Third Sermon for the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul: On the Two Classes of Sinners, and on the Motives for Confidence to be Found in the Conversion of the Two Great Apostles

“ These weve men of mercy whose justices have not been forgotten : good things continue with their seed: their posterity are a holy inheritance.’’—Ecclus. xliv. 10-12.

Not without good reason, my brethren, does Mother Church apply to the holy apostles what is said in the Book of Wisdom, “These were men of mercy whose justices have not been forgotten : good things continue with their seed ’’(Ecclus. xliv. I, 11, juxta LXX). For ‘“ men of mercy ” they are in truth, whether in the sense that they have obtained mercy, or in the sense that they are full of mercy, or in the sense that they have been given to us through the mercy of God. See how they obtained mercy. Inquire of Paul concerning himself, or rather listen to hisspontaneous acknowledgment, where he says, “ I was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and contumelious, but I obtained the mercy of God ” (x Tim. i. 13). Who indeed has not heard what sufferings he inflicted on the saints in Jerusalem ? And not alone in Jerusalem but throughout all Judaea _ did he rage with unbridled fury, burning to rend the members of Christ “ that are upon the earth’’ (Col. iii. 5). Under the influence of this madness, he set forth for Damascus, but was prevented from his purpose by the grace of God. He set forth, “ breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of 210

FOR THE FEAST OF SS. PETER AND PAUL arr the Lord ” (Acts ix. 1), and of a sudden became himself a disciple of the Lord, a disciple to whom the Lord was to show “ how great things he should suffer for His name’s sake ” (ibid. 16). He set forth exuding deadly poison from his whole person and in an instant was changed into “a vessel of election ” (ibid. 15), so that his “ heart eructated the good word ”? (Ps. xliv. 1), “ Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” (Acts ix. 6). Undoubtedly, “ this was the change of the right hand of the Most High ” (Ps. lxxvi. 11). And Saul assuredly had reason to say, “ A faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation: that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners of whom I am the chief ” (xr Tim. i. 15). Dearest brethren, let the example of the blessed Paul give you confidence and consolation, so that, being now converted to the Lord, you may no longer be excessively tormented by the consciousness of your past sins, but only humbled, as was he when he said, “ I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to becalled an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God” (xr Cor. xv. 9). Yes, dearest brethren, so “ be you humbled under the mighty hand of God ” (x Peter v. 6), and be of good cheer, for you also have obtained mercy, you also have been washed from your sins and sanctified (1 Cor. vi. 11). St. Paul’s example is a source of comfort to us all, because we “all have sinned and do need the glory of God” (Rom. iii. 23).

But I have another example to propose to you, not in the person of St. Paul, however, but in St. Peter, one more precious than the preceding, because one more rare, and as sublime as it is singular. Paul sinned, no doubt, yet he “did it ignorantly in unbelief” (x Tim. i. 13). Peter, on the contrary, sinned with his eyes wide open. Furthermore, “where sin abounded, grace did more abound” (Rom. v. 20). For with regard to those who fall before they have knowledge of God, before they have experience of His tender mercies, before they have borne His sweet yoke and His light burden (Matt. xi. 30), before they have received the grace of devotion and the consolation of the Holy Spirit : with regard to such, I say, there is “a plentiful redemption ” (Ps. cxxix.). And to this class, my brethren, we all of us belong. But there is a second class of sinners, of whom only very few, as you will find, recover the state of grace, whilst the others, already filthy, ‘‘ become filthier still’? (Apoc. xxii. rr). It is over these the Prophet makes his lament : “ How is the gold become dim, the finest colour changed? . . . They that were brought up in scarlet have embraced the dung ” (Jer. Lam. iv. 5).

Nevertheless, we ought not to despair even of such as these, provided they are willing to rise again and at once from their fall. For the longer they delay the more difficult they shall find it to recover. “‘ Blessed is he that shall take and dash thy little ones, O Babylon, against the rock ” (Ps. cxxxvi. 9) : because if they are allowed time to grow strong, it will be very hard to master them, “‘ My little children, these things I say to you that you may not sin: but ifanyman sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Just” (x John ii. 1), Who is able to do what is quite impossible to us: only let not him that has fallen add to his first fall the evil of a second and greater fall, but rather an immediate resurrection (Ps. xl. 9), firmly trusting that he shall not be refused pardon if only hec onfesses his fault with sincere sorrow. For if he of whom I am now speaking, the Apostle Peter, attained to such a height of sanctity after so terriblea fall, who can any longer despair of forgiveness, provided he has the good will to forsake his sins ? Consider what the Evangelist ‘says of Peter after his fali : “ And going forth, he wept bitterly ” (Matt. xxvi. 75). Recognise in the going forth the confession of the mouth, and compunction of heart in the bitter weeping. Consider also that it was then for the first time “ he remembered the word of Jesus ”’ (ibid.), that it was then for the first time the word which predicted his fall gained access to his heart, when his presumptuous temerity was at last driven out. Woe to thee, who, after falling, showest thyself to us more obstinate than ever! Why wouldst thou be so unyielding unto thine own destruction ? Rather oughtest thou to bend in order the better to be lifted up, and that which has been twisted out of shape thou shouldst suffer to be broken so that then it may be the more perfectly put right again. Wherefore art thou indignant with the cock for reproving thee ? It is rather against thyself thine indignation should be kindled. “ Thou shalt set aside for thine inheritance,’’sings the Psalmist, “a free rain, O God, and it was weakened ” (Ps. Ixvii. 10). O happy weakness, which is “ set aside for the inheritance,” and which does not repel the physician’s hand! With regard to the obdurate, “ with a rod of iron,” says the Prophet, addressing God, “ Thou shalt break them in pieces like a potter’s vessel ” (Ps. ii. 9) ; whilst as for the inheritance, that is to say, the elect: “it was weakened, but Thou, O Lord, hast made it perfect ” (Ps. lxvii. 10).

Dearest brethren, you have now heard what mercy our two apostles obtained, so that none of you ought henceforth to be unduly troubled at the thought of his past transgressions, sorrowing over them upon the bed of his conscience (Ps. iv. 5). Why should he? It may be thou hast sinned, my brother, whilst living in the world: but hast thou sinned more grievously than St. Paul? I will even suppose thou hast sinned after coming to religion : but was thy sin more heinous than the sin of St. Peter ? Now, both of these, by devoting” themselves to penance with all their hearts, attained not only to salvation, but even to high sanctity, yea, they were commissioned to minister to the salvation of others and to teach the rules of perfection. Therefore, “go and do thou in like manner ™ (Luke x. 37). For it is to encourage thee that the Scripture speaks of them as “men of mercy,” because, namely, of the greatness of the mercy which they merited to receive.

It is possible, however, as I said before, to understand this phrase in two other senses. The apostles can, without impropriety, becalled “ men of mercy,” either because they are full of mercy or because they have been mercifully bestowed upon the universal Church. For we know that these men neither lived for themselves nor died for themselves “‘ but unto Him Who died for them ” (2 Cor. v. 15), or rather they lived and died for the sake of us all from love to Him. Oh, how much shall not their justice profit us, if even their sins have helped us so! Their life, their doctrine, even their death, have all conduced to our advantage ; for by their conduct they have taught us continence, by their preaching they have taught us wisdom, and by their sufferings patience. There is a fourth benefit, which even to this day these “men of mercy ” have not ceased to confer upon us, I mean the fruit of their holy prayers. And if you examine their lives, you will find yet another benefit to be added to our list in the confidence which they inspire us with by working so many miracles. And who shall enumerate all the favours . we have received through their intercession? Well, therefore, does Holy Scripture say of them, “These were men of mercy,” adding “ whose justices have not been forgotten.”

Do you desire, dearest brethren, that your own justices also may not be forgotten? If so, be on your guard against a threefold danger, and they shall flourish for ever before the Lord. You have read the. words, “ Because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will begin to vomit thee out of My mouth ” (Apoc. iii. 16). You have read these also, “ If the just man turn himself away from his justice, and do iniquity according to all the abominations which the wicked man useth to work, shall he live? All his justices which he had done shall not be remembered: in the prevarication by which he hath prevaricated and in the sin which he hath committed: in them he shall die ” (Ez. xviii. 24). And you have read the answer that shall be given to some at the judgment : “I never knew you ”’ (Matt. vii. 23), to such, doubtless, as shall have already received their reward (Matt. vi. 2). Consequently, every justice that is tepid, every justice that . isinconstant, every justice that is requited in this world, shall be forgotten before God. This was not the case with the justices of the apostles, as appears evident from what follows in my text : “ Good things continue with their seed.” For even to our own time their footprints remain amongst us, and the religion which they preached, being from God, can never be destroyed. We read that the very clothes worn by the Israelites in the desert were preserved intact for the space of forty years (Deut. viii. 4): with how much greater reason have the apostolic garments, laid upon the Saviour’s beast of burden, been preserved from the injuries of time! “ Good things continue with their seed,” says the Wise Man. Now, what are we to understand by “their seed,” because he immediately adds, “ Their nephews* are a holy inheritance ”? (Ecclus. xliv. 12) ? Evidently “ their seed ” and “ their nephews ” signify the same. You remember, my brethren (for you to whom I speak are well acquainted with the law) : you remember, I say, that legal prescription requiring a surviving brother to raise up seed to his brother who died without children (Gen. xxxviii. 8, Deut. xxv. 5). Now, who is he that died without children ? Listen: “I am alone,” says Christ by His Prophet, “ until I pass ” (Ps. cxl. 10). And so after His resurrection He said to Mary Magdalen, “ Go to My brethren and tell them, etc.” (John xx. 17). Asif He should say, “ They are My brethren: tell them to do for Me what brothers are bound to do for a brother that dies leaving no seed.” Therefore the apostles have begotten us by the Gospel (x Cor. iv. 15), not for themselves, however, but for Christ, because by the Gospel of Christ. Hence it was that St. Paul was displeased to find some of the early Christians calling themselves after those who had begotten them by the Gospel ; and he severely rebuked such as were saying, “ I indeed am of Paul, and I am of Apollo, and I am of Cephas,” because he desired that all should be and should becalled “ of Christ ” (x Cor. i.). Therefore, we, my brethren, are in truth the seed of the apostles as having been converted by their preaching ; but by adoption and . by our right to a participation in the inheritance we aré the seed of Christ and the nephews of Christ’s brothers, the holy apostles.