We have seen elsewhere that St. Maximus delivered a homily on the Kalends of January, and we have examined what the title 'on the Kalends' or 'at the Kalends of January' imports. The holy bishop of Turin proposes the same theme in this sermon, and vehemently rebukes superstitious men who pass that day in impious games like the gentiles, and threatens that they will have no part with God who consort with the worshippers of idols—that is, of the devil—men given over to intemperance and vanity. From three codices of great authority we judge that this oration should be assigned to St. Maximus. The first is the Taurinensis codex, where it follows the homilies on the Nativity of the Lord, with the title: 'Likewise a discourse on the Kalends of January'; and there are two other codices, 90 and 98, of Santa
Croce in Gerusalemme, in each of which this inscription is prefixed: 'Here begins: On the Kalends of January.' The Benedictine monks of the congregation of St. Maur received this too among the Ambrosian sermons as no. 7, as they knew had once been done; but they wisely warned that it should not be readily conceded to Ambrose, since in the discourses most certainly admitted as the holy doctor's, he nowhere inveighed against the superstitions and depravities of the January Kalends; from which it can be argued that at Milan these had already been eliminated. Nothing therefore hinders us from adjudging this sermon to St. Maximus. Nay rather, the evident similarity of his style shows that it was wrongly attributed to others.
I have no small complaint against many of you, brothers; I speak of those who, celebrating the Lord's birthday with us, have given themselves over to the feast-days of the gentiles, and after that heavenly banquet have prepared for themselves a repast of superstition; so that those who before had been gladdened by holiness are afterward made drunk with vanity, not knowing that he who wishes to reign with Christ cannot rejoice with the world, and that he who wishes to find righteousness ought to turn away from luxury. For the plan of eternal life is one thing, the desperation of temporal wantonness another: to the former one ascends by virtue, to the latter one descends by perdition; and therefore whoever wishes to be a partaker of divine things ought not to be an associate of idols.
For the idol's portion is this: to inebriate the mind with wine, to distend the belly with food, to twist the limbs in dances, and thus to be occupied with depraved deeds, so that you are compelled to be ignorant of what God is. Whence the holy Apostle, foreseeing these things, says: 'What partnership has righteousness with iniquity? or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what part has the believer with the unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?' (2 Cor. 6). Therefore, if we are the temple of God, why is the festival of idols observed in the temple of God? Why, where Christ dwells—who is abstinence, temperance, chastity—is carousing, drunkenness, and wantonness brought in? The Savior says: 'No one can serve two masters, that is, God and mammon' (Matt. 6). How then...
can you religiously keep the Epiphany of the Lord, you who, as far as in you lies, most devotedly celebrate the Kalends of Janus? For Janus was a man, the founder of one city, which is called the Janiculum, in whose honor the January Kalends were named by the gentiles; whence he who honors the January Kalends sins, since he renders to a dead man the homage of divinity. Hence it is that the Apostle says: 'You observe days, and months, and seasons, and years; I fear lest I have labored among you in vain' (Gal. 4). For he has observed a day and a month who on these days either did not fast, or did not go forth to the Church. He has observed the day who yesterday went not forth to the church, but went forth to the field.
Therefore, brothers, let us with all zeal turn away from the festival and feast-days of the gentiles, so that when they feast and are merry, we may be sober and fasting, that they may understand their own merriment condemned by our abstinence. And we ought to shun the fellowship not only of the gentiles, but also of the Jews, whose very conversation is a great pollution. For these by a certain craft insinuate themselves into men, penetrate homes, enter into the halls of magistrates, disturb the ears of judges and the public, and therefore prevail the more, the more shameless they are. But this is not something recent in them, but an inveterate and original evil. For long ago they persecuted even the Lord and Savior within the praetorium, and condemned Him by the judgment of the governor.
In the praetorium therefore innocence is oppressed by the Jews, the mystery is betrayed, religion is condemned. For when Christ is slain, all truth and justice is condemned in Him, since He Himself is innocence, religion, holiness, and mystery. Amen. Here it ends.