HOMILY 31. Delivered to the people in the basilica of Saint Lawrence the martyr, on the Saturday of the Four Seasons of September.
READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE. At that time, Jesus was telling the crowds this parable: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none. And he said to the keeper of the vineyard: Behold, it is three years since I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down therefore, why does it even occupy the ground? But he answering, said to him: Lord, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it, and put a basket of manure. And if indeed it bears fruit; but if not, in the future you shall cut it down. And he was teaching in their synagogue on the Sabbaths. And behold a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years, and she was bent over, and could not at all look upward. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to himself, and said to her: Woman, you are released from your infirmity. And he laid his hands upon her; and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God, etc.
Our Lord and Redeemer speaks through His Gospel sometimes in words, sometimes in deeds; sometimes one thing in words and another in deeds; but sometimes the same thing in words as in deeds. For you have heard two things from the Gospel, brothers: the unfruitful fig tree and the bent woman, and compassion was bestowed upon both. The one He told through a parable, the other He performed through an actual deed. But the unfruitful fig tree signifies the same thing as the bent woman, and the fig tree that was spared signifies the same as the woman made upright. The lord of the vineyard came to the fig tree three times and found no fruit at all, and the woman who was made upright had been bent for eighteen years. What is signified by this number of eighteen years is the same as what is conveyed by the lord of the vineyard coming to the unfruitful fig tree three times. Since, therefore, by setting forth these things in advance we have touched upon the whole summary, let us now discuss each point in order through the reading.
Someone had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none. What does the fig tree designate, if not human nature? What does the bent woman signify and declare, if not the same nature? Which was both well planted like the fig tree, and well made like the woman; but having fallen into fault by its own will, it preserves neither the fruit of good work nor the state of uprightness. For falling into sin by its own will, because it refused to bear the fruit of obedience, it lost the state of uprightness. Created in the likeness of God, while it did not persist in its dignity, it scorned to preserve what it had been when planted or created. The lord of the vineyard came to the fig tree a third time, because he sought out the nature of the human race before the law, under the law, and under grace, by waiting, admonishing, and visiting.
And he said to the keeper of the vineyard: Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. He came before the law, because through natural understanding he made known what each person should do toward his neighbor by his own example. He came in the law, because he taught by commanding. He came after the law through grace, because he showed the presence of his mercy by displaying it. But nevertheless he complains that in three years he found no fruit, because the minds of certain wicked people are neither corrected by the inspired natural law, nor instructed by precepts, nor converted by the miracles of his incarnation. What indeed is expressed by the keeper of the vineyard, except the order of those placed in authority? Who, while they preside over the Church, certainly bear the care of the Lord's vineyard. For Peter the apostle was the first keeper of this vineyard. We unworthy ones follow him, inasmuch as we labor for your instruction by teaching, entreating, and rebuking.
But now we must hear with great fear what is said to the cultivator of the vineyard concerning the unfruitful tree: Cut it down; why does it even occupy the ground? Each person according to his own measure, insofar as he holds a place in this present life, if he does not produce the fruit of good works, like an unfruitful tree occupies the ground, because in that place where he himself is, he also denies others the opportunity to work. But in this world any powerful person, if he does not have the fruit of good works, also presents an obstacle to others, because whoever is under him is oppressed by the example of his wickedness, as if by the shadow of his perversity. The unfruitful tree stands above, and below the barren ground lies. The shadow of the unfruitful tree thickens above, and the ray of the sun is by no means permitted to descend to the earth, because when any subjects observe the perverse examples of a perverse patron, they themselves also, remaining unfruitful, are deprived of the light of truth. And, pressed down by the shadow, they do not receive the warmth of the sun, because they remain cold toward God on account of that by which they are badly protected in this world. But concerning any such perverse and powerful person, God scarcely makes any further inquiry. For after he has lost himself, the only question to be asked is why he also oppresses others. Hence the lord of that same vineyard rightly says: Why does it even occupy the ground? For he occupies the ground who burdens the minds of others; he occupies the ground who does not employ in good works the place that he holds.
But nevertheless it is our duty to pray for such people. For let us hear what the vinedresser says: "Lord, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it." What does it mean to dig around the fig tree, except to rebuke unfruitful minds? For every ditch is in the low ground. And certainly rebuke humbles the mind by showing it to itself. Therefore, as often as we correct someone for their sin, we dig around the unfruitful tree as if from the duty of cultivation. But after the digging, let us hear what is said: "And I will put a basket of dung." What is a basket of dung, except the memory of sins? For the sins of the flesh are called dung. Hence it is also said through the prophet: "The beasts have rotted in their dung." For the beasts to rot in their dung is for carnal people to end their lives in the stench of luxury. Therefore, as often as we rebuke a carnal mind for its sins, as often as we bring back to its memory the vices of the past, we pour out a basket of dung, as it were, to the unfruitful tree, so that it may recall the memory of the evils it has done and grow fat, as it were, from the stench toward the grace of compunction. Therefore a basket of dung is placed at the root of the tree when the conscience of its depravity is touched by the memory of thought. And when the mind rouses itself through penitence to lamentation and reforms itself to the grace of good works, the root of the heart returns to fruitfulness of works as if by the touch of dung: it laments what it remembers having done, it is displeased with itself for what it recalls having been; it directs its intention against itself and kindles its spirit toward better things. Therefore from the stench the tree revives to fruitfulness, because from consideration of sin the soul raises itself to good works. And there are many who hear rebukes and yet scorn to return to penitence, and, unfruitful to God, stand green in this world. But let us hear what the vinedresser adds: "If indeed it bears fruit; but if not, you shall cut it down in the future." Because indeed one who does not wish to grow fat here toward fruitfulness through rebuke will fall there from where he can no longer rise through penitence; and he will be cut down in the future, although here he may seem to stand green without fruit.
He was teaching in their synagogue on the Sabbaths. And behold, a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years. A little earlier we have already said that the threefold coming of the Lord to the unfruitful fig tree is what the number of eighteen years signifies in relation to the bent woman. For on the sixth day man was made, and on that same sixth day all the works of the Lord were completed. Moreover, the number six multiplied in a triangle makes eighteen. Therefore, because man, who was made on the sixth day, did not wish to have perfect works, but stood weak before the law, under the law, and at the beginning of dawning grace, the bent woman was eighteen years. And she was bowed down, nor could she look upward at all. Every sinner thinking earthly thoughts, not seeking heavenly things, is unable to look upward, because while he follows lower desires, he is bent from the uprightness of his mind, and he always sees these things which he thinks about without ceasing. Return to your hearts, dearest brothers, always examine what you turn over in your thoughts at every hour. One thinks about honors, another about money, another about the extent of estates. All these things are below, and when the mind is entangled in such things, it is bent from the uprightness of its state. And because it does not rise up to heavenly desire, like the bent woman it can in no way look upward.
It follows: When Jesus saw her, he called her to him and said to her: Woman, you are released from your infirmity. And he laid his hand upon her, and immediately she was made straight. He called and raised her up, because he illuminated and aided her. He calls but does not raise up when indeed we are illuminated by his grace, but, our merits requiring it, we cannot be aided. For often we see what things ought to be done, but we do not fulfill this in deed. We strive and grow weak. The judgment of the mind perceives righteousness, but the strength of action succumbs to it, because indeed it is already part of the punishment of sin that good can be perceived through a gift, yet it happens that one is repelled by merit from that which is seen. For habitual fault binds the mind so that it can by no means rise to righteousness. It strives and falls, because where it willingly persisted for a long time, there also, though unwilling, it falls compelled. Well is it said of this our crookedness, as a type of the human race, through the Psalmist: I am bowed down and humiliated utterly. For having contemplated that man was created for gazing upon the heavenly light, but having been cast out on account of his sins, he carries the darkness of his own mind, does not seek heavenly things, attends to the lowest things, by no means desires celestial things, always turns earthly things over in his mind, and what he grieved concerning his race, he cried out in himself, saying: I am bowed down and humiliated utterly. For losing the contemplation of heavenly things, if man thought only of the necessities of the flesh, he would be bowed down and humiliated, but nevertheless not utterly. Therefore he whom not only necessity casts down from higher thoughts, but also illicit pleasure prostrates, is not only bowed down but utterly bowed down. Hence another prophet says concerning unclean spirits: Who said to your soul, Bow down that we may pass over. For the soul stands upright when it desires heavenly things, and is by no means bent toward the lowest things. But when malign spirits see it standing in its uprightness, they cannot pass through it. For their passing through is to scatter unclean desires upon it. Therefore they say, Bow down that we may pass over, because if the soul does not cast itself down to desiring the lowest things, their perversity by no means prevails against it; and they cannot pass through her whom they fear standing rigid against them in heavenly intention.
Therefore, brothers most dear, we do not give way to malign spirits within us when we desire earthly things, when we bend down toward temporal appetites. Let it shame us, then, to desire earthly things and to offer the backs of our minds to ascending adversaries. He who is bent always gazes upon the earth, and he who seeks the lowest things does not remember by what price he was redeemed. Hence also it is said through Moses that whoever is burdened with a hump should by no means be advanced to the priesthood. And all of us who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ are made members of that same high priest. Whence also it is said to us through Peter: "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood." But he who bears a hump always gazes at the lowest things. Therefore he is driven from the priesthood, because whoever is intent only on earthly things is himself a witness to himself that he is not a member of the high priest. Hence again, fish that do not have fins are forbidden from being eaten by the faithful people. For fish that have scale-fins are also accustomed to leap above the waters. What therefore is figured by finned fish except elect souls? These alone indeed pass into the body of the heavenly Church, who, supported by the fins of virtues, know how to leap through heavenly desire, so that they may reach toward things above through contemplation, although they fall back again into themselves from mortal flesh. If therefore we have now recognized the goods of the heavenly homeland, let it displease us, brothers most dear, that we are bent. Let the bent woman be placed before our eyes, and the unfruitful tree. Let us remember the evils we have done, let us send to the root of the heart a basket of dung, so that what was foul to us here through penance may then grow rich in the fruit of retribution. And if we cannot perform the highest works of virtue, God himself rejoices in our lamentation. For from the very beginning of justice we will please him, we who punish the unjust things we have done. Nor will there be delay in weeping, because enduring joys will quickly wipe away passing tears. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, through all ages of ages. Amen.