If here we had only to treat of the author of the homily, the matter would be quickly concluded from the manuscripts assigning it to Saint Maximus; but since there is much discrepancy in the title, we are compelled to a longer discussion. Some codices inscribe the homily with this simple superscription: «On the fasts of the Ninevites»; these are the most ancient Sangallensis, homily 71; the Vallicellianus A 7, page 41; and no. 99 of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, homily 43. But the Belgian codices, the Martinensis and the Camberonensis, as well as the Ratisbonensis of Saint Emmeram, page 27, have the title: «On the litanies and on the fasts of the Ninevites.» From these differ the Ambrosian codex H 164, calling the homily one on the rogations: «Here begins the sermon on the rogations»; and the Cassinensis codex 111, page 26.
«Sermon of Saint Maximus the bishop on the greater litany.» In the Laurentian codices, Pluteus XVII no. 37 and no. 137, formerly of the metropolitan church of Florence, the title is lacking, and only the author is indicated by those customary words: «From the source above,» since the preceding homily is adorned with the name of Saint Maximus. Here we advise our readers that in two Vatican codices, 1268 and 645, the author's name is seen to have been erased and that of Saint Ambrose substituted; and that two other codices, namely the Vatican Palatinus 435, page 281, and the Urbevetanus, page 130, are anonymous. How, then, is so great a variety of writings to be reconciled? Gennadius, who first reviewed the original titles of the homilies of Maximus, named this one «On the penance of the Ninevites.»
Gennadius, therefore, was followed by all who called the homily «On the fasts of the Ninevites,» since through a universal fast penance was done by the Ninevites at the preaching of Jonah. But those who added to the old title «On the litanies» or «On the rogations» followed a rite introduced into the Church many years before, namely, that on the three days before the Lord's Ascension there should be fasting and public supplications. «Litany» indeed signifies the same as «supplication,» and it is twofold: the more solemn one on the feast day of Saint Mark, whose institution is held to be most ancient, since Saint Gregory the Great makes mention of it in Book II of the Letters. Some trace this same institution to Saint Lazarus, bishop of Milan, the predecessor of Saint Eusebius.
The other litanies, less solemn, which are also called the rogations of the Ascension, are said to have been instituted by Saint Mamertus, bishop of Vienne in Gaul, from whom afterward the Roman Church, in the time of Pope Leo III, and other Churches received a rite of this kind. See Incontrius, archbishop of Florence, in his book «Explanation of the Feasts,» page 221. Now only the Church of Milan retains the fast of the rogations, on which days it supplies the fast of Lent, whose beginning with them is only from the first Sunday of the same. In this homily we have departed from the order of the other editors, who reported it after the Paschal homilies—as Gymnicus, page 162; Galesinius, page 138; Raynaudus, page 221; and Margarinus in the Bibliotheca Maxima, volume VI, page—
—27, and we have placed it among the homilies on various subjects, because the discourse of Maximus has nothing about the rogations or litanies, and since the following homily, which is the other one on the Ninevites, appeals to it—so that the connection of both may be seen—we have thought it best to publish both together, omitting the addition to the title, «On the litanies.» We read in the prophets (Jonah 3) that, when destruction from God was threatening the city of Nineveh, and, according to the sentence of God, the time for its destruction was drawing near, those dwelling in it had no other safeguard than that, casting aside their intemperate feasts, they should take up continuous fasts, and, laying aside the ambition of riches, should clothe themselves with the humility of poverty; namely, that they might thence receive a remedy from that very source whence perdition was befalling them;
that is, that the wrath of the Godhead, which they had provoked by their luxury, they might soften by abstinence, and that humility might mitigate the offense which pride had drawn upon them. For it is said that in that tribulation the king himself, having laid aside the imperial purple and put away his royal ambition, girded his limbs with sackcloth, and rolled himself in the sackcloth day and night. A wise king, therefore, who knew how he ought to overcome the adversities that beset him; for he overcame his enemies by valor, but conquered God by humility. Plainly a wise king, who understood what arms he should use according to the quality of the time; for when men lay snares for him, he takes up the arms of war; when God is angry with him, he seizes the arms of righteousness.
A wise king, I say, who for the safety of his citizens confesses himself to be a sinner rather than a king; for he forgets that he is a king where he fears God, the King of all, and he does not remember his own power where he acknowledges the power of the Godhead. He forgets, therefore, that he is a king, when he casts off the purple, when he lays aside the diadem, but is clothed in haircloth and sackcloth, perseveres in fasting, and lingers in prayers. A marvellous thing: while he does not remember that he is a king of men, he begins to be a king of righteousness. The devout prince, therefore, did not lose his rule, but changed it. For before he held the primacy of military discipline; now he holds the primacy of heavenly disciplines.
He did not, I say, lose his rule, because whether by the sword or by justice he is the first to keep watch for the safety of his citizens: plainly he is the first to keep watch; for, that the whole city might fast, the king first proclaimed a fast upon himself, and for the sake of all he began to hunger before the soldier; for it was necessary that he who had been mightier than the rest should become more devoted than all. By his own example, therefore, he prepares an army for religion, fortified not by arms but by devotion alone: he commands every sex and every age to abstain from the day's banquets. Number is added to the religious army, when in such devotion even infancy is compelled to serve as a soldier. For it is held to be an act of piety in such a cause to deny even to the little ones the sustenance of food;
for the satisfaction of those who sinned did not suffice to appease God, unless the innocence of the little ones also bewailed the sins of the elders, and unless the youth washed away their own offences with the weeping of others. But that all these things, brethren, were done for our admonition, there is no one who does not know, so that as often as we are pressed by tribulations we may run to these safeguards; suppose the adversary threatens, the enemy is at hand: let us fast and conquer. Certain men are wont, as often as they suffer an exceedingly hard necessity, to send envoys to neighbouring peoples for the sake of aid. Let us, which is better, send our embassy to God through fasting; let us implore aid from Him, let us betake ourselves to Him with heart and prayers;
for they sought help not by asking it from elsewhere, but by fasting they wrung it out of their own inward parts. Why, then, should he ask from another who can find within himself what he seeks? For the nearer we are to God, the farther our adversaries will be driven back from us. It behooves us, therefore, to become near to God; for the prophet says: Behold, they who remove themselves far from You shall perish (Ps. 12). But if those who are far from God shall perish, surely those who are near shall be saved; therefore we cannot be near to God unless we draw close to Him by fastings, prayers, and almsgiving. For God Himself is merciful, fasting, and holy; and therefore he who wishes to be near to God ought to imitate this: to be what God is.
So in the tribulation of the Ninevites the whole city fasted; well did he say, the whole; for we read that not only the old, the young, and the infants, but even the cattle fasted. A marvellous thing: that fasts for the sin of the city which the condition of sin does not bind. Wherefore we too, dearest brethren, enduring the straits of the times, ought all alike to fast, and to implore the mercy of God by the abstinence of all. For what kind of thing is it that a Christian should not do for his own salvation what the cattle did for the salvation of men? Unless indeed he is more stupid than a beast, who, when a fast has been proclaimed for him by the priest, does not fast; for is he not a beast, who does not understand what threatens him, what presses upon him?
And indeed a beast, when it sees a pit, turns aside from it, and guards against precipices. But you—will you not, by fasting, turn aside from the danger which you perceive? For it is a kind of despair to eat then, when you ought to abstain, to rejoice then, when you ought to lament. Of this despair the Apostle speaks—may God turn it away from us: Let us eat and drink: for tomorrow we shall die (1 Cor. 15). Let us therefore fast, brethren, without ceasing, that we may be able to overcome our enemies by prayers and abstinence, with the help of our Lord, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns unto the ages of ages. Amen.