Homilia in Canticum canticorum

Of the same Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, on the Song of Songs. The words are desirable and lovely, leading to the heavens and furnishing wings to the faithful. For the divine Scriptures truly furnish wings to the faithful with longing for heavenly things. For one of the saints, having this longing, said: Who will give me wings like a dove, and I will fly and rest? The longing for heavenly things drew him, and the mind of the saints was furnished with wings, forgetting earthly things and caring for heavenly things. For giving their mind to heaven and longing for heavenly things, they forgot earthly things. For the Apostle Paul, having this longing, said: I press on toward the goal for the prize of the higher calling. Do you see the saints being furnished with wings? For these words truly furnish them with wings. For whose mind has not been furnished with wings upon hearing the reading? For see the longing of this blessed soul saying: Awake, north wind, and come, south wind, blow through my garden, and let my spices flow. See the confidence of this blessed soul, how, trusting in herself, she calls forth the temptations for her own testing. Awake, she says, north wind, and come, south wind. What she says is this: I am fixed upon the rock; let the winds come and assail me, one on this side and the other on the other side; I fear no one; I have the rock that supports me; for I built my house upon the rock, and when the winds came, I was not afraid.

Do you wish to know what the rock is upon which this blessed soul stands? Listen to how Paul interprets it and says: The rock was Christ. Standing upon this rock, she is not frightened, but neither does she fear the devil coming from the north, nor again the one from the south. For as long as I am founded and have stood upon the rock, I fear nothing; even if death threatens me, I am not terrified, I do not fear persecution. I am ready to confess; I do not fear famine, having the Word who strengthens me; and I myself say, following the most blessed Paul: I am strong in all things through the one who strengthens me, Christ. If tribulation comes to me, I endure it; if persecution comes to me, I bear witness; if famine comes to me, I have the Word who nourishes me; if a sword comes, I have the double-edged sword that penetrates to joints and marrow, surpassing every sword; if fleshly pleasure comes to me, I cut it off with the double-edged sword, and I cast it away and make myself a eunuch—not applying a sword, as some men do, but as the Lord said: Blessed are the eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. For men make men eunuchs not for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, but for the sake of their own kingdom of women, and for preservation, and for pride. Do you wish to hear who are those who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven? Behold, Joseph made himself a eunuch for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.

For having been taken by the mistress into the bedchamber, with no one else present, and with her compelling him to satisfy her own wantonness, he castrated himself by not consenting to her. And this the blessed Susanna also did, when she was found alone in the garden; for the two elders seized her, wishing to commit adultery with her—lawless old men, hateful to the Lord. And concerning these, Solomon said—or rather the Lord through Solomon—"Three things my soul hates: an old man who is an adulterer, a poor man who is proud, and a rich man who is a liar." Do you see that those elders were truly hateful to the Lord? So when they rose up against the blessed Susanna, with no one else present, wishing to accomplish their own wantonness, she, having taken counsel within herself with her reason, castrated herself for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. For a man cannot guard a man, nor a mother her own daughter, nor a maidservant her mistress, unless pious reason becomes the guardian of the person. Therefore, O man, castrate yourself for the sake of the kingdom of heaven; and you, O woman, having understood the text even more securely, having examined and tested yourself, say: "Awake, north wind, and come, south wind; blow through my garden, and let my spices flow." For when our Lord and Savior was crucified, when the sun darkened and the earth shook, when the rocks were split and the tombs opened—fear then seized the disciples, not knowing the saying: "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.

At that time the disciples, out of fear of the Jews, were all together hiding in a cell. Let no Jew present here mock, nor any Greek hearing laugh. For in this we have our hope; it is for this reason that I speak with boldness. For this one hanging on the wood is himself our salvation; for his crucifixion was a cleansing of sins. And it was a great spectacle then taking place, that, while the body was being crucified, sin was falling. For if this one had not been crucified up to the present, we would still have the wounds and the infirmities in the body. And the devil, seeing our weakness, would exult over us, rising up against us. For the enemy said, "I will pursue and overtake." For this reason the Lord, having come down, went to no one except the devil; for it was he who gave us the wounds and corrupted us in our infirmities. For this reason the Lord says, "Behold, I am coming to you, the mountain that is corrupted, that corrupts the whole earth." Therefore he says, "Let no Jew laugh," while the disciples are hiding and the body is being crucified. For while the body was moving on the cross, the Word plundered Hades; and the gatekeepers of Hades, seeing, cowered. Then the women sat by the body in the tomb weeping. Then let the disciples of the Lord, hiding inside the cell, say, "Arise, north wind, and come, south wind. Breathe upon my garden, and let my spices flow." Let the body lying in the north wind arise, and the Word come from the south wind. Did the body of the Lord then lie in the north wind?

And we were in that place where the Lord had been crucified, and it was to the north of Jerusalem. For this reason David said with careful observation: The mountains of Zion, the sides of the north, the city of the great king. For this reason also we, when we were in that place where Christ was crucified, and we were standing in the east, and praying. And the place where the Lord had been crucified was northern. Therefore, then, let the disciples hiding inside the cell say: Arise, north, and come, south, arise with the north, that is, from the south into the body. For this is also written in the prophets, that God will come from Teman. And when the body had lain in the north for three days, the Savior comes from the south, and takes the body lying in the north, and comes to the disciples in the place where they were. Then at last, when Jesus entered, the garden breathed, and the spices flowed. Then let the disciples say to the Lord: O Lord, when you were crucified and were plundering Hades, we were in the cell, coming together with one accord and seeking the light from you; and light for us is your presence. But not seeing your presence, we were held in great darkness.

And this was said against us: "Their soul was melting in evils." For we were in evils then, not seeing you; but now that we have seen that the north wind has risen and the south wind has come, then the garden breathed and the spices flowed. Then let Thomas approach to examine the body and see the marks of the nails, and in examining and seeing the marks of the nails, let him say: "The garden breathed and the spices flowed." Our spices are the incorruptibility of the body which it put on. For this reason Paul also said: "This corruptible thing must put on incorruptibility, and this mortal thing must put on immortality." And when did the body put on incorruptibility if not through the repose of the Word? Indeed, when the Savior arose and the women came to touch him, he said to them: "Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father." Therefore, if you have castrated yourself, O man, and you, O woman, listen to the longing of this blessed soul, how, longing for the Word, she says: "Let my beloved come down into his garden and eat the fruit of his nut trees." For then she was entreating the Word to come down into the garden and eat the fruit of his nut trees; for the garden is the world, into which she entreated him to come down and eat the fruit of his nut trees; and the nut trees are the human beings, and the fruit of the nut trees is the deeds of the law, which she entreated him to come down and eat.

Thus also we, if we have the fruits of the law ready to render to the Lord, let us also entreat the Word to descend and eat the fruit of his early-ripening produce; for we are his early-ripening produce and creations, brought into being for good works. For this reason we also entreat him. And how do we entreat him? Through supplications and prayers, not that we may cry out with the mouth, but that we may pray within ourselves with the mind. For why do you cry out while praying, as though God were sleeping? Behold, the one who guards Israel does not doze nor slumber. And Jeremiah said this: "He has kept watch over my impieties." And Isaiah said this: "While you are still speaking, I will say, 'Behold, I am present.'" For God does not wait for words from the lips. Indeed, the Savior said in the Gospel that God knows what you need before you ask him. Therefore, let us not cry out as if praying from habit; but even if you pray with the mouth, pray also with the mind. For Paul said this: "I will sing with the spirit, I will sing also with the mind." For it is said, "From the depths I cried out to you, Lord." For this reason, also the woman in the Books of Kings, when she prayed crying out, the priest silenced her mouth, thinking that she was drunk; and yet she, praying with the mind, was heard and bore Samuel. Therefore, why do you cry out while praying, as though God were not hearing? Listen to the one who says, "Does not the one who planted the ear hear?" For if you, having ears, hear, how much more the maker of ears? Therefore, let us not cry out while praying to the Lord, as though God were not hearing; for even when we are silent, God hears.

You see the longing in this blessed soul, how, as she entreats and says, "Let my beloved come down into his garden and eat the fruit of his early-ripening produce," how immediately the Word says, "I have entered my garden, my sister bride"? As nothing is swifter; for while she is still speaking, he has already obeyed. Do you see what is written: "Even while you are still speaking, I will say, 'Behold, I am here'"? For as soon as she entreats and says, "Come down, O Word, into your garden and eat the fruit of your early-ripening produce," he immediately obeyed her, saying, "I have entered my garden, my sister bride." And why does he call her both bride and sister? For no bridegroom calls his bride "sister"; but here he calls her both sister and bride, to show that the bridal chamber is not sung of the flesh. For when he calls her bride, it is on account of the Word, who has betrothed the soul. For Paul also said this: "I betrothed you to one husband, to present a pure virgin to Christ." And when he calls her sister, it is on account of the flesh which he wore. For one of the prophets, signifying this about him, said, "I will announce your name to my brothers." Therefore let no one think these words are carnal. For when this blessed soul entreated him, saying, "Let my beloved come down into his garden and eat the fruit of his early-ripening produce," when you hear "soul," do not suppose it is one soul, but the whole world. For this reason, then, we entreat him, saying, "Come down, O Word, into your garden and eat the fruit of your early-ripening produce.

And immediately he answered: "I have entered my garden, my sister bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spices. Did you not call me to come down and eat the fruits? Behold, I have come down; give me the fruits." Now the word of the Jews at once brings thorns instead of grapes, and thistles instead of figs. But when did they offer him these fruits, except when he was being crucified? For he asked to drink from the fruits of the vine, and instead of wine they offered him vinegar. Do you see that their fruit has turned sour? Let the Savior then say: "You called me to come down and eat from the early-ripening fruits, and behold I came thirsty, and you offered me vinegar; and I came again hungry to the fig tree, and I found only leaves. Would that I found even only leaves, and not the tree dry; for this reason I also cursed it. For I came down to eat the fruits of the early-ripening produce, and behold, having come down I found blood mingled with blood, fornicators and adulterers, and innocent blood being shed. I found you carving stones and calling them God; and then instead of early-ripening fruits, myrrh; and I am led to death because of you. I have come down to eat the fruits of the early-ripening produce; and behold, I harvest death because of you; I harvest myrrh with spices. But would that, when I harvested the myrrh, you were saved and had ceased from your evils, and that it might not be said against you what is said in the twenty-ninth psalm: 'What benefit is there in my blood when I go down into the pit?' For I came down because of you, and I harvested death and myrrh; but not only myrrh, but with spices. How then also with spices?

For when I gathered my myrrh, that is, death; when he was placed in the tomb, and he raised the body incorruptible, then the spices appeared; and the spices were the incorruptibility of the body. Therefore he says well: "I have gathered my myrrh with my spices; I have eaten my bread with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk." Do you see the Word becoming all things to every age? And to the Jews, who are infants, giving food, honey and milk; and if you hear honey and milk, consider it the Law; for as they were infants, milk was given to them; but to the perfect, bread and wine are given; for bread and wine are solid food, that is, the Gospel. Therefore the Savior says well: "I have eaten my bread with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk." Do you see how he speaks everywhere? For both the New and the Old are his. Therefore woe to the Jews who eat honey and milk. Likewise also the Manichaeans eat bread and wine; but the Catholic Church eats both together, the bread with the honey, and drinks the wine with the milk; and while eating the bread, we consume the honey together with the Word. And it is written that the sheep is to be eaten at Passover. I take the sheep and consume it together with the Word; and I do not eat only the sheep, but also the Word who is led as a sheep to slaughter. Therefore he says well: "I have eaten my bread with my honey, and I have drunk my wine with my milk.

And immediately he says: “Eat, my neighbors, and drink, and be drunk, brothers.” See how the Savior commands the infants to eat; to the greater ones he says, “And drink”; and to the perfect he said, “And be drunk, brothers.” Indeed, Paul, being perfect and drunk with this divine intoxication, said: “For whether we are beside ourselves for God, or we are sober for you.” Do not think that he was beside himself from wine; for he himself commanded: “Do not get drunk on wine, in which there is debauchery”; but, “Use a little wine for your stomach,” he writes to Timothy; and if he commands others, how much more himself? For he was drunk with a good and divine intoxication from the Word. May it be that we also are counted with him in the kingdom of heaven in Christ Jesus. Amen.