216. For whoever clings, is in a trap. And that citizen seems to be the ruler of this world. Finally, he is sent to his villa which he bought, to excuse himself from the kingdom. And he feeds pigs: those in which the devil seeks to enter, those he throws into the sea of this world, living in filth and stench.
(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16) And he desired, he said, to fill his belly with the pods.
For there is no other concern for the luxurious, except to fill their stomachs, which stomach is their god (Philippians 3:19). But what food is more suitable for people of this kind than that which, like a pod, is empty inside and soft outside: by which the body is not nourished, but filled; so it becomes more of a burden than a use?
There are those who accept pigs as herds of demons, husks as the power of empty men, and boastful words that can be of no benefit, with a certain seduction of empty philosophy, and demonstrating more the pomp of eloquence than any usefulness. But these pleasures cannot last long; and therefore,
Nobody gave to him; for he was in the region of one who has nobody; because he does not have those who exist. For indeed all people are considered as nothing (Isaiah 40:15): but God alone is the one who gives life to the dead, and calls things that are not, as though they were (Romans 4:17).
(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17) But when he came to himself, he said: How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare!
He who turns back to himself turns well within himself. Indeed, he who turns back to the Lord returns himself to himself, and he who departs from Christ abdicates himself. But the mercenaries, unless they serve for wages, who are from Israel, do not pursue what is good out of a desire for honesty, nor for the sake of virtue, but are driven by a desire for utility. But truly, the son who has the pledge of the Holy Spirit in his heart does not seek the petty wages of this world, for whom he should serve. Heirs are also mercenary workers who are hired for the vineyard. Good mercenary workers Peter, John, James, to whom it is said: Come, and I will make you fishers of men (Matth. IV, 19). They do not have figs, but they have an abundance of bread. Finally, they gathered twelve baskets of fragments (Matth. XIV, 20). O Lord Jesus, if you take away our figs and give us bread! For you are the steward in the house of the Father. Oh, if you would also deem us worthy to be hired as mercenary workers, even if we come late! For you also hired workers at the eleventh hour (Matthew 20:9), and you deem it worthy to pay an equal wage, an equal wage of life, not of glory; for the crown of righteousness is not reserved for everyone, but for those who can say: I have fought the good fight (2 Timothy 4:7).
That is why I consider it necessary to mention, because I know that some people say that they reserve the grace of baptism or penance for their own death. First, how do you know if your soul will be demanded of you tonight? And then why do you think that everything can be put off until you have leisure? Suppose there is one grace, one reward; yet the prize of victory is different, to which Paul rightly aspired after receiving the reward of grace, pursuing it as his prize (Philippians 3:14). For he knew that although the reward of grace might be equal, the palm would still be for only a few.
222. And since we have come into the vineyard of the Lord, let us not depart empty-handed: for it is pleasing to gather the fruits and see His laborers. For what does it mean that workers are hired at different hours of the day (Matthew 20:1 and so on), if not because a thousand years are like a day in the eyes of the Lord, like yesterday's day that has passed, and an hour in the night (Psalm 90:4)? What is the night, except that which precedes, so that the day may draw near? And it is rightly called an hour in the night, because a thousand years are like one day (2 Peter 3:8). He who said, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. XIII, 8), knows the power of this day. He also knew that the day is manifold, who wrote, “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created” (Gen. II, 4). For when he had described seven days above, he encompassed all things in one day, showing the entire time of the world in the sight of the Lord as one day. This is because from the unformed and darkened state of the world, it has proceeded by the brightness of the divine work. Therefore, if the day is the entire time of the world, it certainly also has its hours in the ages: or the ages themselves are the hours. However, there are twelve hours of the day; hence, Christ is rightly called the day, whose apostles, distinguished by celestial light, shone forth with the turns of grace in themselves.
223. Therefore, the father of the family came and hired workers at the first hour, perhaps those who deserved to be righteous from the beginning of the world until the flood, about whom he said: 'And I spoke to you before dawn: and I sent my servants, the prophets, to you before dawn' (Jeremiah, VII, 25). The third period begins after the flood, encompassing the times of Noah and the others who are destined to be good workers in the vineyard; therefore Noah was, as it were, drunk at lunch. The merits of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob distinguish the sixth and remaining days. The ninth day, as the century declines and the light of virtue pales, the Law and the Prophets note the colorless morals of men. The eleventh day, and what remains of the day, the sacred coming forth produces. Hence, he himself says in the Gospel: Walk while you have the light (John XII, 35).
224. But now let us return to the Father; though I do not fear that we may seem to have been absent for a long time by the example of this penitent (for we have never been absent, who were in the vineyard, in which if he had remained, he would not have departed from the Father), it must be carefully avoided that we delay our reconciliation to him, which the Father did not delay. He is easily reconciled when earnestly begged. And therefore let us learn with what kind of supplication the Father is to be sought. Father, he says. How merciful, how pious, who is not offended to hear the name of his homeland!
(Vers. 18.)
(Verse. 18.) Father, he said, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
This is the first confession before the author of nature, the bishop of mercy, the judge of guilt. But although God knows all things, he still expects the voice of your confession. For confession is made with the mouth for salvation (Rom. X, 10); because it lightens the weight of error, whoever himself burdens himself; and it excludes the envy of accusation, who anticipates the accuser by confessing: For a righteous man accuses himself at the beginning of his speech (Prov. XVIII, 17). But you are trying in vain to hide what deceives no one; and you are giving away without danger what you know to be already known. Confess more, so that Christ, whom we have as an advocate with the Father, may intercede for you; let the Church pray for you, and let the people shed tears for you. Do not fear that you will not obtain. The advocate promises forgiveness, the patron promises grace, the defender promises reconciliation through paternal compassion to you. Believe, because it is the truth; acquiesce, because it is virtue. He has a reason to intervene for you, so that he may not die for you in vain. He has a reason to forgive, Father, because what the son wants, the Father also wants.
226. (Verse 18.) I have sinned against heaven and before you. It is not surely the elements that are expressed, but the heavenly gifts of the diminished Spirit are signified by the sin of the soul; or because it was not fitting to stray from the bosom of the mother Jerusalem, which is in heaven.
(Vers. 19.)
(Verse 19.) I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
For one who is dejected should not lift himself up; so that he may be rightfully elevated in his humility.
(Ibid.) Make me like one of your hired servants.
228. He knows the difference between sons, friends, mercenaries, and slaves; a son through baptism, a friend through virtue, a mercenary through work, a slave through fear. But even from slaves and mercenaries friends are made, according to what is written: You are my friends, if you do what I command you: I do not call you slaves anymore (John XV, 14).
229. She said this to herself; but it is not enough to say it, unless you come to the father. Where do you seek him, where do you find him? First rise up, that is, you who were sleeping while sitting. And for this reason the Apostle says: Rise, you who sleep, and arise from the dead (Ephesians 5:14). Iniquity sits on a leaden talent. To Moses it is said: But you stand here (Deuteronomy 5:31). Christ chose those who stand. Therefore, rise up, run to the Church; here is the Father, here is the Son, here is the Holy Spirit.
230. (Vers. 20, 21.) There comes to you one who hears you dealing with the secret thoughts of your mind. And even though you are still far away, he sees and comes running. He sees in your heart, he comes running so that no one can hinder you, he embraces you as well: in meeting there is foresight, in embrace there is kindness, and certain affections of paternal love. He falls above your neck to raise you up while lying down, and to bring back to heaven, burdened by sins and turned towards earthly things, in which he seeks his own author. Christ falls upon your neck, so that he may strip off the yoke of servitude from your neck and may suspend his sweet yoke upon your neck. Does it not seem to you that Christ fell upon the neck of John, when John was reclining on the breast of Jesus with his neck bent back? And therefore the Word saw with God, because he was raised up to the things above. He falls upon your neck, when he says: Come to me, all you who labor...and I will refresh you: take my yoke upon you (Matth. XI, 28 and 29). Therefore it falls in this way, if you turn.
231. (Verse 22.) And he orders that the robe, ring, and sandals be brought forward. The robe is the garment of wisdom, which covers the apostle's body, because each one wraps themselves in it; and for this reason they receive the robe, so that they may clothe the weakness of the body with the power of spiritual wisdom. For it is said of Wisdom: She will wash her robe in wine (Gen. XLIX, 11). Therefore, the robe is a spiritual garment and a bridal attire. And what is the ring, if not the seal of sincere faith and the expression of truth? But the preaching of the Gospel is the footwear; and therefore it receives the first wisdom. For there is another mystery which it does not know, unless it has received the seal of its words and deeds, and a certain protection of good intention and course; lest it stumble on a stone with its foot, and being tripped up by the devil, it may abandon the duty of proclaiming the Lord's message. This is the preparation of the Gospel, directing the prepared ones towards the course of heavenly things; so that we may not walk in the flesh, but in the spirit.