Evening Collation

Let the earth bring forth the green plant, et cetera (Gen 1:11).

The Most High has raised from the earth two remedies for us: the green plant and the fruit-bearing tree (Gen 1:11).

We have spoken about the plant, which is the Blessed Virgin.

Now it remains to speak about the fruit-bearing tree, the tree of the Cross of our Lord, which is to be venerated. We have begun the solemn days of his Cross. (See above note at the beginning of this sermon.) It is very suitable to connect these two remedies, because the green plant has brought forth our salvation, whereas the fruit-bearing tree has sustained the plant and has exalted it. For the Son of God became obedient to death, even death on a cross (Phil 2:8), and it follows: because of this he has exalted him (Phil 2:9). (ST III.49.6.) Hence it says in the Gospel that Jesus’ mother stood at the foot of the Cross (John 19:25). (She (and other believers with her) wants to abide with him because he sustains her (us) during her (our) life on earth (cf. ST III.46.3) and will exalt her (us) in the end (cf. ST III.57.6).)

Let us look at this tree. It seems that Moses describes three things concerning that tree: (1) its appearance, (2) its adornment, and (3) its fruit. If you seek its appearance, it is wood; its adornment: it bears many fruits; what it produces: it produces fruit.

1. First, I say, if you seek the appearance of this wood, I say it is wood. That wood really befits our remedy, for three reasons: (1.1) it befits the wound, (1.2) it befits the healing of it, and (1.3) it befits the healer.

1.1. First, the wood of the Cross befits our remedy, because it befits the wound. The human race is wounded by wood, because the first man ate from the forbidden wood and therefore the divine Wisdom found the medicine from wood. (Cf. Romans 5:18–19, 1 Corinthians 15:21–22. See also note in section 1.1 on decens. God is so wise that he takes the remedy from the thing that harmed us; things created can be abused but are not therefore intrinsically evil (cf. ST I.2.3, ad 1, and 49.1).) The human race is wounded because of disobedience, since the first man stole a fruit from the forbidden wood. The new man has placed himself, as a salutary fruit so to speak, back onto the wood. The psalmist says: did I pay what I have not stolen? (Ps 69:5). (The basis of this line of thought is Thomas’s understanding of justice as “giving back what is due.” The pride of the first human being was that he was not obedient to God but wanted to be like God (ST II-II.163.2). Only someone who was free of this sin, that is, someone who had not “stolen” what properly belongs to God, could take away the guilt and the punishment by being more than obedient, by voluntarily “paying back” more than what was due, that is, by abundance (ST III.46.4; III.48.2).) He has given himself back to the wood, so that he would recompense the injury and bring the remedy. (It was salutary because it was an act of obedience that counteracted the disobedience of the first homo: Romans 5:19; cf. ST III.47.2.) Hence we read in Wisdom 14:7: blessed the wood by which justice comes about.

See, we are going to compare wood with wood. Scripture says three things about the forbidden wood. The woman, who saw that the wood was (1.1.1) good to eat from and (1.1.2) beautiful to the eyes and (1.1.3) delightful to look at, has taken from the wood and eaten it (Gen 3:6).

1.1.1. First, I say, that wood is good to eat from, and, because of this, it is suitable for being nourished. Contrary to this, the wood of the Cross teaches the mortification of the flesh. Hence it is said: your princes have destroyed it. (It is not really clear from where this quotation has been drawn: probably from Jeremiah 44:21, for here the words principes vestri (“your princes”) are connected with sacrificing something, that is, giving something up for God. The contexts of Deuteronomy 29:10 and Acts 3:17 and of Psalm 23:7 (Vg; in the version of the Psalterium Romanum) make it quite unlikely that Thomas refers to any of these verses here.)

Moreover, the former is the wood of death. The Apostle says: if you live according to the flesh, you will die (Rom 8:13). But the wood of the Cross, on the contrary, has made us alive by mortifying the flesh. The Apostle says: Christ has died once for our sins, the just for the unjust, so as to offer us to God; made dead in the flesh, yet made alive in the Spirit (1 Pet 3:18). Likewise, the Apostle says: if you made the flesh die in accordance with the Spirit, you will live (Rom 8:13). (Thus mortification is nothing like suicide (ST II-II.64.5) or hatred of the body; it is training yourself to live a life in the Spirit of Jesus Christ for the sake of your well-being now and in the hereafter. So love of God and yourself, rather than hatred, is the motive. Fasting is a virtuous form of mortification of the body: it puts a check on our desires, makes our minds free to contemplate higher things, and is penance for our sins: ST II-II.147.1.)

1.1.2. Second, there was worldly beauty in the forbidden wood. Thus it says in Genesis 3:6: she saw the wood, that it was beautiful to the eyes.

But Isaiah 40:6 [calls to our mind that]: every glory of it is like the flower of the field. A flower has the beauty and the glory of the world, but it is cursed, because through its beauty people are drawn to damnation. Job 5:3 reads: I have seen a foolish man with a strong root, and I have cursed his beauty.

On the contrary, the wood of the Cross has shame. Hence it was written for that time in Deuteronomy 21:23: cursed by God is the one who hangs on the wood. (See also Galatians 3:13.)

See that it says that it was beautiful to the eyes of Adam and Eve, and that it was praised for this.

First, for the knowledge, of which the serpent said to them: you will be like gods, knowing good and evil (Gen 3:5). Hence it was called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:9).

There are some goods which man does not use in an evil way, for instance, virtues. (See Peter Lombard, Sentences, bk. 2, d. 27, ch. 1, p. 480 (PL 192:714); see also Aquinas, In II Sent. 27.1.2; ST I-II.55.4.) But having the skill of dealing with material things is not the same as having virtues. (Cf. ST I-II.63.2–4.) Some have an abundance of goods of the world and often they use them in an evil way. That wood had a visible beauty, whereas the wood of the Cross had the disorder of foolishness. Hence the Apostle says: we preach the crucified Christ: for Jews yet a scandal, for Gentiles even foolishness (1 Cor 1:23).

But the beauty of the first wood is completely changed into shame. Thus it says in Hosea 4:7: I will completely change their glory into shame. The shame of the Cross, however, is completely changed into glory. Thus it says in Ezekiel 17:24: I, the Lord, have brought low the lofty wood and I have exalted the low wood.

See how the wood of the Cross is exalted. (On the vigil of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (the 14th of September) in the Dominican order, second prototype, as read in Hystoria exaltationis sancte Crucis in the new lectionary of three nocturns (Rome, Santa Sabina AGOP XIV L 1, f. 216vb–217ra). Thomas explains the origin of this Feast (cf. note in subtitle).) Chosroes, king of the Persians, had taken that wood as a captive so to speak, from Jerusalem, and it was brought back to Jerusalem by Heraclius. And because of the memory of that glory we speak to the present day of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The Cross is always exalted, because the Lord strengthens the just ones (Ps 37:17). Augustine says in a commendation of the holy Cross: the Cross is not used to punish people any more, and yet it remains; we find it from those condemned (who make the sign of the cross when they pray), to the crowns of emperors. (Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms, on Psalm 36, sermon 2, para. 4 (CCSL 38:350; PL 36:366).) And Chrysostom says: the Cross shines in crowns of kings everywhere, on the armor of soldiers, (St. John Chrysostom lived from about 349 to 407. Thus he is not referring to knights of the Cross, who were around in Thomas’s time, but to soldiers of the Roman Empire who, since Emperor Constantine (after 325), were fighting for a Christian empire.) on sacred altars, and kings receive a cross when they give up their crowns. (Chrysostom, Against Jews and Pagans That Christ is God (PG 48:824), according to Nicetas, Catena on Luke. See also Aquinas, Catena Aurea on Luke, at 23:33, ch. 23, lect. 5; ST III.46.11, resp.)

Thus the wood of the Cross is exalted. The Lord will exalt it even more. Hence it says in Matthew 24:29–30: sun and moon will be darkened, and they will see the sign of the Son of man in the sky, which is the wood of the Cross. And Chrysostom says that the Son of man would never appear after the sun and the moon are darkened, if the Cross were not brighter than the rays of the sun. (Chrysostom, Homily on Matthew, homily 76 [77] (PG 58:698): tunc apparebit signum Filii hominis in caelo, hoc est crux, sole luculentior existens. Si tamen ille quidem obtenebratur et occultatur, hic autem apparet. Non profecto apparet nisi multo solaribus radiis luculentior esset; “then there will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven; this is the cross, appearing brighter than the sun. If he, nevertheless, is indeed darkened and concealed, yet this will appear. Certainly it will not appear unless it is much brighter than the rays of the sun.” See also Aquinas, Catena Aurea on Matthew*, at 24:29, ch. 24, lect. 7.)*

1.1.3. Moreover, that wood had delight. Thus it says in Genesis 3:6: it was delightful to look at. The delight of the flesh is not a true delight, since it is more about bitterness than about delight. Hence Solomon says: I considered a laugh foolishness, and I said to joy: ‘why do you deceive yourself in vain?’ (Eccl 2:2)

On the contrary, the wood of the Cross had the sting of bitterness, which is signified in 2 Samuel 23:7 where it says: he will be armed with a sword and the wood of a lance. And the apostle Peter: because Christ suffered in the flesh, you too must be armed with the same mindset (1 Pet 4:1).

This sting of bitterness turns into sweetness, which is signified in Exodus 15:23–24, where it is said that the children of Israel arrived at bitter waters: the Lord ordered Moses to throw a piece of wood in, and the waters became sweet. If the just suffer adversities, the wood of the Cross makes these sweet (cf. Gal 2:19–20, Col 1:24). The Cross even makes you glory in adversity, as the Apostle says: I do not glory unless in the Cross of our Lord (Gal 6:14). And James 1:2 reads: brothers, consider it total joy when you fall into temptations of different kinds.

And why? Because of the consideration of the Cross. (Cf. ST III.46–50. In ST III.46.3, Thomas expounds how abundant the fruit of this tree is for us.) The Apostle says in Hebrews 12:3: reflect on him, who for us took upon himself such opposition from sinners, when he was counted among the robbers (cf. Isa 53:9, Matt 27:38). So, what should we consider evil, if he took contradictions on? Thus the wood of the Cross befits the wound.

1.2. Furthermore, it befits the healing. Look in Sacred Scripture: where there was a danger, the remedy was given through wood. The first evil of man occurred when Adam was thrown out of Paradise (Gen 3:23–24).

What was the remedy? The wood of life (cf. Rev 22:2). But, because he could not approach the wood of life (cf. Rev 2:7), he could not have the remedy. Thus the Lord has said: see that he does not take from the wood of life (Gen 3:22)—but Christ has taken up the wood for us. Hence it is written: the wood of life, who would take hold of it? (Prov 3:18) (Cf. ST I.102.5.)

Another danger was in the destructive flood (Gen 6–8). The remedy came by means of the wood of the ark. If you are in a destructive flood, in the streams of this age, take refuge with the wood of the Cross. The psalmist says: if I walk in the midst of the shadow of death, (I fear no evil, for you are with me); your rod and staff—of the Cross that is—will console me (Ps 23:4); by the Cross I am delivered and led to [the Lord’s] guidance.

Again, the people of Israel were in danger when they were oppressed by the Egyptians (Exod 1:8–22). The remedy came by means of wood, since Moses struck the Egyptians with a rod (Exod 7–12); the rod divided the sea (Exod 14: 16, 21).

If you are attacked by hostile spirits, take refuge with the wood of the Cross. It says in 1 Samuel 4:7 that the children of Israel fought against the Philistines and that the ark of the Lord was brought into the camp. And the Philistines groaned, saying: ‘woe to us,’ because the ark of God came into the camp. The ark was made of wood that could not rot (cf. Isa 40:20). The psalmist recalls: those who live in the borderlands became confused by your signs (Ps 65:9).

Those who are overcome, fear the banner of their enemy, and since the demons are overcome by Christ, (Cf. ST III.49.2, referring to John 12:31.) they fear his banner, which is the wood of the Cross. Hence the Church sings: behold the wood of the Cross; (Antiphon of vigil of adoration of the Holy Cross (Rome, Santa Sabina AGOP XIV L 1, f. 401va).) flee, enemy parties. (Response 4 in the Second Nocturn of the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Rome, Santa Sabina AGOP XIV L 1, f. 303va). The words are taken from the so-called St. Antony’s Brief (St. Anthony’s Letter). A Portuguese woman tormented by evil spirits was determined to drown herself in a river. As she stopped for a last prayer at a shrine in honor of St. Antony, she received from him a piece of paper with a text (either during her prayer or after she had fallen asleep). As long as she had this text with her, she was cured. Copies of the text spread during the 13th century and it became very popular. The complete text, based on Revelation 5:5, reads: ecce crucem Domini. Fugite, partes adversae. Vicit Leo de tribu Iuda, Radix David. Alleluia (“Behold the cross of the Lord. Flee, enemy parties. The Lion from the tribe of Judah has conquered, the Root of David. Alleluia.”).) So the wood befits the wound and the healing.

1.3. Third, it befits the healer, because Christ is exalted by the wood of the Cross. Thus it is even written: the Son of man must be exalted (John 3:14). But how is he exalted? Surely as a warrior. Hence what is said in Numbers 24:17 befits him: a rod will rise from Israel, and it will bring the kings of Moab to naught. The Apostle says: he has thoroughly plundered the principalities and powers (Col 2:15). So the wood of the Cross is like a triumphant chariot: it is the thing that elevates Christ. Thus it is like the sedan chair of Solomon (cf. Song 3:9); it also is like the rod that guides the people, as the psalmist says: the rod of guidance, the rod of your kingdom (Ps 45:7). (See Aquinas, Commentary on the Psalms*, at 45:7, n. 466.)* Thus Christ is exalted like a warrior (cf. 1 Cor 15:54–57).

Moreover, he is exalted as a teacher in his seat of instruction. (See Aquinas, Commentary on John, at 19:26, ch. 19, lect. 4; Catena Aurea on John, at 19:26, ch. 19, lect. 8, on the letter from Augustine, Tractates on the Gospel of John, tract. 119, para. 2 (CCSL 36:658; PL 35:1950). See also ST III.46.4; Commentary on Hebrews, at 12:3, ch. 12, lect. 1. See also Augustine, Sermon 234, para. 2 (PL 38:1116); Sermon 315, para. 5 (PL 38:1430). Christ teaches from the Cross, a metaphor derived from Augustine (cf. the corpus of ST III.46.4), obviously chosen in view of the academic audience.) Concerning this exaltation he says: when I am exalted from the earth, I will draw all things to myself (John 12:32). (Since the Cross coincides in this way with the Crucified, the Cross must be venerated as Christ himself: ST II-II.103.4, ad 3; III.25.4.)

2. Let us take a look at the adornment of the wood. The adornment of a tree is that it be loaded with fruits. (Cf. the hymns Vexilla regis prodeunt, for Lent, and Thomas’s own Pange lingua gloriosi (from the Vespers of the Feast of Corpus Christi).) And of this wood it is said that it is fruit-bearing. Well, then, which are his fruits? It says in Song of Songs 7:14: I have served you all fruits, old and new. The old fruits are the prefigurations that refer to the wood. Hence we read in Hosea 9:10 about these fruits: I have seen all their fathers as the first fruits. (Thus the old fruits are the believers of the Old Covenant: Abraham, Moses, David, and others.) The new fruits, which are they? In Deuteronomy 33:13–15, in the blessing of Joseph, mention is made of three fruits: (2.1) the fruits of heaven, (2.2) the fruits of sun and moon, and (2.3) the fruits of eternal hills.

2.1. Which are the fruits from heaven? The members of Christ are. The Cross was adorned with the members of Christ, (The Rhythmica oratorio is attributed by some to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (12th century), by others to Arnulf of Louvain (13th century), both Cistercians. It contains seven meditations of Christ on the Cross, each one focusing on one member or pair of his members: the feet, knees, hands, side, breast, heart, and face. The text had already spread during Thomas’s lifetime (cf. the corpus of ST III.25.4). It became very popular over the years. It has been set to music several times, for example, by Dietrich Buxtehude (ca. 1637–1707): Membra Iesu nostri.) just as a tree is adorned with fruits; not only with the physical members of Christ’s body, but with those of his mystical body, (1 Corinthians 12:12–27; cf. ST III.8.1.) of whom it is fitting to say: with Christ I am crucified (Gal 2:19). About these fruits it is said in Song of Songs 5:1: may my beloved enter his garden, in order to eat the yield of his fruits. (See also Song of Songs 4:16.)

2.2. Furthermore, the fruits of sun and moon are examples of virtue, (Cf. Daniel 12:3, Matthew 13:43; 1 Corinthians 15:41–42.) which Christ has shown on the Cross. (Cf. ST III.46.3–4. The virtues mentioned in this section are discussed in ST II-II.23–27 (love), 161 (humility), 104 (obedience), and 136 (patience).)

You have the example of love from Christ on the Cross, because he loved us and gave himself over for us (cf. Gal 2:20). And in John 15:13 we read: no one has a greater love than someone who lays down his life for his friends. (In section 2.3 we find how Christ on the Cross has taught us faith and hope as well: the three theological virtues.)

Again, he has shown us an example of humility, because he has humbled himself (Phil 2:8).

He has also given the example of obedience, because he became obedient (ibid.) to the Father.

And he has taught us the example of patience, for when he was cursed, he did not curse (1 Pet 2:23).

These are the fruits of the enclosed valleys, of which we read in the Song of Songs (6:11): I have come down into my garden, in order to see the fruits of the enclosed valleys.

2.3. The fruits of the eternal hills, what are they? I say that they are the writings of the teachers who are imbued with wisdom. The psalmist says: yet you come from the eternal mountains, shining in an amazing way (Ps 76:5).

You will find some teachers who instruct you in the faith; and Christ on the Cross has taught us (In the corpus of ST III.46.4, Thomas cites Augustine, with reference to Ephesians 3:18.) faith, saying: my God, my God, why have you abandoned me? (Matt 27:46) (See also Mark 15:34. It is an exclamation of faith, not of despair, according to Thomas: Christ is calling upon God, believing that God the Almighty can save him; cf. Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew, at 23:46, ch. 27, lect. 2, n. 2382.) He shows that the humanity has suffered, yet not because of powerlessness of the divinity. (Cf. ST III.46.12: Christ did not suffer insofar as he was God; divinity is incompatible with undergoing (pati) anything (such as change or suffering).)

Likewise, you will find teachers who show the way to hope; and Christ on the Cross showed the way to hope when he said to the thief: today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43).

Likewise, you will find teachers who teach patience. Christ has done this on the Cross as he said: Father, forgive those, for they do not know what they do (Luke 23:34).

Likewise, you will find some teachers who incite to devotion; and Christ has done this on the Cross as he said: Father, into your hands I commend my spirit (Luke 23:46). (Cf. ST II-II.82.)

Likewise, you will find some who give instructions on how to live a human life together; and Christ has done this on the Cross, because he has shown his mother what ought to be, and in a similar way the disciple, as he said: ‘woman, behold your son.’ Then he said to the disciple: ‘behold your mother’ (John 19:26–27). These are the fruits of the eternal hills which are mentioned in the Song of Songs 4:13: the things you are bringing forth are a paradise-garden of pomegranate trees bearing fruits. So it is the wood of fruits.

3. Now, there are trees that have flowers and fruits all the time (cf. Ezek 47:12). In a similar way the tree of the Cross has flowers all the time. See that the wood of the Cross has produced a triple fruit: (3.1) the fruit of cleansing, (3.2) the fruit of sanctification, and (3.3) the fruit of glorification.

3.1. First, I say that the wood of the Cross has produced the fruit of cleansing, because through the Cross we are liberated from sins. (ST III.49.1.) Hence St. Peter says: he has borne our sins on the wood (1 Pet 2:24). Isaiah 27:9 says about this fruit: this is all the fruit, so that sin may be taken away.

3.2. Second, the wood of the Cross has produced the fruit of sanctification, of which Romans 6:22 says: you have fruit in sanctification. Of what does sanctification consist? It makes someone cling to the Cross. It is also true that man, alienated from God through sin, is reconciled through Christ. (ST III.61.3; cf. II-II.81.8; III.62.6, obj. 2; III.63.6, obj. 2.) Thus we read in Romans 5:10: we are reconciled with God through the death of his Son. Job 22:21 reads: be quiet for him and hold your peace; in this way you will have the best fruits, namely, the fruits of the Spirit: love, peace, joy (Gal 5:22). And Christ suffered outside the city walls in order to sanctify us (Heb 13:12) (ST III.46.10: He suffered outside the Temple and outside the city walls, so that not only the Jews but all God’s people in the whole world would be sanctified.) by the wood. So the ministers of the Church use the sign of the Cross in any sanctification.

3.3. The third fruit of the Cross is the fruit of glorification, about which we read in John 4:36: he who reaps, gathers the fruit for eternal life. And in Wisdom 3:15 it says: the fruit of good works is glorious. This fruit is gained through the Cross, as was said. Through sin mankind is excluded from paradise, and therefore Christ has suffered on the Cross, so that through the Cross the gate from the earthly things to the heavenly things would be open. (ST III.49.5.) Hence the Cross of Christ is signified by the ladder that Jacob saw. As we read in Genesis 28:12, Jacob saw the ladder, and its top touched the heavens, and he saw angels ascending and descending, and the Lord leaning on the ladder. All the saints go up to the heavens by the power of the Cross. (ST III.57.6, obj. 2.) Hence the Apostle says: by reason of the blood of the Cross we trust that the saints will go in (Heb 10:19), et cetera.

We will ask the Lord, et cetera.