Third Sunday after Pentecost/Sunday within the Octave of the Sacred Heart

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Third Sunday after Pentecost

By Udalricus Campiliensis († c. 1358)

(AI Translation)

In the fifteenth chapter of Luke it is read: That the publicans and sinners drew near unto God to eat with Him. God draws near to men in many ways: namely, by suffering with sinners, by succoring those who mourn, by hearing those who pray, and by rendering graces to those who bring themselves to Him. Men also draw near to God: namely, sinners that they may be justified, the just that they may be preserved, and the saints that they may be glorified. For with those who thus draw near to God, and whom God in such wise approaches, God assuredly shares and eats the supper of His grace and mercy. If for this cause the Pharisees - that is, envious demons or wicked men - should murmur - that is, plot to bring any manner of harm upon them - the Lord, resting within them through grace, will mercifully deliver them from all assaults.

Old Testament (Left)
In the thirty-first chapter of Genesis it is read: That Jacob ate with Laban upon a heap of stones. For just as Christ ate with sinners, so Jacob took food with Laban upon the stones of a mutual covenant. For "Jacob" is interpreted as the supplanter, signifying Christ, who supplanted divine wrath with mercy when He ate in bodily presence with converted sinners. He ate with Laban - that is, with sinners already converted, because "Laban" is interpreted as the white or shining one - upon a heap of stones, which is to say, after all the hardness of the sins they left behind had been trodden underfoot; for He readily gave Himself up to the sufferings of death in order to unite and bind men to Himself, and this eating was done in view of a special new covenant, as were His other works.

Old Testament (Right)
In the fourteenth chapter of Judges it is read: That Samson proposed a riddle at a feast: "Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness." Just as Christ said that those who are whole need not a physician, so Samson proposed this riddle to be solved. "Samson" is interpreted as "their sun", and signifies Christ, the grace of whose sun shines above all His works. He speaks as if concerning Himself: that out of the eater - that is, from Him eating with sinners - came forth the food of grace, fattening their souls with devotion; and out of the strong - that is, from the all-powerful Deity conversing with them - came forth sweetness, while the most benign mercy of God sweetly forgave the heavy burdens of their sins, and led them forth, strengthened, into everlasting life.

Nature (Left)
The Liber Rerum and Solinus say: That the pelican dips everything it eats into the water of a rock beforehand, and eats it, as it were, from a hand upon the rock. According to Augustine, the pelican (pelicanus) is named as if it were a grey-haired youth (puer canus). Thus ought every just man to be, who appears young in the youthfulness of the flesh, yet bears the grey hairs of the deeds of good works and wisdom. He also eats - that is, he wills to take food for the nourishment of his soul; but first he must touch it to the rock with zealous affection - that is, by the remembrance of Christ's passion and death, as well as spiritual grace - and by the affection for that same rock, reach it forth as if with a hand - that is, by the operation of virtuous perfection - to his mouth - that is, to devout speech - so that, strengthened in heavenly joys, he may prevail to eat eternally with the Lord.

Nature (Right)
Isidore writes: That the goldfinch (carduelis) receives from thistles (carduis) a nourishment pleasing and fitting to itself. The goldfinch is Christ, both because of the virtuous loveliness of His beauty and because of the delightful pleasantness of His voice. He takes from thistles - that is, from the thorny, confessed hearts of sinners - a nourishment both fitting and well-pleasing to Himself, because the Lord loves and does not despise a contrite spirit and a penitent, humbled heart. O how noble is that Goldfinch, for He is the peerless Bridegroom of men, and how sweetly He sings here with sinners who are converted and at rest, even as He so mercifully forgives the sins of Mary Magdalene and the rest.