This sixty-sixth sermon, and moreover the 67th, 68th, and 69th, which follow, transcribed from the aforesaid Ambrosian codex, were first edited in volume IV of the 'Anecdota' by Muratori. Necessarily, dearest brethren, we rejoice in the annual festivity concerning the passions and death of the venerable apostles, our fathers, because by the confidence of the Christian faith we believe that they, by their torments, attained glory and sought the perpetuity of a life living without end. For who would doubt that they reign with their Lord, who, following His footsteps, conquered death by dying? Or how is it not manifest that with that King there is victory in torments, whose triumph is on the Cross?
The princes of the Churches therefore chose, for the honor of the faith, patiently to fall, whom the author of life, by the foregoing example of His own death, taught not to fear death. Let us rejoice therefore and exult that our most glorious fathers died for Christ, because he who first, by the very payment of his own blood, may merit for himself eternal life for the sake of the Eternal One. For a bargain of eternity is transacted, where not a quantity of money, but faithful blood is in the price; where death so takes away life that immortal life succeeds the death inflicted. And therefore, brethren, he to whom, by the love of Christ, the world is hateful, does not unwillingly lose the world, as the most blessed Paul said: 'To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain' (Philippians 1). How beautifully he says, 'and to die is gain'!
For whoever lives for Christ, if he dies for the honour of Christ, gains for himself the kingdom of heaven at the cost of the present light; and indeed truly, for the devout man, to reign for Christ is to reign with Christ. He who reckons a religious death as gain shows that by his death he casts himself forward, and does not perish. For our Lord and Saviour also says: 'He who loses his soul for my sake shall find it' (Matthew 10). What is this, beloved? By what reasoning can a soul, once lost, be found again by a man? It can, brethren, it can — not by reasoning, but by faith. Without doubt it can, because by the benefit of the resurrection the soul, preserved, shall be restored to the body that has been renewed.
For what is possible to God, it is not impossible for man even to conceive that it can be done, as Paul the apostle, who foreknew things to come, says (1 Corinthians 2): 'Neither has eye seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what things God has prepared for those who love him.' Therefore, when the Lord says, 'He who loses his soul for my sake shall find it,' he shows the glory of his coming, in which every man shall receive back the state of his substance and his life, the fellowship of our soul and body being reformed; for man consists of soul and body. The one without the other is a nature disjoined and dissipated. If the body is taken away, it is lost. When therefore it is said, 'He who loses his soul shall find it' (Matthew
chapter 10), it is revealed to us that, when according to the faithful promise of our God the world shall be renewed, the soul is to be restored to the body and the body to the soul. Therefore the Saviour also said: 'Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell' (ibid.). And so the power of destroying the soul shows in Christ the power of restoring man. Nor let us wonder, beloved, if Paul was condemned by the sword and Peter by the cross through the perfidy of a raging age — they whose Lord terrified the prince of this world with wonders, refuted him with rebukes, and triumphed over him by his sufferings.
For the devil indeed found in them what he could kill, yet he did not find what he could hold captive. And what wonder is it if the servant of one who was slain is destroyed by the sword? What wonder if the disciple of the Crucified is lifted up on a cross? Those who followed the example of the One who suffered have obtained the sovereignty of the One who reigns. Christ therefore took up Peter and Paul — the one a fisherman, the other a persecutor. And to Peter indeed he gave the keys of his kingdom, to Paul the wisdom of the word. Nor is this incredible, since he who brought forth water from the rock founded the Church upon Peter. He who compelled the magician to adore taught the persecutor to preach. In these two, beloved — as far as it is permitted for such small ones as we to perceive — the twofold form of the Church and the diversity of the human race is prefigured.
For simplicity commends Peter, while doctrine exalts Paul, so that we may observe that in the Church of God both knowledge is necessary and simplicity is beloved. But by simplicity I mean not that which grows numb through the stupor of sloth, but that which, while vigilantly kindling itself, knows how to profit others and yet cannot itself do harm; so that in one and the same man there may be a cautious simplicity and a kindly prudence, according to that which is said: 'Be therefore as wary as serpents, and as simple as doves' (Matthew 10). For the vigour of a most lively mind armed Peter's simplicity, and the foresight of spiritual counsels fortified it.
Peter was indeed of a simple yet prudent heart, when he confessed the mystery of the Lord's incarnation not by inquiring, but by believing, saying: 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God' (Matthew 16). By which confession, beloved, he both profited all as a simple man, and repelled the opinions of those who believed wrongly as a shrewd man. Therefore Paul enters heaven by the grace of doctrine, while Peter receives the power of opening heaven by the merit of simplicity. This is told us for this reason, beloved, that we may understand that from the faith of our God neither the learned are repelled nor the simple refused. But how much the truth of faith holds is manifest to all: that Paul had the simplicity of Peter, and that to Peter himself the prudence of Paul was not lacking. For the same Spirit taught them both.
For this reason, beloved, both Paul is the rock of Christ, and Peter is the vessel of election. For each, as a heavenly stone, gives strength to the weak; each, as a chosen vessel, pours out to the thirsty the draughts of the faith of Christ from the eternal fountain of life. And therefore, because they have one faith, one glory, one day of victorious passion, the one devotion of all peoples venerates them both with full confession.