Homily by St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan

Bk. 4 on Luke iv

Behold here how long-suffering is the Lord our Redeemer! Neither moved to anger against them, nor sickened at their guilt, nor outraged by their attacks, did He leave the Jews’ country. Nay, forgetting their iniquity, and mindful only of His mercy, He strove to soften their hard and unbelieving hearts, sometimes by His teaching, and sometimes by freeing some of them, and sometimes by healing them. St. Luke doth well to tell us first of the man who was delivered from an unclean spirit, and then of the healing of a woman. The Lord indeed came to heal both sexes, but that must be healed first which was created first, and then must not she be passed by whose first sin arose rather from fickleness of heart than from depraved will.

Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Lucam.
Sequel of the Holy Gospel according to Luke.

Cap. IV.
Ch. IV.

In illo tempore: Surgens Jesus de synagoga, introivit in domum Simonis. Socrus autem Simonis tenebatur magnis febribus: et rogaverunt illum pro ea. Ex stans super illam, imperavit febri: et demisit illam. Et continuo surgens, ministrabat illis. Cum autem sol occidisset, omnes qui habebant infirmos variis languoribus, ducebant illos ad cum. At ille singulis manus imponens, curabat eos. Exibant autem dæmonia a multis, clamantia et dicentia: Et increpans non sinebat ea loqui: quia sciebant ipsum esse Christum. Facta autem die, egressus ibat in desertum locum, et turbæ requirebant eum, et venerunt usque ad ipsum: et detinebant illum ne discederet ab eis. Quibus ille ait: Quia et aliis civitatibus oportet me evangelizare regnum Dei, quia ideo missus sum. Et erat prædicans in synagogis Galilææ.
At that time: Jesus rising up out of the synagogue, went in to Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever, and they besought him for her. And standing over her, he commanded the fever, and it left her. And immediately rising, she ministered to them. And when the sun was down, all they that had any sick with divers diseases, brought them to him. And devils went out from many, crying out and saying: Thou art the Son of God. And he, rebuking them, suffered them not to speak, for they knew that he was Christ. And when it was day, going out, he went into a desert place, and the multitude sought him, and came to him; and they stayed him that he should not depart from them. To whom he said: To other cities I must preach the kingdom of God; for therefore am I sent. And he was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.