Cast Your Bread upon the Waters 1 Send out your bread on the face of the waters, for in the multitude of days you will find it.
Gregory of Neocaesarea · AD 270 Moreover, it is a righteous thing to give (to the needy) of thy bread, and of those things which are necessary for the support of man's life. For though thou seemest forthwith to waste it upon some persons, as if thou didst cast thy bread upon the water, yet in the progress of time thy kindness shall be seen to be not unprofitable for thee.
Jerome · AD 420 "Send your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it." He encourages to mercy since it must be given to all that seek wisdom, and work well. For just as he sows over the well-watered fields and awaits the produce of his seed, so too he who is generous to the needy does not sow the grain of his seed, but bread itself.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Second, a remedy is given against the vanity of security arising from the failure of the retribution of justice. Cast your bread etc.
2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight, for you do not know what evil will be on the earth.
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 The Old Testament too knew this number eight which in Latin we call the Octave, for the preacher says, give a portion to seven and also to eight. The number seven belongs to the Old Testament, the number eight to the New, for then Christ rose, and the day of new salvation shone upon all.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Before the Lord's resurrection there was rest for the departed but resurrection for none: "Rising from the dead he dies no more, death has no more dominion over him." But after such resurrection had taken place in the Lord's body, so that the head of the church might foreshadow what the body of the church hopes for at the end, then the Lord's day—that is the eighth, which is al…
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Give portions to seven etc. Here secondly he exhorts to giving abundantly: and he sets forth the exhortation and subjoins the reason.
3 If the clouds are full of rain, they empty it on the earth; and if a tree falls in the south or in the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will be.
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 He who needs and apprehends much is filled, he who hath been filled waters others, and therefore Scripture saith, If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth.
Jerome · AD 420 "If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree falls toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall be. "Keep the commandments that have been taught to you above so that the clouds above you will break open in rain.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 On account of the amplification of merit he says: If the clouds be full, supply: by God, they will pour out rain upon the earth, on account of which rain the earth bears fruit: Hosea 6: "He will come to us like the rain, the early and the latter rain to the earth"; and this for bearing fruit and multiplying the goods of the earth through the merit of almsgiving.
4 One who watches the wind will not sow, and one who looks at the clouds will not reap.
Jerome · AD 420 "He that observes the wind shall not sow; and he that regards the clouds shall not reap. "He who considers what is good for him and does not give out to all who ask him, often destroys what he ought to receive. [Cfr.
Isaac of Nineveh · AD 700 Let not much wisdom become a stumbling-block to your soul and a snare before you; but trusting in God, manfully make a beginning upon the way that is filled with blood, lest always you be found wanting and naked of knowledge of God. For he who is fearful or watches the winds, sows not.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 He who observes the wind etc. Here he exhorts to giving unceasingly: and first he teaches that times are not to be watched; second, that divine works are not to be scrutinized; third, that works of mercy are to be continued.
5 As you do not know what is the way of the wind, like the bones in the belly of the full woman, so you do not know the deed of God who does everything.
Jerome · AD 420 "As you do not know what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so you know not the works of God who makes all. "Just as you do not know the way of the spirit and of the soul entering a child, and are unknowing of the types of bone and veins in the stomach of a pregnant woman.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Men then sing of the Lord, when either spirits from above, or perfect teachers, make known to us His power. But yet His work is not known; because doubtless even they who preach Him, venerate His unpenetrated judgments.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 As you know not what is the way etc. Above he said that times are not to be observed; here, second, he teaches that divine works are not to be considered or scrutinized, because we cannot; therefore he says: As you know not what is the way of the spirit.
6 In the morning sow your seed, and to the evening do not let your hand rest; for you do not know which will succeed, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.
Peter of Alexandria · AD 311 Let us turn now and ponder the word just as the natural philosopher has said, and let us know its power. "Sow your seed," he said, "in the morning hour and do not cease in the evening hour." And I say according to my dull mind, "The morning hour is the young childhood of man, and the evening hour is old age." For infancy is in need of teaching and instruction for everyone so th…
Jerome · AD 420 "In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withhold not your hand: for you know not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 In the morning sow etc. Here thirdly he exhorts to doing good unceasingly: and first the exhortation is set forth; second, the reason for the exhortation is added; and third, the recompense.
Enjoy Your Years 7 And the light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 It is indeed a beautiful wisdom, because it is light, but it is more beautiful than the sun, since the sun is unable to give birth to its radiance within itself, while the Eternal Sun begets the most beautiful Radiance within Himself. Likewise, eternal wisdom exerts its influence over all things. Hence in Ecclesiastes: "Light is sweet!
8 For if a man lives many years, let him be glad in all of them; and let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that comes is breath.
Didymus the Blind · AD 398 In the spiritual sense [this saying] is even more valid, for "young men" are those who are strong because they have the Word of God and because they have power against evil.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 He shews himself to live with good heed and circumspection, who, in considering the shortness of the present life does not look to the furtherance but to the ending of it, so as to gather from the end, that all is nought that delights while it is passing.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Second, he calls back from evil by consideration of future punishment. If a man has lived many years etc. Above he exhorted to good by consideration of reward; here he intends to call back from evil by consideration of future punishment: and indeed he does this in this order.
9 Be glad, young man, in your youth, and let your heart make you good in the days of your young manhood; and walk in the ways of your heart and in the sights of your eyes; and know that for all these God will bring you into judgment.
Jerome · AD 420 "Rejoice, O young man, in your youth; and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes: but know, that for all these things God will bring you into judgement. Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 As he doth, in the first place, express the delight of carnal things, and pronounceth it to be good to cast away all care, and to eat and drink: so afterward, with reason and judgment doth he reprove that, when he saith that it is better to go unto the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting: and though he saith that a young man ought to rejoice in his youth, yet doth…
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Rejoice therefore, O young man, etc. Here secondly he reproves present joy, asserting that man must be judged for it; whence speaking ironically he says: Rejoice therefore, O young man, in your youth, because that age is suited to joy; whence Wisdom 2: "Come, let us enjoy the creature as swiftly as in youth"; as if to say: do not rejoice in youth, lest you grieve in old age; wh…
10 And put away vexation from your heart, and cause evil to pass from your flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are breath.
Ephrem the Syrian · AD 373 Put sorrow far from thy flesh, and sadness from thy thoughts; save only that for thy sins thou shouldst be constant in sadness. Cease not from labour, not even though thou be rich, for the slothful man gains manifold guilt by his idleness.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Therefore, if anger has held out with most shameful boldness in the heart of any one of you until these holy days, now at least let it depart. [Thus] your prayer may proceed in peace and … may not stumble, tremble, or become mute under the pricking of conscience when it has come to that passage where it must say, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive also our debtors."
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Remove anger etc. Here thirdly he exhorts to cast away all wickedness, namely malice of heart and uncleanness of flesh. As to malice of heart he says: Remove anger from your heart, so that you may not be angry, because anger renders a man wicked; Matthew 5: "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment"; and if he is angry, he ought n…