In illud Homo quidam descendebat

On the Parable of the Gospel according to Luke which says, "A certain man was going down and fell among robbers." Truly, according to the divine apostle, "Those who run in the stadium all run, but one receives the prize." Today the priest ran, the Levite also ran, and the Samaritan alone received the prize. For he outran those who came before him and ran without effort, leaping past them; for what the legal experts did not do, the foreigner accomplished. For they, seeing in another their own nature in danger, closed their bowels to compassion, and shutting their eyes, passed over the one lying there as a dead pillar, as once the rich man passed over Lazarus thrown before his gates. But the unbelieving Samaritan, more faithful indeed than the priests, forgetting his own affairs, comforted the stranger, and forgetting his own pressing need, hastened to the care of the wounded man, and not knowing the law, fulfilled it, having done everything that the law requires.

For when nations that do not have the law naturally perform the works of the law, these, not having the law, are a law unto themselves; they demonstrate the work of the law written in their hearts, with their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts accusing one another. What then does the evangelist say? A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who stripped him and inflicted blows upon him, and departed, leaving him half dead. By chance a certain priest was going down that same road, and seeing him, passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, happening upon the place, came and saw him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan traveling came upon him, and seeing him, took pity, and approaching bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. And having set him upon his own beast, he brought him to an inn, and cared for him. And on the next day, going out, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him: Care for him, and whatever you spend additionally, I will repay you when I return.

Let us learn, then, what Jerusalem is, and what Jericho is, and who the robbers are into whose hands he fell, and what the garment is which they stripped from him, and what the blows are which they inflicted upon the man, and why they went away leaving him half-dead, and who the priest is, and who the Levite is, and who the Samaritan is, and what the oil is, and what the wine is, and what the bandages are, and what the beast of burden is, and what the inn is, and who the innkeeper is, and what the two denarii are, and what the additional expense is which he promised to pay in addition, and what the return of the Samaritan is. Who, then, is the man who goes down from Jerusalem to Jericho? Jerusalem is Paradise; Jericho is this world. And the man who goes down from Jerusalem to Jericho is the first-formed Adam; for having fallen from Paradise, he came down to Jericho—that is, into this world. And having come, he fell into the hands of robbers—that is, the most murderous evil demons; who, having stripped him of the garment of immortality, which he wore before the sin, clothed him with fig leaves. Why fig leaves? Because they are rough and bitter. Since after the sin roughness of affairs and much bitterness were added to him, for this reason he put on fig leaves. And having inflicted blows—that is,

the pains of life. "You will eat your bread by the sweat of your brow," and "The earth will bring forth thorns and thistles for you," and "You will bear children in sorrow"—these are the blows of the soul. And they went away, leaving him half-dead. For Adam, having transgressed the commandment of God, was neither among the living, nor was he completely dead, because he did not completely deny God. By coincidence, a certain priest was coming down that road. And it does not say "by chance," but "by coincidence." For "by chance" is when someone arrives unexpectedly and without foresight, of his own accord; but "by coincidence" is when someone does something according to God's providence. Here, then, the priest was coming down that road according to God's providence. And seeing him, he passed by. Likewise also a Levite. Who is the priest, and who is the Levite? The priest is the Mosaic law, and the Levite is the prophetic word. These, then, came according to God's providence for the healing of the man wounded by the robbers; but being unable to heal him, they passed by.

Since these were not strong enough to raise the fallen one, a Samaritan comes, who is the Lord Christ, the guardian of our souls; for Samaritan is interpreted as guardian. Therefore he said, "A certain Samaritan, journeying, came." And he did not say, "He came to him," but, "He came upon him," that is, having taken on flesh upon himself, subject to bodily suffering like him, but without sin. And seeing him, he felt compassion for him, and approaching, he bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. What are the bandages, and what is the oil, and what is the wine? The bandages are the commandments of Christ, the oil is the holy chrism, and the wine is the mystery of faith. Through these three, our psychic wounds are healed. The initiated know what is said. And having set him upon his own beast, he led him to an inn. Christ calls his own beast the body which he assumed from the pure Virgin. He therefore set the one wounded by the robbers upon his own beast; for, according to the prophet Isaiah, he himself took on our infirmities and bore our diseases. And he led him to an inn, that is, to the holy Church, and cared for him, at first himself in person. On the next day, however, going out, that is, after the holy resurrection, taking out two denarii, he gave them to the innkeeper. Who is the innkeeper, and what are the two denarii? The innkeeper is the apostle Paul, who was set over the Church from the Gentiles; he was called innkeeper because he receives all and draws all to salvation.

Having given out two denarii after the resurrection, Christ, the Old and New Testaments, gave them to the innkeeper, saying to him, "Take care of him; I entrust to you," he says, "the people from the nations, wounded by the most murderous brigands; only take care of him, and whatever you spend additionally, I will repay you when I return." What then did Paul spend additionally on the denarii? The fourteen epistles, which he sent out to the nations. What does it mean, "I will repay you when I return"? At my second coming, when I come to judge the living and the dead, I, when I return, will repay you what you spent additionally; just as Paul himself says, "I have fought the good fight, I have completed the race, I have kept the faith; henceforth the crown of righteousness is laid up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day; and not only to me, but to all who have loved his appearing." May it be, brothers, that we all attain such a crown, by the grace and love for humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory and power, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.