Bad Advertisement?
Are you a Christian?
Online Store:Visit Our Store
| Eulogy.
PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP 
homilies on s. ignatius and s. babylas.
————————————
eulogy.
On the holy martyr Saint Ignatius, the
god-bearer,366
| 366 “Theophoros.” This was probably only a second
name assumed by Ignatius, perhaps at the time of his conversion or
baptism. Legendary interpretations of it afterwards arose, which
varied according as it was understood in an active or passive
sense, the “god-bearer” or the “god-borne.” See Bishop
Lightfoot’s Apostolic Fathers, vol. i., part ii., p. 25–28. |
arch-bishop of Antioch the great, who was carried off to Rome, and
there suffered martyrdom, and thence was conveyed back again to
Antioch.
1. Sumptuous and
splendid entertainers give frequent and constant entertainments,
alike to display their own wealth, and to show good-will to their
acquaintance. So also the grace of the Spirit, affording us a proof
of his own power, and displaying much good-will towards the friends
of God, sets before us successively and constantly the tables of
the martyrs. Lately, for instance, a maiden quite young, and
unmarried, the blessed martyr Pelagia, entertained us, with much
joy. To-day again, this blessed and noble martyr Ignatius has
succeeded to her feast. The persons are different: The table is
one. The wrestlings are varied: The crown is one. The contests are
manifold: The prize is the same. For in the case of the heathen
contests, since the tasks are bodily, men alone are, with reason,
admitted. But here, since the contest is wholly concerning the
soul, the lists are open to each sex, for each kind the theatre is
arranged. Neither do men alone disrobe, in order that the women may
not take refuge in the weakness of their nature, and seem to have a
plausible excuse, nor have women only quitted themselves like men,
lest the race of men be put to shame; but on this side and on that
many are proclaimed conquerors, and are crowned, in order that thou
mayest learn by means of the exploits themselves that in Christ
Jesus neither male nor female,367
neither sex, nor weakness of body,
nor age, nor any such thing could be a hindrance to those who run
in the course of religion; if there be a noble readiness, and an
eager mind, and a fear of God, fervent and kindling, be established
in our souls. On this account both maidens and women, and men, both
young and old, and slaves, and freemen, and every rank, and every
age, and each sex, disrobe for those contests, and in no respect
suffer harm, since they have brought a noble purpose to these
wrestlings. The season then already calls us to discourse of the
mighty works of this saint. But our reckoning is disturbed and
confused, not knowing what to say first, what second, what third,
so great a multitude of things calling for eulogy surrounds us, on
every side; and we experience the same thing as if any one went
into a meadow, and seeing many a rosebush and many a violet, and an
abundance of lilies, and other spring flowers manifold and varied,
should be in doubt what he should look at first, what second, since
each of those he saw invites him to bestow his glances on itself.
For we too, coming to this spiritual meadow of the mighty works of
Ignatius, and beholding not the flowers of spring, but the manifold
and varied fruit of the spirit in the soul of this man, are
confused and in perplexity, not knowing to which we are first to
give our consideration, as each of the things we see draws us away
from its neighbours, and entices the eye of the soul to the sight
of its own beauty. For see, he presided over the Church among us
nobly, and with such carefulness as Christ desires. For that which
Christ declared to
be the highest standard and rule of the Episcopal office, did this
man display by his deeds. For having heard Christ saying, the good
shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep,368
with all courage he did lay it down
for the sheep.
He held true converse with the apostles and drank of
spiritual fountains. What kind of person then is it likely that he
was who had been reared, and who had everywhere held converse with
them, and had shared with them truths both lawful and unlawful to
utter, and who seemed to them worthy of so great a dignity? The
time again came on, which demanded courage; and a soul which
despised all things present, glowed with Divine love, and valued
things unseen before the things which are seen; and he lay aside
the flesh with as much ease as one would put off a garment. What
then shall we speak of first? The teaching of the apostles which he
gave proof of throughout, or his indifference to this present life,
or the strictness of his virtue, with which he administered his
rule over the Church; which shall we first call to mind? The martyr
or the bishop or the apostle. For the grace of the spirit having
woven a threefold crown, thus bound it on his holy head, yea rather
a manifold crown. For if any one will consider them carefully, he
will find each of the crowns, blossoming with other crowns for
us.
2. And if you will, let us come first to the
praise of his episcopate. Does this seem to be one crown alone?
come, then, let us unfold it in speech, and you will see both two,
and three, and more produced from it. For I do not wonder at the
man alone that he seemed to be worthy of so great an office, but
that he obtained this office from those saints, and that the hands
of the blessed apostles touched his sacred head. For not even is
this a slight thing to be said in his praise, nor because he won
greater grace from above, nor only because they caused more
abundant energy of the Spirit to come upon him, but because they
bore witness that every virtue possessed by man was in him. Now how
this is, I tell you. Paul writing to Titus once on a time—and
when I say Paul, I do not speak of him alone, but also of Peter and
James and John, and the whole band of them; for as in one lyre, the
strings are different strings, but the harmony is one, so also in
the band of the apostles the persons are different, but the
teaching is one, since the artificer is one, I mean the Holy
Spirit, who moves their souls, and Paul showing this said,
“Whether therefore they, or I, so we preach.”369
This man, then, writing to Titus,
and showing what kind of man the bishop ought to be, says, “For
the bishop must be blameless as God’s steward; not self-willed,
not soon angry, no brawler, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre;
but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober-minded, just,
holy, temperate, holding to the faithful word, which is according
to the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in the sound
doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers;”370
and to Timothy again, when writing
upon this subject, he says somewhat like this: “If a man seeketh
the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. The bishop,
therefore, must be without reproach, the husband of one wife,
temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to
teach, no brawler, no striker, but gentle, not contentious, no
lover of money. Dost thou see what strictness of virtue he demands
from the bishop? For as some most excellent painter from life,
having mixed many colors, if he be about to furnish an original
likeness of the royal form, works with all accuracy, so that all
who are copying it, and painting from it, may have a likeness
accurately drawn, so accordingly the blessed Paul, as though
painting some royal likeness, and furnishing an original sketch of
it, having mixed the different colors of virtue, has painted in the
features of the office of bishop complete, in order that each of
those who mount to that dignity, looking thereupon, may administer
their own affairs with just such strictness.
Boldly, therefore, would I say that Ignatius
took an accurate impression of the whole of this, in his own soul;
and was blameless and without reproach, and neither self-willed,
nor soon angry, nor given to wine, nor a striker, but gentle, not
contentious, no lover of money, just, holy, temperate, holding to
the faithful word which is according to the teaching, sober,
sober-minded, orderly, and all the rest which Paul demanded. “And
what is the proof of this?” says one. They who said these things
ordained him, and they who suggest to others with so great
strictness to make proof of those who are about to mount to the
throne of this office, would not themselves have done this
negligently. But had they not seen all this virtue planted in the
soul of this martyr would not have entrusted him with this office.
For they knew accurately how great danger besets those who bring
about such ordinations, carelessly and hap-hazard. And Paul again,
when showing this very thing to the same Timothy wrote and says,
“Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other
men’s sins.”371
What dost
thou say? Has another
sinned, and do I share his blame and his punishment? Yes, says he,
the man who authorizes evil; and just as in the case of any one
entrusting into the hands of a raging and insane person a sharply
pointed sword, with which the madman commits murder, that man who
gave the sword incurs the blame; so any one who gives the authority
which arises from this office to a man living in evil, draws down
on his own head all the fire of that man’s sins and audacity. For
he who provides the root, this man is the cause of all that springs
from it on every side. Dost thou see how in the meanwhile a double
crown of the episcopate has appeared, and how the dignity of those
who ordained him has made the office more illustrious, bearing
witness to every exhibition of virtue in him?
3. Do you wish that I should also reveal to
you another crown springing from this very matter? Let us consider
the time at which he obtained this dignity. For it is not the same
thing to administer the Church now as then, just as it is not the
same thing to travel along a road well trodden, and prepared, after
many wayfarers; and along one about to be cut for the first time,
and containing ruts, and stones, and full of wild beasts, and which
has never yet, received any traveller. For now, by the grace of
God, there is no danger for bishops, but deep peace on all sides,
and we all enjoy a calm, since the Word of piety has been extended
to the ends of the world, and our rulers keep the faith with
strictness. But then there was nothing of this, but wherever any
one might look, precipices and pitfalls, and wars, and fightings,
and dangers; both rulers, and kings, and people and cities and
nations, and men at home and abroad, laid snares for the faithful.
And this was not the only serious thing, but also the fact that
many of the believers themselves, inasmuch as they tasted for the
first time strange doctrines, stood in need of great indulgence,
and were still in a somewhat feeble condition and were often upset.
And this was a thing which used to grieve the teachers, no less
than the fightings without, nay rather much more. For the fightings
without, and the plottings, afforded much pleasure to them on
account of the hope of the rewards awaiting them. On this account
the apostles returned from the presence of the Sanhedrin rejoicing
because they had been beaten;372
and Paul cries out, saying: “I
rejoice in my sufferings,”373
and he glories in his afflictions
everywhere. But the wounds of those at home, and the falls of the
brethren, do not suffer them to breathe again, but always, like
some most heavy yoke, continually oppress and afflict the neck of
their soul. Hear at least how Paul, thus rejoicing in sufferings,
is bitterly pained about these. “For who, saith he, is weak, and
I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?”374
and again,
“I fear lest when I come I shall find you not such as I would,
and I be found of you such as ye would not,”375
and a little afterwards, “Lest
when I come again to you, God humble me, and I shall mourn many of
those who have sinned before, and have not repented of their
uncleanness, and wantonness, and fornication which they have
committed.”376
And
throughout thou seest that he is in tears and lamentations on
account of members of the household, and evermore fearing and
trembling for the believers. Just as then we admire the pilot, not
when he is able to bring those who are on board safe to shore when
the sea is calm, and the ship is borne along by favourable winds,
but when the deep is raging and the waves contending, and the
passengers themselves within in revolt, and a great storm within
and without besets those who are on board, and he is able to steer
the ship with all security; so we ought to wonder at, and admire
those who then had the Church committed to their hands, much more
than those who now have the management of it; when there was a
great war without and within, when the plant of the faith was more
tender, and needed much care, when, as a newly-born babe, the
multitude in the church required much forethought, and the greatest
wisdom in any soul destined to nurse it; and in order that ye may
more clearly learn, how great crowns they were worthy of, who then
had the Church entrusted to them, and how great work and danger
there was in undertaking the matter on the threshold and at the
beginning, and in being the first to enter upon it, I bring forward
for you the testimony of Christ, who pronounces a verdict on these
things, and confirms the opinion which has been expressed by me.
For when he saw many coming to him, and was wishing to show the
apostles that the prophets toiled more than they, he says:
“Others have laboured, and ye have entered into their
labour.”377
And yet the
apostles toiled much more than the prophets. But since they first
sowed the word of piety, and won over the untaught souls of men to
the truth, the greater part of the work is credited to them. For it
is by no means the same thing for one to come and teach after many
teachers, and himself to be the first to sow seeds. For that which
has been already practised, and has become customary with many,
would be easily
accepted; but that which is now for the
first time heard, agitates the mind of the hearers, and gives the
teacher a great deal to do. This at least it was which disturbed
the audience at Athens, and on this account they turned away from
Paul, reproaching him with, “Thou bringest certain strange things
to our ears.”378
For if the
oversight of the Church now furnishes much weariness and work to
those who govern it, consider how double and treble and manifold
was the work then, when there were dangers and fighting and snares,
and fear continually. It is not possible to set forth in words the
difficulty which those saints then encountered, but he alone will
know it who comes to it by experience.
4. And I will speak of a fourth crown, arising for
us out of this episcopate. What then is this? The fact that he was
entrusted with our own native city. For it is a laborious thing
indeed to have the oversight of a hundred men, and of fifty alone.
But to have on one’s hands so great a city, and a population
extending to two hundred thousand, of how great virtue and wisdom
dost thou think there is a proof? For as in the care of armies, the
wiser of the generals have on their hands the more leading and more
numerous regiments, so, accordingly, in the care of cities. The
more able of the rulers are entrusted with the larger and more
populous. And at any rate this city was of much account to God, as
indeed He manifested by the very deeds which He did. At all events
the master of the whole world, Peter, to whose hands He committed
the keys of heaven, whom He commanded to do and to bear all, He
bade tarry here for a long period. Thus in His sight our city was
equivalent to the whole world. But since I have mentioned Peter, I
have perceived a fifth crown woven from him, and this is that this
man succeeded to the office after him. For just as any one taking a
great stone from a foundation hastens by all means to introduce an
equivalent to it, lest he should shake the whole building, and make
it more unsound, so, accordingly, when Peter was about to depart
from here, the grace of the Spirit introduced another teacher
equivalent to Peter, so that the building already completed should
not be made more unsound by the insignificance of the successor. We
have reckoned up then five crowns, from the importance of the
office, from the dignity of those who ordained to it, from the
difficulty of the time, from the size of the city, from the virtue
of him who transmitted the episcopate to him. Having woven all
these, it was lawful to speak of a sixth, and seventh, and more
than these; but in order that we may not, by spending the whole
time on the consideration of the episcopate, miss the details about
the martyr, come from this point, let us pass to that conflict. At
one time a grievous warfare was rekindled against the Church, and
as though a most grievous tyranny overspread the earth, all were
carried off from the midst of the market-place. Not indeed charged
with anything monstrous, but because being freed from error, they
hastened to piety; because they abstained from the service of
demons, because they recognized the true God, and worshipped his
only begotten Son, and for things for which they ought to have been
crowned, and admired and honoured, for these they were punished and
encountered countless tortures, all who embraced the faith, and
much more they who had the oversight of the churches. For the
devil, being crafty, and apt to contrive plots of this kind,
expected that if he took away the shepherds, he would easily be
able to scatter the flocks. But He who takes the wise in their
craftiness, wishing to show him that men do not govern His church,
but that it is He himself who everywhere tends those who believe on
Him, agreed that this should be, that he might see, when they were
taken away, that the cause of piety was not defeated, nor the word
of preaching quenched, but rather increased; that by these very
works he might learn both himself, and all those who minister to
him, that our affairs are not of men, but that the subject of our
teaching has its root on high, from the heavens; and that it is God
who everywhere leads the Church, and that it is not possible for
him who fights against God, ever to win the day. But the Devil did
not only work this evil, but another also not less than this. For
not only in the cities over which they presided, did he suffer the
Bishops to be slaughtered; but he took them into foreign territory
and slew them; and he did this, in anxiety at once to take them
when destitute of friends, and hoping to render them weaker with
the toil of their journey, which accordingly he did with this
saint. For he called him away from our city to Rome, making the
course twice as long, expecting to depress his mind both by the
length of the way and the number of the days, and not knowing that
having Jesus with him, as a fellow traveller, and fellow exile on
so long a journey, he rather became the stronger, and afforded more
proof of the power that was with him, and to a greater degree knit
the Churches together. For the cities which were on the road
running together from all sides, encouraged the athlete, and sped
him on his way with many supplies, sharing in his conflict by their prayers, and
intercessions. And they derived no little comfort when they saw the
martyr hastening to death with so much readiness, as is consistent
in one called to the realms which are in the heaven, and by means
of the works themselves, by the readiness and by the joyousness of
that noble man, that it was not death to which he was hastening,
but a kind of long journey and migration from this world, and
ascension to heaven; and he departed teaching these things in every
city, both by his words, and by his deeds, and as happened in the
case of the Jews, when they bound Paul, and sent him to Rome, and
thought that they were sending him to death, they were sending a
teacher to the Jews who dwelt there. This indeed accordingly
happened in the case of Ignatius in larger measure. For not to
those alone who dwell in Rome, but to all the cities lying in the
intervening space, he went forth as a wonderful teacher, persuading
them to despise the present life, and to think naught of the things
which are seen, and to love those which are to come, to look
towards heaven, and to pay no regard to any of the terrors of this
present life. For on this and on more than this, by means of his
works, he went on his way instructing them, as a sun rising from
the east, and hastening to the west. But rather more brilliant than
this, for this is wont to run on high, bringing material light, but
Ignatius shone below, imparting to men’s souls the intellectual
light of doctrine. And that light on departing into the regions of
the west, is hidden and straightway causes the night to come on.
But this on departing to the regions of the west, shone there more
brilliantly, conferring the greatest benefits to all along the
road. And when he arrived at the city, even that he
instructed in Christian wisdom. For on this account God permitted
him there to end his life, so that this man’s death might be
instructive to all who dwell in Rome. For we by the grace of
God need henceforward no evidence, being rooted in the faith. But
they who dwelt in Rome, inasmuch as there was great impiety there,
required more help. On this account both Peter and Paul, and this
man after them, were all slain there, partly, indeed, in order that
they might purify with their own blood, the city which had been
defiled with blood of idols, and partly in order that they might by
their works afford a proof of the resurrection of the crucified
Christ, persuading those who dwell in Rome, that they would not
with so much pleasure disdain this present life, did they not
firmly persuade themselves that they were about to ascend to the
crucified Jesus, and to see him in the heavens. For in reality it
is the greatest proof of the resurrection that the slain Christ
should show forth so great power after death, as to persuade living
men to despise both country and home and friends, and acquaintance
and life itself, for the sake of confessing him, and to choose in
place of present pleasures, both stripes and dangers and death. For
these are not the achievements of any dead man, nor of one
remaining in the tomb but of one risen and living. Since how
couldest thou account, when he was alive, for all the Apostles who
companied with him becoming weaker through fear to betray their
teachers and to flee and depart; but when he died, for not only
Peter and Paul, but even Ignatius, who had not even seen him, nor
enjoyed his companionship, showing such earnestness as to lay down
life itself for his sake?
5. In order then that all who dwell in Rome
might learn that these things are a reality, God allowed that there
the saint should be perfected,379
and that this was the reason I will
guarantee from the very manner of his death. For not outside the
walls, in a dungeon, nor even in a court of justice, nor in some
corner, did he receive the sentence which condemned him, but in the
midst of the theatre, while the whole city was seated above him, he
underwent this form of martyrdom, wild beasts being let loose upon
him, in order that he might plant his trophy against the Devil,
beneath the eyes of all, and make all spectators emulous of his own
conflicts. Not dying thus nobly only, but dying even with pleasure.
For not as though about to be severed from life, but as called to a
better and more spiritual life, so he beheld the wild beasts
gladly. Whence is this manifest? From the words which he uttered
when about to die, for when he heard that this manner of punishment
awaited him, “may I have joy,” said he, “of these wild
beasts.”380
For such are
the loving. For they receive with pleasure whatever they may suffer
for the sake of those who are beloved, and they seem to have their
desire satisfied when what happens to them is more than usually
grievous. Which happened, therefore, in this man’s case. For not
by his death alone, but also by his readiness he studied to emulate
the apostles, and hearing that they, after they had been scourged
retired with joy, himself too wished to imitate his teachers, not
only by his death, but by his joy. On this account he said, “may
I have joy of thy wild beasts,” and much milder than the tongue
of the tyrant did he consider the mouths of these; and very
reasonably. For while that invited
him to Gehenna, their mouths escorted him to a
kingdom. When, therefore, he made an end of life there, yea rather,
when he ascended to heaven, he departed henceforward crowned. For
this also happened through the dispensation of God, that he
restored him again to us, and distributed the martyr to the cities.
For that city received his blood as it dropped, but ye were
honoured with his remains, ye enjoyed his episcopate, they enjoyed
his martyrdom. They saw him in conflict, and victorious, and
crowned, but ye have him continually. For a little time God removed
him from you, and with greater glory granted him again to you. And
as those who borrow money, return with interest what they receive,
so also God, using this valued treasure of yours, for a little
while, and having shown it to that city, with greater brilliancy
gave it back to you. Ye sent forth a Bishop, and received a martyr;
ye sent him forth with prayers, and ye received him with crowns;
and not only ye, but all the cities which intervene. For how do ye
think that they behaved when they saw his remains being brought
back? What pleasure was produced! how they rejoiced! with what
applause on all sides they beset the crowned one! For as with a
noble athlete, who has wrestled down all his antagonists, and who
comes forth with radiant glory from the arena, the spectators
receive him, and do not suffer him to tread the earth, bringing him
home on their shoulders, and besetting him with countless praises:
so also the cities in order receiving this saint then from Rome,
and bearing him upon their shoulders as far as this city, escorted
the crowned one with praises, celebrating the champion, in song;
laughing the Devil to scorn, because his artifice was turned
against him, and what he thought to do against the martyr, this
turned out for his behoof. Then, indeed, he profited, and
encouraged all the cities; and from that time to this day he
enriches this city, and as some perpetual treasure, drawn upon
every day, yet not failing, makes all who partake of it more
prosperous, so also this blessed Ignatius filleth those who come to
him with blessings, with boldness, nobleness of spirit, and much
courage, and so sendeth them home.
Not only to-day, therefore, but every day let
us go forth to him, plucking spiritual fruits from him. For it is,
it is possible for him who comes hither with faith to gather the
fruit of many good things. For not the bodies only, but the very
sepulchres of the saints have been filled with spiritual grace. For
if in the case of Elisha this happened, and a corpse when it
touched the sepulchre, burst the bands of death and returned to
life again,381
much rather
now, when grace is more abundant, when the energy of the spirit is
greater, is it possible that one touching a sepulchre, with faith,
should win great power; thence on this account God allowed us the
remains of the saints, wishing to lead by them us to the same
emulation, and to afford us a kind of haven, and a secure
consolation for the evils which are ever overtaking us. Wherefore I
beseech you all, if any is in despondency, if in disease, if under
insult, if in any other circumstance of this life, if in the depth
of sins, let him come hither with faith, and he will lay aside all
those things, and will return with much joy, having procured a
lighter conscience from the sight alone. But more, it is not only
necessary that those who are in affliction should come hither, but
if any one be in cheerfulness, in glory, in power, in much
assurance towards God, let not this man despise the benefit. For
coming hither and beholding this saint, he will keep these noble
possessions unmoved, persuading his own soul to be moderate by the
recollection of this man’s mighty deeds, and not suffering his
conscience by the mighty deeds to be lifted up to any self conceit.
And it is no slight thing for those in prosperity not to be puffed
up at their good fortune, but to know how to bear their prosperity
with moderation, so that the treasure is serviceable to all, the
resting place is suitable, for the fallen, in order that they may
escape from their temptations, for the fortunate, that their
success may remain secure, for those in weakness indeed, that they
may return to health, and for the healthy, that they may not fall
into weakness. Considering all which things, let us prefer this way
of spending our time, to all delight, all pleasure, in order that
rejoicing at once, and profiting, we may be able to become
partakers with these saints, both of their dwelling and of their
home, through the prayers of the saints themselves, through the
grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be
glory to the Father with the Holy Spirit, now and always forever
and ever amen.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
|
