac die tua, quae ad pacem tibi : nunc autem abscondita sunt ab oculis tuis.
If thou also hadst known, and that in this thy day, the things that are to thy peace; but now they are hidden from thy eyes.

[43] Quia venient dies in te : et circumdabunt te inimici tui vallo, et circumdabunt te : et coangustabunt te undique :
For the days shall come upon thee, and thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and straiten thee on every side,

[44] et ad terram prosternent te, et filios tuos, qui in te sunt, et non relinquent in te lapidem super lapidem : eo quod non cognoveris tempus visitationis tuae.
And beat thee flat to the ground, and thy children who are in thee: and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone: because thou hast not known the time of thy visitation.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam 

Seeing the city, He wept over it (Notes)

Saint Luke - Chapter 19

Seeing the city, He wept over it. J-J tissot

[41] Et ut appropinquavit, videns civitatem flevit super illam, dicens :
And when he drew near, seeing the city, he wept over it, saying:

And when He, &c. To show the bowels of His love to it. How dear to Him was the salvation of the Jews, for to this had He been sent by the Father as the Messiah and Saviour. He wept therefore among all the joys of His triumph, and amidst the happy declamations of those who congratulated Him and shouted Hosanna, that He might temper their joy, by a mixture as it were of gall. He wept as well over the blindness, obduracy, and ingratitude of the people of Jerusalem, because they would not receive Him as their Messiah and Saviour, as for the vengeance of God towards them and the destruction of their nation by Titus; and because He saw His own labours and sufferings for them frustrated and rendered of no effect. These three causes wrung tears from Christ, from the vehemence of His grief. So S. Cyril, Bede, Theophylact and others. In trope, Origen says, “Christ fulfilled all the beatitudes in His own Person. He said, ‘Blessed are they that mourn,’ and He therefore wept.”

[42] Quia si cognovisses et tu, et quidem in hac die tua, quae ad pacem tibi : nunc autem abscondita sunt ab oculis tuis.
If thou also hadst known, and that in this thy day, the things that are to thy peace; but now they are hidden from thy eyes.

If thou hadst known. “As I know,” says S. Gregory (hom. 39), Bede and others. Because I am come to thee as thy Messiah, for thy salvation, to save thee, and bring thee everlasting blessing, according to the words of Zech. 9. If thou hadst known what is for thy good, salvation, and happiness, namely, penitence and faith in Me, which I have taught thee these three years past, thou wouldst weep, as I do, for thy past blindness and obstinacy. Euthymius supplies, “Thou wouldst in no wise perish.” Others say, “Thou wouldst bear thyself otherwise; listen to Me, and believe in Me.” The Syriac has, “If thou hadst known the things that are for thy peace and salvation in this thy day.” The Arabic: “If thou hadst known, even thou, and in this thy day, how much peace there was for thee in it.” Peace, in Hebrew, means prosperity, safety, happiness, every good, both of body and soul.

It is an aposopiopesis, showing the profound passion of grief and indignation in Christ, for He upbraids the ungrateful city with its unbelief, obstinacy, and ingratitude. This feeling in Christ was so strong that it choked His voice, and compelled Him to be silent, as by aposopiopesis. “For those who weep,” says Euthymius, “break off their words abruptly, from the strength of their feelings.” There is again great passion “pathos,” in the words; “Even thou, O daughter of Zion, by Me so beloved, so honoured, so enriched: for thee have I come from heaven to earth, for thee was I born at Bethlehem, for thee have I lived thirty-four years in continued labour, suffering, poverty. for three years have I taught and preached in thy towns and villages; I have healed thy lepers, thy sick, thy possessed; I have restored thy dead to life. Thou, therefore, daughter of Jerusalem, why dost thou not return the love of one who so loves thee, but scornest and destroyest Him as an enemy? It will come, it will come shortly, that great day of the Lord, in which thou will too late confess thy unbelief and lament thy blindness. This is thy day, in which thou vainly exultest in thy wealth, thy luxury, thy pomps. But My day shall come, yea, the day of the Lord, in which He will most grievously punish thee, and utterly root thee out, and in which thou shalt pour forth the inconsolable and never ceasing tears of most bitter anguish.” Similar is the passion of Christ to the traitor Judas. Ps. 5:12.

In trope, S. Gregory in his 39th Homily says, “The perverse soul, which delights in the passing day, here meets its day. The soul, that is, to which present things are peace, because, while it takes pleasure in temporal prosperity: while it is elevated by honour while it is dissolved in the pleasures of sense, while it is terrified by no thoughts of a punishment to come, it has peace in its day, although in one to come it will meet with heavy condemnation. For it will be afflicted when the righteous rejoice, and all that was lately for its peace will be turned into the bitterness of contention. For it will begin to be at strife with itself, and to question itself, as to why it had not feared the condemnation to come, and had shut the eyes of its soul to the prospect of the evils to come.

But now they are hid from thine eyes. Because (de Industria) thou wouldst not know, says Titus. And Eusebius, in the Catena, “Christ makes known His coming for the peace of the world, and when they would not receive that peace, it was hidden from them.” The Incarnation of Christ, His preaching, His passion, His resurrection, were hidden from the Jews. Equally so their own perfidy, blindness, ingratitude, and therefore their punishment and destruction by Titus. “For,” says S. Gregory, “if we saw the evils that are impending, we should not rejoice in present prosperity.” Again, in figure, “The perverse soul, while it loses itself in the enjoyments of the present life, what does it but walk with closed eyes into the fire?” Hence it is well written, In the day of good things be not unmindful of the evil. And S. Paul, “Let those that rejoice be as those that rejoice not.” For if there is any joy in the present time, it should be so felt, as that the bitterness of the future judgment should never be absent from the thoughts, for while the reverent mind is pierced by fear of the final punishment, in proportion to its present rejoicing will the wrath hereafter be tempered.

[43] Quia venient dies in te : et circumdabunt te inimici tui vallo, et circumdabunt te : et coangustabunt te undique :
For the days shall come upon thee, and thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and straiten thee on every side,

For the days shall come. The Greek reads, “Thy enemies shall cast up a bank about thee and compass thee round.” The Arabic, “The days shall come in which thine enemies shall throw down thy standards, and shall surround thee.” How truly Christ foretold this appears from Josephus, who in Bk. vi. chap. 37, of his “Wars of the Jews,” says that Titus and the Romans erected three mounds round Jerusalem, and, in the space of only three days, surrounded the whole city with a wall of 39 stadia, so that there should be neither exit nor passage for any one. Christ alludes to Isaiah 29:1, 2, “Woe to Ariel,” &c. For Jerusalem, which before was strong and unconquered, was, as it were, Ariel—that is, the Lion of God, now deserted by me, and given over to destruction by the Romans, and to become, as it were, the ram of justice, and the sacrifice of divine vengeance. So Eusebius, S. Cyril and Theodoret on Isaiah 29:1.

And keep thee in on every side. To such a pitch of famine, and to such straits shalt thou be reduced that mothers shall devour even their own children. Josephus, “Wars of the Jews” chap. 16 and following.

[44] et ad terram prosternent te, et filios tuos, qui in te sunt, et non relinquent in te lapidem super lapidem : eo quod non cognoveris tempus visitationis tuae.
And beat thee flat to the ground, and thy children who are in thee: and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone: because thou hast not known the time of thy visitation.

And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another. That is, shall destroy thee utterly; spoken in hyperbole, for the Romans were not so laborious or so idle, as to leave no stone upon another. S. Greg., hom. xxxix. The migration from the city is testified to, for it is now built on the spot where the Lord was crucified outside the gate. The former Jerusalem is utterly destroyed; for Mount Calvary is now in the middle of the new city.

Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. “The time of this visitation,” says Titus, “is that of Christ’s coming down from heaven.” “In figure all these things,” says S. Gregory hom. 39, “happen to the soul that has lived as a slave to the flesh. For then the devils surround it on all sides, tempt it, hedge it in, and carry it off to hell. Then all that erection of stones, that is, their thoughts, is overthrown, because they did not know the time of their visitation, when God by His preachers, His confessors, His masters, and His internal inspirations, warned them to amend their lives and take thought for their salvation.” Greg., Dial. Bk. iv. chaps. 30, 38, 46, 52, and following, gives the dreadful example of Chrysaorius Theodore, King Theodoric, and others.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam 

The procession on the Mount of Olives

Saint Luke  - Chapter 19

[Palm Sunday]

Hosanna filio David. J-J Tissot

[37] et cum appropinquaret jam ad descensum montis Oliveti, coeperunt omnes turbae discipulorum gaudentes laudare Deum voce magna super omnibus, quas viderant, virtutibus,

And when he was now coming near the descent of mount Olivet, the whole multitude of his disciples began with joy to praise God with a loud voice, for all the mighty works they had seen,

[38] dicentes : Benedictus, qui venit rex in nomine Domini : pax in caelo, et gloria in excelsis.
Saying: Blessed be the king who cometh in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven, and glory on high!

[39] Et quidam pharisaeorum de turbis dixerunt ad illum : Magister, increpa discipulos tuos.
And some of the Pharisees, from amongst the multitude, said to him: Master, rebuke thy disciples.

[40] Quibus ipse ait : Dico vobis, quia si hi tacuerint, lapides clamabunt.
To whom he said: I say to you, that if these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out.

Saint Matthew - Chapter 21

[8] Plurima autem turba straverunt vestimenta sua in via : alii autem caedebant ramos de arboribus, et sternebant in via :
And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and others cut boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way:

[9] turbae autem, quae praecedebant, et quae sequebantur, clamabant, dicentes : Hosanna filio David : benedictus, qui venit in nomine Domini : hosanna in altissimis.
And the multitudes that went before and that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam 

The procession on the Mount of Olives (Notes)

Saint Luke - Chapter 19

[Palm Sunday]

Hosanna filio David. J-J Tissot

[37] et cum appropinquaret jam ad descensum montis Oliveti, coeperunt omnes turbae discipulorum gaudentes laudare Deum voce magna super omnibus, quas viderant, virtutibus,
And when he was now coming near the descent of mount Olivet, the whole multitude of his disciples began with joy to praise God with a loud voice, for all the mighty works they had seen,

[38] dicentes : Benedictus, qui venit rex in nomine Domini : pax in caelo, et gloria in excelsis.
Saying: Blessed be the king who cometh in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven, and glory on high!

[39] Et quidam pharisaeorum de turbis dixerunt ad illum : Magister, increpa discipulos tuos.
And some of the Pharisees, from amongst the multitude, said to him: Master, rebuke thy disciples.

[40] Quibus ipse ait : Dico vobis, quia si hi tacuerint, lapides clamabunt.
To whom he said: I say to you, that if these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out.

Saint Matthew - Chapter 21

[8] Plurima autem turba straverunt vestimenta sua in via : alii autem caedebant ramos de arboribus, et sternebant in via :
And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and others cut boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way:

A great multitude, &c.; branches, of palms, olives, and other fruit trees, in which the Mount of Olives abounds, as S. Jerome says: for this multitude, not having carpets (which are accustomed to be laid down for royal progresses), laid down their garments for Christ, stripping themselves as a notable mark of their reverence for Him. These things happened on the twentieth of March; for in Palestine, which is a hot country, the trees are then in full leaf.

Tropologically. Remigius says: “The Lord came to Jerusalem sitting upon an ass, because He presides over the holy Church and the faithful soul, and rules it in this life, and afterwards introduces it to the vision of the celestial country. 
The Apostles and other Doctors placed their garments upon the ass, because they gave to the Gentiles the glory which they had received from Christ. 
But the multitude spread their garments in the way, because those of the circumcision who believed despised the glory which they had from the Law. 
And they cut down branches from the trees, because they received testimonies from the prophets, who flourished, as it were, from Christ, the Tree. 
Or the multitude which strawed their garments in the way signifies the martyrs, who gave their bodies, the garments of their souls, to martyrdom for the sake of Christ. 
Or they who tame their bodies by abstinence are signified. 
But they who cut down branches from the trees are those who search for the sayings and examples of the holy Fathers, for the salvation of themselves and of their children.”

[9] turbae autem, quae praecedebant, et quae sequebantur, clamabant, dicentes : Hosanna filio David : benedictus, qui venit in nomine Domini : hosanna in altissimis.
And the multitudes that went before and that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

But the multitudes which went before, &c. S. John (12:12) says: On the morrow—i.e., Palm Sunday, or the day after the Sabbath, on which Jesus had come to Bethany—“much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord”—that is, Messias, whom, as the Divine king, we have been expecting for so many thousand years. The multitude went out to meet Him with palms, as a conqueror, because formerly victors in the games were crowned with palms. Thus the Church expounds when, in the Benediction of Palms, she chants thus: “Therefore the branches of palms anticipate the triumph over the king of death; the sprays of olives verily, as it were, cry aloud that the spiritual anointing has come. For even then that blessed multitude of people understood that it was prefigured that the Redeemer, grieving for the misery of the human race, was about to fight with the prince of death for the life of the whole world, and to triumph by dying. Therefore they obediently rendered such services, which should set forth in Him both the triumphs of His victory and the riches of His mercy.” For although the multitude did not know that in four days Christ was about to suffer upon the Cross, He knew it, and therefore He willed that this His triumph should be foreshown by the multitude with palms. And they brought Christ, as it were the Lamb which taketh away the sins of the world, who was to be offered for its salvation upon the following Friday. For although they were at this time ignorant of the mystery of which the paschal lambs were types and figures, God, who foreknows all things, ordained them for the glory of Christ. Zechariah had predicted them, and so had David (Psalm 118:25, &c.); and therefore the Jews, who would not believe in Christ, were without excuse. All this bringing the paschal lamb to Jerusalem was done in accordance with the law (Exodus 12:3, 6), where the paschal lamb is ordered to be chosen on the tenth day of the first month. The tenth of Nisan fell that year on Palm Sunday, which was—according to our computation—that year the twentieth of March.

Hosanna. So the Egyptian and Arabic. The Syrian has Onschano, the Ethiopic Husanna, the Persian Husiana. You will ask what is the meaning of Hosanna? 

1. S. Hilary, on this passage, and from him S. Ambrose, think that Hosanna signifies the redemption of the house of David. But S. Jerome (Epist. ad Dam.) shows that this is a mistake.

2. S. Austin (Tract. 51 in Joan.) thinks Hosanna is an interjection of joy and supplication, like well done! bravo!

3. Euthymius says Hosanna means praise, being derived from עו, hoz—i.e., strength, which the Vulgate and LXX sometimes translate praise—and חנה, chanah, i.e., grace. Whence also the Greeks represent Ho sauna by two words.

But I say with S. Jerome, Theophylact, Pagninus, Jansen, and others that Hosanna is compounded of הושע, hoscha, save, and נא na, i.e., I beseech. Hosanna is therefore, save, I beseech, or save now. Hoscanna has been changed into Hosanna for the sake of euphony.

There is an allusion to Psalm 118:25, 26, “Save me,” though the word me is not in the Hebrew (for it seems to be not the voice of Christ but of the people praying for salvation from Christ), “O Lord, send now prosperity. Blessed be He that cometh in the name of the Lord.” Symmachus translates, “I beseech, O Lord, save me, I beseech.” The Hebrew is, Anna Jehovah, hoscia na; anna Jehovah, hatslicha na, i.e., O Lord, save, I beseech; O Lord, prosper I beseech, our King David and his antitype, Messiah. Give him a happy beginning of his reign, a happier progress in it, and a most happy conclusion. Hosanna, then, is an acclamation to the new king of Israel, at his proclamation, as we say, God save the King.

Hence, too, we have in the same Psalm, “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (ver. 24): and the reason is given in the two previous verses, “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.” Where the Chaldee (paraphrase) applies it to David. David being first rejected, and afterwards made king, was, as it were, a corner stone, binding to himself Judah and Jerusalem, i.e., the two, as well as the ten tribes. Still better does S. Matthew explain it of Christ, thus, Christ being rejected by the Jews in life, and crucified in death, became the corner stone of the Church after His resurrection, as containing and connecting the whole edifice of the Church by uniting both Jews and Gentiles in the one bosom of His Church; and thus it is that we sing Hosanna unto Him.

Some think Hosanna was taken from the Feast of Tabernacles, when the Jews, rejoicing with boughs of trees, were wont frequently to cry Hosanna. And in prayers and litanies to God, the whole multitude used to respond with the same word, Hosanna, i.e., save us. As Christians in their litanies at each of the suffrages relating to pestilence, famine, war, and so on, respond, Good Lord, deliver us. Wherefore also the Jews were accustomed to call the boughs themselves Hosanna, as Angelus Caninius shows from the Chaldee, the Talmud, and Elias (Tract. de nomin. Heb. c. 4). But this Hosanna of the Chaldee paraphrast and the Talmudists was subsequent to our Christian Hosanna, so that it was rather taken from ours than ours from theirs. Besides, the Hosanna of the Feast of Tabernacles was one of affliction and deprecation, but the Hosanna in this place of Christ was one of jubilation and triumph.

This multitude, therefore, broke forth by God’s inspiration into this joyful shout of Hosanna, in honour of Christ, even as the children did in verse 15. Although the occasion of it was the remembrance of that great miracle, viz., the raising of Lazarus, which had been performed shortly before by Christ in Bethany, as is plain from John 11:15, and 12:9, 17.

To the Son of David: many of the ancients refer these words to the multitude, as if they asked for salvation from their own Messiah. Hosanna to the Son of David, i.e., our salvation is from the Son of David. Or, let salvation come to us from the Son of David. So Origen, S. Jerome, Bede, &c.

Others refer Son of David not to Hosanna, but to saying. They said to the Son of David, i.e., to Christ, Save me, who am thy people, O Son of David, i.e., Messiah, our King.

But I say that Hosanna to the Son of David, means the same thing as, Save I beseech thee, Son of David. For so it should be rendered according to the Latin syntax. But the Greek interpreter, equally with the Latin, followed the Hebraism. For the Hebrew verb hoscha, save, is constructed with lamed, which is the sign of the dative case, and sometimes of the accusative. The multitude therefore besought God to save and prosper Messiah, that they might all be safe, and live happily under Him. Or still better and more simply, Hosanna to the Son of David, let that solemn Hosanna be made to Jesus sprung from David, whom we acknowledge to be the promised, and up to this time expected Son of David.* Let Him be, let Him happen, let Him be acclaimed unanimously by us. This is the voice and the acclamation of the people by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, acknowledging Jesus as the Son of David, i.e., the Messiah, and congratulating Him, as it were entering upon the kingdom of His father David, the restoration of which by Him had been so long expected; in fine, praying for health, prosperity and all propitious things for Him from God, and joyfully promising the same to themselves through Him. For where Christ is called the Son of David, there there is reference to the restitution of David’s kingdom. So Franciscus Lucas.

Moreover Caninius in the place already quoted from, thus expounds, Hosanna to the Son of David, i.e., in our hands we bear Hosannas, that is branches of palms, to the Son of David, that indeed we may honour Him as the King Messiah, and in triumph accompany Him as a victor and triumphing. Or, Hosanna to the Son of David, that is, cut ye down boughs, which as Hosanna ye may offer to the Son of David. As the Poet says, “Give ye lilies with full hands.” But one thing was the Hosanna of the Feast of Tabernacles, namely like a certain Litany, another thing that of the crowd here by Hosanna to Christ, proclaiming and congratulating His triumph, as I have said a little before.

More plainly and fully you may say, that by the people it was here cried to Christ, Hosanna to the Son of David, meaning thus: “O Lord save not only our Messiah, David’s Son and Heir, but grant also to Him the power of saving all the faithful believing in Him, and subject unto Him, that Thy Divine salvation may be so abundantly derived from Thee to Christ that He may cause the same to emanate and flow forth unto us. For verbs of the conjugation Hiphil have a specially active force, whence they often signify a double action. Hosca therefore, i.e., save, signifies, save Christ, and at the same time cause that He should save His subjects, that in truth, even as He is called, so He may verily be Jesus, i.e., the Saviour of the World. For Jesus is derived from ישע iasca, i.e., he hath saved, which in Hiphil, the action being augmented, makes הושע hosca. From this cause the translator gives, to the Son of David, in the dative, whereas otherwise it might be translated, the Son of David, in the accusative. For the dative signifies, that salvation, i.e., the power of saving all men, as it were, appropriated to Him alone was given to Christ by God. Note this, because as far as I know it has not been observed by any one.

Here, therefore, Christ as the glorious, powerful and triumphant King of Israel, whom none can resist, is as it were installed in Jerusalem, the royal city, in which formerly David and Solomon the ancestors of Christ had gloriously reigned, that He might restore their fallen kingdom, yea perfect it; and instead of its being earthly, make it heavenly; divine, instead of human; eternal, instead of temporal. Him furthermore the people by Hosanna partly applaud, partly pray for salvation for Him, i.e., felicity and every good thing. This is what Mark says (11:9, 10). “And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

Moreover Christ as it were entered into this His kingdom of the Church, five days afterwards, on the day before the Passover, when He triumphed on the Cross over sin, the world, the devil and hell, and delivered all nations from their power as far as He was concerned, and subjugated them. Wherefore the Church in her Votive Mass of the Passion of Christ, sings to Him, “To Thee be glory, Hosanna; to Thee triumph and victory: to Thee the crown of highest praise and honour, Alleluia.” Hence too the Church in the Benediction of Palms prays to God that, “carrying palms and branches of olives, we may with good deeds run to meet Christ and may through Him enter into eternal joy.”

Blessed (supply, may He be) who cometh (Greek, ὁ ἐρχόμενος, i.e., He coming, viz., who was about to come, who was expected) in the name of the Lord. It means, may God bless, further, prosper, and make glorious the Kingdom of Messiah, our King. For He cometh to us in the name of the Lord, i.e., He is authorised, sent, and endowed by the Lord. Thus in Jeremiah (4:16) it is said, “Thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord,” i.e., by the commandment, authority, and in the place of God. And (chap. 3:17), “All nations shall be gathered together unto it (Jerusalem) in the name of the Lord.” There is an allusion to Psalm 45:3, “Gird Thee with Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O most Mighty,” &c., “Press forward, proceed prosperously, and reign.” “For Christ is the King of Israel,” says S. Augustine (in Joan. cap. 12:23), “in that He rules minds; that He counsels for eternity; that He leads those who believe, hope, and love, to the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Tropologically, Remigius: Christ, he says, comes in the name of the Lord, because in all His good works He sought not His own glory, but the glory of the Father.

Hosanna in the highest: Jansen explains it as though it were said, “Thou, O Lord, who art, and who dwellest in the highest Heavens, save Messiah.” Better Franc. Lucas, Maldonatus, and others, take the preposition ב, in, for מן, min, i.e., from, according to the Hebrew construction, as though it were said, “Thou, O Lord, from Heaven, yea from the highest top of Heaven, save and prosper King Messiah.” For they prayed for Messiah, not earthly and transitory salvation from man; but divine, heavenly, and eternal from God, viz., that God would divinely save Him, and give Him the power of saving others; that, indeed, Christ by His grace would lead all His faithful and holy ones to the eternal salvation, felicity, kingdom, and glory. 

Hence Origen explains Hosanna to mean restitution to life eternal. For this is intimated by the words, in the highest, or as he himself reads, in the lofty, that in truth this salvation must be sought for not on earth, but in Heaven. Again, S. Jerome says, “The advent of Christ is shown to be the salvation of the whole world, joining earthly things to heavenly.” The Gloss adds, in the lofty, because Christ is the salvation even of the angels, whose number He fills up. Whence Emm. Sa adds that even the angels who are in the high places are here invited to the triumph and praise of Christ Messiah. Wherefore S. Luke (19:38), instead of Hosanna, has peace in Heaven, that is, safety, prosperity, and every good thing (for this is what peace denotes to the Hebrews) be from Heaven to Messiah, and through Him may they flow, and rain from God upon us; and glory on high (supply) may there be to God, the giver to Messiah. Or rather, glory, viz., of the kingdom, firm, great, and constant, this is a glorious kingdom; in, i.e., from on high, understand, from Heaven let there be divinely given to our Messiah. 

So Franc. Lucas. Again, more loftily, Peace in Heaven (let there be), namely, that God, until now angry with men, may be propitious to Christ, and through Christ to us; and may He reconcile angels to men, Heaven to earth, God to the synagogue. “Hence some,” says S. Chrysostom, “interpret Hosanna, glory—others, the Resurrection; for also glory is due to Him, and redemption belongs to Him, who all hath redeemed.” Meaning, let glory and praise be to the God of all things who is on high. The angels sang the same at the birth of Christ. But Hosanna properly signifies not glory, but salvation. But our salvation through Christ was the glory of God. In another sense, in the preface of the Sacrifice of the Mass, at the Trisagion, Holy, Holy, Holy, is added. “Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord,” that, indeed, we should pray not for Christ, but for ourselves, through Christ, for salvation, by asking that He also may by all be blessed, worshipped, praised, and may in turn copiously pour forth His blessings and graces upon us. Luke adds (19:41), And when He drew near, beholding the city, He wept over it, saying, because thou shouldst have known, even thou, &c. Because He foresaw and foretold its dreadful punishment and destruction by Titus and Vespasian.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam 

The foal of Bethphage (Notes)

Saint Matthew - Chapter 21

[Palm Sunday]

The foal of Bethphage. J-J Tissot

[1] Et cum appropinquassent Jerosolymis, et venissent Bethphage ad montem Oliveti : tunc Jesus misit duos discipulos,
And when they drew nigh to Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto mount Olivet, then Jesus sent two disciples,

And when they were come nigh, &c. Mark has (11:1), “And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, He sendeth forth two of His disciples,” and Luke adds (19:29), “And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples.” But Mark and Luke are speaking generally, because Bethphage, Jerusalem, and Bethany are all nigh to each other. For coming to particulars it is clear from S. John (12:1, 12) that on the preceding Sabbath Christ supped, and passed the night at Bethany, and on the following day, or Palm Sunday, He came nearer to Jerusalem, that is to say, to Bethphage, and from thence sent His disciples to fetch the ass with her colt. For Bethphage was nearer to Jerusalem. Whence from Bethany through Bethphage, the Mount of Olives and the valley of Jehoshaphat was the road to Jerusalem. The valley of Jehoshaphat is close to Jerusalem. The brook Kedron flows through it. After this valley you come to the mount of Olives, then to the village of Bethphage, and then to Bethany.

Bethphage, in Hebrew, means the house of the mouth, or, at the mouth of the valley. Beth is a house, phe, the mouth, ge, a valley. For this village of Bethphage was seated at the foot of Mount Olivet, in a sort of cleft, or as it were mouth of the hill. Again this village was situated, as we may say, at the mouth, or entrance of the valley of Jehoshaphat. And this entrance is extremely narrow, as you come from Bethphage into the valley, and so on through the golden gate to the Temple. Whence it is very probable, as Jansen and Adrichomius say, that Bethphage was a village of the priests, in which lambs, goats, and oxen were kept ready for the temple sacrifices. Thus from Bethphage the priests were wont to fetch the paschal lambs, and other victims to the temple. From this cause too, when Christ willed to be brought in triumph from Bethphage through the golden gate unto Jerusalem He would show that He was the Lamb which taketh away the sins of the world, prefigured by the paschal lambs.

Again, He wished in His triumphal entry to pass through the valley of Jehoshaphat, in order to intimate, that in that same valley He will, in the day of Judgment, pass His tremendous judgment upon all men. Now therefore He rides through the valley in triumph to Jerusalem, as her Lord and King, and, thus, as it were, takes possession of His kingdom, which He will bring to a glorious consummation in the Day of Judgment. It is as if He said, “Acknowledge Me, O ye Jews, to be your Messiah, believe and obey Me, that in the day of Judgment, which I will accomplish in this valley, I may award you Heaven. But if ye persist in your unbelief, I shall adjudge you to hell. Wherefore also, I come from Bethany, where a few days since I raised up Lazarus from the dead, which ye have all seen and wondered at, that by it, and My other miracles ye may know that I am your Messiah, the Saviour of the world.”

Then Jesus sent, &c. S. Hilary, Bede, and the Gloss think that these two were Peter and Philip; but Origen and Theophylact think they were Peter and Paul—that is, typically, in such sort that the two who were sent represented Peter and Paul; the one, who was about to be the Apostle of the Jews, the other, who was to become the Apostle of the Gentiles. For Paul was not as yet converted to Christ. With greater probability, Jansen thinks these two were Peter and John: for soon after this Christ sent them to prepare the paschal lamb. But nothing is certain.

[2] dicens eis : Ite in castellum, quod contra vos est, et statim invenietis asinam alligatam, et pullum cum ea : solvite, et adducite mihi :
Saying to them: Go ye into the village that is over against you, and immediately you shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them and bring them to me.

Saying, &c. Greek, εἰς κώμην κατέναντι ὑμῶν, i.e., into the village which is opposite to you. From whence it is plain that it is not Jerusalem which is meant, as Lyra thinks, but either Bethphage, as Jansen supposes, or some village opposite to Bethphage, as Adrichomius thinks. For Christ had already come to Bethphage, as I have said in verse 1; unless you prefer to understand when He came to Bethphage, when He was coming to or approaching Bethany.

And straightway ye shall find, &c. Christ here beheld things absent, the ass and her colt, as though they were present. He surely made them known to His Apostles by the gift of prophecy, which His Divinity bestowed upon His humanity. Thus He here gave a proof of His Divinity.

Hear how blessed Peter Damian tropologically applies all the circumstances of this journey to the conversion of a sinner. (Hom. in Dom. Palm.) 

“Bethphage is interpreted to mean, the house of the mouth; and it is the understanding of the priests, by which confession is meant. Thither the Lord cometh, because He kindles the heart to make confession. 

The castle (as the Latin has instead of village), which is opposite to the Lord and His disciples, is a mind obstinately bent upon its own will. 

The two disciples who are sent to it are Hope and Fear. 

The ass and her colt tied are Humility and Simplicity. For the mind of such a person sometimes knows what humility and simplicity are, and how he ought to live humbly and simply. But he, as it were, binds them, and sets them aside, when he is not willing to live accordingly. This man fear terrifies, when he draws back from evil, threatening him with torments. Hope comforts him if he repents, by the promise of rewards. By these two the mind is pricked. 

The ass and the colt are loosed, when meeting the Lord in the way to Bethphage, he confesses that he hath sinned, and promises that he will live humbly and simply for the time to come. 

And thus he who aforetime was a castle of the devil becomes Sion, the city of our strength. 

The Saviour is placed in it for a wall and a bulwark. The wall is humility, the bulwark is patience. 

Therefore, dearly beloved, let us go forth to meet the Lord at Bethphage, pricked with fear of punishment, and strengthened by the hope of heavenly life, confessing our sins with humility and simplicity, treading down the garments of our carnality, that the Lord may deign to sit upon us, and to bring us with Himself into the Heavenly Jerusalem.”

[3] et si quis vobis aliquid dixerit, dicite quia Dominus his opus habet : et confestim dimittet eos.
And if any man shall say anything to you, say ye, that the Lord hath need of them: and forthwith he will let them go.

And if any man, &c. The Lord: for I am indeed Messiah, the Lord and God of all things. Christ did not wish that the ass and her colt should be taken away against the owner’s will. For as His Providence worketh mightily, so also sweetly. By the power of His Divinity He influenced their minds, so that they should assent to the Apostles loosing the ass, yea that they should co-operate with them.

Christ, Who for three years had always gone on foot, and thus had traversed the whole of Judea, wished to show that He was the King of Judea, the Messiah, the Son of David. Therefore does He enter Jerusalem, which was the metropolis of Judea in regal pomp. But He is not carried on a horse with splendid trappings, or in a gilded chariot, with an accompanying multitude of noble knights, with trumpets sounding, resplendent in purple robes, as the kings of the earth are wont to do. But He is carried on an ass, to show that His kingdom is of another sort, spiritual and heavenly, and therefore meek and lowly, despising pomp. Nevertheless asses in Judea are better and stronger than our asses, more like mules. The sons of princes were accustomed to ride on asses. (See Judg. 12:14.) “Christ,” says Auctor Imperfecti, “sits upon the ass of tranquillity and peace, which is most patient to bear labours and burdens. You see not round about Him glittering swords, or the other ornaments of dreadful arms. But what do you see? leafy boughs, the tokens of affection. He came in meekness that he might not be dreaded because of His power, but that he might be loved for His gentleness.”

[4] Hoc autem totum factum est, ut adimpleretur quod dictum est per prophetam dicentem :
Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

All this was done, &c. The prophet, Zachariah. Tell ye the daughter of Sion. Some think these words are a quotation from Isaiah 62:11, as though Matthew put the quotation together from Isaiah and Zechariah. More simply, F. Lucas and others think Christ cited Zechariah only, but his meaning, not his exact words. Tell ye therefore the daughter of Sion is the same as, exult greatly (the Hebrew meod is very much), O daughter of Sion, shout O daughter of Jerusalem, as Zechariah has (9:9), for thy King Messias is coming to thee to save thee. Zechariah is exhorting the citizens of Jerusalem to receive with eagerness their Messiah and Saviour riding on an ass.

Observe: Jerusalem is called the daughter of Sion, either by synecdoche, in that from Sion, the higher part of the city, the whole was called Sion; or else by a metaphor, in that the city of Jerusalem, lying below Mount Sion, and protected by it, and reposing like a daughter on her mother’s bosom, was called the daughter of Sion. Moreover by Jerusalem are to be understood the citizens and inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Mystically, these things are true in the Christian Church, which as Jerusalem and the daughter of Sion is the vision of peace, and therefore always rejoices with Christ.

[5] Dicite filiae Sion : Ecce rex tuus venit tibi mansuetus, sedens super asinam, et pullum filium subjugalis.
Tell ye the daughter of Sion: Behold thy king cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of her that is used to the yoke.

Behold thy king, &c. Zechariah has, son of an ass, the Vulgate has subjugalis, under the yoke, because it bears the yoke of the man riding upon it.

Saint Mark - Chapter 11

[4] Et abeuntes invenerunt pullum ligatum ante januam foris in bivio : et solvunt eum.
And going their way, they found the colt tied before the gate without, in the meeting of two ways: and they loose him.

[5] Et quidam de illic stantibus dicebant illis : Quid facitis solventes pullum?
And some of them that stood there, said to them: What do you loosing the colt?

[6] Qui dixerunt eis sicut praeceperat illis Jesus, et dimiserunt eis.
Who said to them as Jesus had commanded them; and they let him go with them.

[7] Et duxerunt pullum ad Jesum : et imponunt illi vestimenta sua, et sedit super eum.
And they brought the colt to Jesus; and they lay their garments on him, and he sat upon him.

Saint Luke - Chapter 19

[29] Et factum est, cum appropinquasset ad Bethphage et Bethaniam, ad montem qui vocatur Oliveti, misit duos discipulos suos,
And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethania, unto the mount called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples,

[30] dicens : Ite in castellum quod contra est : in quod introeuntes, invenietis pullum asinae alligatum, cui nemo umquam hominum sedit : solvite illum, et adducite.
Saying: Go into the town which is over against you, at your entering into which you shall find the colt of an ass tied, on which no man ever hath sitten: loose him, and bring him hither.

[31] Et si quis vos interrogaverit : Quare solvitis? sic dicetis ei : Quia Dominus operam ejus desiderat.
And if any man shall ask you: Why do you loose him? you shall say thus unto him: Because the Lord hath need of his service.

[32] Abierunt autem qui missi erant : et invenerunt, sicut dixit illis, stantem pullum.
And they that were sent, went their way, and found the colt standing, as he had said unto them.

[33] Solventibus autem illis pullum, dixerunt domini ejus ad illos : Quid solvitis pullum?
And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said to them: Why loose you the colt?

[34] At illi dixerunt : Quia Dominus eum necessarium habet.
But they said: Because the Lord hath need of him.

[35] Et duxerunt illum ad Jesum. Et jacentes vestimenta sua supra pullum, imposuerunt Jesum.
And they brought him to Jesus. And casting their garments on the colt, they set Jesus thereon.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam 

The foal of Bethphage

Saint Matthew - Chapter 21

[Palm Sunday]

The foal of Bethphage. J-J Tissot

[1] Et cum appropinquassent Jerosolymis, et venissent Bethphage ad montem Oliveti : tunc Jesus misit duos discipulos,
And when they drew nigh to Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto mount Olivet, then Jesus sent two disciples,

[2] dicens eis : Ite in castellum, quod contra vos est, et statim invenietis asinam alligatam, et pullum cum ea : solvite, et adducite mihi :
Saying to them: Go ye into the village that is over against you, and immediately you shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them and bring them to me.

[3] et si quis vobis aliquid dixerit, dicite quia Dominus his opus habet : et confestim dimittet eos.
And if any man shall say anything to you, say ye, that the Lord hath need of them: and forthwith he will let them go.

[4] Hoc autem totum factum est, ut adimpleretur quod dictum est per prophetam dicentem :
Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

[5] Dicite filiae Sion : Ecce rex tuus venit tibi mansuetus, sedens super asinam, et pullum filium subjugalis.
Tell ye the daughter of Sion: Behold thy king cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of her that is used to the yoke.

Saint Mark - Chapter 11

[4] Et abeuntes invenerunt pullum ligatum ante januam foris in bivio : et solvunt eum.
And going their way, they found the colt tied before the gate without, in the meeting of two ways: and they loose him.

[5] Et quidam de illic stantibus dicebant illis : Quid facitis solventes pullum?
And some of them that stood there, said to them: What do you loosing the colt?

[6] Qui dixerunt eis sicut praeceperat illis Jesus, et dimiserunt eis.
Who said to them as Jesus had commanded them; and they let him go with them.

[7] Et duxerunt pullum ad Jesum : et imponunt illi vestimenta sua, et sedit super eum.
And they brought the colt to Jesus; and they lay their garments on him, and he sat upon him.

Saint Luke - Chapter 19

[29] Et factum est, cum appropinquasset ad Bethphage et Bethaniam, ad montem qui vocatur Oliveti, misit duos discipulos suos,
And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethania, unto the mount called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples,

[30] dicens : Ite in castellum quod contra est : in quod introeuntes, invenietis pullum asinae alligatum, cui nemo umquam hominum sedit : solvite illum, et adducite.
Saying: Go into the town which is over against you, at your entering into which you shall find the colt of an ass tied, on which no man ever hath sitten: loose him, and bring him hither.

[31] Et si quis vos interrogaverit : Quare solvitis? sic dicetis ei : Quia Dominus operam ejus desiderat.
And if any man shall ask you: Why do you loose him? you shall say thus unto him: Because the Lord hath need of his service.

[32] Abierunt autem qui missi erant : et invenerunt, sicut dixit illis, stantem pullum.
And they that were sent, went their way, and found the colt standing, as he had said unto them.

[33] Solventibus autem illis pullum, dixerunt domini ejus ad illos : Quid solvitis pullum?
And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said to them: Why loose you the colt?

[34] At illi dixerunt : Quia Dominus eum necessarium habet.
But they said: Because the Lord hath need of him.

[35] Et duxerunt illum ad Jesum. Et jacentes vestimenta sua supra pullum, imposuerunt Jesum.
And they brought him to Jesus. And casting their garments on the colt, they set Jesus thereon.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam 

The healing of two blind men at Jericho

Saint Matthew - Chapter 20

The healing of two blind men at Jericho. J-J Tissot

[29] Et egredientibus illis ab Jericho, secuta est eum turba multa,
And when they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

[30] et ecce duo caeci sedentes secus viam audierunt quia Jesus transiret : et clamaverunt, dicentes : Domine, miserere nostri, fili David.
And behold two blind men sitting by the way side, heard that Jesus passed by, and they cried out, saying: O Lord, thou son of David, have mercy on us.

[31] Turba autem increpabat eos ut tacerent. At illi magis clamabant, dicentes : Domine, miserere nostri, fili David.
And the multitude rebuked them that they should hold their peace. But they cried out the more, saying: O Lord, thou son of David, have mercy on us.

[32] Et stetit Jesus, et vocavit eos, et ait : Quid vultis ut faciam vobis?
And Jesus stood, and called them, and said: What will ye that I do to you?

[33] Dicunt illi : Domine, ut aperiantur oculi nostri.
They say to him: Lord, that our eyes be opened.

[34] Misertus autem eorum Jesus, tetigit oculos eorum. Et confestim viderunt, et secuti sunt eum.
And Jesus having compassion on them, touched their eyes. And immediately they saw, and followed him.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam 

The healing of two blind men at Jericho (Notes)

Saint Matthew - Chapter 20

Ephraim > Jericho > Jerusalem

[29] Et egredientibus illis ab Jericho, secuta est eum turba multa,
And when they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

And as they departed from Jericho. Christ was going from the city of Ephrem, through Jericho which which lay between, to Jerusalem—to the death of the Cross.

Jericho was distant from Jerusalem one hundred and fifty stadia [1 stadium = 600 ft; 150 stda = 18 miles], and from Ephrem on the Jordan sixty stadia [c7 miles], according to Josephus. The journey to Jericho is easy and along a plain, but from Jericho to Jerusalem it is mountainous, steep and difficult.

Jericho in Hebrew is derived from ירח, the moon, because it is of the form of the moon, or from ריח, odour or scent, because the balsam, a plant of very sweet odour, grows there.

Symbolically. Rabanus says that Jericho, which is interpreted “the moon,” denotes the infirmity of our changefulness and mortality, and therefore these blind men were found there. Again S. Gregory (Hom. 12, in Evangel.) says, “Jericho is interpreted ‘the moon,’ and the moon in Scripture is put for the infirmity of the flesh. While therefore our Creator is drawing nigh to Jericho, the blind man is returning to the light; because while Divinity takes upon itself the infirmity of our flesh, the human race regained the light which it had lost.”

Mystically. Origen says, “By Jericho is understood the world into which Christ descended. Those who are in Jericho know not how to escape from the wisdom of the world, unless they see not Jesus only coming out of Jericho, but His disciples. This when they saw, great multitudes despised the world and all worldly things, that under the guidance of Christ they might go up to the Heavenly Jerusalem.”

The healing of two blind men at Jericho. J-J Tissot

[30] et ecce duo caeci sedentes secus viam audierunt quia Jesus transiret : et clamaverunt, dicentes : Domine, miserere nostri, fili David.
And behold two blind men sitting by the way side, heard that Jesus passed by, and they cried out, saying: O Lord, thou son of David, have mercy on us.

Behold two blind men, &c. This is the same history that S. Mark relates (chap. 10:46); he mentions only one blind man, Bartimæus. S. Augustine (lib. 2 de cons. Evang. ch. 65) says that there were two blind men, one of whom was very well known in that city; “for Bartimæus, the son of Timæus,” he says, “had sunk from great wealth, and was now sitting, not only as blind, but as a beggar. For this reason then Mark chose to mention him alone, because the restoration of his sight procured fame to this miracle in proportion to the notoriety of the fact of his blindness.”

Moreover, S. Augustine, Jansen, and others, are of opinion that this blind man was not the same as the one of whom S. Luke speaks, ch. 18:35, because S. Luke says that he was healed as they drew near to Jericho, while this one was healed as they came out. But since S. Luke’s narrative agrees in all points with that of S. Matthew and S. Mark, we must suppose that it was one and the same blind man whose prayer to Christ for the restoration of his sight was not heard on account of the crowd, and Christ made as though He heard him not, that he might quicken his faith and hope, and then on the following day he repeated his prayer as Christ went out and obtained it. So S. Ambrose, Maldonatus, and others explain it.

Allegorically. Origen and S. Ambrose say that the two blind men were Judah and Israel, who before the coming of Christ were blind because they saw not the true Word which was contained in the law and the prophets. But Rabanus, with S. Augustine, says that they were the Jews and the Gentiles, for they were both ignorant of the way of salvation. But S. Chrysostom understands them of the Gentiles only, who are descended partly from Ham and partly from Japhet.

Tropologically, by the two blind men we may understand the twofold blindness of the affections and of the understanding.

Have mercy on us, &c. That is, “O Messiah, of whom the prophets foretold that He should be born of David: it is a mark of the Messiah to have mercy on the miserable, and to give sight to the blind (Isaiah 35:5). We believe that Thou art the Messiah; therefore give us sight that all may know that Thou art the Messiah, and may believe and worship Thee.”

[31] Turba autem increpabat eos ut tacerent. At illi magis clamabant, dicentes : Domine, miserere nostri, fili David.
And the multitude rebuked them that they should hold their peace. But they cried out the more, saying: O Lord, thou son of David, have mercy on us.

The multitude rebuked, &c. That they being mean men should not disturb Christ, who perhaps was teaching; or delay Him on this journey. So Euthymius.

Mystically: S. Gregory (Hom. 2, in Evang.) understands by the multitude the crowds of carnal desires, which before Jesus comes to our heart, by their temptations dissipate our meditation, and drown the voice of the heart in prayer.

But they cried the more, &c. Because there was need of a louder cry that they might be heard by Christ above the noise of the crowd.

Morally. S. Augustine (de Verb. Dom. Ser. 18), explains it thus, “Every Christian who has begun to live well, and to despise the world, at the commencement of his new life has to endure the censures of cold Christians, but if he perseveres, those who at first hindered him will soon comply.” The fear of man then must be overcome by one who wishes to serve God. The first virtue of a Christian, as S. Jerome says, is to despise and to be despised.

S. Hilary says, “Faith, when it is called, is the more inflamed, and so in the midst of dangers it is secure, and in the midst of security, it is endangered.”

[32] Et stetit Jesus, et vocavit eos, et ait : Quid vultis ut faciam vobis?
And Jesus stood, and called them, and said: What will ye that I do to you?

And Jesus stood still, &c. S. Jerome says, “Jesus stood still because they being blind could not see their way: about Jericho there were many pits, crags, and steep places, therefore the Lord stands still that they might come to Him.”

S. Gregory (Hom. 2, in Evang.) interprets symbolically, “to pass by is the property of the human nature, to stand still of the Divine. The Lord as He passed by heard the cry of the blind man, but when He restored his sight He stood still.”

Anagogically, S. Augustine (lib. 1. quæst. Evang. c. 8), “Faith in His temporal Incarnation prepares us for the understanding of things eternal; for things temporal pass by, but things eternal stand still.”

And called them. S. Jerome says: “He commands that they be called, that the multitude may not hinder them; and He asks what they would, that by their answer their necessity may be made clear, and His power be known in their healing.”

What will ye? He was not ignorant of their desire, but though He knew it, He wills to hear their confession of it.

[33] Dicunt illi : Domine, ut aperiantur oculi nostri.
They say to him: Lord, that our eyes be opened.

They say unto Him, &c. Nothing is naturally so much desired by man as to see; so that to see seems like life, and not to see like death and continual sorrow.

S. Augustine, writing on these words, says: “The whole object of life is the healing of the eyes of the heart so that we may behold. To this end the sacred mysteries are celebrated, the Word of God is preached, the moral exhortations of the Church are made—that is, those which pertain to the correction of morals, and to the renunciation of this world; not in word only, but by a change of life. To this end the Divine Scriptures direct their aim, that our inward eye may be purged from that thing whatever it is which hinders us from beholding God.”

Let the man, then, who is blinded by sin and concupiscence say, 

Grant me, O Lord, to see the baseness of sin, the vileness of concupiscence, the worthlessness of pleasure, the fierceness of hell-fire; the beauty of virtue, the blessedness of Paradise, the eternity of glory; so that I may despise all concupiscence, and aim at the practice of virtue.

[34] Misertus autem eorum Jesus, tetigit oculos eorum. Et confestim viderunt, et secuti sunt eum.
And Jesus having compassion on them, touched their eyes. And immediately they saw, and followed him.

So Jesus had compassion on them. S. Jerome says: “Jesus considering their ready will, rewards it by fully granting their desire. Whence He says in another place, Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

And they followed Him. “These blind men,” S. Chrysostom says, “as before this bounty they were persevering, so after receiving it they were not ungrateful:” for, when healed, they offered a good service to Christ in following Him. For this is what God requires of thee—“to walk circumspectly (Vulg., sollicitum) with thy God.”

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam 

Zachaeus in the sycamore tree

Saint Luke - Chapter 19

Zachaeus in the sycamore tree. J-J Tissot

[1] Et ingressus perambulabat Jericho.
And entering in, he walked through Jericho.

[2] Et ecce vir nomine Zachaeus : et hic princeps erat publicanorum, et ipse dives :
And behold, there was a man named Zacheus, who was the chief of the publicans, and he was rich.

[3] et quaerebat videre Jesum, quis esset : et non poterat prae turba, quia statura pusillus erat.
And he sought to see Jesus who he was, and he could not for the crowd, because he was low of stature.

[4] Et praecurrens ascendit in arborem sycomorum ut videret eum : quia inde erat transiturus.
And running before, he climbed up into a sycamore tree, that he might see him; for he was to pass that way.

[5] Et cum venisset ad locum, suspiciens Jesus vidit illum, et dixit ad eum : Zachaee, festinans descende : quia hodie in domo tua oportet me manere.
And when Jesus was come to the place, looking up, he saw him, and said to him: Zacheus, make haste and come down; for this day I must abide in thy house.

[6] Et festinans descendit, et excepit illum gaudens.
And he made haste and came down; and received him with joy.

[7] Et cum viderent omnes, murmurabant, dicentes quod ad hominem peccatorem divertisset.
And when all saw it, they murmured, saying, that he was gone to be a guest with a man that was a sinner.

[8] Stans autem Zachaeus, dixit ad Dominum : Ecce dimidium bonorum meorum, Domine, do pauperibus : et si quid aliquem defraudavi, reddo quadruplum.
But Zacheus standing, said to the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wronged any man of any thing, I restore him fourfold.

[9] Ait Jesus ad eum : Quia hodie salus domui huic facta est : eo quod et ipse filius sit Abrahae.
Jesus said to him: This day is salvation come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.

[10] Venit enim Filius hominis quaerere, et salvum facere quod perierat.
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam 

Zachaeus in the sycamore tree (Notes)

Saint Luke - Chapter 19

Zachaeus in the sycamore tree. J-J Tissot

[1] Et ingressus perambulabat Jericho.
And entering in, he walked through Jericho.

And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. S. Luke continues the account of the journey to Jerusalem.

[2] Et ecce vir nomine Zachaeus : et hic princeps erat publicanorum, et ipse dives :
And behold, there was a man named Zacheus, who was the chief of the publicans, and he was rich.

And, behold, there was a man named Zacchœus, which was the chief among the publicans. Christ gave sight to the blind man near Jericho; soon after, in Jericho itself, He converted Zacchæus, for no place, no road, no moment of time was idle to Christ, but all were made notable by divine mercies, benefits, and miracles, that He might teach us to do the same. “Zacchæus.” This name is as it were an omen of his future righteousness and purification, for Zacchæus in Hebrew is the same as just, pure, clear. The chiefs of the publicans had many publicans, that is collectors of the taxes, under them. These taxes the Romans and Tiberius had imposed on the Jews against their will. Hence the publicans were hated by the Jews and accounted infamous, being called Parisim, that is, robbers. The chief was called Gabba; whence the word Gabella, the publicans being called Gabbaim. Angelus Caninus on Hebrew words in New Testament.

And he was rich. The chiefs of the publicans were not appointed unless they were rich, that they might advance money to the Roman ruler when he wanted it, and supply, in a great degree, the deficiencies of the publicans under him. S. Luke adds this to show better the grace of Christ and the virtue of Zacchæus, since he left his great wealth for the calling and love of Christ, and distributed it among the poor.

[3] et quaerebat videre Jesum, quis esset : et non poterat prae turba, quia statura pusillus erat.
And he sought to see Jesus who he was, and he could not for the crowd, because he was low of stature.

And he sought to see. He took pains to see Jesus in person as he had heard of His reputation from the fame of His virtues and miracles. For we wish to see great men and to know them in person. But Zacchæus, beside his natural wish, was impelled by one above nature, the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He desired to see Jesus that he might be absolved of his sins by Him, and be justified and made holy. “He wished,” says S. Chrysostom in his Homily on Zacchæus, “to know by sight one whom he had known before in imagination, to see the face of Him whom he had seen before in mind, to look upon Him as present whom he had never seen do any works; that the love of Christ which he had conceived in his heart might be gratified to the full by the sight of his eyes.”

And he could not. But he was exalted in mind. Many of the heroes and saints were men of small stature, as I have shown in Zech. 4:10 and Ecclus. 11:3, on the words, “The bee is small among flying things, but her fruit is the chief of sweetest things.” It is in minimis that the supreme majesty of God, His glory, strength, and greatness, most clearly shine forth. “The crowd,” says S. Cyril, “is the confusion of a multitude, which we must climb above, if we wish to see Christ.”

[4] Et praecurrens ascendit in arborem sycomorum ut videret eum : quia inde erat transiturus.
And running before, he climbed up into a sycamore tree, that he might see him; for he was to pass that way.

And he ran. Mystically, the sycamore is the cross of Christ and His doctrine, which to the Gentiles and men of this world is mere folly, but to Zacchæus and the faithful is the wisdom of God, and the power of God. 1 Cor. 1:24. S. Gregory, lib. xxvii. Moral.: in fine, “Let us leave the wisdom that is hurtful, that we may gain that which is to our profit, &c. The dwarf Zacchæus submitted himself to the sycamore tree and saw the Lord; for they who choose humbly the folly of the world, these wisely contemplate the wisdom of God. A multitude hinders our slowness to see God, for the tumults of worldly cares so press upon the infirmity of the human mind that it cannot contemplate the light of truth. We are wise to ascend the sycamore if we retain in our minds, with forethought, that foolishness which is received from God.”

Theophylact speaks as follows: “We climb the fig-tree; that is, we ascend above the allurements of pleasure, which is signified by the fig-tree—we mount up by Penitence, but we come down through Humility.”

[5] Et cum venisset ad locum, suspiciens Jesus vidit illum, et dixit ad eum : Zachaee, festinans descende : quia hodie in domo tua oportet me manere.
And when Jesus was come to the place, looking up, he saw him, and said to him: Zacheus, make haste and come down; for this day I must abide in thy house.

And when Jesus came to the place. Christ compensates the zeal of Zacchæus to see Him by His full Exhibition and Presence. Christ inspired Zacchæus with this ardour that He might perfect him by entering his house. Christ indeed went thither that He might arouse this feeling, and by it be received by Zacchæus as his guest, and bring blessing and salvation to his whole house. For, although the Saviour of the world, He came to sanctify sinners. “Jesus had not heard the voice of Zacchæus inviting him,” said S. Ambrose, “but He had seen his feeling.”

Christ therefore not only offered Himself to be seen by Zacchæus, who wished to see Him, but He also gave Himself to be possessed by him, and therefore chose to remain in his house, rather than in the house of any one else.

Moraliter. Let us learn to desire Christ and His inner conversation and grace, for Christ will soon offer Himself to us, and fulfil our desire, and as much as is that desire will be His conversation; for Wisdom, that is Christ, will meet him who fears and longs for God. “As a mother shall she meet him, with the bread of understanding shall she feed him, and give him the water of wisdom to drink.” Ecclus. 15:2, 3. And chap. 24, “Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits. For my memorial is sweeter than honey,” v. 19, 20; and John 7:37, 38.

Zacchæus, then, saw Christ with the eyes and sight of his body, and still more with those of his mind, by which Christ enlightened his soul to discern that he was the Saviour who would forgive the sins of those who repent, and give them salvation, that is, righteousness, grace, and glory. The countenance of Jesus therefore is not fruitless, and of no effect, but efficacious and operative. For by this alone He attracts men to His love, changes them, and brings them to salvation. Hence, says S. Cyril, “Jesus saw the mind of Zacchæus striving very earnestly after a holy life.”

For today I must abide at thy house. “Zacchæus,” says Titus, “wished only for the sight of Jesus, but He who knows how to do more than we ask, gave him what was beyond his expectation; for Christ of His great bounty exceeds the prayers and powers of the petitioners.” “Christ promised,” says S. Chrysostom in his homily on Zacchæus, “that He would come to his house, whose soul and its desires He already possessed.”

[6] Et festinans descendit, et excepit illum gaudens.
And he made haste and came down; and received him with joy.

And he made haste, and came down—see the prompt obedience of Zacchæus, which deserved salvation—and received Him gladly. Zacchæus received Christ into his house, and Christ in return bestowed on him salvation. “Zacchæus rejoiced,” says Euthymius, “because he had not only seen Christ, according to his wish, but because he had also been called by Him, and had received Him as his guest, a thing he had never hoped for.”

[7] Et cum viderent omnes, murmurabant, dicentes quod ad hominem peccatorem divertisset.
And when all saw it, they murmured, saying, that he was gone to be a guest with a man that was a sinner.

And when they saw it, they all murmured. (“All”—the Pharisees, and the Jews their parasites, who hated the publicans.) They murmured, saying that he was gone, &c.

The publicans were held by the Jews to be impious, unjust, wicked, and they often were such. Some think that “sinner” here means that Zacchæus was a Gentile and idolater. Such is the opinion of Tertullian, SS. Cyprian, Ambrose, Bede, and from them Maldonatus. And that Zacchæus speaks of a restitution of things exacted so unjustly, which was of a natural law, and not ordered by Moses. S. Chrysostom, in his sermon on Zacchæus, says, “He was a son of Abraham by faith, not by birth; by merit, not by descent; by devotion, not by race.” But the contrary is equally probable, perhaps more so, namely, that Zacchæus was a Jew, not a Gentile. 1. Because, ver. 9, he is called a son of Abraham. 2. Because Christ only conversed with Jews, for He was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Hence He is called by S. Paul “minister of the circumcision,” Rom. 15:8, 3. Because Zacchæus is a Hebrew name. 4. Because the Jews would not have been silent on the matter but would have brought it against Jesus that he held communion with the Gentiles when the Messiah was promised to the Jews alone.

[8] Stans autem Zachaeus, dixit ad Dominum : Ecce dimidium bonorum meorum, Domine, do pauperibus : et si quid aliquem defraudavi, reddo quadruplum.
But Zacheus standing, said to the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wronged any man of any thing, I restore him fourfold.

And Zacchœus stood, and said unto the Lord. We cannot doubt that Christ as soon as He entered the house of Zacchæus began, according to His custom, to teach and exhort both Zacchæus himself and those of his household, to faith and repentance, and, if they repented, to promise them grace, righteousness, and salvation. He would also urge upon them contempt of riches and the world, and the acceptance of poverty and evangelical perfection, by following Him and giving their goods to the poor, that they might receive treasure in heaven, and a hundredfold in this life. S. Luke, for the sake of brevity, says nothing of this; but from what follows, and from what he had frequently said before, especially 18:22, of the custom of Christ to teach and preach, He leaves it to be understood. For by these words of Christ Zacchæus was plainly converted to faith, repentance, poverty, and contempt of riches and the world. He said,

Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. He therefore did not keep one half for himself, but gave back to others what they had been unjustly defrauded of. For he adds, “If I have wronged any man of any thing, I restore him fourfold.” “I give,” “I restore,” that is, I am resolved from this time, and firmly determine to give and restore according to Thy doctrine and exhortation. On account of this efficacious resolution of the penitent Zacchæus, Christ added as a reward, “This day is salvation come to this house.” So S. Ambrose, Bede, Euthymius, Tertullian in his fourth book against Marcion, Fulgentius in his epistle to Galla. It is a Hebraism, similar to that of Pharaoh, Exod. 5:10: “I give you not straw,” that is, I decree and command that straw is not given to you. Matt. 26:18: “I will keep the Passover at thy house,” that is, I will, I determine to keep it. S. Cyprian, however, in his tract On Works and Almsgiving, has explained the words “give” and “restore,” by the perfect tense: “I have given, I have restored,” as if Zacchæus had been converted previously by other discourses of Christ which he had heard.

And if I have, &c. The Greek is ἐσυκοφάντησα, that is, accused falsely of fraud, calumny, or any other like offence. Zacchæus owns to the crime of defrauding, but in a slight degree: for when, for the sum defrauded he restored fourfold out of his own half of his property, it follows that he gained only an eighth part of his wealth by fraud; so that, if he had eight thousand gold pieces, only one thousand was gained thus, the other seven being his own, either by inheritance, or some other just manner.

Observe the sudden and miraculous conversion of Zacchæus, through the grace of Christ, so that he not only repented at once, but also resolved to put away all the wealth to which he had previously clung, for he set apart half for the poor and half for restitution. Thus he instantly embraced the precept of evangelical poverty, that he might forsake all things, and, as a poor man, follow the work of his hands. “Hear a wonderful thing,” says S. Chrysostom, in his Homily on Zacchæus, “He had not yet learnt, and he obeyed. The Saviour by the rays of His righteousness, put to flight the darkness of Zacchæus’ wickedness.” And Bede, “Behold, the camel has laid down his burden, and passed through the eye of the needle—that is, he gave up the love of riches, and received the blessing of the Lord’s adoption. This is the folly which is wisdom, and which the publican chose from the sycamore as the fruit of life; restoring what he had seized, giving up his own, despising things seen.” And Theophylact, “Behold his alacrity; he began to sow not sparingly, nor did he give a few things but his whole life.” And S. Bernard (Serm. i, on Festival of all Saints), addressing his own Religious: “Zacchæus, whose praise is in the Gospel, gave the half of his goods to the poor, but I see here many Zacchæuses, who have left themselves nothing of all their property. Who shall write a gospel of these Zacchæuses, nay, of these Peters—who shall say in faith, ‘Lord, behold, we have left all things and followed Thee?’ But it is written in the everlasting gospel; it is written and signed in the book of life, ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.’ ” “I restore,” that is, I determine and firmly resolve to restore; nor can we doubt that he acted at once upon this resolve, and carried it out into actual practice.

Fourfold. It was not by the law of nature, nor by that of Moses, that Zacchæus bound himself to restore fourfold; as both only oblige him to restore the original sum. He resolved to perform this great and superabundant act of restitution and justice of his fervent charity and repentance. This is in conformity with the law of Exodus 22:1, which orders that a man who has stolen a sheep, should be condemned by the judge to restore fourfold. Zacchæus said this, not from boasting and ostentation, but partly from the fervour with which he had been inspired by Christ and the Holy Ghost, partly to refute the calumny of the scribes, who objected to Christ, that He associated with a sinner. For he shows that he was now no longer a sinner, but repentant and just—nay, more just than the just and holy.

In trope, S. Chrysostom (Hom. lxxviii.) teaches us that we must adorn the house of our souls with almsgiving and righteousness, like Zacchæus, if we desire to receive Christ as a guest.

[9] Ait Jesus ad eum : Quia hodie salus domui huic facta est : eo quod et ipse filius sit Abrahae.
Jesus said to him: This day is salvation come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.

And Jesus said unto him. In answer to his words, but so that he might appear to direct His face and voice not so much to him, as to the disciples and the multitude who stood by. There is a like enallage in Rom. 10:2; Ps. 3:3, and elsewhere.

This day is salvation come to this house. “Condemnation,” says Euthymius, “which used to inhabit there, from its avarice having been turned out.” The Arabic has “This day is salvation come to the dwellers in this house.” “To this house.” From this it appears that when Zacchæus believed and was converted, all his household followed his example, and believed in Christ, repented, and were justified and sanctified. Moreover, Zacchæus after his conversion, and the Resurrection and Ascension, became an attendant of S. Peter, and was ordained by him Bishop of Cæsarea in Palestine. S. Clim. Recognitions, lib. i. 3.

Forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. Because he followed the faith, righteousness, and holiness of Abraham. For by suffering, says Bede, he left his goods to the poor, as Abraham left his country and his father’s house. It is said “he also,” to show that not only the just but those also who repent of injustice, pertain to the sons of promise. So Tertullian (Bk. iv. against Marcion), Cyprian, and others cited above. S. Chrysostom, in his Homily on Zacchæus, vol. ii.: “Zacchæus made an offering of all he had, reserving part of his patrimony for the restitution of what he had gained by fraud. Abraham offered his son to the Lord, Zacchæus his substance. Abraham gave his heir, Zacchæus his inheritance. Abraham displayed his only pledge for an offering, Zacchæus sacrificed the substance of his property. Thus Zacchæus is rightly termed the son of Abraham, for he followed the course of his father’s glory.”

Again, Zacchæus was a son of Abraham, because he was a Jew, and a descendant of Abraham. As if Christ, when the Pharisees murmured at His consorting with Zacchæus, a publican, had answered them, “You have no cause to murmur, for Zacchæus is an Israelite, and in his ancestor and father Abraham he has the closest right to the Messiah and salvation. Thus he has no right to be neglected by Me, who am that Messiah, because he is a publican; but because he is a penitent, he ought to receive my adoption and blessing.”

Bede, in allegory and trope, thus applies each part of this history to the faithful and holy: 
“Zacchæus, that is, pure and justified, signifies a faithful people of the Gentiles who, when depressed by temporal occupations, and of no account, wished to see Christ enter Jericho; that is to share in the faith which Christ brought to the world. 
The multitude is the habit of vices, which, when it opposed him, he overthrew by relinquishing earthly things, and ascending the tree of the cross.

From The Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ (1897) by J-J Tissot

The sycamore is a tall tree, and hence it is called lofty, and the foolish fig, σύκη—μώρα. It is indeed derided by the unbelieving as a foolish cross, but it sustains the believer as a fig. 

The man of small stature climbs it, when the humble cries out, ‘far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of Christ.’ 
The Lord therefore comes, that is, through His preachers, to the people of the nations. 
He sees, that is He chooses, through grace. 
He remains in the house of the dwarf Zacchæus, that is, He rests in the hearts of humble nations. 
Zacchæus descends from the sycamore, for although we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet we do not know Him now. Although He died through infirmity, yet He is alive now from the power of God.” 

The Church rightly reads this gospel of Zacchæus at the consecration of churches. Firstly, because Christ says in it, “This day is salvation come to this house”—words that are rightly applied to the churches when they are consecrated. For the dedication is, as it were, the salvation of the church. The church is consecrated to the salvation of many who are to be justified in it by preaching, prayer, contrition, confession, and absolution, Again, Christ says, “To-day I must abide in thy house.” In like manner Christ abides in a consecrated church, through the venerable sacrifice and sacrament of the Eucharist. For by consecration a church is made the abode and home of Christ. Thirdly, the material is a type of the spiritual Church, that is, of the faithful soul, in which Christ more especially desires to abide, for He wished to dwell in the soul, even more than in the house of Zacchæus, according to the words, “Your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you. Glorify God therefore in your body.” 1 Cor. 6:19, 20.

[10] Venit enim Filius hominis quaerere, et salvum facere quod perierat.
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save. It is not wonderful that Christ converted and saved Zacchæus, and publicans and sinners, for, to this He had been sent by the Father, and to this He Himself had come into the world. As, then, the skill of the physician is shown in healing inveterate, hopeless, and desperate diseases, so the supreme virtue of Christ, the Arch-physician, shone out in curing those diseases of the soul, which by nature are incurable, like avarice in publicans. Thus He drew Zacchæus, the publican, not only to despise avarice and all wealth, but to embrace evangelical poverty. In the same way He called the publican and made him an Apostle. The history of Peter the Publican or Telonarius, who gave up all his wealth, and caused himself to be sold for a slave, and the money to be given to the poor, is a further case in point.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam