Selected Sermons, Volume 3

167 A Second on Fasting

SERMON 167 A Second on Fasting1 t is fitting that in the time of fasting the very blessed John comes to us as a teacher of penance: a teacher in word and in deed. A true instructor demonstrates by example what he asserts verbally. The office of teacher depends upon knowledge, but the authority of that of- fice is based on one’s life. Doing what is to be taught makes the listener obey. Teaching by deeds is the sole norm of instruction. Instruction in words is knowledge, but in deeds is virtue. Therefore , that knowledge is true which is combined with virtue. That in fact is divine, and not human, as the evangelist attests when he says: “Which Jesus began to do and teach.”2 When an instructor does what is to be taught, he both instructs by what is heard and trains by his example.3 2. In those days, it says, John the Baptist came preaching in the desert of Judea, and saying: “Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near” (Mt 3.1–2). Do penance. Why not rather: “Rejoice ”? Rejoice rather that divine matters are supplanting human ones, heavenly ones are supplanting earthly ones, eternal ones in place of temporal ones, good instead of evil, security instead of anxiety, blessedness instead of distress, and that which will endure in place of what is destined to perish. The kingdom of heaven has drawn near. Do penance. Certainly let a person repent, let anyone repent who has preferred what is 303 1. The title is reconstructed from Sermon 166 (see CCL 24B.1019; FOTC 17.272–76). The reference to “the time of fasting” in the first section of this Sermon 167 as well as its principal theme of doing penance suggests that it was delivered during Lent. See F. Sottocornola, L’anno liturgico, 125. A. Olivar, Los sermones , 276, notes the possibility that this sermon may have been preached next after Sermon 166, which also has as its theme Lenten fasting. 2. Acts 1.1. 3. On this point, see Sermon 66.9 and n. 24 (FOTC 109.272–73). human to what is divine, who has willed to be a slave to the world rather than have dominion over the world with the Lord of the world.4 Let anyone repent who has preferred perishing with the devil to reigning with Christ.5 Let anyone repent who has fled the freedom of the virtues in his desire to be held captive by the vices. Let anyone repent and do sufficient penance for reaching out to death rather than holding fast to life. 3. The kingdom of heaven has drawn near. The kingdom of heaven is the reward of the righteous, the judgment of sinners, and the punishment for the unrighteous. Therefore, blessed John, who wanted judgment to be averted by penance, wanted sinners not to face judgment, but to receive a reward; he wanted the unrighteous to enter the kingdom, not to suffer punishment . The kingdom of heaven has drawn near. And John sang out that the kingdom of heaven was near at the time when the world, still as a child, was looking forward to growing older. But now we say that the kingdom of heaven is already as near as possible since the world is wearied by extreme old age, is devoid of strength, is relinquishing its members, is losing its senses , is weighed down by afflictions, refuses treatment, is dead to life, is living with diseases, proclaims that it is fading away, and attests to its end!6 4. Therefore, we are more obstinate than the Jews, we who pursue a fleeting world; we forget about the future and direct all our desires toward the present; we have no fear although we are already facing the very moment of judgment; we do not run to meet the Lord who is already on his way; we want death to remain , but do not want the resurrection of the dead; we want to be slaves, but do not want to reign, since we want to delay so great a kingdom for our Lord. What has happened to those words: “When you pray, say: ‘Thy kingdom come’”?7 Therefore, 304 ST. PETER CHRYSOLOGUS 4. Dominationem mundi cum mundi domino. 5. A similar juxtaposition is found in Sermon 155.5 (FOTC 17.264). See also Cyprian, Mortality 18, in FOTC 36, trans. R. J. Deferrari (1958), 214: “.l.l. if there...