Liturgical Homilies (17, 21, 22 and 32)

Liturgical Homilies (17, 21, 22 and 32)

§ 1

ON THE MYSTERIES OF THE CHURCH AND ON BAPTISM.

Our Lord has opened up for us the sweet spring of Baptism, and has given our race to drink of the sweetness of life im- mortal. By the heat of iniquity our mind was withered, and its fruits had dropped off; and He sprinkled His gift as dew and watered our soul. The grievous thirst of death had slain our body; and He buried it in the water, and life teemed in its mortality. The rust of passions had defaced the beauty of our excellence; and He turned again and painted us in spiritual colours which may not be effaced. Cunningly He mixed the colours for the renewal of our race, with oil and water and the invincible power of the Spirit. A new art the Chief Artist put forth ; that men should be depicting men without draftsman- ship. An invention that had not been the divine nod dis- ὁ covered, that without seed man should beget (children) from the midst of the water. Where ever had the like been done or achieved—that the bosom of the waters should bring forth without wedlock? Who ever heard that kind should bring forth that which was not its kind, as now a senseless nature (brings forth) the rational? Even though the waters brought forth creeping things and birds: that water has brought forth man has never been heard. This is a wonder, and, as we may say, full of astonishment, that the womb of the water should conceive and bring forth babes full grown. It is altogether a new thing, and great is the lesson given therein, that within an hour should be accomplished the period of conception and _

birth. Outside the order that is set in nature does its order — a

proceed ; and it is not trammelled with a growth that is gradual. 1 Or, ‘immaterially’ (<=504 w<\n).

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Come, O hearer, listen to the wonder of the new birth, the conception whereof andthe bringing forth are accomplished in one hour. Come, O beholder, look upon the painter that paints babes: and while yet the word lingers in the mouth (the birth) has come forth from the womb. Come, thou that art prudent, and discern and mark well the power of the Divinity that

bestows strength on things feeble. Come, ye mortals, and look - upon a nature full of mortality that puts off its passions in Baptism and puts on life. Come, let us examine exactly the mystery of our renewal; and let us learn concerning the power that is hidden in the visible waters. Come, let us draw near to the priesthood, the salt of the earth; and let us see how it seasons man with things spiritual. Let us enter with it (the | priesthood) whither it is entering to make atonement; and let us bend our mind and hearken to the voice that speaks with it. Let us hearken how the power of the Spirit speaks with it and teaches it to bestow power upon common water. With it a hidden intimation is interpreting the hidden mysteries, and expounding them openly with the voice before the hearers. The workmanship of the new birth it performs before it (the priesthood), and shews it how to depict a spiritual image.

The priest is like a pen to the hidden Power; and in Its hands he writes the three names over the water. O writer, that writes the Spirit upon a weak tablet, and the ink of his words is not effaced by the liquid waters! How great is thine art, O mortal, and no man knows how to examine it for its greatness. QO how slender is the pen of thy mind to depict the mysteries! and (yet) there is no painter that is able to copy thy drawings. O thou priest, that doest the priest’s office on earth in a manner spiritual, and the spirits may not imitate thee! O thou priest, how great is the order that thou ad- ministerest, of which the ministers of fire and spirit stand in awe! Who is sufficient to say how great is thine order, that hast suppressed the heavenly (beings) by the title of thine authority? The nature of a spirit is more subtle and glorified

than thou; yet it is not permitted to it to depict mysteries p. 343 _ like as it is to thee. An angel is great, and we should say he is greater than thou, yet when he is compared with

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thy ministry he is less than thou. Holy is the seraph, and beauteous the cherub, and swift the watcher: yet they cannot run with the fleetness of the word of thy mouth, Glorious is Gabriel, and mighty is Michael, as their nanie testifies: yet every moment they are bowed down under the mystery which — is delivered into thy hand. On thee they are intent when thou drawest near to minister, and for thee they wait, that thou wouldst open the door for their Holies. With voices fraught with praise they stand at thy right hand; and when thou hast celebrated the Mysteries of thy redemption they ery out with praise’. With love they bow beneath the Will that is concealed in thy mysteries; and they give honour to thee for the office that is administered by thee. And if spiritual impassible beings honour thine office, who will not weave a garland of praises for the greatness of thine order? Let us marvel every moment at the exceeding greatness of thine order, which has bowed down the height and the depth under its authority. The priests of the Church have grasped authority in the height and the depth; and they give commands to heavenly and earthly beings. They stand as mediators between God and man, and with their words they drive out iniquity from mankind. The key of the divine mercies is placed in their hands, and according to their pleasure they distribute life to men. The hidden Power has strengthened them to perform this, that by things manifest they may shew His love to the work of His hands. He shewed His love by the mystery which He delivered to them of earth, that men to men might be shewing mercy by His gift. The power of His gift He delivered into the hand of the priests of the Church, that by it they might strengthen the feebleness of men who were in debt by sin. The debt of mankind the priest pays by means of his ministry ; and the written bond of his race he washes out with the water and renews it (sc. his race). As in a furnace he re-casts bodies in Baptism; and as in a fire he consumes the weeds of mortality. The drug of the Spirit he casts into the water, as into a furnace; and he purifies the image of men from

ΕἼ have little doubt that there is here an allusion to the story about the assistance of angels at the Mysteries supposed to have been related by St Chry- sostom, and which is referred to also in A (cf. p. 7, note 1).

ΑἹ »

ON THE MYSTERIES OF THE CHURCH AND ON BAPTISM 49

uncleanness, By the heat of the Spirit he purges the rust _ of body and soul; and instead of clay they acquire the hue οὔ. 344 heavenly beings. The vat of water he prepares, he sets, in the likeness of a furnace; and then he draws near and reveals _the power of his art. With fair garments he covers his body outwardly, and the raiment of the Spirit adorns his soul within. Completely adorned he stands before the beholders, that by his adornment he may reveal to men concerning the things that are about to be (done). He becomes as a mirror to the eyes of his _ fellow-servants, that they may look upon him and conceive the hope of being glorified. A mark he sets before their eyes by the garments that are upon him, that they may be aiming to be adorned spiritually. This he teaches by the adornment that is upon his limbs: that the mystery which is (administered) by his hands clothes with glory him that approaches it. In his hands is placed the treasure of life that is concealed in the water; and unless he draw near and distribute it it is not given. He holds out the key of his word (and) opens the door of the gift; and by (his) word he distributes presents to the King’s servants. He also stands as it were by the sea, after the likeness of Moses ; and instead of a rod he lifts up his word over the dumb (elements). With the word of his mouth he strikes the waters, like the son of Amram; and they hearken to his voice more than to the voice of the son of the Hebrews. They hearkened to Moses, yet when they hearkened to him they were not sancti- fied. To the priest of the Church they are obedient and acquire sanctification. The Israelite did but divide the sea: the iniquity of his people he did not suffice to cleanse by the power of his miracle. To the priest that great (miracle) belongs— and there is naught to compare with it in the things that have come about—which gives the power of forgiving iniquity to senseless things. His gaze is lifted up to that nod which created the creation ; and from it he learns how to create a new creation. He also imitates the fashion (of Him) that brought into being the world; and he makes a voice to be heard like unto that which cried out in the world in the beginning. Like the Creator he also commands the common water, and instead of light there dawns from it the power of life. The voice of

C. 4

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the Creator created the luminaries from nothing; and he from something creates something by the power of the Creator. Not his own is the creation which he creates in the bosom of the water; but it belongs to the nod (of Him) that created creation p. 345 out of nothing. That Command which ‘said, and there were made’ things rational and senseless: the same commands by him, and men become a new being. That word which the waters heard, and brought forth creeping things: the same they hear from the mouth of the priest, and bring forth men. Greater is the fruit they bring forth now than that (former), by how much rational man is of more account than dumb things. As a seed he casts his word into the bosom of the waters; and they conceive and bring forth a new, unwonted birth. With words of spirit his mouth converses with the dumb (elements), and they receive power to give life to that which is rational. The dumb (elements) hear a new utterance from rational beings, like that utterance which Mary heard from Gabriel. He (the priest) also causes a goodly gospel to fall upon the ears of men, like to that hope which the watcher preached at the birth of the Son. In his office he fills the place of the watcher: and better than the watcher; for he gives hope to them that are without hope by the voice of his words. Betwixt the Divinity and men he stands as mediator, and by his words he ratifies the condition of each party. With anguish he entreats the Hidden One—who is hidden, but revealed by His love—and the power from Him comes down unto him and gives effect to his words, | With the name of the Divinity, the three Names!, he con- secrates the water, that it may suffice to accomplish the cleans- ἢ ing of the defiled. The defilement of men he cleanses with water: -yet not by the water, but by the power of the name of the Divinity which there lights down. The power of the Divinity dwells in the visible waters, and by the force of His power they dissolve the might of the Evil One and of Death. The Evil One and Death are undone by Baptism; and the resurrection of the body and the redemption of the soul are preached therein. In it, as in a tomb, body and soul are buried,

* The Mosul ms has ‘three hypostases’ (qendmé).

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and they die and live (again) with a type of the resurrection _ that is to be at the end, It (Baptism) fills for men the office _ of the grave mystically ; and the voice of the priesthood (is) as __ the voice of the trump in the latter end. In the grave of the water the priest buries the whole man; ___and he resuscitates him by the power of life that is hidden in _ his words. In the door of the tomb of Baptism he stands equipped, and he performs there a mystery of death and of the

resurrection. With the voice openly he preaches the power of p. 346

what he is doing—how it is that a man dies in the water, and turns and lives again. He reveals and shews to him that is being baptized in whose name it is that he is to die and swiftly come to life.

Of the name of the Divinity he makes mention, and he says three times: ‘Father and Son and Holy Spirit, one equality.’ The names he repeats with the voice openly, and thus he says: “Such a one is baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit. And he does not say ‘I baptize, but ‘is baptized’; for it is not he that baptizes, but the power that is set in the names. The names give forgiveness of iniquity, not aman; and they sow new life in mortality. In their name he

_ that is baptized is baptized (and buried) as in a tomb; and they call and raise him up from his death.

Three times he bows his head at Their names, that he may learn the relation—that while They are One They are Three. With a mystery of our Redeemer he goes into the bosom of the font (lit. ‘of baptism’) after the manner of those three days in the midst of the tomb. Three days was our Redeemer with the dead: so also he that is baptized:—the three times are three days”. He verily dies by a symbol of that death which the Quickener of all died; and he surely lives with a type of the life without end. Sin and death he puts off and casts away in Baptism, after the manner of those garments which our Lord departing left in the tomb.

1 Cf. supra (B, p. 44): ‘The priest does not say, I sign, but, Is signed.’

2 This appears to be copied from St Cyril of Jerus. Catech. xx 4, We find the same symbolism applied in A (p. 23) to the three bows made by the priest during the liturgy.

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As a babe from the midst of the womb he looks forth from the water; and instead of garments the priest receives and embraces him. He resembles a babe when he is lifted up from the midst of the water; and as a babe every one embraces and kisses him. Instead of swaddling-clothes they cast garments upon his limbs, and adorn him as a bridegroom on the day of the marriage-supper. He also fulfils a sort of marriage-supper _ in Baptism; and by his adornment he depicts the glory that is prepared for him. By the beauty of his garments he proclaims

p. 347 the beauty that is to be: here is a type, but there the verity which is not simulated. To the Kingdom of the height which is not dissolved he is summoned and called ; and the type depicts beforehand and proclaims its truth. With a type of that glory which is incorruptible he puts on the garments, that he may imitate mystically the things to be. Mystically he dies and is raised and is adorned ; mystically he imitates the life immortal. His birth (in Baptism) is a symbol of that birth which is to be at the end, and the conduct of his life of that conversation which 15 (to be) in the Kingdom on high. |

In the way of spiritual life he begins to travel; and, like the spiritual beings, he lives by spiritual food. His mystical birth takes place in a manner spiritual; and according to his birth is the nourishment also that is prepared for him. New is his birth, and exceeding strange to them of earth; and there is no measure to the greatness of the food with which he is nourished. As milk he sucks the divine mysteries, and by degrees they lead him, as a child, to the things to come. A spiritual mother (se. the Church) prepares spiritual milk for his life; and instead of the breasts she puts into his mouth the Body and Blood. With the Body and Blood the Church keeps alive the sons of her womb ; and she reminds them of the great love of her betrothal, Her betrothed gave her His Body and His Blood as a pledge of ἡ life, that she might have power to give life from her life. He expounded to her that by the food of His Body He quickens her children, through the parables which beforehand He composed symbolically. He styled the sacrifice of His Body the fatted ox; which He sometime sacrificed on the day of the return of 3 one of her children, That which is written in the story of the —

ON THE MYSTERIES OF THE CHURCH AND ON BAPTISM 53 erring one (sc. the Prodigal) has been fulfilled in her children ; _ for His love has gone forth and received them in Baptism. With love and mercy He has gone forth to meet them, and received and embraced them as dead men returned to life. The force of His parables He has explained and revealed before their eyes; p. 348 _ and He has made them to rejoice with spiritual meat and drink. He has given as a pledge the ring of which the power of the Spirit spoke'; and He has clothed them with the glorious robe of Baptism. He sacrificed Himself who was fatted spiritually ; and He has made them to eat food in the eating whereof life is hidden. He has shod them with the goodly race of the conduct of life, that they should not stumble in the treacherous path of mortality. He has summoned and called the heavenly ones on the day of their (men’s) renewing, and has made them (the angels) to rejoice that were sorrowing over their offences. The womb of the waters has brought them forth spiritually; and the power of His grace has filled up and made good their needs. Watchers and men were glad, yea, are glad, at their repentance : that the words of the parables have been joined to performance. Heaven and earth are rejoiced that they have returned to their Father, and have recovered the plot of their possessions of which they had been plundered. The devils had wickedly plundered the inheritance of men ; and there arose one Man, and He pleaded the cause and convicted them. Just judgment He pleaded with the deceitful ones, and snatched from them the spoil which they had robbed from the house of His Father. By Adam did the Deceiver, who sows error in the world, lead (men) astray; and a Son of Adam was jealous and avenged the wrong of all His race. Great jealousy did He put on in wrath for the sake of His fathers ; and He consented to die, that they should not be styled slaves of the evil ones. As an athlete He went down to the. contest on behalf of His people; and He joined battle with Satan, and vanquished and conquered him. On the summit of Golgotha He fought with the slayer of men, and He made him a laughing-stock before angels and men. With the spear of the wood He overthrew him, and cast him down from his confidence: with that whereby he had hoped that death should enter in he

1 Lit. ‘said’: I suspect some corruption in the text here.

il Όν τῆ μμρορ-΄΄

OCCT μομῆν eG) was smitten and pierced. Over the death of men the arrogant-— minded was boasting; and by the death of one Man his — boasting came to naught. One Man died on the cross on behalf of mortals: and He taught them to travel by the way οὗ His death and His life. His death and His life men depict in

p. 349 Baptism; and after they have died with Him they have risen and have been resuscitated mystically. In the new way of the resurrection of the dead they travel with Him; and they imitate upon earth the conduct of the heavenly beings. By the food of His Body they drive out death from their bodies; and with His living Blood they give their minds to drink of life. Body and soul they nourish with the food of His Body and His Blood; and Satan and Death they conquer by the power of His gift. By the power of His gift they have washed and been sanctified from their debts, and have gained power to fight against passions. They that were clothed with passions have put on hidden power from the water; and they have begun to defy the foe, that they may trample upon his power. ΑΒ. athletes they have gone up from the vat of Baptism; and watchers and men have received them lovingly. The tidings of their victory earthly and heavenly beings have shouted ; and the devils have heard and trembled and been dismayed at the new voice. The height and the depth have woven garlands for them by the hands of men; for they have seen that they have conquered (in) the great battle with the strong one. Gifts, high above their labours, they have received from the King; and ° gloriously has He honoured them beyond (their) power. In the midst of His secret palace He has made them to recline; and the table of life immortal He has set before them. A beauteous bride-chamber He has fitted on earth for a type of that which is above, that they may delight therein mystically unto the end. A sanctuary He has built Him wherein they may sanctify His holy Name, until they are lifted up to the holy of holies that is hidden in the height. Priests He has chosen for it that they may minister therein holily, and instead of sacrifices offer the sacrifice of the Mystery of His Son. The Mystery of His Son — they offer every hour before His good-pleasure; and by it they | ᾿ atone for the iniquity of men who call upon His name. The

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silver of His word He has placed in their hands by way of

inducement?, that they may trade withal (and gain) possessions

τς of spiritual life. Men are re-casting men as in a furnace, and

| purging from them the hateful alloy of hateful wickedness. A beauteous colour they acquire on a sudden from the midst of the water; and more than the sun burns the light of their minds. Beams of light come into the world through the light that is in them, and the world is illumined with the p. 350 beauteous rays of their conduct. They suck the Spirit after the birth of Baptism; and according to the birth is also the nourish- ment that is high and exalted. Like young birds they lift up the wings of their conduct, and enter and rest in the fair nest of Holy Church.

As an eagle the priest hovers before them, and prepares the food of perfect age for them to be nourished withal. The living sacrifice he prepares, he sets before their eyes; and he summons

- them to examine it with affection of soul. A dread mystery he begins to depict spiritually; and he mixes his words as paints before the beholders. With the pen of his word he draws an image of the Crucified King; and as with the finger he points out His passion, also His exaltation. Death and life his voice proclaims in the ears of the people; and forgiveness of iniquity he distributes, he gives, in the Bread and the Wine. A mystery of death he shews first to mortal man; and then he reveals the power of life that is hidden in his words.

As for one dead he strews a bed with the sacred vessels ; and he brings up, he sets thereon the bread and wine as a corpse. The burial day of the King he transacts mystically ; and he sets soldiers on guard by a representation. Two deacons he places like a rank (of soldiers), on this side and on that, that they may be guarding the dread Mystery of the King of kings. Awe and love lie upon the faculties of their minds while they

1 Syr. ZAWS sus. The same expression is found in vol. ii p. 145 (D),

and <oiis=s p. 150. In both these passages the word AWS is coupled with the verb -ἶ ἄν ‘to incite,’ ‘induce.’ In ii 193 the above phrase is coupled with the verb m=, and appears to mean ‘by means of arguments.’

The phrase evidently admits of several modifications of meaning, and above its force may be simply ‘as a means,’

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look intently upon the bread and wine, as upon the - King. With bright apparel they are clothed exteriorly upon had a bodies; and by their garments they shew the beauty of their minds. By their stoles (oraria) they depict a sign of the heavenly beings that were clothed in beauteous garments at ‘the temple of the tomb. ‘Two angels the disciples saw in the tomb of our Lord, who were attending the place of His body ἃ though it were His body (itself). And if spiritual beings in fear honoured the place of His body, how much more should corporeal beings honour the Mystery that has honoured them ?

p. 351 After the manner of the two watchers the two deacons are standing now to hover over the Mysteries.

The priest fills the place of a mouth for all mouths; and as a mediator his voice interprets in secret. He calls upon the Hidden One to send him hidden power, that he may give power in the bread and wine to give life. He turns the gaze of all minds towards that which is hidden, that they may be looking upon secret things by means of things visible. .

‘Let your minds be aloft, he cries and says to them of earth.

And they answer: ‘ Unto Thee, Lord, who art hidden in the height.’

He recites and says what is the cause of the gazing aloft, and why he calls men to take part with him. ‘Look,’ he says, ‘O men, upon the offering of the sacrifice which is for you, which the Divinity accepts with love on behalf of your lives. Look steadfastly upon the bread and wine that are upon the table, which the power of the Spirit changes into the Body and Blood. See the outward things with the outward senses of © your members, and depict things hidden by the hidden faculties of your minds. Recall your deaths by the sign that is full οὐ . death and life, and praise and magnify Him that sets power in things feeble.’

As with a signet they seal his words with their voices: — ‘Meet and right and becoming and holy is the sacrifice of our life,’ ᾿

As (with) a pen he mics the words with the tip of his tongue; and they subscribe with the saying: ‘Yea, they are —

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true. They bear witness to the words (uttered) on their behalf; and with Amen for a signet they seal the mystery of their life. The deed of confession he inscribes, writes, with his words; and they become sureties (saying): ‘ Yea, we will pay the debt of praise.’ With the voice openly they pay (the debt of) praise that is (recorded) in his writing; and he carries it to the Divine good-pleasure. With the oblation the priest sends up the prayer of the people, and he sanctifies it (sc. the people) by the participation of the living Mystery. With great earnest- ness he prays for himself and for all men, that his word may be an acceptable sacrifice before the Most High.

He imitates the spiritual beings by his words while he is making supplication; and holily he teaches the people to cry ‘Holy.’ The utterance of sanctification of the heavenly beings he recites to men, that they may be crying: ‘ Holy, Holy, Holy, p. 352 Lord.’

That saying which the seraphim cried three times—the same he utters in the ears of the people at the hour of the Mysteries. Like Isaiah he also is in anguish when he utters it, remembering how greatly the vileness of men has been advanced. The meaning of that which the prophet saw mystically he (now) discerns in the reality by faith. A coal of fire Isaiah saw coming towards him, which the seraph of fire held in a hand of fire. It touched his mouth—though in truth it did not touch it—and blotted out the iniquity of his body and his soul in truth. It was not a sensible vision that the seer saw; nor did the spiritual one bring towards him a material coal. An intimation he saw in the coal of the Mystery of the Body and Blood which, like fire, consumes the iniquity of mortal man. The power of that mystery which the prophet saw the priest interprets; and as with a tongs he holds fire in his hand with the bread. He fills the place of the seraph in regard of the people— even as (the seraph was) in regard of Isaiah—and by his actions he blots out iniquity and gives life. The seraph of spirit did not hold in his hand the vision of spirit?: and this is a marvel

1 These phrases seem to be intended only as an interpretation of the people’s

answer, ‘meet and right.’ 2 Sc. the coal, the mystic symbol of the Eucharist.

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—that a hand of flesh holds the Spirit. The swift-winged did — not suffice to bring the food into the belly: and the gross οὗ body stretches forth his hand even unto the faculties (of the ὦ soul), Zi Body and soul he nourishes with the food of power of the — Mystery; and from (being) mortal he makes men immortal. —

His voice does away the authority of Death from mortals; and “a

the dominion of the Evil One it looses (and) removes from mankind. With food the Evil One slew us in the beginning and made us slaves; and by food the Creator has now willed to quicken us. By the hand that plucked the fruit in Eden wickedly—by the same He has reached out to us the fruit of life wisely. In Adam He cursed us and gave us for food to gluttonous Death; and by a Son of Adam He has opened to us the spring of His sweetness. In our very nature He performed His will and shewed His love, that that saying in which He called us His image might be confirmed! for us. To us He

p. 353 gave to set the Pledge of life in our mortality; that according to our will we might minister to ourselves by the power of His will. By the power of His will the priest distributes life in the Bread, and drives out iniquity and makes the Spirit to dwell in the midst of the members (of the body). The power of the Spirit comes down unto a mortal man, and dwells in the bread and consecrates it by the might of His power. O marvel, that, whereas He is the Spirit with which everything is filled, until the earth-born commands He does not approach! O gift, which, though given from the beginning, is not received until a son of dust makes entreaty! He is the Spirit, with all and in all, in the height and the depth: and He is hidden and concealed, and the priest points Him out by his words.

To the height above he spreads out his hands with his nina and he summons Him to come down and perform the Rn ; of his soul. Not in (His) nature does the Spirit, who does not move about, come down: it is the power from Him that comes down and works and accomplishes all. His power lights down upon the visible table, and bestows power upon the bread and ~

1 Reading saheha instead of λσπ ἀνε,

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wine to give life. His power strengthens the hand of the priest that it may take hold of His power; and feeble flesh is not burned up by His blaze.

A corporeal being takes hold with his hands of the Spirit in the Bread; and he lifts up his gaze towards the height, and then he breaks it. He breaks the Bread and casts (it) into the Wine, and he signs and says: ‘In the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit, an equal nature.’

With the name of the Divinity, three hypostases, he com- pletes his words; and as one dead he raises! the Mystery, as a symbol of the verity. In verity did the Lord of the Mystery rise from the midst of the tomb; and without doubt the Mystery acquires the power of life. On a sudden the bread and wine acquire new life; and forgiveness of iniquity they give on a sudden to them that receive them. He (the priest) makes the Bread and Wine one by participation, forasmuch as the blood mingles with the body in all the senses (of man). Wine and water he casts into the cup before he consecrates, p. 354 forasmuch as water also is mingled with the blood in things created.

With these (elements) the priest celebrates the perfect mysteries; then he makes (his) voice heard, full of love and mercy. Love and mercy are hidden in the voice of the word of his mouth; that the creature may call the Creator his Father. In the way of his voice run the voices of them that are become obedient, while they are made ready to call the hidden Divinity ‘Our Father.’

O incomprehensible gift to men! who have received for naught the name (of Him) for whose name the world is not sufficient. ‘Our Father,’ the sons of dust call the Fashioner of all, while they ask of Him holiness and the Kingdom of the height. May Thy holy name be hallowed in us, O Maker of all; and may the pledge of life without end be made sure to us. They ask at once for sanctification, and the help of the Spirit, and the will of the Hidden One, and the daily ration, and

1 This does not refer to the ‘elevation’ of the Host: the Syr. word méqim is not employed in the sense ‘lift up’; it means here to ‘raise (from the dead).’ If the elevation were meant the word mérim would be used.

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forgiveness of iniquity. By their petitions they shew the love of their minds—how greatly they desire to be partakers of the ἣν things that are to come.

With the voice of praise they seal the words of the com- pletion of the Mysteries; and they render holiness to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: ‘Holy is the Father, and holy is His Begotten, and the Spirit who is from Him (se. the Father); and to them is due holiness and praise from all mouths.’

After the utterance of sanctification and the rendering of praise they stretch the gaze of their minds towards the Gift. With their senses and mental faculties together they are eager to approach to the Bread and Wine in the midst of which is hidden forgiveness of iniquity. By faith they acquire power to see things hidden; and, as it were the King, they bear in triumph the Sacrament in the midst of their palms. They hold it sure that the Body of the King dwells in the visible bread ; and in it the resurrection of the dead is preached to him that eats of it.

‘The Body, says the priest also when he gives it; and ‘the Blood’ he calls the mingled Wine in the midst of the cup. He — gives the Bread, and says: ‘The Body of King Messiah’ (or ‘ of | Christ the King’); and he gives to drink the Wine, and in like manner (he says): ‘The Blood of Christ.’

He believes that the Bread and the Wine are the Body and the Blood; and exceeding sure is it to giver and receivers. Forgiveness of iniquity and the resurrection of the dead he preaches with it; and, though they are not apparent, to faith

p. 355 they are exceeding manifest. Faith shews to the soul the hidden vision, and makes her to understand, that she may not doubt on account of the visible things. The bread and wine the eyes of the bodily senses see, and the faculties of the soul (behold) the hidden invincible Power. With the faculties of the soul it is right that we should look upon the Mystery of our redemption, and that we should set faith as a mark before our mind. Let us receive the Bread, and let us affirm that it is able to forgive iniquity; let us drink the Wine, and let us confess that the drinking of it distributes life. Let us honour _

τὰ ΟΝ ON THE MYSTERIES OF THE CHURCH AND ON BAPTISM 61

them as the Body and Blood of the King; that they may conduct us even unto the glorious things that are in the Kingdom. Let us believe that they are able to give life to our mortality; and let us stretch forth our mind to the expectation of the hope that is in them. With the hidden mind let us look in a hidden manner on the visible things; and let us not doubt concerning the renovation that is (wrought) in the things that are manifest. Let the beholder not look upon the bread, nor yet upon the wine, but upon the Power that consecrates the bread and the wine. The bread and the wine are set as a sign before the eyes of the body, that it may take part with the mind in those things that are not apparent. The body cannot with the mind see hidden things, nor can it, like the thoughts, discern things secret. On its account the Gift was given by means of bread, that by outward things it might gain hope toward things hidden. To it and to the soul was promised the enjoyment that is hidden in the Mystery; and for its comfort were the manifest things of food and drink. Lo, by visible things it is accustomed to be comforted from its grief; and, that He might not grieve it, its Lord comforted it with the bread and wine. With bread and wine He prepared for it a mark towards the things to come, that it might be aiming at the renovation that is prepared for it.

Come, ye mortals, let us aim at the mark that is hidden in our Mystery; and let us not relinquish the expectation of the life that is promised. Come, let us have recourse to the power of its spiritual aid, that it may aid us in the warfare of fierce passions. Come, let us be eager to approach it in holiness; and let us receive from it the medicine that is meet for our bruises. Let us lay it on at all times as a salve to the senses and the faculties (of the soul); that it may drive out from us sloth of body and remissness of soul. It is a goodly medicine which, in His goodness, His power mixes; and there is no hidden or manifest sickness that can resist it. The Physician of the height has mixed (and) given it to them of earth, that by its p. 356 aid they may heal the diseases of their minds. In faith let us all put it upon our sores, and acquire from it resurrection of body and salvation of soul.