The Homilies of Saint Jerome, Volume 1 (1–59 on the Psalms)

45. Homily 45 On Psalm 132 (133)

HOMILY 45 ON PSALM 132 (133) IJ]EHOLD' HOW GOOD it is, and how pleasant, where brethren dwell at one!' The psalmist mentions two D qualities of the common dwelling of brethren, good and pleasant. Martyrdom is good, but it is not pleasant, for it consists in suffering and sorrow; in torture there is always pain, and in pain there is certainly no pleasure. 'Behold, how good it is, and how pleasant.' On the other hand, sensuality is pleasant. Eating rich foods, for example, seems to be pleasant, for it may incite sensual desire. The prophet, then, has predicated two attributes, possibly contradictorygood and pJeasant-which he has reconciled into one characteristic : Behold how good and how pleasant. 'Pleasant where brethren dwell at one'-brothers in mind and heart, not in body. Esau and Jacob were brothers, and their living together was the cause of their discord; hence, 'brothers' here does not mean brothers in the flesh, but brothers in the spirit, brothers in the sense that the Savior implied when He said to the women: 'Go take word to my brethren.'! 'Behold, how good it is, and how pleasant, where brethren dwell at one!' This psalm is truly the psalm of convents and monasteries. It may even be applied to the churches, although , because of the great diversity in personal interests on the part of the members, there does not in the Christian assembly appear to be the same degree of harmony. Actually, what kind of fraternity do we find there? Usually, one mem1 John 20.17; cf. The Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary l5, PL 23.208 (222). 333 334 SAINT JEROME ber is in a hurry to go home, another to the circus; another, all the while he is in church, is planning how he will invest his money. In the monastery, however, there is one aim and, as it were, one soul. 'Behold, how good it is, and how pleasant , where brethren dwell at one'-truly good, truly pleasant. We have lost one brother, and behold how many we have gained! My brother, a layman, (I am not speaking of myself, but for each of you) does not love me as much as he loves my property. Spiritual brothers, on the other hand, who assuredly have no use for their own possessions, are not looking for another's. We read in the Acts of the Apostles that 'the multitude of the believers were of one heart and one soul. And they had all things in common.'Z In truth did they possess all things in common, for they had Christ in common. We have touched on many points, but we must hasten to the rest of the psalm. 'It is as when the precious ointment upon the head runs down over the beard,. the beard of Aaron.' Oh, if only there were time to explore together each verse; even a day would not suffice! We have read in ExodusS the account of how oil is prepared for the anointing of the priest; we have read, too, of the different kind of balm used to anoint kings. There was still another unguent for prophets. What more is there to say? All these oils of unction were different, each with its own spiritual symbolism. Do we have the proper reverence for sacramentals? After a leper has been cleansed-when he has been sprinkled with hyssop and the blood of a hen, and a hen has been set to wander in the desert-he also has his own proper ointment. Nothing is ever made sacred except by anointing. It is with this in view that young maidens say in the Canticle of Canticles: 'Your name is a spreading perfume : we will run after you in the odor of your ointments.'4 'It is as when the precious ointment upon the head runs 2 Cf. Acts 4.32. 3 Cf. Exod. 3. 4 Cf. Cant. 1.2, 3. HOMILY 45 335 down over the beard, the beard of Aaron.' Aptly said: 'upon the head.' It 'runs down over the beard.' The beard is the sign of manhood, for by this sign nature has distinguished man from woman. It is, therefore, a token of virility.5 The head symbolizes divinity, that is, the Godhead; the beard designates man. 'Until,' Scripture says, 'we attain to perfect manhood,'6 that is, Christ. Now see what the prophet means when he says...