Sermon 287

SERMO 287

On the Birth of St. John the Baptist, which is the eighth day before the Kalends of July

The birthday of Christ is celebrated only, and of John, by the Church.

The narration is lengthy, but the labor of the listener is compensated by the sweetness of the truth. We have heard the illustrious birth of the most blessed John, herald and forerunner of Christ, when the Holy Gospel was read. From here, let your Charity observe what a great man's birth has taken place. The Church celebrated the natal day of none of the Prophets, none of the Patriarchs, nor any of the Apostles: it celebrates only two birthdays, his and Christ's. The very times during which both were born prefigure a great mystery. John was a great man, but a man. However, he was such a great man that whatever was greater than him was God. "He who comes after me is greater than me." John said this: "He himself is greater than me." If he is greater than you, what is it that we heard you say, "Among those born of women, none has arisen greater than John the Baptist"? If none of men is greater than you, who is he who is greater than you? Who he is, do you wish to hear? "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Christ here has a birthday as a man, not as God.

And how did the Word of God, God, through whom all things were made, which was born without the beginning of time, through whom times were made, find a birthday in time? How, I ask, did the Word through whom times were made, find a birthday in time? Do you ask how? Listen to the Gospel itself: The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. The birth of Christ is the birth of the flesh, not of the Word: but it is therefore the birth of the Word because the Word was made flesh. The Word was born, but it was born in the flesh, not in itself. In itself, however, it is from the Father, but it does not have a birthday in time.

Both births are marvelous, that of Christ and that of John, although there is such a great distance between them.

John was born, and Christ was born: John was announced by an angel, Christ was announced by an angel. Both are great miracles. A barren woman from an old man gives birth to a servant precursor, a virgin without a man gives birth to the Lord possessor. John is a great man: but Christ is more than a man; because he is both man and God. A great man; but the man had to be humbled, so that God might be exalted. Finally, because the man had to be humbled, hear the man himself: I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal. If he had said he was worthy, how much would he have humbled himself? He did not even call himself worthy of this. He completely humbled himself, and humbled himself under a rock. For he was a lamp, and he feared being extinguished by the wind of pride.

The difference between Christ and John on the day of birth and on the passion, what it signified.

Finally, because every man had to be humbled before Christ, and thus also John; and because the God-man Christ had to be exalted, both their birthdays and the types of their sufferings demonstrated this. John was born today: from today the days shorten. Christ was born on December 25th: from that day the days lengthen. John was diminished in his passion by beheading, Christ was exalted on the cross. How well was it announced to the Virgin Mary, how truly, how holy: "How will this be, since I do not know a man?" She believed but sought the manner. And what did she hear? "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And therefore the holy one to be born of you will be called the Son of God." The power of the Most High will overshadow you. There will be a conception in you; it will not be from the lust of concupiscence. There will be no heat where the Holy Spirit casts a shadow. But because our bodies experience heat, let these words suffice for your charity: well-thought-out things will be more numerous.