Sermon 327
SERMO 327
On the Birthday of the Martyrs.
Martyrs are distinguished from criminals, not by punishment, but by cause.
We have sung to God with the voice of martyrs: Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation. It is the voice of martyrs. Who would dare to say: Judge me, O God, unless they have a most righteous cause? The soul is tempted by promises and threats, soothed by allurements, and tortured by pains: all were conquered for Christ by the unconquered martyrs. The world that promised was overcome, the raging world was overcome. Pleasure did not hold them, torture did not terrify them. Gold purified in the furnace does not fear the fire of hell. Therefore, as one purified by the fire of tribulation, the most blessed martyr confidently says: Judge me, O God. Whatever good you find in me, judge. You have granted me what pleases you; find it in me, and judge me. The sweetness of the world did not hold me, worldly tribulation does not divert me from you. Judge me, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation. Many suffer tribulations; they have the same punishment, but not the same cause. Adulterers suffer many evils, sorcerers suffer many evils, robbers and murderers suffer many evils, all wicked people suffer many evils, many evils, I say, and I, your martyr, suffer: but plead my cause against an ungodly nation, of robbers, murderers, and all the wicked. They can suffer such things as I do: but they cannot have such a cause. I am cleansed in the furnace; they turn to ashes. Even heretics suffer, and many at their own hands; and they want to be called martyrs. But against them we have sung: Plead my cause against an ungodly nation. It is not punishment that makes a martyr, but the cause.
The punishment of the crucified was the same as the Lord's, but their cause was different.
In the Lord's passion, there were three crosses; one punishment, but a different cause. To the right, one criminal; to the left, another criminal: in the middle, the judge, hanging between them on the cross, as if declaring from the tribunal, heard one saying: Save yourself if you are just; heard the other rebuking his companion and saying: Do you not fear God? We suffer for our evil deeds; for this man is just. He had a bad cause and discerned the martyr's cause. For what else is: We suffer for our evil deeds; for this man is just? Who would discern the cause of the martyrs from the cause of the impious suffering punishment? This man, he says, is recognized as just; we suffer for ourselves, for our evil deeds. Lord: see what he says to his companion in punishment. Christ was likewise hanging; but he was not equally despised. The Lord was recognized by the one hanging. It was a partnership in the cross; it was not one in the reward. What do I say? Do you give a reward to Christ, who is the giver of rewards? Lord, he says, remember me when you come into your kingdom. He saw the one hanging, he saw the one crucified; and he hoped he would reign. Remember, he says, me, not now, but when you come into your kingdom. I have done many evil deeds, I do not hope for a swift rest: let my torments suffice until your coming. Let me now be tortured; when you come, then spare me. He deferred himself; but Christ offered paradise to the one who did not seek it. Remember me: but when? When you come into your kingdom. And the Lord: Amen I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. My disciples have deserted me, my disciples have despaired of me; and you acknowledged me on the cross, you did not despise me dying, you hoped I would reign: Today you will be with me in paradise. I do not depart from you. The cause is distinguished; is the punishment? Therefore, it is a good voice: Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from an ungodly nation. All of us who live in this world, let us strive to have a good cause: so that if anything happens to us in this world, we may leave with a good cause.