Introduction The sermon opens by presenting the duty that parents have towards their children and exposing the cases in which a father can legitimately disinherit his son. The detailed list of seven cases is a vademecum on matters of inheritance (e.g. filial violence against his father, sexual intercourse with his mother or his father’s concubine, attempts to prevent the father from making a testament; do not care to set his father free from prison) serves to point out that the initial request of the prodigal son was legitimate. The sermon next presents three quaestiones that revolve around the restoration of the sinner after penance, with specific attention to the issue «whether the deeds that were alive through charity and mortified by sin will live again through penance» («Queritur tercio an opera per caritatem viva et mortificata ex peccato per penitentiam reviviscant»; 16R), underlining also the positive effects of the good works that one does in the condition of mortal sin. Drawing on Bonaventure, the sermon insists on the importance that one – even in mortal sin – should not desist from doing good because God will find the right way to remunerate him/her with his grace. Main division (see above) First part Far from God, the human being cannot have rest (reference to the Confessiones of Augustine: «my heart is restless until it would come to you, God» (Inquietum est cor meum donec veniat ad te; 16V). Hence, the sinner must return to the house of the Father (God), i.e. the church, where he will find also his mother, i.e. the Virgin Mary: “Through penitence, the sinner must return to the house of God the Father, which is the holy Church, where he will be safe from all his enemies. There he will find a graceful father and a mother, who is the glorious and clement Virgin May, because she welcomes those who seek refuge in the womb of her mercy, she protects them from all enemies, and she nourishes them with the milk of grace” («Debet ergo peccator redire ad domum dei patris, scilicet sanctam ecclesiam, in qua securatur ab omnibus adversariis, et hoc per penitentiam, et inveniet patrem graciosum, matrem scilicet virginem gloriosam clementem, que refugientes ad gremium sue misericordie suscipit et ab hostibus defendit et lacte gracie nutrit»; 16X). It follows a long digression on the Virgin who, as a mother, fosters the return of the sinners (the texts build upon several quotations of Anselm and Bernard of Clairvaux). Second part The fruitful return of the penitent to the state of grace («fructuosa reversio penitentisa ad statum gracie»; 17B). Sinners are invited to identify with the prodigal son: «the sinner is far away and separated from God and, in the same way of this prodigus, he must come to himself and think of his actual extreme misery and the great mercy of God the Father; he must lament and not rest until he will come to the father of mercy, God of full consolation» («Moraliter peccator, longe a deo divisus et separatus, debet instar huius prodigi per conversionem in se reverti, pensare propriam miseriam et inopiam et dei patris maximam pietatem, dolere et non quiescere donec ad eum veniat, qui est pater misericordiam et deus totius consolationis»). This exhortation to imitate the prodigal son is reiterated, in a process that involves heart, mouth and action («Ad hunc patrem pium et benignum debet peccator ad instar filii prodigi: in corde recurrere ad eius benignitatem; in ore proponere propriam iniquitatem; in opere intendere satisfactionis humilitatem»; 17C). This threefold division is connected with the three parts of penitence: contrition, confession, and satisfaction. The first point puts on the forefront not the memory of the sins but of the benefits received from God. This positive memory of God’s mercy is the starting point for the conversion, yet, mercy cannot be separated from justice. The listeners have to recall that God will punish those who do not convert from their sin, even though this goes against his merciful nature (17D). Dealing with confession, the sermon provides the listeners with a formulary to start an oral confession. Next, it considers the relationship between contrition and confession. Why is outward confession necessary? Is «contrition and confession of the heart» not sufficient? Per se, the contrition joined with the intention to confess and provide satisfaction as soon as possible already purifies the sinner. Later on, if he/she does not confess and satisfy, the previous sin cannot return. However, in that event he/she commits a new mortal sin by breaking the Church commandments (17E). Yet, if through contrition God already cancels the sin, what effect has confession? The sermon states that – since each sin is «against both God and the Church» – there is an ecclesiastical/social dimension of sin that, consequently, needs an ecclesiastical reconciliation «through confession, imposed satisfaction and the priest’s absolution» (Dum enim peccator peccat mortaliter, peccat contra deum et ecclesiam. […] peccat contra ecclesiam quam contemnit et scandalisat, et ligatur altero vinculo, quod solum per confessionem et satisfactionem iniunctam et absolucionem presbiteri ydonei relaxatus»; 17.F). Moreover, aural confession is necessary to tackle the problem of rightly establishing the measure of satisfaction: to solve it, God appointed the priest as arbiter and gave him the power to evaluate and impose penances (potentia arbitrandi et taxandi). Third part The final part deals with the amorosa receptio patris. It opens with a complex exemplum taken from the Gesta Romanorum (the story of the son of Alexander the Great, who revolted against his father – a story whose moral interpretation was already based on the parable of the prodigal son). The reaction of the father of the parable points out that God goes to the penitent rapidly (velociter), embraces him sweetly (dulciter), and dresses him nobly (nobiliter). Here, the sermon discusses prevenient grace and its accord with the human responsibility in the process of conversion. Grace is compared with the sun that shines but illuminates only those who open the doors, or with the indulgence that the pope offers to everybody but that are acquired only by those who go to Rome (17N). In the text, remains some tension between the free gift of God and human initiative, whose importance is clearly outlined by emphasising the importance of the first step taken by the prodigal son: «The father would not have come to the prodigal son along the way, if the son had not said before: I will rise and go to the father» («Non enim pater prodigo venisset obviam penitenti, si non prius dixisset: Surgam et ibo ad patrem»; 17N). Still, the sermon clarifies that it is not the penitent’s action that provokes and obtains grace, which remains a gift that is given «after this disposition but not because of this disposition» («post quam [contritionem] non propter quam deus vult dare gratiam»; 17N). Next, it turns to the spiritual theme of the love relationship between God and the soul [spiritual marriage]. The kissing of the father is connected with the kisses mentioned in the Song of Songs and opens the way for a first person discourse of the beloved soul: «The embrace and the kisses are signs of peace and love. […] The soul, bride of Christ, habitually longs for this greatly blessed and mostly beloved kiss; she longs with great desire and frequent sighs and repeats with the Song of Songs: Let him kiss me with kisses of his mouth (1,1), so that she could rejoice and be delighted. As if the soul would say: ‘My mostly beloved groom Jesus, for whose love I am languishing, might give me those grace and mercy that I am longing for with the whole depths of my heart, and might comfort me with the sweetness of his piety and of his divine benediction, so that I could return to life’» («Nam amplexus and oscula sunt signa pacis et amoris. […] Isto osculo superbenedicto et amantissimo magno desiderio et frequenti suspirio anima sponsa Christi appetere solet, et ut iocundetur et letetur dicere illud Cantico 1: Osculetur me osculo oris sui, quasi dicat: ‘Amantissimus sponsus meus Iesus, in cuius amore langueo, immittat mihi gratiam et misercordiam quam totis visceribus cordis desidero et confortet me dulcedine sue pietatis et divine benedictionis et reviviscam’»; 17O).  Playing on the contrast between the two brothers within the parable, the sermon then introduces a final question: whether God loves more the sinner who does penitence than the righteous person who has always been so («queritur an deus plus diligit peccatorem penitentem quam iustum semper benefacientem»; 17R). The discriminating factor is the fervour, so a penitent can surpass a righteous person (examples are Mary Magdalene and Paul). The elder brother of the parable symbolises those who are righteous but tepid (cf. Revelation 3,15). Still, this is not the rule. The sentence of the Gospel that «there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance» (Luke 15,7) applies only to few special cases, while the supreme joy of heaven is indeed reserved for those who did not need to convert, first of all the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist.

Introduction Natural gold ≠ artificial gold (IA). To eat the gold dust provides strength and protect from leprosy (references to Avicenna and Platearius). The artificial gold is exteriorly similar but without these quality (it’s only an expense and a waste of time and work). The same is true with good works. When they are done with the correct intention, i.e. to glorify God, they protect you from the leprosy of sin. Yet, if they are done "cum sinistra intentione", i.e. for your own glory, they have only an exterior appearance, but without any merit. Biblical reference (Cain and Abel) and to canon law. Questio: "Utrum existens in peccato mortali vel faciens aliquod opus de genere bonorum sinistra intentione frustretur omni premio et nihil mereatur sua operatione" (IB). In the reply, the key authority is Bonaventure: a sinner should not stop from doing good works, since they prepare to receive the grace and dispose to conversion. Distinction between alive works and death works: “Oportet enim quod prius quis desinat esse vitiosus quam incipiat esse virtuosus, et naturaliter remissio peccatorum precedit infusionem gratie” (ID). This leads to discuss about Lent. Since God wants to grant abundant graces for the feast of the Resurrection, hence the Church organized this penitential time so to help the faithful to be ready to welcome them: “ut huius igitur simus capaces ordinavit mater ecclesia vigiliam scilicet tempus penitentie et dispositionis per XL dies quod hodie incipit et omni die aliquod preparativum ponit atque ipsius gratie speciale dispositivum”. Divisio (see above) - based on the whole pericope not on the thema First part Fasting and abstinence should not be hypocritical (in discussing the pericope, note the distinction between litterliter and moraliter). Three main fruits of fasting: Comprimit canis vitia Elevat mentem ad superna Dinat virtutem contra demonia 1.1. Fasting serves to rule the flesh (which is the horse of the soul...). Yet crucial is fasting from sin (IF). Question on who must fast, and list of the categories which are exempted (IG). 1.2. Fasting elevates the mind (series of exempla and ¬auctoritates). Question: if drinking clouds the mind more than eating, why does Lent require fasting from food? (II) 1.3. Fasting wins over devils. Natural example: the elephant wins over the dragon when it has an empty stomach. Question about the type of forbitten food - dairy and eggs are connected with the production of semen and so an arousal to lust (basic notions of medicine): “ex eorum commestione plus superfluit ut vertatur in materiam seminis cuius multiplicatio est maximum incitamentum luxurie” (IK). Second part Appeal to the moderation and the detachment from worldly things. Moraliter: Contraposition among the ancient philosophers about the true richness and happiness of human beings. Epicurean stated the earthly goods (the sermon harshly attacks them) while the Peripatetics said it was virtue, sit it cannot be lost (“qua non servantur in bursa sed in anima”; IL). Positive examples are Socrates renounced to gold (reference taken from the Decretum) and Boethius. Christ is put in the same line of the Peripatetics (“Hanc etiam opinionem doctor noster Christus tenuit...”; IM). One has not to treasure things on hearth for three reasons:  Periculose et damnabilies Nocive et instabiles Infructuose et steriles  2.1. When one looks for richness, s/he is exposed to dangers such as lie, fraud, usury, robbery. Here the sermon quotes the whole parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:16-21) and the sentence on the simplicity of the birds (“Nolite soliciti esse...”; Matthew 6.36). Distinction between different ways of “solicitudo circa temporalia”: necessary, unnecessary, immoral (“talis fuerat in Iudeis et Pylato, timentes ne perderent regnum quod possidebant occiderunt Christum” IN), erroneus. The Gospel criticizes the last three, not the necessary sollicity (such as in sowing or harvesting etc). 2.2. Their possession is harmful, since provokes anxiety and insecurity. Reference to the episode of the encounter of Augustine with the poor person in the Confessiones (IO). 2.3. They are infructuous and make also virtuous people infructuous (internal reference to XIXQ). Third part Necessity of a virtuous behaviour for the eternal reward. Crucial is to have an holy and immaculate life (“vita sancta et immaculata”). Erarium disponere Divicias reponere Custodiam apponere 3.1. Direct parenetic address to the listener in the last section: “Nunc ergo peccator audi me, et deus exaudiet te. Vita tua mors est et vana vita. Vis ergo apprehendere veram vitam, noli alta sapere [...] Per illa enim que tibi dat suadet exire a peccato [...]. Cur ergo bonam mortem desideras et vitam bonam non curas? [...] Iam persuasus es a deo ut recedas a malo”. Dangerous to postpone a good decision: “O frater, noli claudere hostium venie... [...] Iam deus pulsat ad hostium” 3.2. A laborious life of virtue keeps and increases the treasure, since it creates the habitus of virtue. 3.3. The custody of the senses is the protection one needs, since they are the gates of the heart.