to his servants: Quickely bring forth the first stole, and doe it on him, and put a ring upon his hand, and shoes upon his feet: 23and bring ″ the fatted calfe, and kil it, and let us eate, and make merie: 24because this my sonne was dead, and is revived: was lost, and is found. And they began to make merie. 25But his elder sonne was in the field, and when he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musicke and dancing: 26and he called one of the servants, and asked what these things should be. 27And he said to him: Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calfe, because he hath received him safe. 28But he had indignation, and would not goe in. His father therfore going forth began to desire him. 29But he answering said to his father: Behold, so many yeares doe I serve thee, and I never transgressed thy commandement, and thou didst never give me a kidde to make merie with my freindes: 30but after that thy sonne, this that hath devoured his substance with whoores, is come, thou hast killed for him the fatted calfe. 31But he said to him: Sonne, thou art alwayes with me, and al my things are thine. 32But it behoved us to make merie and be glad because this thy brother was dead, and is revived, was lost, and is found.✠
ANNOTATIONS.
Chap. XV.
Joy in Heaven for every penitent.7. Then upon ninety nine just.) Neither God, nor the Saints in Heaven, nor men in earth do for al that esteeme more of penitent sinners, then they doe of them that continue just and godly: though by the soden motion and present affection of joy that man taketh and expresseth in such alteration and new fallen good, it be here signified that the conversion of every sinner is exceeding acceptable to God, and giveth his Saints new cause of joy and thankes-giving to God in another kind then for the continuance of the just.
The Angels and Saints know our hartes.10. Before the Angels.) The Angels and other celestial spirits in Heaven, do rejoyce at every sinners conversion: they know then and have care of us, yea our hartes and inward repentance be open to them: how then can they not heare our prayers? Mt. 22, 30.And betwixt Angels and the blessed soules of Saints there is no difference in this case, the one being as highly exalted as the other and as neere God, in whom and by whom only they see and know our affaires, as the other.
The B. Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Altar.23. The fatted calfe.) This feasting and festivitie (saith S. Augustine li. 2, qu. Evan. c. 33. to. 34.) are now celebrated throughout the whole world the Church being dilated and spred: for, that calfe, in the body and bloud of our Lord, is both offered to the Father, and also feedeth the whole house. And as the calfe signifieth the B. Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ, so the first stole may signifie our innocencie restored in Baptisme: and the rest, other graces and guifts given us in the other Sacraments.
