Prologue

Incipit Prologvs

¹ O MAN! First of all, you who read [this], and then you who listen to what I say: release everything else you are thinking; and know that as I speak to you, God is is instructing you through my mouth. ³ To this Lord God we must willingly go through our good deeds and right intentions, ⁴ lest while neglecting our sins we are snatched away against our will - summoned by death.

¹ O homo, primo tibi qui legis, deinde et tibi qui me auscultas dicentem, dimitte alia modo quae cogitas, ² et me tibi loquentem et per os meum Deum te conuenientem cognosce. ³ Ad quem Dominum Deum ex uoluntate nostra per bona acta uel beneplacita iustitiae ire debemus, ⁴ ne per neglegentiam peccatorum ab inuito rapiamur accersiti per mortem.

⁵ Therefore, you who hear me speaking, recognize that it is not my mouth, but rather God who speaks through what is written here. ⁶ Now, while you are still living, he is instructing you about that of which after death you will have to give him an account, ⁷For while we are yet alive we are being given time, because God’s fatherly love daily awaits our amendment and wants us to grow better from day to day.

⁵ Ergo auditor qui me audis dicentem, percipe quae tibi non os meum, sed per hanc scribturam loquitur Deus, ⁶ qui te, dum adhuc uiuis, conuenit de hoc de quod ei post mortem redditurus es rationem, ⁷ quia quod adhuc uiuimus, ad indutias uiuimus, cum nos pietas Dei spectat cottidie emendari et meliores uult esse nos hodie quam fuimus heri.

⁸ You, therefore, who are listening to me, pay attention so that my words and your healing of them may, by your soul’s meditation, meet where three roads cross in your heart. ⁹ When, as a result of my words, you come to these crossroads, leave one of them behind—that of sinful ignorance—¹⁰ and enter upon the two lying before you—those of obedience to the precepts. ¹¹And while we are seeking to go to God, let us pause at that crossroads of our heart and consider the two roads of knowledge we see before us.

⁸ Ergo tu qui me auscultas, ita intende, ut dicta mea et auditus tuus per considerationem mentis ambulando in triuium cordis tui perueniant. ⁹ In quo triuio unam ignorantiae peccatorum post dicta mea ueniens post te relinque, ¹⁰ et duas obseruantiae praeceptorum ante te iam ingredere uias. ¹¹ Et dum quaerimus ad Deum ire, stemus in ipso triuio cordis nostri et consideremus ipsas duas quas ante nos scientiae conspicimus uias.

There is no doubt that for the Master the wide “left hand” road is “the world”, while the narrow “right hand” way is monastic life.

¹² Let us consider upon which of these two roads we can attain God. ¹³ If we take the one to the left, we have reason to fear, because it is wide, that it is the one which leads to perdition(Mt. 7:13). ¹⁴If we turn to the right, we are on the correct road because it is narrow (Mt. 7:14) and is the one which brings loving servants to him who is their Lord.

¹² In quibus duabus uiis, per quam ad Deum possumus peruenire consideremus. ¹³ Si sinistra tenemus, timemus, quia tala est, ne ipsa sit quae ducit magis ad interitum. ¹⁴ Si dextra corrigimus, bene imus, quia angusta est et ipsa est quae diligentes seruos ad proprium ducit Dominum.

¹⁵ So free your hearing to follow my discourse. ¹⁶ You then whose attention we urge, understand that it is God who admonishes you through what is written here, so that now, while you are still alive and have time for your amendment, you may run with all your strength and, ¹⁷ when you are summoned by death you will not, on the day of judgment and in eternal punishment, offer God the excuse that during your lifetime no one told you about amendment, ¹⁸ and you [then] begin to repent forever, without hope of relief because you can no longer help yourself.

¹⁵ Ergo uaciuus uester auditus sequatur meum eloquium. ¹⁶ Et intellege tu, homo, cuius admonemus intuitum, quia te per hanc scribturam admonet Deus, ut modo, dum adhuc uiuis et tibi emendare uacat, curras quantum potes, ¹⁷ ne iam cum accersitus per mortem fueris, nullam Deo in die iudicii uel in poena aeterna excusationem afferas, quod nullus te de emendatione, quod uixisti, conuenerit, ¹⁸ et cum ulterius tibi iam succurrere non potueris, in aeternum te incipiat sine remedio paenitere.

¹⁹ From now on, therefore, before you leave the light of this world, observe what you are hearing, ²⁰ because after you have departed you will not return until the resurrection; if you have lived a good life during your time here, at the resurrection you will be assigned to eternal glory with the saints. ²¹ If, on the other hand, you do not put into practice what is here written and which I am going to read to you, you will be consigned to the eternal fire of hell with the devil whose will you preferred to follow. ²² So hear and do what is good and just, that by which God is pleased, and put into practice what this rule points out to you.

¹⁹ Ergo amodo quae audis obserua, antequam de hac exeas saeculi luce, ²⁰ quia si hinc exieris, non hic reuerteris nisi in resurrectione, et de resurrectione, si hic modo bene egeris, ad aeternam cum sanctis gloriam deputaberis. ²¹ Si autem hanc scribturam, quam tibi lecturus sum, factis non adinpleueris, in aeternum ignem gehennae cum diabolo, cuius uoluntatem magis secutus es, deputaberis. ²² Audi ergo et age quod est bonum et iustum, per quod Deus inuenitur propitius, et haec regula quae tibi ostendit factis adinple.

²³ This rule for doing what is right gets this name ‘rule’ from what the apostle says in his epistle: ‘According to the measure of the rule which God has measured to us a measure to reach even unto you’(2 Cor 10:13). ²⁴ For the rule begins in truth and ends in justice, as the prophet says: ‘You shall rule them with a rod’  (Ps 2:9), that is, with the force of fear, ²⁵ as the apostle again says: ‘What is your wish? Shall I come to you with a rod or in love?’(1 Cor 4:21). ²⁶ So also the prophet says: ‘A tempered rod is your royal scepter. You love justice and hate wickedness’(Ps 45:7–8). ²⁷ And again the Lord says: ‘I will punish their sins with the rod’(Ps 89:32).

²³ Quae regula ad perficiendum rectum regulae nomen accepit, sicut dicit apostolus in epistula sua: Secundum mensuram regulae, quam mensus est nobis Deus mensuram, pertingendi usque ad uos. ²⁴ Nam regula ueritatis habet initium et iustitiae finem, sicut dicit propheta: Reges eos in uirga, hoc est in timoris uigore, ²⁵ sicut item dicit apostolus: Quid uultis, in uirga ueniam ad uos an in caritate? ²⁶ Item dicit propheta: Virga recla est uirga regni tui, in qua dilexisti iustitiam et odisti iniquitatem. ²⁷ Et iterum dicit Dominus: Visitabo in uirga iniquitates eorum.

end of the prologue of the rule

Explicit prologvs regvlae

The “Theme” presents the Yoke of Christ  and the Parable of the Stream, an allegory of baptism.

 The Theme

Th

¹The  prophet says: ‘I am going to speak to you in parable’ (Ps. 78:2). ² And again he said: ‘I became a byword for them’(Ps 69:12).

¹ Propheta dicit: Aperiam in parabolis os meum. ² Et iterum dicit: Factus sum illis in parabolam.

³Born from the womb of earthly Mother Eve, and generated in an excess of concupiscence by Father Adam, we have descended to this world’s way of life (cf. Eccli. 40, 1); ⁴ taking upon ourselves the temporal YOKE of PILGRIMAGE, we wander the road of this life in ignorance of good works and in uncertainty about the experience of death (cf. Ps. 39:13; I Petr. 2, 11).

³ De utero matris Euae terrae nati et de patre Adam in excessibus concupiscentiae generati, in saeculi huius descendimus uiam, ⁴ et peregrinae uitae temporale iugum suscipientes, perambulabamus iter uitae huius per ignorantiam bonorum actuum et incertum mortis experimentum.

[1] many sins of negligence.

[2] ⁶ The running sweat of labor, with our shoulders weary from the weight of this baggage,

[3] has made us aware of the proximity of death

[4] ⁷ and burning thirst alerts [us] to [our]  impending destruction.

‘All you who are thirsty,
come to the water!’ (Is 55:1),

‘Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
     and I will give you rest’ (Mt 11:28).

  ¹¹ And hearing this loving voice, we throw our burden to the ground and, impelled by thirst, fall down greedily at the spring, drink long, and rise refreshed. ¹² After getting up, we stand there dazed by tremendous joy and wonder, looking at the yoke of the laborious journey just completed, namely, our baggage whose weight has exhausted us to the point of death because of our ignorance.

 ¹¹ Nos uero audientes hanc piam uocem, (cf. RB Pr  1) proiectis in terra sarcinis nostris, urguente nos siti, auidi ad fontem prosternimur bibentesque diu surgimus renouati. ¹² Et post resurrectionem stetimus stupidi nimio gaudio et disputatione, intuentes iugum uiae transacti laboris uel sarcinas nostras, quae nos suo pondere usque ad mortem per ignorantiam fatigauerant.

¹⁴ ‘Shoulder my YOKE and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
    and you will find rest for your souls.

¹⁵ Yes, my YOKE is easy
    and my burden light’ (Mt 11:28–9).

Note how the new yoke hints that rejection of kindred (who are on this world’s road) is justified and necessary .

²¹ Let us, therefore, reject the old baggage of sins. ²² Let the heedless ones on this world’s road have the burden of their sins. ²³ We regard as our mother no longer the Eve who came from the slime of the earth (Gen. 2:7), but the Christian law calling us to heavenly repose. ²⁴ So also we look no longer to Adam, in the will to sin, as our father, but to the voice of the Lord inviting us. ²⁵ And not daring to rely on the merit of our desires, we nevertheless have now discovered where you are by our rebirth in your sacred font.’

 ²¹ Renuntiemus ergo peccatorum pristinis sarcinis. ²² Habeat uia saeculi in neglegentibus suorum pondera delictorum. ²³ Nos matrem nobis iam non de limo terrae Euam, sed diuinam nos uocantem ad requiem christianam legem sentimus. ²⁴ Similiter et patrem iam non in arbitrio peccatorum Adam quaerimus, sed in uoce Domini inuitantis nos. ²⁵ Et desideriis nostris meritis non audemus, tamen in renatiuitate nostra sacri fontis tui, ubi sis iam te inuenimus.”

The  “Theme Pater” is a Baptismal-Catechetical
commentary on the Our Father.  Rejection of kindred is here made explicit

 [Theme PATER]

ThP

 [1]

¹‘OUR Father, who art in heaven’ (Mt 6:9). ²  Thus behold, brethren: if we have now found our mother the Church and have dared call father the Lord of heaven, it is right that we should leave our earthly father and our mother according to the flesh (Mt. 19:29; CYPR., De orat. 9; cf. CYPR., De unit. 6; Ep. 74, 7, 2), ³ lest being subject to both sets of parents we not only offend those who are citizens, but become regarded as adulterous offspring for not having abandoned the parents according to the flesh. ⁴ For on account of the tree of scandal our race descended

¹ Pater noster, qui es in caelis. ² Videte ergo, fratres, si inuenimus iam matrem ecclesiam et patrem ausi sumus Dominum uocare de caelis, ergo iam iuste a nobis relinquendus est pater terrenus et mater carnatis, ³ ne binis obtemperantes parentibus, non solum ciues offendantur, sed uelut adulteri de duobus parentibus nasci, si carnales non dimittimus, iudicemur. ⁴ Per lignum enim offensionis natio nostra

from paradise to the womb,

from the womb to the world,

 and from the world into hell. (cf. Gen. 3, 11; Passio Sebastiani 11)

 de mundo usque in infernum descenderat,

[1] born anew through baptism (Jn. 3:5)

[2] and restored by the tree of the cross.

that our race should rise again

⁶ and by grace be readmitted to paradise

whence it had fallen by sin freely willed.

⁷ When Christ provided for us the refuge of his cross, the Lord destroyed the sting of death which was reigning over us (I Cor. 15, 56; Rom. 5, 14). ⁸ After restoring us to the grace of adoption by him, he has moreover not ceased to invite us to the kingdom of heaven. ⁹ Hence the voice of the Lord says: ‘If you keep my commandments, I will be your father and you shall be my sons’ (Jn 15:10, 2 Cor 6:18, cf. II Ki. 7:14). ¹⁰ So it is that we, though unworthy but aware of our baptism, dare in his prayer to call him father. ¹¹ Therefore it behooves us to share in his sufferings so that we may deserve to be made coheirs of his glory (1 Pet 4:13, Rom 8:17).

⁷ Contriuit enim in nobis Dominus mortis quae regnabat aculeos, quando refugium crucis suae nobis contulit Christus. ⁸ Et postquam nos gratiae suae restituit adoptionis, ad regna caelorum insuper nos non desinit inuitare. ⁹ Vnde uox dominica dicit: Si obseruaueritis mandata mea, ego ero uobis in patrem et uos eritis mihi in filios. ¹⁰ Vnde et nos, quamuis indigni, tamen propter agnitionem baptismi eius in oratione audemus eum patrem uocare. ¹¹ Ideoque oportet nos passioni eius esse participes, ut mereamur effici eius gloriae coheredes.

¹² Therefore, when saying, ‘Our Father, who art in heaven,’ let us now show, brothers, that we are such sons as God longs to have (Mt. 6, 9; cf. CYPR., De orat. 11), ¹³ and may the Divinity rightly grant us the title of sons, seeing no dissimilarity between his will and our own. ¹⁴ For he is a true son who resembles his father not only in appearance but also in conduct.

¹² Dicentes ergo: Pater noster, qui es in caelis, iam tales exhibeamus nos, fratres, quales nos cupit filios Deus habere, ¹³ et digne in nobis diuinitas filiorum inserat nomen, cum uoluntatem nostram non uiderit a sua uoluntate dissimilem. ¹⁴ Nam ipse est uerus filius, qui non solum uultu, sed et moribus similat patri.

 [2]

¹⁵ SINCE we have now deserved to say, ‘Our Father, who art in heaven’, we continue the prayer saying: ‘Hallowed be thy name’ (Mt. 6, 9). ¹⁶ Not that we want his name to be hallowed anew, since it is most holy from eternity to eternity, but rather that he may himself sanctify it in the good deeds of his sons (II Esdras 9, 5; CYPR., De orat. 12), ¹⁷ so that as Father and Lord he may make his dwelling in our souls and send the Holy Spirit to live in us (cf. Ps. 46:5; cf. Rom. 8, 11), ¹⁸ giving help to our hearts by his regard and ever keeping watch over them by his presence (Ps. 46:6; cf. Phil. 4:7).

¹⁵ Cum ergo meruissemus iam dixisse: Pater noster, qui es in caelis, sequimur deinde in oratione dicentes: Sanctificetur nomen tuum. ¹⁶ Non quod nouiter optemus sanctificari nomen eius, quod est ab aeterno et usque in aeternum sanctissimum, sed in bonis actibus filiorum magis ipse sanctificet, ¹⁷ ut pater et Dominus in mentibus nostris tabernaculum suum et inhabitatorem faciat Spiritum Sanctum, ¹⁸ ut adiuuet corda ipsa Deus uultu suo et custodiat ea semper praesentia sua.

Dread Judgement

 [3]

¹⁹ THEN we say, ‘Thy kingdom come’ (Mt. 6:10). ²⁰ See, brothers, how we long for the coming of the Lord’s kingdom and ourselves ask that his judgment be hastened, and yet we do not have our account in order. ²¹ We should therefore conduct ourselves at all times in such a way that, when the time comes, our Lord and Father will receive us and, ²² pleased with our daily good deeds in his presence, will separate us from the goats and place us at his right, admitting us into the eternal kingdom (Mt. 25:32–33). ²³ May we, in the judgment to come, find a propitious judge him whom in this world we have dared to call father.

¹⁹ Deinde dicimus: Adueniat regnum tuum. ²⁰ Videte, fratres, ecce optamus aduenire regnum Domini et iudicium eius adcelerari ultro rogamus, et rationes nostras adhuc paratas non habemus. ²¹ Sic ergo a nobis omni hora agendum est, ut Dominus et pater postea nos ita suscipiat, ²² et bonis coram eo actibus cottidie conplacentes sequestrans nos ab haedis a dextris suis, in aeternis introducens nos regnis, ²³ agnoscamus nobis in futuro iudicio propitium iudicem, quem in praesenti saeculo ausi uocauimus patrem.

The judged will become judges

 [4a]

²⁴ THEN we say: ‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven’. ²⁵ In this statement, brothers, our free will is expressed, ²⁶ and whatever harm the persuasion of the ancient serpent has done us is removed, if we so will, for the will of the Lord heals us. ²⁷ As the apostle says: ‘You do not always carry out your good intentions’(Gal 5:17). ²⁸ The spirit chooses to have the will of the Lord done in us, so that the soul no longer does what it had been persuaded to do by the concupiscence of corrupt flesh( cf. CYPR., De orat. 16). ²⁹ We therefore pray that the will of the Lord will be done in us (CYPR., De orat. 14; cf. 16). ³⁰ If this his will is always done in us, on the day of judgment there will be no self-will to be condemned after being examined for faults. ³¹ For the will of the Lord is holy. ³² It knows how to remove fear of judgment. ³³ This his will promises that those in whom it is accomplished will judge even angels (I Cor. 6:3).

²⁴ Deinde dicimus: Fiat uoluntas tua sicut in caelo et in terra. ²⁵ In hoc uerbo, fratres, pertinet in nobis liberi status arbitrii, ²⁶ et quidquid suasio antiqui serpentis nociue nobis ingerit, si uolumus, amputatur, cum Domini uoluntas in nobis reparando perficitur, ²⁷ sicut dicit apostolus: Vt non quaecumque uultis, illa faciatis. ²⁸ Eligit enim spiritus, ut uoluntas in nobis Domini fiat, ut iam non perficiat anima quidquid cum praua carne concupiscens sibi suaserat. ²⁹ Oramus ergo ut uoluntas in nobis Domini fiat. ³⁰ Si ergo a nobis haec sua uoluntas semper perficiatur, non ergo erit propria, quae discussa de suis malis in die iudicii condemnetur. ³¹ Voluntas enim Domini sancta est. ³² Nouit dare, non timere iudicium. ³³ Quae uoluntas sua, quibus inpleta fuerit, promittitur eis etiam angelos iudicare.

Obedience

 [4b]

⁴⁵‘THY will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Mt. 6:10).’ ⁴⁶From this, that he said ‘in heaven’, we can well understand, brothers, that just as the will of the Lord is fulfilled in all holiness by the angels in heaven, so should God’s command given through the prophets and the apostles be obeyed by carnal men on earth too, ⁴⁷so that, as Holy Scripture says, in both spheres (that is, in heaven and on earth) the Lord may reign also in us according to his good pleasure, and there may be one shepherd and one flock (Jn 10:16).

⁴⁵ Fiat uoluntas tua sicut in caelo et in terra. ⁴⁶ In caelo, quod dixit, possumus bene agnoscere, fratres, quia sicut ab angelis in caelis uoluntas Domini sancte perficitur, ita et in terra ipsa per prophetas et apostolos praeceptio Dei et in carnalibus hominibus exoptatur ut fiat, ⁴⁷ ut secundum sanctam scribturam dicentem in utrisque elementis, hoc est in caelo et in terra, in beneplacitis suis regnet et in nobis Dominus, et sit unus pastor et unus grex.

 [4c]

⁴⁸ SO also we can understand in a spiritual sense what he says: ‘Thy will be done as it is in heaven’, ⁴⁹that is, that the will of the Father be done in the Lord, his Son, because he came down from heaven, the Lord himself saying, ‘I have come, not to do my own will, but to do the will of the one who sent me’. ⁵⁰Do you therefore see that if our Saviour, the Lord himself, shows that he came not to do his own will but to fulfill the commands of his Father, how can I, a wicked servant, the least of all, rightly do my own will? ⁵¹Of him the apostle likewise says: ‘When it says, “he ascended”, what can it mean if not that he descended right down to the lower regions of the earth?’, ⁵²So by his saying, ‘Also on earth’ (that is, our bodily structure formed from the slime of the earth, to which God addressed the words, ‘Dust you are and to dust you shall return’, ⁵³the demand is justly made that the will of God be likewise done by us, so that by the daily accomplishment of the Lord’s will in us, our own will is not found and therefore will not be condemned to punishment in the future judgment; rather, may the will of the Lord be in us, so that the crown of glory may be ours.

⁴⁸ Similiter et illud spiritaliter intellegere possumus, quod dixit: Fiat uoluntas tua sicut in caelo, ⁴⁹ hoc est, sicut in Domino Filio eius, quia caelestis descendit, uoluntas Patris perficitur, dicente ipso Domino: Non ueni facere voluntatem meam, sed huius qui me misit … — ⁵⁰ Vides ergo, si ipse Dominus saluator ostendit se ideo uenisse, ut uoluntatem suam non faceret, sed iussa Patris inpleret, quomodo malus seruus iuste me extimo meam facere uoluntatem?— ⁵¹ de quo dicit et apostolus: Qui est qui ascendit, nisi qui et descendit in inferiora terrae?, ⁵² ita ergo et in terra, dixit, hoc est corporis nostri macina de limo terrae formata, cui sententia Dei dictum est: Terra es et in terra, ibis, ⁵³ similiter effici iuste a nobis Domini uoluntas exposcitur, ut dum cottidie in nobis uoluntas Domini fuerit operata, non inueniatur propria, quae in futuro iudicio condemnetur ad poenam, sed sit in nobis uoluntas Domini, quae coronetur ad gloriam.

 [5]

⁵⁴ THEN continuing the prayer we say: ‘Give us this day our daily bread’, ⁵⁵Therefore, brothers, when the aforesaid will of the Lord has been daily fulfilled by us, excluding blame, and all the commandments have been observed in the fear of the Lord, ⁵⁶the petition that he give food to his workmen is worthily made, for he does not refuse the deserving laborer his wages.

⁵⁴ Deinde sequitur in oratione dicentes: Panem nostrum cottidianum da nobis hodie. ⁵⁵ Ergo, fratres, cum supradicta Domini uoluntas inculpabiliter a nobis cottidie fuerit adinpleta et in timore Domini omnia fuerint mandata explicita, ⁵⁶ digne operariis suis rogatur annonam ut tribuat, qui digno mercennario mercedem non negat.

 [6]

⁵⁷ THEN we say: ‘Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us’. ⁵⁸ Brothers, praying thus, we should very much fear lest the Lord reply to these words of our prayer: ‘The judgments you give are the judgments you will get, and the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given’. ⁵⁹ And you who ask this, see whether you did to no one what you did not want done to you. ⁶⁰ Therefore before we hear these words of the Lord, brethren, let us first examine our hearts as to whether we are with justice asking of the Lord what we have not denied to those asking us. ⁶¹We ask that our trespasses be forgiven us. God hears and he wants to forgive us, but only if we first pardon those who ask us to do likewise. ⁶² Or do I doubt, miserable man that I am, that divine recompense will be given me for my good deeds? ⁶³ Look, give heed and consider, O miserable man, are you more loving than God? ⁶⁴ Even though he charges you with duties of justice and charity, what you do is to your benefit over and above the reward and the gifts he gives you. ⁶⁵ For there is nothing wanting to the power of the Lord nor does he need anything of yours in his strength or lack it in his glory. ⁶⁶ The only thing he wants is our salvation, which he offers us by his grace, even though we cause him loss in us by our negligence.

⁵⁷ Deinde dicimus: Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. ⁵⁸ Fratres, hoc orantes amplius timeamus, ne ad haec uerba praecum nostrarum respondeat nobis Dominus dicens: Iudicio, quo iudicatis, iudicabitur de uobis, et mensura, qua mensi estis, remittetur uobis. ⁵⁹ Et uide, qui hoc petis, si quod tibi noluisti fieri, alio non fecisti. ⁶⁰ Ergo antequam has uoces Domini audiamus, fratres, prius scrutemur corda nostra, si iuste et nos petimus a Domino, quod et a nobis est petentibus non negatum. ⁶¹ Nos petimus dimitti nobis debita nostra. Audit Deus et cupit dimittere, sed si ante nos petentibus relaxemus. ⁶² An dubito, miser ego homo, ne benefactis meis diuina non retribuat uices? ⁶³ Respice, agnosce et considera, o miser homo, numquid magis tu pius quam Deus, ⁶⁴ qui ut tibi aliqua iustitiae aut agenda ingerat pietatis, post mercedem uel dona ipsius tibi ipsi proficit et quod agis? ⁶⁵ Nihil enim Dominus minus habet in sua potentia nec aliquid tuum indiget in uirtute aut deest ei in gloria. ⁶⁶ Solummodo nostra illi opus est salus, quam nobis prouidet gratia eius, quamquam per nostram neglegentiam ille de nobis possidet minus.

 [7]

⁶⁷ THEN  we say: ‘And lead us not into temptation’. ⁶⁸These words, brothers, are warning enough that we should be on our guard

⁶⁷ Deinde dicimus: Et ne nos inducas in temptationem. ⁶⁸ Satis admonent nos, fratres, uerba ista esse sollicitos.

. ⁶⁹We must therefore beg the Lord with many sighs, striking our hearts as well as our breasts, never to leave us his servants without his help, ⁷⁰lest we be open to the power and access of our enemy the devil, who is constantly prowling around us like a lion, looking for someone of us to eat, and who seeks to poison our hearts with his evil suggestions. ⁷¹Therefore we must without ceasing pray to the Lord that he deign, by the protection of his assistance, to surround us with the wall of his grace and by his defence ward off the incursion of temptations in us, ⁷²so as not to permit the work of his hands to be taken captive and subjected to slavery by the enemy—⁷³provided we do not on our part give our consent to the temptations of this same enemy and do not, ⁷⁴so to speak, make ourselves his captives, inclined to desire our enemy rather than flee him.

⁶⁹ Ideoque rogandus est Dominus et crebris gemitibus tundenda sunt nobis corda quam pectora, ne patiatur Dominus seruos suos sine suo adiutorio aliqua nos hora consistere, ⁷⁰ ut non habeat potestatem uel aditum, per quod aduersarius noster diabolus qui circuit nos ut leo cottidie, quaerens aliquem nostrum deuorare, et prauis suasionibus suis quaerit corda nostra inficere. ⁷¹ Ergo incessabiliter est praecandum ad Dominum, ut dignetur adiutorii sui custodia muro nos suae gratiae circumdare et temptationum in nobis aditos sua munitione obstruere, ⁷² ut non patiatur plasmam facturae suae captiuam fieri et seruitutibus cedere inimici, ⁷³si tamen supradicti hostis temptationibus non ultro nostrum tradamus adsensum, ⁷⁴et uelut nosmetipsos ipsi nos captiuantes, hostem nostrum incipiamus magis desiderare quam fugere.

 [8]

⁷⁵ THEN we continue, completing the prayer: ‘But deliver us from evil’. ⁷⁶ Brothers, most holy, God desires to do this in us before we ask him, for he is powerful and nothing is difficult for him, but [he does it] only on condition that we deserve it. ⁷⁷ He does not want this structure which we are and which he has made with his own hands to collapse. ⁷⁸ He hastens to free us from the snare, if we do not on our part give consent to the enemy’s suggestions, ⁷⁹ but unceasingly ask the Lord to grant us the assistance of his grace so that we may rightly say: ‘For with the Lord at our right hand nothing can shake me’

⁷⁵ Sequimur deinde conplentes orationem, dicentes: Sed libera nos a malo. ⁷⁶ Fratres sanctissimi, ante hoc Deus in nobis cupit perficere quam rogetur, quia potens est et nihil est ei difficile, sed si nos hoc mereamur. ⁷⁷ Nec enim uult macinam cadere nostram, quam manibus suis ipse construxit. ⁷⁸ Festinat enim eruere nos de laqueo, si adsensum nostrum non ultro tradamus suasionibus inimici, ⁷⁹ sed rogantes incessabiliter Dominum, ut adtributo nobis suae gratiae adiutorio digne dicamus: Quoniam a dextris est nobis Dominus, ne conmouear,

, ⁸⁰ and confident in the Lord we say again: ‘I will fear no evils, for you are with me’. ⁸¹ Thus may he, who at the beginning of the prayer shows us that we should dare, by his grace, to call the Lord our Father, deign now at the end of the prayer to deliver us from evil. Amen.

⁸⁰ et securi de Domino iterum repetamus: Non timebo mala, quoniam tu mecum es, ⁸¹ ut qui in principio huius orationis ostendit nobis per gratiam Dominum patrem audere dicere, iterum ipse in fine orationis a malo dignetur nos liberare. Amen.

 ThSBookmark

The  “Theme Sequence” is a Baptismal-Catechetical commentary on Psalms 33 [34] and 14 [15]

 Batismal catechesis that included the bestowing (traditio) of psalms as well as the Lord's Prayer was known in North Africa and Naples: De Vogüé, RB IV, SC 184, p. 45, n. 63

 [Theme SEQUENCE]

ThS

¹ HAVING then completed the Lord’s prayer, brothers, let us now, as the Lord commands, treat also the performance of our service ² so that he who has deigned to include us among his sons may never be distressed by our evil deeds, ³ For by means of the good things he has given us we must always be so submissive to him that he will never, as an angry father, disinherit us, his sons, ⁴ and as a fearsome Lord exasperated by our sins commit us to eternal punishment as most wicked servants who refused to follow him to glory.

¹ Ergo, fratres, finita ad Dominum oratione, ipso iubente agamus nunc de cetero de nostri seruitii opere, ² ut qui nos iam in filiorum dignatus est numero conputare, non debet aliquando de malis nostris actibus contristari. ³ Ita enim ei omni hora de bonis suis in nobis parendum est, ut non solum iratus pater suos nos aliquando filios exheredet, ⁴ sed metuendus Dominus, inritatus a malis nostris, ut nequissimos seruos perpetuo tradat in poenam, qui eum sequi noluerunt ad gloriam.

⁵ Let us, slothful as we are, finally arise, stirred by what Scripture says: ‘It is now the hour for us to rise from sleep’, ⁶ and with our eyes opened to the deifying light, let us listen with alert ears to what the divine voice ever crying out exhorts us, saying: ⁷ ‘If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches’. ⁸ What? ‘Come, my sons, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord’. ⁹ ‘Run while you have the light of life, or the darkness of death will overtake you’.

⁵ Exurgamus tandem aliquando ut pigri, excitante nos scribtura ac dicente: Iam enim hora est nos de somno surgere, ⁶ et apertis oculis nostris ad lumen deificum, adtonitis auribus audiamus, diuina cottidie clamans quod nos admonet uox dicens: ⁷ Qui habet aures audiendi, audiat quid Spiritus dicat ecclesiis. ⁸ Quid? Venite, filii, audite me, timorem Domini docebo uos. ⁹ Currite, dum lumen uitae habetis, ne tenebrae mortis uos conpraehendant.

¹⁰ And the Lord, seeking from among the many people a workman to hear him, again calls out, saying: ¹¹ ‘Which of you desires life, and takes delight in prosperous days?’. ¹² You, who are listening, reply: ‘I do’. And the Lord will say to you: ¹³ “ ‘If you desire true and everlasting life, malice must be banished from your tongue, deceitful conversation from your lips. Never yield to evil, practise good, seek peace, pursue it”. ¹⁴ And when you have done this, my eyes will be turned to you, the virtuous, and my ears to your cry, and before you call to me I shall say to you: “Here I am”.’ ¹⁵ What could be sweeter to us, brothers, than this voice of the Lord inviting us? ¹⁶ See how in his loving kindness the Lord shows us the way of life. ¹⁷ Girded with faith and the performance of good deeds, therefore, let us under the guidance of the gospel go his ways, so that we may deserve to see him who has called us into his kingdom.

¹⁰ Et quaerens Dominus in multitudine populi, cui haec clamat, operarium suum auditorem, iterum reclamat dicens: ¹¹ Quis est homo qui uult uitam et cupit uidere dies bonos? ¹² Tu qui audis, responde: “Ego.” Et Dominus tibi dicet: ¹³ “Si uis habere ueram et perpetuam uitam, prohibe linguam tuam a malo et labia tua ne loquantur dolum. Diuerte a malo et fac bonum: inquire pacem et sequere eam. ¹⁴ Et cum haec feceritis, oculi mei super uos iustos et aures meas in praeces uestras, et antequam me invocetis, dicam uobis: ecce adsum.” ¹⁵ Quid dulcius nobis ab hac uoce Domini inuitantis nos, fratres? ¹⁶ Ecce pietate sua demonstrat nobis Dominus uitae uiam. ¹⁷ Succinctis ergo fide uel obseruantia bonorum actuum tumbisnostris, per ducatum euangelii pergamus itinera eius, ut mereamur eum qui nos in regnum suum uocauituidere.

 ²⁵ Such persons, fearing the Lord, do not pride themselves upon their good observance; rather, aware that what is good in themselves cannot be their own doing but the Lord’s, ²⁶ they magnify the Lord working in them, saying with the prophet: ‘Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory’. ²⁷ Nor did the apostle Paul attribute anything of his preaching to himself, but said: ‘By the grace of God I am what I am’. ²⁸ Again he says: ‘If there is to be boasting, it is not for me to do it’. ²⁹ Therefore the Lord continues teaching us the way of the blessed life, saying: ‘Who stands by his pledge no matter what the cost, ³⁰ does not ask interest on loans, and cannot be bribed to victimize the innocent’. ³¹ And in the gospel the Lord further says to us: ‘Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will never be shaken’. ³² Then we ask him: ‘In what way, Lord, will he never be shaken?’ ³³ The Lord again replies to us: ‘How? Because I will compare him with a sensible man who built his house on rock. ³⁴ Floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock’.

 ²⁵ qui timentes Dominum de bona obseruantia sua non se reddunt elatos, sed ipsa in se bona non a se posse, sed a Domino fieri extimantes, ²⁶ operantem in se magis Dominum magnificent, illud cum propheta dicentes: Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam. ²⁷ Nec Paulus apostolus de praedicatione sibi aliqua inputauit, dicens: Gratia Dei sum id quod sum. ²⁸ Et item ipse dicit: Si gloriari oportet, non expedit mihi. ²⁹ Ergo subsequitur Dominus uiam uitae beatae per monita sua, dicens: Qui iurat proximo suo et non decepit eum; ³⁰ qui pecuniam suam non dedit ad usuram, qui munera super innocentes non accepit. ³¹ Et subsequitur nobis Dominus in euangelio, dicens: Qui audit haec uerba mea et facit ea, non mouebitur in aeternum. ³² Et nos interrogemus eum, dicentes: “Quomodo, Domine, non mouebitur in aeternum?” ³³ Respondet nobis iterum Dominus: “Quomodo? Quia similabo eum uiro sapienti, qui aedificauit domum suam super petram. ³⁴ Venerunt flumina, flauerunt uenti et inpegerunt in domum illam, et non cecidit. Fundata enim erat super petra.”

³⁵ Having said these things, the Lord is silent, waiting for us to respond daily to these his holy admonitions, as we must. ³⁶ Therefore day after day the time of this life is protracted so that we may amend our evil ways, ³⁷ as the apostle says: ‘Do you not realize that the patience of God is meant to lead you to repentance?’ ³⁸ For the loving Lord says: ‘I take pleasure not in the death of a wicked man, but in the turning back of a wicked man who changes his ways to win life’.

³⁵ Haec conplens Dominus tacet, spectans nos cottidie his sanctis suis monitis factis nos respondere debere. ³⁶ Ideo cottidie nobis propter emendationem malorum huius uitae dies ad indutias relaxantur, ³⁷ dicente apostolo: An nescitis quia patientia Dei ad paenitentiam te adducit? ³⁸ Nam pius Dominus dicit: Nolo mortem peccateris, sed conuertatur et uiuat..

³⁹ So, brothers, when we asked the Lord about the dweller in his tent, we heard the conditions for living there, and that we must do what is required of a dweller. ⁴⁰ Therefore our hearts and our bodies must be prepared for the battle of holy obedience to the precepts. ⁴¹And as to what nature in us finds impossible, let us ask the Lord to ordain that his grace come to our assistance. ⁴² And if we desire to escape the punishment of hell and attain eternal life, it is now, ⁴³ while there is still time, while we are yet in the body and while we have the chance to put all these things into effect by the light of this life, ⁴⁴ that we must hurry and do what will profit us forever.

³⁹ Cum ergo interrogassemus Dominum, fratres, de habitatore tabernaculi eius, audiuimus habitandi praeceptum, sed si conpleamus habitatoris officium. ⁴⁰ Ergo praeparenda sunt corda nostra et corpora sanctae praeceptorum oboedientiae militanda. ⁴¹ Et quod minus habet in nos natura possibile, rogemus Dominum, ut gratiae suae iubeat nobis adiutorium ministrare. ⁴² Et si fugientes gehennae poenam, ad uitam uolumus perpetuam peruenire, ⁴³ dum adhuc uacat et in corpore sumus et haec omnia per hanc lucis uitam uacat inplere, ⁴⁴ currendum et agendum est modo, quod in perpetuo nobis expediat.