Moralia in Job 1445 part 2/2

It remains, therefore, that whether we are engaged in the ministry of the word, or are silent, whether we are moved by zeal, or bestow our goods upon the needy, or discipline the flesh by abstinence, or through patience sometimes gently tolerate depraved things, we ought most earnestly to examine our intention, so that everything we do we may do not by our own zeal, but by the Lord's, lest in the things we do we minister to ourselves rather than to the Lord. For those did not minister to the Lord, but to themselves, of whom Paul said: 'All seek the things that are their own, not the things that are Jesus Christ's' (Phil. 2:21). But the same Paul, with the elect brethren, hastened to minister not to himself, but to the Lord, both by living and by dying, saying: 'None of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.'

'For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we are the Lord's' (Rom. 14:7,8). For the saints neither live nor die to themselves. To themselves they do not live, because through everything they do, they pant after spiritual gains, and by praying, preaching, insisting on holy works, they desire to multiply the citizens of the heavenly homeland. To themselves they by no means die, because in the sight of men they glorify God by their death, to whom they hasten to come even by dying. Let us therefore ponder, in the death of the saints, not how much their reproach was from the unbelieving, but how much praise of the Lord grew up in the hearts of the faithful. For they who might seek their own praise would surely have feared to suffer so many reproaches in death.

But 'none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself,' because they sought their own glory neither in living nor in dying. Let us see whether the first pastor of the Church himself, who did not live to himself, died to himself. Let John his companion be sought, and from the words of the Lord let him speak concerning the death of that same pastor: 'And this He said, signifying by what death he should glorify God' (John 21:19). He, therefore, did not die to himself who glorified God in his death. Let us learn, then, my brethren, to examine our intention with careful inquiry in everything we do, and not to seek our own things, if we wish to minister to the Almighty God.

But since we said that from the faithful people the sons of Sadoc are taken up to the ministry of the Almighty God, are there not many in that same people who may be found to live perfect in the commandments of God? There are indeed; for it is added, verse 47: 'And he measured the court, a hundred cubits in length, and a hundred cubits in breadth, foursquare.' We have already often said that by length is signified the longanimity of hope, but by breadth the amplitude of charity. But that the number one hundred, in which ten is multiplied ten times, signifies the sum of perfection, has been fully said above (Homily 6, formerly 18, no. 16). What, then, is the court of the spiritual edifice, if not the amplitude of the faithful peoples?

But the longanimity of hope and the breadth of charity are not void in the hearts of the faithful, for through faith it works whatever it avails. Whence through Paul it is said: 'In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith that worketh by charity' (Gal. 5:6). If therefore in the life of the faithful, according to a certain measure, in individuals the longanimity of hope is perfect, the breadth of charity is perfect, the certitude of faith is perfect, the zeal of operation is perfect, the court of the temple has a hundred cubits foursquare.

But in the measure of a square one side is not greater and another lesser, but all four sides together are extended with equal space, because we find those same virtues also, which we mentioned — namely faith, hope, charity, and operation — to be equal to one another among ourselves, as long as we live in this life. But charity is therefore called greater than hope and faith, because after one has attained to the vision of our Author, hope indeed and faith pass away, but charity remains. For now, as much as we believe, so much we love; and as much as we love, so much we presume of hope. Concerning faith also and operation the Apostle John declares, saying: 'He that saith he knoweth God, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar' (1 John 2:4).

The knowledge of God pertains to faith, the keeping of the commandments to action. Therefore, when the strength, the time, and the place for working are at hand, a man works only so much as he has known God; and he shows himself to know God only so much as he does good works for God's sake. Let the virtues of the faithful people therefore be measured foursquare, for everyone who is engaged in the exercise of the active life believes only so much as he hopes and loves and works; hopes only so much as he believes, works, and loves; loves only so much as he believes, hopes, and works; works only so much as he believes, loves, and hopes.

Since, therefore, in the people of holy Church there are many who are strong through faith, and long-suffering through hope, and generous through charity, and effective through action, the court of the temple is measured foursquare at a hundred cubits. And that we may say something also of their virtues, we often see among them certain ones who are prudent through understanding, brave in adversity, just in their working, temperate away from pleasures, and governing themselves by measure in all zeal of discernment. These, so long as they hold prudence, fortitude, justice, and temperance — or, as some prefer to enumerate them, prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice — possess the measure of the spiritual court in a square.

For behold, these very virtues which we have said the good and faithful possess are foursquare in such a way that one does not exceed another. Prudence is indeed great; but if it is less temperate away from pleasures, less brave in dangers, less just in works, then assuredly it is less prudent. Temperance is great; but if it understands less whence it should temper itself, if it is less able to endure adversity through fortitude, and casts down the soul into fear, if through its own precipitancy it sometimes bursts forth into works of injustice, it is less temperate. Fortitude is great; but if it understands less —

— what goods it should guard, what evils it should resist, if it tempers itself less from the appetite for pleasure but is overcome by delight, if it holds less to the works of justice and is sometimes overmastered by the dominion of injustice, it is less brave. Justice is great; but if it discerns less than it ought between just and unjust works, and if it tempers the heart less from the delight of the world, if it strengthens itself less against adversity, it is less just. Let therefore the life of the perfect faithful be measured by the square, and let the one side of the spiritual court have as much as each of the several sides, because everyone is only so much prudent as he is temperate, brave, and just; only so much temperate as he is prudent, brave, and just;

only so much brave as he is prudent, temperate, and just; only so much just as he shall have been prudent, temperate, and brave. There are, nevertheless, very many among them who still live carnally. And even if perhaps they are ignorant of letters, and are unable to read the commandments of God, they certainly see in the good conversation of many of the faithful things which they may imitate. Behold, in the Church the voices of the holy Gospel and of the apostles resound; behold, the examples of those who live well are daily set before the eyes of all. Nor will they be able to say in excuse: We did not see what we ought to imitate. Whence it is also added: And an altar before the face of the temple. What is the temple, if not the faithful people? as it is said to the disciples through Paul the apostle:

For the temple of God is holy, which you are (1 Cor. 3:17). And what is the altar of God, if not the mind of those who live well? Who, mindful of their sins, wash away their stains with tears, mortify the flesh by abstinence, mingle themselves in none of the actions of this world, bestow what they have on the needy, and do not covet to have what they do not have. Rightly, therefore, is the heart of such men called the altar of God, where from the sorrow of compunction the fire burns and the flesh is consumed. And do we not, dearest brethren, daily behold such men in this holy faithful people as though in the court of the temple? Do we not unceasingly gaze upon their life set before us as an example?

The altar is therefore before the face of the temple, when many are placed in the sight of holy Church who, mindful of the eternal judgment, daily immolate themselves to God as a sacrifice in the lamentation of compunction. These, as has been said, chastise their bodies, so that they may fulfill what is said through the Teacher of the Gentiles: That you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God (Rom. 12:1). For a victim is slain that it may be offered. But a living victim is a body afflicted for the Lord. Which is called both a victim and living, because it lives in virtues and is slain from vices — a victim, indeed, because it is already dead to this world through evil deeds; but living, because it works all the good things of which it is capable.

But since, under the name of the altar, the discourse has turned to the flame of compunction, I think it necessary to show what is the diversity of this same compunction. For one kind of compunction is that which is born through fear, another that which is born through love, since it is one thing to flee punishments, another to desire rewards. Whence also in the tabernacle two altars are commanded by the law to be made, namely one outside and the other within; one in the court, the other before the ark; one which is covered with bronze, the other which is clothed with gold. And on the bronze altar flesh is burned, but on the golden altar aromatic spices are kindled (Exod. 39:37,38; 40:5, etc.).

What is this, dearest brethren, that outside the flesh is burned, within the aromatic spices, if not that which we daily see — namely, that there are two kinds of compunction: because some still lament through fear, but others already afflict themselves in lamentations through love? For many, mindful of their sins, while they dread eternal punishments, afflict themselves with daily tears. They lament the evils they have done, and they burn up their vices with the fire of compunction, whose suggestions they still suffer in their heart. What are these but the bronze altar on which the flesh burns, because carnal works are still lamented by them?

But others, freed from carnal vices, or already secure through long weeping, glow with the flame of love in the tears of compunction; they set before the eyes of the heart the rewards of the heavenly homeland, and long to be among the citizens on high. The servitude appears harsh to them, the length of their pilgrimage. They desire to see the King in his beauty, and do not cease to weep daily out of love for him (Isa. 33:17). What are these but the golden altar, in whose heart aromatic spices are kindled, because the virtues burn? And well is it said of the same altar that it is placed before the veil of the ark in the Holy of Holies. For the ark of the covenant is He himself made for us, of whom we know it is written:

In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3). The ark within the veil is our Redeemer in heaven. But the golden altar on which the incense is kindled before the veil are the hearts of the saints, which, kindled together with great virtues in the love of God, burn through holy desire toward Him whom they cannot yet see with unveiled face. For between the ark and the altar there is a veil, because this obstacle of our corruption, which still separates us from the vision of God, has not been removed. But so long as we are before the veil, it is fitting that we burn like the incense of aromatic spice with the flame of love. And through the tears of compunction we ought to seek nothing earthly, nothing transitory. Let Him alone suffice for us who made all things.

Let us transcend all things through desire, that we may gather the mind into one. No longer kindled by fear of punishments, nor by the memory of vices, but by the flame of love, let us burn in tears with the fragrance of the virtues. This prayer of the elect was already being foreseen when it was said in praise of the bride: Who is she that goes up through the desert like a slender wisp of smoke from the aromatic spices of myrrh and frankincense, and of every powder of the perfumer? (Cant. 3:6). For the holy Church of the elect, when from this world she raises herself in holy prayers with burning love, ascends through the desert which she forsakes. And how she ascends it adds: Like a slender wisp of smoke from aromatic spices (ibid.). Smoke is born from incense, as it is said through the Psalmist:

Let my prayer be directed like incense in your sight (Ps. 140:2). Smoke is wont to draw out tears. Thus the smoke from the aromatic spices is the compunction of prayer conceived from the virtues of love. Yet this prayer is called a wisp of smoke, because, while it asks for heavenly things alone, it goes forth so straight that it is in no way bent back toward seeking earthly and temporal things. And it is to be noted that it is called not a rod but a little rod (wisp), because sometimes in the ardor of compunction the force of love is of such subtlety that not even the mind itself, which by illumination has deserved to have it, can comprehend it. And well is it said, of myrrh and frankincense. For frankincense is kindled to the Lord in sacrifice by the law.

But by myrrh dead bodies are embalmed, that they may not be corrupted by worms. Therefore they offer a sacrifice of myrrh and frankincense who both afflict the flesh, lest the vices of corruption dominate them, and who kindle in the sight of the Lord the fragrant victim of their love, and present themselves to God in holy virtues. Whence there too it is added: And of every powder of the perfumer. The powder of the perfumer is the virtue of one who works well. And it is to be noted that the virtues of those who work well are called not spices but powders. For when we do any good deeds whatever, we offer spices.

But when we also re-examine these very good things which we do, and, lest there be anything perverse in them, attend to them with the judgment of re-examination, we make as it were powder from spices, so that we may kindle our prayer to the Lord more subtly through discernment and love. Behold, these things, as far as we could by God's bounty, we have searched out before you, dearest brethren. But let no one reprove me if after this discourse I fall silent, because, as you all perceive, our tribulations have grown. On every side we are surrounded by swords, on every side we fear the imminent peril of death. Some return to us with their hands cut off, others are reported captured, others slain (John the Deacon, bk. IV, ch. 67).

Now I am compelled to hold my tongue from exposition, because my soul is weary of my life (Job 10:1). Now let no one require of me the study of the sacred word, because my harp is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of those who weep (ibid. 30:31). Now the eye of the heart does not keep vigil in the discussion of mysteries, because my soul has slumbered from weariness (Ps. 118:28). Now reading is less sweet to the soul, because I have forgotten to eat my bread at the voice of my groaning (Ps. 101:5). But to one who is not permitted to live, how can it be pleasing to speak of mystical meanings from the senses of Sacred Scripture? And I who am daily compelled to drink bitterness, when can I offer sweet things to drink?

What then remains, save that amid the scourges which we suffer for our iniquities we give thanks with tears? For He who created us has also become a Father to us through the spirit of adoption which He has given. And sometimes He nourishes His sons with bread, sometimes He corrects them with the scourge, because through sorrows and gifts He trains them for the everlasting inheritance. Therefore let there be glory to our almighty Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, through all the ages of ages. Amen. I. From prefacing at greater length the homilies that follow, we are forbidden by the letter of Saint Gregory which is set at the very place of a preface, in which nearly whatever is worth knowing about them is explained.

We have subjoined those homilies on Ezekiel by the same reasoning by which, in the series of the sacred Scriptures, the Gospels and whatever pertains to the New Testament are placed after the books of the Old Testament. Otherwise, that they were delivered — at least some of them — before the holy Doctor began to expound the prophet Ezekiel to the people, will at once be clear to the reader. Assuredly the best pastor, that he might profit those over whom he presided by word and example at once, as soon as he ascended the apostolic chair, judged that no calling to preach the divine word — even though he was harassed by continual illnesses and distracted by countless cares — ought to be indulged away from himself (i.e., neglected).

II. Having received those homilies at once with marvelous eagerness, our humble Ecclesiastes complained of them with even more marvelous modesty, in his letter to Secundinus soon to be subjoined. Certainly, in how great esteem they have always been held is evident from this, that all of them — with perhaps one or another excepted — have long since been inserted into the divine offices, above the homilies of the other holy Fathers. And not undeservedly indeed, since in them, the literal sense being first briefly expounded, there flows a most abundant supply of sentiments regarding morals, of which many indeed are worthy to be inscribed in letters of gold. Would that they were engraved and carved upon human hearts by assiduous reading and meditation!

III. From these we long ago selected some and set them down in the Life of the holy Doctor written in French, book IV, last chapter, no. 13. Nor indeed are the morals of Christians alone instructed in these homilies, but also the dogmas of the faith are confirmed and men are fortified against future heretics. The mystery of the Incarnation would seem to flow from mutually opposing and conflicting statements against the divinity of Christ. Namely, in no. 4, in the printed editions it was formerly read: He is not here (Christ), it is said, by the presence of majesty. But from the manuscripts it must be read, according to the sound doctrine of the Church: He is not here, it is said, by the presence of the flesh, who nevertheless is nowhere lacking by the presence of majesty.

Hence, unless I am mistaken, it is clear that the editions already issued had of necessity to be revised again by us, and to be emended from the manuscript codices. Now receive here the list of the codices we have used. 1. A very ancient parchment codex of the archive of the Constantinian basilica of Saint Saviour, written in the Lateran. 2. The Corbie codex, now kept in the library of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, which on that account we call the Corbie-Germain codex, numbered 166. That it was written at least in the ninth century is clear from the form of the characters. In the same library we consulted two other old codices, which we shall call either the Sangermanenses or simply German.

We collated the codex of the Royal library with the printed editions only in certain places, not in its entirety. The codex of the church of Beauvais seems to have been written out toward the end of the ninth century, or the beginning of the tenth. At the end are read verses written in a more recent hand concerning Bishop Roger, lately deceased, who at the end of the tenth century and the beginning of the eleventh governed the church of Beauvais. The Corbie codex, number 163, contends in antiquity with all the foregoing. The codex of the distinguished church of Saint Martin of Tours, of no lesser age, contains only the first twenty homilies. The codex of the Queen of Sweden, inscribed 45. Two codices of the monastery of Saint Peter of Chartres, of six hundred years. The Bigot codex presents an age of five hundred years.

The Jumièges codex seems to be of no lesser age. Two other codices of the same famous monastery are scarcely three hundred years old. The former often agrees with the more ancient one, the latter otherwise. A codex of the monastery of Clairvaux, of the Cistercian order. A codex of the monastery of Longpont, of the same order. To these let there be added four English exemplars, whose variant readings Thomas James supplied. We thought we should also employ the aid of the old editions: the Antwerp of the year 1509, the Rouen at the press of Franciscus Regnault (which is erroneously read as made in the year 1421), the Parisian editions of the years 1518 and 1571, and finally of other more recent ones.

At the end we deemed it should be added: a sermon delivered by Saint Gregory on mortality (so it is inscribed in the old parchments), after he had been elected to the Roman see. It had already been published among the Gregorian letters, at the very threshold of the book, formerly letter 11, now 13, of the sixth indiction; in the Life of the same holy Doctor by the author John the Deacon, book I, chapters 41 and 42; and among the works of Gregory of Tours, who relates this oration in book X of his History, chapter 1. We have again revised the same and collated it with two codices of the Bigot library at Rouen — one containing forty homilies on the Gospels, and the other the Life of Saint Gregory written by John the Deacon; with one codex of Ouche, that is, of Saint Évroul, containing the same Life;

finally with the Corbie-Germain codex of the forty homilies on the Gospels, at the end of which this sermon has been appended. It exists also in several manuscript codices of the Register before all the letters, namely in two Tellier codices, which now belong to the Royal library, and in the Colbert one. Now make use of our labor, pious reader, and remember gratefully to pray well for us who toil in this arena. To the most reverend and most holy brother Bishop Secundinus, Gregory, servant of the servants of God. Among the sacred solemnities of the Masses, from those things which on certain days are by custom wont to be read in this church, I have expounded forty readings of the holy Gospel. And of some the dictated exposition, with the people assisting, was recited by a notary;

but of others I myself spoke the explanation before the people, and it was thus taken down as I was speaking. But certain brethren, fervent in zeal for the sacred word, before I could bring what I had said to the intended form by subtle emendation, transcribed them. Whom I might rightly call like certain famished men, who desire to eat their food before it is fully cooked. But in that place where it is written: Jesus was led into the desert by the spirit, that he might be tempted by the devil (Matt. 4:1), I first indeed expounded it as under a certain ambiguity, but afterwards corrected that same doubt with a definite annotation.

The same homilies, in the order in which they were spoken, I took care to place in two codices, so that both the first twenty, which were dictated, and the latter as many, which were delivered before the eyes (extempore), should be distinguished in separate volumes. But that certain ones are placed first which in the Gospel are read afterward, and certain ones placed later which are found written earlier by the evangelist, ought in no way to disturb your fraternity, because just as they were spoken by me at different times, so also they were affixed by the recorders in the codices.

Therefore let your fraternity, ever intent upon the sacred readings, if it shall find the aforesaid passage of the Gospel set forth under doubt, or shall find those same homilies to be arranged not as I have said, know that these have remained unemended, and correct them according to those which I have taken care to send by the present bearer, and by no means permit those to remain without emendation. But the edited copies are retained in the archive of our holy Church, so that if any perhaps are far from your fraternity, they may find here whence they may be made more certain concerning those things which have been emended.