Volume 13 · pp. 617–619
Sermon LII. On the Dedication of a Church
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DE QUIBUSDAM FESTIS
SERMONES ALII, VEL MELIUS SERMONUM PROPOSITIONES.
SERMO LII.
IN DEDICATIONE ECCLESIÆ.
Dominus in templo sancto suo: sileat a facie ejus omnis terra. Habac. II, 20.
Nota quod quadruplex est templum Domini:
I. Uterus virginalis, II. Ecclesia materialis, III. Anima fidelis, VI. Mansio supercælestis.
In primo fuit per carnis nostræ assumptionem. In secundo fuit per Passionis suæ repræsentationem. In tertio est per gratiæ infusionem. In quarto est per piam Sanctorum glorificationem.
I.
De primo dicitur: Dominus in templo sancto suo, scilicet per carnis nostræ assumptionem. Vere jure lætari debuisset, qui Dominum vidisset in templo. Unde Elisabeth, et Joannes puerulus, necdum natus lætantur: quia Dominum in hoc templo esse cognoverunt. Unde Bernardus: « Valde quidem, Domine, humiliaris, nimis absconderis, sed Joannem latere non poteris. Nonne ipse est, qui per maternum uterum te nondum natus agnovit? Nonne ipse est, qui utriusque parentes materni uteri agnovit: et quia turbis clamare non potuit, saltem matrem suam exsultans edocuit? » Unde Luc. I, 43: Unde hoc mihi ut veniat mater Domini mei ad me?
Hoc templum factum fuit per omnimodam puritatem. Unde Bernardus: « Quæ Angelica puritas illi virginitati audeat comparari, quæ digna fuit sancti Spiritus sacrarium fieri Dei et habitaculum Filii? » Unde loquitur de hoc templo Pater ad Filium, Malach. III, 1: Ecce ego mitto Angelum meum, id est, Gabrielem, et præparabit viam ante faciem meam, id est, qui virgineum requiret consensum. Et convertit ad Patriarchas et Prophetas sermonem dicens: Et statim veniet ad templum suum, id est, in Virginem Mariam, Dominator quem vos quæritis, ut carnem vestram induat. Unde Isa. XVI, 1: Emitte agnum Domine dominatorem terræ, de Petra deserti, id est, de eminentia paterni sinus, ad montem filiæ Sion, id est, Ecclesiæ militantis. Sequitur, Malach. III, 1: Et angelus testamenti, quem vos vultis, ut videlicet intercedat pro vobis. Unde Job. XXXIII, 23 et 24: Si fuerit pro eo Angelus loquens, unus de millibus, ut annuntiet hominis æquitatem: miserebitur ejus.
ON CERTAIN FEASTS
OTHER SERMONS, OR BETTER, PROPOSITIONS OF SERMONS.
SERMON LII.
ON THE DEDICATION OF A CHURCH.
The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before his face. Habakkuk 2:20.
Note that the temple of the Lord is fourfold:
I. The virginal womb, II. The material church, III. The faithful soul, VI. The supercelestial dwelling.
In the first he was through the assumption of our flesh. In the second he was through the representation of his Passion. In the third he is through the infusion of grace. In the fourth he is through the pious glorification of the Saints.
I.
Concerning the first it is said: The Lord is in his holy temple, namely through the assumption of our flesh. Truly by right he ought to have rejoiced who had seen the Lord in the temple. Hence Elizabeth and the little boy John, not yet born, rejoice, because they knew that the Lord was in this temple. Hence Bernard says: "Indeed, Lord, you are greatly humbled; you are exceedingly hidden, but you will not be able to lie hidden from John. Is he not the one who, not yet born, knew you through his mother's womb? Is he not the one who knew the parents of both from his mother's womb, and because he could not cry out to the crowds, at least exulting taught his mother?" Hence Luke 1:43: Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
This temple was made through purity in every way. Hence Bernard says: "What angelic purity would dare to be compared to that virginity which was worthy to become the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit of God and the dwelling of the Son?" Hence the Father speaks concerning this temple to the Son, Malachi 3:1: Behold, I send my Angel, that is, Gabriel, and he will prepare the way before my face, that is, he who will seek the virginal consent. And he turns his discourse to the Patriarchs and Prophets, saying: And immediately there will come to his temple, that is, into the Virgin Mary, the Ruler whom you seek, so that he may put on your flesh. Hence Isaiah 16:1: Send forth, Lord, the lamb, the ruler of the earth, from Petra of the desert, that is, from the eminence of the Father's bosom, to the mountain of the daughter of Zion, that is, of the Church militant. There follows, Malachi 3:1: And the Angel of the testament whom you wish, namely so that he may intercede for you. Hence Job 33:23 and 24: If there will be for him an Angel speaking, one from thousands, so that he may announce the equity of the human being, he will have mercy on him.
II.
De secundo dicitur: Dominus in templo sancto suo, scilicet per Passionis suæ repræsentationem. Unde: « Hoc quotiescumque feceritis, in mei memoriam facietis 1. » Lætetur ergo a facie velaminis ejus omnis terra. Si pannos Domini, quibus velatus fuit et tectus, dum jaceret in cunis, homines desiderant intueri: quare formam illam panis, sub qua tegitur ipse Dei Filius, manens in sinu Patris, libentius non intuerentur? Unde Gregorius: « Quis fidelium dubium habere possit in ipsa immolationis hora ad Sacerdotis vocem cælos aperiri, in illo Jesu Christi ministerio Angelorum choros adesse, ima summis sociari, terram cœlestibus jungi, unum quidem de visibilibus et invisibilibus fieri? »
III.
De tertio dicitur: Dominus in templo sancto suo, id est, in anima fideli. Si recepisses divitem et benignum hospitem in domum avorum tuorum, merito lætareris: quare potius non lætaris, cum recipis Dominum in domum cordis tui, qui est benignissimus, et omnium gratiarum affluentissimus? Unde dicit Dominus ad Augustinum: « Cibus sum grandium, cresce, et manducabis me: nec tu me mutabis in te, sicut cibum carnis tuæ, sed tu mutaberis in me. » Cum cibus quem comedo, in me mutatur, caro et sanguis efficitur: ergo cum hic comedens panem et vinum, in ipsum commutor, Deus quodam modo efficior.
II.
Concerning the second it is said: The Lord is in his holy temple, namely through the representation of his Passion. Hence: "As often as you shall do this, you shall do it in memory of me 1." Therefore let all the earth rejoice before the face of his veil. If human beings desire to look upon the Lord's cloths, by which he was veiled and covered while he lay in the cradle, why would they not more willingly look upon that form of bread under which the very Son of God, remaining in the bosom of the Father, is hidden? Hence Gregory says: "Who of the faithful could have doubt that in the very hour of immolation, at the voice of the Priest, the heavens are opened, that in that ministry of Jesus Christ the choirs of Angels are present, that the lowest things are joined to the highest, that earthly things are joined to heavenly things, that one thing indeed is made from visible and invisible things?"
III.
Concerning the third it is said: The Lord is in his holy temple, that is, in the faithful soul. If you had received a rich and benign guest into the house of your forefathers, deservedly you would rejoice; why rather do you not rejoice when you receive the Lord into the house of your heart, who is most benign and most overflowing with all graces? Hence the Lord says to Augustine: "I am the food of the great; grow, and you will eat me; nor will you change me into yourself, as the food of your flesh, but you will be changed into me." Since the food that I eat is changed into me and becomes flesh and blood, therefore when here, eating bread and wine, I am changed into him, I become God in a certain way.
Ad recipiendum in hoc templum, necesse est esse mundum. Unde I ad Cor. III, 17: Si quis violaverit templum Dei, disperdet illum Deus. Disperdet, id est, diversimode perdet, vel in diversa perdet. Sed quomodo debet sanctificari? certe per aquam reconciliationis, hoc est, per lacrymosam confessionem et humilem: unde in Psal. L, 9: Asperges me Domine hyssopo. Bene dicis, lavabis me: quia, ut dicitur, jus novum ab alio non potest reconciliari, nisi ab ipso.
IV.
De quarto etiam dicitur: Dominus in templo sancto suo, videlicet, in pia Sanctorum glorificatione. Quod attendens Moyses, Exod. XXXIII, 18 et 19, orabat dicens: Ostende mihi gloriam tuam. Cui respondit Dominus, dicens: Ego ostendam omne bonum tibi. Quasi dicat: Ego ostendam tibi faciem meam, in qua omne quod bonum est, simul invenies. Unde et Jacob exsultans clamat, Genes. XXXII, 30: Vidi Deum facie ad faciem, et salva facta est anima mea. De hoc templo etiam dicit Psal. XXVIII, 9: In templo ejus omnes dicent gloriam.
Nota, quod quatuor genera hominum merito possunt lætari a facie Domini. Primi sunt, qui eum non offenderunt. Secundi sunt, qui eum intime diligunt. Tertii sunt, qui eum filialiter timent. Quarti sunt, qui ei diligenter serviunt.
Sileat a facie ejus omnis terra, etc.
Footnotes:
1 Cf. I ad Corinth. XI, 24 et seq.
For receiving into this temple, it is necessary to be clean. Hence 1 Corinthians 3:17: If anyone violates the temple of God, God will destroy him. He will destroy, that is, he will destroy in diverse ways, or he will destroy into diverse things. But how ought it to be sanctified? Certainly through the water of reconciliation, that is, through tearful and humble confession; hence in Psalm 50:9: You will sprinkle me, Lord, with hyssop. You say well, you will wash me, because, as is said, a new law cannot be reconciled by another, except by that very one.
IV.
Concerning the fourth it is also said: The Lord is in his holy temple, namely in the pious glorification of the Saints. Attending to this, Moses, Exodus 33:18 and 19, prayed, saying: Show me your glory. The Lord responded to him, saying: I will show you every good. As if he were saying: I will show you my face, in which you will find at once everything that is good. Hence Jacob also cries out exulting, Genesis 32:30: I have seen God face to face, and my soul has been made safe. Concerning this temple Psalm 28:9 also says: In his temple all will say glory.
Note that four kinds of human beings can deservedly rejoice before the face of the Lord. The first are those who have not offended him. The second are those who intimately love him. The third are those who filially fear him. The fourth are those who diligently serve him.
Let all the earth be silent before his face, etc.
Footnotes:
1 Compare 1 Corinthians 11:24 and following.
Notes
- Compare 1 Corinthians 11:24 and following. (Cf. I ad Corinth. XI, 24 et seq.) ↩
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