In five manuscript codices this homily, ascribed to Saint Maximus, follows the preceding one. These are the Sankt Gallen, the Vatican 1273, the Verona 75, the Regensburg, and the Reichenau 19; to which surely there is no reason why anyone should think authority and credit are to be denied; especially since this homily of ours, as will readily be evident to any reader, is so like the other homilies of Maximus in its manner of style that nothing more similar could be feigned. Therefore I take no account of the codices in which this homily of ours is omitted. In the Vatican codex this is its inscription: «On the birthday of St. Cyprian.» In certain others: «Concerning the same birthday.» In the Verona one: «Likewise on the subject as above.»
There was no editor who thought this very homily should be passed over by him. Gymnicus (p. 243) gave it with this title: «The second homily on the subject as above»; Galesinius (p. 163), Cumdius (vol. IV, p. 774), Raynaud (p. 235), and Margarin in the Bibliotheca Maxima (p. 40), with this heading: «On the same feast.» In the martyrdom of the most blessed Cyprian the whole Church of Christ exults together with us, which he both instructed unto all joy and by the learning of heavenly discourse, and adorned with the gift of triumphant blood; for there was in him, as we have ascertained, both a fullness of spiritual wisdom against the errors of the devil, and, against the persecutions of the world, an untiring constancy of a Christian heart.
Who would not pursue such a man with all the praises he can command, whose God-inspired eloquence both taught the Churches and confuted the world? Truly he is wonderful and to be celebrated everywhere by the zeal of all, whom holiness consecrated a priest, learning a doctor, and faith a martyr. 'Precious,' says David, 'in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints' (Ps. 116). See, beloved, to how great even a prophetic praise the venerable Cyprian has attained, in whose case not only his death but also his life stood forth as precious in the sight of the Lord; for by dying he gave his own blood to Christ, and by living he no less, through his most valiant exhortation, won countless martyrs for heaven.
What is more illustrious than this priest, who amid the throngs of men shone forth with the glory of a heavenly manner of life, and amid the choirs of angels became both his own and, by his death, conspicuous to others? Most justly did he sing with the patriarch David to the Lord his God, saying: 'My heart and my flesh have exulted in the living God' (Ps. 84). His heart, then, exulted in the living God when, despising the vanity of a dying and mortal world, he handed himself wholly over to divine service; and his flesh also exulted in God, for it departed from this world consecrated, not by the wretched corruption of sickness, but by holy sufferings for religion's sake. This is that Gospel householder who brings forth from his treasure things new and old (Matt. 13);
who, preaching one and the very same mystery of the Old and New Testaments, enriched the Churches of Christ with a most abundant discourse. Incorruptible and unwearied is his treasure today, who, lending out his master's money to the money-changers, daily gathers in the hearts of the faithful a holy interest of heavenly riches (Matt. 25). What then, brethren, is more admirable than so great a man, whose rule and measure of speech is this: that amid the various causes of men and their diverse commotions he may console the humble, now with a father's affection, now with a teacher's authority, restrain the proud, rebuke the negligent, and reprove the unbelieving?
and finally with such great dignity did this most faithful man adorn his priesthood and his life, that he confirmed his teaching by the works that followed, holding to that saying of the Lord: 'Whoever shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven' (Matt. 5). How great and how outstanding in the kingdom of heaven is he whom the prophetic word, his admirable life, and a death devoted to God exalt to all glory? And not undeservedly, brethren, is the memory of his name celebrated with so great an honor throughout the most spacious tracts of the world; for throughout the whole globe both his passion and his teaching have availed for the strengthening of our faith.