Third Sermon for the Birthday of Saint John the Baptist

Sermon 48 - Critique of the Military Orders

Isaac de Stella – sermo : 48.  Sermones SChr 339 (A. Hoste / G. Raciti, 1987)

1. ‘I have prepared a lamp for my Anointed. I will cover his enemies with confusion; in him my holiness shall shine.’  My dear friends, foi quite some time I have noticed that you are more half-hearted than usual. Yes, have even become lazy in your listening (Cf. Jm 1:19; Heb 5:11). No wonder, I must admit that I myself have become so half-hearted and dull in my preaching (Cf Jm 1:19). For the attention of the learner stimulates the efforts of the teacher, and the better the listeners, the more spurred on is the speaker. Your complaint, however, is that, for some reason unknown to you, I have changed the manner of my discourse. I who used either cleverly make altogether new discoveries or stylishly rework old doctrines, now labor the commonplace or wearily rehearse tired old cliches.

1. Paravi lucernam Christo meo. Inimicos eius induam confusione; super ipsum autem efflorebit sanctificatio mea. Olim, dilectissimi, cernimus vos plus solito tepidos et quasi accidiosos factos ad audiendum. Unde et nos tepidiores et imbecilliores, fateor, facti sumus ad loquendum. Attentio namque discipuli diligentiam adhibet doctori. Et quo devotius quisque auditur, eo studiosius loquitur. Sed quaerimini nos stilum, nescitis qua ratione, mutasse. Et qui subtiliter solebamus aut invenire prorsus nova, aut eleganter innovare vetera, nunc communia tantum terimus et sermone trivii trita replicamus.

2. As several of you express it: What has come over this poor man, that ‘the gold’ of his understanding ‘has been so tarnished’, his ‘bright’ eloquence ‘so dulled’ (Lam 4:1)? He who used tell us tremendous things in wonderful words, who alone had the courage to think up the unheard of, to clearly define what was vague, to lucidly explain the complicated and brilliantly illustrate the result, how can he now get so confused and mixed-up? His discussion extends to anything and everything, but never brings anything to a fitting conclusion. How comes it that his ‘wine has grown so water’, his ‘silver turned to dross’ (Is 1:22)? What prevents him from either keeping silent or competent speaking?

   2. Quo, inquiunt vestrum nonnulli, demersus est homo iste? Quomodo obscuratum est aurum intelligentiae suae, mutatus est color optimus eloquentiae suae? Qui solebat mirabiliter mira dicere et singulariter inaudita excogitare, obscura luculenter diffinire, involuta distincte dividere, divisa patenter exemplis declarare, quomodo nunc omnia confundit, omnia permiscet, omnia ubique tangit et nihil ad exspectatum usque finem perducit? Quomodo vinum eius mixtum est aqua et argentum versum est in scoriam? Quomodo non aut silet aut loquitur?

3. All right, I shall keep silence where you are concerned, shall speak but not to you. You have all become such fastidious listeners that I have changed my way of speaking, while you have not curbed your craving for novelty. You care only for the latest, but how can I keep on minting more and more of that for you? Anything old, anything from Scripture you dismiss with a sigh. Why should we bother copying books? You become bored, even bilious, if I quote something already said or already available in writing, and not because it is not true nor good nor apt, but simply because it is not altogether the very latest word. Should I cite Augustine or Ambrose or some other writer, one of you checks it immediately, points out what I said in its written form to another, and both of you are disgusted simply at so finding it.

   3. Et ecce silebimus, sed vobis; et loquemur, sed non vobis. Curiosi auditores omnes vos estis. Et ideo permutavimus dicendi modum, quia vos non imposuistis curiositati vestrae modum.Nova tantum captatis. Et unde iugiter nova cudimus? Antiqua et quae inveniri possunt in scripturis exsufflatis. Et quare libros transcribimus? Si dicimus quod ante nos dictum sit, vel scriptum inveniri possit, aut nausiam vobis aut bilem movet, non quia non sit verum et bonum et congruum, sed quia non est omnino recens et novum. Si dicimus quod dixit Augustinus, quod Ambrosius, quod alicubi scriptum legitur, statim ad libros curritur: quod dictum est alteri ab altero scriptum ostenditur, et hac sola causa ab utroque fastiditur.

4. I, yes, I must confess that I am in part to blame for such arrogance. This and no other is the formation I have given you, and you have grown so used to it that you can scarcely listen to anyone else. Why, then, is it that I both was so keen and constant in the former method and so inconstant as to leave it aside at present? The reason for both is immediately to hand.

   4. Ego, ego, fateor, in causa vobis ex parte sum huius insolentiae. Ita enim vos in talibus educavimus, ad talia assuevimus, ut alium praeter nos vix audire possetis, nec nos iam in aliis audire curetis. Quare igitur et nos aut ante curiosi talia sectando fuimus, aut modo usitata relinquendo leves facti sumus? Utriusque rei ratio in promptu est.

5. Sometime ago there appeared some people of outstanding ability and marvelous expertise, I refrain from mentioning their names, who, although not able to interpret the sacred Scriptures properly, and while not distorting them as the heretics do, adapted them tastefully to their own purposes, and, speaking with all due respects to all concerned, played delightful games with authoritative texts much to the wonder of many and the moral welfare of still more. As you well know, while never going against faith and truth, they made it all serve goodness of life and conduct in a wonderfully fresh fashion    the kind, you complain, I have forsaken        and, amazing to aver_; their lack of understanding made them most understanding.

   5. Emerserunt olim quidam, quorum nomina taceo, spectabilis ingenii homines et exercitationis mirae, qui Scripturas sanctas non quidem ut haeretici pervertentes, sed earum legitimum sensum ad manum minus habentes, ad sua studia elegantissime accommodarunt, et de authenticis litteris, non sine multorum admiratione et plurima morum aedificatione, suavissime, ut omnium pace loquamur, nugati sunt. Nihil autem contra fidem et veritatem, omnia ad utilitatem et honestatem vitae et morum, mirabili novitate, ut scitis et nos deseruisse quaerimini, attraxerunt.Et quod mirabile dictu est, inopia sensus sensatissimi facti sunt.

6. So these became my teachers because all the world became their follower. The whole world had turned aside after them (Cf. Jn 12:19), and the general consensus was that never had people spoken as they did (Cf. Jn 7:46). Whoever discoursed in some other way was derided, despised and deserted. Anyone who dared to speak against it was considered envious. To avoid it being thought that envy made me condemn such discoursing or lack of ability made me incapable of doing it, I set about learning to do it. And, as you well know, I was not among the least skilled of its practitioners. There was no callosity on my capability, as the poet put it. So here I am telling now the truth that I intended telling from the start, the truth which, as I have just said, I concealed, taking advantage of the time, so as not to be branded as either envious or an ignoramus.

   6. Hos igitur secuti sumus, quia eos sequebatur mundus. Omnis mundus abibat post eos, et aestimatione hominum numquam sic locuti sunt homines. Qui sic non loquebatur, irridebatur, contemnebatur, deserebatur. Si quis vero obloquebatur, invidus habebatur. Ne igitur aut invidia obloqui aut inopia ingenii non sic loqui putaremur, animum appulimus. Et, ut scitis, non omnibus in huiusmodi inferiores fuimus. Neque enim mihi cornea fibra est, ait poeta. Verum nunc dicimus quod ab initio conceperamus, sed ne, ut diximus, aut invidiae aut inscitiae notaremur, utentes tempore, nunc usque suppressimus.

 MILITARY ORDERS

7. No doubt about it, ‘there are perilous times coming’ when rebels against the truth will put in an appearance, who will make the words of Scripture serve their intentions, and this unrestrained liberty of ours is only too likely to provide them with a destructive authority. Why should they not reject, for the sake of their latest insights, the explanations the holy Fathers gave long since, if such has been usual in the Church? It is no use whatever telling them that such or the other is the way Ambrose or Augustine, Jerome or Gregory explain these texts. They will ask you why it is wrong for them if others did the same. Why, these people are all too ready to quote—I have heard them myself—, ‘Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom’ (2 Co 3,17), and they are sure that they have no obligation to swear by any teacher’s words.°

   7. Instabunt, igitur, tempora periculosa, et intrabunt subversores veritatis, Scripturarum dicta suis sensibus accommodantes, quibus haec nostra licentiosa libertas fore poterit perniciosa auctoritas. Quare non deserent, novitatis suae gratia, Patrum veteres expositiones, si id ante eos consuevit Ecclesia? Quomodo obicietur eis: Sic et sic exposuit Ambrosius, Augustinus, Hieronymus, Gregorius? Nonne inquient: Sic aliis licuit, et nobis quare non licebit? Nonne sicut ab istis ipsi audivimus, et illi dicturi sunt: Ubi spiritus Domini, ibi libertas, non sumus addicti iurare in verba magistri?

8, Similarly and at about the same time, a new and monstrous breed of military order emerged, whose rule—someone wittily described it as stemming from a fifth gospel—

[1] would force, with spears and clubs, unbelievers to embrace the Faith,

[2] while considering it right to despoil and devoutly kill those who do not have the name of Christian.

[3] And those of their order who are killed while at such pillaging they regard as martyrs for Christ.

[4] Surely it is obvious that these people give every excuse for antichristian cruelty to the champion of wickedness (Cf. 2 Th 2:3).

[5] How could they put before such a one the gentleness and patience of Christ (2 Co 10:1) and the pattern of his preaching?

[6] Why should the adversary not gladly do what he finds is done with a good conscience? Why should he not say, Do to the church as the church has done?

   8. Huic simile et eadem ferme tempestate, cuiusdam novae militiae obortum est monstrum novum - cuius, ut lepide ait quidam, ordo de quinto evangelio est -,

ut lanceis et fustibus incredulos cogat ad fidem,

et eos qui Christi nomen non habent, licenter exspoliet et religiose trucidet;

si qui autem de eo in depopulatione talium ceciderint, Christi martyres nuncupent.

Nonne et isti futuro illi perditionis filio contra christianos crudelitatis suae auctoritatem nutriunt?

Quomodo ei obicietur Christi mansuetudo et patientia et forma praedicandi?

Quare non faciet libenter quod factum reperiet licenter?

Quomodo non dicet: Qualia fecit Ecclesia, talia facite illi?

9. Do I then, find fault with the latter as with the former? Not at all. I find fault with neither, but neither do I praise either, and not just because what they do may perhaps be fully evil, but because they are sowing the seeds of evils to come. Things have come to such a sorry pass that almost all evils have their roots in good ground; virtues are the seed-ground of vices, and the more mature the former, the more likely are they to be swallowed up by the latter.

   9. Quid igitur? Et hos cum aliis damnamus? Absit. Neutros quidem damnamus, sed neutros in hoc laudamus. Laudamus autem, sed in hoc non laudamus; nec quia fortasse omnino sint mala quae agunt, sed quia fore malorum occasiones queunt. Nam, quod miserabile est, fere mala omnia de rebus bonis inoleverunt. Et virtutes vitia nutriunt et ab alumnis suis iam grandiusculis effetatae absorbentur.

10. So, dear friends, we must use the greatest precaution and prudence. For all things, be they good or bad, that are to come have their own, so to say, sent before specific sources, the reasons for their coming that determine in some way, and are the heralds of the manner of their happening, as well as being signs of the times of their arrival. As the Psalm says, ‘You have prepared their food such as was required by your provision of it’ (Ps 64:10). Or as the text that prefaced this sermon expressed it: ‘I have prepared a lamp for my Anointed’ (Ps 131:17).

  10. Plurima igitur, dilectissimi, cautela opus est et circumspectione. Omnia enim sive bona sive mala ventura ante se habent quasi matrices quasdam causas quare veniant, et praeparatores quosdam et quasi nutricios modos quomodo proveniant, et signa quaedam sui adventus quando evenire debeant. Parasti, inquit, cibum illorum, quoniam ita est praeparatio eius. Et istud quod proposuimus: Paravi lucernam Christo meo.

11. Nothing happens without reason, none without definition, none without deliberation. And yet it often happens that, where wretched mortals are concerned, all these and a number of other things are hidden from all, while other things are. clear to all, and still others are clear to some and hidden from others; and it can happen that some are simply clear and others hidden. Which explains why the Apostles, already aware of the reason for and of the manner of the Second Coming, were so anxious to know the signs of it, and said to the Lord, ‘Tell us when these things’ will come about ‘and what sign will be given of your coming’ (Mt 24:3).

  11. Nihil enim frustra, nihil confusum, nihil subitum. Saepe tamen numero miseris mortalibus aliarum rerum omnia haec omnibus occulta; aliarum omnia omnibus manifesta; aliarum vero quibusdam manifesta, quibusdam sunt occulta; et aliquando quidem quaedam manifesta, quaedam occulta. Unde et apostoli, de secundi adventus Dominici causa et modo edocti, de signis autem solliciti, dicunt: Dic nobis quando haec fient et quod erit signum adventus tui.  

12. The reason for Christ’s coming into our flesh is, we may take it, our human wretchedness; this coming was prepared for by the married virginity of Mary; its sign consisted in the star from heaven (Cf. Nm 24:17) and the flow of oil from the earth. The reason for Christ’s coming to his Baptism was the joining of us to God; its preparation was John’s baptism. A lamp was being prepared for the Light that was coming, so that many reared in darkness might accustom themselves to the sight of the great Light by means of a little light.

  12. Adventus igitur Christi in carnem causa est humana miseria; praeparatio, virginitas coniugata Mariae; signum, stella de caelo, emanatio olei de terra.  Adventus Christi ad baptismum causa, humana ad Deum coniunctio; praeparatio, baptismus Ioannis.  Venienti etenim luci praeparabatur lucerna, ut oculi in tenebris educati adsuescerent, ex modico lumine, magnum intueri.  

13. So the Father’s words when foretelling the mystery of John are, ‘Thus far shall I extend the power of David’, namely, the glory of the people of whom David was king, ‘I shall extend’ it as far as ‘the lamp’ I have prepared ‘for my Anointed’ (Ps 131:18). As Christ himself says, ‘The Law and the Prophets’--the boast of that people ‘lasted until John’s time’ (Lk 16:16), the very John described by Christ himself as a lamp lit and light-giving (CII in 5:35). It was ‘in him’, that is, Christ, for whom the lamp was prepared, that as our text has the Father say, ‘my holiness shall shine’ (Ps 131:18). For he alone is the flower and fruit of holiness, ‘the Saint of saints’ (Dn 9:24), he himself both Saint and Sanctifier, who was born holy and engenders the holy. He will indeed ‘cover his enemies with confusion’ (Ps 131:18), those who found the light of the lamp excessive, who made no effort to so become used to the lamp that they became able to endure the Light. There are two things that prevent clear seeing: lack of light and a sudden flood of it.

  13. Dicitur ergo cum de Ioanne prophetatur voce Patris: Illuc producam cornu David; id est gloriam illius populi, cuius rex erat David, producam usque ad lucernam quam praeparavi Christo meo.  Nam, sicut ait ipse Christus, Lex et prophetia, in quibus erat gloria populi illius, usque ad Ioannem; quem etiam ipse lucernam dicit ardentem et lucentem.  Super ipsum, id est Christum, cui paratur lucerna, efflorebit sanctificatio mea.  Ipse etenim solus sanctitatis flos et fructus, sanctus sanctorum, sanctus et sanctificans ipse, natus sanctus, generans sanctos.  Inimicos eius, id est lucernae, tamquam nimia lux induam confusione, quia neglexerunt lucernam adsuescere, ut possent lumen sustinere.  Duo etenim sunt quae oculum a visione confundunt: nulla lux et subita magna lux.

14. However, we must listen to what the Gospel tells us of how the Father through Christ covered the enemies of John and of Christ and of the Father with confusion. When the Pharisees, admiring, envying, resenting, questioned Jesus about his authority, he replied, ‘I too have a question to ask; if you can tell me the answer, I will tell you in return by what authority t do these things’ (Mt 21:24). If they welcomed the lamp, he would show them the Light: ‘John’s baptism, did it come from heaven from humans’ (Mk 11:30)’? They retire in confusion, God has rejected them for rejecting the lamp by their unwillingness to tell the truth, and their cunning refusal to tell lies about the lamp. This lie has in fact ‘cost them their life’ (Dn 13:55), ‘wickedness has cheated itself’ (Ps 26:12) even as they answer, ‘We cannot tell’ (Mt 21:27). For had they told the truth and stated that John’s baptism was ‘from heaven’, they would have left themselves open to the objection of having to explain why, if such was the case, they had refused to believe him. Had they, however, declared it ‘from humans’, they would have been liable to the vengeance of the crowd, who held, and it was the truth, that John was a genuine prophet (Cf. Mt 21:25-26).

  14. Sed audiamus ex ipso Evangelio quatenus per Christum confunderit Pater inimicos Ioannis et Christi et Patris. Cum autem interrogassent pharisaei Iesum de potestate eius, mirantes, invidentes, indignantes, respondit: Et ego interrogo vos unum sermonem, quem si dixeritis mihi, et ego dicam vobis in qua potestate haec facio. Si enim suscipitis lucernam, ostendo vobis lucem. Baptismus Ioannis de caelo est, an ex hominibus? Et illi confusi, quos Deus sprevit, quia spreverunt lucernam eius, quoniam veritatem fateri nolunt et mentiri tenebrae de lucerna non audent, recte mentiuntur in caput suum, et mentitur iniquitas sibi. Nam dicunt: Nescimus. Si enim dixissent, quod verum erat: De caelo, obiceretur eis quare ei non crederent de luce attestanti. Sin autem dixissent: Ex hominibus, incidissent in manus turbae quae eum, quod vere erat, sicut prophetam habebant.

15. Having said this little today on so great a feast—I spent, sure enough, quite some time at that apologia of mine     , let me end by appealing to your love, and warning you, as the Prophet says, to ‘ask yourselves which path it was that stood you in good stead long ago’, the path so well trodden by the saints, ‘and that path follow’ (Jer 6:16). Curiosity does indeed breed all manner of flummery. But all truth is solid, being not only of long standing, being eternal.

  15. Modicum istud de tanta vobis hodie solemnitate locuti - in superiori quippe apologia horam impendimus -, id dilectionem vestram exoratam simul et admonitam cupimus in fine, quatenus, sicut ait prophetes, interrogetis de semitis antiquis quae sit via bona et sanctorum pedibus trita, et ambulate in ea. Curiositas enim mater est omnis vanitatis. Veritas omnis solida, nec solum antiqua sed aeterna.  

16. Moreover, my conversing is for the benefit of the unlettered (Cf. Pry 3: 32), not least on solemnities like this when the Lay Brothers crowd in from all parts. A more intimate discussion may be possible at some other time, when we can look into some point more deeply and penetratingly. For these solemn feast sermons are kept undemanding for the sake of the less learned, and uttered, as it were, in pedestrian prose because of those who as yet are not able for the flight of contemplation, and merely follow Jesus on foot as he walks ahead of them, the very Jesus to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit ‘be the glory and the power through endless ages. Amen’ (I Pt 4: 11 ).

  16. Praeterea cum simplicibus sermocinatio nostra, et maxime in his diebus solemnibus, cum laicorum turba undique cogitur.  Non deerit forsan familiarior collatio, ubi vobis cum poterimus altius aliquid et subtilius perscrutari.  Sermones vero isti solemnes simplicibus simplices sunt, et pedestri sermone effusi propter eos qui nondum adsumpserunt pennas, sed pedites sequuntur ambulantem Iesum.  Cui cum Patre et Spiritu sancto gloria et imperium per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.