On the Lord's Prayer 33
Summary: Prayers joined with good works rise quickly to God, as with Tobit, as Isaiah teaches, and as Paul calls gifts to him a sacrifice.
Latin text · CSEL 3.1:290–292
Cito orationes ad Deum ascendunt quas ad Deum merita nostri operis inponunt. sic et Raphael angelus Tobiae oranti semper et semper operanti adstitit dicens: opera Dei reuelare et confiteri honorificum est. nam quando orabas tu et Sarra, ego optuli memoriam orationis uestrae in conspectu claritatis Dei: et cum sepelires tu mortuos simpliciter, et quia non es cunctatus exurgere et derelinquere prandium tuum, sed abisti et condidisti mortuum, et missus sum temptare te: et iterum me misit Deus curare te et Sarram nurum tuam. ego enim sum Raphael, unus ex septem angelis iustis qui adsistimus et conuersamur ante claritatem Dei. per Esaiam quoque Dominus admonet et docet similia contestans, solue, inquit, omnem nodum iniustitiae, resolue suffocationes inpotentium commerciorum: dimitte quassatos in requiem et omnem consignationem iniustam dissipa: frange esurienti panem tuum et egenos sine tecto induc in domum tuam: si uideris nudum, uesti et domesticos seminis tui non despicies. tunc erumpet temporaneum lumen tuum et uestimenta tua cito orientur et praeibit ante te iustitia et claritas Dei circumdabit te. tunc exclamabis, et Deus exaudiet te: dum adhuc loqueris, dicit: ecce adsum. adesse se repromittit et audire ac protegere se eos dicit qui iniustitiae nodos de corde soluentes et eleemosynas circa domesticos Dei secundum eius praecepta facientes, dum audiunt quod Deus praecipit fieri, ipsi quoque a Deo merentur audiri. beatus apostolus Paulus in necessitate pressurae adiutus a fratribus opera quae fiunt sacrificia Deo dixit esse. saturatus sum, inquit, recipiens ab Epaphrodito ea quae a uobis missa sunt, odores suauitatis, sacrificium acceptum et placitum Deo. nam quando qui miseretur pauperi, Deo faenerat et qui dat minimis Deo donat, spiritaliter Deo suauitatis odores sacrificat.
English · Claude translation
Prayers go up quickly to God when the merits of our works commend them to God. So too the angel Raphael stood by Tobit, who was always praying and always working, saying: "It is honourable to reveal and confess the works of God. For when you and Sarah prayed, I offered the remembrance of your prayer in the sight of the glory of God; and when you buried the dead in simplicity, and because you did not hesitate to rise and leave your dinner, but went and buried the dead man, I was sent to test you; and again God sent me to heal you and Sarah your daughter-in-law. For I am Raphael, one of the seven righteous angels who stand and go about before the glory of God." Through Isaiah too the Lord warns and teaches similar things, testifying: "Loose every knot of injustice," he says, "undo the stranglings of oppressive contracts; let the broken go free into rest, and tear up every unjust bond; break your bread to the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; if you see the naked, clothe him, and do not despise those of your own seed. Then your light will break forth in its season, and your garments will spring up quickly, and righteousness will go before you, and the glory of God will surround you. Then you will cry out, and God will hear you; while you are still speaking, he will say: 'Here I am.'" He promises that he is present, and says that he hears and protects those who, loosing the knots of injustice from their heart and giving alms to the household of God according to his precepts, while they hear what God commands to be done, themselves also deserve to be heard by God. The blessed apostle Paul, helped by the brothers in his need of affliction, said that the works that are done are sacrifices to God: "I am filled," he says, "having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, an odour of sweetness, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God." For when one has pity on the poor he lends to God, and he who gives to the least gives to God; he offers spiritually to God odours of sweetness.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- The quotations are Tob 12:11–15 (Old Latin, with Sarah called Tobit's daughter-in-law), Isa 58:6–9, and Phil 4:18; the last sentence echoes Prov 19:17 and Matt 25:40.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR: "n" for "ri".): menta nostri → merita nostri.
Cite this passage
Cyprian, Dom. or. 33 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/cyprian-dominica-oratione/33/).
Plain text
Cyprian, Dom. or. 33 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/cyprian-dominica-oratione/33/).
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