A woman, when she is in labour, hath sorrow, because her hour is come; but when she hath brought forth the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

“(in Hom. Dom. Sec. post. vet. Pasch.) Nor should it appear strange, if one who departeth from this life is said to be born. For as a man is said to be born when he comes out of his mother’s womb into the light of day, so may he be said to be born who from out of the prison of the body, is raised to the light eternal. Whence the festivals of the saints, which are the days on which they died, are called their birthdays.”

“Above, the Lord explained one reason for consolation drawn from the promise of the Holy Spirit; here he explains the second, namely concerning his renewed sight of them, and first the promise of a renewed vision is set forth; second, the disciples' doubt is introduced, where it says "They said therefore," etc.; third, the resolution of the doubt is added, where it says "But Jesus knew," etc. Now the Lord promises them a renewed vision together with a foretelling of his departure: and he impresses this upon them frequently for this reason, so that, by often meditating beforehand on what is to come, they might bear his absence more tolerably. Now he sets forth three consoling things: a brief absence, a renewed presence of himself, and an honorable departure. The absence indeed is brief, because "a little while, and now you will not see me": so that the word "a little while" is referred to "you will not see me"; as if he were saying: it is to come that I shall be taken from you through death, and now you will not see me, but you ought not to be saddened, because this time in which you will not see me will be short, for I shall arise at daybreak, that is, on the third day; Isaiah 26:20: "Hide yourself a little while, for a moment, until the indignation pass over." But there will be a renewed presence of me, because "again a little while," that is, after a short space of time following the resurrection, namely forty days, Acts 1:3: "appearing to them for forty days," "and you will see me"; below, John 20:20: "the disciples rejoiced, having seen the Lord." And this because I depart honorably, "because I go to the Father"; Acts 1:9: "while they were watching, he was lifted up." Or otherwise, so that the word "a little while" is referred to the time before his death, and the sense is: "a little while," namely, a time will exist in which I shall be withdrawn from you, that is, on the next day; above, John 13:33: "Little children, yet a little while I am with you." And "you will not see me," that is, mortal, because, above, John 14:19, "yet a little while, and the world sees me no more," that is, mortal, for it will see him coming in majesty at the judgment; but the disciples will see him existing immortal after the resurrection: because, as is said in Acts 10:40, "he gave him to be made manifest, not to all the people, but to witnesses foreordained." And therefore he adds "a little while," namely it will last, "and you will see [me]," because, namely, it was only a short time that he remained in death; Isaiah 54:8: "In a moment of indignation I hid my face from you for a little while." Or the word "a little while" can be referred to the time of our whole life up to the judgment; and then we shall see him at the judgment and in glory. Now it is called "a little while" in comparison to eternity; Psalm 89:4: "A thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, which is past." "Because I go to the Father," through the resurrection and ascension; above, John 13:1: "Jesus knowing that his hour had come, that he should pass out of this world to the Father." Here the disciples' doubt is set forth: and first their discussion among themselves is set forth; second, the occasion of the doubt is expressed; third, the mind and disposition of those doubting is described. The disciples indeed discussed among themselves, on account of the Lord's words, saying, "What is this that he says to us, 'a little while'?" In which their reverence toward Christ is to be commended, which was so great that they did not presume to question him. The angels do likewise; Isaiah 63:1: "Who is this that comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah?" To whom, however, he responds, saying: "I, who speak justice, and am a defender to save." But in this it is given us to understand that they did not yet have a perfect understanding of Christ's words, either because of the sorrow absorbing them, or because of the obscurity of the words; Matthew 15:16: "Are you also even yet without understanding?" Now the occasion was the very context of the words, which seemed to imply a certain contrariety. For they understood well enough what he says, "you will not see me," and "because I go to the Father": but this raised the doubt, that they were going to see, after a little while, the same one both existing and dying. For the resurrection was not yet known to them, because this is said in Psalm 88:49: "What man is there who shall not see death, who shall deliver his soul from the hand of hell?" Wisdom 2:1: "It is not known that anyone has returned from the dead." And therefore they say, "What is this that he says to us, 'a little while'?" Understand: "that you will see me." But toward this doubt they were modestly disposed. "We do not know," they say, "what he is speaking of." For, as Augustine says, some, not understanding the words of Scripture, blaspheme, preferring their own opinion to the authority of Scripture; but others, more modest, while they do not understand, confess their own ignorance; Wisdom 9:5: "a weak man, and of short time, and too little for the understanding of judgment and of laws": which the disciples also do here. For they do not say, "he speaks ill," or "nothing"; but they ascribe to their own ignorance the fact that they do not understand. Here the manifestation of the doubt is set forth, and first the knowledge of the doubt is set forth; second, the manifestation of the thing doubted, where it says "Amen, amen, I say to you," etc.; third, a similitude is introduced, where it says, "A woman, when she gives birth, has sorrow." Concerning the first he does two things. First he shows how the disciples' doubt is known by Christ, when he says "But Jesus knew," by the power of his divinity, "that they wished to ask him," namely, about that which they doubted; above, John 2:25: "for he himself knew what was in man"; 1 Kings 16:7: "Men see the things that appear, but God looks upon the heart." Second, how it is manifested by word; hence he said to them, "Do you inquire among yourselves concerning this," etc.; Isaiah 48:3: "I made it heard from that time, I acted suddenly, and they came to pass." Here he expounds his own saying, removing the doubt, not expressly repeating the words he had said, satisfying the disciples rather than himself: where he does three things. First he shows the alternation of joy and sorrow; second, their interior sorrow; third, the joy that follows. He says therefore, as to the first, "Amen, amen, I say to you," that in this little while in which you will not see me, "you will weep," outwardly emitting a sorrowful voice, "and you will lament," by weeping tears; Lamentations 1:2: "Weeping, she has wept in the night," as to the first, "and her tears are on her cheeks," as to the second; Jeremiah 31:16: "let your voice cease from weeping." Now their interior sorrow will be by contrast with the joy of the world; hence he says, "but the world will rejoice": which can be understood particularly with respect to the time of Christ's passion, and thus "the world," that is, the scribes and Pharisees, "will rejoice" over the killing of Christ; Lamentations 2:16: "This is the day that we looked for: we have found it, we have seen it." Or "the world," that is, the wicked who are in the Church, "will rejoice," in the persecution of the saints; Revelation 17:8: "those who dwell upon the earth will rejoice." Or universally "the world," that is, men living in a carnal way, "will rejoice," in worldly things; Isaiah 22:13: "behold joy and gladness, killing calves and slaying rams, eating meat and drinking wine." The sorrow of the disciples follows: hence he says, "but you will be made sorrowful," namely, over the sufferings which you will endure in the world, or rather over my killing. So too the saints are made sorrowful over the sufferings inflicted upon them by the world, and over sins; 2 Corinthians 7:10: "the sorrow that is according to God works repentance unto steadfast salvation." But joy will follow sorrow: because "your sorrow," which you will have, namely, in the passion, "will be turned into joy," in the resurrection; below, John 20:20: "the disciples rejoiced, having seen the Lord." But universally the sorrow of all the saints will be turned into the joy of the future life; Matthew 5:5: "Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted"; Psalm 125:6: "Going, they went and wept, casting their seeds; but coming, they shall come with exultation, carrying their sheaves." For the saints weep in the time of merit, while sowing; but they will rejoice in the time of reward, while gathering. Here the Lord first proposes a similitude; second, he adapts it, where it says, "You therefore now indeed have sorrow." Now he proposes a similitude concerning a woman in labor, whence first he proposes her sorrow over the birth; second, her joy over the offspring, where it says, "but when she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy." He says therefore, as to the first: "a woman, when she gives birth, has sorrow," a sensible sorrow, namely, the greatest, "because her hour has come," namely, of pain; Psalm 47:7: "there, pains as of a woman in labor." By this pain we are given to understand the pain of Christ's passion, which was the greatest; Lamentations 1:12: "O all you who pass by the way, attend, and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow." Likewise, the sorrow of the saints repenting of their sins; Isaiah 26:17: "As a woman with child, drawing near the time of her delivery, is in pain and cries out in her pangs: so are we become, O Lord, at your presence." Here he proposes the joy over the escape from pain. For upon the birth there follows a twofold joy: one, over the escape from the pain; the other, and greater, over the arising of the offspring: which indeed is greatest, if the offspring be of the male sex; since the male is something perfect, but the female something imperfect and incidental; Jeremiah 20:15: "Cursed be the man who brought the news to my father, saying, A male child is born to you." Genesis 21:6, when Sarah conceived, she said: "The Lord has made laughter for me, and whoever shall hear of it will laugh with me." And therefore he says, "but when she has given birth, she no longer remembers the anguish," rejoicing over the escape from pain, but rather for joy, "because a man has been born into the world." Now this similitude applies indeed with respect to Christ, because by suffering he dissolved the pangs of death, and, regenerating, made a new man to be, that is, he restored man to a newness of the glory of life, which was not yet known to men; hence he does not say, "a child is born," but "a man is born into the world": because Christ himself, existing as man, rose new from the dead, as it were a child. Likewise it applies to the Church militant, which walks in newness of life. Likewise to the Church triumphant, which walks in newness of glory. And he does not say "there will be no anguish" but "that she no longer remembers the anguish," because even if the saints should recall the miseries which they suffered, when they are in that blessedness of glory, nevertheless they will not experience anything of the miseries from this in their affection. Here he adapts the similitude: and first with respect to the present sorrow which the apostles then had, saying, "And you therefore indeed now," that is, from the time of the passion, "have sorrow," over my death; Luke 24:17: "What are these words that you exchange with one another, and why are you sad?" Or "now," that is, in the whole of the present life, "you have sorrow." Above, in the same chapter: "you will weep and lament." Second, with respect to the future joy, saying, "but I will see you again." Where first he promises them a future vision, saying, "but I will see you again"; which is the same as if he were saying: "you will see me," because we cannot see him unless he shows himself. But he does not say "you will see me" but "I will see you": because this very fact, that he shows himself, is from his mercy, which is signified through his "seeing" them. He says therefore, "but I will see you again," in the resurrection and in the future glory; Isaiah 33:17: "they will see the king in his beauty." Second, he promises the joy and exultation of the heart, saying, "and your heart will rejoice," namely, from the vision of me in the resurrection. Hence the Church sings: "This is the day which the Lord has made; let us exult and rejoice in it." "And it will rejoice," by the vision of glory: Psalm 15:11: "you will fill me with joy with your countenance"; Isaiah 60:5: "then you will see and abound, and your heart will be amazed and enlarged." For it is natural to each one to rejoice in the sight of the thing loved. But no one can see the divine essence unless he loves it. Job 36:33: "He declares concerning it to his friend, that it is his possession." And therefore it is necessary that joy follow that vision; Isaiah 66:14: "you will see," knowing through the intellect, "and your heart will rejoice"; nay rather, that very joy will overflow even to the body, while it is glorified; hence he adds: "and your bones will flourish"; Matthew 25:21: "enter into the joy of your lord." Third, he promises them the perpetual duration of joy, saying, "and your joy," which you will have at the resurrection concerning me — Isaiah 61:10: "rejoicing I will rejoice in the Lord" — "no one will take from you": as the Jews once took it away through the passion, because "Christ, rising from the dead, dies now no more; death will no longer have dominion over him." Or "your joy," concerning the enjoyment of glory, "no one will take from you," since it is unforfeitable and perpetual; Isaiah 35:10: "everlasting joy shall be upon their heads." For no one will take this joy from himself through sin, since each one's will is there confirmed in the good; nor also will anyone take this joy from another, since there is no violence there, no infliction of harm, and so forth.”

“A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow , because her hour is come : but when she is delivered of the child , she remembereth no more the anguish , for joy that a man is bom into the world. As hoping that the child will be a support and credit to her in this life, and will succeed her after her death. For since men cannot Digitized by v^iOOQLe JOY WHEN A MAN IS BORN. I7t themselves live for ever, they hope in a sense to live in their children. A queen rejoices in her first-born as having borne a king. This illustration is most apposite. For Christ compares His death to child-birth, and His resurrection to the joy after childbirth. For Christ suffered anguish and tortures like a woman in child-birth, but when He saw Himself rising again through the merit of His death, and knew that we should in like manner rise again, He greatly rejoiced Himself, and inspired the Apostles and all the faithful with great joy. For He brought them forth as His children, by dying for them on the Cross. So S. Chrysostom, Cyril, Theophylact, Euthymius. You may apply this also to the persecutions and sufferings of the Apostles and faithful in this life, and to their joy and exultation at the Resurrection. A man-child . “ Because,” as says S. Augustine (in loc.), “ the joy is wont to be greater when a boy is bom, to signify mystically that the faithful ought to be of a masculine mind both in doing and suffering, for they are called to the contemplation of heavenly things, and even to take heaven by storm, not to the softness of this world,” as says Gloss, inter. Moreover, this man-child is afterwards called “ a man ” to signify the Resurrection of Christ, for by His resurrection Christ, as it were, is bom again, not as a child, but as a perfect man. So S. Chrysostom says: By saying a man He simply suggests His own Resurrection, and our own blessedness after death] further, says Alcuin, “ we shall be bom into eternal life.” Whence Bede says, “ It ought not to seem a strange thing, if he who departs out of this life is said to be ‘bom.* For as he who comes forth from his mother’s womb into this light, so is he who is freed from the bonds of the flesh raised up to eternal life. Hence the solemnities of the Saints are said to be their birthdays, not their burials.” Moreover, the sorrow of the disciples is rightly compared to that of a woman in travail : (i.) Because both are painful, and the pain is greater at th$ birth of a boy. (2.) Because they are short. (3.) And perilous. (4.) Both turned into joy, the one by the birth of a child, the other by the Resurrection of Christ and His followers. So S. Cyril (5.) As the same child is the cause of pain in being Digitized by Google XJ2 bom, and of joy afterwards, so Christ also caused great pain to the disciples by His death, and great joy by His Resurrection. (6.) The joy in either case is surpassing and very great, and swallows up all the preceding pain”

“In that day ye shall ask me nothing,.... Meaning, not the whole Gospel dispensation, so often called, in prophetic language, "that day"; and is, in the New Testament, opposed to the night of Jewish and Gentile darkness; and, in comparison of the former dispensation, is a time of great spiritual light and knowledge: nor the latter part of that day, when there will be no night of darkness and desertion, of error and security, of affliction and persecution, with the church; when the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord; when all the children of God shall be taught of him, and there will be no need to say, know the Lord, for all shall know him, from the least to the greatest: nor the day of judgment, which, by way of emphasis, is so frequently called "that day": nor the state of ultimate happiness, the everlasting day of glory; when all imperfections shall be done away, when saints will know, as they are known, and see Jesus as he is, and need not ask any questions about him: but the time when Christ, and his apostles, should meet again, and see each other's faces with joy and pleasure, is meant; and the time following thereon, especially the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit was poured down upon them, and, according to his promise, came to them, taught them all things, and led them into all truth. This asking is not to be understood of asking in prayer; for it appears, by what follows, that they should ask in his name then, and he encourages to it; but of asking him questions, and that not of any sort; for it is certain, that, within this time, they did ask many things. Peter asked what John, the beloved disciple, should do; and they all asked him, a little before his ascension, whether he would, at that time, restore again the kingdom to Israel; but it is to be restrained to such things they had been, or were, desirous of asking him; such as, whither goest thou? show us the Father? how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? and more especially these last questions, they greatly desired to put to him, what is this, "a little while and ye shall not see me?" and what is this, "a little while and ye shall see me?" and what is the meaning of these words, "because I go to the Father?" Joh 16:17. Now our Lord intimates, that at this time all these things would be so clear and evident to them, that they should ask him no questions about them. But he adds, verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Asking here signifies prayer, and a different word is here used than before. The object of prayer is the Father, though not to the exclusion of the Son and Spirit, who were both separately, or in conjunction with the Father, prayed unto after this; see Act 7:59. The medium of access to the Father is the name of Christ; he is the Mediator between God and man, the way of access unto him; whatever is asked, is to be asked on account of his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, and then there is no doubt of success; whatever is asked will be given; his blood within the vail speaks loud for every blessing; his righteousness, God is always pleased with; his sacrifice is a sweet smelling savour: his mediation is powerful; and his name is always prevalent.”