Sermon 377

SERMO 377

ON THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD

The eternal Word cannot be worthily praised by us. How like a giant it rejoiced to run its course.

Dearest brothers, who can worthily utter a temporal word about the eternal Word? How can the lowly suffice for the great? The heavens praise, the virtues praise, the ethereal powers praise, the luminaries of heaven praise, the stars praise, so too does the earth praise as it can: not that it praises worthily, but lest it be condemned as ungrateful. Who can explain, who can speak, who can even comprehend him who reaches from end to end mightily, and arranges all things sweetly, how he rejoiced to run his course, so that his going forth was from the highest heaven, and his return even to the highest heaven? If he reaches everywhere, from where does he go out? If he reaches everywhere, to where does he go? He is not stretched out by places, nor varied by times, nor does he have comings and goings: remaining in himself, he entirely encircles all places. What are the spaces that do not contain the omnipotent, that do not hold the immense, that do not welcome the coming one? If you think about the word, we have said nothing. But to teach the humble to say something about himself, he humbled himself by taking the form of a servant. In this form he descended, in this form, according to the Gospel, he progressed in the study of wisdom, in this form he was patient, in this form he fought bravely, in this form he died, in this form he defeated death and rose again, in this form he returned to heaven, who never departed from heaven. Therefore, he is blessed in the firmament of heaven, who became for us, according to the Apostle, accursed, so that in the Gentiles the blessing of Abraham might come. He rejoiced like a giant. What kind of giant? He overcame death by dying. What kind of giant? He broke the gates of hell: he went out, and ascended. Who is this king of glory, for whom it was said to certain princes: Lift up your gates, O princes; and be lifted up, O eternal gates? Be lifted up, he is great: you are narrow, you do not fit; be lifted up. Why this? That the king of glory may enter in. They are frightened: Who is this king of glory? He is not recognized. He is not only God, but also man: he is not only man, but also God. Does he suffer, surely he is God? does he rise, surely he is man? Or is he both God and man? For truly he suffers, and truly he rises. But this is said twice in one and the same psalm: Lift up your gates, O princes; and be lifted up, O eternal gates, and the king of glory will enter in. And this very thing is repeated after the same words, as if it is thought superfluous and unnecessary. But in the repetition of the same words, observe the ends, and notice why it was said twice. For as if to the one who rises once, and to the one who ascends once, both the gates of hell and of heaven are opened twice. For it is a new thing, God present in the underworld: it is a new thing, man taken up to the heavens. At both times, in both places, the princes are frightened. Who is this king of glory? How do we discern this? Hear what is answered to both. To those asking it is said: The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. What battle? To undergo death for mortals, to suffer alone for all, to not resist omnipotence, and yet to conquer by dying. Therefore, this king of glory is great, even in the underworld. This is also repeated to the heavenly powers: Lift up your gates, O princes; and be lifted up, O eternal gates. Are not the eternal gates those of which Peter received the keys? But because he lifts up man with himself, there he is said as if not recognized: Who is this king of glory? But there, because he is no longer as a fighter, but as a victor, because he does not battle, but triumphs; there it is not answered: The Lord mighty in battle; but, The Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory.