We continue October's posts with the writings of St Thomas Aquinas on the prayers used in the Rosary. We began with the Angelic Salutation and then shifted our focus to what he wrote on the Lord's Prayer.
 |
| Lord, teach us how to pray... J-J Tissot. |
I have included my own (fairly literal) English translation, together with a number of Scriptural references and notes.
The footnote references follow each section.
Petition 4 : Give us this day our daily bread
Articulus 4: Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie
It frequently happens that a man of great learning and wisdom can become fearful: and so it fortitude of heart is necessary for him lest he be lacking in his necessities: “ It is he that giveth strength to the weary, and increaseth force and might to them that are not.”[1] Now the Holy Spirit gives this fortitude: “ And the spirit entered into me . . . and he set me upon my feet.”[2] This is then the fortitude which the Holy Spirit gives, that man’s heart falter not in fear for the things necessary for him but that he may believe firmly that all those things necessary for him will be provided to him by God. And so, the Holy Spirit teaches us to ask in prayer from God: “Give us this day our daily bread.” Whence the spirit is said to be of fortitude.
Multoties accidit quod aliquis ex magna scientia et sapientia efficitur timidus; et ideo est ei necessaria fortitudo cordis, ne deficiat in necessitatibus. Isai. XL, 29: qui dat lasso virtutem, et his qui non sunt, fortitudinem et robur multiplicat. Hanc autem fortitudinem spiritus sanctus dat: Ezech. II, 2: ingressus est in me spiritus (...) et statuit me super pedes meos. Est autem haec fortitudo quam spiritus sanctus dat, ut cor hominis non deficiat timore rerum necessariarum, sed credat firmiter quod omnia quae sunt ei necessaria, ministrentur sibi a Deo. Et ideo spiritus sanctus, qui hanc fortitudinem dat, docet nos petere a Deo: panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie. Unde spiritus fortitudinis dicitur.
[1] It is he that giveth strength to the weary, and increaseth force and might to them that are not. Qui dat lasso virtutem, et his qui non sunt fortitudinem et robur multiplicat. [Isai. xl. 29]
[2] And the spirit entered into me after that he spoke to me, and he set me upon my feet: and I heard him speaking to me, Et ingressus est in me spiritus postquam locutus est mihi, et statuit me supra pedes meos : et audivi loquentem ad me, [Ezech. ii.2]
It is to be noted, however, that in the three preceding petitions spiritual things are asked for, which begin here in this world but are not completed until life eternal (of the next). When we pray “hallowed be” God’s name, we are praying that God’s holiness be known; when we pray that God’s “kingdom come,” we are praying that we may become partakers of life eternal; when we pray God’s “will be done,” we are praying that His will be accomplished in us; all of these things, even if they can be begun in this world, yet they cannot be had perfectly until the life eternal to come. And so it was necessary to pray for certain necessities that might be had in the present life. Whence it is that the Holy Spirit taught us to ask in prayer for things necessary in the present life, which may be had completely here; and shows us that our temporal needs are provided for by God. And this is what is said: “Give us this day our daily bread.”
Sciendum est autem, quod in tribus praecedentibus petitionibus petuntur spiritualia, quae hic inchoantur in hoc mundo, sed non perficiuntur nisi in vita aeterna. Cum enim petimus quod sanctificetur nomen Dei, petimus quod cognoscatur sanctitas Dei; cum vero petimus quod adveniat regnum Dei, petimus quod simus participes vitae aeternae; cum autem oramus quod fiat voluntas Dei, petimus quod compleatur voluntas eius in nobis; quae omnia etsi inchoentur in hoc mundo, non tamen possunt haberi perfecte nisi in vita aeterna. Et ideo necessarium fuit aliqua petere necessaria quae perfecte possent haberi in vita praesenti. Et inde est quod spiritus sanctus docuit petere necessaria in vita praesenti, quae perfecte hic habentur: simul etiam ut ostendat quod etiam temporalia providentur nobis a Deo. Et hoc est quod dicit: panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie.
In these words the Holy Spirit has taught us to avoid the five sins which commonly arise from the desire for temporal things. The first sin is that a man, through immoderate desire, seeks those things which go beyond his state and condition, not satisfied with those things which befit him. For instance, if he desires clothes and he is a soldier, he wants a knight’s clothes; if he is a cleric, he wants those of a bishop. This vice draws men away from spiritual things, in that it makes their desire adhere to temporal things. The Lord has taught us to avoid this vice, directing us to pray only for bread, that is, the necessities of the present life according to each one’s condition. All these things are understood under the name bread. Whence He has not taught us to ask in prayer for what is luxurious, or for variety, or for what is highly sought after, but for bread without which man’s life cannot be lived, because it is common to all: “ The chief thing for man's life is water and bread;”[3] and “ But having food, and wherewith to be covered, with these we are content.”[4]
In quibus quidem verbis docuit nos vitare quinque peccata quae consueverunt contingere ex desiderio rerum temporalium. Primum peccatum est quod homo per immoderatum appetitum petit ea quae statum et conditionem eius excedunt, non contentus his quae decent eum: sicut si desiderat vestes, non vult eas ut miles, si est miles, sed sicut comes; non ut clericus, si est clericus, sed sicut episcopus. Et hoc vitium retrahit homines a spiritualibus, inquantum nimis inhaeret eorum desiderium temporalibus. Hoc autem vitium docuit nos vitare dominus, docens nos petere panem tantum, idest necessaria ad praesentem vitam secundum conditionem uniuscuiusque; quae omnia sub nomine panis intelliguntur. Unde non docuit delicata petere, non diversa, non exquisita, sed panem, sine quo vita hominis duci non potest, quia omnibus communis est. Eccli. XXIX, 28: initium vitae hominis panis et aqua. Apostolus, I Tim. VI, 8: habentes alimenta et quibus tegamur, his contenti simus.
[3] The chief thing for man's life is water and bread, and clothing, and a house to cover shame. Initium vitae hominis, aqua et panis, et vestimentum, et domus protegens turpitudinem. [Ecclesi. xxix.27]
[4] But having food, and wherewith to be covered, with these we are content. Habentes autem alimenta, et quibus tegamur, his contenti simus. [I Tim. vi. 8]
The second vice is that some men, in the acquisition of temporal goods, cause trouble to others and defraud them. This vice is moreover very dangerous because it is difficult to restore goods that have been taken away. For, according to St Augustine,[5] the sin is not remitted unless that which is taken away is restored. The Lord taught us to avoid this vice, teaching us to ask in prayer for our bread, not that of another. Robbers do not eat their own bread but that of others.
Secundum vitium est quod aliqui in acquisitione rerum temporalium alios molestant et defraudant. Hoc vitium est adeo periculosum quod est difficile bona ablata restitui. Non enim dimittitur peccatum, nisi restituatur ablatum, secundum Augustinum. Quod quidem vitium docuit nos vitare, docens nos petere panem nostrum, non alienum. Raptores enim non comedunt panem suum, sed alienum.
[5] "Epistle" cliii, in Migne, P.L., XXXIII, 662.
The third vice is excessive solicitude. For there are some who are never content with what they have but always want more. This is indeed immoderate because desire must regulated in accordance with need: “ Give me neither beggary, nor riches: give me only the necessaries of life.”[6] This He warns us to avoid, saying: “our daily bread,” which is to say for one day or for one time.
Tertium est superflua sollicitudo. Aliqui enim sunt qui nunquam sunt contenti de eo quod habent, sed semper plus volunt; quod quidem immoderatum est, quia desiderium debet moderari secundum necessitatem. Prov. XXX, 8: divitias et paupertatem ne dederis mihi; sed tantum victui meo tribue necessaria. Et hoc monuit nos vitare, dicens: panem nostrum quotidianum, idest unius diei, vel unius temporis.
[6] Remove far from me vanity, and lying words. Give me neither beggary, nor riches: give me only the necessaries of life: vanitatem et verba mendacia longe fac a me; mendicitatem et divitias ne dederis mihi, tribue tantum victui meo necessaria : [Prov. xxx. 8.]
The fourth vice is immoderate voracity. There are some who want to consume in only one day what would suffice for several days; and these ask not for daily bread but for ten days’ worth of bread; whence they spend too much and it comes to pass that they consume everything: “They that give themselves to drinking, and that club together shall be consumed;”[7] and “ A workman that is a drunkard shall not be rich:[8]
Quartum vitium est immoderata voracitas. Sunt enim aliqui qui tantum volunt consumere uno die quod sufficeret pluribus diebus; et isti petunt non panem quotidianum, sed decem dierum; et ex hoc quod nimis expendunt, contingit quod omnia consumunt. Prov. XXIII, 21: vacantes potibus, et dantes symbola, consumentur. Eccli. XIX, 1: operarius ebriosus non locupletabitur.
[7] Because they that give themselves to drinking, and that club together shall be consumed; and drowsiness shall be clothed with rags. quia vacantes potibus et dantes symbola consumentur, et vestietur pannis dormitatio. [Prov. xxiii. 21]
[8] A workman that is a drunkard shall not be rich: and he that contemneth small things, shall fall by little and little. Operarius ebriosus non locupletabitur : et qui spernit modica paulatim decidet. [Ecclesi. xix. 1]
The fifth vice is ingratitude; for when someone takes pride in his riches, and does not recognise those things he has from God, this is very bad - for all things that we have, whether spiritual or temporal, are from God: “ all things are thine: (and we have given thee) what we received of thy hand.”[9] Accordingly, to take away this vice, the prayer says: “Give us” and “our bread” so that we may know that all things that are ours come from God.
Quintum vitium est ingratitudo. Nam cum aliquis ex divitiis superbit, et non recognoscit a Deo ea quae habet, hoc est valde malum: quia omnia quae habemus, sive spiritualia, sive temporalia, a Deo sunt. I Paral. XXIX, 14: omnia tua sunt, de manu tua accepimus. Ideo ad removendum hoc vitium, dicit: da nobis, et panem nostrum, ut sciamus quod omnia nostra a Deo sunt.
[9] Who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to promise thee all these things? all things are thine: and we have given thee what we received of thy hand. Quis ego, et quis populus meus, ut possimus haec tibi universa promittere? Tua sunt omnia : et quae de manu tua accepimus, dedimus tibi. [I Parap. xxix. 14]
From all this, we have one teaching: because sometimes a man has many riches and obtains no use from them but temporal and spiritual harm. Some have perished on account of riches: “ There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and that frequent among men: A man to whom God hath given riches, and substance, and honour, and his soul wanteth nothing of all that he desireth: yet God doth not give him power to eat thereof, but a stranger shall eat it up.”[10] We should therefore pray that our riches may be of use to us; and this is what we ask when we pray: “Give us our bread;” that is, make our riches useful for us; “ His bread in his belly shall be turned into the gall of asps within him. The riches which he hath swallowed; he shall vomit up, and God shall draw them out of his belly.”[11]
Sed de hoc habemus unum documentum: quia aliquando aliquis habet multas divitias, et ex eis nullam utilitatem consequitur, sed damnum spirituale et temporale. Nam aliqui propter divitias perierunt. Eccl. VI, 1: est et aliud malum quod vidi sub sole, et quidem frequens apud homines. Vir cui dedit Deus divitias et substantiam et honorem, et nihil deest animae suae ex omnibus quae desiderat: nec tribuit ei potestatem Deus ut comedat ex eo, sed homo extraneus vorabit illud. Item ibid. V, 12: divitiae congregatae in malum domini sui. Debemus ergo petere ut divitiae nostrae sint nobis ad utilitatem. Et hoc petimus cum dicimus: panem nostrum da nobis; idest, fac divitias nobis utiles. Iob XX, 14-15: panis eius in utero illius vertetur in fel aspidum intrinsecus. Divitias quas devoravit, evomet; et de ventre illius extrahet eas Deus.
Another vice is for the things of this world, namely an excessive solicitude (for them). For there some who are solicitous about temporal things this day but which are (enough) for a year (of days). Those who have this affliction will never find rest: “Be not solicitous therefore, saying, What shall we eat: or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed?”[12] And so the Lord teaches us that this day may be given to us those things which are necessary for us in the presen ttime.
Aliud vitium est in rebus mundi, scilicet superflua sollicitudo. Nam aliqui sunt qui hodie solicitantur de rebus temporalibus quae erunt usque ad unum annum: et qui hoc habent, nunquam quiescunt. Matth. VI, 31: nolite soliciti esse, dicentes: quid manducabimus, aut quid bibemus, aut quo operiemur? Et ideo dominus docet nos petere quod hodie detur nobis panis noster, idest ea quae sunt nobis necessaria ad praesens tempus.
[10] There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and that frequent among men: Est et aliud malum quod vidi sub sole, et quidem frequens apud homines : A man to whom God hath given riches, and substance, and honour, and his soul wanteth nothing of all that he desireth: yet God doth not give him power to eat thereof, but a stranger shall eat it up. This is vanity and a great misery. vir cui dedit Deus divitias, et substantiam, et honorem, et nihil deest animae suae ex omnibus quae desiderat; nec tribuit ei potestatem Deus ut comedat ex eo, sed homo extraneus vorabit illud : hoc vanitas et miseria magna est. [Eccl. vi. 1,2.]
[11] His bread in his belly shall be turned into the gall of asps within him. Panis ejus in utero illius vertetur in fel aspidum intrinsecus. The riches which he hath swallowed; he shall vomit up, and God shall draw them out of his belly. Divitias quas devoravit evomet, et de ventre illius extrahet eas Deus. [Iob xx. 14-15]
[12] Be not solicitous therefore, saying, What shall we eat: or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? Nolite ergo solliciti esse, dicentes : Quid manducabimus, aut quid bibemus, aut quo operiemur?
There may also be found another, twofold meaning in “bread:” namely, sacramental bread and bread of the Word of God. We therefore pray for our sacramental bread which is confected daily in the Church; so that we may receive it in the sacrament, and it may be given to us unto our salvation: “ I am the living bread which came down from heaven;”[13] and “ For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself.”[14]
Invenitur quidem alius duplex panis: scilicet sacramentalis, et panis verbi Dei. Petimus ergo panem nostrum sacramentalem, qui quotidie in Ecclesia conficitur; ut sicut illud accipimus in sacramento, ita detur nobis ad salutem. Ioan. VI, 51: ego sum panis vivus, qui de caelo descendi. I Cor. XI, 29: qui manducat et bibit indigne, iudicium sibi manducat et bibit.
The secondmeaning of bread is the Word of God: “ Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.”[15] Let us therefore pray that He gives to us this bread, which is His Word. From this comes unto a man that blessedness which is a hunger for justice. For after spiritual things are received, more are desired. And from this desire proceeds a hunger, and from the hunger comes the fullness of eternal life.
Item alius panis est verbum Dei. Matth. IV, 4: non in solo pane vivit homo, sed in omni verbo quod procedit de ore Dei. Petimus ergo ut det nobis panem, idest verbum suum. Ex hoc autem provenit homini beatitudo quae est fames iustitiae. Nam postquam spiritualia habentur, magis desiderantur; et ex hoc desiderio provenit fames, et ex fame satietas vitae aeternae.
[13] I am the living bread which came down from heaven. Ego sum panis vivus, qui de caelo descendi. [Ioan. vi. 51]
[14] For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord. Qui enim manducat et bibit indigne, judicium sibi manducat et bibit, non dijudicans corpus Domini. [I Cor. xi. 29]
[15] Who answered and said: It is written, Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God. Qui respondens dixit : Scriptum est : Non in solo pane vivit homo, sed in omni verbo, quod procedit de ore Dei. [Matt. iv. 4]
No comments:
Post a Comment