Sermo De Eo Quod Neophytis Ex Oleo Sancto Aures Et Nares A Sacerdotibus Illiniantur [Incertus]

A SERMON ON THE FACT THAT THE EARS AND NOSTRILS OF THE NEWLY BAPTIZED ARE ANOINTED WITH HOLY OIL BY THE PRIESTS. This sermon, together with the two immediately following, was published by James Sirmond in an Appendix after forty Augustinian sermons, he having judged that these three were by no means Augustine’s, even though they were ascribed to him by a codex from Fleury, from which he derived them. In style they are not at all dissimilar to the sermons formerly De Tempore, and 194, now in the Appendix of the fifth volume, order 257, 258, 239, which follow them not only in the Fleury codex, but also in the very ancient Remigian codex, and are equally attributed to Augustine in the same codices. Ivo of Chartres also cites the three following under Augustine’s name, in his decree on Baptism: but Ivo calls the sermon whose beginning is “We promised” the third homily, and accordingly the fourth homily that which begins “Up to this point”: which, however, in the aforementioned manuscript codices are the fifth and sixth in order. Although in the Remigian codex, the sermon “We promised,” which is evidently there the fifth in order, has at its beginning: “In the first and second preaching we have spoken only of these things; now we are about to speak of the inner mysteries,” etc.; which words manifestly support Ivo. Leidradus, bishop of Lyons, translated not a few things from the following sermon, whose beginning is “Everyone indeed,” into the book which he published on Baptism by order of Charlemagne, recently published in the volume of Analects, but he himself kept silent about the author’s name.

The sermon beginning "Huc usque" treats the rite of washing the feet after Baptism; which rite is reported not to be observed by the Roman Church in Ambrose, book On the Sacraments, chapter 1. Mysteries not entrusted to catechumens. What the anointing of the ears signifies. Who has ears to hear. Why the nostrils are anointed. Another explanation of this mystery. Indeed every word of God, dearest brethren, ought to be heard with all intention and diligence of mind; but especially this one, which we are about to deliver to your Charity today. For we have dismissed the catechumens and have retained only you for hearing, because beyond those things which it is fitting for all Christians to observe in common, we are about to speak specifically about the heavenly mysteries, which cannot hear unless those who, with the Lord already granting, have received them. Therefore you ought to hear what we say with so much greater reverence as these things which are entrusted only to the baptized and to faithful hearers are greater than those which even catechumens are accustomed to hear. But you should not wonder, dearest brethren, that we said nothing to you about the mysteries during the mysteries themselves; that we did not at once interpret those things which we handed over. Which we did certainly not out of negligence, which in such sacred and divine matters is sacrilege, but out of religion.

We have, indeed, paid the honor of silence to such holy and divine matters; and during those sacred preparations of the mysteries we have ceased from the duty of teaching, so that we might venerate the great majesty of divine grace—which cannot be worthily expressed by any human words—all the more by keeping silence. But because it is necessary for your Beloved to be instructed and taught in all things, now that the order of the mysteries has indeed been completed, we explain to you what we previously handed over: lest, by not understanding the dignity of the divine mystery, you should consider it less precious. For if you understand, you will see that everything which is believed precious in this world is, in comparison with such a sacrament, utterly worthless. Let each one of you, therefore, recall the individual species of the mysteries which, by the Lord’s gift, you have received through our ministry; and what you then simply and faithfully received, now understand prudently, so that you may better keep what you have understood.

First, indeed, we have anointed your ears with the oil of blessing; but for what reason this is done according to ecclesiastical tradition by all catholic priests of Christ, learn. The entrance of faith and of all holy doctrine into the mind is admitted through the ears, and from hearing understanding arises. For no one can know the sacraments of faith unless he hears the preacher, as the blessed Apostle affirms who says: "But how shall they hear, without a preacher?" and again, "Therefore faith from hearing, hearing however through the word of God" (Rom. 10:17). Rightly, therefore, are the organs of that sense sanctified with that oil, without which faith cannot reach the mind; and at the same time those coming to Baptism are to keep their ears unpolluted by any evil or shameful word to the end, and either not to hear a detractor of his neighbor, or one speaking obscenely or impudently, as if deaf, fulfilling that sentence of divine Scripture which says: "Hedge your ears with thorns, and do not listen to a wicked tongue" (Sir. 28:28); and elsewhere: "Do not believe vain hearing;" and again: "Give your heart to discipline, and prepare your ear for words of wisdom." Therefore the holy anointing applied to the ears signifies that all speeches outside discipline, as if speaking against the doctrine of Christ, are to be shunned and fled, and that they should turn themselves to hearing only the words of God; because by that oil having been smeared, they have consecrated their hearing to the words of Christ.

He Himself, the Savior, speaks to the Father, and boasts of the obedience of the people believing in Him, saying, "You have not desired sacrifice and oblation, but you have perfected ears for me" (Ps. 39:7). For then the ears of the faithful of Christ are perfected, when they desire to hear nothing except Christ and those things which are of Christ. Whence also in the Gospel the same Lord, when speaking about the mystery of the heavenly kingdom, said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Matt. 13:9, 43). Now, while it is common for all to have ears, it is not common to have ears for hearing. For whoever despises the words of God—although they cannot despise them unless they first hear them—yet, because they despise what they hear, they are not said to have heard: since what they have heard, they disregard as if unheard. And therefore these have ears, not those which are said to be ears for hearing, but ears which hear so as not to hear, that is, so that they may despise what they have heard as if, as we have said, never heard. But only those are said by Christ to have ears for hearing who, when they hear with their ears, firmly commit it to the mind, and what they have committed to the mind, they carry out in deeds. Concerning hearers of this kind, the Lord speaks in the Gospel, "But your eyes are blessed which see, and your ears which hear" (Ibid., 16); and again.

For everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be likened to a wise man who built his house upon a rock: and rain came down, and rivers came, and winds blew, and they came into that house, and it did not fall; for it was founded upon a rock. Again, concerning those who hear badly, who have ears indeed, but not in obeying, he pronounces thus: Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon sand: and rain came down, and rivers came, and winds blew, and they rushed into that house, and it fell, and its ruin was great (Matt. 7:24-27). You see, therefore, how great the difference is between one who hears well and one who hears badly; that is, between him who keeps the words of God, and him who, when he has heard them, as if he had never heard them at all, despises them. To him who obeys and does, wisdom is attributed; to him who despises, folly. He builds upon a solid foundation; the vain building of this other, without foundation, is described as easily falling. There is stability; here there is ruin, and great ruin. For no one falls more grievously than he who, having heard the word of God, turns to sins, for which eternal punishments are prepared.

You, however, after your ears have been anointed with blessed oil, have been designated among the number of wise hearers: so that, rightly retaining the words of God—that is, fulfilling what you hear—on the day of judgment you may hear Christ saying to you, "Come, blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25:34). But you should not think that it is without purpose or without a definite reason of mystery that we have also anointed your nostrils with the oil of blessing. For it is understood to be done so that those who come to Baptism may be admonished to keep the sacrament of so great a mystery inviolate and whole until death: so that as long as they draw the breath of this life through their nostrils, they may not withdraw from the culture and service of Christ our Lord. Whence also the holy man Job speaks: "As the Lord lives, who has taken away my judgment, and the Almighty, who has brought my soul to bitterness: because as long as breath remains in me, and the spirit of God in my nostrils, my lips will not speak iniquity, nor will my tongue utter falsehood. Far be it from me that I should judge you just: until I fail, I will not depart from my innocence, I will not abandon the justification which I once began to hold" (Job 27:5). And still a more subtle meaning is signified in this anointing of the nostrils.

For the odor of that oil, which has been blessed in the name and power of Christ, provokes you to spiritual smelling: so that you may sense Christ with the senses of the mind, not of the body, with inestimable sweetness, and, delighted by the knowledge of his fragrance, following in his footsteps, you may be able to say that which the chorus of believers speaks to God, "We run after you in the odor of your ointments" (Song of Songs 1:5). The Apostle commends this odor to Christians when he says, "But thanks be to God, who triumphs over us in Christ Jesus, and manifests the odor of the knowledge of him through us in every place; because we are a good odor of Christ to God" (2 Cor. 2:15). Consider how much the Apostles advanced by sensing the odor of Christ and, with the urgency of preaching and the sanctity of life, even preferring it to others, who spread the odor of the sweet fragrance of Christ everywhere, they themselves also became a good odor to God. We desire this also to be fulfilled in you, most beloved brothers: that when you yourselves have taken up the good odor of the knowledge of Christ, a most sweet odor to God may also ascend from the sanctity of your life. Through the Lord.