THIS is my commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, than that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because everything I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and appointed you to go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should endure, that whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will grant you. (John 15:12-16)

Hoc est praeceptum meum, ut diligatis inuicem sicut dilexi uos.Maiorem hanc dilectionem nemo habet ut animam suam quis ponat pro amicis suis.Vos amici mei estis si feceritis quae ego praecipio uobis.Iam non dico uos seruos, quia seruus nescit quid faciat dominus eius.Vos autem dixi amicos, quia omnia quaecumque audiui a Patre meo, nota feci uobis.Non uos me elegistis, sed ego elegi uos, et posui uos ut eatis, et fructum afferatis, et fructus uester maneat, ut quodcumque petieritis Patrem in nomine meo, det uobis.Homilia lectionis eiusdem habita ad populum in basilica sancti Pancratii die natalis eius.

SINCE all of our Lord’s sacred utterances contain commandments, why does he say about love as if it were a special commandment: This is my commandment, that you love one another? It is because every commandment is about love, and they all add up to one commandment because whatever is commanded is founded on love alone. As a tree’s many branches come from one root, so do many virtues come forth from love alone. The branch which is our good works has no sap unless it remains attached to the root of love.

1. Cum cuncta sacra eloquia dominicis plena sint praeceptis, quid est quod de dilectione, quasi de singulari mandato, Dominus dicit: Hoc est praeceptum meum, ut diligatis inuicem, nisi quia omne mandatum de sola dilectione est, et omnia unum praeceptum sunt, quia quidquid praecipitur, in sola caritate solidatur? Vt enim multi arboris rami ex una radice prodeunt, sic multae uirtutes ex una caritate generantur. Nec habet aliquid uiriditatis ramus boni operis, si non manet in radice caritatis.

[namely]:
to love our friends in him,
and to love our enemies for his sake.

et
amicos iubet diligi in se,
et inimicos diligi propter se.

That person truly possesses love who
loves his friend in God
and loves his enemy for God’s sake.

Ille enim ueraciter caritatem habet, qui
et amicum diligit in Deo, et inimicum diligit propter Deum.

There are some people who love their neighbors, drawn by blood relationship or by natural affection, and Scripture does not oppose this kind of love. But what we give freely and naturally is one thing, and the obedience we owe to the Lord’s commandments out of love is another. Those mentioned indisputably love their neighbors, yet they don’t attain love’s sublime rewards since their love does not come from spiritual but from natural motives.

 Nam sunt nonnulli qui diligunt proximos, sed per affectum cognationis et carnis, quibus tamen in hac dilectione sacra eloquia non contradicunt.  Sed aliud est quod sponte impenditur naturae, aliud quod praeceptis dominicis ex caritate debetur oboedientiae. Hi nimirum et proximum diligunt, et tamen illa sublimia dilectionis praemia non assequuntur, quia amorem suum non spiritaliter, sed carnaliter impendunt.

Therefore when the Lord said: This is my commandment, that you love one another, he added immediately: Just as I have loved you, meaning, “You must love for the same reason that I have loved you.”

Proinde cum Dominus diceret: Hoc est mandatum meum, ut diligatis inuicem, protinus addidit: Sicut dilexi uos. Ac si aperte dicat: Ad hoc amate ad quod amaui uos

[2] Dearly beloved, we must consider this carefully. When our ancient enemy draws our hearts to delight in temporal things, he is stirring up a weaker neighbor against us. This neighbor may be plotting to take away the very things we love. In doing this our ancient enemy is not concerned to do away with our earthly possessions; he wants to destroy our lives. Suddenly we are set on fire with hatred, and while we desire to be outwardly unconquerable, inwardly we are gravely wounded. When we defend our small outer possession, we lose our great inner one, since when we love something temporal we lose our true love. Everyone who takes away our possessions is an enemy. But if we begin to hate our enemy, our loss is of something internal. When then we suffer something external from a neighbor, we must be on our guard against a hidden ravager within. This one is never better overcome than when we love the one who ravages us from without. The unique, the highest proof of love is this, to love the person who is against us. This is why Truth himself bore the suffering of the cross and yet bestowed his love on his persecutors, saying: Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. (Lk 23:34)

2. Qua in re, fratres carissimi, sollerter intuendum est quod antiquus hostis, dum mentem nostram ad rerum temporalium delectationem trahit, infirmiorem contra nos proximum excitat, qui ea ipsa quae diligimus auferre moliatur. Nec curat antiquus hostis, haec faciens, ut terrena tollat, sed ut caritatem in nobis feriat. Nam in odio repente exardescimus; et dum foris inuicti esse cupimus, intus grauiter ferimur; dum parua foras defendimus, intus amittimus maxima, quia dum rem diligimus temporalem, ueram amittimus dilectionem. Omnis quippe qui nostra tollit, inimicus est. Sed si odio habere coeperimus inimicum, intus est quod perdimus. Cum ergo aliquid exterius a proximo patimur, contra occultum raptorem interius uigilemus, qui numquam melius uincitur, nisi cum raptor exterior amatur. Vna quippe et summa est probatio caritatis, si et ipse diligitur qui aduersatur. Hinc est quod ipsa Veritas et crucis patibulum sustinet, et tamen ipsis suis persecutoribus affectum dilectionis impendit, dicens: Pater ignosce illis, quia nesciunt quid faciunt.

    Why should we wonder that his living disciples loved their enemies, when their dying master loved his. He expressed the depth of his love when he said: No one has greater love than this, than that he lay down his life for his friends. The Lord had come to die even for his enemies, and yet he said he would lay down his life for his friends to show us that when we are able to win over our enemies by loving them even our persecutors are our friends.

Quid ergo mirum si inimicos diligant discipuli dum uiuunt, quando et tunc inimicos diligit magister cum occiditur? Cuius dilectionis summam exprimit, cum subiungit: Maiorem hanc dilectionem nemo habet, ut animam suam ponat quis pro amicis suis. Mori etiam pro inimicis Dominus uenerat, et tamen positurum se animam pro amicis dicebat, ut profecto nobis ostenderet quia dum diligendo lucrum facere de inimicis possumus, etiam ipsi amici sunt qui persequuntur.

[3] But no one is persecuting us to the point of death. How then can we prove that we love our friends? But there is something we should do during times of peace in the Church to make clear whether we are strong enough to die for the sake of loving during times of persecution. John, the author of this gospel, says: He who has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does God’s love dwell in him? (Jn 3:17) And John the Baptist says: Let him who has two tunics give to him who has none. (Lk 3:11) Will a person, then, who will not give up his tunic for the sake of God during quiet times give up his life during a persecution? Cultivate the virtue of love in tranquil times by showing mercy, then, so what it will be unconquerable in times of disorder. Learn first to give up your possessions for almighty God, and then yourself.

3. Sed ecce nos usque ad mortem nemo persequitur. Vnde ergo probare possumus an diligimus amicos? Sed est quod in pace sanctae ecclesiae fieri debeat, unde clarescat si persecutionis tempore mori pro dilectione ualeamus. Certe idem Iohannes dicit: Qui habuerit substantiam mundi, et uiderit fratrem suum necesse habere, et clauserit uiscera sua ab eo, quomodo caritas Dei manet in eo? Hinc etiam Iohannes Baptista ait: Qui habet duas tunicas, det non habenti. Qui ergo tranquillitatis tempore non dat pro Deo tunicam suam, quando in persecutione daturus est animam suam? Virtus ergo caritatis ut inuicta sit in perturbatione, nutriatur per misericordiam in tranquillitate, quatenus omnipotenti Deo primum discat sua impendere, postmodum se.

[4] You are my friends. How great is our Creator’s mercy! We were unworthy servants, and he calls us friends. How great is our human value, that we should be friends of God!

4. Sequitur: Vos amici mei estis. O quanta est misericordia conditoris nostri! Serui digni non fuimus et amici uocamur. Quanta est dignitas hominum esse amicos Dei!

    You’ve heard your glorious dignity—now listen to what the struggle costs. If you do whatever I command you. You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you. When the sons of Zebedee, through their mother, asked that one should sit at God’s right hand and the other at his left, they heard him say: Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink? (Mt 20:22) They were seeking a place of eminence. Truth called them back to the way by which they could come to it, as if he were saying: “This place of eminence delights you now, but first you must follow the way of suffering. The cup is the way to greatness. If your heart is seeking what allures it, first drink what causes it pain. Only through the bitter drink which is prepared for it does it reach the joy of salvation.

Sed audistis gloriam dignitatis, audite et laborem certaminis: Si feceritis quae ego praecipio uobis. Amici mei estis, si ea quae praecipio facitis. Ac si aperte dicat: Gaudetis de culmine, pensate quibus laboribus uenitur ad culmen. Certe dum filii Zebedaei, interueniente matre, quaererent ut unus a dextris Dei et alius a sinistris sedere debuissent, audierunt: Potestis bibere calicem quem ego bibiturus sum? Iam locum celsitudinis quaerebant, ad uiam illos Veritas reuocat, per quam ad celsitudinem uenirent. Ac si dicatur: Iam uos locus delectat celsitudinis, sed prius uia exerceat laboris. Per calicem pertingitur ad maiestatem. Si mens uestra appetit quod demulcet, prius bibite quod dolet. Sic sic per amarum poculum confectionis peruenitur ad gaudium salutis.

    I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because everything I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. What are all these things he has heard from his Father, which he willed to make known to his servants in order to make them his friends? Are they not the joys of spiritual love? Are they not the festivals of our heavenly home which he daily impresses on our hearts by his inspiring love? When we love the supercelestial things we have heard about, we already know the things we love, because love itself is knowledge. He had made everything known to them, then. Transformed from their earthly desires, they were burning with flames of the supreme love.

Iam non dicam uos seruos, quia seruus nescit quid faciat dominus eius. Vos autem dixi amicos, quia omnia quaecumque audiui a Patre meo, nota feci uobis. Quae sunt omnia quae audiuit a Patre suo, quae nota fieri uoluit seruis suis, ut eos efficeret amicos suos, nisi gaudia internae claritatis, nisi illa festa supernae patriae, quae nostris cotidie mentibus per aspirationem sui amoris imprimit? Dum enim audita supercaelestia amamus, amata iam nouimus, quia amor ipse notitia est. Omnia ergo eis nota fecerat, qui a terrenis desideriis immutati amoris summi facibus ardebant.

    The prophet had seen people who were truly God’s friends when he said: Your friends, O God, have become exceedingly honorable to me! (Ps 139:17[V 138:17])

Istos uero amicos Dei aspexerat propheta, cum dicebat: Mihi autem nimis honorificati sunt amici tui, Deus.

A FRIEND CAN BE CALLED
A KIND OF SOUL-KEEPER.

Amicus enim
quasi animi custos uocatur.

Since the psalmist looked forward to seeing God’s chosen ones separated from love of this world, and keeping his will by observing the divine mandates, he marveled at God’s friends, saying: Your friends, O God, have become exceedingly honorable to me! And as if we were immediately seeking to learn the reasons for such great honor he adds: Their pr-eminence has been exceedingly strengthened. (Ps 139:17 [V 138:17]) We see God’s elect subduing their bodies, strengthening their spirits, commanding demons, shining with virtues, despising things of this present life, preaching our eternal homeland by voice and character, loving it even when they are dying and attaining it by their sufferings. They can be killed but never turned away from it. This is why their preeminence has been exceedingly strengthened.

Quia igitur psalmista prospexit electos Dei a mundi huius amore separatos custodire in mandatis caelestibus uoluntatem Dei, miratus est amicos Dei, dicens: Mihi autem nimis honorificati sunt amici tui, Deus. Et tamquam si ab eo protinus causas honoris tanti nobis insinuari quaereremus, illico adiunxit: Nimis confortatus est principatus eorum. Ecce electi Dei carnem domant, spiritum roborant, daemonibus imperant, uirtutibus coruscant, praesentia despiciunt, aeternam patriam cum uoce moribus praedicant; eam etiam moriendo diligunt, atque ad illam per tormenta pertingunt. Occidi possunt et flecti nequeunt. Nimis ergo confortatus est principatus eorum.

    See in the suffering by which they died physically their loftiness of mind. How did this come about except that their pre-eminence was strengthened. But perhaps these great ones are few in number? The psalmist added: I shall count them, and they shall be multiplied beyond the grains of sand. (Ps 139:18 [V 138:18]) Consider the whole world, my friends. It is filled with martyrs. We who look upon them are not nearly as numerous as those witnesses to the Truth. God has counted them, and they have been multiplied for us beyond the grains of sand, they whose number we are unable to grasp.

In ista ipsa passione, qua ceciderunt in morte carnis, uidete quantum fuerit culmen mentis. Vnde hoc, nisi quia confortatus est principatus eorum? Sed sic magni forsitan pauci sunt. Subiunxit: Dinumerabo eos, et super arenam multiplicabuntur. Totum mundum, fratres, aspicite: martyribus plenus est. Iam paene tot qui uideamus non sumus quot ueritatis testes habemus. Deo ergo numerabiles nobis super arenam multiplicati sunt, qui quanti sint a nobis comprehendi non possunt.

[5] But let one who has attained the dignity of being called a friend of God observe that the gifts he perceives in himself are beyond him; let him attribute nothing to his own merits so that he become an enemy. The Lord adds: You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and appointed you to go and bring forth fruit. “I have appointed you for grace. I have planted you to go willingly and bring forth fruit by your works. I have said that you should go willingly, since to will to do something is already to go in your heart.” Then he adds the quality their fruit is to have: And your fruit is to endure. Everything we labor for in this present world scarcely lasts until death. Death intervenes and cuts off the fruit of our labor. But what we do for eternal life remains even after death; it begins to appear only when the fruits of our physical labors cease to be visible. The recompense of the one begins when the other is ended. Let one who recognizes that he now bears eternal fruit within his soul think little of the temporal fruits of his labors. Let us work for the fruit that endures, let us work for the fruit that begins at death since death destroys all others. The prophet testified that the fruits of God begin at death when he said: He gives to his beloved sleep; this is the inheritance of the Lord. (Jn 16:23-24) Everyone who sleeps in death loses his inheritance. But when he gives to his beloved sleep, this is the inheritance of the Lord, because God’s elect find their inheritance after they have reached death.

5. Sed quisquis ad hanc peruenit dignitatem, ut amicus uocetur Dei, sese in se conspiciat, dona autem quae percipit, super se. Nihil suis meritis tribuat, ne ad inimicitias erumpat. Vnde et subditur: Non uos me elegistis, sed ego elegi uos, et posui uos, ut eatis et fructum afferatis. Posui ad gratiam, plantaui ut eatis uolendo, fructum afferatis operando. Eatis enim uolendo dixi, quia uelle aliquid facere, iam mente ire est. Qualem uero fructum afferre debeant subditur: Et fructus uester maneat. Omne quod secundum praesens saeculum laboramus uix usque ad mortem sufficit. Mors namque interueniens fructum nostri laboris abscidit. Quod uero pro aeterna uita agitur, etiam post mortem seruatur, et tunc apparere incipit, cum laborum carnalium fructus coeperit non uideri. Ibi ergo illa retributio inchoat, ubi ista terminatur. Quisquis igitur iam aeterna cognouit, apud eius animum temporales fructus uilescant. Tales fructus operemur qui maneant; tales fructus operemur qui, cum mors cuncta interimat, ipsi exordium a morte sumant. Nam quod a morte incipiat fructus Dei, testatur propheta qui dicit: Cum dederit dilectis suis somnum, haec est hereditas Domini. Omnis qui dormit in morte perdit hereditatem; sed cum dederit dilectis suis somnum, haec est hereditas Domini, quia electi Dei postquam peruenerint ad mortem, tunc inueniunt hereditatem.

[6] He continues, that whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will grant you. Here he says, Whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will grant you, and in another place the same evangelist has him saying, If you ask anything of the Father in my name he will give it to you. Up to now you have asked nothing in my name.9 If the Father gives us everything we ask in the name of his Son why is it that Paul three times besought the Lord and did not merit to be heard, but was told: My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ (2 Kg 12:9) Did the great preacher not ask in the name of the Son?

6. Sequitur: Vt quodcumque petieritis Patrem in nomine meo, det uobis. Ecce hic dicit: Quodcumque petieritis Patrem in nomine meo, det uobis. Rursum alibi per eumdem euangelistam dicit: Si quid petieritis Patrem in nomine meo, dabit uobis. Vsque modo non petistis quidquam in nomine meo. Si omne quod petimus in nomine Filii dat nobis Pater, quid est quod Paulus ter Dominum rogauit et exaudiri non meruit, sed dictum est illi: Sufficit tibi gratia mea, nam uirtus in infirmitate perficitur? Numquid ille tam egregius praedicator in Filii nomine non petiit? Quare autem non accepit quod petiit?

Then why didn’t he receive what he asked? How is it true that whatever we ask in the Son’s name he gives us if the Apostle asked in the Son’s name that the angel of satan be taken from him but did not receive what he asked?

Quomodo ergo uerum est quia quidquid petierimus in nomine Filii dat nobis, si auferri a se angelum Satanae petiit apostolus in nomine Filii, et tamen quod petiit non accepit?

    The Son’s name is Jesus. Jesus means “saviour” or “saving”. One who asks in the Saviour’s name asks what pertains to actual salvation. If what he asks for is not for his good he is not asking the Father in Jesus” name. Hence the Lord says to his apostles while they were still weak, Up to now you have asked nothing in my name. (Jn 16:24) He means, “You who do not know how to seek eternal salvation have not asked in the Saviour’s name.” That is the reason too why Paul was not heard. If he had been freed from temptation it would not been of help to his salvation.

Sed quia nomen Filii Iesus est, Iesus autem Saluator uel etiam salutaris dicitur, ille ergo in nomine Saluatoris petit, qui illud petit quod ad ueram salutem pertinet. Nam si id quod non expediat petitur, non in nomine Iesu petitur Pater. Vnde et eisdem apostolis adhuc infirmantibus Dominus dicit: Vsque modo non petistis quidquam in nomine meo. Ac si aperte diceretur: Non petistis in nomine salutaris, qui nescitis quaerere aeternam salutem. Hinc est quod et Paulus non exauditur, quia si liberaretur a temptatione, ei non proderat ad salutem.

[7] We see, dearly beloved, how many have gathered for the martyr’s feast. You bend your knees, you strike your breasts, you raise your voices in prayer and praise, you bathe your faces with your tears. But consider your requests, I beseech you, and see if you are asking in the name of Jesus, if you are asking for the joys of eternal salvation. You are not seeking Jesus in the house of Jesus if you are praying unreasonably for temporal things in the temple of eternity. One seeks in his prayer for a wife, another a country estate, another for clothing, another prays earnestly for food. We are indeed to ask these things from almighty God when we lack them. But we must constantly remember what we have received from our Redeemer’s precept: Seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things will be given you as well. (Mt 6:33)

7. Ecce uidemus, fratres carissimi, quam multi ad sollemnitatem martyris conuenistis, genua flectitis, pectus tunditis, uoces orationis ac confessionis emittitis, faciem lacrimis rigatis. Sed pensate, quaeso, petitiones uestras; uidete si in nomine Iesu petitis, id est si gaudia salutis aeternae postulatis. In domo enim Iesu Iesum non quaeritis, si in aeternitatis templo importune pro temporalibus oratis. Ecce alius in oratione quaerit uxorem, alius petit uillam, alius postulat uestem, alius dari sibi deprecatur alimentum. Et quidem cum haec desunt, ab omnipotenti Deo petenda sunt. Sed meminisse continue debemus quod ex mandato eiusdem nostri Redemptoris accepimus: Quaerite primum regnum Dei et iustitiam eius, et haec omnia adicientur uobis.

    To ask these things of Jesus, then, is not to go wrong, if our requests are not excessive. What is more serious, is that one asks the death of an enemy, and pursues in his prayer one whom he cannot pursue with his sword. The one upon whom this evil is wished lives on, and yet the one who wishes him evil is held guilty of his death. God commands us to love our enemy, and yet he beseeches God to kill him. Anyone who prays in this way is fighting against his Creator in his prayers. And so it was said, as applying to Judas, Let his prayer be counted as sin. (Ps 109:7 [V 108:7])

Et haec itaque ab Iesu petere non est errare, si tamen non nimie petantur. Sed adhuc, quod est grauius, alius postulat mortem inimici, eum que quem gladio non potest persequi, persequitur oratione. Et uiuit adhuc qui maledicitur, et tamen is qui maledicit iam de morte illius reus tenetur. Iubet autem Deus ut diligatur inimicus, et tamen rogatur Deus ut occidat inimicum. Quisquis itaque sic orat, in ipsis suis precibus contra conditorem pugnat. Vnde et sub Iudae specie dicitur: Fiat oratio eius in peccato.

    Prayer is counted as sin when it is a request for things the one being asked has forbidden.

Oratio quippe in peccato est illa petere quae prohibet ipse qui petitur.

[8] So Truth tells us: When you stand up to pray, forgive, if you have anything in your hearts. (Mk 11:25) I can show this virtue of forgiveness more clearly if I bring forward an example from the Old Testament. When Judea had complained of their Creator’s justice, even their sins had demanded it, the Lord forbade his prophet to pray, saying: You shall not raise praise or prayer on their behalf ; (Jn 7:16) even if Moses and Samuel were standing in my sight, my soul would not warm to this people. (Jn 15:1) Why has he passed over so many fathers unnoticed, and brought forward only Moses and Samuel? Their great power to work marvels is shown when it is said that not even they are able to make intercession. The Lord means, “I do not listen even to those whom I do not spurn owing to the great merit of their request.” Why is it that Moses and Samuel are preferred to all the other fathers in this matter of making requests if it is not that these two alone in the whole history of the Old Testament are said to have prayed earnestly even for their enemies? One of them the people attacked with stones, and yet he prayed to his Lord for those who were stoning him.’7 The other was deposed form his position of leadership, and yet when he was asked to make supplication he yielded, saying: Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you. (1S 12:23)

8. Hinc Veritas dicit: Cum statis ad orandum, remittite si quid habetis in cordibus uestris. Quam uirtutem remissionis apertius ostendimus, si unum testimonium testamenti ueteris proferamus. Certe cum Iudaea conditoris sui iustitiam culpis exigentibus offendisset, prophetam suum ab oratione Dominus prohibens dicit: Non assumas laudem et orationem pro eis. Si Moyses et Samuel steterint coram me, non est anima mea ad populum istum. Quid est quod intermissis relictis que tot patribus, soli Moyses et Samuel ad medium deducuntur, quorum mira obtinendi uirtus ostenditur, dum nec ipsi posse intercedere dicuntur? Ac si aperte Dominus dicat: Nec illos audio quos propter magnum petitionis suae meritum minime contemno. Quid ergo est quod Moyses et Samuel ceteris patribus in postulatione praeferuntur, nisi quod duo hi tantummodo in cuncta testamenti ueteris serie etiam pro inimicis suis leguntur exorasse? Vnus a populo lapidibus impetitur, et tamen pro lapidatore suo Dominum deprecatur. Alter ex principatu deicitur, et tamen petitus ut exoraret, fatetur dicens: Absit a me hoc peccatum in Domino, quominus cessem orare pro uobis.

    If Moses and Samuel were standing in my sight, my soul would not warm to this people. “I do not now listen to them when they pray for their friends, even though I know that in their great virtue they pray even for their enemies.” The power of true prayer is the summit of love. Each one receives what he properly requests, when his mind is not blinded by hatred of his enemy when he makes it.

Si Moyses et Samuel steterint coram me, non est anima mea ad populum istum. Ac si aperte dicat: Nec illos modo pro amicis audio, quos magnae uirtutis merito orare etiam pro inimicis scio. Virtus ergo uerae orationis est celsitudo caritatis. Et tunc quisque quod recte petit adipiscitur, cum eius animus in petitione nec inimici odio fuscatur.

We often subdue our minds when they are reluctant, we pray for our enemies, we pour out prayers for our adversaries: would that our hearts were filled with love! We frequently offer a prayer for our enemies, but we do it because it is commanded rather than out of love. We even ask life for our enemies, and yet we’re afraid that we’ll be heard. But the Judge of our souls considers our hearts rather than our words. He is asking nothing for his enemy who does not pray for him out of love.

Sed plerumque reluctantem animum uincimus, etiam pro inimicis oramus, fundimus pro aduersariis precem, sed utinam cor teneat amorem. Nam saepe et orationem inimicis nostris impendimus, sed hanc ex praeceptione potius fundimus quam ex caritate. Nam et uitam inimicorum petimus, et tamen ne exaudiamur timemus. Sed quia internus iudex mentem potius quam uerba considerat, pro inimico nihil postulat, qui pro eo ex caritate non orat.

[9] But our enemy has committed a serious offense against us. He has inflicted losses, injured those who support him, persecuted his friends. We might keep these things in mind, if we had no sins of our own to be forgiven. Our Advocate has indeed composed a prayer for our case, and in this case our Advocate is also our Judge. He has inserted a condition in the prayer which he composed: Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. (Mt 6:12) Since he who is our Advocate is coming also as our Judge, he who formed our prayer is listening to it. We either say the words, Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors, without carrying them out, and so bind ourselves more tightly by our words; or we may perhaps omit this condition in our prayer, and our Advocate does not recognize the prayer which he composed, and immediately says to himself: “I know what I taught them. This is not the prayer I formed for them.”

9. Sed ecce nobis inimicus grauiter deliquit, damna intulit, iuuantes laesit, amantes persecutus est. Retinenda haec essent, si remittenda nobis delicta non essent. Aduocatus etenim noster precem nobis in causa nostra composuit, et ipse eiusdem causae iudex est, qui aduocatus. Preci autem quam composuit condicionem inseruit dicens: Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Quia ergo ipse iudex uenit qui aduocatus exstitit, ipse precem exaudit qui fecit. Aut ergo non facientes dicimus: Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris, et nosmetipsos hoc dicendo amplius ligamus. Aut fortasse hanc condicionem in oratione intermittimus, et aduocatus noster precem quam composuit non recognoscit, atque apud se protinus dicit: Scio quid monui, non est ipsa oratio quam feci.

    What are we to do, then, my friends? We must bestow our love on our brothers and sisters. No malice should remain in our hearts. May almighty God have regard for our love of our neighbor, so that he may pardon our iniquities. Remember what he has taught us: Forgive, and you will be forgiven. (Lk 6:37) People are in debt to us, and we to them. Let us forgive their debts, so that what we owe may be forgiven. But our hearts struggle against this. They want to fulfil what they hear, but yet they are reluctant to do so.

Quid ergo nobis agendum est, fratres, nisi ut uerae caritatis affectum impendamus fratribus? Nulla in corde malitia maneat. Consideret omnipotens Deus erga proximum caritatem nostram, ut nostris impendat iniquitatibus pietatem suam. Mementote quod monemur: Dimittite et dimittetur uobis. Ecce et debetur nobis, et debemus. Dimittamus ergo quod debetur nobis, ut dimittatur quod debetur a nobis. Sed ad haec mens renititur, et uult implere quod audit, et tamen reluctatur.

    We have gathered at this martyr’s tomb. We know by what kind of death he reached the heavenly kingdom. If we do not lay down our lives for Christ, let us at least conquer our hearts. God is appeased by this sacrifice. At the time of his loving judgment he will approve the victory won through our peace. He sees the struggle going on in our hearts, and he helps those who struggle, just as he will later reward those who overcome. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

Ad martyris tumbam consistimus, qui ad caeleste regnum ex qua morte peruenerit scimus. Nos si pro Christo corpus non ponimus, saltem animum uincamus. Placatur Deus isto sacrificio, approbat in iudicio pietatis suae uictoriam pacis nostrae. Certamen nostri cordis aspicit, et qui post uincentes remunerat, nunc decertantes iuuat, per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum, qui uiuit et regnat Deus in unitate Spiritus sancti, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.