Sermon 282

SERMO 282

On the Birthday of the Martyrs Perpetua and Felicity

Of the names of the martyrs Perpetua and Felicity.

Today we celebrate the festive day of two holy martyrs, who not only stood out for their extraordinary virtues in suffering but also marked their reward and that of their fellow companions with their own names for such labor of piety. Perpetua and Felicitas are indeed the names of the two, but their reward is for all. For all the martyrs would not endure the struggle of suffering and confession firmly for a time unless they were to rejoice in perpetual happiness. Therefore, under divine providence governing, these women had to be not only martyrs but also closely united companions, as happened, to mark one day of their glory and propagate a shared celebration to posterity. For just as they encourage us by the example of their most glorious struggle to imitate them, so they testify by their names that we shall receive the inseparable gift. Let both hold onto each other, both bind each other. We hope for neither without the other. For perpetual is not beneficial if there is no felicity, and felicity deserts us if it is not perpetual. These few remarks about the names of the Martyrs, by whom the day is consecrated, must suffice for the moment.

Women victorious over the enemy.

However, concerning those whose names are these, as we have heard, when their passion was read, as we know it has been handed down to memory, these women of such great virtues and merits were not only females but also women. One of whom was also a mother, adding tenderness to the weakness of her sex, so that in all things, the enemy, testing them, believing that they would immediately succumb to him as bearing the harsh and cruel burdens of persecution, and would soon become his. But they, with the most cautious and strongest strength of the inner person, crushed all his plots and broke his attacks.

Why the names of the companions of martyrs are not equally celebrated.

In this famous company of glory, there were also male martyrs; on that same day, even the bravest men triumphed through suffering. Nevertheless, they did not commend the same day with their names. This was not done because women were preeminent to men in dignity of character, but because both the weakness of the women overcame the ancient enemy with greater marvel, and the male virtue fought for eternal happiness.