Fragmenda

Scripture

Luke 16:1–17:10

Luke 16

The parable of the unjust steward and of the rich man and Lazarus.

1 

And he said also to his disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods.

2 

And he called him and said to him: How is it that I hear this of thee? Give an account of thy stewardship: for now thou canst be steward no longer.

3 

And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; to beg I am ashamed.

4 

I know what I will do, that when I shall be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

5 

Therefore, calling together every one of his lord’s debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my lord?

6 

But he said: An hundred barrels of oil. And he said to him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly and write fifty.

7 

Then he said to another: And how much dost thou owe? Who said: An hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: Take thy bill and write eighty.

8 

And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.

9 

And I say to you: Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity: that when you shall fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings.

10 

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in that which is greater: and he that is unjust in that which is little is unjust also in that which is greater.

11 

If then you have not been faithful in the unjust mammon, who will trust you with that which is the true?

12 

And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?

13 

No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other: or he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

14 

Now the Pharisees, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

15 

And he said to them: you are they who justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts. For that which is high to men is an abomination before God.

16 

The law and the prophets were until John. From that time the kingdom of God is preached: and every one useth violence towards it.

17 

And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one tittle of the law to fall.

18 

Every one that putteth away his wife and marrieth another committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.

19 

There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and feasted sumptuously every day.

20 

And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, full of sores,

21 

Desiring to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. And no one did give him: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 

And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. And the rich man also died: and he was buried in hell.

23 

And lifting up his eyes when he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom:

24 

And he cried and said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue: for I am tormented in this flame.

25 

And Abraham said to him: Son, remember that thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted and thou art tormented.

26 

And besides all this, between us and you, there is fixed a great chaos: so that they who would pass from hence to you cannot, nor from thence come hither.

27 

And he said: Then, father, I beseech thee that thou wouldst send him to my father’s house, for I have five brethren,

28 

That he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torments.

29 

And Abraham said to him: They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them.

30 

But he said: No, father Abraham: but if one went to them from the dead, they will do penance.

31 

And he said to him: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe, if one rise again from the dead.


Luke 17

Lessons of avoiding scandal and of the efficacy of faith. The ten lepers. The manner of the coming of Christ.

1 

And he said to his disciples: It is impossible that scandals should not come. But woe to him through whom they come!

2 

It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the sea, than that he should scandalize one of these little ones.

3 

Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother sin against thee, reprove him: and if he do penance, forgive him.

4 

And if he sin against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day be converted unto thee, saying: I repent: forgive him.

5 

And the apostles said to the Lord: Increase our faith.

6 

And the Lord said: If you had faith like to a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this mulberry tree: Be thou rooted up and be thou transplanted into the sea. And it would obey you.

7 

But which of you, having a servant ploughing or feeding cattle, will say to him, when he is come from the field: Immediately go. Sit down to meat.

8 

And will not rather say to him: Make ready my supper and gird thyself and serve me, whilst I eat and drink; and afterwards thou shalt eat and drink?

9 

Doth he thank that servant for doing the things which he commanded him?

10 

I think not. So you also, when you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say: We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which we ought to do.

Catechism

Catechism of the Council of Trent, Part 4, Introduction, Sections 25-27

Spiritual Goods

In the first place, then, the standard which should regulate all our wishes is that we desire above all else God, the supreme Good. After God we should most desire those things which unite us most closely to Him; while those which would separate us from Him, or occasion that separation, should have no share whatever in our affections.

External Goods And Goods Of Body

Taking, then, as our standard the supreme and perfect Good, we can easily infer how we are to desire and ask from God our Father those other things which are called goods. Goods which are called bodily, such as health, strength, beauty and those which are external, such as riches, honours, glory, often supply the means and give occasion for sin; and, therefore, it is not always either pious or salutary to ask for them. We should pray for these goods of life only in so far as we need them, thus referring all to God. It cannot be deemed unlawful to pray for those things for which Jacob and Solomon prayed. If, says Jacob, he shall give me bread to eat and raiment to put on, the Lord shall be my God. Give me, says Solomon, only the necessaries of life.

But when we are supplied by the bounty of God with necessaries and comforts, we should not forget the admonition of the Apostle: Let them that buy, be as if they possessed not, and those that use this world, as if they used it not; for the figure of this world passeth away; and again, If riches abound, set not your heart upon them. God Himself teaches us that only the use and fruit of these things belong to us and that we are obliged to share them with others. If we are blessed with health, if we abound in other external and corporal goods, we should recollect that they are given to us in order to enable us to serve God with greater fidelity, and as the means of lending assistance to others.

Goods Of The Mind

It is also lawful to pray for the goods and adornments of the mind, such as a knowledge of the arts and sciences, provided our prayers are accompanied with this condition, that they serve to promote the glory of God and our own salvation.

The only thing which can be absolutely and unconditionally the object of our wishes, our desires and our prayers, is, as we have already observed, the glory of God, and, next to it, whatever can serve to unite us to that supreme Good, such as faith and the fear and love of God, of which we shall treat at length when we come to explain the Petitions.