From the codices of Turin and of the abbey of Saint Dalmatius it is established that this homily too was ascribed to Maximus. And indeed its style, the connection and continuity of its thoughts, show Maximus to have been its author. In the Turin codex it stands as the 29th of the homilies: 'On the Epiphany and on the Baptism of Christ'; in that of Saint Dalmatius, however, as the fifth 'On the Baptism of Christ.' The latter title seemed to us the more fitting. I believe, brethren, that you understood my preaching on the holy day of the Epiphany—and you catechumens especially—in which I then said that, while some asserted that our Lord Jesus Christ had been adored by the Magi coming from the East with a star for their guide, and others said that he had then turned water into wine;
while some finally affirmed that on that day he had been baptized in the Jordan by John—yet in all these the Son of God is believed, and in all of them is our true feast. And although by some it may be believed that either the one or the other of these was done, I nevertheless believe that all these things came to pass on that day, and that the one is contained within the other. For Christ our Lord, when he had come into this world to restore human nature, first indeed called to life the Jews, from whose seed according to the flesh he had been born. Yet nonetheless the people of the Gentiles, as we have often intimated to your holiness, he did not abandon in their blind unbelief.
For he who willed to free all men from eternal death by his wondrous incarnation and by his death that wiped away debt, also summoned all to the venerable light of his faith. Angels therefore reveal to the shepherds the newborn Redeemer; yet a new star invites the Gentiles to his sacred and venerable cradle. The shepherds come to Bethlehem; and with gifts the Magi hasten to his cradle. Him the shepherds venerate, him also the Magi adore. At his nativity the mad Herod trembles, the proud Synagogue is dismayed; but the Gentile world exults, and rejoices that its Saviour has at last come. And indeed, the Jews being left in their unbelief, the Church grew out of the Gentiles.
Indeed on this day the Church of the Gentiles was born, because through that most brilliant star the Gentile world was called in those three Magi to the recognition of the true light. And it grew, because on this day also the sacrament of the saving font was instituted by Christ the Lord. For today, as the venerable tradition of the ancients teaches us, our Saviour approached the streams of the Jordan. Today he who was without sin approached the Jordan among the throngs of sinners, that he might be baptized. Today, in fine, our Redeemer willed to be baptized in the Jordan, and in turn to sanctify his own Baptist. Christ therefore is baptized in the Jordan, and on this day sanctified the waters of the Jordan by his baptism. But why do I say the Jordan?
For by his baptism he sanctified the whole substance of the waters that is everywhere. Behold, then, how on this most holy day both the Church was gathered out of the Gentiles in the calling of the Magi, and how also in the baptism of Christ it was spiritually reborn, and is daily reborn. For daily the Church itself passes over to the life of regeneration, as often as it receives catechumens to baptism. For before the font the catechumen is weak; but once baptism is received, he acquires the knowledge of the Trinity, and becomes steadfast and firm, and is no longer, like the water which this very day Christ the Lord, invited to a wedding, changed into wine, pale and without any savour;
for once baptism is received he becomes faithful and is changed into wine. For in wine is signified the grace of the Holy Spirit, as our Saviour himself declared when he said that new wine must be stored in new wineskins (Matt. 9). Behold, therefore, how on this most sacred day, through the flashing of a new star, the Gentile world was converted to the faith. Our Redeemer instituted for all the saving font of regeneration; and for this reason on this same day he turned the substance of the waters into wine. And Christ our Lord conferred so great a grace upon his baptism that he not only sanctified his own Baptist, but the very river Jordan was turned back. Here it ends.
This splendid homily has been ascribed to Maximus by the consensus of all editors. In agreement with these are two Vatican manuscript codices; two Belgian ones, the Martinensis and the Camberonensis; two Cassinese ones as well; four Subalpine, that is, the Turin, the Saint Dalmatius, the Vercelli, and the Novara. To these are added the Reichenau, the Lucca, the Vallicellan, the Florence, the Amiatine. The Benedictine monks of the congregation of Saint Maur, although they struck it from the series of the sermons of Saint Augustine and transferred it to number 134 of the appendix, then freely confessed that it is assigned to Saint Maximus, bishop of the people of Turin, not only in the published collections of his works, but also in the manuscript copies.
In the codex of Saint Dalmatius many things are comprised in this homily which do not agree with those already published. We have relegated it to the annotations on page 93 and following, so that it may conveniently be compared by readers with the common editions. Although, most beloved brethren, the tradition of the ancients concerning the solemnity of this day is diverse, yet there is one faith of holy devotion. And although some today reckon that our Lord Jesus Christ was adored by the Magi coming from the East with a star for their guide; while others assert that he turned water into wine; and some indeed affirm that he was baptized by John—in all of them the Son of God is believed, in all of them is our [others read: true feast] feast.
For in that it is granted to the Gentiles above all to adore the Lord and to offer gifts, the calling of the Gentiles is prefigured; but in that Christ is baptized in the streams of the Jordan, the waters are consecrated for our baptism. It is fitting, therefore, dearest ones, that we now bring forth for your holiness some words about baptism itself, as the Lord may grant, that you may recognize both the humility of our Saviour and the glory of the mysteries. John was preaching in the wilderness a baptism of repentance [others read: to the people for the remission of sins] to a sinful people. Not that he might wipe out the crimes committed, but that he might amend those who erred, for the remission of sins was reserved for the grace of Christ.
Therefore a most abundant multitude of various people flowed together to John out of desire for the font; whose deeds were so wicked, whose life so lost, that the venerable Baptist compared them to a brood of vipers. Among men of this kind, that Lord of the heavenly powers, he who looks upon the earth and makes it tremble, Christ Jesus, does not disdain, humble and quiet, to hasten to the baptism of his little servant. But what wonder concerning the gentleness of the Saviour, if he bowed himself down to the hands of the prophet, he who suffered himself to be crucified by his enemies? As he hastened to the river, John broke forth into such a cry to the surrounding crowds: 'Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world' (John 1). This is to say:
'Cease now, cease from my baptism, by which repentance is undertaken: behold the Baptist, through whom sins are forgiven. Stop wishing to be baptized any longer by your fellow servant: present is the Lord of us all, who baptizes unto life: follow him, believe in him, from him as suppliants ask with your whole mind the font of salvation—by whom I myself also, your Baptist, desire to be baptized.' Jesus indeed did not reject the testimony of this voice; but he who would fulfil all things in due order nonetheless sought to be baptized by John. Then the devout Baptist, trembling at the power of the one he was to baptize, said: 'I ought to be baptized by you, and you come to me?' (Matt. 3). That is: since I am a creature, you are the Creator; I am a servant, you are the Lord;
I am the figure, you are the truth. But Jesus said: 'Let it be so for now: for thus it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness' (ibid.). That is: why do you now recall these things? The purpose of the humility I have taken up must be fulfilled. Then he who had feared to presume swiftly obeyed the command of the one who bade him. Jesus therefore is baptized, not for himself, but for us; he is baptized, not that he might be purified by the waters, but that he himself might sanctify the waters; the new man is baptized, that he might establish the sacrament of a new baptism. 'The heavens were opened,' it says. I judge that there was in the heavenly places a wonder over the things that were being done on earth, as he says: 'Into whom the angels desire to look' (1 Pet. 1).
For how could the powers of the heavens, and the dominations, the cherubim and seraphim, not marvel, when they saw the Lord of Sabaoth baptized in the river by a man? And that the attestation of John might also be confirmed by heavenly testimony, he saw the Holy Spirit in bodily form, as a dove, descending and remaining upon Jesus (John 1). He also hears the Father saying: 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased' (Matt. 3). Consider, most beloved brethren, how great a grace has been laid open to us in the baptism of our Lord Jesus, by how subtle a mystery the Trinity today revealed itself to man. For the Father is heard in the voice, the Son is manifested in the man, the Holy Spirit is discerned in the dove.
But with how wondrous a mystery our Lord Jesus Christ, whether by the touch of his body or by the passing of his glory, sanctifies, quickens, and illumines every creature in a moment; for he consecrates the waters when he is baptized; he sanctifies the earth when he is buried; he raises the dead when he rises again; he glorifies the heavenly things when he ascends into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father. Although, brethren, concerning the venerable solemnity of the present day the tradition of the ancient Fathers is varied and diverse, yet in all of them there is one faith of sincere devotion.
For although some believe that our Lord Jesus Christ was on this present day adored by the Magi coming from the East, and others assert that on this day he was baptized by John, and some finally reckon that today he turned water into wine, yet each of them believes the same one to be the Son of God; and therefore in all of them our feast is true. For in that it is granted to the Magi to adore God and to offer him their gifts, the future calling of all the Gentiles is signified from that very time. When the noble waters are changed into wine, the sanctification and transformation of our souls through the sacrosanct font of baptism is shown.
But when Christ is baptized by John in the Jordan, the whole substance of the waters is consecrated for our baptism. Christ indeed is on this present day baptized by John, and through that baptism the humility of our Saviour and the glory of the mysteries were then most openly made manifest. John was preaching in the wilderness a baptism of repentance to the sinner; not that he might now wipe out sins already committed (for the remission of sins was reserved for the grace of Christ), but that he might lead back those who erred into the way of salvation. Indeed an infinite throng of sinners flowed together to him out of desire for the font; and among men of this kind, whose deeds were then wicked,
their life was so lost, that that divine Baptist compared them to a brood of vipers; Christ the Lord did not disdain to mingle with them, and did not blush to bow himself to the hands of his little servant. As he hastened to the river, John, marvelling, broke forth into such a cry to the surrounding crowds: 'Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world' (John 1). This is to say: 'Cease now from my baptism, by which repentance began. Behold, that is the Baptist by whom sins are forgiven. Stop desiring any longer the font of your fellow servant unto repentance. Behold, that is he who baptizes unto life: follow therefore life, cleave to him.'
'Believe the things he himself has said, do whatever he has commanded, and finally as suppliants beg of him the saving font; for I, your Baptist, also desire to be baptized by him.' Yet Jesus did not hold to such a testimony of the voice; but he who wished all things to be fulfilled in due order sought to be baptized by his own John. For Jesus said to him: 'Let it be so for now: for thus it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness' (Matt. 3). That is: why do you now recall these things? The purpose of the humility I have taken up must be fulfilled; and then he who had feared to presume swiftly obeyed the command of the one who bade him. Jesus therefore is baptized by John, not for himself, but for us. He is baptized, not that he might be purified by the waters, but that he himself might sanctify the waters. And then the heavens were opened to him:
for all the powers of the heavens marvelled at the Lord of Sabaoth in the river. Then John saw the Holy Spirit in bodily form, as a dove descending and remaining upon him; he also heard the Father saying: 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased' (ibid.). Behold now, brethren, how great a grace has been laid open to us in the baptism of our Lord, by how subtle a mystery the whole Trinity manifested itself to man. For in the voice the Father is heard: the Son moreover is manifested in the man: the Holy Spirit moreover is discerned in the dove. But with how wondrous a mystery the same Lord, both by the touch of his body and by the passing of his glory, sanctifies every creature in a moment, and illumines it with vital light: