Sermon 306D

Sermon 306/D

SERMON ON THE BIRTHDAY OF SAINT QUADRATUS

By believing and speaking, the martyrs found death.

The blessed Apostle provided testimony from the Scriptures in which he commended to us the glory of the martyrs. For this reason it is written, he says: "I believed, therefore I spoke," and we also believe, therefore we also speak. For if they had only believed and not spoken, they would not have suffered. Thus, by believing they attained life and by speaking they found death, but a death in which the corruptible body would be sown and incorruption would be reaped. This sense, that is, what we believe we also speak, the same Apostle explained in another place as follows: "With the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

The salvation of man is vain.

Here, someone might perhaps ask: "How does confession lead to salvation, when martyrs, upon confessing, were then killed? Thus, surely confession does not lead to salvation." Have you forgotten: Give us help from trouble, and vain is the salvation of man? Clearly, they confessed with their mouths for salvation, for the salvation of the faithful, of Christians, not for the common salvation of men and beasts. For even this common salvation of men and beasts, from whom, if not from the Creator of all? For from whom were we made to exist, from Him we received the ability to be saved. It is well known to the faithful that God is the creator not only of man but also of beasts. Hence: You, Lord, will save both man and beast, according to the abundance of Your mercy, O God. Since You, God, are the Creator of men, the abundance of Your mercy extends even to the salvation of beasts. What then is more for men except what follows: The children of men will hope in the shadow of Your wings? What will they hope for if not another salvation, not of this time, but eternal? For one kind of salvation is held, another is hoped for, and therefore the martyrs were very strong in faith, because they despised what they held to receive what they hoped for. They knew of one kind of salvation and believed in another; they saw one and did not see the other. What faith, beloved, what faith! Despise what you see, and faith will prevail.

Who do men say that the Son of Man is?

From where, a certain distinction among men and the Son of Man dawns upon us. Yet all sons of men are men. Thus, why are not all men sons of men? Because Adam and Eve were men, not sons of men. Which of these two did the Lord Christ prefer to be? Because it was fitting that He who had made man, would become man for the sake of man, and become that which He had made, so that what He had made would not perish. He could indeed form His flesh as He wished, as a true man with true flesh. For when He formed the first man, He did not seek a father or a mother. He did not seek the seed of man to become the first man. It also came to pass that He who had made man, became man. He did not merely want to be man, which He could if He willed, but preferred to be the Son of Man. And how strongly, how constantly He commends this, because He is the Son of Man! Take note and assent when the holy Gospels are recited, how incomparably more abundantly He calls Himself the Son of Man than the Son of God! For indeed, divine majesty deserving of God was to be briefly commended, but the humility of the Most High was to be more frequently inculcated. Among other things, therefore, where the Lord Jesus continually testifies that He is the Son of Man, let us particularly remember where He says to His disciples: Who do men say that the Son of Man is? Who do they say you are but the Son of Man? But many are sons of men, the same in kind, differing in virtues or conditions. Therefore, He says: Who do men say that I am? It was answered that some said He was Elijah, others Jeremiah, others John the Baptist or one of the Prophets, as if the Son of Man were one of the great men. But this concerns men to whom the same salvation as to beasts is common. But you, He said, who do you say that I am? As if they were not men. He said: This and that is what men say to whom belong to men. But you, surely sons of men belonging to the Son of Man, who do you say that I am? Then Peter answered for all, unity in all, and said: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Christ commends His humility. Peter confesses Christ's majesty. Thus it was fitting, thus it was necessary. Listen, Peter, to what Christ says for you, and you, say who for you is the Son of Man. Who do men say that I am the Son of Man? Who is this who for you became the Son of Man? You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. I, He says, commend my humility, you recognize my divinity. I say what I have become for you, you say from whence I have made you.

What has always been unknown when, will come at some time.

Therefore, this temporal safety, common to men and cattle, was despised by the martyrs, that which they had with Adam the man, not with the Son of Man. But the sons of men belonging to the Son of Man, in order to despise the common safety with men and cattle, will hope under the cover of Your wings. What then, beloved, so that martyrs might despise this safety, is this safety not any good? If it were not a good, who would boast because he despises what is no good? One despises good to come to better. We speak of this safety which no one seeking should be blamed. We see men doing nothing else, as far as sustenance of the present life is concerned, but that this safety may either be restored if it falters, or obtained if it is lacking. But as long as – whether you want it or not – as long as you can hold onto this safety, after all, you cannot recall the last day? There is fixed for each one some limit of the last day. To this limit all run, neither willing to run but being driven. We are closer today to this limit than yesterday, closer tomorrow than today, and what has always been unknown when, will eventually come. Therefore, let us live diligently because we do not know when we shall die. We do not know when, and we do not know how near it is that we said: “sometime.” And by this, the most blessed martyrs, when they came to the crisis of temptation, so that either their temporal life was to be retained indefinitely by yielding, or that which is to be seized without end – Why do you wonder, my brothers? – because they had faith, they weighed and chose, they won because they chose better, they chose because they loved, and to love from where, unless because they were loved, did they have? O blessed! O glorious! O strong! O great! O fortunate! O dedication to God! O in every way balanced! Good, but temporal, is what you despised. Eternal and incorruptible good is what you chose. Deservedly you stood firm in confession: wherever the persecutor wanted to turn you, you did not fall.

The martyrs have made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb.

This is to be truly blessed: he washed you with wonderful blood. The divine word says in the Apocalypse. These are the ones who came out of the great and many tribulations and washed their robes and made them white. Where did they make them white? In the blood, not just any blood but the Lamb's. All blood stains, the Lamb's blood whitens. How does it whiten? Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sins of the world. For it is not surprising that they washed their robes in blood. For something can indeed be washed in blood, as someone said: "They wash their necks and shoulders with ample blood." They wash, but do they whiten? Therefore, the divine word was vigilant, and when it said, "They washed their robes," it added what you would marvel at: "and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." For how could anything not be whitened by that blood about which it was said: "This is my blood, which will be shed for many for the forgiveness of sins"?