Sermon 226

SERMO 226

ON THE DAY OF EASTER

To the people and to the infants.

Children are the days in which one must rejoice and be glad.

So you have heard the Lord Christ preached, because in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He is indeed the Lord Christ, who, if He had not humbled Himself, but had always willed thus to remain, man would have perished. We acknowledge the Word God with God, we acknowledge the only-begotten Son equal to the Father, we acknowledge light from light, day from day. He is the day who made the day: begotten from day, not made from day. If therefore the day is begotten from day, not made; who is the day that the Lord made? Why day? Because it is light. And God called the light day. Let us seek which day the Lord made, that we may rejoice and be glad in it. In the first creation of the world it is read that darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving upon the waters. And God said, Let there be light; and there was light. And God divided the light from the darkness; and God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. Behold the day that the Lord has made. But is He the one in whom we ought to rejoice and be glad? There is another day which the Lord has made, which we ought to recognize more, and rejoice and be glad in it. For it has been said to the faithful who believe in Christ: You are the light of the world. If light, certainly day: because He called the light day. For the Spirit of God was also moving upon the waters yesterday, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, when these Infants were still bearing their sins. Therefore, when their sins were remitted by the Spirit of God, then God said: Let there be light; and there was light. Behold the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Let us address this day with apostolic words. O day which the Lord has made, you were once darkness: but now you are light in the Lord. You were, He says, once darkness. You were, or were you not? Recall your deeds, if you were not. Look at your consciences, from which you have renounced. Therefore, because you were once darkness, but now light, not in yourselves, but in the Lord; walk as children of light. Let these few words suffice for you, for we are both after labor, and today we must discuss the Sacraments of the altar with the Infants.