Expositio super orationem Dominicam

As we also forgive our debtors.

This adverbial expression as is a mark of various things. For it is a mark of truth, a mark of imitation, a mark of mere conjunction, a mark of hypothetical causation. A mark of truth, as when it is said: blessed Peter lived as a just man. Of imitation, as when it is said: the hypocrite lives as a just man. Of mere conjunction, as when it is said: this man limps as that one does, when both limp. Of hypothetical causation, as in this place: as we also, etc., which is to say:

Forgive us, because we forgive others, or in the manner that we forgive others. Whence the Lord in the Gospel: if you shall forgive, it shall be forgiven you, but if you shall not forgive, neither will your Father, etc.¹. Behold with what caution the Master of truth binds us, whose authority compels us to forgive our debtors not partially but wholly, every transgression, from the whole heart. Whence it was said to Peter: I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven times, that is, seventy and seven times².

By this number we ought to understand every transgression. For this number is composed of eleven and seven. For seven times eleven, or eleven times seven, make seventy-seven. The number eleven signifies transgression, because it exceeds ten by one, by which the Decalogue is understood. The number seven, however, signifies universality, because it embraces the whole of time, just as the gifts of the Holy Spirit are said to be seven, not because they are only seven, but because by seven all the gifts of the Holy Spirit are understood.

Whoever, then, forgive their brothers who sin against them seventy times seven times, that is, every transgression, from the whole heart, can safely say: forgive us our debts, either by wholly releasing the penalty or at least by punishing it while we are in this life, lest we be punished after death either in the fire of purgatory or in the flame of hell. For God scourges man in three ways: he scourges with a rod, he scourges with a staff, he scourges with a hammer; with a rod the son, with a staff the servant, with a hammer the enemy. The rod is bodily distress, the staff is purgatorial fire, the hammer is the flame of hell.

Note there are five causes for which we are scourged in this life: either to increase our merits, as Job and Tobias were scourged; or to guard our virtues, as Paul; or to correct our sins, as Mary the sister of Moses and Aaron; or for the glory of God who saves, as the man born blind and Lazarus, whose infirmity was not unto death; or as the beginning of eternal damnation, as Herod and Antiochus and many others who become worse amid the scourges of the present life, whose punishment begins here and continues forever.

But observe: those are called our debtors who owe us some money, or who inflict upon us some injury. If someone owes you money and you are perfect, you ought to forgive it; but if not, you may lawfully demand it back. Everyone is bound to lay aside rancor of mind for whatever injury, even if the one who wounded him does not seek pardon. But if he does seek it, I am bound to forgive him, or to say "hail" to him, and to come to his aid if he is in need, which I am not bound to do if he does not seek pardon, unless I am perfect.

And it must be known that the perfection of the faithful is fourfold. For there is the perfection of prelates, whose sign is to lay down one's life for the sheep³. And there is the perfection of contemplatives, whose sign is to leave all things. And there is the perfection of those who do not fear punishment, who are conscious of no wrong in themselves, but hold death in desire and life in patience. And there is the perfection of clerics of sacred orders, whose sign is continence. There follows: