From the same codex of the abbey of St. Dalmatius this homily likewise was taken, which we now in the same way make public for the first time. There is nothing, however, that hinders its being ascribed to St. Maximus, as it is also in the Turin codex, whose manner of speaking, plainly similar, adds greater argument for asserting this very homily to him. The holy and venerable sacrament of the Lord's nativity, which with ever most devout solemnity we venerate as the years recur, excels by so great a worth of its mystery that it confounds both the audacity of the gentiles and the impudence of all the heretics.
For that God, whom we, taught by faith, believe with the simplicity of little ones and without wavering to have been able to be born of a woman, the Gentiles themselves on the contrary—that we may now set the heretics aside—dulled by carnal arguments, still refuse to believe could have been born of a virgin, and they mock the priest of Christ who teaches these things. And however much they themselves suppose and marvel that God does wonders daily in other matters and has so often worked them at other times, yet in the most holy and wondrous nativity of His Son, our Redeemer, alone they contend that He neither could nor ought to have wrought this.
But what is this foolish doctrine—or rather let me say, madness—of the prudent of this world, to believe indeed that God once did wonders, and does them even now, but in the most sacred nativity of His Son our Lord from a virgin could in no way have accomplished it? For that same God, who once created out of nothing the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, and each of the things also that are in them, by divine art; He who likewise formed out of nothing the earth, the waters, and the seas, and those things which are contained in them, by the almighty power of His Word; He it is who gave to the virgin child-bearing and offspring. If thou believest that God could have made heaven, sun, and stars out of nothing:
if thou admittest that He could have fashioned the earth, the seas, living creatures, and the whole adornment of this visible world—and man at last out of clay—why dost thou contend that He could not, by the working power of God Himself, grant offspring to an untouched virgin? For which will be the greater power of Almighty God: to have created out of nothing all the things which He sees in the heavens and in the world, or in the womb of an inviolate virgin, with no preceding carnal embrace, to create a man? If in these things which are seen thou marvellest at the omnipotence of the Creator, why in the child-bearing of the inviolate virgin wilt thou deny it?
What will that foolish frenzy be (here two lines are lacking, which have wholly faded)... to have done all things whatsoever He willed in heaven and on earth, since His almighty power willed and was able to do them. But that a virgin, by the working power of God, could give birth and truly did give birth (here a leaf is wanting, and nothing remains but a mutilated conclusion). And therefore, brethren, celebrating the most holy solemnities of so great a mystery, let us ever venerate our God, who has done such great things for the needy (here likewise ten lines are omitted, utterly obliterated)... Let us therefore hasten to Him with continual vows: who lives and reigns unto the ages of ages. Amen. Here ends.