Eating And Satisfaction

Manducaverunt, inquit, et saturati sunt. Hoc quippe a saeculo per David prophetam praedictum fuerat: Edent pauperes at saturabuntur; et laudabunt Dominum qui requirunt eum, et vivent corda eorum in saeculum saeculi. Ergo quia isti requisierunt invenerunt, et quia invenerunt triduo permanserunt: et quia triduo permanserunt, miserius eorum est, et saturati sunt: et quoniam saturati sunt, Vivent corda eorum in saeculum saeculi. Sed quantum isti beati qui tali recreantur edulio, et saturantur divinis dapibus, tantum infelices qui manducant, et non saturantur; qui panem verbi, quo vivit homo, audiunt et degustant, sed non fide atque opere perficiunt quae audiunt, nihilque ex his internae dulcedinis percipiunt, quo cor eorum firmetur ut permaneant. Profecto, non dicam hi tales, quia de longe venerunt, sed quia longe fuerunt a salute, et alieni a gratia. Nam quidam eorum qui salvantur, et satianatur donis coelestibus, de longe venerunt; quidam vero, sicut Nathanael, et plurimi in quibus dolus non? erat, de proximo. Tamen omnes qui venerunt per fidem nisi recesserint a peccato, languescunt, et ut ita dicam, mortui sunt, quia longe est a peccatoribus salus. Sanctus Paschasius Radbertus Corbeiensis, Expositio In Evangelium Matthaei, Liber VII Cap XV Source: Migne PL 120.549c-d

'And they ate and they were satisfied.' 1 This is what David the Prophet foretold from of old: 'The poor shall eat and be satisfied, and they shall praise the Lord who seek Him, and their hearts shall live forever.' 2 Therefore because these sought they found, and because they found they remained three days, and because they remained three days, He was more merciful to them, and they were satisfied, and because they were satisfied, their hearts shall live forever. But as much as these blessed ones were refreshed by such a feast, and satisfied by the Divine banquet, so those hapless ones who eat are not satisfied, who eat the bread of the Word, by which a man lives, who hear and taste, but who do not perfect with faith and works what they hear, so that they grasp nothing of its inner sweetness, that which strengthens the heart, that they live on. Certainly, I do not speak such things because they came from afar, but because they were far from salvation, and strangers to grace. For those of them who are saved and satisfied with heavenly gifts, they did come from afar; and yet also, as Nathaniel, and many in whom there is no guile, from nearby. 3 However, all who come with faith, unless they have withdrawn from sin, languish, and thus I say, they are dead, because salvation is far from sinners. 4 Saint Paschasius Radbertus, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Book 7 Chap 15 1 Mt 15.37 2 Ps 21.27 3 Jn 1.43-51 4 Ps 118.155