Sermon 173
SERMO 173
ABOUT THE SAME WORDS OF THE APOSTLE (1 THESSALONIANS 4:12-17)
On the funeral rites of the deceased, what must be recollected.
When we celebrate the days of our deceased brethren, we must keep in mind both what is to be hoped for and what is to be feared. For, according to the hope, it is: "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints;" but according to the fear, it is: "The death of sinners is most evil." Therefore, on account of hope: "The just will be in everlasting remembrance;" on account of fear: "He will not fear an evil hearing." For there will indeed be a hearing worse than any, when it will be said to those on the left: "Depart into everlasting fire." The just will not fear this evil hearing. For he will be at the right among those to whom it will be said: "Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom." But in this life, which is led in the middle before the greatest goods and before the greatest evils, in the midst of the intermediate goods and evils, that is, in neither part of the greatest; because whatever good a man experiences here, compared to the eternal goods are nothing; and whatever evil a man experiences in this life, compared to the eternal fire are not worth comparing; in this median life, we must hold onto what we have now heard from the Gospel: "Whoever believes in me, though he dies, he shall live." He pronounces life and does not deny death. "Whoever believes in me, though he dies, he shall live." What is: though he dies, he shall live? Though he dies in body, he lives in spirit. Then he adds: "And whoever lives and believes in me, shall never die." Certainly, though he dies, how, if he shall never die? But though he dies for a time, he shall never die eternally. Thus, this question is resolved, so that the words of truth are not contradictory, and can instruct the sentiment of piety. Therefore, though we are to die in body, we live if we believe.
Faith in the resurrection, comfort in the loss of loved ones. Death is the penalty for sin.
But our faith is most clearly distinguished from all faiths of the Gentiles in the resurrection of the dead. For they do not accept this at all: because they have nowhere to receive it. For the will of man is prepared by the Lord so that it may be a receptacle of faith. The Lord says to the Jews: My word does not fit in you. Therefore, it fits in those wherein it finds what it can fit into. For the word that fits finds something it can fit into, whom God does not deceive by promising. For he who seeks the lost sheep, both knows what he seeks and where to seek, and how to gather its scattered parts, and bring it back into one piece of safety, and restore it in such a way that he does not lose it again. Let us therefore comfort each other, even in these our words. Can the human heart not grieve for the loss of a most dear one: however it is better for the human heart to be healed by grieving than to become inhuman by not grieving. Mary cleaved to the Lord and mourned her dead brother. But why are you surprised that Mary mourned then, when the Lord himself wept? It can indeed move anyone to consider how he wept for the dead, whom by his command was to live immediately? He did not weep for the dead whom he himself raised; but for the death which man had brought upon himself by sinning. For if sin had not preceded, undoubtedly death would not have followed. Thus, the death of the body followed, which was preceded by the death of the soul. The death of the soul preceded by deserting God, and the death of the body followed by deserted by the soul. The soul deserted willingly, the body was compelled to desert unwillingly. As if it were said to him: You have departed from the one whom you ought to have loved, depart from the one which you have loved. For who wants to die? Absolutely no one: and indeed no one, such that it was said to blessed Peter: Another shall gird you and carry you where you do not want to go. Therefore, if there were no bitterness in death, there would be no great fortitude among martyrs.
Consolation in the grief of the dead.
Therefore, the Apostle also says: "Concerning those who are asleep, I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, so that you do not grieve as others who have no hope." He did not merely say: "so that you do not grieve;" but, "so that you do not grieve as others who have no hope." For it is necessary that you grieve: but where you grieve, let hope console you. For how can you not grieve, when the body that lives by the soul becomes lifeless, with the soul departing? He who walked now lies down, he who spoke is silent, shut eyes do not perceive light, ears are not open to any sound: all the functions of the members have ceased; there is no one to move steps for walking, hands for working, or senses for perceiving. Is this not the house adorned by someone invisible? The one who was not seen has departed, what remains now is seen with sorrow. This is the cause of grief. If this is the cause of grief, let this grief have consolation. What consolation? Because the Lord himself, with a command and with the voice of the archangel, and with the last trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first: then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet Christ in the air. Is this only for a time? No; but what is it? And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Let sorrow perish where there is such great consolation; let mourning be wiped away from the soul, let faith expel grief. In such great hope, it is not fitting for the temple of God to be sad. There dwells the good Comforter, there the Promiser who does not deceive. Why should we lament the dead for long? Because death is bitter? The Lord also passed through it. Let these few words suffice for your Charity: let He who does not depart from your heart console you abundantly; but let Him deign to dwell so that He may deign to change us even at the end. Turned to the Lord, etc.