Sermon 97

SERMO 97

ABOUT THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL MK 13, 32:
"But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels"
In heaven, neither the Son, except the Father

Preparation for the last day.

Brothers, what you have just heard in Scripture urging and telling us to keep watch for the final day, let each one think of their own final day, lest perhaps, when you sense or think the final day of the world is far off, you doze off for your own final day. Concerning the final day of this world, hear what has been said: For they do not know it, neither the Angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Indeed, this raises a great question, lest we, with a carnal mind, think the Father knows something that the Son does not. For indeed when he said: The Father knows; he said this because in the Father the Son also knows. For what is there in the day that was not made through the Word, through whom the day was made? He says, let no one inquire about the final day, when it will be; but let us all keep watch by living well, lest the final day of any of us finds us unprepared, and as each one departs on their own final day, so they will be found on the final day of the world. Nothing will help you that you did not do here. Each one's deeds will help them, or their deeds will trouble them.

Death, a certain punishment of which the hour is uncertain, let us make good use.

And how did we sing to the Lord in the psalm? Have mercy on me, Lord, for man has trampled upon me. The one who lives according to man is called a man. Indeed, to those who live according to God, it is said: You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High. But to the reprobates, who are called to be children of God but preferred to live as men, that is, to live according to man: But you, He says, will die like men and fall like one of the princes. For the fact that man is mortal should serve as a discipline for him, not as a boast. What then does the worm, about to die tomorrow, boast about? I say to your Charity, brothers: mortal men should be ashamed before the devil. For although he is proud, he is nonetheless immortal; he is a spirit, albeit an evil one. For him, the last penal day is reserved for the end, yet he does not suffer the death that we do. But man heard: You shall die by death. Let him use his punishment well. What does it mean that I said: Let him use his punishment well? Let him not become proud from the place where he received his punishment; let him acknowledge himself as mortal and break his arrogance. Let him hear it said to him: Why does earth and ash boast? Even if the devil boasts, he is not earth, he is not ash. Therefore it is said: But you will die like men, and fall like one of the princes. You only see that you are mortal and are proud like the devil. Let man therefore use his punishment, brothers; let him use his misfortune well, so that he may advance his good. Who does not know that it is a punishment that we must die; and more grievously, that we do not know when? The punishment is certain, the hour uncertain; and of that punishment alone we are certain in human affairs.

Only death is certain here.

All else of ours, both good and bad, is uncertain; only death is certain. What is it that I say? A child has been conceived; perhaps it will be born, perhaps it will be aborted. In this way it is uncertain: perhaps it will grow, perhaps it will not grow; perhaps it will grow old, perhaps it will not grow old; perhaps it will be rich, perhaps poor; perhaps honored, perhaps humiliated; perhaps it will have children, perhaps it will not have them; perhaps it will marry, perhaps it will not; and whatever else you might name among the good things. Consider too the bad things: perhaps it will be sick, perhaps it will not be sick; perhaps it will be struck by a serpent, perhaps not; perhaps it will be devoured by a beast, perhaps not. And consider all evils: everywhere, perhaps it will be, perhaps it will not be. Can you say: Perhaps it will die, perhaps it will not die? Just as doctors, when they have inspected health, and have found it to be deadly, they pronounce this: It will die, it will not escape. From the moment a human being is born, it must be said: It will not escape. When he is born, he begins to be sick. When he dies, he indeed ends his sickness; but he does not know whether he will go on to a worse state. That rich man had ended his luxurious sickness, he came to a torturous one. That poor man had ended his sickness and arrived at health. But what he would have after, he chose here; and what he reaped there, he sowed here. Therefore, while we live, we must be vigilant, and we must choose what we will hold in the future.

"The world through Christ has been conquered for us."

Let us not love the world. It oppresses its lovers, it does not lead them to good. One must strive within it not to be ensnared, rather than fear to fall. Behold the world falls: the Christian stands, because Christ does not fall. For why does the Lord say: Rejoice, because I have conquered the world? Let us answer him, if it pleases: Rejoice, but you! If you have conquered, you rejoice. Why us? Why does he say to us: Rejoice; unless he has conquered for us, fought for us? For where did he fight? Because he took on human form. Remove what was born of the virgin, remove that he self-emptied, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man; remove this, where is the struggle? Where is the contest? Where is the temptation? Where is the victory, which is not preceded by a fight? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This was with God in the beginning. All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made. Could the Jew crucify this Word? Could the impious insult this Word? Could this Word be struck with blows to the face? Could this Word be crowned with thorns? But to suffer these things, the Word became flesh; and suffering these things, conquered by rising again. Therefore, he conquered for us, to whom he showed the security of the resurrection. Therefore you say to God: Have mercy on me, Lord, for a man has trampled me. Do not trample yourself, and do not let a man conquer you. Behold, a powerful man terrifies you. From what does he terrify you? From stripping, from loss, from torture, from killing. And you cry out: Have mercy on me, Lord; for a man has trampled me. If you speak truthfully, you consider yourself; because you fear the threats of man, a dead man tramples you; and because you would not fear, unless you were human, a man tramples you. What then is the remedy? O man, cling to God, by whom you were made man: cling to him, presume upon him, call upon him, let him be your strength. Say to him: In you, Lord, is my strength. And from the threats of men you will sing; and what you sing afterwards, the Lord himself says: In God I will trust, I will not fear what man can do to me.