Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Thomas Aquinas: Super Evangelium S. Ioannis lectura, c.14, lc.2

John 14: "Jesus said to them, 'I am the path, truth, and life.'"

... Thus, therefore, Christ designates himself as the path, and as conjoined to the destination: since he is the destination, having in himself whatever can be desired, namely, existing truth and life. If, therefore, you ask, by what means you should make the journey, accept Christ, since he is the path; Is.30: 21: "this is the path, walk in it." And Augustine says: "walk by the man, and you will arrive at God. For it is better to limp along in the path, than to walk with vigour off the path." For, the one who limps along in the path, even if his progress is small, draws nearer to the destination; but the one who walks off the path, the more vigorously he runs, the farther he is distanced from the destination. But if you ask to where you are going, adhere to Christ, for he is the truth, at which we desire to arrive; Prov.3:7: "the truth will my throat meditate," etc. If you search the place in which you will lastingly abide, adhere to Christ, for he is life. Prov.8:35: "the one who finds me, finds life, and he will draw salvation from the Lord." Adhere, therefore, to Christ, if you wish to be secure: for you will not be able to lose the path, since He is the path.


Dicit eis Iesus: ego sum via, veritas et vita...
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... Sic ergo Christus seipsum designavit viam, et coniunctam termino: quia ipse est terminus habens in se quidquid desiderari potest, scilicet existens veritas et vita. Si ergo quaeras, qua transeas, accipe Christum, quia ipse est via; Is. XXX, v. 21: haec est via, ambulate in ea. Et Augustinus dicit: ambula per hominem, et pervenies ad Deum. Melius est enim in via claudicare, quam praeter viam fortiter ambulare. Nam qui in via claudicat, etiam si parum proficiscatur, appropinquat ad terminum; qui vero extra viam ambulat, quanto fortius currit, tanto magis a termino elongatur. Si vero quaeras quo vadis, adhaere Christo, quia ipse est veritas, ad quam desideramus pervenire; Prov. VIII, 7: veritatem meditabitur guttur meum et cetera. Si quaeris quo permaneas, adhaere Christo, quia ipse est vita. Prov. VIII, 35: qui me inveniet, inveniet vitam, et hauriet salutem a domino. Adhaere ergo Christo, si vis esse securus: non enim poteris deviare, quia ipse est via.           

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