Funeral Orations

FIRST ORATION

FIRST ORATION i\1E HAVE BROUGHT HERE, beloved brethren, my sacrifice in the person of my lord and brother Satyrus, an untainted victim and one pleasing to God. I was mindful that he was subject to death and the thought was not false, but grace has abounded beyond measure.1 Consequently, far from complaining, I even have reason to thank God. For my desire has ever been that, in any troubles awaiting either the Church or me, they should fall rather upon me and my household. Thanks be to God, therefore, that in the present state of universal apprehension, when barbarian invasions make for every sort of misgiving,2 my personal sorrow has put an end to public grieving, and there has been visited upon me the kind of calamity that we were fearing for all. I only wish that this has been fully accomplished here, namely, that my sorrow is the price paid for ransoming the people from their sorrow. (2) I have considered nothing, dear brethren, in human relationships more priceless than such a brother, nothing worthier of my affection, nothing more dear. But public 1 Cf. 1 Tim. 1.14. 2 The barbarian peril referred to would seem to be the threatened invasion of the Goths in 377 If. Cf. Faller, op. cit. 85··88·. 161 162 ST. AMBROSE concerns come before personal matters. Were someone also to sound my brother's sentiments, it would be discovered that he would prefer to be slain for others than to live for himself, since for that reason Christ according to the flesh died for all, so that we might learn to live not for ourselves alone.3 (3) Furthermore, I cannot be ungrateful to God. For it should be a cause for joy that I had such a brother rather than a source of sorrow for having lost him. For to have had him was a gift; to have lost him was the price to be paid. Hence, so long as it was permitted, I enjoyed the loan entrusted to me. Now, He who deposited the loan has withdrawn it. There is no difference between swearing that no loan has been made and grieving because it has been returned. In either case, faith wavers and salvation is in peril. If refusal to repay a debt is a fault, is refusal to make a sacrifice an act of virtue? Granted a lender of money can be tricked out of his wealth, the Author of nature, who lends us our kinsmen, cannot be cheated. The greater the amount of the sum loaned, the more handsome must be the interest to be paid on the capital. (4) Hence, I cannot be ungrateful over my brother. He has given back only what is common to nature and he has merited the reward which belongs to grace alone. For who can raise objection to a condition universal in application? Who can grieve because a security especially dear to him has been taken away, when for our comfort the Father delivered His only Son unto death for US?4 Who should fancy that he ought to be exempted from dying, if he has not been exempted from being born? It is a great mystery of divine love that not even Christ was exempted from bodily death and that, even though Lord of nature, He did not object to the law of the flesh which He had taken upon Himself. I must die. For 3 Cf. 2 COT. 5.15. 4 Cf. Rom. 8.32. ON HIS BROTHER, SATYRUS: I 163 Him there was no such necessity. Could not He who said of a servant: 'If I wish him to remain until I come, what is it to thee?'5 have Himself remained alive if He had so wished? But by his continuance in this life, he would have lost his reward and nullified my sacrifice. What greater comfort have we, therefore, than the fact that even Christ died according to the flesh? Or why should I weep excessively over my brother, so long as I know that the divine love of Christ could not die? (5) Why should I be the one to show more grief for my brother than all you other mourners? I have dissolved my personal grief in the public sorrow, especially since mine is of no avail, while yours builds up faith and provides comfort. You who are wealthy mourn, and by your mourning you show that accumulated riches are no...