Sermon 376A

SERMON 376/A

Sunday in the Octave of Easter

The revelation of heads in the octave of infants is an indication of liberty.

[2. 2.] Today is called the octave of the infants; their heads are to be uncovered, which is a sign of freedom. For this spiritual birth indeed has freedom: whereas the birth of the flesh has servitude. There are two births of a man, to be born and to be reborn. We are born to labor, we are reborn to rest: we are born to miseries, we are reborn to eternal happiness. For those children, infants, little ones, suckling at their mothers' breasts, and ignorant of how much grace is bestowed upon them, as you see, because they are called infants, and today they have their octaves: and these old men, young men, youths, all infants. For one of their infancies pertains to oldness, the other to newness. For those whom you see newly born, are born old. Our old man is called Adam, from whom we are born: the new man is Christ, through whom we are reborn. Therefore these are both new and reborn to another life, and there is in them, if it can be said, a new oldness when they are born.

Exhortation that the baptized should not imitate bad Christians who are mixed with the good.

[2. 3.] Behold, today our infants are mixed with the faithful and fly away as if from the nest. It is necessary, therefore, that we speak to those giving birth to them. For as you recall, my brothers, the chicks of swallows or domestic sparrows, when they begin to fly from the nest, the mothers fly around them with noise and with pious voices testify to the dangers of their children.

We know, therefore, that many who are called faithful live badly, and that their behavior does not match the grace they have received; they praise God with their tongue, but blaspheme with their life. However, we also know that among these many, as among much and abundant chaff, there are groaning grains under the threshing, but they console themselves with the hope of the granary. We know that these two kinds of people exist in the Church. We know that the Lord's threshing floor is the Church: we hope for the winnowing on the day of judgment, we desire the mass of wheat at the resurrection, we wish to enter the granary in eternal life. There will be no chaff there, just as there will be no grain in Gehenna. Therefore, now, my brothers, since we know that there are these two kinds of people in the Church, the pious and the impious, the good and the wicked, the fearful and the contemptuous, we do not know to which of these they will be joined. But they themselves know what we wish: whether our wishes concerning them will be fulfilled, human ignorance tires itself with anxiety, and is sometimes disturbed by false suspicions. It is learned from these things on this earth, where one does not live without temptation. Therefore I admonish you, holy seedlings; I admonish you, young plants in the Lord's field, that it may not be said of you what was said of the vineyard of the house of Israel: I looked for it to bring forth grapes, but it brought forth thorns. May he who was crushed for us as the cluster of grapes find a cluster in you. Bear grapes, live well. For the fruit of the spirit is, as the Apostle says, charity, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faith, temperance, chastity. When our farmer comes to us, whose workers we are, he who gives growth inside: for we know how to plant and water outside; but the Apostle says: Neither he that plants is anything, nor he that waters; but God who gives the increase; who now sees how you listen, who now inspects how you fear, or begin to fear: when that farmer comes to you, may he find in you what the Apostle said: My joy and my crown, all who stand in the Lord.

Snares must be resisted; God must be trusted; alms must be given.

Brothers, dearest sons, beloved children, imitate the good, beware of the evil. For I know that evil men will come to you, and persuade you to drunkenness, and will say to you: Why? Are we not also most faithful? I know, therefore I grieve, therefore I fear. Now if you will say firmly: Brother, I do not wish to do what you do, but if I cannot lead you to my good, at least do not drag me to your evil. For such people, as often happens, their heads will ache. Your neighbor or neighborly woman will say: This one is a sorcerer, this one is a healer, and somewhere a mathematician. You say: I am a Christian, it is not permitted for me. And if he says to you: Why? am I not also a Christian? you will say: But I am faithful. And he to you: And I am baptized. They become angels of the devil, members of Christ. Because the enemy possesses him, he seeks to drag another as well. Let him find you prepared, who prepared these things for you. Therefore I speak, therefore I testify, therefore I do not remain silent, therefore I shake out my garments, therefore I have myself excused at the tribunal of my God. I will say to my God: Lord, I did not remain silent; Lord, I did not hide the talent you gave me, but I gave it. He will be able to say to me: Wicked servant, you should have given, I would have demanded. Behold, Lord, I have given, you demand. And if by chance old habit tickles you, you have someone to intercede. Greater is the helper than the opponent. Therefore you groan, therefore you pray, therefore you say: Lead us not into temptation. Observe also, my brothers, what you say above: Forgive us our debts; to do as follows: as we also forgive our debtors. You do alms, you receive alms. You forgive, you will be forgiven. You give, it will be given to you. Hear God saying: Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Keep the poor in mind. I tell everyone: do alms, my brothers; do, and you will not lose. Trust in God. Not only do I say to you, you do not lose what you do for the poor: but I plainly tell you, this alone you do not lose, the rest you lose. Behold, let us see if you cheer up the poor today; you are their storehouses, so that God may give you whence you give, and forgive what you might sin. Include mercy in the heart of the poor, and it will intercede with the Lord for you: to whom be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.