Sermon 266

SERMO 266

IN THE VIGILS OF PENTECOST

AGAINST THE DONATISTS

Verses of the psalm wrongly understood by the Donatists.

Among the other divine words, which we heard while the Psalm was sung, it pleases us with the Lord's help to examine and discuss mainly this statement, in which it is said: "The righteous will correct me in mercy and reprove me; but the oil of the sinner will not anoint my head." For some have believed that the oil of the sinner is the oil of man; because every man is a liar. But the oil of Christ, because He had no sin at all, even if it is administered through a sinner, is not the oil of a sinner. When three considerations arise to the mind; from whom it is given, to whom it is given, by whom it is given: let us not fear the oil of the sinner, because the intermediary minister does not intercept the grace of the giver.

Every single man spoke in all tongues.

Certainly, we are now celebrating the solemnity of the coming of the Holy Spirit: for on the day of Pentecost, which has already begun, there were in one place one hundred and twenty souls, among whom were the Apostles and the mother of the Lord, and others of both sexes praying and expecting the promise of Christ, that is, the coming of the Holy Spirit. The hope of those who were expecting was not in vain, because the promise of the one who promised was not false: what was expected came, and it found pure vessels into which it could be received. Tongues like fire appeared to them, which also rested on each one of them; and they began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave them to utter. Each man spoke in all languages, because the future Church was being foretold in all languages. One man was a sign of unity: all languages in one man, all nations in unity. Those who were filled spoke, and those who were empty were amazed; and what is more reprehensible, they were amazed and they calumniated. For they said: These men are full of new wine. What a foolish and calumnious reproach! A drunken man does not learn a foreign language, but loses his own. Nevertheless, through the ignorant and calumniators, the truth was speaking. For now, indeed, they were full of new wine, because they had become new wineskins. But the old wineskins wondered at the new wineskins, and by calumniating neither were they renewed nor were they filled. But with the calumny finally repressed, when soon the ears were lent to the Apostles who were speaking and giving reason and preaching the grace of Christ, they were pricked in the heart by listening, they were changed by the pricking, changed they believed; believing, they deserved to receive what they had marveled at in others.

One is the giver, another is the minister.

Then the Holy Spirit began to be given through the ministry of the Apostles. They would lay hands, and it would come. But this was not of men: the minister should not presume more than what is as a minister. One is the giver, another the minister. For the Spirit testified to this so that men would not arrogate to themselves what was of God. From this, Simon wanted to become haughty, who, thinking this was to be attributed to humans, promised money to the Apostles so that through the laying on of his hands, the Holy Spirit might also come. He did not know grace. For if he acknowledged grace, he would have it freely. Hence, because he wanted to buy the Spirit, he did not merit to be redeemed by the Spirit. Who are you, man, that you want to become haughty? It is enough for you to be filled, not to be puffed up. He who is filled is rich: he who is puffed up is empty. But they say it was given through men. Was it therefore of men what was given? But they say it could not be given except through holy men. Did it come to them through men? The Apostles laid hands, and the Holy Spirit came: when it came to them, who laid hands on them?

The Spirit is sometimes given without the ministry of men.

Receive and hold onto divine examples: but the words of God are, the authority of Scripture, the faith of words, the truth of examples. We read everything, we believe everything. Through the laying on of the hands of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit was given to many: but through whom it was given, they had received. When did they receive? When there were one hundred and twenty people in one room: each of them prayed, none laid hands; it came upon those praying, filled those praying, made those filled as ministers, and gave through them. Listen still. Philip the Evangelist, who preached the Gospel in Samaria, was one of the seven deacons: for out of necessity for the ministry, seven deacons were added to the twelve Apostles; one of whom was, as I said: Philip, who merited to be properly called an evangelist because of his keen preaching eloquence. Although all were doing this; this one, as I said, preached the Gospel in Samaria: many believed in Samaria, those who believed were baptized. But when the Apostles heard, they sent Peter and John to them, to lay hands on those baptized, and by laying hands on them, to invoke and obtain the Holy Spirit. Simon, admiring such a grace of the Apostles, wanted to offer money, as if that which was invoked could be set for sale: but he was rejected and found unworthy of such great grace. Therefore those received the Holy Spirit through the hands of the Apostles. Then indeed because Simon had thought that the gift of God was of men, so that this suspicion might not be confirmed among the weak; later a eunuch of Queen Candace was coming from Jerusalem, where he had gone to pray, and sitting in the chariot, was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Holy Spirit said to Philip to approach the chariot. He who had baptized in Samaria and had laid hands on no one, and had announced it to the Apostles, so that by their coming and laying on of hands those baptized by him might merit to receive the Holy Spirit, approached the chariot and asked the eunuch whether he understood what he was reading. He replied that he could understand if he had an expositor: he asked Philip to ascend the chariot; he ascended, sat with him, found him reading in the prophet Isaiah what had been foretold about Christ: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and other surrounding contexts of that reading. Then, asking whether the Prophet was speaking about himself or another; with the door of opportunity opened, he evangelized Christ, the door of salvation. While these things were happening on the journey, they came to water, and the eunuch said to Philip: "Here is water, what prevents me from being baptized?" Philip said: "If you believe, it may be done." And he said: "I believe that Jesus is the Son of God." They went down into the water, Philip baptized him. After they came up from the water, the Holy Spirit came upon the eunuch. Behold Philip was there, who had baptized in Samaria and led those baptized to the Apostles, baptized but did not lay hands: but to show that Simon's suspicion, that the Spirit of God was the gift of men, was untrue, it came upon a man liberally, and made him free. It came as God and filled; as the Lord came and redeemed.

Philip the deacon is different from the Apostle.

Perhaps someone might argue about those who are contentious, that Philip who baptized in Samaria was not a deacon, but was an apostle; for Philip is named among the Apostles, and one of the seven deacons is properly called an evangelist. But let them suspect what they want, I will quickly solve the question. Whether he was an apostle or a deacon, what the reading kept silent, let this be uncertain. This, however, is written: because as soon as he came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit came upon the eunuch. No one there mentions the laying on of hands. Perhaps this is still too little: for that person says, Someone completely laid hands on him, but Scripture kept this silent.

On the narration of Cornelius the centurion.

So what do you say? This, he says, I say, because in those first one hundred and twenty indeed, because then the Holy Spirit was coming for the first time, it came without the laying on of hands; but from then on it came to no one, unless hands had been laid on them. You have forgotten Cornelius the centurion: read carefully, and understand prudently. Cornelius the centurion, as read in the same book of the Acts of the Apostles, where the coming of the Holy Spirit is also proclaimed. An angel was sent to Cornelius the centurion, announcing to him that his alms were accepted and his prayers heard; therefore, he must send for Peter, who was residing in Joppa at the house of Simon the tanner, and summon him. But at that time a great question arose among the Jews and the Gentiles, that is, between those who believed from the Jews and those who believed from the Gentiles, whether the Gospel ought to be ministered to the uncircumcised. There was great hesitation about this, when Cornelius sent for Peter. Meanwhile Peter was admonished, the matter of the kingdom of heaven was being conducted both there and here, by Him who is everywhere. For while these things were being carried out with Cornelius, Peter in Joppa became hungry, went up to pray while a meal was being prepared for him, and while praying, his mind was carried away; but from the lower to the higher; not to deviate but to see. A dish was sent down to him from heaven, as if a heavenly feast for the hungry. But this dish was bound by four lines, containing all kinds of animals, clean and unclean, and a heavenly voice struck the hungry one: Peter, rise; kill and eat. He looked upon it and saw in the dish unclean animals, which he was not accustomed to touch, and responded to the voice: Not so, Lord: nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth. And the voice said to him: What God has cleansed, you must not call common. It was not carnal food offered to Peter, but Cornelius purified was announced. This happened three times, and the vessel was taken up into heaven. An evident mystery. The dish is the world. The four lines holding the dish are the four cardinal points of the world, which Scripture mentions, saying: From the East and West, and from the North and Sea. The animals are all the nations. The dish sent down three times signifies the commendation of the Trinity. Peter signifies the Church; Peter hungry, the Church desiring the faith of the Gentiles. The heavenly voice, the holy Gospel. Kill and eat: slay what they are, make what you are. While Peter was perplexed about the command, it was suddenly announced that some soldiers sent by Cornelius wished to see him. And the Holy Spirit said to Peter: Go with them; I have sent them. Peter proceeded, now not hesitating about the vision but certain; and as it is read, he was proclaimed to Cornelius, met humbly, prostrated humbly; raised more humbly. They reached the house, found many others gathered. He narrated to Peter why he had sent for him, and thanks were given that Peter had come. Therefore, he began to preach to the uncircumcised Gentiles, from where that great question was turning, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some were present with Peter, who had believed from among the Jews, who might have been troubled if the uncircumcised were baptized. There Peter plainly said: You know, brothers, how abominable it is for a Jew to associate with or come to a Gentile; but God has shown me not to call any man common or unclean. The hungry one looked at the dish.

Against the Donatists.

Where are those who used to say: for this reason did I narrate everything, for I want to say: where are those who used to say that the Holy Spirit is given by human authority? While Peter was evangelizing, Cornelius and all those who were with him, that is, the Gentiles, believed; and suddenly, before they were baptized, they were filled with the Holy Spirit. What does human presumption respond here? Not only before the laying on of hands, but before baptism itself, the Holy Spirit came; of power, not of necessity. He came before the washing of baptism to remove the controversy of circumcision. For it could be said by those who slander or do not understand to Peter: You did wrong in giving the Holy Spirit. Behold, it is fulfilled, behold, it is shown what the Lord said: The Spirit breathes where He wills. Behold it is fulfilled, behold it is shown how true it is what the Lord said: The Spirit breathes where He wills. And yet the spirit of arrogance is not yet expelled from the proud heretic. He still says: It is mine; do not take from him, but from me. You respond: I seek what is of God. He: Have you not read: But let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head? Therefore is the oil yours? If it is yours, I do not want it: if it is yours, it is bad. But if it is of God, even through you it is good. Mud does not taint the ray of the sun, and do you taint the oil of God? Therefore, you have it for your evil, because you have what is good badly; you have received what is of God as an evil one: because you, being separated, have not gathered, but scattered. Those who eat unworthily eat and drink judgment on themselves; because they eat unworthily, do they not eat? Christ gave the morsel to Judas unworthily, and he took it to his judgment. Did he receive it from an evil one? Did he receive evil? But he is guilty because being evil, he received good from the good one. Therefore, the oil of the sinner is not salvific oil. Let it be well accepted, and it is good: even if it is badly accepted, it is good. Woe to men who accept good badly!

Love the reprover, beware of the flatterer.

See, however, the sense of Scripture, lest perhaps it suggests something that may be open to better understanding. "The righteous will correct me," he says, "in mercy": and even if he beats, he loves, the reprover loves; the flatterer deceives: he pities, he circumvents. Hard is the rod of the beater, soft is the oil of the flatterer. Indeed, all flatterers anoint the head, they do not heal the innards. Love the reprover, beware of the flatterer. For if you love the truthful reprover, and beware of the deceitful flatterer, you can say what is sung: "The righteous will correct me in mercy, and rebuke me; but the oil of the sinner," that is, the flattery of the flatterer, "will not anoint my head." A fat-head is a great head: a great head is a proud head. It is better to have a healthy heart than a great head: but a healthy heart is made by the rod of the reprover; a great head is made by the oil of the sinner, that is, the flattery of the flatterer. If you have made your head great, beware of the weight of the head, lest you be led to a precipice. These, as much as I think, for the time being, about this one sentence of the Psalm, we have spoken sufficiently, with the Lord helping, and building up your hearts in secret.