First Sermon for the Feast of St. Victor: February 26th

“ When thou shalt sit to eat with a rich man, consider diligently what is set before thy face, knowing that it behoveth thee to prepare the like.’’—Prov. xxiii. 1, 2, juxta LXX.

Brethren, the life and singular glory of St. Victor enkindle in “‘ all who are upright of heart ” (Ps. xciii. 15) the desire not so much to share in his glory, as to imitate his virtues. For to aspire to glory without first practising virtue, to wish to becrowned before one has “lawfully striven ” (2 Tim. ii. 5), betrays not an upright but a perverted heart. “It is vain for you to rise before the light,” sings the Psalmist (Ps. cxxvi. 2). So in truth it is. It is vain for him to endeavour to raise himself to the summit of glory who has not yet begun to shine with the splendour of virtue. It is vain for the foolish virgins to rise to meet the Bridegroom when their lamps are extinguished (Matt. xxv.). And they are called foolish virgins for no other reason, as it seems to me, than because they glory in their empty lamps, having in them none of the oil of virtue. “ But God forbid that I should glory ” (Gal. vi. 14) save with the glory of them at whose happiness the Prophet rejoices and says to the Lord, ““ They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance, and in Thy name they shall rejoice all the day, and in Thy justice they shall be exalted” (Ps. lxxxviii. 16). And he adds, “ For Thou art the glory of their virtue” (ibid. 17), thus commending very beautifully, not their own glory, but “ the glory of their virtue.” For the glory that springs not from virtue is glory undue; to desire it would be rash, to accept it would be dangerous. Virtue is the ladder whereby we must mount to glory. Yea, virtue may becalled the mother of glory. Glory “is deceitful and beauty is vain’”’ (Prov. xxxi. 30) unless they have their source in virtue. It is to this alone that glory is due by right and rendered without danger.

St. Victor lacks neither virtue nor glory. But it will be worth our while to ascertain how and in what order he came to be possessed of the two. He strove courageously and manfully conquered, and thus deserved to be “ crowned with glory and honour ” (Ps. viii. ©). So brave a warrior, so modest a victor : how could he have remained without glory ? But not even “in the day of his virtue ” (Ps. cix. 3) was glory wanting to him, for his signs and prodigies had already made him wonderful in the eyes of all. Most dearly beloved, we shall find in the life of St. Victor not only what is worthy of our admiration but also what we may imitate with profit. I admire that miracle by which he obtained wine in the wilderness, not from grapes, but from the waters of a fountain. I am filled with wonder and astonishment to find that, whilst as yet but an infant in his mother’s womb, he was already a source of terror to the terrible demons ; for even then they had a foreknowledge of what he was to be and called him by his name. Nor was that name an empty title, since the unborn babe was proved a real victor by the flight of the enemy and the testimony wrung from them. Who again can help wondering to behold a thief suddenly possessed by the devil and delivered, repentant, almost immediately, at the prayer of the man of God? And who does not consider it to be a matter worthy of all wonder and admiration that a man, still clothed with the flesh of his mortality, pierces the heavens with his gaze, fixes his carnal eyes on the Supernal Splendour, “sees the visions of God”? (Ezech. i. I), is consoled with the music of angelic songs and instructed by angelic tutors? These and such like prodigies are recorded in the life of the Saint, rather to be admired than to be imitated. And not without reason do I say we must not desire to imitate them, because on the one hand they are not necessary to secure our salvation, and on the other, we cannot aspire to them without exposing our salvation to serious risk. It is much safer to emulate the saints in the things which appear more solid than in those which appear more sublime, in what appertains less to glory than to virtue.

Therefore, my dearest brethren, let us strive to imitate St. Victor in his virtues, since we cannot, even if we would, imitate him in his miracles. Let us strive to imitate him in his abstinence and in his fervent charity ; let us imitate him in his sweetness of disposition, in his purity of body, in his custody of the tongue, in his innocence of soul. Let us learn from his example to govern our temper, to guard our speech, to give less time to sleep, to pray oftener, to ‘‘ admonish one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles ” (Col. iii. 16), to add our nights to our days in the divine service, and to occupy all our time with singing the praises of God. Let us “ be zealous for the better gifts ” (x Cor. xii. 31). Let us learn of Victor, because, like His Master, he was “‘ meek and humble of heart” (Matt. xi. 29). Let us imitate him, I say, in his charity towards the poor, in his hospitality towards strangers, in his patience with sinners, in his kindness to all. For these are the “better gifts.’’ In these we have the pattern to which we should be conformed, whilst the miracles contain the glory which overpowers us. The miracles give us joy, but the virtues give us edification ; the former excite our wonder, but the latter help to bring us on our way. Let us feast, most dearly beloved, for we have been invited to a rich man’s table (Prov. xxiii. I), to a table “ abounding with bread” (Luke xv. 17) and laden with spiritual delicacies. Can you doubt that he is a rich man, who supports us by his example, protects us by his merits, gladdens us by his signs? Rich unquestionably he is, at whose solemn banquet to-day angels and men are assembled together, the former to participate in the delights and the gladness, the latter to obtain new strength and courage for their heavenward journey. For a life such as his that is filled with good works may be justly regarded as a well-furnished table. But every kind of food found thereon is not intended for all without distinction : each of the guests is expected to take only what he perceives will be good and suitable for him.

As for me, following the wholesome counsel of the Wise Man, I will “ diligently consider what is set before my face’’ (Prov. xxiii. 1). I am cautioned to take what is mine and not to touch that which belongs to others (Matt. xx. 14). I will not stretch out my hand to the glory of the miracles, lest by attempting to appropriate what has not been assigned to me from. above, I should deserve to lose even that which I seem to have obtained. I will not imitate Victor by lifting up my eyes to penetrate the secrets of heaven, lest, “ overwhelmed with glory’’ (Prov. xxv. 27), I should have to turn away my gaze in confusion, and begin ‘too late to recall that other counsel of the Wise Man, “Seek not the things that are too high for thee, and search not into things above thy ability” (Ecclus. ili. 22). I see them setting on the table new wine made from water which has blushed under the blessing of the man of God : I will not touch it, however, because I know it is not destined for me, since I have not the like power of changing the elements and transforming the natures of things. I notice too at the table of Victor that miracle by which he heard the angelic songs : shall I therefore expect that to me also it shall be given to hear the heavenly choirs, or at any rate to see before me the apocalyptic ““ harpers harping on their harps ” (Apoc. xiv. 2)? Victor, whilst yet living in the flesh,commanded the demons, and after departing this life delivered a captive from the chains that bound his body. There are more meats on the rich-man’s table, but they are not placed there for my use: they have a delightful savour, certainly, but my soul will not touch them (Job vi. 7), because I am poor and should not be able to “‘ prepare the like” (Prov. xxiii. 2, juxta LXX). But if I “diligently consider,” I ‘shall see before me on the table of the Saint an impartial strictness in judging self, a faithful observance of discipline, a mirror of sanctity, a pattern of life, the image of every virtue. Meats of this kind I can take without presumption and assimilate with profit ; and if I in my turn neglect to prepare the like they shall be sternly demanded back.

Let me tell you further what kinds of food I may rightly consider to be servedformyuse. If I am offered “the bread of sorrow ” (Ps. cxxvi. 2) from the table of the rich man, I will accept it with all confidence, “for I am needy and poor’’ (Ps. Ixxxvi. 1). Then “my tears shall be my bread day and night” (Ps. xli. 4), and I shall “mingle my drink with weeping” (Ps. ci. 10). Such is my portion, because I have committed crimes worthy to bewept for. Nor, as I think, shall I weary of this food, since “‘ He Who added knowledge” of my offences unto me, ‘‘ added also sorrow” (Ecclus. i. 18, juxta LXX). Moreover, should I find any examples of temperance, of justice, of prudence, or of fortitude: these I shall help myself to without the least hesitation, as knowing that I shall have to “ prepare the like.” Yes, my brethren, I shall have no doubt that such meats are destined for me and will be reclaimed from me. Surely we do not suppose that signs and wonders will be exacted from us, that we should be solicitous to ‘‘ prepare the like’’ for our rich host. For they are only the dishes intended to adorn the table of the rich man who has invited us: they are not the meats provided for the poor. Do thou, therefore, that art invited, ‘‘ consider diligently ’’ and discriminate between what he has destined for thy use and what is set forth merely to enhance his own state. For thou must not imagine that everything placed on the board is meant for thee. What if wine should beset before thee in a golden goblet? The wine is offered for thy use, but not the goblet: drink the wine, but replace the cup. So the father of the family, whilst commu-

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FOR THE FEAST OF ST. VICTOR "109 nicating examples of good works and models of conduct - to those of his household, reserves to himself exclusively the glory of his miracles. But in both the one and the other we ought to glorify Him by Whose grace the saints live holily and by Whose power they work wonders, Who Himself liveth and reigneth one God ‘in Three Persons for ever and ever. Amen.