Evening Collation

Someone (Luke 14:16), et cetera.

Today we have spoken about the preparation of this dinner; now we must speak about its announcement. For the someone [in this biblical story] certainly has not prepared the dinner for no one to sit at the table, but in order to make it known to others. See that this dinner is not made known to anyone but to one who is called to it. One who is not called can approach the things that he knows and desires, but he cannot approach what exceeds our desire unless he is called. (In general in ST I.12.13, ad 3; in respect of our happiness in I-II.5.5, and in respect of the resurrection in III.55.1.)

Such is this dinner. Hence the Apostle says in 1 Corinthians 2:9–10 and in Isaiah 64:4: eye has not seen, ear has not heard, and in the heart of a man it did not come up: the things that God has prepared for them who love him. Yet he has revealed it to us through the Holy Spirit.

And therefore someone does not come to this dinner unless he is called, whence Romans 8:30 reads: the ones he has called he has also justified, and the ones he justified he has also glorified. We must note that there are two kinds of vocation [or calling]: (1) one interior, (2) the other from outside.

(I) The interior vocation, through which the Lord addresses man internally, is never in vain, since a human being does not reject it. Job 14:15: you will call me and I will respond to you. Augustine says in his book On Predestination: the grace which is infused in human hearts by the divine abundance is not repelled by any hard heart; therefore, we say in this case that rather the hardness of the heart is repelled. (Augustine, On the Predestination of the Saints 8.13 (PL 44:971).) Hence the Lord’s interior calling is not in vain. (Thomas uses the term vocatio (vocation, calling) for God’s calling as an execution of what he has predestined; cf. ST I.23.2. God’s calling from within is never in vain, Thomas says: all people are naturally created towards God; God made us as beings who naturally will what is good. Through sin, however, this will is disordered; sinning goes against our will. So if we are inspired by God himself to do what we are naturally inclined to do, we would not refuse but would do it, happily and voluntarily. The working of inspiration is in our soul from the inside out, instead of the less effective, indirect calling of God, which comes from outside us, through angels or fellow-human beings. Cf. ST I.105.4 and 5; I-II.6.4; I-II.9.6 (where he cites Phil 2:13: it is God who works in you both to will and to do in order to realize what is good in his eyes) and I-II.113.1, obj. 3.) Thus we read in John 6:45: everyone who hears and learns from my Father comes to me. (ST I.43.5, ad 2; cf. III.69.5, ad 2.)

(II) The other vocation, which occurs through an angel or a human being, (1) (The structure of section II on the calling from outside is: (1) its effectiveness, (2) its subject (who are calling), (3) its object (who are called), and (4) the way in which the dinner is announced.) is not as effective as the one that is directly from God; indeed, often it is in vain, and many reject it. Hence we read in Proverbs 1:24: I have called and you have rejected. And Matthew 20:16: for many are called, but few elected. Concerning this vocation the Lord speaks here, as he says, he called many (Luke 14:16). And it shows that he speaks of this vocation, because this is done by a servant (Luke 14:17). Therefore: at the time of the dinner he sent his servant to say to the ones who were invited: ‘come!’ (2) But who is the servant? The Apostle Paul and the other preachers, prelates, and teachers; all such people who remind us of the good [that God has done for us] are called servants of God. (Cf. Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew 22.4 (SC 258:140; PL 9:1043); Aquinas, Catena Aurea on Matthew, at 22:4, ch. 22, lect. 1.)

Here two things that must be considered come up, namely, (3) who are called and (4) how they are called. (Thus the emphasis of this part of the sermon is on the practical.)

3. In this multitude of people called we find a threefold distinction, as the Gospel clearly shows: (Luke 14:17–23.) (3.1) some of the ones called are those who were invited to the dinner, (3.2) others were the downtrodden citizens, and (3.3) yet others were strangers.

3.1. Now who were the ones who were invited? I say that those properly invited were those who received the privilege of a divine office, for the invitation is sent out to relatives and close friends. If someone is a religious, a cleric, or if someone happens to have the gift of wisdom or something the like, that is the invitation. (So Thomas makes the preachers-to-be and the teachers-to-be aware that they themselves are called and need to respond. The invitation is a gift: becoming a religious, a priest, et cetera, is not something you do, but something God is doing to you (cf. Heb 5:4), and you are the one to respond to it by realizing what you are called to do or to become. Likewise, talents are gifts, and someone who receives such a gift is therefore called to live according to it; cf. Matthew 25:14–30. See also ST II-II.24.3; II-II.62.4, ad 3.) In Esther 1:7 it is said that the ones who were invited to the feast drank from golden cups. The golden cups are God’s precious gifts.

The ones invited were to come to the wedding, but did not come because of a triple hindrance, which is mentioned in 1 John 2:15: do not love the world nor the things that are in the world. If someone loves the world, the love of God is not in him. What is it that hinders the ones who were invited from coming to the wedding? Certainly, that a human being clings to the world. And how does someone cling to the world? Certainly, by pursuing things that are in the world. And which are the things that are in the world? The concupiscence of the flesh or the concupiscence of the eye or the pride of life, as it is said in 1 John 2:16. (The formation of our judgment is hindered because it is connected with our senses: ST I.84.8; I-II.33.3.) Thus in three ways people are hindered from coming to the dinner, even though they are invited, namely, (3.1.1) because of pride, (3.1.2) because of the concupiscence of the eye or (3.1.3) that of the flesh. (Cf. ST I-II.77.5.)

3.1.1. First, I say, someone is hindered from coming to the dinner because of pride. (ST II-II.162–65: it is willed and contrary to good reason; cf. Sermon 8, The Boy Jesus, Evening Collation, paragraph 4.3.) It happens that some people have received many good spiritual and temporal things from God, and although they ought to subject themselves to God because of those things, they become proud because of these things. Hence we read in Ezekiel 28:17: exalted is your heart because of your ornament. And in Jeremiah 5:5: you will speak to their aristocrats, and, behold, they have broken the yoke of the counsels and have torn the bonds, that is, the bonds of the commandments.

And these are signified by him who has said: I have bought a house, and I am going to see it (cf. Luke 14:18). Augustine says that house is understood as absolute dominion, that with the word absolute dominion pride is expressed, (Augustine, Sermon 112, ch. 2 (PL 38:644). The Latin word for house is domus. Because dominatio (absolute dominion) belongs to the Dominus (the Lord) alone, therefore not acknowledging God as the Lord, turning away from God, and taking the Lord’s place are characteristic of pride. In this respect pride is the beginning of every sin; cf. ST I-II.84.2; II-II.162.6–7.) whereas the dinner is proper to the humble.

Note also that he says: I have bought a field, and I must go and see it (Luke 14:18). Often those who are proud of the gifts given to them by God think of the gifts, not of the one from whom the gifts came. Against such a man it is said in 1 Corinthians 4:7: what do you have that you have not received?

Imagine, you are a highly placed man or a scholar. You ought to ponder from where you have it: you do not have it from yourself, but from God, so that you may subject yourself to him. And this realization not only takes away pride, but even brings on humility. (Humility is the opposite of pride: ST II-II.161.) For as the gifts increase, the reasons for giving honor increase; (Cf. ST II-II.106.1 and 3; In III Sent. 29.8, qa. 3, obj. 1; Gregory the Great, Homilies on the Gospels, bk. 1, homily 9, para. 1 (CCSL 141:58; PL 76:1106A).) the more goods you have, the more obliged you are to God. But someone who does not know (Ignoro: Thomas distinguishes between ignoro (ignorantia as a result of neglect; people who do not make an effort to find the truth) and nescio (nescientia, not knowing as such), ST I-II.76.2.) that the goods he has come from God, cannot thank God.

Because of this [I say]: think this over, that whatever you have, you have from God (cf. also John 3:27), and that you are bound to give him thanks (cf. Eph 5:20, Col 3:15, et alibi) or, better, give to him thanks in return. (Gratias agere, gratias reddere: ST II-II.58.11. Therefore, gratitude is a virtue of justice: ST II-II.80, 81–91.) Then those gifts will not lead to pride.

3.1.2. Others look down on going to the dinner, even though they have been invited, and this because of the concupiscence of the eyes. It is understood that Hosea 2:8 says about them: I have multiplied for them silver and gold which they have made into a Baal. By gold wisdom is meant; (Sirach 6:18–37 (especially verse 30); cf. Job 23:10, Psalm 18:31, Wisdom 3:6–9.) by silver eloquence; (Proverbs 10:20; cf. Sirach 28:24b–25a. Thus we still say that an eloquent person has “a silver tongue”; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah 6.13, 17–18 (CCSL 73:233; PL 24:220C); Bede, On the Temple 2.25 (CCSL 119A:233; PL 91:806C); Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Songs, sermon 41, para. 5 (PL 183:987AB).) some have obtained the grace of eloquence or the gift of wisdom, and hence they ought to serve God. Those who turn these gifts around and use them for concupiscence and the acquisition of earthly things serve the devil.

He says that they have made a Baal, (Hosea 2:8.) because avarice is slavery of idols. (Ephesians 5:5; cf. Colossians 3:5; Galatians 5:20. Desire (cupiditas) is the root of every sin in respect of our turning towards a created good (instead of towards God); cf. ST I-II.84.1–2. Contrary to slavery in the general sense of the word, this slavery not only concerns the body, the exterior life (ST II-II.104.6, ad 1), but even the soul, the interior life: ST II-II.122.4, ad 3.) These are signified by the one who was invited and said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out (Luke 14:19). By the five yoke the five senses are signified, which completely enslave someone to sensory things. (Cf. Augustine, Sermon 112, ch. 3 (PL 38:644); Aquinas, Catena Aurea on Luke, at 14:19, ch. 14, lect. 4; Gregory the Great, Homilies on the Gospels, bk. 2, homily 36, para. 4 (CCSL 141:335; PL 76:1268B).) He says: I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out.

Here not only cupidity but also curiosity (ST II-II.167.) is repudiated. Some are very curious about external things and about what others do, so that they try to find out what others do and neglect their own deeds. (Cf. Gregory the Great, Homilies on the Gospels, bk. 2, homily 36, para. 4 (CCSL 141:335; PL 76:1268BC); Aquinas, Catena Aurea on Luke, at 14:19, ch. 14, lect. 4.) Such people are like an eye which sees another eye, but it does not see itself. For some do not want to believe anything except what they see. (Cf. Augustine, Sermon 112, ch. 3 (PL 38:644); John 4:48, 20:29. Faith is about things that we cannot see: Hebrews 11:1; cf. ST II-II.1.4. Since John 20:29 (happy those who have not seen and yet believe) is said in the context of the Resurrection, it seems that Thomas echoes the critique that he had voiced earlier, in the Sermon, against the philosophers who deny the resurrection of the body.)

3.1.3. Third, the ones invited are hindered from coming to the dinner because of the concupiscence of the flesh.

For some turn themselves to pleasures when they have been exalted through the gifts of God. Hence we read in Ezekiel 16:15: you trust in your ornament; you have committed fornication. (This can even be because of a spiritual beauty, if someone is proud of it: ST II-II.145.2, obj. 3.) Isaiah 22:12: on that day the Lord will call you to weeping and mourning, namely, when he has said in the Gospel, happy those who lament for they will be comforted (Matt 5:4). And [Isaiah continues]: behold, their joy, their killing of the calves. The condemned say: let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die (Isa 22:13). They are referred to by the one who married a wife and therefore could not come to the dinner (Luke 14:20).

By the wife the concupiscence of the flesh is signified. (Cf. Augustine, Sermon 112, ch. 6 (PL 38:646); Aquinas, Catena Aurea on Luke, at 14:19, ch. 14, lect. 4; Gregory the Great, Homilies on the Gospels, bk. 2, homily 36, para. 5 (CCSL 141:336; PL 76:1269A).) Only this one and not anyone else said: I cannot come. For because of the enticement of the flesh he could not come. There is a difference between the sin of pride and of cupidity, (For the difference between these two, see ST I-II.84.2.) on the one hand, and lustfulness, (Luxuria is a collective term for all kinds of sexual activity which are against the virtue of temperance: ST II-II.153–154.) on the other. For the proud and the ones who desire commit a sin intentionally and do not want to come to the dinner. (On intention: ST I.79.10, ad 3; I-II.12; cf. 19.7–8.) But those who sin through the sin of the flesh, sin because of weakness and incapability. (Cf. Aquinas, Catena Aurea on Luke, at 14:19, ch. 14, lect. 4.) These have the intention of going to the dinner but are hindered by the concupiscence of the flesh. (Thus the first two were hypocrites because they said, “please, accept my regrets,” while they did not regret it at all (ST II-II.111.1–3), whereas the third man spoke the truth; he could not come. Furthermore, the first two did not even have the intention of coming, Thomas says; they sinned consciously, whereas the third man sinned because of weakness, namely, passion: ST I-II.77.2–3 and 6–8.) Hence the Apostle says: the flesh desires against the spirit, the spirit against the flesh, so that you do not do everything you want (Gal 5:17).

These, although they were invited, have not come to the dinner either because of pride or because of cupidity or because of the concupiscence of the flesh. But it is written that a servant who knows the will of his lord and does not do it, will be flogged with many lashes (Luke 12:47). So, the more important you are, if you act against the will (of the Lord), you are worthy of a heavier punishment. (Cf. ST I-II.73.9.) And the paterfamilias was furious when he heard that the ones invited did not want to come (Luke 14:21). By the anger God’s wrath (Since God is not composite, his wrath and anger must be understood as metaphors; cf. ST I.3.2, ad 2.) is signified. (Cf. Aquinas, Catena Aurea on Luke, at 14:21, ch. 14, lect. 4; Basil the Great, Commentary on Isaiah, at 5:25, para. 181 (PG 30:424A); Thomas has identified the one who made the dinner as Jesus Christ because of the word homo—a man, a human being—in the text. Here Thomas reads the parallel text of Matthew 22:2–10 into Luke’s version; in Matthew, it is a king who invites people to the wedding feast of his son.) So the first that are called to the meal are the ones who are invited.

3.2. Another category of those who were called to the dinner are the downtrodden citizens, as it says in the Gospel: go to the streets and the broad ways of the city, and call the weak, the blind, and the lame (Luke 14:21), et cetera. And see: the last are made the first (cf. Matt 19:30, 20:16).

For the great do not arrive at that dinner, neither do the mighty, but the weak and the poor do. We have the example in Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19–31). The ill are often converted, whence Ambrose says: weakness of the body excludes no one from the Kingdom, and sometimes this weakness is even absent from someone who is not allured by sin. (Ambrose, Commentary on Luke, at 14:21, bk. 7, para. 202 (CCSL 14:284; PL 15:1753B); Aquinas, Commentary on Luke, at 14:21, ch. 14, lect. 4.) The Apostle explains why: God has chosen those who are the weak of the world to shame whatever is strong (1 Cor 1:28).

You must understand this in a spiritual way, that the poor in temporal things who are, however, rich in spiritual things are chosen; these are in the streets and the broad ways; whence the prophet says: scattered are the stones of the sanctuary on the corner of all the broad ways (Lam 4:1). (Citing this verse here seems to be an implicit reference to 1 Peter 2:5: let yourselves, like living stones, be built into a spiritual house, et cetera.) But concerning the man who is rich in temporal things but poor in spiritual things, Revelation 3:17 says: you say that I am rich and do not need anything, whilst you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, for sin makes peoples wretched (Prov 14:34). But from which defect of riches do sinners suffer? I say that they fail (3.2.1) in knowledge, (3.2.2) in strength, and (3.2.3) in rectitude. (Cf. ST II-II.15.1.)

3.2.1. First, I say that those blinded through sin suffer from a defect in knowledge, namely, because they disdain what is good and choose what is evil. (ST I-II.76.1; cf. I-II.100.1; II-II.173.2.) Thus the Apostle says in 2 Timothy 3:4: the ones who love pleasures more than God are swollen with passionate excitement and blind. It is on the ground of this blindness that rich people despise divine things and would rather have temporal things.

3.2.2. Others fail in strength of the mind and virtue (ST I-II.85.1–4. Thomas’s formulation is: in fortitudine animi et virtute; the word virtus means “virtue” as well as “effort” and “strength”; fortitudo also means “strength,” but not “virtue.” In the verses quoted from Nehemiah and Job, the term virtus is used.) through sin. Hence it says in Nehemiah 4:10: weak is the virtue (Or “strength.”) of the one who carries heavy loads, of whom it is said: my virtue (Or “effort.”) was for nothing (Job 30:2), and these are the weak.

3.2.3. Others who are blinded through sin fail in rectitude, (ST I-II.75.4; II-II.15.3; sin makes the will turn to what is evil (contrary to rectitude) and causes (a greater) blindness of the intellect, and such blindness leads to (more) sinning.) that is, in their intention. Hence it says in Micah 7:2: the saint has disappeared from the earth, and a righteous man is not found among the people. These are the lame; from the outside they seem to follow the Lord, but if anyone sees their intention, it becomes clear they are lame. About this lameness Elijah says: how long will you be lame, in two minds? (1 Kgs 18:21). Whenever the poor are enriched, the blind illuminated, the weak strengthened, and the lame cured, (In the prayer before receiving holy Communion attributed to Thomas, omnipotens sempiterne Deus ecce accedo ad sacramentum unigeniti Filii tui, we find a remarkable parallel with these pairs of words.) then, says Isaiah 35:6, the lame will leap like a deer.

3.3. See that when the servant had led those people in, he said to his lord: there is still room (Luke 14:22), by which predestination (ST I.23–24; also SCG III.163.) is indicated: for not only the great and the faithful are called. Therefore, the Lord says: I have other sheep, which are not from this flock and I must lead those to me, and it will be one flock, one shepherd (John 10:16).

Because the Lord has other sheep, he calls people who are outside the flock. Therefore, it says in the Gospel: go out into the roads and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled (Luke 14:23 [Vg]). By the people who are outside, the unbelievers are signified. Now, we find a triple distinction within the unbelievers: (Cf. ST II-II.10–11, esp. 10.5 and 6.)

3.3.1. The first are the Gentiles and the pagans who do not at all share in the faith; the light of faith does not shine for them. These are in dark roads. Hence it says: the roads of the godless are dark roads (Prov 4:19).

3.3.2. Other unbelievers are the Jews, who share something with us, namely, the sacred doctrine of the Old Testament. Of them it is said: there is still a little light in you (John 12:35). These are signified by the scattered roads, in Isaiah 33:8: scattered are the roads. The figurative observances have passed away; they have become scattered roads, because since the truth has come, the prefiguration has passed. Thus someone who preserved the figurative observances would sin. Hence the Apostle says: if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will bring you nothing (Gal 5:2). (So as for the Jews, infideles, “unbelievers,” is said in view of the faith in Christ and so in the Trinity, not in the sense that they do not believe at all; cf. ST I-II.104.2.)

3.3.3. The third group of unbelievers are the heretics in the hedges (Luke 14:23 [Vg]). (Cf. Augustine, Sermon 112, ch. 7 (PL 38:647); Aquinas, Catena Aurea on Luke, at 14:23, ch. 14, lect. 4.) Hedges are conceived as making divisions. Heretics do not serve for anything; the only thing they do is making a division. Heretics are thorns because they sting, and hedges because they divide. (Schismatic groups like the Cathari were a serious threat to the unity of the Church (and of the secular society) and could, therefore, eventually not be tolerated: ST II-II.11.3; II-II.39.)

These three categories of people are pointed out to us, in order to show that the Gospel was preached first to princes and priests who refused to come (Matt 2:1–8, 16); then Peter preached to the lower people of the Jews and converted 3,000 of them (Acts 2:41); subsequently preachers went into the hedges and the broad ways in order to proclaim the Gospel, (In the first two instances Thomas uses the verb praedico + the dative case: the Gospel was preached for the benefit of the addressees. When he speaks of the heretics, he says that the Gospel “was preached into the hedges and the broad ways,” praedico in + the accusative case. Thus he points out to his audience, preachers-to-be, that they should (not preach from afar, but) actually go into the places where these heretics live and preach, and proclaim the Gospel from within these communities.) and all were brought to the faith. (Cf. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Luke 14.15–21 (PG 72:789D–792A); Aquinas, Catena Aurea on Luke, at 14:21, ch. 14, lect. 4.) Hence the Church prays not only for highly placed people, but also for the weakened and the unbelievers. (ST II-II.83.7–8.) So these are the ones who are called.

4. But how are they called? A triple way of vocation is presented.

4.1. The ones who are invited must be called by a simple summons, as it happens in the Gospel: he sent his servant at the time of the dinner to say to the ones invited that they come (Luke 14:18). Neither being loud nor being rough is better. Thus we read: do not chide an old man, but honor him as your father (1 Tim 5:1) and elsewhere: give honor to the wise man (Sir 10:31 [Vg]). (Neither force nor threats must be used, Thomas impresses upon his audience: converting someone must be done with respect; cf. ST II-II.10.11–12.)

4.2. Furthermore, the poor and the downtrodden must be led inside. Some have taken up the plan to come to God in baptism; they have renounced the devil and his whole train. Now they need someone who instructs them and leads them in and makes them acquainted with the king. Hence it says in Exodus 23:20: behold, I will send my angel to go before your face so as to protect you as well as to lead you into the place.

4.3. Third, the unbelievers and the heretics must be compelled to come to the dinner, as we read in the Gospel: go out in the streets and hedges, and compel them to enter (Luke 14:23 [Vg]).

Those who are in the hedges must be compelled in two ways. Signs are not given to believers, but to unbelievers (cf. Matt 12:39, 16:4). (1 Corinthians 14:22.) Hence heretics are compelled to enter on the ground of the evidence of miracles. (As in Matthew 2:1–11 and 27:45, 54 (the star and the darkness and the confession of the centurion; cf. ST III.44.2) and as Christ did during his life on earth (cf. ST III.44.3–4).)

Likewise, to the letter, they must be compelled by giving them a hard time. Thus we read in Psalm 32:9: be not senseless like horses or mules: jaws in bridle and bit, that is how their temper must be curbed.

Heretics say that no one must be urged to come to faith by means of punishment. On the contrary rather, whence it says in Isaiah 28:19: only distress will give understanding to the hearing. (Cf. ST II-II.11.3, resp., ad 3: excommunication and the death penalty are the ultimate measures.)

We do not read that they who were on the roads and in the hedges have excused themselves; only those who were invited did. In this it is pointed out that cold sinners are converted more quickly than the ones who stray from the way on which they were going. (Decidere a statu viae, which is apostasia: once they were viatores, pilgrims on the way to the patria. Cf. ST I-II.84.2, ad 2; II-II.12.1.) Hence we read in Hosea 8:5–6: he cannot thoroughly be cleansed, because he is from Israel.

We will ask, et cetera.