Debt And Payment

Duo, inquit, debitores erant cuidam feneratori, unus debebat deanrios quingentos, et alius quinquaginta. Non habentibus illis unde redderent, donavit utrisque; quis ergo eum amplius diligit? Respondens Simon dixit: Aestimo quod is cui plus donavit. Et Dominus, recte judicasti. Audistis quemadmodum coelestis creditor totum debitum charitate compensat et ad incrementum totius fenoris amoris solius exigit et requirit usuram. Plectendus debitor, qui dilectione sola suam negligit redimere cautionem. Vis scire, homo, quid Deo debeas? Quod factus es, Dei creditum est; quod es rationis capax, Dei fenus est; quod discretionem mali bonive possides, accepisti; et quod vivendi normam acceperis per chirographum legis, stipulanti Deo spopondisse te non potes diffiteri. Sed dum te per vitia carnis in lutum instar suis demergis, et quadrupedum more vivens qua praeditus es ratione privaris, et in gurgite criminum boni malive perdita discretione confundis, et divinae legis substantiam dissipas, mundana voluptate captivus, factus es gloriosi fenoris debitor luctuosus, cui deficientibus virtutum lucris criminum multiplicatur usura. Sed licet in hac re cecideris, licet fueris in ista devolutus, vide ne desperes: homo, remansit tibi unde piissimo satisfacias creditori. Absolvi vis? Ama. Charitas cooperiet multitudinem peccatorum. Negationis crimine quid peius? et tamen Petrus amore solo valuit hoc delere, probante Domino, cum dicit: Petre, amas me? Inter omnia Dei praecepta amor obtinet principatum. Diliges, inquit, Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo, et ex tota anima tua, et ex tota mente tua, et ex tota virtute tua. Ama ergo, homo, Deum, et ama totus, ut possis omnia sine labore vincere et delere peccata. Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus, Sermo XCIV Source: Migne PL 52.465c-466b

'There were two debtors of a certain creditor, one owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty. Neither had the means to repay and he forgave them both. Who then did he love the most?' Simon answering, said, 'I think the one he forgave the most.' And the Lord said, 'You have judged rightly.' 1 You have heard how the heavenly creditor receives payment of the whole debt by charity and as the addition to all that has been lent exacts and demands for interest love alone. The debtor is punishable who neglects to repay his debt when it is love alone. Do you wish to know, O man, what you owe to God? That you are is credit from God, that you are capable of reason is a loan of God, that you possess the judgement to distinguish between good and evil is what you have received, and that you have undertaken to live by the rule of the bond which God has drawn up, you are not able to deny. But while you wallow in the mud of the vices of the flesh and live in the manner of a beast on all fours, you are deprived of the reason you were given. In the flood of your crimes, with judgement destroyed, you confuse good and evil, and you squander the substance of the Divine law. Snared by worldly pleasures, you are made a woeful debtor of a glorious loan, and to one who is profitless in the virtues the interest of sins is multiplied. And yet although you have fallen in this, although you have come crashing down, see that you do not despair. O man, you still may give satisfaction to your most pious creditor. Do you wish to be forgiven? Love. 'Charity covers a multitude of sins.' 2 What is worse than the sin of denial? And yet Peter by love alone was able to expunge this, with the Lord's approval, who says: 'Peter, do you love me?' 3 Of all the commands of God love has first place. 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' 4 So love God, O man, and love Him totally, that you might be able to overcome everything without toil and wipe out sins. Saint Peter Chrysologus, from Sermon 94 1 Lk 7.41-43 2 1 Pet 4.8 3 Jn 21.15-17 4. Mt 12.30, Deut 6.5