Introduction
Based on the thema, the simile between listening the word of God and a tent: “In sacra scriptura doctrine evangelice devote audite et auscultare tabernacula vocantur”. Soldiers build the tends for three reasons: “Et prima ratio est pre ardore solis et hoc causa refrigerandi. Secunda contra venti impetum pro securitate. Tertia contra pluvium protegendo” (f. r3v). Similarly, the doctrine of the Gospel, when listened carefully, protects from the ardent carnal passions (lust and greed), from the wind of temptations; from the deluge of worldly sin. Based of the discussion is Isaiah 4.6.
Division based on the Gospel pericope
Firts part
Brief explanation of the pericope. It underlines how Elijah was not dead but was in Eden waiting for the time of his preaching against the Antichrist. It recalls that, according to Luke, Jesus discussed with him and Moses about his Passion and how it is determined by God’s overabundant mercy. Two secrets (secreta): why the transfiguration; why there are these three disciples and two saints from the Old Testament. In general, a valid number of witnesses was required. In specific, the three apostles were the closest to Jesus: Peter was already the pope (“erat iam papa constitutus”); James the future first martyr; John was elected to take care of the Virgin and the beloved disciple. Why Moses between the patriarchs, and why Elijah and not Enoch? “Questio est insoluta […] doctrinas varias”. Among the various opinions, Ferrer takes the one in which they were those who did 40 days of fasting, so the Christians (we) need to fast during Lent so to experience the transfiguration on Easter by means of holy communion (eucharist): “In quo clare patet quantum placet deo sacrum hoc ieiunium quadragesime. Ideo debemus ieiunare quadragesimam, et in die Pasche erimus in transfiguratione, scilicet communicando et poterimus dicere cum apostolo Paulo: Nos autem omnes revelata facie gloriam dei, speculantes in eadem imaginem transformamur a claritate in claritatem tanquam a domini spiritu (2 Cor 3). Nota hic quomodo Christus Moyses et Helyas ieiunaverunt quadragesimam”. Jesus did a Lent in prayer; Moses in listening (applied to mass and preaching): and Elijah walking (applied to go to church and to acquire indulgence). They set a clear example: “Sic nos ad instar Christi debemus vacare orantionibus […] Secundo ad instar Moysi audire missas, sermones […] Tercio ad instar Helye ambulare et ieiunare itinerado […] hoc est visitando ecclesias, quia in omnibus sunt multe indulgentie, et post ire ad vesperas et in posterum in pascha eritis digni habere gloriam paradisi” (f. r4rv).
Second part
The placid acceptance (placida acceptio) – implies of the Passion – since he already foretasted heaven. Peter suggested three tents thinking of coupling the people in this way: Moses and John; Elijah and James, Jesus and Peter. A quite developed semi-dramatic section that imagines Moses back to the limbo where he announces what has happen (and so, the upcoming liberation), while Elijah goes back to Eden and speaks with Enoch, who ask also why he was not invited, with the answer that insists again on fasting: “O, cur ego non ivi? O, cur ego non fui?”. Tunc potuisset respondere: Quia non ieiunasti”.
Spiritual interpretation of why Jesus did not answer to Peter's request. If the Glossa says that it was an irrational question, Ferrer suggests a deeper meaning, namely that Peter was asking to enter into glory and what happens next indicates the five necessary stages of this journey: cloud = penance; voice of God = obedience; fall to the ground = fear; the approaching of Christ = the day of the final judgment (for this reason Christ tells them: "Surgite"); seeing Christ alone = only God is in full glory.
Third part (extremely brief)
Christ did not want the transfiguration to be revealed to the other apostles and disciples to avoid them to be even more scandalized by the sufferings of his Passion. However, Ferrer suggests that (“credo tamen...”) John was allowed to tell the Virgin about it [which source? Check the Meditationes Vitae Christi]
... not dead but was in Eden waiting for the time of his
preaching
against the Antichrist . It recalls that, according...
... in prayer ; Moses in listening (applied to mass and
preaching
): and Elijah walking (applied to go to church and...
1/2/41
T24/2 Monday after Palm Sunday
Johannes Gritsch [Conrad Grütsch]
Introduction
Using an analogy with Aristotelian natural and violent motions, it is shown how the human works, if done with free will, are more fruitful and more praiseworthy than those done out of necessity or obligation 39Z. In the same way, Christ's redemption was accomplished without constraint and by his will, with an increasing dedication from his childhood until martyrdom. 40AQuestio: whether soldiers who fight for the common good are to be considered virtuous. The answer is affirmative: those who fight for justice exercise the cardinal virtue of fortitude, as opposed to those who fight for revenge, who commit sin. Just as a painted man resembles, but is not, a man, likewise those who act virtuously only in a fictitious manner are not strong, nor do they exercise the virtue of fortitude. Such dissimulation manifests itself on three occasions:
- Those who fight out of recklessness of danger because they are emboldened by previous victories or overconfident in their military skills.
- Those who fight under the impulse of sadness or anger.
- Those who fight to acquire temporal goods or dignities.
40BQuestio: whether spiritual people lack the virtue of fortitude, since they cannot bear arms or shed blood. The answer is negative, since clergymen fight a spiritual battle bearing spiritual weapons (tears, prayers) against the (carnal) traps of the devil: “Iustorum fortitudo est carnem vincere, propriis voluptatibus contraire, delectationem presentis vite extinguere”.
First part
Jesus went to Bethany and dined at the house of Simon the Leper together with Martha and Lazarus of Bethania to refresh people's memory about the miracle of Lazarus' resurrection. 40C Participation in the communal table is a sign of love. As the episode of the Samaritan woman (John 4) manifests, enemies neither drink nor eat together. Likewise, Christians must not eat with Jews since they are enemies of Christ. Moreover, a banquet is more insidious than a conversation, since it is easier to deceive between meals, as happened to Herod in the episode of the beheading of John the Baptist. 40D Here the preacher introduces an exhortation to believe by faith and to accept preaching.
“Ad hunc igitur sincerissimum amicum anime recipiendum ad pulsationem eius statim sine mora persona devota debet ancillas tres scilicet:
Fidem mittere ut ianuam cordis aperiat.
Spem substituere ut cenam et locum disponat.
Caritatem dirigere ut fercula apponat”.
The theme of the banquet symbolizes the reception of Christ in the soul, with the help of the three handmaidens: faith, hope, and charity.
1.1. About faith (40E). Without faith it is impossible to please God; indeed, the virtues of philosophers and the sacrifices of Jews and pagans are sterile without it and do not lead to eternal life: “Hec cum sola est fecunda filia Dei [i.e. fides] vivam prolem procreans, sine qua omnes alie virtutes steriles sunt et abortiva producunt”. The same possibility of procreating a child was made possible for Sarah and Abraham by the latter's faith in the promise of God (Genesis 15). 40F The sermon addresses two doubts: a) If faith precedes charity in the natural order; b) If faith is the virtue that leads to eternal life because it precedes charity. 40G The answers are formulated based on the concepts of formless faith and faith formed by charity (fides caritate formata).
1.2. 40H About hope. After Christ has been received as a guest, through faith and charity, the believer will firmly trust in his Word, and must therefore hope that what one does for Christ will be rewarded with the inestimable prize of eternal life. One would wash the feet of Christ [as Mary Magdalene in the pericope of the day] by realising how, by sinning he/she has driven the divine guest out from his dwelling; by repenting, one wets the feet of Christ with tears and, through the admonitions of the handmaid Hope, begins his/her own good works, clothing the needy and not shunning anyone from his table. Reference to Matthew 25.40: “Quicquid uni ex fratribus meis minimis fecistis mihi fecistis”. 40I No one should hope for or expect the eternal life except those who do good works, for hope consists in the certain expectation of future eternal beatitude by the grace of God and by the merits gained beforehand: who is not deserving, must receive nothing.
1.3. About charity [which has been indeed discussed together with faith]. Charity must handle the courses at Christ's banquet. They must be prepared with love so that they will have flavour: “Tolle caritatem et odium tenet”. The sermon introduces a further subdivision:
“Debet ergo Caritas Christo primo offerre: 1) Gressibilia per sedulitatem operacionis. 2) Aquatica per sinceritatem religionis. 3) Altilia per suavitatem contemplationis”.
The first course will be the meat of the earthly animals, symbolising the Christian's work of obeying the Ten Commandments. Clear and pure wine must be added to this course, symbolising the intention to fulfil the divine precepts due to filial respect and not servile fear. Can one have access to eternal life without faith? Christ answers that anyone who wants to be saved must put the Catholic faith before any other (Athanasius). To the question whether then Abraham and Isaac, who kept the commandments, were condemned, the answer is negative, since they had faith infused in their spirit and believed beforehand in Christ’s coming.
The second course will be fish, symbolising the adversities in which the perfect people must 'swim', since “Deus solum illos quos amat castigat” (cf. Revelation 3.19). This course will be accompanied by red wine, the symbol of Christ's Passion. Can one enter the Kingdom of heaven without adversity? Christ answers that only through great tribulations one can gain access (cf. Acts of the Apostles 14).
The third course will be noble poultry meat [birds], as symbol of extraordinary achievements and of following the consilia of Christ [Evangelical counsels], not common to all people but only to the most perfect. This course will be accompanied by aromatic wine (claretum), symbol of joy.
Second part
The sermon reprises the biblical episode of Christ's supper with Lazarus and Magdalene. The theme of the separation of the soul from the body is presented, with a comparison between what Lazarus of Bethania experienced and what Christ would experience. 40K Discussion on the value of the anointing of Jesus by the Magdalene and the gifts sent by Jacob to his brother Esau (Genesis 32): It is only through the 'hidden' works of piety and almsgiving towards the poor that we can atone for the sins that anger God against us. Thus, aware of her own guilt, the Magdalene appeased Jesus through anointing (40L).
“De quibus operibus pietatis hodie proponitur unum de unctione. Debemus et nos Christum de receptis beneficiis spiritualiter inungere triplici nobili unguento scilicet: 1) Dolentis contritionis. 2) Gementis compassionis. 3) Ferventis devotionis”.
2.1. The ointment of sorrowful contrition is portrayed by depicting the preparation of the ointment using the vile herbs, symbols of sins born of evil intentions and collected in one's conscience. The ointment produced from this juice will be curative for mortal wounds and will cleanse the sinful soul and satisfy God in face of the offences committed. Exemplification through the episode in which Judith washed and anointed herself with myrrh. 40M Several questions are discussed, namely whether a confession without bitter repentance and without the intention not to sin again can be allowed; what is the relationship between the greatness of sin and the purity of contrition and, finally, (40N) whether the intensity of pain can be excessive in contrition.
2.2. The second ointment (40O) is to be prepared from bitter herbs in memory of the bitter Passion of Christ. These are to be gathered from the garden of the Church, where the weaknesses of poor Christians abound. The ointment is likened to that used by the Good Samaritan to heal wounds (Luke 10.34); theme of compassion for one's neighbour.
2.3. The third ointment (40P) of fervent devotion is produced from the noble and salutary plants that are the works of God's piety and especially the bitter and salvific death of Christ. It is represented as the ointment used by Mary Magdalene [the pericope of the day].
Third part
The invective of Judas against Mary Magdalene's actions is discussed (40Q) . He is moved by avarice although he claims to be interested in the poor. A warning is thus given about the danger of detractors of the righteous (detractio), who disguise their intentions under the guise of charity and piety. The concept of infidelity is analysed in three points:
“Infedelitas autem ut in plurimum in tribus solet comitti, scilicet: 1) Fractione promissionis. 2) Deceptione commissionis. 3) Suppletione omissionis”.
3.1. Discussion on those who break their word, with some cautions to be taken against the treacherous. 40R As positive exemplum, the myth of Damon and Pythias exemplify the values of trust and friendship. 40S It is stated that falsity reigns everywhere, making every human action unsafe. Similar to a wolf are those who in times of trouble invoke God and the saints but, once freed from danger, forget their promises. Not keeping one’s word, particularly towards the deity, is exemplified through the myth of Hercules and Laomedon, narrated by Ovid40T. Questio on which is the greater obligation between an oath and a vow.
3.2. The second type of infidelity manifests itself whenever one performs a duty (commissio). Rare are the faithful servants who spend faithfully and without personal profit the master’s goods (cf. Luke 12). Various are the types of unfaithfulservants and administrators:
- those who rob their master;
- guardians and curators who disperse the assets of pupils and, similarly, procurators of churches and monasteries, tax officials, etc. Two virtuous exampla of administrators are presented: the consul Lucius Valerius (Agostine, De Civitate Dei) and Joseph (patriarch) (Genesis 41);
- the fraudulent. Exemplum (Augustine in De Trinitate) of the mime who identifies the desire to buy cheaply and sell dearly as what accomunate all his spectators: “Vile vultis emere et care vendere” (40Y). Questio: whether it is possible to resell at an increased price what one has bought. Distinction between the sale of objects that required additional work and speculation; those who speculate are liked to the merchants driven out of the temple by Jesus.
3. The third infidelity (40Z) consists in deprivation, especially regarding restitution of fraudulent gains, not returned goods, or partial restitutions. Questio: whether one who has been damaged in the body should be compensated. Distinction between irreparable and curable damage (with references to the lex talionis). 41AQuestio: Whether one should be rewarded if one is damaged in the goods of the soul (inclining to sin). 41B Discussion of three modes of defamation, according to Duns Scotus.
... introduces an exhortation to believe by faith and to accept
preaching
. “Ad hunc igitur sincerissimum amicum anime recipiendum...
5/1/1
T16 Sunday Septuagesima
Osvât Laskai (Osvaldus de Lasko)
Introduction (also to the sermon collection and first three sermons)
Line of preachers: Christ, the apostles, the current preachers
Preaching to disseminate and grow the faith, since the absence of faith (infidelitas) is the origin (origo) of all the evil of the world, since those who don’t believe in the punishment of wrong actions do not restrain themselves. The true faith (vera fides) is instead the foundation (fundamentum) all the good. Hence, it will be the key topic of all the sermon collection: «Idcirco de ipsa vera fide tractaturus continue» (f. b1r)
Program of the first three sermons: preaching; sermon; fruits of listening.
Three causes of the faith: revelation (superior), miracles/proclamation (exterior); mental adhesion (internal).
Yet, its origin is in God, so ifaith is for grace, not for merits.
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Division (see above)
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Corpus of sermon
1) The mission (missio) necessary to preach (reference to Romans 10.15).
Ecclesiastical hierarchy, different levels: the pope, the bishop, the prelates – limits for the lay people, and the duty of the priests (curati). Friars preach thanks to privileges (ex privilegio).
Heretics instead usurp this office: they claim to have a direct and invisible mission given directly from God, yet, to be true it should be accompanied by miracles (see exempla at the end) or testimony of the Scripture, such as for Moses and John the Baptist.
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2) Preaching as laborious task (laboriosa actio), since it is universal, as attested by four sources: Scripture; rational judgment (censura); risk of loss; future rewards.
2.1. A series of predictable biblical quotations.
2.2. Three reasons:
a) ratio diletionis, i.e. the love of the neighbours, since preaching is a help for eternal salvation;
b) ratio electionis, since preaching is the best task in the Church («predicatio in ecclesia militante est melior aliis virtuosis operibius»; f. b2v) so it is superior to confess sinners and to baptize (cf. Paul, quoting from Thomas Aquinas) also because the common good is superior to the personal good;
c) ratio donationis, the few who has the gift of wisdom and the ability to speak (diserta locutio) cannot dismiss it for laziness or fear, according to the command: «gratis accepitis, gratis date».
2.3. Risk of eternal loss: if you don’t help/instruct those who need it, you are a ‘murderer’ («et talis homicida appellandus»), as one who does not feed those who are starving. Reference to the parable of talents (Matthew 25:14-30).
2.4. Future reward, since it is a holy negotium and a fruitful lucrum to contribute to save the souls for who Christ shed his blood – the example should be the apostles and martyrs who exposed themselves to death for this mission.
Direct address to the preachers: “O vos predicatores divini verbi [...] vos certe estis lux mundi, vos estis cultores vinee dei altissimi, vos estis duces gregis dominicis, vos estis expurgatores et terrores demonum, vos estis causa salutis animarum...” – and admonitions to the negligent preachers. It serves also as a recap of what just said.
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3) Fruitful, since preaching is public teaching («Dicens: Predicate, hoc est publice docete»; f. b3v). Proverbs 30.29-30: "tria sunt qui bene gradiunt..". Lion (Christ), rooster (apostles), ram (prelates).
3.1. Follow the words/example of Christ, who preached wiselly, fervently, and patiently (sapienter; ferventer; patienter). He waited until he was thirty, surely without being lazy before that (so, probability he worked as carpenter...). So a preacher should not be hasty to teach, but prepare himself carefully. Yet, preacher should NOT imitate Christ in his harsh critics, when he announced the explusion of someone from salvation: «non omnia Chirsti sacra sunt imitanda [...] non debet publice aliquem in sermone reprehendere» (f. b4r).
3.2. Apostles did like the rooster, which first hits its wings before crying (topos). Interesting reference to the presence of the weathercock on the top of towers: «Et tales (?) quam chari deo et ecclesie sacre sint ostenditur ex hoc quod supra pinaculum figura galli frequenter reponitur aperto ore se contra ventum contrarium volvendo, ut ex hoc innuat quod preco veritatis contra populi vicia clamare sit paratus» (f. b4r)
3.3. Examples of the Church of the origins. The miracles listed by Matthew 28 now happen on a spiritual level, in the fight against evil. So, although invisible, these miracles are even greater: «Que nimirum miracula tanto maiora sunt quanto spiritualia, tanto maiora quanto per hec non corpora sed anime suscitantur» (f. b4v).
New vivid address to the preachers: «O devoti predicatores et spirituales canes [...] per vos dilatatur catholica fides, per vos donantur virtutes omnes, per vos diriguntur ad salutem homines. Felix terra et beata regna civitates et castella ubi resonant verba dei, ubi seritur vestra doctrina. Et econtrario, meledictum illud regnum...». Also this time, it serves also as a recap, mentioning again the three symbolic animals.
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One has to be also incited by the examples of holy preachers. Three detailed exempla.
Saint Dunstan of Canterbury (d. 988), «in sua legenda», who postponed his ‘ascension’ to heaven: when a host of angels invited him he said that first he had to preach, since it was the vigil of the Ascension and many people came to hear his sermon: «Hodie est solemnissimum dies et incumbit mihi pane verbi dei plebem reficere et ostendere illis quomodo ad hoc gaudium possunt pervenire, propter quod multi convenerunt, nec debeo eos decipere, ideo venire non possum» (f. b4v). He preached then three times during the same liturgy, before he died.
Saint Equitius (d. 570), as referred by Gregory the Great in his Dialogues. This is an interesting case, which connects with the first point of the sermon. The story is about a preacher without ‘canonical mission’ and for this reason accused to usurp the ministry; yet, he had a miraculous mission directly from God and, when he was accused by his adversaries (the prelates of Rome), another miracle and the vision had by the pope will confirm it.
Negative example of the damned cancellarius of Paris, who had a great fame as preacher so much so that when he preached all the Dominican and Franciscan friars stopped from their work and went to hear him. The bishop, who appreciated him, when visiting him before his death, commands the cancellarius to appear him after 13 days to certify about his destiny (which is supposed to be of glory). Yet, with great surprise, when this request is fulfilled, it turned out that this great preacher had been condemned to hell, since he sought worldly honours and pleasures, acting as if the wisdom came from himself and not from God. Additionally, when he appeared after 13 days from death, he thought a long time had passed and that it was already the doomsday, “quia sicut nix cadit de celo, ita intrant anime ad infernum” (f. b. 5v).
... continue» (f. b1r) Program of the first three sermons:
preaching
; sermon; fruits of listening . Three causes of the...
5/1/33
T20/5 Thursday after Reminiscere
Osvât Laskai (Osvaldus de Lasko)
Introduction
Echoing the prophet (thema), the issue is why God allows a people so evil and unfaithful like the Turks to prosper and oppress the Christians: “Ex quo gentem infidelem, impiam et prevaricatricem thurcorum permittit prosperari et christianum populum opprimere?” (f. r5r). Several quotations from Job and Jeremiah. The duration of this oppression surprises the people, who don’t understand its causes; it causes also grumbling about God’s injustice.
“Quare licet thurci impii conculcaverunt tuos fideles, devorant, lacerant, et tandiu affligunt? Sunt iam fere anni 870 ab initio secte usque nunc, nec tamen apparet signum consumationis ipsius, de quo nedum multi mirantur tante durationis causam non invenientes, verumetiam plerique murmurant de dei providentia et quissimaiusticia” (f. r5r). It's not clear to what the 870 years exactely refer (if it is the Egira, it would refer to 1492 (it would be puzzling); yet later in the sermon, the origin of the Turks is indicated as 666, so it cannot be a reference to it).
Divisio (see above)
Persecution is just since it is a punishment: “Ista christianorum atrox persecutio mahumetica iuste nobis est inflicta propter nostram punitiuonem, quod probemus tripliciter” (f. r5r); the evidences are: a) prophecies, b) reasons, c) revelations.
1.1. Prophecies. In the Bible the prophets announced the persecution of the synagogue – ad fortiori, there are prophecies of the persecutions of the Church. The first and key reference (here and below) is the Pseudo-Methodius. There is first a long series of quotations, which contain vivid and dramatic description of the Muslim violence on Christians. The quotations already contain two key concepts: this is a punishment (castigatio) for the way Christians sinned against the divine law; the persecution will reveal the true faithful (fideles). Attention to geographic description, a sort of geopolitics of history (as in other sermons); see f. r5v.
The cause was a triple separation: from Christ, heresy; from the apostolic seat, disobedience; from Roman empire, rebellion (the reference here is to the Greeks). Interesting reference to the discourse of the Venice orator, Bernardo Giustiniani in front of the pope, as a way to chart (again) the Turkish expansion (in which, stand out the lost of two empires, those of Constantinople and Trebizond). Cyril’s letter [?], interpreted by Joachim of Fiore’s commentary to the Lamentations: the buck that eats the flash of the sheep symbolizes Muhammad that eats alive the Christians (the flash of Christ, the sheep) who join his sect (secta): “et dentibus suis carnis crudas agnorum dilacerabit, quia parvuli et adulti utriusque sexus relicta fide Chirsti sectam Mahumeti assument” (f. r6r).
Reference also to the prophecies of Hildegard of Bingen (with the date 1143) and of Birgitta of Sweden.
1.2. Reasons: justice and sins. With a pessimistic note: while at the time of the martyrs the persecution strengthened the faith, now it decreases it: “In presenti autem afflictione fides non tantum augmentatur, quantum diminuitur, ac maxima blasphemia deo et sanctis eius infertur” (f. b6v). The persecution is due to the crimes of the Christians, mainly three major sins (crimina): “Unde causam huiuscemodi persecutionis ex scripturis inveniemus tria horrenda crimina in ecclesia dei multiplicata sunt”: sodomy (peccatum contra naturam), with references to Letter to Romans and to previous castigations of sodomites: the deluge, the destruction of Sodom, and their death during Christmas night (source Jerome: “et ut dicit Hieronimus: in nocte nativitatis, anteque Christus nasceretur, in hoc peccato laborantes sunt extincti”; f. r7r); ignoble taking of the holy communion, which is labeled as “crimen maximum”, with reference to Thomas Aquinas, since it is “as if one kills Christ”; disobedience, in particular applied to schismatics.
1.3. Sure revelations. Interpretation of Apocalypse 16, the seven bowels (phialae) full of the wrath of God, which represents seven persecutions to the Church. The fifth are the Turks, since the throne of the beast is Constantinople – with a reference to “quodam tractatu disputato in capitulo generali fratrum predicatorum” (f. r7r). The sermon mentions also the vision of a Carthusian in the convent of Raromot (!) in Carniola: in an ecstasy he was brought in front of tribunal of Christ, who asks him why the Church prays so much while instead it has abandoned him. At the announcement of the tribulations that will soon hit the Church, the monk asks two things, which remains without reply: whether also Rome will be conquered by the Turks, and if the faithful will succumb in the spiritual battle: “Demum post modicum resumptis viribus frater de duobus petiit informari a Christo, scilicet: An Rhomana civitas esset a Thurcis capienda; et an in futuro bello, quod in spiritu cognoverat committendum, ipsi fideles succumberentur. Ad que respondit Christus quod non expediret hoc ipsum scire” (f. r7v)
Invective against vices, as a way to mention again the main sins.
The end of the Turks’ persecution is close [yet, not so close after all] and the sermon deals with two aspects: why it was so long; when it will end.
2.1. The domination was so long due to two reasons: first, as the Postilla of Peter of Burgos points out, they are not idolaters as previous persecutors, so God is less pressured to intervene. It started in the year 666 (symbolism of Revelations), yet “in ista secta mahumetica pessima est infidelitas sine idolatria”; second, they do not directly only to apostate the faith: “nec directe cogunt ad apostatandum a fide” – they just ask to pay a fee, and to pay it does not diminish the dignity of the Church: “Unde vivere abicere et sub iugo servitutis non minuit veritatem ecclesiastice dignitatis” (f. r8r) [a sort of realistic position]; third, they do not recognice the divinity of Christ, yet they appreciate his human qualities – so again God is less compelled to intervene.
2.2. When will it end? Ample quotation of the Pseudo-Methodius, from which it is derived the number of 56 years, yet without being sure where their start has to be put: “Nescimus tamen unde debent incipi, si a captione Costantinopolitane vel a dominio perfecto grecie” – counting from the fall of Constantinople it would be until 1509, yet it is mentioned – as other possible starting point – the Turkish conquest of Albania (i.e. 1478). Reference to an Islamic prophecy of their own defeat, mentioned by Scotus saying that it was found in a Muslim book in Damietta, which prophesizes that a Christian king will conquer and destroy Mecca and disperse the bons of Muhammad - this will fulfil the promise of the announced of the Gospel in all the word (Matthew 28) and will be end history [cfr. link with the prophecy of the last emperor]. The sermon mentions also the revelations of Hildegard of Bingen, Brigitta of Sweden and Catherine of Siena who praised preaching to convert the people. Further reference is to Nicholas of Lyra, who refers to the Liber Iudicum ordinariorum a Jewish book of prophesy, connected with the announcement of the raising son of the widow of Zarephath, which states that the world will last 6000 years: 2000 under vanity, 2000 under law, 2000 under the Messiah. Since the period under the Messiah is of 2000 years, and during it the Gospel will be announced to everyone, the end of the Muslim domination should be close [yet, it remains quite an ample margin!]. How it will happen? Again a reference to Pseudo-Methodius: when all seems lost, it will rise “rex christianorum et romanorum”...
3. There are two reasons why their domination cannot last [sic!]: Muslim usurped the power, conquering it only by means of their weapons; their origin is mean – this is true for Muhammad but even more for the Turks - here there is a long insertion on their history, taken from the Chronicon by Antoninus of Florence – remote link with the history of Troy, their entrance in Persia as people of herders, gradual affirmation, arriving until the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 under Muhammed II.
Final invocation to God, asking his intervention soon – with a last mention of the prophecy of Pseudo-Methodius about the role of the king of Huns, i.e. now Hungary.
... Brigitta of Sweden and Catherine of Siena who praised
preaching
to convert the people. Further reference is to Nicholas...
5/1/71
T29 Sunday in albis
Osvât Laskai (Osvaldus de Lasko)
Introduction
Everything that has been preached and written in these sermons serves to form a faith in Christ informed by love (caritas): “Hoc omnia que in his sermonibus predicata et scripta sunt, ideo dictar scripta sunt ut credatis fide charitate formata quod Isesus est filius dei”. It follows a summary of the main topics of the sermon cycle.
Division