Sermon 3

SERMO 3

ON HAGAR AND ISHMAEL

[FRAGMENT]

Heretics and schismatics pertain to Hagar and Ishmael.

The Old Testament pertains properly to the Jews. For indeed, carnal benefits were promised because spiritual ones were not understood. That earthly kingdom and earthly life were completely cast down, given over to the subjugation of enemies. They hoped entirely carnally from the Lord, and for these reasons they served. Let Christians be questioned whether there are now any such people. Such people pertain to the Old Testament. For I am not asking about the name, but the life. From such people come also heresy and schism. She fled from the face of Sarah, and Sarah afflicted her. What is surprising? She afflicted her physically. If the part of Donatus has suffered any affliction, it is because of its own arrogance that Hagar, the servant, suffered from Sarah. Let Hagar hear the voice of the Angel: Return to your mistress. But just as then he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the spirit, so it is now. We do not find Isaac physically persecuted by Ishmael: but only because the Apostle called it persecution. Note there where he said: But just as then he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the spirit, so it is now. But what does the Scripture say? Cast out the servant and her son: for the son of the servant will not be an heir with the son of the free woman. Therefore, where the Scripture says that, we should inquire there. What does it say in Genesis? And it happened, when Ishmael and Isaac were playing, Sarah saw them playing. Who persecuted? Whom did he persecute? Sarah saw them playing and said: Cast out the servant and her son. Why? Because she saw them playing. But Paul calls that play persecution: because that play was mockery. If it is mockery, it is misleading and deception. Every play of children is an image of greater business: and when an older one plays with a younger one, as if to deceive, knowing he has other concerns in mind, he feigns certain things to the child, that is, the weak one, playing with him. Ishmael was older and strengthened in evil: but playing with the boy Isaac, he was misleading Isaac, and performing certain deceptions in playing with the weak one. The mother noticed that play as persecution. Thus understanding the mother Sarah said: Cast out the servant and her son: for the son of the servant will not be an heir with my son Isaac. And the Church says: "Cast out heresies and their children": for heretics will not be heirs with the Catholics. But why will they not be heirs? Are they not born from the seed of Abraham? And how do they have the baptism of the Church? They have baptism: the seed of Abraham would make an heir, if pride did not exclude from the inheritance. You are born by the same word, by the same sacrament; but you will not arrive at the same inheritance of eternal life, unless you have returned to the Catholic Church. You are born of the seed of Abraham, but outside, the son of the servant, because of pride.