Jacob of Serugh on the Eucharist: Homilies 22 and 95 9781463224585

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Jacob of Serugh on the Eucharist

Analecta Gorgiana

487 Series Editor George Anton Kiraz

Analecta Gorgiana is a collection of long essays and short monographs which are consistently cited by modern scholars but previously difficult to find because of their original appearance in obscure publications. Carefully selected by a team of scholars based on their relevance to modern scholarship, these essays can now be fully utilized by scholars and proudly owned by libraries.

Jacob of Serugh on the Eucharist

Homilies 22 and 95

Translation and Introduction by Hugh Connolly

1 gorgias press 2010

Gorgias Press LLC, 180 Centennial Ave., Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA www.gorgiaspress.com Copyright © 2010 by Gorgias Press LLC Originally published in All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise without the prior written permission of Gorgias Press LLC. 2010

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ISBN 978-1-60724-955-9 Extract from

ISSN 1935-6854 (1908,1910)

Printed in the United States of America

THE

DOWNSIDE REVIEW

Volume X X V I I

(New Series Volume VIII)

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PRINTED FOR ST GREGORY'S SOCIETY, DOWNSIDE, BATH AT T H E ARDEN PRESS LETCHWORTH MCMVIII

CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA LIBRARY Washington, D. C.

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CONTENTS Page Beatification of the Venerable Oliver P l u n k e t , T h e , Bom Ethelbert Home Begging T o u r in Central E u r o p e , A , Dom Fulton Benedictine Chronicle I I I

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Meinrad 288

Chartres Cathedral and its Stained Glass, Bom Urban Butler *79 Church in Greenland d u r i n g the M i d d l e Ages, T h e , Arthur W. Taylor I)111 i8 Correspondence 4 2 Dies Memorabilis, The Editor 23 F r o m a Ranche W i n d o w , L. F. Green 147 Great Schism of the W e s t , M . Salembier and the, Bom 'Bruno Hicks 37 G u i d e - B o o k , An U n k n o w n , C. M. «.Antony . . . . 19 In M e m o r i a m : D O M J O S E P H F I T Z G E R A L D , O . S . B . . 95 H o m i l y of Milr Jacob of Seriigh, A, Bom Hugh 2 8 Connolly 7 M i s j u d g e d Q u e e n , A, A. A. Broadwood . . . 165, 232 Notices of Books 6 5 , 1 8 6 , 298 Obituary 93, 2 2 2 , 328 O d d s and E n d s 83, 2 0 8 , 3 1 4 O u r M a r t y r s and Early Missioners : N e w Sidelights, Bom Norbert Birt

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O u r Social Needs, Bom Gregory Quintan

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Q u e e n M a r y ' s Religious F o u n d a t i o n s , John B.

Waine-

"toright

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Retrospect of 1907

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Salembier, M . , and the Great Schism of the W e s t , Bom Bruno Hicks

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Contents Page

Teaching of Languages, T h e , Mgr A. S. 'Barnes . , 265 U n k n o w n Guide-Book, An, C, M. Antony . . . . 19 Supplement to November Number. Index of W r i t e r s and ll~S° Principal Contents, Volumes I - X X V OBITUARY Darrell-Blount, John Day, Sir John Charles, Kt Feasey, Dom H. Philibert FitzGerald, Dom Joseph Heros, M a d a m e de los H o w a r d , L a d y Cecilia Jackson, Sir H e n r y M o o r e New, Charles Stourton, A r t h u r Joseph Trafford, H o n . M r s E.S W o o d s , Canon W . R o m u a l d

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328 222 93 94 94 94 328 94 329 329 93

ILLUSTRATIONS Chartres Cathedral, South Transept Detail of Sanctuary Screen (Downside) D o m Joseph FitzGerald

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A HOMILY of MAR JACOB ¿/SERUGH ON T H E RECEPTION OF T H E HOLY MYSTERIES

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By D O M H U G H C O N N O L L Y , O.S.B.

A C O B , the " gentle and studious " Bishop of Batnan, chief city of Serugh, a district which lay a little to the east of the river Euphrates, and south-west of Kdessa, was born at the village of K u r t a m on the Euphrates in the year 451 A.D. He was for many years periodeutes, or visitor, of his district, and was made bishop only late in life (A.D. 519)He died on November 29, 5 2 1 * . Jacob was a Monophysite; but he seldom alludes to the great controversy of his day. So little are his writings tainted with the heresy of Eutyches that, like those of his Nestorian contemporary Narsai, many of them are at the present day published without retouching for the use of the Catholic Syrians. Of the remains of his numerous metrical Homilies, all written in the twelvesyllable verse, 145 have recently been published in four volumes by Father .Paul Bed] an, to whose accurate scholarship and unflagging energy in editing valuable Syriac texts the world owes so much. T h e following discourse, which has not before been translated into English—or, so far as 1 am aware, into any other language—is to be found in vol. in (published 1907) pp. 6.(6;/. It needs no further introduction than, the remark that a few passages, which seemed to add nothing to the interest of the poem, have been omitted for the sake of economizing space. A short passage from another Homily is quoted at the end as illustrating the writers views on the doctrine of the Real Presence of our L o r d in the Holy Eucharist. * Wright, Syria/: Literature, p. 68.

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C o m e , ye discerning, let us delight to-day in the teaching the taste whereof is sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. (p. 64.8) T h e C h u r c h in the world is a great harbour, full of peace; whoso toileth, let him come in and rest at her table, (p. 649) H e r doors are open, and her eye is good, and her heart is wide. Pier tabic is full, and sweet is her mingled (cup) to them that are w o r t h y . Y e lovers of the world, come in from wandering in the evil world, and rest in the inn that is full of comfort to h i m that enters it. T h o u weary labourer, that strivest to enrich thyself b v vexatious toilings, w h y runnest thou after riches that cannot be held fast. 0 thou rich, that goest astray w i t h thy riches, possess G o d , and hate the wealth that after a little while shall not be thine, O thou unquiet soul, that cleavest after gold, woe to thee for that which spendeth thee w i t h t h y toiling after it! O thou that art greedy of m a m m o n , incline thine ear hither, and cast from thee that grievous load w h i c h profiteth thee not. (p. 650) C o m e to prayer, and bring w i t h thee thy whole self. L e t not t h y mind remain in the market about t h y business. If thou art here, let also thine inner man (p. 6 5 1 ) be here within the doors of the crowned (bride).* W h y is t h y thought gone forth and distracted after affairs, so that when thou art here thou art not here, but there? Without amid the markets t h y m i n d is wandering, (taken up) w i t h reckonings and profits; fetch it, that it m a y come in and ask for its L i f e . Stand not with one half of thee within and one half without, lest when thou art divided t h y prayer lose itself betwixt the t w o parts. S t a n d at p r a y e r a united and complete and true man, and all whatsoever thou askest thou canst obtain f r o m G o d . W h y art thou impatient to be off when H e lias not given to thee? S t a y long and knock at the Physician, and beseech H i m , and bring the tears of repentance and besprinkle His doorstep; entreat m u c h ; and if for love H e give not to thee, yet to i m p o r t u n i t y H e will not be able to deny all her requests. B e insistent at the Physician's door, and give not over; for if thou be backward H e will not bind thee u p . W h y standest thou still? I m p o r t u n i t y knows how to obtain m e r c y of H i m ; and unless H e give to her she will not suffer H i m to depart. O thou penitent, be insistent; and whatever thou dost ask, thou shall receive it: f r o m the G i v e r of all things good. W h y art thou impatient to be gone about t h y business? (p. 652) W h y art thou disquieted to depart and go about thine affairs? W h y runnest thou after the world which m a y not be kept fast? W h y hast thou spent thy days in vanity? W h y are the hours of the C h u r c h esteemed by thee as * i.e. T h e Church.

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idleness? W h y is n o t t h e service a c c o u n t e d b y thee as a b a n q u e t r W h y art thou d i l i g e n t w h e n t h o u doest t h i n e o w n work, but h e r e remiss a n d cold and slack in asking? M e r c y hath b r o u g h t t h e e in to this h o u s e t h a t is full of p r o f i t ; think it n o t loss if t h o u remain l o n g herein. B e p a t i e n t a n d listen t o the s o u n d of the Psalms which the finger of p r o p h e c y p l a y e d (lit., " s m o t e " ) t o the words of D a v i d . Hearken to the H y m n s ( M a d b rdshe) s u n g b y chaste w o m e n w i t h voices of praise, w h i c h the w i s d o m of t h e H i g h e s t has g i v e n to the c o n g r e g a t i o n s , I tear the P r o p h e t s w h o , as it w e r e t h r o u g h pipes of choice g o l d , p o u r f o r t h f r o m their m o u t h s life i n t o the ears of m e n . (p. 6 5 3 ) H e a r k e n to t h e A p o s t l e s w h o , like the channels of rivers, are o p e n e d a n d w a t e r t h e K i n g s g a r d e n w i t h l o f t y s t r e a m s . * B e n d t h i n e ear t o t h e p u l p i t (bfona) of the G o d h e a d , and r e c e i v e f r o m it precious pearls. L e a r n a n d g i v e assent to t h e (two) T e s t a m e n t s , rivers b o t h w h i c h h o l d for thee l i f e u n e n d ing. H e a r the N e w , and hearken to t h e O l d ; a n d see that in b o t h one t r u t h is spoken u n t o thee. L o , thou hearest f r o m t h e O l d of the f o u r rivers w h i c h flowed f r o m the blessed source of E d e n ; and again in the N e w (thou hast) the A p o s t l e s like f o u r rivers, w h o w e n t f o r t h i n t o the f o u r corners (of t h e w o r l d ) a n d w a t e r e d t h e m . L i f e flows f r o m t h e service of t h e house of G o d ; (p. 654) y e lovers of life, r e f u s e n o t t h e p r o f i t t h a t comes t h e r e o f . T h e soul of m a n is r e c e p t i v e of impressions (tit ., " operations " ) , and in w h a t s o e v e r she m e d i t a t e s , she is d y e d w i t h a l a n d b e c o m e s (the colour) of t h e same. W h e n she hears t h e dirges of the w a i l i n g w o m e n , she o v e r f l o w s with, grief and p o u r s o u t tears o v e r t h e d e p a r t e d ; a n d w h e n again she hears t h e songs and jests of the actors she w a x e s w a n t o n , that w i t h a l o u d v o i c e she m a y p o u r f o r t h l a u g h t e r . W h e n she hears evil r e p o r t s , dread comes u p o n h e r ; b u t ii she hears g o o d t i d i n g s , she is g l a d . A n d every w i n d that blows t o w a r d s her moves h e r ; a n d in w h a t s o e v e r d i r e c t i o n it be, e a c h t i m e she turns. W h e n , t h e n , she hears t h e sound of t h e serv i c e of G o d ' s house, s p i r i t u a l l y she is m o v e d w i t h l o v e t o w a r d s G o d ; a n d as it w e r e she despises t h e evil w o r l d and its affairs, a n d comes m and mingles w i t h these g o d l y m e d i t a t i o n s ; a n d she cleaves to a n d loves t h a t spiritual c o n v e r s a t i o n . S h e c o n t e m n s t h e world a n d its affairs a n d its d o i n g s ; a n d she is s t e e p e d in these voices of h o l i n e s s , t a n d all carnal t h o u g h t s d e p a r t f r o m her. A n d the soul c o n t e m n s the l o v e 01 the w o r l d a n d its pleasures, a a d t h o u g h t s of w a n t o n n e s s and remissness. A n d w h e n she hears these voices t h a t are s u n g t o h e r , (p. 6 5 5 ) is chaste a n d l o w l y a n d f u l l of h o p e a n d m o d e r a t i o n . W h e r e f o r e it is • T h e writer is doubtless referring to a system of artificial irrigation by means of fountains or hose pipes. !' This is an allusion to the Sanctus.

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right that he w h o enters in to give himself to prayer should be long in G o d ' s house. T h e C h u r c h in the world is like a scribe to m e n ; and she teaches and makes them wise, and binds u p the sores of all who come to her. A n d f r o m her teaching the soul draws light, that she m a y overcome the darkness of death when it meets her. C o m e , enter, ye foolish, that were stained w i t h lusts, and furbish your lives with the doctrine of the daughter of lights. B e not impatient to be gone from the supper which the bride of the whole world has made, that w e should delight therein. G o not forth as soon as the consecration is (begun)* in the s a n c t u a r y ; for thou art a son of the household, not a stranger, that thou shouldst depart. When thou hearest: " Whoso has not received the sign (irushma), let him d e p a r t " ; do not thou depart, who art signed, yea, and brought near. B e thou one of the household at the hour of these M y s t e r i e s ; do not thou get up and go f o r t h and become as one of the externs. T h o u art signed with, the sign, thou art stamped w i t h the stamp, among the brethren thou art written: w h y shouldst thou go forth w i t h the unsigned, as one that cometh short? " H i m who is not baptised " the priest drives out when he is about to consecrate, not thee does lie drive out, w h o art one baptized in (lit., " o f " ) the D i v i n i t y . t Baptism, daughter of lights, is the K i n g ' s sign, (p. 656) and thou hast p u t on the great sign: w h y shouldst thou go forth? W i t h the oil they have signed thee, w i t h the cross of light thy face is signed: it is to " h i m that is not signed " as thou art signed that t h e y say, " L e t him go f o r t h . " T h e sign of life has made thee a brother of the O n l y - b e g o t t e n and a son of His F a t h e r ; and thou art in the household: thou shouldst not go f o r t h . R e m a i n within the door, and c r y , " A b b a , our F a t h e r " ; for thou, being a son, it is permitted to thee to c r y , " O u r F a t h e r , " u Whoso is not b a p t i z e d " — f o r this reason do t h e y drive him out when the consecration is (begun), that it is not permitted to h i m to call the Heavenly One " our F a t h e r . " A n d " whoso is not b a p t i z e d , " his number is not set among the sons; and if he should call the Father " our F a t h e r " it is a lie. A n d for this cause t h e y say, " Whoso has not received the sign, let him d e p a r t , " that a lie m a y not be uttered among them that are true. F o r t h t h e y drive him if he is not born with the second birth, lest he should dare to c r y , " O u r F a t h e r , " with the m a n y , and make use of a word that is full o f l y i n g in the pure congregation, which daily sings those things that are true. W h e r e f o r e , w h e n they drive out that unbaptized one, do thou enter in, for it is easy for thee to cry, " O u r F a t h e r . " T h o u art * Lit., " when it is being consecrated." The context shows that this refers to the commencement of the Mass proper, or " Missa fideliuin." The faithful are no: to take advantage of the opening of the doors, when the catechumens are dismissed, to make their escape from the Church. t T h e .illusion is to the Three Holy Names pronounced in baptism.

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born w i t h the s e c o n d , the spiritual birth: it is fitting for thee to c r y , " O u r F a t h e r " : stay and c r y it. T h e B r i d e g r o o m is c o m i n g d o w n to sec the bride betrothed to H i m ; (p. 6 5 7 ) abide, O soul, in the midst of the b r i d e - c h a m b e r , that H e m a y see thee h e r e . G o not forth f r o m the c h a m b e r o f the B r i d e g r o o m , the K i n g , w h o is c o m i n g d o w n to see thee, b e a r i n g riches f r o m the house o f H i s F a t h e r . T h e priest, w h o m thou hast sent, has called H i m : wait f o r H i m ; f o r if H e c o m e and see thee n o t , H e will be a n g r y . T o g e t h e r with the priest the w h o l e people beseeches the F a t h e r that H e will s e n d H i s S o n , that he m a y c o m e d o w n (and dwell upon the oblation. A n d the H o l y Spirit, H i s P o w e r , lights d o w n * in the bread and w i n e , a n d sanctifies (or " c o n s e c r a t e s " ) i t , y e a , makes it the B o d y a n d t h e B l o o d . + A n d e v e r y one w h o is in the house bestirs h i m s e l f , t h a t he m a y c r y , " O u r F a t h e r " ; and the new sons s a n c t i f y and bless H i m . A n d b y H i s b r o o d i n g H e mingles t h e m hoiiijr, a n d t h e y b e c o m e o n e w i t h H i m , as it is w r i t t e n , m y s t i c a l l y . B u t he w h o goes f o r t h w i t h the h e a r e r s ! , w h a t will h e do w h e n t h e y p e t i t i o n H i m § in in t h e house, and h e is not (there) to c r y , " O u r F a t h e r . " H e has cut H i m s e l f o f f ; n o n e (else) has c u t h i m off f r o m the b r o o d i n g . W h a t t h e n has he f o u n d in t h e market places w h i t h e r he is r o a m i n g ? D e s p i s e business, a n d despise p r o f i t s w h i c h cannot be h e l d f a s t , a n d a t the h o u r of the M y s t e r i e s a b i d e in the house of G o d . Y o u r e n e m y is w a t c h i n g , a n d is a t hirst f o r y o u r b l o o d , and so f a r as h e is able he will c u t y o u off f r o m things p r o f i t a b l e , (p. 658) W h e n these M y s t e r i e s f u l l of life are a d m i n i s t e r e d , he f a b r i c a t e s a p p r e h e n s i o n s of all sorts of losses, and w i t h all m a n n e r of devices h e , b y his s u b t l e t y , drives thee f o r t h , t h a t thou m a y e s t b e r e m o v e d f r o m t h a t c o n g r e g a t i o n w h i c h is crying " H o l y . " S a t a n is distressed b y these voices of holinesfjf; a n d if he could he w o u l d d r i v e the w h o l e w o r l d f o r t h . T h e r e w o u l d not remain one man * T h e Syriac verb, of which this is a rather inadequate rendering, connotes the idea of casting an influence. It is employed in the Syriac New Testament at L k . i, 3 5 , and ]n. i, 1 4 , to translate the two Greek verbs which wc render " o v e r s h a d o w " and " d w e l t . " f Compare the following passage from another Homily (Vol. IV, p. 597) : " Not to the priest is given, authority that he should sacrifice the Onlybegotten, and bring H i m in before His Father as a sacrifice for sinners; but the H o l y Spirit comes forth from the Father, and descends and lights down and dwells in the bread and makes it tire Body. . . . He gives permission to the priest to break, and then he breaks and carries forth and scatters it upon sinners, to justify them. T h e Spirit within, lie holds It forth to the priest who is without, even as the Cherub held out (the coals) to the man of the fine- linen " (the reference is to Ezek. x, 2, 3). | A class of the catechumens. § Or, perhaps, " when they ask for him,'* i.e. for the delinquent Christian. j|J.c. " t h i s crying of ' H o l y . ' "

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in the holy place* to c r y , " O u r F a t h e r , " . . . I n that hour when the bride cries p u t , " Forgive me m f f d e b t s " he knows that the Bridegroom, the K i n g , is full of mercy, and that H e hears her (the bride), and H e forgives her who died for her. Wherefore Satan is Concerned and uses much pains to drive m e n out of the holy place at the time of the Mysteries, lest w h e n the whole congregation cries out, " F o r give me m y d e b t s , " the sinner also present himself and be justified. F o r when the G i f t comes f o r t h from G o d , H e gives it to him w h o is w o r t h y and to him who is u n w o r t h y . His grace (or " favour " ) , when He pours it forth, is like to the sun and the rain, and H e has m e r c y for sinners and for the righteous. A n d when the congregation asks m e r c y of G o d (p. 659) the sinners also who are therein are enriched from His G i f t . W h e n the whole congregation asks grace of G o d , H e withholds it not even from the bad who are f o u n d therein. B u t the E v i l One strives to steal away men at the time of the M y s teries, that he m a y cut them off f r o m the G i f t of G o d ' s house; and he darkens the soul with restless and cowardly thoughts, and w i t h worldly notions he chokes the mind. It m a y be he reminds thee of some business thou liadst forgotten, and chokes the soul w i t h anxety concerning that matter, and w i t h some weak thought stirs thee up to depart from the holy place about the unprofitable business. A n d that thought from Satan drags thee and pulls thee and brings thee f o r t h and makes thee void of profit. B u t (perchance) thou sayest: I will go and be about business until the consecration (is begun), and in the hour when they open the doors I will go in and r e c e i v e . J " O thou who art wise, drive away and put forth these notions from thee, and suffer t h y soul to' have a care for her wounds and bind them up. Say to t h y soul: " O thou soul, full of sores, now is the time f o r thee to receive a medicine for t h y wounds. N o w is the time for thee to pour out tears before H i m who binds up, and H e will apply mercy to t h y disease which vexes thee, (p. 660.) N o w is the time when the door of the G r e a t Physician is opened, and H e will bind up for n a u g h t ; bring in thy sore that H e may find a r e m e d y for it. N o w is the hour for thee to lift up t h y voice in supplication; for now the gates on high are opened to prayers. N o w is the hour when thou mayest entreat thy C r e d i t o r to come forth and cancel the note of hand that is t e r r i f y i n g thee. N o w is the hour when the Son of G o d is sacrificed and sei forth upon the table f o r sinners, * BHh Qudhsha usually means " t h e sanctuary," but here it denotes the Church as a whole. f The use of the first person singular here and below is curious, as it is in no way conditioned by the metre. J This would seem not to refer to sanctuary doors, but to the doors of the Church. T h e writer has dealt with the case of those who go out when the catechumens are dismissed; he now turns to those who choose this point for coming in, After this the Church doors were locked.

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to pardon them. N o w is the hour when the doors and curtains give way, that the sacrifice may come in and mercy go forth for sinners. Whither, whither w01.1kl.3t thou go forth, O soul, in this hour when every man enters to gather mercy from the Merciful. () thou soul, the ewe that fell among robbers, be quiet in the fold, full of healing for the broken. Without the door the wolf is hiding and waiting for thee; anoint thy lips with the Blood of the Shepherd, and then go forth and despise him. For the Bridegroom lias come down and given thee His B o d y and sealed thee with His Blood: never shouldst thou go forth from the bride-chamber to them that are without. T h e way of the world is full, of snares and obstacles; the devils are standing on guard at the cross-roads (or " fords " ) of the earth; and they threaten the soul with rage to destroy it, (p. 661) and they thirst: for her blood because of the virtues which are held within her. A n d with all manner of pretexts and devices they lay snares for her to corrupt her from that virtue which belongs to her. But thou, O soul, hast an armour and a wall, yea, and a Saviour who will not fail thee in the contest. He keeps thee from the pitfalls of the enemy; and he will, shew thee a way of life to walk therein. He brings thee in before His Father, that thou rnayest see His place; and H e shews thee that H e is a sacrifice on behalf of sinners. Make thy petition in the name of the Son: offer it to His Father; and He will receive it for the sake of the sign of His Only-begotten. " W h e n the B o d y of the Son of G o d is set upon His table, bring in before Him all thy petitions earnestly. Reveal thy plagues, O thou sick soul, and show thy diseases, and pour out tears before the table of the Godhead. In that hour when the priest sacrifices the Son before Iiis Father, gird thyself, enter, () soul, and ask for pardon with a loud voice. Say to the Father, " Behold T h y Son, a sacrifice to reconcile T h e e ; pardon me in H i m who died for me and was buried. Behold T h i n e Oblation: accept from m y hands Him who is from Thee." (p. 662) With these affections stand, O sinner, at the time of the Mysteries; and beg mercy and receive forgiveness, and then go forth. A t the hour of the sacrifice, when it is being offered for thee, do not leave him who is offering and depart. When they drive out " him who has not received the sign," do thou enter; keep thvself within and hearken to the whisperings' of the priest, and hear how he begs mercy for sinners and pardons them; (p.. 663) and if thou art. in need of pardon, why then dost thou go out? Another bows down and asks mercy for thee; why art thou in haste to wander among the markets * The word here employed is also used in the sense of a whispered incantation. Here, as the worshipper is to listen to what is said, the word would seem to denote merely a solemn ritual prayer.

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in that hour? When those who have not received the sign of the Bridegroom enter her, the Church drives them out and shuts the doors until He comes. She fears lest He should find in tier a stranger when He appears in her, and she removes and expels all externs. T h e bride shuts the doors and eats the Bridegroom who lias espoused her; and no stranger may taste of Him, for (this) she does not permitto him. Who ever saw a bridegroom sacrificed at the marriage supper, or brides eating their betrothed? T h e Son of God has done a new thing in the world, which no man ever did but He alone. His Body and His Blood He has set forth at the feast before them that sit at table, that they may eat of Him, and live with. Him without end. Meat and drinkis our Lord at His marriage supper: blessed is He who has given us His Body and Blood, that in Him we may delight. [End of the Homily.]

T h e following passage gives us some idea of the doctrine and sentiments touching the Holy Eucharist which, were prevalent among some of the early Monophysitc Syrians. It is taken from one of a series of discourses on Holy Week which are to be found in vol. n of Jacob of Serugh's printed Homilies. T h e passage begins on p. 484. T h e writer has just Gome to the subject of the Last Supper. T h e bread and wine our Lord made Body and Blood; which (thing) Melchizedek also thus depicted mystically. T h e high priest who was more excellent than Abraham sacrificed bread and wine to God, and nothing besides; and he taught the earth that the bread and wine is the Body and Blood which the Son of God gave to the world to be pardoned withal; and on the eve of the passion the Mystery shone forth from* our Saviour, who broke His Body and gave to His Apostles, as we have said. Here let the soul of him who is to speak clothe itself in awe; for save with awe the Son of God may not be spoken of. L e t our mind glow with the fire of love that eats up stumblings and doubts, and then let it look upon the Son of God. W i t h Faith, that leaps over pits and gulfs, our discourse shall run, and thus it shall not have fallen among the disputers. His Body with His hands our Lord divided upon the table; and who is he that will dare to say now that it was not the Body? He said " This is M y Body " ; and who will not affirm it? For if he affirm it *I.e. " the type was fulfilled by," etc.

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not he is no disciple of the apostleship. T h e Apostles assented to H i m ; and while He was alive and reclining with them they ate H i m ; and dead whilst living they knew Him (to be), without doubting. If He were not dead, then His bread was not His B o d y ; (p. 485) and if He were not alive He would not have broken His Body and given to His Apostles. H e brake the bread, and made it the B o d y , and gave to His Apostles; and the taste of the Body, wherein was life, was in their mouths. From when H e took it and called it Body it was not bread*, butf His Body, and it (or " Him " ) they were eating whilst they marvelled. T h e y eat His B o d y , and He is reclining with them at the table; and they drink His Blood, and they hear the voicc of His teaching. T h e y affirm that He is slain, whilst they look upon Him alive and speaking; and H e is mingled with them whilst they eat Him, without doubt. And faith is bright and stands manfully, and doubts not either that H e is alive or that He is slain. And He reclines slain at the table, and is not investigated; and they drink His Blood and affirm that it is Blood, while He is alive. And there are not there, neither pryers nor disputers, (p. 486) nor investigators, nor yet scribes of wise (opinions). T h e y were not questioning, when there was place to ask: " Dost T h o u indeed call it B o d y , Lord, when lo, it is bread? " Faith stoops not to questionings: she knows to affirm; to investigate she has never learned. T h e Apostles were anxious to a s s e n t to the Son, not to investigate or question as daring (men).]. T h e bread that He brake and called His B o d y , B o d y they knew it (to be); and thus they thought, that yea, in truth His Blood was dropping^ (there). Who would have been able to sacrifice the Son before His Sire, unless H e had sacrificed Himself by His own hands before H e suffered? He, our L o r d , is the High Priest of the perfect Sacrifice; and therefore H e sacrificed Himself before His Father. He is the Dead who when dead was alive, and was not investigated, Priest and Burnt Offering, whom to examine is too high for the disputers. H e brake and divided His B o d y with His hands to His twelve, who, if they had not seen how He brake, would not have broken. He stood as Priest and performed the priest's function upon Himself among His disciples, that He might depict a type to the priesthood for it to * T h e translation of this sentence is strictly literal, 1 The text prefixes the letter wau, " a n d , " to this word, which gives it the meaning "and unless," or " and i!' n o t ; " but with this the sentence cannot be construed, and the additional letter must be omitted as either a misprint or a scribe's error. J T h e word implies the daring of rashness and impiety; it often has the meaning "rebellious," and this is, no doubt, the sense here. § Or, "distilling in drops."

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imitate. H e taught them how to break His holy B o d y and distribute it to the sons of the household of the faith, (p. 487) He made known to them how they should drink the cup of His Blood, and give the nations and worlds and regions to drink of it. With His Blood He sealed the new Covenant, which He made that it might be for remission of debts for ever. Simon He taught, and to fohn He gave an example, that as He did they should be doing when H e was taken up.

"9

THE

DOWNSIDE REVIEW

Volume XXIX (New Series Volume X) /Oc. A'

PRINTED FOR ST GREGORY'S SOCIETY, DOWNSIDE, BATH AT T H E ARDEN PRESS LETCHWORTH MCMX

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CONTENTS Page Ad S. P. Benedictum, Confrater, O.S.B i An Abbot's Account Book, ¿Lbbot Gasquei . . . 146, 271 Agricultural Education,