Sermon 204
SERMO 204
ON THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
Two manifestations of Christ.
A few days ago we celebrated the Birth of the Lord; today we celebrate Epiphany, which is signified by the Greek word "manifestation," and it refers to what the Apostle said: Without doubt, great is the mystery of piety, which was manifested in the flesh. Therefore, both days pertain to the manifestation of Christ. On that day, indeed, the human being was born from a human mother, who was God with the Father without beginning; but in the flesh He was manifested in the flesh; because the flesh could not see Him as He was in the spirit. And on that day, which is called His nativity, the Jewish shepherds saw Him; but on this day, which is properly called "Epiphany," that is "manifestation," the Magi of the Gentiles worshipped Him. To them, angels announced Him, but to these, a star announced Him. Angels inhabit the heavens, and stars adorn them: thus to each the heavens have declared the glory of God.
Christ is the cornerstone of two peoples.
For to both he was born as the cornerstone, that, as the Apostle says, he might create in himself one new man out of the two, making peace, and might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross. For what is a corner but the joining of two walls coming from different directions, and there in a certain way they find the kiss of peace? Indeed, circumcision and uncircumcision, that is, Jews and Gentiles, were hostile to each other because of two different and opposite things: on one side, the worship of the one true God, on the other, of many and false gods. Therefore, when those were near, and these were far off, he brought both to himself, who reconciled both in one body to God, as the same Apostle subsequently adds: through the cross killing the enmities in himself. And coming, he preached peace to you who were far off, and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. See if he did not also show both walls, coming from the diversity of hostilities, and the cornerstone signifies the Lord Jesus, to whom from different directions both have come near, in whom both have harmonized, that is, both those who from the Jews believed in him and those from the Gentiles, as if it were said to them: And you from near, and you from afar, come to him, and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be ashamed. For it is written: Behold, I lay in Zion a cornerstone, chosen, precious; and whoever believes in him will not be confounded. Those who heard and obeyed, from both sides they came, held peace, ended enmities; the firstfruits of both were shepherds and Magi. In them began the ox to know its owner, and the donkey the manger of its lord. From the Jews, the horned animal, where the horns of the cross were being prepared for Christ; from the Gentiles, the eared animal, whence it was foretold: A people whom I did not know has served me; in the hearing of the ear it has obeyed me. For the possessor of the ox and the lord of the donkey lay in the manger, supplying common food to both. Therefore, because peace had come to those who were far off, and peace to those who were near, the shepherds, Israelites, as found nearby, came to him on the day Christ was born, saw, and rejoiced; but the Magi, Gentiles, as found afar, having so many days intervening from the day he was born, arrived today, found, and worshiped. It was fitting, therefore, for us, that is, the Church gathered from the Gentiles, to join the celebration of this day, when Christ was manifested as the firstfruits of the Gentiles, to the celebration of that day when Christ was born among the Jews, and to observe the memory of such a great sacrament with doubled solemnity.
Some of the Jews were rejected, others chosen.
When these two walls are considered, one from the Jews, the other from the Gentiles, adhering to the cornerstone, keeping the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, let not the multitude of reprobate Jews offend the mind, among whom were the builders, that is, those wanting to be teachers of the law, but as the Apostle says: Not understanding what they speak, nor about what they affirm. For through this blindness of mind, they rejected the stone which became the head of the corner. But it would not become the head of the corner unless it offered a peaceful junction to two peoples coming from different directions, joined by grace. Therefore, let not the persecutors and killers of Christ be considered in the Israelitic wall, as though building the law and destroying the faith, rejecting the cornerstone and causing ruin to the wretched city. Nor let the multitude of Jews dispersed throughout the lands be considered there, bearing testimony of divine scriptures, which they carry everywhere unknowingly. For in these Jacob limps, whose thigh was touched and withered, signifying the multitude of his descendants limping from their paths. But in the holy wall, those who from them approached the peace of the cornerstone should be considered, in whom Jacob is blessed. For he is both blessed and limping: blessed in the sanctified, limping in the reprobate. They should be considered in this wall, whose abundance preceded and followed the donkey of the Savior, crying: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! They should be considered, who from there were chosen as disciples and made apostles. Consider Stephen, named in Greek "crown," and first crowned with martyrdom after the Lord's resurrection. Also consider the thousands of believers from among the persecutors, when the Holy Spirit came. Consider the churches of which the Apostle says: But I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which are in Christ; they were only hearing that he who once persecuted us now preaches the faith he once destroyed; and they glorified God in me. In this way the Israelitic wall should be considered, and be joined to the wall coming from the Gentiles, which is now visible, and thus the cornerstone, first laid in the manger, and raised up to the height of heaven, is found to be Christ the Lord as foretold.