Following the most learned Ballerini, we judge that no other than Maximus, bishop of Turin, is the author of this homily. When they had found it and the two following in the first collection of the sermons of St Leo the Great—compiled, as they relate, by Desiderius, abbot of Cassino, afterwards pope under the name of Victor III—they testified without doubt that these are not the works of Leo, but of Maximus, in the preface to the sermons of St Leo, p. 72 of the Venice edition of the year 1753. Wherefore we do not agree with the scribes of the codices of the basilica of St Peter, 210 D and 40 F, of the Vatican 1269 p. 59 verso, of the Laurentian 33, Plut. 14 p. 155, and perhaps of others who attributed homilies of this kind to St Leo. For one must proceed by the antiquity of the codices rather than by their number.
The first place, for antiquity, is claimed by the Ambrosian and Veronese 431 codices, not later than the eighth century, and to these succeed the Vercelli 81, three Vatican codices—6451 p. 142, 1273 p. 57, 1277 p. 56 verso—the Cassino 111 p. 82, the Regensburg of St Emmeram p. 36, likewise two Vallicellian ones, 15 p. 61 and A 9, the Holy Cross in Jerusalem 11 p. 66, the second formerly of Holy Cross of the Minor Conventuals, now Laurentian, another Ambrosian 146, the Farfa 1 B, the Martinensis, the Camberon, the Reichenau 15, and finally the Cistercian of Monte Amiata—all of which by a similar inscription call the homily that of St Maximus the bishop. And Alcuin confirms us more and more.
who reports it as attributed to Maximus in his Homiliary, with the title: 'On the birthday of the holy apostles Peter and Paul,' p. 321 of the Venice edition of the year 1571. And, that we may not be too long, we omit to review the editors, since all of them, from Gymnicus p. 211, have published this homily and the following in the light of day by repeated printings. One thing remains to be noted, namely that in the Vatican codices Ottobonian 106 and the Orvieto codex the author's name is lacking. In the joy of the apostolic birthday, most dear brethren, of Peter and Paul, in whose most blessed passions we today rejoice, the Church of Christ exults the more gladly throughout all the world; which, although it is assured that it is adorned by the martyrdom of all its saints,
since she sees that these very fathers and teachers of the faith triumphed over this world by the martyrdom of martyrs. For what is more distinguished than Peter, who, set in the flesh, having passed beyond the measure of the flesh, confesses Christ Jesus to be the true Son of the living God, and what lay hidden in the breast of all mortals until then, the tongue of Peter first confessed with a new utterance? What, my brethren, is more magnificent than Peter, to whom, by the merit of so great a confession, while he was still in a corruptible body and had not yet himself ascended into heaven, it was permitted both to shut and to open the heavenly kingdom? What is more sublime than the faith of him who, when the Lord walked upon the waters, forgetful of the human condition, both asked and was granted a way for himself upon the waves;
and so great was the confidence of his mind, that he believed he could do through faith what he knew to be impossible for man by nature. For, since he afterwards began to sink, it was necessary, as it seems to me, lest by the loftiness of so great a miracle the frailty of the flesh, made equal to Christ, should perchance grow proud to its own ruin. It was assuredly of bodily weakness that, a little after, he feared; yet who would doubt that it was of inimitable faith, that the tremulous and unshaken wave of the sea supported him upon human footsteps as he descended from the boat? But now let us come to the most blessed Paul; whose fullness of faith is likewise so great, that the Saviour, foreknowing all things, chose him in a certain special way as his own leader for enlightening the hearts of the nations.
For he was so pre-eminent in doctrine, so mighty in strength of soul, so holy in innocence and integrity, that at one and the same time, on the one hand the priests and princes of the Jews, through zeal for the ancient law, having been given authority to persecute the Christians, directed him against them; on the other hand Christ called him from heaven to the comfort of the Church and the strengthening of all believers; whose eyes were on this account blinded by the Lord, so that, having received the grace of truth, they might shine with heavenly keenness and clearer light; and at the same time he who was to be the leader of the Christian name might perceive that Christ, whom he was persecuting, had the power both to blind and to enlighten.
But, to pass over the other things which make him wonderful to the whole world, that one thing which suffices for all his praises—who could estimate how great is the glory, that while he lived among men, by a certain special grace of the Godhead, paradise was open to his entering and heaven passable to him? What, then, brethren, is more perfect than this teacher, who learned in heaven what he was to teach on earth? What is more truthful than this witness, to whom, with eyes raised above the heavens, it was granted to see and approve what he was afterwards to promise to those who should believe? These, therefore, are the stupendous merits of the apostles Peter and Paul; walking amid these miracles, they consecrated their apostolate to our Lord and God by the pouring out of devoted blood.