I confess, I strike, I am sprinkled, I am contrite, I pray, I sign myself, I eat, I forgive: by these I put away venial sins.
23. Third, with respect to the intimation of humility through word, he adds: Saying: God, be merciful to me a sinner. Note here a most brief prayer and a most efficacious one, because in it the one praying humbles himself and exalts God: and such a prayer is acceptable to God, according to that passage of Sirach thirty-five: "The prayer of him who humbles himself shall penetrate the clouds." He also magnifies God by humbly seeking pardon: Sirach, the last chapter: "I will praise the name of the Lord continually, and my prayer was heard," etc. He also magnifies him by calling him God, because this is the name of supreme majesty: Psalm: "Know that the Lord himself is God: he made us, and not we ourselves"; and again: "For the Lord is a great God and a great king," etc.
It is the name of supreme truth: Numbers twenty-three: "God is not as a man, that he should lie"; and Romans three: "For God is truthful," etc.
It is likewise the name of supreme charity: whence First John four: "God is charity, and he who abides in charity abides in God and God in him."
It is no less the name of supreme piety: Second Corinthians one: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all consolation," etc.
Therefore the publican says, praying as humbly as devoutly: God, be merciful to me a sinner: God of supreme majesty: be merciful to me a sinner, to manifest your power, according to that passage of Wisdom eleven: "You have mercy on all, O Lord, who can do all things, overlooking the sins of men for the sake of repentance," etc.: of supreme truth: be merciful to me a sinner, to manifest your justice: Psalm: "In your truth, hear me in your justice," in truth, I say, which you promised; Ezekiel thirty-three: "The wickedness of the wicked shall not harm him, on whatever day he turns from his iniquity"; of supreme charity: be merciful to me a sinner, to manifest your benevolence: Wisdom eleven: "But you spare all, because they are yours, O Lord, who love souls"; and Jeremiah thirty-one: "With an everlasting charity I have loved you, therefore I have drawn you, having mercy on you," etc.: of supreme piety: be merciful to me a sinner, to manifest your mercy, for which the Prophet prayed in the Psalm: "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your great mercy"; and Sirach thirty-six: "Have mercy on us, O God of all, and look upon us and show us," etc.
24. (Verse 14). Amen I say to you . After he has described the conditions of the persons and of the prayers, here now in the third place he describes the conditions of being heard. Moreover, the condition of being heard is described here with respect to personal judgment and with respect to universal edict.
First therefore, as regards the personal judgment, he says: Amen I say to you: This man went down to his house justified rather than the other, that is, "more than that one," because the Pharisee went down justified according to his own opinion, but this man according to truth. Whence the Lord esteems one humble supplication of a penitent sinner more than the innumerable actions of some just man presuming upon himself. On account of which he says above in the fifteenth chapter: "There is joy among the Angels of God over one sinner doing penance than over ninety-nine just, who do not need penance," that is, who consider themselves not to be in need—in which human pride is wonderfully restrained, so that it may not presume upon its own merits. On account of this also God rejected the proud Jewish people and chose the humble populace of the Gentile nations, whose figure this Pharisee and this publican bear. Whence the Gloss: "Typically the Pharisee designates the people of the Jews, who from the justifications of the Law extols his merits and by being proud withdraws; the humbled publican designates the Gentile, who, placed far from God, confesses his sins and by lamenting draws near to God and is exalted." Therefore it is said in Romans eleven: "Be not high-minded, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you either." If therefore God repels the just on account of pride, how much more the impious and the proud; First Peter four: "If the just man shall scarcely be saved, where shall the impious and the sinner appear"?
25. Second, as to the universal decree, he adds: Because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Here a general judgment is given concerning the humble and the proud; whence the Gloss: "The controversy of the Pharisee and the publican having been set forth, the judge's sentence is given, so that pride may be guarded against." In this judgment the humble is universally preferred to the proud, because the proud man ought to be cast down, according to what is said in Obadiah: "If you have been exalted like an eagle, and if you have placed your nest among the stars," etc.; and Job 20: "If his pride ascends up to heaven, and his head touches the clouds, he shall perish in the end like a dunghill." On account of which, Proverbs 16: "Pride precedes destruction"; and on the contrary, the humble just man is exalted: Job 22: "He who has been humbled shall be in glory, and he who has cast down his eyes, he shall be saved." And therefore 1 Peter, last chapter: "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in the time of visitation." Concerning both of these together, Proverbs 18: "Before destruction the heart of man is exalted, and before he is glorified, he is humbled"; because, as is said in Proverbs 29, "humility follows the proud, and glory shall receive the humble in spirit." And this is what is said in Sirach 20: "There is an abasement because of glory, and there is one who from humility shall lift up his head." — Whence we have an example here in the Pharisee and the publican, an example in the Jewish and Gentile peoples, an example in Saul the reprobate and David the elect, and the supreme example in Lucifer and Jesus Christ. Whence according to this judgment the governance of the whole universe runs its course.
26. And note that this same judgment was set forth above in chapter fourteen concerning those invited to the wedding feast, and is now repeated here; but not without reason, because humility is twofold: one is of charity, by which one voluntarily humbles oneself; the other is the humility of truth, by which one thinks lowly of oneself. Above, therefore, he said this in order to incite to the humility of charity; here he repeats the same in order to incite to the humility of truth, as is apparent, because the publican on account of consciousness of his evil deserts was compelled to think the lowest things of himself. This twofold humility, moreover, is necessary for us, namely of truth in the intellect and of charity in the affection, so that the pride of presumption and of ambition may be excluded from us; and therefore for conveying these things, this judgment is not unreasonably repeated.
27. (Vers. 15.). They were bringing infants to him etc. After he led by a parabolic example to humility in prayer, here consequently by an expressed example he also leads to humility in conduct, and this by the example of infants, who were offered to Christ and accepted by him as a sign of the approval of humility. In the explication of this example, five things are introduced by the Evangelist: first, the importunate offering of the infants; second, the carnal rebuke of those offering; third, the benign reception of those offered; fourth, the judicial approbation of the humble; fifth, the severe reprobation of the proud.
First, therefore, as to the offering of infants, he says: They were bringing infants to him, that he might touch them. The Gloss: "After the aforementioned controversy and the sentence given, infants are offered to the humble Master, that it might be shown that innocent and simple age pertains to grace"; whence in the Psalm: "Out of the mouth of infants and sucklings you have perfected praise." They were offering them, that he might give them a blessing through the imposition of hands: in which the Sacrament of Confirmation was prefigured and in a certain way intimated, in which an abundance of grace and blessing is given, according to that passage in Acts 8: "They laid hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit." Now this Holy Spirit rests upon the little ones, according to that passage in the last chapter of Isaiah: "What is the house that you will build for me? And what is this place of my rest?" "But to whom shall I look, if not to the poor and contrite in spirit and trembling at my words?" where another translation says: "Upon whom shall my Spirit rest, if not upon the humble and quiet one?" And this is most true when one is offered to the Lord; the Psalm: "For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord has taken me up." And therefore as a figure of this it is said in the last chapter of Leviticus: "Whatever has once been consecrated shall be holy of holies to the Lord."
28. Second, as regards the rebuking of those who brought them, he adds: When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them, namely those bringing them, and this because they were carnally attached to Christ. Hence the Gloss: " They rebuked, not because they did not want the infants to be blessed by the hand and voice of the Savior, but because, not yet perfect in faith, they thought that he, in the manner of men, would be wearied by the importunity of those bringing them." Hence for the sake of the Master's rest they were hindering the work of others' salvation, just as Peter too in Matthew 16, when the Lord said that he must suffer, said: "Far be it from you, Lord, this shall not happen to you." Or, because they were carnally attached to their own people; hence the Gloss: " They rebuked, perhaps for this reason, because they wanted the people of the Jews, from whom they were according to the flesh, to be saved first." And therefore they were moved by carnal compassion, concerning which Sirach 18: "The compassion of man is toward his neighbor, but the mercy of God," etc. In this deed, however, the disciples bore the type of carnal priests and prelates, who love carnal rest and proximity of blood more than the salvation of peoples; just as also in their contention, namely of the disciples, which they had, they bear the figure of the ambitious, concerning which below in chapter twenty-two: "There arose a contention among the disciples, which of them should seem to be the greater." And these are the two vices that most corrupt the Church of God, namely ambition for dignities and negligence of the salvation of neighbors. For both of these it is said in Jeremiah 48: "Cursed is he who does the work of God deceitfully, and cursed is he who withholds his sword from blood"; another translation has negligently: in which both deceitful ambition and slothful negligence are condemned together.
29. (Verse 16). Third, as regards the gracious reception of those brought, it is added: But Jesus, calling them together, said: Let the children come to me, and do not forbid them, whom indeed you ought rather to draw and call; hence Proverbs 9: "She sent her handmaids to call to the citadel and to the walls of the city: If anyone is a little one, let him come to me." Therefore they ought not to have forbidden these, but to have called them; Proverbs 3: "Do not forbid him who can do good; if you can, do good yourself." Hence Chrysostom: "If they are to be holy, why do you forbid children to come to their father? If they are to be sinners, why do you pronounce a sentence of condemnation before you see any fault? What they are now is mine; what they will be is their own; honor what is mine, have mercy on what will be theirs."
From which it manifestly appears that children are not to be prohibited from approaching Christ. As a sign of this also, so that he might present himself to children as an example, it is said of him above in the second chapter that "when he was twelve years old, having left his parents, he remained in Jerusalem." As a sign of this also, he accepted the martyrdom of infant children, concerning which Matthew 2: "Herod, sending forth, killed all the boys who were in Bethlehem from two years old and under." As a sign of this also, he accepted the laudatory praise of children; Matthew 21: "The chief priests, seeing the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying: Hosanna to the Son of David! were indignant. And they said to him: Do you hear what these are saying? But Jesus said to them: Have you not read, 'Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babes you have perfected praise'?" Therefore, although children are slain by Herod and repelled by the Pharisees, they are to be received by the disciples, because they are received by Christ and by God; whence the Psalm: "Praise the Lord, you children."
30. Fourth, with regard to the judicial approbation of the humble, it is added: For of such is the kingdom of God, that is, of those similar to children.
And note that children have certain things in themselves in which the wicked are likened to them, and certain things in which the good are likened to them. On account of which, First Corinthians 14: "Do not become children in understanding, but in malice be little ones." — For children have foolishness in reason: Proverbs 22: "Folly is bound up in the heart of a child"; Wisdom 12: "You gave judgment in mockery, as to senseless children."
They have concupiscence in affection; Ecclesiastes 10: "Woe to the land whose king is a child, and whose princes eat in the morning"; and Proverbs 29: "A child who is left to his own will shall bring shame upon his mother."
They also have instability in action: Isaiah 40: "Children shall faint and labor, and youths shall fall in their weakness"; and Ephesians 4: "Let us not be as little ones, tossed about," etc. And therefore Isaiah 65: "A child of a hundred years shall die, and the sinner," etc.
31. Besides these things, children have purity: Daniel 1: "The king commanded the chief of the eunuchs that he should bring in children in whom there was no blemish"; therefore First Kings 21: "If the children are clean, especially from women? And David said: Indeed, the vessels of the children were holy," etc.
They have simplicity: Proverbs 20: "A child is known by his pursuits, whether his works are right and clean"; Hosea 11: "Israel was a child, and I loved him," namely on account of his simplicity; and 1 Chronicles, last chapter: "I know, Lord, that you test hearts and love simplicity." - They have docility: Wisdom 8: "I was a clever child and obtained a good soul"; Proverbs 23: "Do not withhold discipline from a child; for if you strike him with the rod, he will not die." -They have amiability: Job 29: "The Almighty was with me, and my children were round about me"; and above, chapter 11: "Do not trouble me, for my children are with me in bed." - They have tractability: 1 Kings 2: "Samuel ministered before the Lord, a child girded with a linen ephod"; and concerning Joseph, Genesis 37: "Joseph was feeding the flock with his brothers, still a child." They have truthfulness: Daniel 13: "The Lord raised up the holy spirit of a younger child, and he said: I am clean from the blood of this one"; Jeremiah 1: "I do not know how to speak, for I am a child. And he said: Do not say that you are a child"; and above, chapter 1: "You, child, Prophet," etc. - They also have humility: Mark 7: "The little dogs eat under the table from the crumbs of the children"; and by reason of this they are especially pleasing to God, and here they are introduced as an example; and Matthew 18: "Whoever receives one such little one in my name receives me"; for "the Lord is exalted and regards the lowly"; therefore Matthew 12: "Behold, my chosen child, whom I have elected," etc.
Of such, therefore, that is, of those having purity in the flesh, simplicity in intention, docility in knowledge, amiability in affection, tractability in action, truthfulness in speech, and humility in conduct, is the kingdom of heaven. And by reason of this humility, Abraham is called a child in Scripture: the Psalm: "He was mindful of his covenant, which he made with Abraham, his child"; and above, chapter 1, he similarly calls Israel a child: "He has taken up Israel, his child." But Christ is called a child, Ecclesiastes 4: "Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king," etc. And by reason of all the aforesaid, and especially by reason of humility, it is said: Of such is the kingdom of heaven. On account of which, above, chapter 1: "He has put down the mighty from their seat and exalted the humble"; and Job 22: "He who has been humbled shall be in glory; and he who has lowered his eyes, he himself shall be saved."
32. (Verse 17.) Fifth, with regard to the severe reprobation of the proud, it is added: Amen I say to you: Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a child shall not enter into it: as if to say: he who refuses to be humbled on account of the pride of his heart shall not enter into that kingdom by the sentence of God's truth. Whence Matthew 18: "Unless you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." For it is necessary that he who wishes to enter into the kingdom be as a child, that is, pure and little. Now the kingdom of heaven is called sacred doctrine, to which whoever wishes to come must make himself as a child. Whence the Gloss: " The kingdom of heaven, that is, the doctrine of the Gospel, we are commanded to receive as a child. A child in learning does not contradict his teachers, does not compose arguments and words to resist, but faithfully receives, obeys, and rests." Therefore it is said in Matthew 11: "You have hidden these things from the wise and the prudent and have revealed them to little ones"; and Daniel 1: "And to these children God gave knowledge and discipline in every book," etc.
33. The kingdom of heaven is also called grace, concerning which above in chapter 17: "The kingdom of God is within you." And this is not given except to children through purity and humility; James 4: "God resists the proud, but to the humble He gives grace."
The kingdom of heaven is nonetheless called eternal glory: Matthew 13: "The just shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." And this is not given except to little ones, according to that in Matthew 5: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"; and also to children, who are pure: Matthew 5: "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God." Whence the Gloss: "As a child does not persevere in anger, when harmed does not remember, does not lust after a woman, does not think or speak evil; so you, unless you have such innocence and purity, shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." He therefore who refuses the littleness of humility and the purity of holiness, despises the merit of eternal life; and therefore it is necessary that he be reprobated by divine judgment, so that he does not enter into the kingdom of heaven, but is driven far outside: Apocalypse 22: "Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the unchaste and those who serve idols." On account of which in the Psalm: