This sermon was published by the Maurists in volume 5, in the appendix of the sermons of St. Augustine, sermon 116, attributed to St. Caesarius. We have read the same one inscribed to St. Maximus in the Cassinensian codices 106 and 117, and in the Beneventan and Neapolitan codices of Monte Oliveto, and also in Domenico Maria Mansi in the Miscellanea of Baluze. But that this manner of speech is not Maximus's, anyone, if he pays attention, will easily recognize.
Most beloved brethren, being about to receive with most faithful devotion the holy and desirable, glorious and singular solemnity, that is, the Nativity of the Lord and Saviour, we ought to prepare ourselves with his help, and diligently to inspect all the hiding places of our soul, lest perchance there be in us some hidden sin which both confounds and gnaws at our conscience and offends the eyes of the divine majesty.
For although Christ our Lord rose again after his passion and ascended into heaven, yet he considers how we walk, and diligently attends to how each of his servants strives to prepare and adorn himself, without avarice, without anger, without pride and luxury, to celebrate his nativity; and according as he shall see each one adorned with good works, so will he dispense to him the grace of his mercy. For if he shall see one clothed with the light of charity, adorned with the pearls of justice and mercy, chaste, humble, merciful, kind, and sober—if he shall recognize such a one, he will dispense to him his body and blood, not unto judgment, but unto remedy, through the ministry of his priests.
But if he shall see anyone an adulterer, a drunkard, covetous, and proud, I fear lest that be said to him which the Lord himself said in the Gospel: Friend, how did you come in here not having a wedding garment? And—which God avert—lest that follow which comes next: Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 22). Behold what a sentence he shall receive on the day of judgment, who comes to the festival of the Lord defiled with the filth of vices, without the remedy of penitence. For on the Lord's nativity, most beloved brethren, he is joined to his bride as in a spiritual wedding. Then truth arose from the earth, then justice looked down from heaven:
then God the bridegroom came forth from his bridal chamber, that is, the Word of God from the virginal womb. For he came forth with his bride the Church, that is, he took upon himself human flesh. Invited then to these so holy nuptials, and about to enter the banquet of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, see with what garments we ought to be adorned. And therefore let us cleanse, as much as we can with God's help, both our hearts and our bodies together, so that that heavenly host may find in us nothing filthy, nothing foul, nothing dark, nothing unworthy of his eyes. This, then, most dear brethren, we ought to attend to, not in passing, but with vast trembling. For we have been invited to the wedding, where we ourselves, if we act well, shall be the bridegrooms.
Let us consider to what kind of nuptials, let us reflect upon what kind of bride, or to what kind of banquet we have been invited. For we have been invited to a table where there is found not the food of men, but the bread of angels is set forth. And therefore let us take care lest perchance within, in the soul, where we ought to be adorned with the pearls of good works, we appear wrapped in the old rags of vices; and while chastity makes bright those who are good in the eyes of God, luxury makes filthy those who are evil.
And therefore, as often as either the day of the Lord's Nativity or the other festivals draw near, as I have frequently admonished, abstain not only from the unhappy fellowship of concubines, but even from your own wives, and make yourselves strangers to all wrath, so that past sins may be redeemed through almsgiving and penitence; let no hatred against any man be held in the heart. Let justice, through mercy, begin to bestow upon the poor what vanity used to squander through gluttony; let piety heap up in heaven what luxury or gluttony scattered in the world.
And although it is fitting that we should always give alms, yet especially on the holy solemnities let us bestow abundantly according to our means, and above all things let us more frequently call the poor to our feast. For it is not just that, on a holy solemnity, among a Christian people belonging to one Lord, some should be inebriated while others are tormented by the peril of hunger. Both we and all the people are servants of one Lord; we have been redeemed at one price; we entered into this world in like condition; and we are destined to depart by a similar exit; and if we act well, we shall come together to one blessedness. And why should not the poor man take food with you, who is to receive the kingdom with you?
Why should the poor man not receive even an old tunic, who is to receive with you the robe of immortality? Why should the poor man not be granted to receive your bread, who has merited with you to receive the sacrament of baptism? Why should he be unworthy to receive the leftovers of your food, who is to come with you to the banquet of the angels? Hear, brethren, hear a common precept—not mine, but the Lord's. For thus he says in the Gospel: When you make a dinner or a supper, do not invite the rich, who in turn may invite you, and a recompense be made to you: but call the poor and the lame; and you shall be blessed, because they have nothing to repay you: for it shall be repaid to you in the resurrection of the just (Luke 14). But someone says:
Then ought I not to invite friends or kinsfolk to the banquet? Both kinsfolk and neighbours are to be invited; but they are to be invited more rarely; and feasts should be prepared for them not less costly and delicate, but so frugal and sober and honourable, that there may remain wherewith the poor can be refreshed, wherewith something can be bestowed upon the needy: so that, when the day of judgment shall come, we may not hear with the impious, who now despise the poor: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire; but may deserve to hear with the just and merciful: Come, you blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom: for I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I thirsted, and you gave me to drink (Matthew 25). And at the same time may that desirable voice be directed to us:
Well done, good and faithful servant: because you have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things; enter into the joy of your Lord (ibid.). But, that these things which we have suggested may cling more tenaciously to the senses of your charity, we briefly repeat what has been said. For we have admonished this, brethren: that since the Lord's nativity is at hand, we should prepare ourselves through Christ's help, as though for a nuptial and heavenly banquet, radiant from all luxury and adorned with good works; that we should bestow alms upon the poor; that we should spew forth wrath or hatred from our hearts as the devil's poison. Keep chastity faithfully also with your own wives; call the poor more frequently to your feasts; rise earlier for the vigils;
standing in church, either pray or sing psalms; do not utter idle or worldly words from your own mouth, and correct those who wish to utter them. Keep peace with all, and call back to concord those whom you know to be at discord. If you are willing faithfully to fulfil these things, Christ helping, both in this world you will be able to approach the Lord's altar with a secure conscience, and in the world to come you will happily attain to eternal blessedness—our Lord Jesus Christ granting it, who lives and reigns unto the ages of ages. Amen.