Sermon 238

Thus the perennial and sacred evangelical reading demonstrates to us the true Christ and the true Church, lest we err in any of them, or substitute another for the holy bridegroom, or impose another man upon the holy bride. Therefore, lest we err in any of them, let us listen to their matrimonial records of the Gospel.

Hold fast to what you have received against all the opinions of the heretics.

There have not lacked, nor are lacking, those who are so deceived about the Lord Christ that they do not believe that He had real flesh. Let them hear what we have just now heard. He is in heaven, but he speaks here: he sits at the right hand of the Father, but he speaks among us. He himself declares, he himself reveals himself. What need is there to seek another witness about him? Rather, let us hear him. He appeared to his disciples, and suddenly stood in their midst. When this was read, you heard it. But they were troubled: for they thought they saw a spirit. This is what those who do not believe that he had real flesh think: they are Manicheans, Priscillianists, and other similarly unnamed plagues. For they do not think that Christ is nothing, this they do not think: but they think he is a spirit, not having flesh. What about you, Catholic Church? What about you, spouse, not an adulteress? Therefore what about you, except what you have learned from him? For you could not find a better witness about him than him himself. Therefore what about you? You have learned that Christ is the Word and the spirit of man and the flesh of man. What have you learned about the Word? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God: this was in the beginning with God. What have you learned about the spirit of man? And bowing his head, he gave up his spirit. What have you learned about the flesh? Now listen. Forgive those who think this, what previously erring disciples thought. But they did not persist in error. For the disciples thought this, which the Manicheans think today, which the Priscillianists think today: that there was not real flesh in the Lord Christ, but only a spirit. Let us see if he left them in error. See how evil the error is, which the physician hastened to heal, not wanting to confirm it. Therefore, they thought they saw a spirit: and he who knew these thoughts to be bad, eradicating them from their hearts: He said, Why are you troubled? Why are you troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet: touch and see because a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have. Hold against all the insane thoughts of all, hold what you have received: otherwise you are lost. Christ, the true Word, the only begotten, equal to the Father, the true human spirit, true flesh without sin. This died, this rose again, this hung on the wood, this lay in the tomb, this sits in heaven. The Lord Christ wanted to persuade the disciples that what they saw were bones and flesh: but you contradict. Therefore, does he lie, and you tell the truth? Do you build, and he deceives? Why did Christ want to persuade me of this, except because he knew what it benefits me to believe and what it harms me not to believe? Therefore, so believe. He is the groom.

Hold the head, hear about the body!

Let us also hear about the bride: because I do not know who, again favoring adulterers, want to subvert the true, and substitute the false. Let us also hear about the bride. When therefore they had touched his feet, hands, flesh, bones; the Lord added, and said: Do you have here anything to eat? so that even sharing food it would be proven he was a true man. He took, ate, gave; and while they still trembled with joy, he said to them: Did I not speak these things to you, when I was still with you? Why is he now not with them? What does it mean, when I was still with you? When I was still mortal, which also you are. What therefore was I saying to you? "Because it was necessary to fulfill all things which are written in the Law, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms concerning me." Then he opened their mind, so that they would understand the Scriptures; and he said to them, this way it was necessary for Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day." Take away the true flesh, there will not be a true passion, there will not be a true resurrection. Behold, you have the bridegroom: it was necessary for Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day. Hold onto the head: listen about the body. What indeed do we need to show now? We who have heard the bridegroom, also recognize the bride. And in his name, repentance and remission of sins should be preached. Where? from where? up to where? Through all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Behold, you have the bride. Let no one sell you tales, let not the rabid heretics bark from a corner. The Church is spread throughout the whole world: all the nations have the Church. Let no one deceive you: she is true, she is Catholic. We have not seen Christ, we see her: let us believe in him. The apostles on the other hand saw him, believed in her. They saw one thing, believed in another: and we on the contrary see one thing, believe in another. They saw Christ, believed in the Church, which they did not see: we also see the Church, let us believe in Christ, whom we do not see; and holding onto what we see, we will attain to him whom we do not yet see. Therefore, recognizing the bridegroom and the bride, let us recognize them in their writings, lest we quarrel in such holy nuptials.