but the whole is understood in a part. When we ask for bread, we thereby understand all
things. There is a spiritual2013 food also which the faithful know, which ye too will know,
when ye shall receive it at the altar of God. This also is “daily Bread,” necessary only for this
life. For shall we receive the Eucharist when we shall have come to Christ Himself, and begun
to reign with Him for ever? So then the Eucharist is our daily bread; but let us in such wise
receive it, that we be not refreshed in our bodies only, but in our souls. For the virtue which
is apprehended there, is unity, that gathered together into His body, and made His members,
we may be what we receive. Then will it be indeed our daily bread. Again, what I am handling
before you now is “daily bread;” and the daily lessons which ye hear in church, are daily
bread, and the hymns ye hear and repeat are daily bread. For all these are necessary in our
state of pilgrimage. But when we shall have got to heaven, shall we hear the word,2014 we
who shall see the Word Himself, and hear the Word Himself, and eat and drink Him as the
angels do now? Do the angels need books, and interpreters, and readers? Surely not. They
read in seeing, for the Truth Itself they see, and are abundantly satisfied from that fountain,
from which we obtain some few2015 drops. Therefore has it been said touching our daily
bread, that this petition is necessary for us in this life.
8. “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”2016 Is this necessary except in this
life? For in the other we shall have no debts. For what are debts, but sins? See, ye are on the
point of being baptized, then all your sins will be blotted out, none whatever will remain.
Whatever evil ye have ever done, in deed, or word, or desire, or thought, all will be blotted
out. And yet if in the life which is after Baptism there were security from sin, we should not
learn such a prayer as this, “Forgive us our debts.” Only let us by all means do what comes
next, “As we forgive our debtors.” Do ye then who are about to enter in to receive a plenary
and entire remission of your debts, do ye above all things see that ye have nothing in your
hearts against any other, so as to come forth from Baptism secure, as it were free and dis-
charged of all debts, and then begin to purpose to avenge yourselves on your enemies, who
in time past have done you wrong. Forgive, as ye are forgiven. God can do no one wrong,
and yet He forgiveth who oweth nothing. How then ought he to forgive, who is himself
forgiven, when He forgiveth all, who oweth nothing that can be forgiven Him?
9. “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”2017 Will this again be necessary
in the life to come? “Lead us not into temptation,” will not be said, except where there can
be temptation. We read in the book of holy Job, “Is not the life of man upon earth a
2013 See Sermon vi. (lvi. Bened.) 10 and note.
2014 Codex.
2015 Irroramur.
2016 Matt. vi. 12.
2017 Matt. vi. 13.
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Again, on Matt. vi. on the Lord’s Prayer. To the Competentes.