Sermon 313

SERMO 313

On the Birthday of Cyprian the Martyr

No tongue is equal to the praises of Cyprian.

The most holy and solemn day, and likewise more familiar and illustrious to this Church as an ornament, has dawned today to bring us joy, which Cyprian the most blessed has illuminated for us with the glory of his passion. No tongue would suffice for the praises of this revered bishop and venerable martyr, not even if he himself were to praise him. Therefore, in this our sermon, which we duly render to your ears about him, approve more the affection of the will than demand the effect of the capability. For thus also concerning the praises of God, of which not only is no speech but not even any thought sufficient, when the holy praiser recognized himself as less adequate, he said: Make the voluntary offerings of my mouth acceptable, Lord. This I also would say: even let this be my devotion, that if I am not equal to explaining what I wish, it is accepted because I wish.

The praises of the martyrs return to God.

For what are the praises of a great Martyr but the praises of God? Or whose honor is it that Cyprian turned to God with all his heart, except his to whom it was said, "O God of hosts, restore us"? Whose work is it that Cyprian is a teacher, except his to whom it was said, "Teach me your decrees"? Whose work is it that Cyprian is a shepherd, except his who said, "I will give you shepherds after my own heart, and they will lead you with knowledge and understanding"? Whose work is it that Cyprian is a confessor, except his who said, "I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to resist"? Whose work is it that Cyprian endured such a great persecution for the truth, except his to whom it was said, "O Israel's patience, O Lord"; and of whom it was said, "For from him comes my patience"? Lastly, whose work is it that Cyprian is victorious in all things, except his of whom it was said, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us"? Therefore, we do not depart from the praises of God when we praise the works of God and the battles of God in the soldier of God.

Martyrs are armed by God, and they are helped by the same armed one.

For thus the Apostle exhorts: Stand, gird your loins with truth, and put on the breastplate of righteousness, and shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace: above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. What does it mean to be clothed in the breastplate of righteousness, and to take the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, except to be armed with the gifts of the Lord? Nor would it suffice for this soldier to be armed, unless he had obtained to be aided by the very armorer, by whom he had been armed. For the most righteous Martyr did not refrain from praying in that conflict of suffering, saying: Judge, O Lord, those who harm me, fight against those who fight against me. Take hold of armor and shield, and rise up for my help. Draw out the spear, and stop those who pursue me: say to my soul, I am your Salvation. How could he be defeated, whom the Lord thus led forth armed, whom He thus helped being armed?

The armed God, how he is to be understood. The Sword of God, the Church. The Sword of God, the soul of the just.

But far be it from us to believe with a childish heart that God is armed with certain bodily instruments. For what kind of arms are those with which God's soldiers are accustomed to be aided by an armed God? Those who are aided confess themselves when they exclaim and give thanks saying: Lord, with the shield of good will, you have crowned us. The sword of God, that is, the sword of God, which the body of Christ, which is the Church, prays to be poured out and directed against those who persecute them; indeed, it can be understood where the Savior himself says to His body: I have not come to bring peace to the earth, but a sword. With this spiritual sword, He has separated from His martyrs the earthly affections that badly charm them from the heavenly joys they desire, which would recall them from heaven to earth, were it not for the sword of Christ to cut them off. But there is also another very evident sword of God, the soul of the just in the hand of God; of which it is said to Him in the Psalm: Rescue my soul from the impious, your sword from the enemies of your hand. That which he said, my soul; this he repeated, your sword; that which he said, from the impious; this he repeated, from the enemies of your hand.

The great spear of God, the soul of Cyprian. An altar erected over the body of Cyprian.

He sent forth this sword by spreading everywhere his martyrs: and he restrained against those who persecuted the Church; so that because they were not moved by the voices of those who preached, they might be broken by the virtues of those who died. For God indeed made for himself strong weapons against enemies, even those whom he made friends. Therefore, the most blessed Cyprian’s soul, the great sword of God, splendid with love, sharp with truth, moved and wielded with the strength of fighting God, what battles did it complete? What crowds of contradicters did it overcome by reproving? How many hostile ones did it strike? How many adversaries did it overthrow? In how many hearts of enemies did it kill those very enmities by which he was being attacked, and made them friends by whom God might fight even more abundantly against others? But when the time came, as if he were to be seized by overwhelming enemies, he did not yield to their hands, oppressed and defeated by the impious; rather, he was present through that one by whom he might remain unconquered: he received the victory, once no further struggle remained, except that which he would bring back from this world and from the prince of this world. He was indeed at hand for his most faithful witness fighting for the truth even unto death, did what had been asked of him, drew out his soul from the impious, his sword from the enemies' hands. We adorn with the grandeur of this divine altar the holy flesh of whose victorious soul, as if it were the scabbard of that sword, to be restored to the same soul with the triumphal resurrection and never to be laid down again by any further death.