Sermons to the People 265.1–265.12

Today we solemnly celebrate the Lord’s ascension into heaven. For the Lord our Savior, having laid down his body and taken it up again, after he rose from the dead showed himself living to the disciples, who had despaired of him dying. After he had given himself back to their eyes to be gazed on and to their hands to be handled, building up faith by showing the truth; since it was too little for human frailty and weak trembling to show so great a miracle on one day and then withdraw it, he lived with them on earth, as we heard when the book of the Acts of the Apostles was read, he lived with them on earth forty days, going in and out, eating and drinking: to show the truth, not because he had need. On that fortieth day, then, which we celebrate today, as they watched and escorted him with their eyes, he ascended into heaven.

Then, after they marveled at what they saw ascending, yet rejoiced that it was going up (for the going ahead of the head is the hope of the members), they also heard the angelic voice: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus will come in the same way as you saw him going into heaven.” What is “will come in the same way”? He will come in that form, so that what is written may be fulfilled: “They will look on him whom they pierced.” He will come in the same way. He will come to men, he will come as man; but he will come as God and man. He will come, true man and God, to make men gods. The judge of heaven ascended; the herald of heaven sounded. Let us have a good case, so that we do not fear the coming judgment. For he ascended: those who told us saw it. Those who did not see believed; others, not believing, mocked. For not all have faith. And since not all have faith, and “the Lord knows who are his,” why do we dispute that God ascended into heaven? Let us rather marvel that God descended into the underworld. Let us marvel at Christ’s death; but let us praise his resurrection rather than marvel at it. Our ruin is our sin; Christ’s blood is our price. Christ’s resurrection is our hope; Christ’s coming is our reality. He, then, who is at the right hand of the Father is to be awaited until he comes. Let our thirsting soul say to him: “When will he come?” and “My soul has thirsted for the living God.” When will he come? He will come; but when will he come? You long for him to come: may he find you ready.

But let us not think that we alone have this desire for our Lord, so as to say, “When will he come?” His disciples too had this desire. If I could tell you, gaping, waiting, in suspense, eager to know when the Lord our God will come, if I could tell you, what would I seem to you? But if you do not hope to be able to hear this from me (and if you do hope it, you are foolish): certainly, if you had the Lord Jesus Christ himself present in the body, living, speaking, before your eyes and your hands, I know that out of this desire you would ask, and say to him: “Lord, when are you going to come?” The disciples themselves asked the Lord Jesus Christ when he was present. You cannot ask what they asked; hear what they heard. For they existed then, we did not yet exist; yet if we believe them, they both asked for us and heard for us. So the disciples of Christ, about to escort with their gaze the Christ who was to ascend, asked and said to him: “Lord, will you be present at this time?” To whom were they saying it? To him whom they saw present. “Will you be present at this time?” And what is that? Did they not see him present? Did they not hear him present? Did they not even touch him present? What is this, “Will you be present at this time?” except that they knew that the judgment to come would be by the presence of Christ, so that he would be seen by his own and by strangers? For when he rose, he was seen only by his own. So they knew this, and held it by faith, that there would come a time when the one judged would judge, when the one rejected would approve and reject; when, visible to both kinds of men, he would put some on the right and others on the left, to say what both would hear, to offer what both would not receive, to threaten what both would not fear. They knew it was to come; but they asked when. “Will you be present at this time?” Not to us, certainly; for even now we see you; but you will be present also to those who have not believed in you. “Will you be present at this time, tell us, and when is the kingdom of Israel?” This is what they asked: “Will you be present at this time, and when is the kingdom of Israel?” What kingdom? The one of which we say, “Your kingdom come.” What kingdom? The one of which those placed on the right will hear: “Come, blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” When he will also say to those on the left: “Go into the eternal fire, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.” A terrible voice, a dreadful voice: but “the righteous will be in everlasting remembrance; he will not fear an evil hearing.” This for these, that for those: truthful in both, because just in both.

But if they heard what they asked, let us hear it; if they did not hear it, let us hold what they heard, and not fear what is to come. “Lord, will you be present at this time?” And let us too, imagining that we see the Lord present, set in the body, say to him: “Lord, will you be present at this time, and when is the kingdom of Israel? When is the kingdom of your own, when the kingdom of the humble, how long the arrogance of the proud?” Surely this is what you were asking, this is what you wanted to hear. Let us see what he answered. Let the lambs not disdain to hear what the rams heard. Let us hear what the Lord himself said. To whom? To Peter, John, Andrew, James, and the rest, so great, such men, so worthy; but whom he found unworthy and made worthy. What did he answer them when they said, “Will you be present at this time, and when is the kingdom of Israel?” “It is not yours to know the times which the Father has set in his own power.” What is this? It is said to Peter, “It is not yours”: and do you say, “It is mine”? “It is not yours to know the times which the Father has set in his own power.” What you believe, you believe well: that it is to come. When it is to come, what is that to you? Prepare yourself for when it comes. “It is not yours to know the times which the Father has set in his own power.” Let curiosity depart, let piety take its place. What is it to you when he will come? Live so as if he were coming today, and you will not fear when he comes. But see the order and discipline of the good teacher, the singular teacher, the only teacher. He did not say what they asked, and he said what they did not ask. For he knew that what they asked was not expedient for them to know; but what he knew was expedient for them, he told them even though they did not ask. “It is not yours,” he says, “to know the times.” What do you want with times? This is being done so that you may escape times, and you seek times. “It is not yours to know the times which the Father has set in his own power.” And as if it were said to him, “And what is ours?” Now let us hear what most concerns us, now let us hear. What should not be said was asked; but what ought to be heard was said. “It is not yours to know the times which the Father has set in his own power.” But what is it yours to know?

“But you will receive the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon you, and you will be my witnesses.” Where? “In Jerusalem.” It was fitting that we should hear this: for in these words the Church is preached, the Church is commended, unity is announced, division is accused. It was said to the apostles, “And you will be my witnesses.” It is said to the faithful, it is said to the vessels of God, it is said to the vessels of mercy: “You will be my witnesses.” Where? “In Jerusalem,” where I was killed, “and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” See what to hear, see what to hold. Be the bride, and await the bridegroom securely. The bride is the Church. Where was she foretold to be, she whom those witnesses would announce; where was she foretold to be? For many will say, “See, here it is.” I would listen, if another did not also say, “See, here it is.” What do you say? “See, here it is.” I was already going: but another calls me back with a like voice: “See, here it is.” You on one side, “See, here it is”; another on another side, “See, here it is.” Let us question the Lord, let us appeal to the Lord. Let the parties be silent; let us hear the whole. One says from one corner, “See, here it is”; another from another corner, “No, but see, here it is.” You, Lord, tell us: you assert her whom you redeemed; show her whom you loved. We have been invited to your wedding; show us your bride, lest by quarreling we disturb your feast. He says it plainly, he shows it plainly: he does not abandon those who inquire, he does not love those who quarrel. He tells his disciples, he tells it even to those not asking, because he contradicts those who contend. And perhaps that is why this was not yet asked by the apostles, because the flock of Christ was not yet being divided by robbers. We, who have experienced the pains of division, let us earnestly seek the binding of unity. The apostles ask the time of judgment, and the Lord answers the place of the Church. He did not answer what they asked, but he foresaw our pains. “You will be my witnesses,” he says, “in Jerusalem.” That is too little. You did not give so great a price to buy this alone. “In Jerusalem.” Say more: “And to the ends of the earth.” You have come to the ends: why do you not end the contentions? Let no one now say to me, “See, here it is”: “No, but see, here.” Let human presumption be silent, let the divine proclamation be heard, let the true promise be held: “In Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” “When he had said this, a cloud took him up.” There was no need now for anything to be added, lest it be thought of elsewhere.

Brothers, the last words of a parent about to go to the tomb are usually heard as something great; and are the last words of the Lord ascending into heaven despised? Let us consider that our Lord wrote a testament and put his last words in his testament. For he foresaw the future quarrels of bad sons; he foresaw men trying to make shares for themselves out of another’s possession. For why should they not divide what they did not buy? Why should they not cut up that for which they did not pay the price? But he did not want the tunic woven from above, nowhere seamed, to be divided: it went by lot. In that garment unity was commended; in that garment charity was proclaimed; it is woven from above. Greed is from the earth; charity from above. Come, brothers: the Lord wrote a testament, he set down his last words. See, I beg you, and let it move you as it moves us, if it can be.

There are two glorifications according to the form of the man taken on: one, by which he rose from the dead on the third day; the other, by which he ascended into heaven before the eyes of his disciples. These two glorifications of his, already accomplished, are commended. One remains, and that in the sight of men, when he presents himself at the judgment. About the Holy Spirit this was said through John the evangelist: “For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.” “For the Spirit had not yet been given”: why had he not yet been given? “Because Jesus had not yet been glorified.” So it was awaited that, Jesus being glorified, the Spirit would be given. And rightly, glorified twice, by rising and by ascending, he gave the Spirit twice. He gave one, and one gave, he gave to unity, and yet he gave twice. First, after he rose, he said to his disciples: “Receive the Holy Spirit.” And he breathed into their face. You have it once. Then he promises still that he will send the Holy Spirit, and says, “You will receive the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon you”; and in another place, “Stay in the city: for I will fulfill the promise of the Father, which you have heard,” he says, “from my mouth.” After he ascended, when ten days had been spent there, he sent the Holy Spirit: that is the coming feast of Pentecost.

See, my brothers. Someone may ask me, “Why did he give the Holy Spirit twice?” Many have said many things, and inquired as men; and they said something that is not against the faith: one this, another that, both what would not go beyond the rule of truth. If I said that I know why he gave him twice, I would be lying to you. I do not know. Whoever says he knows what he does not know is rash; whoever denies knowing what he knows is ungrateful. So I confess to you: why the Lord gave the Holy Spirit twice, I am still asking; I long to reach something more certain. May the Giver help me, with you praying, so that what he deigns to give may not be kept silent from you either. So I do not know. Yet what I think, not yet knowing, not yet holding it for certain, as I hold most certainly that he gave him; what, then, I think, I will not keep silent. If it is so, may the Lord confirm it; if something else appears truer, may the Lord give it. So I think, but I only think, that the Holy Spirit was given twice so that the two commandments of charity might be commended. For there are two commandments, and one charity: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,” and, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.” One charity and two commandments: one Spirit, and two givings. For it was not one Spirit given first and another given afterward: because it is not another charity that loves the neighbor than that which loves God. So it is not another charity. With the same charity with which we love the neighbor we love God too. But because God is one thing and the neighbor another, though they are loved with one charity, those loved are not one: since, then, the love of God is to be commended as great first, the love of neighbor second; but one begins from the second so as to reach the first: “For if you do not love the brother whom you see, how will you be able to love God whom you do not see?” So perhaps, forming us for the love of neighbor, he gave the Holy Spirit on earth, visible and a neighbor to his neighbors, by breathing into their face; and for that charity above all which is in heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit from heaven. Receive the Holy Spirit on earth, and you love your brother; receive him from heaven, and you love God. For even what you received on earth is from heaven. On earth Christ gave, but what he gave is from heaven. For he gave who descended from heaven. Here he found someone to give to, but from there he brought what he gave.

What then, brothers? Should I perhaps remind you of this too, how charity belongs to the Holy Spirit? Hear Paul: “And not only that,” he says, “but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation works patience, patience proof, and proof hope; and hope does not put to shame, because the charity of God has been poured out in our hearts.” From where has the charity of God been poured out in our hearts? From where? What were you giving yourself? What were you presuming on, as if from your own? “For what do you have that you did not receive?” From where, then, except what follows: “Through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”?

This charity is not held except in the unity of the Church. Dividers do not have it, as the apostle Jude says: “These are those who separate themselves, animal men, not having the Spirit.” “Who separate themselves”: why do they separate? Because they are animal men, not having the Spirit. That is why they flow away: because they do not have the binding of charity. With this charity that hen is full who became weak for her chicks, lowering her voice with the chicks, spreading her wings: “How often,” he says, “I wanted to gather your children!” To gather, not to divide. “For I have other sheep,” he says, “which are not of this fold; I must bring them too, so that there may be one flock and one shepherd.” Rightly he did not listen to a brother appealing against his brother and saying, “Lord, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” “Lord,” he says, “tell my brother.” What? “To divide the inheritance with me.” And the Lord: “Tell me, man.” For why do you want to divide, except because you are a man? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I of Apollos,” are you not men? “Tell me, man, who appointed me divider of the inheritance between you?” I came to gather, not to divide. “Therefore,” he says, “I say to you, beware of all greed.” For greed desires to divide, as charity to gather. And what is “Beware of all greed,” except “Be filled with charity”? We, having charity as far as we can grasp it, appeal to the Lord against a brother, as that man did against a brother; but not with this voice, not with this request. For he says: “Lord, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” We say: “Lord, tell my brother to hold the inheritance with me.”

See, then, brothers, what you should love most, what you should hold firmly. The Lord, glorified by rising, commends the Church; about to be glorified by ascending, he commends the Church; sending the Holy Spirit from heaven, he commends the Church. For rising, what does he say to his disciples? “These things I told you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which are written in the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning me. Then he opened their understanding, so that they might understand the Scriptures, and said to them: For thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day.” Is the Church commended there? “And that repentance and the forgiveness of sins be preached in his name.” And where? “Among all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” This, glorified by the resurrection. What, about to be glorified by the ascension? What you heard: “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” What by the very coming of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit came: those whom he first filled spoke in the tongues of all nations. Each man speaking in all tongues, what else did he signify but unity in all tongues? Holding this, made firm in this, strengthened in this, delighted in this unshaken charity, let us, children, praise the Lord and say Alleluia. But in one part? And from where? And how far? “From the rising of the sun to its setting, praise the name of the Lord.”