Sermon 249

SERMO 249

IN THE DAYS OF EASTER

Two fishing events are narrated in the Gospels.

We have heard the Gospel, how the Lord Jesus, after the resurrection, appeared to the disciples fishing at the Sea of Tiberias. When He first called them, He had said to them: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." And then indeed when they were called, at His word casting the nets, they caught a great multitude of fish; but the number was not mentioned. Then in that first catch, He had not said to them: "Cast the net on the right side," but only said: "Cast;" neither did He say "On the right" nor "On the left." However, such a large number of fish was caught that it was without number, and their boats were loaded. And how were they loaded? The Gospel speaks thus: "So that they were almost sinking." Then He said to them what I recalled: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." We pertain to those nets, indeed we are caught by those nets; but we do not remain captives. Let man not be afraid to be caught: if he can be caught, he cannot be deceived. But what does this latest fishing, about which today's Gospel was read, mean? The Lord appeared to the fishermen standing on the shore, and asked them whether they had something to eat. They said they had none; for they had caught nothing all night. And He said to them: "Cast on the right side," which He had not said before. And they did so; and they could not draw the nets because of the multitude of fish. Moreover, they found 153 fish. And because in that first fishing it was said that because of the multitude of fish the nets were breaking, it pertained to the care of the Evangelist to say in this fishing: "And though there were so many, the net was not torn."

Among the wicked, one must live well.

Let us distinguish between two fishings: one before the resurrection, the other after the resurrection. In the former, the nets are cast everywhere: the right side is not mentioned, lest only the good be understood; the left side is not mentioned, lest only the bad be understood: therefore, the good and the bad are mixed together. And the nets were breaking due to the multitude. The broken nets signify schisms. We see, it is so, it happens. Two boats are filled because of two peoples, from circumcision and from uncircumcision: and they are so filled that they are pressed and almost sink. What this signifies must be lamented. The crowd has disturbed the Church. How great a number have the badly living made, pressing and groaning? But because of the good fish, the boats are not sunk. Let us discuss that last fishing after the resurrection. There is no evil there, great security, but only if you are good. Be good among the evil, and you will be good without the evil. In this fishing there is what makes you move: you are among the evil. O you who listen to me faithfully, O you to whom what I say is not lost, O you through whom the word does not pass through the ears but descends into the heart, O you who fear living badly more than dying badly: for if you live well, you cannot die badly: therefore you who listen to me, that you not only believe but also live well; live well, and live well among the evil, do not break the nets. Those who pleased themselves too much, and as if they did not want to endure the evil, broke the nets, perished in the sea. Live well among the evil, let not the evil Christians persuade you to live badly. Let not your heart say: I alone am good. If you have begun to be good; believe there are others, if you can be so. Do not commit adultery, do not fornicate, do not defraud, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not swear falsely, do not get drunk, do not deny a loan, do not fail to return someone's found property in the village. Do these and such things, secure among the evil fish. You swim within the same nets; but you will come to the shore, after the resurrection you will be found on the right. There is no evil there. For what is it, because you know the law, because you know the commandments of God, because you know what is good and evil, what does it profit you if you do not do them? Is not that very knowledge punished with conscience? Learn so, that you may do.

Ten - commandments of the Law, seven - gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The commands of God are contained within the Decalogue because of the great mystery of perfection. The ten commandments of the Law are written on stone tablets by the finger of God, that is, by the Holy Spirit: on one tablet, the commandments that pertain to God; on the other, those that pertain to man. Why is this? Because the whole Law and the Prophets hang on the love of God and neighbor. But what is the worth of these ten? The law was given, but if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would truly be by the law. You know the law, and you do not do the law; the letter kills, yet to do what you know: the Spirit gives life. Let seven be added to ten. For just as the law is signified by the Decalogue, so the Holy Spirit is manifested in seven ways. The same is invoked over the baptized, so that God may give them, according to the prophet, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding: behold, two. The Spirit of counsel and fortitude: behold, four. The Spirit of knowledge and piety: behold, six. The Spirit of the fear of the Lord: behold, seven. When these seven are added, they become ten. What did I say? It seems absurd: When seven are added to ten, they become ten: as if I forgot how to count. Therefore, I should have said. When seven are added to ten, they become seventeen. Everyone knows this: for if I said, When seven are added to ten, they become ten; would not these children laugh at me? And yet I say, and repeat, I am not ashamed. When you understand it, you will not blame me for counting, but will love my reasoning. These are the ten commandments of the law: but I enumerated also the sevenfold cooperation of the Holy Spirit. When these seven are added, they become ten: when the Holy Spirit is added, the law is fulfilled. However, if these seven are not added, those ten do not come to be: they remain in the letter, but the letter kills; knowledge makes one a transgressor. Let the Spirit come, and the law is fulfilled, with the help of God, not by your own strength. So see: let us not much love to belong to those ten. For if righteousness is by the law, then Christ died in vain. But to what do we belong? To those seven? It is as if we could do, but would not know what to do. Therefore, let us belong to seventeen. The law commands, the Spirit helps: the law works with you, so you may know what to do; the Spirit, so you may do it. Therefore, let us belong to the seventeen, and let us count the seventeen, and we will find ourselves in one hundred fifty-three. By now, you know, I have often said, often shown. From one up to four, ten numbers exist: but if you add them all. One is followed by two: add two, there are now three: after two follows three, there are now six: after three follows four, there are now ten. Why am I breaking myself for this? I speak what you know. Add the remaining numbers, and you will arrive. When you reach seventeen, you will, by growing, reach one hundred fifty-three. What does it mean to grow? By progressing, as it were step by step, you will reach the right hand. Obey us, count for yourselves.