St. Joseph's Catholic Church

Weekly Bulletin and Mass Intentions

Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost

By the Fathers an Doctors of the Church

ST THOMAS AQUINAS

Commentary on Saint Matthew

And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him. Here something is set out about the zeal of the good men against the evil.

first, they inquire about the origin of the evil men;

second, they are moved with zeal to wipe out the evil men, at and the servants said to him: do you wish us to go?

He says, and the servants of the master of the house came. First, one should see who these servants are. Below, he speaks about the reapers; but these are not servants, but angels. These are good men; and this is not unfitting, since the Lord is called both the gate and the gatekeeper. And the servants of the master of the house came by faith; come to him and be enlightened (Ps 33:6). And said to him: lord, did you not sow good seed in your field? Did not the apostles sow good teaching? Yes, certainly. And God saw all the things that he had made, and they were very good (Gen. 1:31). Why then does it have weeds? There is a similar question: yet I planted you a chosen vineyard, all true seed: how then are you turned unto me into that which is good for nothing, O strange vineyard? (Jer 2:21).

The Lord responds: And he said to them: an enemy has done this. And notice that this is not from the first origin, but about that in man which is from the devil; but by the envy of the devil, death came into the world (Wis 2:24). A man is called the devil by a falling away from the deity; arise, O Lord, let not man be strengthened (Ps 9:20). This man is called an enemy on account of complete malice; I will put enmities between you and the woman (Gen 3:15).

And the servants said to him. Here it says that the servants are moved with zeal to wipe out the evil men. Do you wish us to go and gather it up?

Two praiseworthy things are said about these men here, because they are moved to the destruction of evil; put away the evil one from among yourselves (1 Cor 5:13). Likewise another praiseworthy thing, because they do not want to do this by their own proper motion, but by the Lord’s command; hence bless God at all times: and desire of him to direct your ways (Tob 4:20).

And he said. Notice, this is the third, namely about putting up with the evil men; about this, for because sentence is not speedily pronounced against the evil, the children of men commit evils without any fear (Eccl 8:11). And first, he makes clear the thing at hand; second, he gives the reason; third, he sets down a limit to the toleration, because he will not always put up with them. He says then, no, i.e., I do not wish that you should collect them yet; the Lord . . . deals patiently for your sake, not willing that any should perish (2 Pet 3:9).

Lest perhaps; here he sets forth the reason. And in the first part you should note that the good is great and victorious over evil, because good can be without evil, but not evil without good. Therefore, the Lord puts up with many evils that many goods might come, or also lest they perish. Therefore he says, no, lest perhaps gathering up the weeds, i.e., the evil men, or heretics, you root up the wheat also together with it.

There are four reasons why evil men should not be wiped out for the sake of good men. One reason is because good men are exercised by the evil; for there must be also heresies: that they also, who are approved, may be made manifest among you (1 Cor 11:19); The fool shall serve the wise (Prov 11:29). If there had not been heretics, the knowledge of the saints, of Augustine and of others, would not have shone forth. Hence he who would wipe out evil men would wipe out many good things as well.

Likewise, it happens that one who for a while is evil afterwards becomes good, like Paul. Hence if Paul had been killed, we would lack the teaching of so great a master, which God forbid. Therefore, if you wish to wipe them out, you will wipe out at the same time the wheat also, namely him who will be wheat; the Lord said: I will turn them from Basan, I will turn them into the depth of the sea (Ps 67:23).

The third reason is because some men seem evil and are not; therefore if you wish to root up evil men, right away you will wipe out many good men. And this is clear, because God did not will that they should be gathered until they came to perfect maturity; hence, therefore judge not before the time (1 Cor 4:5).

The fourth reason is that sometimes someone has great power; so if he were cut off, he would drag many with him, and thus with the evil man many would perish. Therefore the congregation is not excommunicated, nor the prince of a people, lest with one man many should fall. About such men is understood what is said, that the dragon dragged a third part of the stars with him (Apoc 12:4). And far be it from you to do this thing, and to slay the just with the wicked (Gen 18:25).

But will he always spare them? No, but only for a time; hence he says, allow both to grow until the harvest. A similar thought is found: he who hurts, let him hurt still: and he who is filthy, let him be filthy still (Apoc 22:11).

Allow both to grow until the harvest. Against this sentence it is objected: take away the evil of your devices from my eyes, cease to do perversely (Isa 1:16). Likewise, purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new paste, as you are unleavened (1 Cor 5:7). Why then does he say, allow both to grow until the harvest?

Chrysostom says that he speaks about killing. Hence heretics should not be killed, because many evils would follow from that. Augustine says in a certain epistle that for a while it seemed to him that they should not be killed; but afterward he learned by experience that many are converted by violence; for the Lord draws certain men violently, as he drew Paul. Whence this man, forcibly converted, was more profitable than many others who believed voluntarily. And Augustine investigated this opinion or question. Hence according to Chrysostom’s thought, if it cannot be done without danger, it should not be done, but only where a greater danger is feared.

And this is clear by induction from all the particulars, because even if they are evil, they are useful for exercise. Nevertheless, because one should fear even more lest the evangelical teaching perish in others through them, the conclusion follows. Likewise, some men who are evil for a while become good afterward. It is true that they should not be killed right away, but, as is said, a man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, avoid (Titus 3:10).

As regards something which is opposed to the third thing, namely that many seem evil who are good, this is true, if they become indiscreet (1 Tim 4).

Likewise, what was said, that the prince of a people should not be excommunicated, if you should see that there will be a greater scandal if he is excommunicated than in the fact that he does wrong, he should not be excommunicated; but if he had done something which was dangerous to the faith, without doubt he should be excommunicated, whatever damage might come from it.

Vigesimocuarto Domingo después Pentecostés

Palabras de los Padres de la Iglesia

SANTO TOMÁS DE AQUINO

Comentario a San Mateo

Y los siervos del dueño de la casa se acercaron y le dijeron. Aquí se expone algo acerca del celo de los hombres buenos frente a los malos:

primero, indagan sobre el origen de los hombres malos;

segundo, se sienten movidos por el celo a eliminar a los hombres malos; por eso, los siervos le dijeron: «¿Quieres que vayamos?».

Dice el texto: «Y los siervos del dueño de la casa se acercaron». Primero, cabe preguntarse quiénes son estos siervos. Más adelante se habla de los segadores; pero estos no son siervos, sino ángeles. Aquí, en cambio, se trata de hombres buenos; lo cual no resulta inapropiado, dado que al Señor se le llama tanto «la puerta» como «el portero». Los siervos del dueño de la casa se acercan mediante la fe: «Acercaos a él y seréis iluminados» (Sal 33,6). Y le dijeron: «Señor, ¿no sembraste buena semilla en tu campo?». ¿Acaso no sembraron los apóstoles una buena enseñanza? Ciertamente, así es. «Y vio Dios todo lo que había hecho, y he aquí que era bueno en gran manera» (Gén 1,31). ¿Por qué, entonces, hay cizaña? Existe una cuestión semejante: «Yo te planté como una viña escogida, de semilla totalmente auténtica; ¿cómo, pues, te has convertido ante mí en algo que no sirve para nada, oh viña extraña?» (Jer 2,21).

El Señor responde: «Y él les dijo: Un enemigo ha hecho esto». Nótese que esto no se refiere al origen primero, sino a aquello que, en el hombre, proviene del diablo; pues «por la envidia del diablo entró la muerte en el mundo» (Sab 2,24). Se llama «diablo» al hombre que se aparta de la divinidad; «¡Levántate, Señor; no prevalezca el hombre!» (Sal 9,20). A este hombre se le denomina «enemigo» debido a su malicia absoluta: «Pondré enemistad entre ti y la mujer» (Gén 3,15).

Y los siervos le dijeron. Aquí se indica que los siervos se sienten movidos por el celo a eliminar a los hombres malos: «¿Quieres que vayamos y la recojamos?». Se mencionan aquí dos aspectos loables respecto a estos hombres: primero, que se sienten impulsados ​​a la erradicación del mal —«quitad al malvado de entre vosotros» (1 Cor 5,13)—; y segundo, que no actúan por iniciativa propia, sino por mandato del Señor —«bendice a Dios en todo tiempo y pídele que dirija tus caminos» (Tob 4,20)—.

«Y él dijo...». Obsérvese que este es el tercer punto, referido a la tolerancia hacia los malvados. Al respecto, se dice: «Como no se ejecuta prontamente la sentencia contra los malvados, el corazón de los hijos de los hombres se llena de deseo de hacer el mal» (Ecl 8,11). El texto, en primer lugar, aclara la cuestión; en segundo lugar, ofrece la razón; y en tercer lugar, establece un límite a dicha tolerancia, pues el Señor no los soportará indefinidamente. Por eso dice: «No» —es decir, no quiero que los recojáis todavía—, ya ​​que «el Señor... tiene paciencia con vosotros, pues no quiere que nadie perezca» (2 Pe 3,9).

«No sea que...»; aquí se expone la razón. Cabe notar, ante todo, que el bien es superior y triunfa sobre el mal, pues el bien puede existir sin el mal, pero el mal no puede existir sin el bien. Por ello, el Señor tolera muchos males para que de ellos surjan muchos bienes, o bien para evitar que los hombres perezcan. Por eso dice: «No», pues al arrancar la cizaña —es decir, a los malvados o a los herejes—, podríais arrancar también el trigo junto con ella.

Existen cuatro razones por las cuales los malvados no deben ser eliminados, en consideración a los buenos. Una de ellas es que los buenos se ejercitan a través de los malvados; pues «es necesario que haya herejías, para que se pongan de manifiesto entre vosotros los que son aprobados» (1 Cor 11,19), y «el necio servirá al sabio» (Prov 11,29). Si no hubieran existido herejes, el conocimiento de los santos —como Agustín y otros— no habría resplandecido de la misma manera. Por tanto, quien quisiera acabar con los hombres malvados acabaría también con muchas cosas buenas..