Sermo antequam iret in exsilium

A Homily of the Same Author before His Exile. 1. Many are the waves, and severe the storm; but we are not afraid of being drowned, for we stand upon the rock. Let the sea rage; it cannot dissolve the rock. Let the waves rise; they cannot sink the ship of Jesus. What do we fear, tell me? Death? For me, Christ is life, and to die is gain. But exile, tell me? The Lord's is the earth, and all its fullness. But confiscation of property? We brought nothing into the world; clearly we can take nothing out. The terrors of the world are contemptible to me, and its pleasant things are laughable. I do not fear poverty, I do not desire wealth; I do not fear death, I do not pray to live, except for your advancement. Therefore I now remind and exhort your love to be of good courage. For no one will be able to tear us apart; for what God has joined together, man cannot separate. For if concerning a wife and a husband it says: "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two will be one flesh"; what therefore God has yoked, let man not separate. If you cannot break a marriage, how much more are you unable to dissolve the Church of God? But you war against it, unable to harm the one you war against. But you make me more illustrious, while you destroy your own strength in your battle against me; for it is hard for you to kick against the goads. You do not blunt the goads, but you bloody your own feet; just as the waves do not dissolve the rock, but are themselves dissolved into foam.

Nothing is stronger than the Church, O man. Cease the war, lest you destroy your own power; do not bring war into heaven. If you war against a man, you either conquer or are conquered. But if you war against the Church, it is impossible for you to conquer; for God is the strongest of all. Do we provoke the Lord? Are we stronger than He? God has fixed it; who attempts to shake it? Do you not know His power? He looks upon the earth and makes it tremble; He commands, and what is shaken is made firm. If He has steadied the shaken city, much more can He steady the Church. The Church is stronger than heaven; heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. What words? You are Peter, and upon this rock of mine I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 2. If you do not believe the word, believe the facts. How many tyrants have wished to overcome the Church? How many frying pans? How many furnaces, teeth of wild beasts, sharpened swords? And they did not prevail. Where are those who warred? They have been silenced and consigned to oblivion. And where is the Church? It shines brighter than the sun. Theirs have been extinguished; hers are immortal. If when they were few they were not conquered, now that the world is filled with piety, how can you conquer? Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. And rightly so; for the Church is dearer to God than heaven. He did not take up the body of heaven, but He took up the flesh of the Church; heaven exists for the sake of the Church, not the Church for the sake of heaven. Let none of the things that have happened disturb you. Grant me this: unwavering faith.

Have you not seen Peter walking on the water, and hesitating a little, and about to be submerged, not because of the unruly rush of the waters, but because of the weakness of his faith? Did we come here by human votes? Did a man bring us, that a man might dissolve us? I say these things not out of desperation—far from it—nor out of boastfulness, but wishing to steady your shaken resolve. Since the city stood firm, the devil wanted to shake the Church. Wretched and utterly vile devil, you did not prevail over walls, and do you expect to shake the Church? Is the Church in walls? The Church is in the multitude of the faithful. Behold how many steadfast pillars, not bound with iron, but tightened by faith. I do not say that such a multitude is stronger than fire; but not even if there were one, would you prevail. And you know what wounds the martyrs have inflicted on you. Often a tender, unmarried girl entered; she was softer than wax, and became harder than rock. You scraped her sides, and you did not take her faith. The nature of the flesh grew weak, and the power of faith was not discouraged; the body was consumed, the spirit was vigorous; the substance was spent, and piety remained. You did not prevail over one woman, and do you expect to prevail over so great a multitude? Do you not hear the Lord saying, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst"? Where such a multitude is bound by love, is he not present? I have a pledge from him; do I trust in my own power? I hold his bond. That is my staff, that is my security, that is my waveless harbor.

Even if the whole world is in turmoil, I hold fast to the document; I read it; those letters are a wall and a security for me. What are these? "I am with you all the days until the end of the age." Christ is with me, and whom shall I fear? Even if waves are raised against me, even if seas, even if the wrath of rulers—all these are to me more contemptible than a spider's web. And were it not for your love, I would not have consented to depart even today. For I always say, "Lord, let your will be done; not what so-and-so or so-and-so wills, but whatever you will." This is my tower, this is my immovable rock, this is my unshakeable staff. If God wills this to happen, let it happen. If he wills me to be here, I am grateful. Wherever he wills, I give thanks. Let no one disturb you; attend to your prayers. The devil has done these things to cut short your zeal for the litanies. But he does not succeed; rather, we have found you more eager and more fervent. Tomorrow I will go out with you for the litany. Or wherever I am, there you are; wherever you are, there I am also; we are one body; a body is not separated from the head, nor a head from the body. We are separated by place, but united by love; not even death will be able to sever us. For even if my body dies, the soul lives and remembers the people; you are my fathers; how can I forget you? You are my fathers, you are my life, you are my good repute. If you advance, I am held in good repute; so my life and wealth lie in your treasury. I am ready to be slaughtered for you ten thousand times (and I confer no favor, but I repay a debt).

For the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep, and would be slaughtered countless times, and have his head cut off countless times. For me, this death is a foundation of immortality; for me, these plots are a source of security. Am I plotted against for money, that I should be grieved? Am I plotted against for sins, that I should be pained? It is for the love concerning you; because I do everything so that you may remain in safety, so that no one may slip into the flock, so that the flock may remain intact. The cause of my struggles is sufficient for me as a crown. For what would I not suffer for you? You are my citizens, you are my fathers, you are my brothers, you are my children, you are my limbs, you are my body, you are my light—nay, even sweeter than this light. For what does the sunbeam provide me that is like your love? The sunbeam benefits me in this present life, but your love weaves a crown for me in the life to come. And I say these things into the ears of those who hear; and what is more receptive of hearing than your ears? For so many days you have kept vigil, and nothing has bent you; the length of time has not made you softer; neither fears nor threats have done so; you have been noble in the face of everything. And why do I say "you have been"? This is what I have always desired: you have despised worldly affairs, you have renounced the earth, you have migrated to heaven; you have been freed from the bonds of the body, you strive for that blessed philosophy. These things are crowns for me, these are consolation, these are comfort, these are ointment for me, these are life, these are a foundation of immortality. 4. But I see some who persuade me to persist in my own teachings. For many of the favorable circumstances turn into the opposite.

that those who thought I was zealous have fallen into wickedness; those who depose me in this manner overcome the contest by the difference in the facts. They did not threaten, but they stood by. For now is the time to speak of my affliction. There is a law, but the lawgiver is overcome. Children, by your love, I see a conspiracy waging war, and God being insulted; I see the contest falling, and the contest-giver grieving; I see the persuasiveness of truth withering, and the conspiracy flourishing. They say to me, "You ate and you baptized." If I did this, let me be anathema; let me not be counted among the root of bishops; let me not be with angels; let me not please God. But if I did eat and baptize, I did nothing untimely in my actions. Pay close attention to what I say, and I will not cease speaking. For me, speaking is not irksome; for you, it is safe. But let us return to the matter at hand. They say that I ate and baptized. Then let them depose Paul, because after dining he granted baptism to the jailer. I dare to say, let them depose even Christ himself, because after supper he granted communion to the disciples. But these things are fitting and great for us; these are the bright signs of peace; these are the praises of the people. My crown, your fruit. But you know, beloved, why they want to depose me. Because I did not spread carpets, nor did I wear silk garments, and because I did not indulge their gluttony. For the offspring of the asp have flourished; the seed of Jezebel still remains; and grace still contends with Elijah.

Bring forward for me the marvelous and wealthy herald of life—I mean John, the poor man, who did not even possess a lamp; for he had the lamp of Christ. His head was desired by the fellow-minister of Eve, the one who became an obstacle to the saints, the one who persecuted the prophets, the one who proclaimed fasting by deceit, the one who knew the dance as an honor equal to the name of the viper, and who danced at the incomplete banquet. She did not desire life, she did not desire a mass of wealth, nor the dignity of a kingdom, nor any other abundance. But tell me, O man, what did she desire? The head of a man. And what am I saying? Not merely of a man, but of an evangelist. Yet she did not prevail by taking the head. For she cut off the head she had requested, receiving the lawless desire eagerly on a platter. See and marvel at the power of God. The innocent one was convicted, and was beheaded; but the one who was beheaded is at the right hand of Christ, while she awaits inevitable punishment. Again, her seed—the thorny seed—seeks and hastens. But Herodias, seeking the head of John, again a dance—not the one we play with our feet, but the one leaning upon Mary. Again John cries out and says: "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." But what shall I say? The present time is for tears; for everything runs toward dishonor, and time judges all. Gold glorifies everything. But bring me holy David, who says and cries out: "If gold flows, do not set your heart upon it." But tell me, who was it that uttered this voice? Did he not have the crown of the kingdom placed upon his head? Did he not have in the

He was arranging with royal authority? But he did not look to plunder, nor was his purpose directed toward the overthrow of piety, nor was there concern for treasures, but for the gathering of armies; not the consent of a woman. Flee, therefore, women, from alien gatherings; do not give evil counsel to your husbands; but be secured by what has been said. Have we extinguished your flame? Has your heart been softened? But I know that the daughters of Mary will be benefited; others, however, sated without wine and drunk with love of money, as the blessed Paul cries out and proclaims, saying: The root of all evils is love of money. Thus also foolish women stop up their ears, and instead of good seed, they produce thorns. But, I beg, let us not cast our seed as upon a rock. We are the field of Christ, from whom we shall hear: Well done, good servant, enter into my house; may it not be said instead: Well done, evil servant. But, I beg, let your conduct shine before men; let us not render our salt insipid, but let us glorify, let us give thanks, the rich to the rich one, the poor to the philanthropic and poor-loving Christ, the powerful to his mighty hand. And these things concerning you. Perhaps God permits me to suffer these things which they plot against me, so that in misfortunes he may test my condition; for in toils victory is surely stored, and in contests a crown is prepared. For the inspired Paul said: I have completed the course, I have kept the faith; henceforth the crown of righteousness is laid up for me.

of which crown the Master of all will deem you worthy for all eternity. Amen.