Sermon 325
SERMO 325
On the Birth of the Twenty Martyrs
Why solemnities of the martyrs were instituted.
A fitting discourse must be delivered on the solemn day of the holy Martyrs. As we are about to speak of the glory of the martyrs, briefly discussing the just cause of the martyrs, let the prayers of the martyrs assist us. For through these celebrations, Your Holiness ought to recall this: first, let us not think that we confer anything upon the martyrs because we celebrate their most solemn days. They do not need our festivities, for they rejoice with the Angels in heaven. However, they rejoice with us, not if we honor them, but if we imitate them. And even though we honor them, it benefits us, not them. But to honor and not imitate is nothing other than deceitful flattery. Therefore, these festivities are established in the Church of Christ so that through them the congregation of Christ's members may be reminded to imitate the martyrs of Christ. This is entirely the usefulness of this celebration, there is no other. For if God is presented to us as the one to imitate, human frailty responds that it is too much to emulate Him, since we cannot be compared to Him. Then if the example of our Lord Jesus Christ is presented to us for imitation, who, though He was God, clothed Himself in mortal flesh so that He might convey a commandment and show an example to humans bearing mortal flesh, about whom it is also written: Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow in His steps: still, even here human frailty responds, "What can I possibly have in common with Christ? He, though in the flesh, was also the Word made flesh. For the Word was made flesh to dwell among us: He assumed flesh, but did not lose the Word; He took on what He was not, but did not lose what He was. For God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. What then do I, a mere human, have in common with Christ?" To remove therefore all excuses of unbelieving weakness, the martyrs have built us a path. Indeed, it had to be built with stone tablets so that we could walk safely. They made it with their blood and with their confessions. In short, despising their own bodies, they spread them like garments for Christ coming to the nations to save them, like He sat upon that donkey. Who then would be ashamed to say, "I am unequal to God?" Certainly, he is unequal. "I am unequal to Christ?" Even to mortal Christ, unequal. Peter was what you are, Paul was what you are, the Apostles and Prophets were what you are. If you are reluctant to imitate the Lord, imitate your fellow servant. The band of servants has gone before, the excuse of the lazy has been removed. Finally, he still says, "I am unequal to Peter, unequal to Paul." Are you unequal to the truth? Simplicity is crowned, vanity is not excused. Finally, are you unequal to children? unequal to girls? unequal to holy Valeriana? If you are still reluctant to follow, do you not wish to adhere to Victoria? For thus has the series of the twenty holy Martyrs been recited to us. It began with the bishop Fidenti, and it ended with the faithful woman, Saint Victoria. The beginning from faith, the end in victory.
In martyrs, it is not the punishment that is considered, but the cause. He criticizes the false martyrs of the Donatists.
Therefore, brothers, see: celebrate the passions of the martyrs in such a way that you consider imitating the martyrs. They chose the cause in order to have fruitful suffering. For they heeded the Lord saying, not “Blessed are those who suffer persecution,” but “Blessed are those who suffer persecution for the sake of righteousness.” Choose the cause, and do not care about the pain. But if you do not choose the cause, you will find pain both here and in the future. Do not be moved by the sufferings and punishments of wrongdoers, sacrilegious people, enemies of peace, and enemies of truth. For they do not die for the sake of truth: but they die to prevent the truth from being announced, from being preached, from being upheld, from unity being loved, from charity being cherished, and from eternity being held. O the worst cause! Therefore, the penalty is fruitless. Do you not consider, you who boast of your suffering, that there were three crosses when the Lord suffered? The Lord suffered between two thieves: the punishment did not distinguish, but the cause did. Therefore, the voice of the martyrs in that psalm says: “Judge me, God.” He does not fear judgment: for he has nothing within him that the fire might consume; where there is all gold, what does the flame fear? “Judge me, God, and distinguish my cause from an unholy people.” Did he say: “Distinguish my punishment”? It could be said to him, “A thief suffered the punishment.” Did he say: “Distinguish my cross”? An adulterer was also enclosed there. Did he say: “Distinguish my chain”? Thieves were also bound there. Did he say: “Distinguish my wound”? Even criminals were killed by iron. Therefore, seeing that all things are common to both the good and the bad in passions, he cried out and said: “Judge me, Lord, and distinguish my cause from an unholy people. If you distinguish my cause, you crown my patience.” Let this be sufficient for your Charity as an exhortation in this holy place; for the days are short, and there are still things for us to do with your Charity in the larger basilica.