Who sought after the lost sheep and the lost piece of silver? [4767] Was it not the loser? But who was the loser? Was it not he who once possessed [4768] them? Who, then, was that? Was it not he to whom they belonged? [4769] Since, then, man is the property of none other than the Creator, He possessed Him who owned him; He lost him who once possessed him; He sought him who lost him; He found him who sought him; He rejoiced who found him. Therefore the purport [4770] of neither parable has anything whatever to do with him [4771] to whom belongs neither the sheep nor the piece of silver, that is to say, man. For he lost him not, because he possessed him not; and he sought him not, because he lost him not; and he found him not, because he sought him not; and he rejoiced not, because he found him not. Therefore, to rejoice over the sinner's repentance -- that is, at the recovery of lost man -- is the attribute of Him who long ago professed that He would rather that the sinner should repent and not die.

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Footnotes:

[4767] Luke 15:1-10.

[4768] Habuit.

[4769] Cujus fuit: i.e., each of the things respectively.

[4770] Argumentum.

[4771] Vacat circa eum.