[Sermones de eucharistiae sacramento]

it is said in Ecclesiasticus 23: "Every man saying, who sees me? Darkness surrounds me, he does not understand that the eye of the Lord sees all things," and he expels the fear of God from himself. Ezechiel 8: "Son of man, have you surely seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark? For they say, the Lord does not see us." Gloss: If we always thought of the Lord as present and seeing and avenging all things, we would either rarely or never sin. Boethius: "A great necessity of living well is enjoined upon us, since we do everything before the eyes of a judge who sees all things." Regarding the third: Exodus 19: "Go to the people, sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them be ready against the third day; for on the third day the Lord will descend before all the people." As if he were saying: remember that the Lord will descend terribly to strict judgment, and therefore be ready for the third day. The first day is that of our birth; the second is that of our conversation; the third day is death or the coming of the strict judge. Luke 12: "Be ready, for at what hour you do not think, the son of man will come."

In preparation for judgment, three things are to be noted.

In preparation against the judgment of the Lord, three things ought to be noted: namely, the manner, the providence, and the profit. The manner of preparation is to perform penance for sins. The providence of the prepared is to escape punishment. The profit is to finally possess eternal life for those who are prepared. Regarding the first: Ecclesiasticus 18, "Before judgment prepare justice for yourself," that is, by performing penance. Matthew 3: "Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven will approach," that is, the just judgment of the heavenly kingdom. Joel 2: "The day of the Lord is great and very terrible; who will sustain it? Now therefore says the Lord, be converted to me with all your heart," as if he were saying: prepare yourselves for the day of the Lord by performing penance. Regarding the second: Apocalypse 18, "Go out from her, my people, and do not be participants in her sins, and you will not receive of her plagues. Go out from Babylon, etc.," that is, prepare yourselves for the judgment by performing penance and not doing the sins of the world; and through such providence you will escape his punishment. Luke 12: "If the father of the family knew at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch and would not suffer his house to be broken through." Gloss: "The thief breaks through the house while the father of the family is unaware, because while the spirit sleeps from its own guard, unexpected death breaks into the dwelling of the flesh and drags the soul to punishments." But he would resist the thief if he were watching, because by providing against the advent of the judge who comes secretly, he would meet the judge by doing penance, and thus he would surely escape the punishment of the sleeping, that is, of the unprepared. Regarding the third: Matthew 25, "While the foolish virgins went to buy, the bridegroom came," etc. When foolish souls, not prepared, went to buy at the devilish forum, or when they went to where they were buying many goods for a small price, those who were prepared entered with the bridegroom to the wedding.

Triple profit of preparation

Behold the triple profit of preparation for judgment: namely, the possession of the heavenly kingdom, the lovable society of the bridegroom, and the delights of all good. The first is noted there, "they entered"; the second...