Sermon 218B
Sermon 218/B Moreover, you should observe, beloved, those relationships of things to which it is fitting to compare themselves, and take counsel from those things on the account of which they have been instituted in the bonds of most certain faith. The senses of the flesh deceive, the senses of the spirit instruct. Not in wine or in debauchery must we be enflamed, not in food and drinks or carnal delights must we revel, but in love of heavenly grace, in the sweetness of Paradise.
On the Passion of the Lord
Christ crucified is a scandal and foolishness to the unbelievers, but to us the power and wisdom of God.
Today we solemnly celebrate the great and ineffable mystery of the Lord's passion; which indeed in other days neither leaves the altar, to which we assist, nor our mouth and forehead; so that what is constantly reminded to the senses of the body, may always be held in the heart. However, this annual solemnity moves the mind much more into the remembrance of such a great matter; so that what was committed by the impiety of the Jews many years ago in one place, seen by their cruel eyes, is now viewed by the sight of faith as if it happened today, in the whole world. If they then gladly saw what they cruelly committed, how much more gladly may we recall what we piously believe with our remembering hearts? If they saw their iniquity with delight, how much more should we remember our salvation with joy? In that one fact their present crimes were noted, but our future crimes were also blotted out. Where we detest their committed atrocities, we rejoice in our forgiven sins. They were perpetrators of impiety, we are celebrators of the solemnity; they gathered in rage, we in obedience; they were lost, we found; they were sold, we redeemed; they watched insulting, we venerate and adore. Therefore, Christ crucified is a stumbling block and foolishness to unbelievers, but to us, the Power of God and the Wisdom of God: for this is the weakness of God, which is stronger than men, and the foolishness of God, which is wiser than men. These things have been clearly taught by the consequences. For what did the rage of the enemies have back then, unless to remove his memory from the earth? But he, crucified by one people, is established in the hearts of so many peoples; and he who was then killed by one nation, is now adored by all nations. And yet not only then, but even now the blind read, and the deaf sing, what was foretold so long ago by the prophetic voice: They pierced my hands and my feet, they counted all my bones. They, however, considered me; they divided my garments among themselves, and cast lots for my clothing. As these were foretold in the Psalms, so they are read fulfilled in the Gospel; but then it was done by the hands of the Jews, which struck their ears in vain; and the less the Lord’s passion that was prophesied was understood by them, the more effectively it was fulfilled; but now they both read what was foretold and recognize what was fulfilled. And still, they choose to deny Christ, because they can no longer kill.
Heretics who divide the unity are worse than the Jews.
Heretics, however, are worse than the Jews, for the Jews deny Christ, whom they do not see; these heretics, however, attack His Church, which they see. Not only do these heretics rage madly more miserably than those Jews who now deny Christ, but also more than those who killed Him; for those Jews did not erase the title of the one hanging on the wood, these heretics discard the baptism of the one sitting in heaven. From this present Psalm, therefore, we respond to both adversaries: both to the deniers of the head, and to the deniers of the body. For the head is Christ, the body is the Church. Against the Jews we read: "They have pierced my hands and my feet, they have numbered all my bones," and the other things which follow. Against the heretics we read: "All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will worship in His presence, for the kingdom is the Lord's, and He will rule over the nations." But let us hold on to what the garment woven from above signifies, which those who killed Christ did not divide, but which they reached by lot, who could reach it. Therefore, the sacraments of Christ can be divided by many heretics: none of the faithful divides or splits the love of Christ; but those who belong to the part of the lot of the saints in the light, they hold it as their own, because they spiritually love unity. Wherefore, beloved, let us celebrate this day with annual devotion; but let us glory in the cross of Christ, not once a year, but with continuous holiness.