Sermon 326
SERMO 326
ON THE BIRTHDAY OF THE MARTYRS
The martyrs hastened to happiness.
The solemnity of the most blessed Martyrs has made the day more joyful for us. We rejoice because the Martyrs have passed from the land of labor to the region of rest: but they earned this not by dancing, but by praying; not by drinking, but by fasting; not by quarrelling, but by enduring. Their parents were, I believe, grieved when they went to their passion: but they rejoiced and said: I rejoiced at the things that were said to me, we shall go into the house of the Lord. Do not, parents, do not mourn our joys. If you do not want those whom you have raised to go into hell; you ought to imitate, not hinder them. They knew where they were going, and unbelieving parents wept without reason. But then, parents loving their fleshly sons lamented: afterwards, believing in God, they said: You have turned my mourning into joy for me, you have cut my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness. Would that, brothers, the sack of penance be torn among us, and pour out the price of indulgence. All the Martyrs placed here the burdens of worldly gains, here they left them, and like good soldiers they ran the way that leads to life; as it is written: As having nothing, and yet possessing everything. And truly on earth they had nothing, but in heaven they possessed eternal happiness. Devoutly they hastened to heaven, and securely they ran the way of life; and though still distant, they extended their hands towards the palm. Run, saints; so run, that you may obtain. The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. It is not narrow: anyone who wants to be blessed, let him hasten to the kingdom of heaven. It is closed to no one, except to him who excludes himself. Christ is ready to receive his confessors. He himself from above says: I watch you, I will help you battling, I will crown you as victors.
Interrogations of the persecutor and responses of the martyrs.
Holding this promise, the Martyrs regarded the terrors and threats of the persecutor as nothing. For when the persecutor said: "Sacrifice to the idols;" they answered: "We do not, because we have the eternal God in heaven, to whom we always sacrifice; for we do not offer to demons." And the judge: "Why then do you act against the sacred command?" They answered: "Because the heavenly master tells us in the Gospel: Whoever leaves father and mother, and wife, and children, and all that he possesses, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life." And the judge: "So you will not obey the commands of the Emperors?" And they responded: "No." And he: "What authority then can you have, when you see yourselves subjected to punishment?" And the Martyrs said: "We bear the authority of the eternal King, therefore we do not care about the authority of a mortal man." Then, sent to prisons, they were burdened with chains. As much as was said by the impious: Where is their God? Let their God come, in whom they believed, and free them from the prisons, save them from the sword, save them from the beasts. They said all these things, but they did not overthrow those placed on the rock. They raged, but they did not fear. They knew where they were sent, and to where they were hastening. The Martyrs confessors were crowned, and the judges remained deserters. Thus God wants to test every Christian, so that being proven, He may crown him with the Martyrs.