Although this sermon belongs to the appendix of collection 2, whose spurious sermons we have pointed out in the preface prefixed to the Sermons, number 19—whence also in the Casanate manuscript of the same collection they were omitted—yet since it is nonetheless cited as Leo's from a manuscript, as it seems, of the basilica of St. Peter, on the testimony of Peter Mallius, which we have recited in the same preface and at the same number, lest anyone should perhaps suspect it to be a genuine sermon which was not found by us, we have thought it should be inscribed into the appendix. The author seems to be some Roman pontiff. CHAPTER I. Today, dearest brethren, we celebrate the birthday of the two holy apostles Peter and Paul, whose sound and preaching hath gone forth into all the world.
Thus their passion is celebrated from the East even to the West, since they suffered for the King of heaven and earth. The city of the Romans deserved this, where the memorials of the apostles are established. For it was fitting that the preachers of the kingdom of heaven should be there, where the kingdom of the Romans was established, so that diverse nations coming might honour the memorial of the fishermen. For to those going to the blessed apostle Peter, who knew it, there is set nearby the memorial of the emperor Hadrian, a temple built of wondrous size and beauty; can it be said by anyone: Let us enter to the memorial of the emperor? Therefore the memorial of the emperor is passed by, and men hasten to the memorial of the fisherman. Good fishermen they became, who were fishermen by birth.
Fishers of fish became fishers of men, the Lord Christ saying: Come after me: I will make you to become fishers of men. I do not change your craft: I change the kind of fish. You used to draw the living out of the sea to death; now you shall draw the dead out of the world to salvation. CHAPTER II. One was a fisherman and the other a persecutor. How much did the persecutors and fishermen deserve, that they should become preachers? First in the order of the apostles was chosen Peter; last in the order of the apostles is Paul, as he himself testifies of himself, saying: For I am the least of all the apostles. He who chose the first, himself also chose the last, that the first and the last might suffer together. A good passion, which now cleaves to praise.
A good contest, which martyrdom completed. The apostles knew unto what crown they were pressing on, which Peter and Paul received in the city of Rome. For the Lord had said in the Gospel: He who shall have left father or mother, wife or children, and all that he shall possess, or who shall have lost his soul for my sake in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal. CHAPTER III. It behoves us, therefore, brethren, that for the sake of life we should not love life: for the sake of eternal life the temporal is to be despised. Good disciples, who held the true doctrine of the Master, finished their course, kept the faith, loved the promises, despised temporal things, and possessed eternal life. One was grafted in from a rustic;
the other from a wolf was made a lamb. Of the apostle Paul it was said: A ravening wolf, in the morning he shall snatch, and in the evening he shall divide the spoils. Saul was a persecutor; but he was changed, that he might become Paul the preacher: he was before a persecutor, but afterward was made a magnificent preacher. Christ, whom he once blasphemed, afterward he publicly preached; for he testifies of himself, saying: I who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor; but therefore I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief, that God might reveal in me his Son. This he bestowed upon me, a persecutor. But what did he bestow upon the fisherman, save the keys of the kingdom of heaven? For the keys of the kingdom of heaven the faith of Peter deserved:
because he first acknowledged the Son of God. O glorious merit of the apostles! Not on one day were they chosen unto glory, but on one day they deserved the palm. Not on one day were they chosen to the apostolate, but on one day they deserved to receive a consecrated martyrdom. They passed beyond heaven, and ran unto the Lord God.