Sermon LIX. On Holy Desires and Continence as Symbolised by the Turtle

"The voice of the turtle is heard in our land."

"The voice of the turtle is heard in our land." My brethren, I cannot dissemble the joy I feel when, now for the second time, I hear Him "who cometh from heaven" speaking of the earth as His home. And He speaks with as much kindliness and familiarity as if He were in truth but one of the children of earth. The Speaker is the Bridegroom, Who after saying that "the flowers have appeared," explicitly added, "in our land"; and here again announces that "the voice of the turtle is heard in our land." Shall we suppose such expressions— I shall not say so unworthy of, but— so unusual with God, to be without special significance? Nowhere, as I believe, does He speak in this way of heaven, and nowhere else of the earth. Consider, then, how sweet a condescension it is that the God of heaven should speak of the earth as "our land." "All you that are earth-born, and you sons of men," attend and see how "the Lord hath done great things for us." He hath done great things for the earth, great things for the Spouse whom He has been pleased to take to Himself from the earth. "In our land," He says. This is not the language of lordship or domination, but the language of fellowship and friendship. The Word is speaking here not as the Lord but as the Bridegroom. What? He is our Creator and does He make Himself as one of us? But it is love that speaks, and love knows nothing of lordship. For this is the Canticle of love and ought to contain no other sentiments than the sentiments of love. God also loves, although the love wherewith He loves is nothing really distinct from Himself. Yea, He loves all the more vehemently for that He is rather Himself substantial Love than possesses love as a quality. And those whom He loves He regards not as servants but as friends. Hence from our Master He has become our Friend. For certainly He would not have called the disciples His friends unless they were so in truth.

Do you observe how even Majesty must yield to love? So it is, my brethren. Love can no more look up to, than it can look down upon, any one. It allows of no distinction between lovers who truly love,¹ but ever brings high and low to an equality in itself. Indeed, not alone does it make them equal, but it even makes them one. Perhaps you have imagined that God is to be excepted from this law of love? But the Apostle tells you that "he who is joined to jthe Lord is one spirit." Why should we be surprised at this, since He has made Himself as one of ourselves? I have not said enough. For He has made Himself not merely as one, but really one of ourselves. He is truly Man. Hence it is that He speaks of "our land," not as a lord but simply as a citizen. And why should He not? It is from the earth He has obtained His Spouse and the very substance of His Body; the Bridegroom Himself is also from the earth, and the '² Two in one flesh" * If Bridegroom and Bride have but one flesh, why not also one home-land? "The heaven of heaven is the Lord's," says the Psalmist, "but the earth He hath given to the children of men." Therefore, the Word as the Son of man has inherited the earth, as Lord He dominates it, as Creator He governs it, and as Bridegroom He shares it with His Bride. For when He speaks of the earth as "our land," He clearly renounces His exclusive proprietorship, and makes Himself a joint-owner. Thus far I have been giving you the thoughts suggested to my mind by the Bridegroom's gracious condescension in using the familiar expression "our land." Let us now see what further lessons can be gathered from the words of our text.

"The voice of the turtle is heard in our land." Taken according to the literal sense, this also is a sign that "winter is past," and that "the time of pruning is come." The voice of the turtle does not sound so very sweet; but very sweet are the things it signifies in the mystical sense. The bird itself does not cost much to buy; yet priceless in value is that which it typifies. Its voice, which mourns rather than sings, reminds us of our banishment. Gladly, my brethren, will I listen to that preacher who seeks not to gain applause for himself but compunction for me. Thou wilt prove thyself a turtle indeed, if thou teachest sinners to mourn. But if thou wouldst bring others to penance, thou must rely less upon thine eloquence and persuasion and more upon the example of thine own compunction. Example is in many things more efficacious than counsel, but it is so especially in this matter. Thou wilt add to thy voice the "voice of power," if thou art known to have first convinced thyself practically of what thou art endeavouring to bring home to thy hearers. The preaching of thy life is more powerful than the preaching of thy lips. Practise what thou preachest, and thus not only shalt thou the more easily convert me, but thou shalt also deliver thyself from no light reproach. For then no one can any longer apply to thee what is said in the Gospel, "They bind heavy and insupportable burdens, and lay them on men's shoulders; but with a finger of their own they will not move them." Nor needest thou then have any fear that it shall ever be said to thee, "Thou that teachest others, teachest not thyself."

"The voice of the turtle is heard in our land." So long as men received for their service of God only the temporal and earthly reward of a "land flowing with milk and honey," they were very far from considering themselves as exiles on earth, very far from mourning like turtles, yearning for their heavenly country. Rather they mistook for their fatherland the place of their banishment, and gave themselves up to eating what was fat and drinking what was pleasant. During all this time, therefore, the voice of the turtle had not yet been heard in our land. But when the promise of the kingdom of heaven was made to them, then men understood that they "have not here a lasting city"; then they began with all eagerness to "seek one that is to come"; and then, for the first time, the voice of the turtle was distinctly heard in our land. For whilst each holy soul was now longing for the presence of Christ, and looking impatiently for the coming of His kingdom, and with sighs and tears saluting from afar her much-desired home in heaven, does it not seem to you, my brethren, that every such soul then on earth was acting the part of a most chaste and mournful turtle? From that time onward the voice of the turtle has been heard in our land. Why should not the absence of Christ excite me to constant tears and daily groanings? "Lord, aU my desire is before^ Thee, and my groaning is not hidden from Thee." "I have laboured in my groanings," as Thou knowest. But blessed is he who can add with the Psalmist, "Every night I will wash my bed, I will water my couch with my tears." But such groanings are familiar "not only to me, but to all them also that love His coming." For this our mourning is the fulfilment of the word of the Lord which He addressed to the disciples of John, "Can the children of the Bridegroom mourn as long as the Bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the Bridegroom shaU be taken away from them, and then they shall mourn."— As if He should say, "and then the voice of the turtle shall be heard in our land."

So it is, sweet Jesus. The days whereof Thou spokest have come. For "the creature itself groaneth and travaileth in pain even till now," "waiting for the revelation of the sons of God." And not alone the irrational creature. For "even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption of the sons of God, the redemption of our body," "knowing that while we are in the body we are absent from the Lord." Nor are such groanings fruitless, since they deserved to receive the merciful response from heaven, "By reason of the misery of the needy and the groans of the poor, now will I arise, saith the Lord." Even in the days of the patriarchs these mourning voices were heard. But they were rare; and each holy soul kept her mourning within herself, saying with the Prophet, "My secret to myself, my secret to myself." Even he who said, "My groaning is not hidden from Thee," plainly implied that his groaning was hidden from all others, since to the Lord alone he declared it to be manifest. At that time, therefore, it could not be said, "The voice of the turtle is heard in our land," because the mourning was still confined to a few and had not yet reached the ears of the multitude. But when that loud cry went forth, "Seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the Right Hand of God," then all began to imitate the mourning turtle, because all had the same motive for mourning. For all then had knowledge of the Lord, according to what is written in the Prophet Jeremias, "All shall know Me, from the least of them even to the greatest, saith the Lord."

But if the mourners be many, why is there but the voice of a single turtle? "The voice of the turtle, so we read. Why not rather "of the turtles "? Perhaps the Apostle gives us the reason where he says that "The Spirit Himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings." So it is, my brethren. The mourning turtle here referred to is the Holy Spirit, Who makes men to mourn. Hence, however many they may be whom we hear mourning, it is always one and the same voice that issues from the lips of all. And why should we not caU that the voice of Him Who forms it in the mouths of mortals according as the necessities of each require? "For the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man unto profit," as the Apostle declares. But hear from Christ Himself in the Gospel that the Holy Ghost has really a voice, "The Spirit breatheth where He wiU, and thou hearest His voice, but thou knowest not whence He cometh and whither He goeth." Yet although Nicodemus, as a dead teacher, instructing the dead in the "letter that killeth," was ignorant of this, we, my brethren, should not be ignorant, we who "have passed from death to life" through' the grace of the vivifying Spirit, and who, enlightened by the same Spirit, and taught by certain and daily experience, feel assured that our desires and our groanings come from Him and go to Him, and through Him find mercy in the eyes of God. For how could -^ God refuse to hear the voice of His own Spirit? "And He knoweth what the Spirit desireth, because He asketh for the saints according to God."

Nor is it for its mourning alone that the turtle is commended; it is also commended for its chastity. It.was indeed by this characteristic that it deserved to be appointed as the ransom for the Virgin's Child. f They carried Him to Jerusalem to offer for Him a

II. / sacrifice, as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons." And although the image of the pigeon³ (columba) is usually employed elsewhere to designate the Holy Spirit; nevertheless, on account of this bird's lustful habits, it would have been unbecoming to offer it as a sacrifice for the Child Jesus, except at an early age, when its instincts were as yet undeveloped. But as the turtle is known to live its whole life chastely, there was no necessity to mention its age at all. Moreover, the turtle is content with a single mate. If it loses the first, it does not seek a second, thereby rebuking even successive polygamy amongst men. The reiteration of marriages may perhaps be excused from serious fault, f inasmuch as it is a remedy for the greater evil of incontinence. Yet it is a shameful thing to stand in need of such a remedy.

It is a shameful thing, I say, that reason and virtue cannot accomplish for man, what natural instinct does for the turtle. You may observe this bird, during the time following the death of its partner, fulfilling with constancy and diligence all the duties belonging to a faithful widowhood. You will find it always alone; you will everywhere hear it mourning. Never can you behold it perched upon any green bough— by which it would warn you to avoid the dangerous bloom of corrupting pleasure.⁴ Besides, it spends most of its time on the high mountain peaks or on the tops of trees,⁵ in order to teach us to despise earthly things and to love the things of heaven, as is especially becoming in persons vowed to the observance of chastity.

From what has been said we may gather that the preaching of continence is also the voice of the turtle. For the counsel of chastity was not known in the beginning, when to the children of Adam it was rather said, "Increase and multiply and fill the earth." Indeed, that turtle's voice would have been heard to no purpose whilst the kingdom of the resurrection had not yet been announced, in which men shall live far more happily than here, though "they shall neither be married nor take wives, for they shall be equal to the angels of God." Or do you suppose, my brethren, that it was then the time for preaching chastity when every barren daughter of Israel lay under a heavy curse? when the patriarchs themselves practised polygamy? when the law obliged a brother to marry his brother's widow? But when from the mouth of the heavenly Turtle there sounded forth that commendation of the "eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven," and when the voice of another most pure turtle was heard throughout the world counselling virginity, then, for the first time, it could be said with truth, "the voice of the turtle is heard in our land."

Therefore, my brethren, if "the flowers have appeared" and "the voice of the turtle is heard in.our land," truth has been discovered both by sight and by hearing. The voice is perceived by the ear and the flowers by the eye. Now, as was said in the previous interpretation, the flowers represent miracles, which, when added to the voice of preaching, engender the fruit of faith. For although "faith comes from hearing," the confirmation thereof comes from sight. The voice has sounded in our ears, the flowers have glittered before our eyes, "and truth is sprung out of the earth" by the confession of believers, whilst words and signs concur in bearing witness to the faith. "Thy testimonies are become exceedingly credible," since the flowers corroborate the evidence of the voice, and the eye that of the ear. Sights and sounds confirm each other, so that the testimony of two witnesses— I speak of the eye and the ear — may obtain credence, according to the word of the Lord. Therefore Christ said to the Baptist's disciples, "Go and report to John what you have heard and seen." He could not have demonstrated to them more briefly and clearly the certainty of the faith. In a short time, the like conviction was spread over the whole earth, and by means of the same compendious mode of persuasion. "Report what you have heard and seen." O truly "abbreviated word"! Yet how "living and efficacious"! Surely it is not with any dubious misgiving I shall proclaim that which I have witnessed with my eyes and my ears. The world listens to the trumpet of salvation, it is dazzled with the splendour of corroborating miracles, and it believes. Men are easily convinced of a doctrine, when they see it confirmed by wonders. So we read in the Gospel that the apostles "going forth preached everywhere, the Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed." We read again how Christ was transfigured on the mount and shone with dazzling brightness, and yet received also from heaven the testimony of the Father's voice. Finally, in the account of His baptism in the Jordan, we have the Spirit, in the form of a dove, manifesting Him to the eye, and the heavenly voice witnessing of Him to the ear. Thus, by the mercy of God, these two, the word and the sign, ever co-operate for the producing of faith, so that truth may find easy admission to the soul through the open windows of sight and hearing.

The Bridegroom continues, "The fig-tree hath put forth her green figs." Let us not eat of such figs, my brethren, for being yet unripe they are not wholesome. They do indeed resemble good figs, but more in outward appearance than in flavour, herein, perhaps, typifying hypocrisy. Nevertheless, we ought not to throw them away, because we may find them useful at another time. They will fall from the branches of themselves, and before the season, "as the grass upon the tops of houses, which withereth before it be plucked up," as the Psalmist says, speaking, I believe, of hypocrites. Nor is it without reason that there is mention made of the green figs in this marriage hymn. Many things besides comestibles have to be provided at a wedding; and if these green figs will not serve as food, they may be useful for some other purpose. And so little to be disregarded or passed lightly over do I judge that purpose, whatever it may be, that I will not attempt to confine the discussion thereof within the time I could now give to it at the close of this sermon. I prefer to postpone it to another day and a freer hour. As to whether this is necessary it will be for you to decide, after you have heard what I shall have to say. And meantime, do not forget to obtain for me by your prayers the power and the opportunity to express what I have in my mind, unto your own edification, and the praise^ and glory of the Spouse of the Church, Jesus Christ' Our Lord, Who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Footnotes

1. "Omnes ex aequo intuentur qui perfecte se amant." "Amicitia pares aut accipit aut facit; ubi inaequalitas est et alterius subjection, ibi non tarn amicitia quam adulation" (St. Jerome, Sup. Michaeam., 1. ii.). "Pietatis custos amicitia est et aequalitatis magistra, ut superior inferiori se exhibeat aequalem et inferior superiori" (St. Ambrose, Offic, 1. iii. c. 15.) — (Translator.) ↩

2. That is, Christ and His mystical Bride, the Church. Or perhaps the Divine and Human natures, as hypostatically united in Christ, which in Sermon XXVII are said to be "Two in one flesh," the Sacred Humanity being regarded as the primary Spouse of the Word. Cf. A Lapide, Proleg. in Cant., c. ii. For although the Divinity is in no sense of the earth, of the earth is Its union with the Humanity, as well as the Humanity Itself. Hence it may be said that the two Natures, as united, are of the earth. In the same sense St. Paul says (Gal. iv. 4), "God sent His Son, made of a woman." Besides, by what is called in theology the "communication of idioms," we may attribute to Christ as He is God properties which belong to Him only as He is Man. — (Translator.) ↩

3. The word "columba," translated by "pigeon" at Luke ii 24 is elsewhere commonly rendered "dove," for instance in this Canticle, i. 14. "• 10."• ^4; and m Matt. m. 16.— ^Translator.).,.. ' t The Saint does not mean that successive polygamy is m itself even venially sinful, as is clear from what he says in Sermon LXVI. He is therefore complaining, not of anything which he considers to be positively evil, but of what he regards as less perfect. — (Trtinslator.)';< ↩

4. The Christian poet Baptista Mantuanus has described these habits of the bereaved turtle in beautiful Latin hexameters, of which the following is a translation:— "When widowed of her mate, the turtle dove Forsakes the pleasant haunts of joy and love, And lives retired. In vain you'll seek her now By sparkling waters or on green-wood bough. Her consort's image, hovering still in sight, Forbids her e'er again to taste delight." In St. Gregory Naziazen's Prayer to the Virgin, these lines occur:— "The turtle seeks no second mate When that her first love dies, But single lives and mourns her fate In never ceasing sighs."—(Translator.) ↩

5. "Nec gemere aeria cessabit turtur ab ulmo" (Virgil, Eclog., 59).—(Translator.) ↩