講道集 第 111 章

That this homily is a genuine companion of the foregoing is shown by its wholly similar style, and is attested by two codices of Holy Cross in Jerusalem, 90 and 99. In the first the title runs as number 3: Here begins on the pearl of the Gospel; in the second as number 6: A sermon of blessed Maximus the bishop, on the pearl. To this our judgment someone may perhaps oppose the Vatican codex 1277, page 59 on the back, which attributes the homily to Ambrose, with a heading of this sort: A sermon of blessed Ambrose the bishop, wherein he complains of the neglected solemnity of the apostles Peter and Paul. Yet we say that this testimony harms us in nothing: first, because it is a single one; second, because that title is recognized as having been affixed unskilfully and in a later age;

since, the greater part of the homily being passed over in silence, it is transcribed from its very corollary; third, because the Benedictine monks of the congregation of St. Maur made not a word about this sermon in re-editing the works of Ambrose. I think, beloved brethren, that this may suffice for your correction: that on the previous Lord's Day, when about to depart, I bestowed on you no spiritual gifts of the sacred Scriptures, but sent you away only rebuking and reproving you for your sin, without any consolation of preaching. For I wished you to understand this very thing, how grievously you had sinned, in that you were by no means worthy to hear the divine oracles.

For this is the priests' vehement and abundant vengeance: not to entrust the sacraments of the heavenly writings to any unworthy persons, nor, as the Lord says, to give what is holy to dogs, nor to cast pearls to be trodden underfoot by swine (Matt. 7). For whoever tries to place the grace of the heavenly pearl around a most foul sinner loses it. For a gem, as you yourselves know, does not go except with gold, and a pearl is fitted only to precious necklaces. Be, then, the finest gold, be the precious necklace, that the spiritual pearl may be enclosed in you.

For the pearl is Christ the Lord, which that rich merchant in the Gospel hastened to buy, having sold all his goods, and preferred to lose all the gems of the world that he had, only that he might buy the one pearl of Christ. Whence I too, brethren, on account of the magnitude of the offense you had committed, was unwilling to open to you the words of evangelical refreshment; but rather to bring upon you the injury of spirited indignation, and first to amend you with spiritual blows, and thus to enrich you with the gifts of the pearl: I preferred, I say, sharply to chide your sin by accusing it, rather than to nourish it by leniently overlooking it. For whoever does not reprove a sinning brother in a manner encourages him.

But I would not have you think that I chastise you often out of anything but love. For a son who is worthy of correction is loved the more, as Holy Scripture says: For whom the Lord loves He rebukes; and He chastises every son whom He receives (Prov. 3).

Tell me if this sin was not to be lamented: that you were then so unmindful of your own salvation, that you rendered no honor at all to the most blessed apostles Peter and Paul, though you know them to be the teachers of the nations, the authors of the martyrs, the chief of priests, and were unwilling to celebrate their most festive feast day together with us, and to take part in that heavenly banquet in which, for such great joy of the martyrs, the Lord Himself ministered to us the substance of life. Do you wish to know of how great goods you were defrauded? Ask the brethren who were then present together with me, how refreshed they departed from the Lord's table, and what spiritual riches they carried home with them.

One thing I know: that if on that day some honored or rich man had invited you to a dinner as far as the tenth milestone, on the occasion of his son's birthday, then, on account of the sumptuous feasts and the abundant portions, you would without doubt have gone. Therefore, brethren, as often as we celebrate the memory of the martyrs, we ought, setting aside all the affairs of the world, to hasten together without any hesitation, to render honor to those who obtained salvation for you by the outpouring of their blood, who as a consecrated victim were offered to the Lord for our propitiation, especially since Almighty God says to His saints: He who honors you honors Me; and he who despises you despises Me (Luke 10). Whoever, then, honors the martyrs honors Christ also;

and he who despises the saints despises the Lord also.