Catena Aurea by St. Thomas Aguinas
17:7–10
7. But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
8. And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
9. Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.
10. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
THEOPHYLACT. Because faith makes its possessor a keeper of God’s commandments, and adorns him with wonderful works; it would seem from thence that a man might thereby fall into the sin of pride. Our Lord therefore forewarned His Apostles by a fit example, not to boast themselves in their virtues, saying, But which of you having a servant plowing, &c.
AUGUSTINE. (de Quæst. Ev. l. 2. qu. 39.) Or else; To the many who understand not this faith in the truth already present, our Lord might seem not to have answered the petitions of His disciples. And there appears a difficulty in the connexion here, unless we suppose He meant the change from faith to faith, from that faith, namely, by which we serve God, to that whereby we enjoy Him. For then will our faith be increased when we first believe the word preached, next the reality present. But that joyful contemplation possesseth perfect peace, which is given unto us in the everlasting kingdom of God. And that perfect peace is the reward of those righteous labours, which are performed in the administration of the Church. Be then the servant in the field ploughing, or feeding, that is, in this life either following his worldly business, or serving foolish men, as it were cattle, he must after his labours return home, that is, be united to the Church.
BEDE. Or the servant departs from the field when giving up for a time his work of preaching, the teacher retires into his own conscience, pondering his own words or deeds within himself. To whom our Lord does not at once say, Go from this mortal life, and sit down to meat, that is, refresh thyself in the everlasting resting-place of a blessed life.
AMBROSE. For we know that no one sits down before he has first passed over. Moses indeed also passed over, that he might see a great sight. Since then thou not only sayest to thy servant, Sit down to meat, but requirest from him another service, so in this life the Lord does not put up with the performance of one work and labour, because as long as we live we ought always to work. Therefore it follows, And will not rather say, Make ready wherewith I may sup.
BEDE. He bids make ready wherewith he may sup, that is, after the labours of public discourse, He bids him humble himself in self-examination. With such a supper our Lord desires to be fed. But to gird one’s self is to collect the mind which has been enfolded in the base coil of fluctuating thoughts, whereby its steps in the cause of good works are wont to be entangled. For he who girds up his garments does so, that in walking he may not be tripped up. But to minister unto God, is to acknowledge that we have no strength without the help of His grace.
AUGUSTINE. (de Quæst. Ev. ubi sup.) While His servants also are ministering, that is, preaching the Gospel, our Lord is eating and drinking the faith and confession of the Gentiles. It follows, And afterward thou shall eat and drink. As if He says, After that I have been delighted with the work of thy preaching, and refreshed myself with the choice food of thy compunction, then at length shalt thou go, and feast thyself everlastingly with the eternal banquet of wisdom.
CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. Our Lord teaches us that it is no more than the just and proper right of a master to require, as their bounden duty, subjection from servants, adding, Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. Here then is the disease of pride cut away. Why boastest thou thyself? Dost thou know that if thou payest not thy debt, danger is at hand, but if thou payest, thou doest nothing thankworthy? As St. Paul says, For though I preach the Gospel I have nothing to glory of, for necessity is laid upon me, yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel. (1 Cor. 9:16.)
Observe then that they who have rule among us, do not thank their subjects, when they perform their appointed service, but by kindness gaining the affections of their people, breed in them a greater eagerness to serve them. So likewise God requires from us that we should wait upon Him as His servants, but because He is merciful, and of great goodness, He promises reward to them that work, and the greatness of His loving-kindness far exceeds the labours of His servants.
AMBROSE. Boast not thyself then that thou hast been a good servant. Thou hast done what thou oughtest to have done. The sun obeys, the moon submits herself, the angels are subject; let us not then seek praise from ourselves. Therefore He adds in conclusion, So likewise ye, when ye have done all good things, say, We are unprofitable servants, we have done that which it was our duty to do.
BEDE. Servants, I say, because bought with a price; (1 Cor. 6:20) unprofitable, for the Lord needeth not our good things, (Ps. 16:2) or because the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Rom. 8:18.) Herein then is the perfect faith of men, when having done all things which were commanded them, they acknowledge themselves to be imperfect.
Catena Aurea Luke 17
St. Laurence O'Toole
St. Laurence O’Toole was archbishop of Dublin, Ireland, and a great force for peace during a tumultuous time.
He was born 1128 and named Lorcán Ua Tuathail (his name is anglicized to Laurence O’Toole). He was the son of Murtagh, the chieftain of the Murray clan. When a neighboring king invaded, Murtagh was forced to give up Laurence, then only ten years old, as a hostage.
For two years, Laurence lived in a barren and stony region and was poorly treated. When Murtagh heard of this, he threatened vengeance unless the boy was handed over to the Bishop of Glendalough. Laurence was delivered to the bishop, and Murtagh hurried to visit him there. In thanksgiving, Murtagh vowed to God that one of his four sons would serve the Church. He asked the bishop to cast lots to decide which son should join him, but Laurence laughed and told him not to bother—he had already decided to do so.
Laurence was raised and educated by the bishop, and when he turned twenty-five, he was asked to be the Abbot of Glendalough Abbey. Laurence was a charitable and wise leader. When a famine struck the area during his first four months as abbot, he generously supported the villagers with extra food from the abbey.
Outlaws and robbers hid in the hills surrounding Glendalough and often threatened anyone who traveled through them. Laurence boldly spoke out against these robbers, and they responded to his rebukes by spreading lies about him. Laurence responded to the slander with silence, content to let the truth bear itself out.
When the archbishop of Dublin died in 1161, Laurence was elected to replace him, his election was supported by the High King and the community of Glendalough, but also warmly welcomed by the population of Dublin itself. Laurence's first plan of action in the city was to reform the clergy who worked with him in Dublin. Laurence asked the clergy to truly commit to a life of regular prayer and fasting, and he led the clergy in these disciplines with his own example—he wore a religious habit, ate with the clerical community in a common dining area, and observed hours of silence and vigil prayer. Every day, Laurence shared a meal with the poor and destitute of Dublin, and he sustained many others by paying for their housing.
Various Irish kings and chieftains allied with the Norman King Henry II of England and conspired to seize Dublin. The citizens of Dublin begged Laurence to parlay with the Norman troops for them, but Laurence was unable to prevent the Normans from entering the city. He did, however, succeed in stopping the massacre of Dublin citizens the Norman knights were beginning to carry out. In the ensuing years of political turmoil, Laurence continued to negotiate between the Normans and the Irish chieftains.
During one trip to England, Laurence visited the tomb of St. Thomas Beckett, who was murdered for disagreeing with the king and honored as a martyr. The next day, as Laurence was celebrating Mass, a man attending Mass thought Laurence would inspire the people as a martyr as well, and struck him on the head. Laurence fell to the ground, and the horrified congregation thought he had died. When Laurence regained consciousness, however, he washed the wound on his head, bandaged it, and continued with Mass. The man who struck him was sentenced to hang, but Laurence asked for his pardon and saved his life. (Seven hundred years later, when Laurence’s relics were examined, his skull carried the mark from this blow.)
Laurence fell sick while traveling to England to meet with Henry II and returned to Ireland in very critical condition. Before he died, Laurence was asked what he wanted to leave to his heirs in his will, and he replied, “God knows I have not a penny in the world.” Laurence had truly embodied the care and stewardship of a shepherd and had given all he had to his beloved people of Dublin. Laurence died on November 14, 1180. The image above is used here with permission from Catholic.org.
St. Laurence O’Toole, Irish bishop who endured violence to lead the Irish people to deeper faith—pray for us!
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