St. Vincent Ferrer
O.P. -- Sermon on the Last Judgment – Mt 25:33
Sheep and goats
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand Mt 25:33
For the explanation
of this text, approaching the material to be preached, you should know, that
Christ speaking of his coming for judgment said, "And when the Son of Man
shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon
the seat of his majesty. And all nations shall be gathered together before him,
and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separates the
sheep from the goats. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the
goats on his left." (Mt 25:31-33).
Note, "in majesty," for in his first coming, to
accomplish the redemption, he did not
come in majesty, but in humility and poverty. But in the second coming when he will come for rendering repayment, he
will not come in humility and poverty but in such majesty and power that the
whole world will tremble.
You know how? Note by a comparison to a
tree with birds,
many birds singing and flitting about [saltantes]. But when the
falcon comes, they tremble and are frightened. So this world is like
the tree bearing
wicked fruits, of vanities, of pomp and delights, and some wish to
fill their
lap or stuff their mouth, and some search everywhere for these
mundane
things. In this tree all creatures,
like the birds, are playing, like the Sun, and Moon and Planets;
their motions
and eclipses, etc. Also the
elements. Sometimes the earth produces
herbs, plants, flowers and fruits, and at another time lets them all
go, in autumn.
Water sometimes flows etc, sometimes not. The same of air. So now
the birds in truth sing [in vere cantant], and mate [faciunt
matrimonium] , for
each wants his own, so that all creatures seem to be playing. But
when the
falcon comes and circles, the great eagle, the Lord Jesus Christ,
the whole
world shall fear. For the Sun shall
stand still in the East, and the Moon in the West, so that they will
not move
themselves, nor also the stars, and all the mountains will melt
etc. For this reason the church in the person of
an individual Christian prays, "Deliver me, O Lord, from eternal
death,"(from the Requiem Mass). If therefore the heaven and earth
and
other sinless creatures which have never violated the precept of God
should
fear, what shall you do, who sin often, how many oaths, how many
corrupt deeds
have you done etc. Then the sinners would prefer to be in hell than
to face the
angry judge. So Job says in the person
of the sinner, "Who will grant me this, that you may protect me in
hell, and hide me till your
wrath passes," (Job 14:13). Then
they shall say "to the mountains and the rocks: Fall upon us, and
hide us
from the face of him who sits upon the throne, and from the wrath of
the
Lamb," (Rev 6:16).
But those of good
life, who in this world lived according to divine commands, and not according
to their own inclinations, then they shall not fear, but they shall rejoice
saying, "Lord I have desired this day;
I now shall be glorified in body and soul," and so they say,
"Glory to thee O Lord," etc., therefore Christ said, "But when
these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads,"
Gloss: rejoice in your hearts, "because your redemption is at hand," (Lk 21:28).
And I am in the
moral material, therefore on that day only the sheep shall be on his right
hand, when he says, "And he shall set," etc. Therefore, on that day it will be better to
be a sheep of Jesus Christ that to have been a pope, or king, or emperor. Now, I see in sacred scripture that a man
becomes and is revealed to be a sheep of Jesus Christ from five virtues, even
if he had been the devil's goat before, namely by:
Simple innocence,
Ample mercy,
Steadfast
patience,
True obedience,
Worthy penance.
First, the first
virtue is when a man lives simply, nor hurts anyone in his heart, by hating,
nor by defaming in speech, nor striking with hands, nor by stealing, and so
such a life is called simple innocence, which makes a man a sheep of
Christ. Reason: For just as a sheep
does not strike with horns like a bull, nor bite with its teeth like a wolf,
nor strike with hooves like a horse, but lives simply, so also if you wish to
be a sheep of Christ, you should strike no one with horns of knowledge or of
power, for lawyers strike by the horns of knowledge, jurists, advocates, or men
who have great knowledge. Merchants
too, by deceiving others. Lords and
bullies strike with the horns of power, plundering or injuring, and extorting,
using calumnies and threats, and the like.
Listen to what the Lord says by the mouth of David, "And I will
break all the horns of sinners: but the horns of the just shall be
exalted," (Ps 74:11).
Also you should
not bite with teeth as wolves do. By defaming you bite the reputation of your
neighbor, by saying such and such happened.
To defame someone is nothing else but to bite. Therefore, defamers are not the sheep of Christ, but wolves of
hell. So the Apostle [Paul], "For
all the law is fulfilled in one word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
But if you bite and devour one another; take heed you be not consumed one of
another," (Gal 5:14-15). Note the
difference between biting and
devouring, because to bite is to take a chunk, to devour is to swallow it
all. They bite, who on one hand praise
a man or woman, and on the other defame them by saying: "Do you know
something. O, he is a good man and a
good woman, but he has this defect."
See, a bite out of his reputation.
They devour when they say nothing good praising someone, but only the
bad. See why the Apostle says, "If
you bite..."
Also, you should
not kick with your feet like horses. For they kick with their feet when they
despise someone. Therefore children, do
not hate your parents; nor parents, children; nor young people, old folks; nor
the healthy, the sick; nor rich, the poor; nor masters, their servants; nor
prelates, their clergy; and vice versa, but like sheep, everyone should bear
themselves innocently toward all. So
Christ said, "See that you despise not one of these little ones," (Mt
18:10). It is clear, then what is
simple innocence. Innocent, as if
not-harming.[non nocens], for such shall be the sheep of Jesus Christ, and they
shall be on his right hand with the angels of God.
Note here the
story of David who although he had been the most holy, nevertheless sinned in
counting the people, on account of which God sent a plague on the people, so
that in three days seventy thousand men had died, twenty years old and up,
besides the women and children, who were about the same number. David seeing the people dying, in whom he
was punished, was more willing to die himself said, "It is I; I am he who
has sinned, I have done wickedly: these that are the sheep, what have they
done? let your hand, I beg you, be turned against me, and against my father's
house," (2Kg 24:17). Behold, here
is simple innocence!
AMPLE MERCY
The second virtue,
ample mercy, is when goods, both temporal and spiritual given to you
by God,
are given out and distributed to the needy.
This is how one becomes a sheep of Christ. Reason: Because among
all
the animals a sheep is the most beneficial of animals. For the
sheep by growing wool, shows us
mercy and benefits of mercy, because how many poor people does a
sheep
clothe? For none of us would have been
clothed in wool unless the sheep had given it to us. Also it gives
us milk, and lambs to eat, etc. Therefore if you wish to be likened to
it,
you shall be the sheep of Christ, by giving wool, i.e. external and
temporal
goods, bread and wine, money and clothes and the like. If you have
poor in your town or village,
give them this "wool."
Second, by giving "milk," that is, interior and spiritual
goods, by giving good teaching to the ignorant, as I am giving to
you now. If you have the milk of knowledge, of
devotion, or of eloquence, you should give to those not having
them. Remember the story of the gospel, for he
says, "For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and
you
gave me to drink; ...Naked, and you covered me," (Mt 25:35-36).
Note also in the legend of St. Martin we
read that once, on the road, wondering at a sheared sheep, the
disciples
questioned, "Father, why are you amazed?" Replying, he said: "This
sheep fulfilled the precept of the
gospel which says, 'He that hath two coats, let him give to him that
hath none;
and he that hath meat, let him do in like manner,'" (Lk 3:11).
STEADFAST PATIENCE
The third virtue
is steadfast patience, and this when a man suffering from injuries inflicted or
spoken to him does not want to concern himself with taking revenge. Rather he loves everyone in general, and
prays for them all. This virtue makes a
man a sheep of Christ. Reason: Because
a sheep is a most patient animal, for if harassed while eating, or if struck,
it does not defend itself, but goes elsewhere, nor does it avenge itself like a
dog or a goat would do, but humbly yields.
O blessed is the person, man or woman, who has such patience, and takes
no vengeance for injuries, but forgives, as God forgives him. Therefore the Apostle Paul writes: "If
it be possible, as much as is in you, have peace with all men. Defend not
yourselves," the Gloss has "revenge not...," "my dearly
beloved; but give place unto wrath, for it is written: Revenge is mine, I will
repay, says the Lord. But if your enemy
be hungry, give him to eat; if he thirst, give him to drink," (Rom
12:18-20), like a sheep. Note:
"Revenge is mine." And so a
man ought not to usurp the rights of God, otherwise etc.
Temporal
lords and judges can inflict and ought
to inflict juridical vengeance with due process, because justice is enforced
without sin. Also the remission of
injuries is meritorious. For the
patient ones are likened to Christ, about which Isaiah 53 said: "He shall
be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his
shearer, and he shall not open his mouth," (v. 7). So the apostle [Peter], "you should follow
his steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Who, when he
was reviled, did not revile: when he suffered, he threatened not," (1Pt
2:21-23).
TRUE OBEDIENCE
The fourth virtue
is true obedience, when a man in his life does not do anything neither in
thinking, nor speaking, nor acting according to his own will and inclination
but according to the divine will and ordination, such a one is a sheep of
Christ. Reason: For already you see how
sheep are obedient to the shepherd. For
a boy or girl with a small staff can easily guide thirty or forty sheep; it is
otherwise with goats or kids, because a shepherd is needed for each one. If
therefore on the day of judgment you wish to be a sheep of Christ, you will be
obedient to the shepherd, namely to him who said: "I am the good shepherd;
and I know mine, and mine know me," (Jn 10:14).
Let us see now,
what this shepherd commanded. First that we live humbly. Matthew 11:
"learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart," (Mt
11:29). "Be you humbled therefore
under the mighty hand of God," (1 Pt 5:6), namely of your shepherd
etc. Whoever therefore wishes to go by
the path of pride, is not a sheep of Christ but a goat of the devil.
Second, that in
giving we take the way of mercy and generosity. "Be ye therefore merciful,
as your Father also is merciful," (Lk 6:36). Also by lending, in the same citation,: "Lend, hoping for
nothing thereby: and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the sons of
the Highest; for he is kind to the unthankful, and to the evil," (Lk
6:35). Therefore whoever disobediently
goes by the way of avarice by committing usury, robbery, theft etc, is not a
sheep of Christ, but a goat of the devil.
Third, that we
walk by the way of cleanness, of chastity etc. Matt. 19: " [There are
those ] who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can
take, let him take it." (Mt 19:12).
And 1 Thess 4: "For this is the will of God, your
sanctification;…That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in
sanctification," (vv. 3-4). Whoever therefore goes by the way of
uncleanness and the filthiness of lust and carnality, such is not a sheep of
Christ but a goat of the devil, to whom Christ said, "But you do not
believe, because you are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my voice:"
obediently, "…and they follow me. And I give them life everlasting," (Jn 10:26-28).
WORTHY PENANCE
The fifth virtue
is worthy penance, for sins committed.
Because no one can be exempt from sins. And so it is said: "For
there is no just man upon earth, that does good, and sins not," (Eccl
7:21). Therefore worthy penance is
necessary, by sorrowing for sins and proposing not to relapse, confessing, and
making satisfaction. And in this way
penance makes a man a sheep of Christ. Reason: For a sheep and goat differ. Because a sheep covers its private parts
with a tail, but not so a goat. Rather
it shows everything. Now you know who
is a sheep and who a goat. All– how
many we are – have "private parts" of sins, which, although they are
not now apparent, nevertheless on the day of judgment all evils and sins will
be out in the open. Just as the
enormous sins of those who are condemned are made evident, and placed on the
scale with the parchment, on the face of which the sins are pictured. O how many hidden evils the dish reveals.
Many men and women who now are believed to be good people, who, when they are
then seen, it will be said, "Who is he?
and "Is not he the one so religious?" O for the hypocrite traitor. Same for
clergy, laity and women. But if the
private parts of sins are covered here with the tail of penance, then they will
not be revealed to your confusion, nor to your shame.
And note here the
example of the squire who confessed in a stable who covers his sins
with
confession, you understand with the tail of penance. For thus he
covers sin, so the devil will not remember. And it is no wonder then if
they are
forgotten by the devil, because they are also forgotten by God.
Authority: "But if the wicked does
penance for all his sins which he has committed,
and keeps all my commandments, and does judgment, and justice,
living he shall
live, and shall not die. I will not remember all his iniquities that
he has
done," (Ez 18:21-22). So David
says in Psalm 31: "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven,
and
whose sins are covered," (Ps 31:1), namely, by the tail of penance.
A goat, however,
which shows all, stands for the notoriously shameless person, because
everyone knows his wicked life and
sins, like wicked clergy, and other notorious cohabiters [concubinarii], nor do
they wish to cover it up with the tail of penitence; they are impenitent. Therefore we should do penance. Now you see
why the theme says, "He shall set the sheep on his right hand," (Mt
25:33). Thanks be to God.