This sermon, ascribed by the first editors to Ambrose, Erasmus judged ought to be reckoned as belonging to St. Maximus. Thereafter, when the monks of the Benedictine congregation of St. Maur had undertaken to re-edit it in the appendix to St. Ambrose's works, no. 8, under this title: 'On the Holy Epiphany I,' they then observed that it was far more likely to be attributed to Maximus rather than to any other. And if account is to be taken of the style and of the ancient codices—and indeed the greatest account is to be taken—it must be confessed that it ought altogether to be restored to our own bishop of Turin. And concerning the style there is no need for me to dispute, since it can be plain to anyone who does not shrink from comparing this with the genuine sermons of Maximus.
Concerning the codices I do not think there need be much dispute. And so I shall deal briefly. In codex 1267 of the Vatican library this sermon is found, and to it this inscription is prefixed: 'By the same as above.' But he 'above' is Maximus, to whom the preceding sermons are ascribed. In the Vatican Palatine codex no. 1257 this same sermon is found with this heading: 'On the Epiphany, a sermon of St. Maximus the bishop.' In agreement herewith are the codices of Turin, of the abbey of St. Dalmatius, of Lambach, and the ninety-ninth of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme. And so Ceillier, in the fourteenth volume of his General History of Authors, etc., affirms it to be sufficiently established that this very sermon was written by Maximus.
We must exult, dearest brethren, that upon our vows further vows succeed, and joys are heaped upon joys. For behold, our hearts still throb with the solemnity of the Lord's Nativity, and already we glory in the festival of the Holy Epiphany. We ought therefore to give thanks to the Lord, who visits us frequently, and often gladdens us, and more abundantly seeks us out, that He may more copiously bless us. Although, then, the pagan may rejoice—albeit vainly—in a solemnity numerous by reason of the diversity of his lords, nevertheless the visitation of a single day furnishes us more festivals than does to them the superstitious presumption of their many demons. For as we conquer them by the truth of religion, so we surpass them in the number of our vows. Today therefore we procure the joys of the Epiphany.
Someone will ask what this word may be interpreted to mean, namely that 'Epiphany' in Greek is in Latin called 'apparition' (a manifestation). Therefore, because the Saviour then first appeared in the world, that very day was named by the same word, Epiphany. But how He appeared, let us inquire; not that He had not existed in the world before, since the world was made through Him; but that then first, by signs and miracles, God Christ shone forth to the hearts of believers, and the splendour of faith came into the dark consciences of men. Since therefore God is everywhere, and possesses all things, He is said to have appeared as though not seen before. But He appeared not so much to the eyes of men as unto their salvation. For even if He was earlier seen with fleshly eyes when born of the Virgin;
yet He did not appear, since the eye of the mind was as yet ignorant of His power. Whence it is said to the Jews through the prophet: 'Seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive' (Isa. VI). That is, they would discern the Saviour with bodily eyes, but would not see Him with spiritual light. For after He had declared His humanity by wondrous deeds, appearing to human minds as it were new and unlooked-for, He infused certain eyes into the heart, so that the understanding might know Him whom the sight did not know. Whence it comes about that we contemplate through faith Christ the Lord, whom we have never seen; while the Jews, whom they beheld with their eyes and handled with their hands, to this day do not see. Let us therefore inquire what sign He wrought that He might declare His divinity to the peoples.
He is said to have wrought this as His first miracle, that He turned water into wine. Plainly a great sign, and sufficient for believing the majesty of God. For who would not marvel that the elements were changed into something other than what they were? For no one can change nature save Him who is Lord of nature. It is now to be believed from this that mortal man can be converted into immortality, when a base substance was converted into a precious substance. For I would not, O hearer, have you look only at the names of wine and water; but if you would prove His power, look at the virtue of the things. For thereby something I know not how much loftier is demonstrated.
For when the Lord turned water into wine, He does not work this only that intoxication might not be lacking to those reclining at table, but that eternity might abound to believers. Since for this reason Christ came into the world, not to provide storerooms for banqueters, but to provide for the salvation of men, nor to fill the water-jars with the substance of a good aroma, but to water souls with the grace of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, as the guest at table willed to taste the flavour of the best wine out of that cheap water, so much more did He will that believers should taste, out of this cheap flesh, the wisdom of the heavenly resurrection. For this sign contains entirely the whole mystery of the resurrection.
For water, cheap, pallid and cold, turned into wine, namely precious, red or fiery, signifies this: that the substance of man, base in condition, pale with weakness, cold with death, is to be changed into the glory of the resurrection, which is precious with eternity, coloured with grace, kindled with the spirit of immortality. This therefore is worthy to be believed that the Lord willed to work, so that through this earthly sign the heavenly mystery, yet to come, might already then be seen by the wise. For if it is indeed wondrous to have supplied the wines that had failed at feasts, how much more wondrous is it to have restored to men the life that had been drained away?
And if it is glorious to change water into wine, how much more glorious is it to change sins into righteousness, and to temper morals rather than cups? I dare to say that those water-jars minister that precious substance not only to that banquet, but to the whole world—save that they administer it to us more excellently. For it is established that out of those very vessels they drew intoxication; we draw righteousness. They received a cup of wine, we receive the chalice of salvation; and, if it be lawful to say it, with them what they had drunk passed away, but with us what we have taken abides.