Berengosus Trevirensis (Berengosus of Trier)
(On the Praise and Discovery of the Holy Cross)
Historical Notice
(Fabricius, Library of Medieval and Late Latin, vol. 1, p. 214.) Berengosus, of the Order of St. Benedict, Abbot of St. Maximin of Trier, flourished not, as Bellarmine states in the first edition of his book on Sacred Writers, in the seventh century, but at the beginning of the twelfth, around the year 1112. He obtained from Emperor Henry V a privilege for the advocacy of his abbey, and wrote short works published at Cologne in 1555 and reprinted in the Libraries of the Fathers, most recently at Lyon, vol. XII: On the Praise and Discovery of the Lord's Cross, three books, p. 349; a book On the Mystery of the Lord's Wood, and On Visible and Invisible Light, by which the ancient fathers merited to be illuminated, p. 367; and five Sermons on Martyrs, Confessors, the Dedication of Churches, and the Veneration of Relics, p. 376. Oudin errs (vol. II, p. 1004) when he attributes to this Berengosus a commentary on the Apocalypse, which has already been demonstrated to be by Berengar of Tours. Likewise, what some attribute to him, On the Fasts of the Four Ember Days, belongs to Berno, not Berengosus.
Book One: On the Praise of the Holy Cross
Chapter I. On how the Lord first sent prophecy and the law before Himself, and then, having been born and having suffered, ascended the tree of the cross.
When the ancient divinity foresaw the opportune time for the human race, to gather into one the children who had been scattered, to redeem man, whom the choice of his own will had separated from God, He sent into the vineyard of the Church, first and second, servants, and third, His Son. Who, to show Himself to be the true king, sent before Himself, as it were servants — both servants: prophecy and the law — when, to prepare the way for man to the heavenly homeland, He came first to Abraham, second to Moses, and third to Mary. From her, indeed, lest either the man be hidden by His sufferings or God be hidden by His virtues, He presented Himself as true God and true man to human sight, so that with no obstacles of events hindering, the man would be proved by His trials and God by His miracles. For by the fact that, about to suffer for our salvation, He ascended the tree of the cross, He undoubtedly showed Himself to be truly man; but by the fact that He trampled His own death with the glory of the resurrection, He showed Himself to be truly God. But this also should be attributed no less to His divinity: that the very day of His passion seemed to be darkened for a time, the day on which, for the redemption of the substance of the human race, He suffered by cross, nails, and lance. For these are the most sacred marks of human salvation, by which the true Isaac brought us the oil of heavenly medicine — and marks indeed — when, like a ram caught in the thorns by the horns of the cross of sins, He deigned to heal every languishing head and every grieving heart (Isa. 1). Fixed are those marks by which, on the altar of the cross, the supreme Priest of priests willed to free the human race entirely in one man, when by a singular sacrifice and common grace He provided for all in one, and for the one in all. These also are those marks by which the Son of God showed us the inestimable sign of fatherly love, when He bore our sins in His own body upon the wood (1 Pet. 2), so that the ancient enemy might be tormented within himself by the more bitter torment of his own envy, in that he was conquered by the same wood by which he had conquered.
Chapter II. How the wood of the cross was discovered by Queen Helena, or had previously been hidden by the Jews, and on the presentation of three figures, according to the threefold mystery of the same wood.
Wherefore, just as that day of the Lord's Passion was once longed for by the whole world, so also this most sacred day ought to be no less venerable to us: for just as on that day our Savior fulfilled the work of our redemption, so also on this day He determined to reveal to us the Lord's wood. And therefore this day ought to be celebrated by us all the more festively, because on it the same Lord's wood had to be uncovered by Christ's revelation, especially since divine Scripture speaks of nothing else concerning this day except that today the cross of the Lord was discovered by Queen Helena. For as the Calendar testifies in the catalogue of saints for the present day, this day is called the Finding of the Holy Cross, because on this day the same cross is proven to have been found, on which the substance of the human race was redeemed by the Passion of Christ.
But since it still seems unknown to many why that Lord's wood had long been hidden by the Jews, therefore now, setting causes against causes and things against things, we shall say a few words from among many on the matter, according to our capacity. For you know that, just as treachery is the enemy of faith and vice of virtue, so Jewish impiety is always the rival of Christian salvation: because, just as it attacked the author of human salvation on the wood of the cross, so it still execrates the honor of the Christian religion. Whence it is no wonder that the same Jews, clothed in the cloak of envy, envied both divine mercy and human salvation; since through the same envy by which they destroyed the very author of light in His Passion, after His Passion they hid the wood of the cross, so that salvation, clearer than the sun and more manifest than light, would be lacking for us in the author of life and salvation upon the cross. For they themselves were those of whom it is written: they shall be the portions of foxes (Ps. 62), since, choosing the fox Caesar in place of the supreme King, they were unwilling to change either their faces or their minds toward God. Wherefore, to show their treachery more fully — for whom, in the faith of Christ, the nations have not yet been disturbed and the kingdoms have not yet been shaken (Ps. 45) — through the fields of Scripture, for example, our discourse will now range more widely, so that what is to be proposed may be better shown by example than by word. For in order that the envy of the Jews may be laid to rest by just reasoning, three men from among these ancient Patriarchs must be proposed, lest the words of Truth seem to have been neglected by us, to whom it was said: In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word stand (2 Cor. 13). But it should be known that, just as these men are three — namely Joseph, Isaac, and Moses — so by the supreme ministry of the ancient divinity, they must bring us a threefold mystery.
Chapter III. On the comparison which Joseph bears to the wood, or his brothers to the Synagogue of the Jews.
Now although Joseph was the youngest of the three, he will nevertheless be first for us in this exposition, so that on the ladder of the Church, ascending gradually, as it were from step to step, we may arrive at the whole by going from one to another. But in this exposition none of us should feel weariness if we bring Joseph's brothers and the Jews together into the discussion, since the Jews were full of the same envy toward the Lord that Joseph's ten brothers had harbored toward him. For the Jews always had the same cause of envy toward the Lord that Joseph's brothers were accustomed to have toward him, since on account of his singular grace they seemed to be so cooked in the furnace of envy that they could not speak to him peaceably (Gen. 37). And indeed the Jews, harboring the same envy toward the Lord, sharpened their tongues like serpents for His death, lest that prophecy seem false: They have spoken against me with a deceitful tongue (Ps. 108). Whence, although there is no fellowship of light with darkness, or of darkness with light, nevertheless these same brothers and Jews must be compared to the Lord's cross, especially since by antiphrasis they bear the same relationship to the cross that darkness seems to bear to light. For just as among Joseph's brothers brotherly love began to fail when, in betraying him, they withdrew to Dothan — which is interpreted as 'defection' — so the Jews were separated from God by the lot of a great defection, since even unto death, the death of the cross (Phil. 2), they plotted for His death.
But it should be known that, among the other twelve brothers, only two imitated the ancient fathers, since Joseph and his brother Benjamin were unwilling to go with the other brothers to Dothan, because, being sons not of Leah but of Rachel, they ought not to have been participants in the fraternal plot. But the other brothers, who had been born of the handmaids or of Leah, were scattered abroad on the road, as it were for the fraternal betrayal, just as in the net of the Church, between good and bad fish, the order is so distinguished that the bad are cast out and the good remain within. Whence, just as these same brothers and Jews bore the figure of those fish of whom it is written, but the bad they cast forth (Matt. 13), it is no wonder that the treachery of the Jews toward Christ was of the same kind as the envy of his brothers toward Joseph. But it should be known that, just as Joseph merited by the merit of his good deeds to bear the type of the Savior, so it was not from works of the flesh but from works of light that the mystery of the cross was prefigured in him. For just as Joseph was enclosed for some time in a cistern, so the Lord's cross was long enclosed in the earth, until, with heavenly grace cooperating, both the cross was lifted from the earth and Joseph from the cistern. And just as Joseph was sold by his brothers to the Ishmaelites, so Christ was sold to the chief priests by Ishmaelites: since, just as Joseph was handed over into exile by the counsel of Judah the patriarch, so Christ was handed over to the death of the cross by the counsel of Judas Iscariot the heresiarch. Therefore the malice of those brothers is not unfittingly compared in its manifold form to the malice of the Jews, since both groups blasphemed one and the same mystery of Christ. For just as those brothers, according to the written judgment of the ancient divinity, sold their brother Joseph into Egypt through the darkness of falsehood, so these others, to imitate the sign of the same malice, had hidden the Lord's wood in a certain most dark place. And just as Joseph was once thrust into prison by the wickedness of his brothers, so by the malice of the Jews both the cross lay hidden in secret and Christ enclosed in the tomb, so that the human race in this double mystery would be so deprived of the sign of divine love that neither life from Christ nor salvation from the wood would come to them.
Chapter IV. Just as Joseph was freed from prison, or Christ from death, so the sign of the cross was freed from its confinement.
Therefore, just as it has been related with sufficiently clear reasoning how the wood of the cross was long hidden as a type of the Lord's burial, so now the sign of the Lord's resurrection must be reported to you — how in the same manner the wood of the Holy Cross was raised up. For since the burial of the Lord's body could serve as a figure of the finding of the cross, it is fitting that, just as we compared the hiding of the cross to Joseph's prison and the Lord's burial, so now we should attribute the finding of the cross to the opening of the prison and the resurrection of the Savior. For just as the extraction of Joseph from the cistern signifies the Lord's resurrection, so the extraction of the cross from the earth can have the same signification; because, just as Joseph was drawn out of the cistern for the salvation of his brothers, so the Lord's cross was today drawn out of the earth for the salvation of the peoples. And just as it looks to one and the same destiny that Joseph escaped prison and Christ escaped death, so we can justly attribute the merit of both to the Lord's cross, which today was released from the prison of the earth according to the same figure.
Moreover, this must not be passed over in silence by us, but rather must be discussed by you spiritually: that the Lord's cross today was freed from its ancient confinement in the same manner as Joseph and the cupbearer were once freed from the prison of Pharaoh. Whence thanks be to God that, just as Joseph and Christ spiritually shared one lot — since Joseph was sent into prison and Christ into death — so the Christian people were unwilling for any reason to spare the Jews until the Lord's wood was led forth from the prison of its ancient confinement, under the same lot of spiritual understanding by which Joseph was led out of prison and Christ from death.
Chapter V. Just as Joseph was invested by Pharaoh with a golden collar, a ring, and a robe, so the wood of the cross was adorned with gems and gold by Queen Helena.
Therefore, just as it has been sufficiently said how Joseph in prison, or Christ in death, was made a curse for us, so what was done with Joseph by Pharaoh after his release from prison ought not to remain untouched by us. But since the following thought seems so connected with the preceding one that for the sake of silence, silence ought by no means be imposed upon the mouth, it is fitting that for the strengthening of the souls of the faithful we should say something about what follows. For just as Joseph, released from the prison of the aforesaid dungeon, was figuratively clothed with a golden collar, and also with a ring and a robe, so Christ, rising from death for human salvation, was clothed with strength and girded Himself (Ps. 92) with power. Furthermore, as if this statement alone does not suffice, we must say what is signified by the golden collar, and also by the ring and the robe. For just as in the linen robe and golden collar a twofold meaning lies hidden — since by the linen the virginal flesh is signified, and by the collar, heavenly wisdom — so in the ring the office of faith of the supreme Priest is prefigured, who says through Peter: You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2). Whence it should be known that, just as Joseph was figuratively adorned by Pharaoh with a ring, a robe, and a golden collar, so the most blessed Helena historically adorned the wood of the cross, when from the treasure of royal munificence she decorated the same cross with gems and gold. Furthermore, just as Joseph presented a type for us when, adorned with various gifts, he ascended the chariot of joy, so the most sacred Helena today raised for us the horn of salvation, when for our salvation she brought the Lord's cross from the depths to the heights. Moreover, just as Joseph, exalted on the royal chariot, merited to be proclaimed everywhere by the herald's voice, so in that same deed he left us a great mystery of twofold grace, since according to the same figure the wood of the cross is proclaimed by the people, and Christ is proclaimed by John.
Chapter VI. Just as Joseph, about to sell grain to the Egyptians, opened the king's granaries, so Queen Helena merited to open for us the wood of the cross in the granary of the Church.
Having related, therefore, what Joseph as king of Egypt did, it must also be reported what Joseph himself did with the Egyptians for the sake of humanity, lest it seem unworthy to any of you if that act of his is referred to the Lord's wood. For just as the prison in which he was confined, or the chariot on which he was exalted, was fittingly compared to the Lord's cross, so the distribution of Egyptian grain is to be compared by a similar reasoning to that same venerable cross. For it should be known that, just as Joseph, about to sell grain to the Egyptians, opened the granaries of charity, so the most sacred Helena merited to open for us today the wood on which the grain of wheat had died, lest with Manasseh — whose name is interpreted as 'forgetfulness' — it should any longer be given over to oblivion, but rather with Joseph — who is said to mean 'increase' — it should be increased into the Christian religion. Whence, since through the treachery of the ancient enemy the bread of faith and charity has now nearly failed in our provisions, it is necessary that we return to the true Joseph for the father's bread, with that prodigal son as a defendant of the faith, who, returning to his father, said: How many of my father's hired servants have bread in abundance, but I am perishing here with hunger (Luke 15). For unless, to merit the kingdom of eternity, we make for ourselves bundles of the tares of our vices for burning, we shall by no means arrive at God with that sheaf of good works, of which it is written: Gather the wheat into my barn (Matt. 13). Accordingly, just as by Joseph's command a fifth part of the Egyptian harvest was given to the king, so our five senses must be devoted to the service of God, so that in place of the fifth part that was owed to kings, we may always be bound by divine laws to the custody of our five senses. For unless, after the example of the sacrament of the law, we redeem the firstborn of man with five shekels of silver, the stripes of Christ's five wounds have profited us nothing — by which, on the altar of the cross, He willed to heal the scars of our five senses. Whence, lest these same senses of ours, together with the Egyptians, seem to be fasting from faith and charity, we ought to implore the true Joseph by common prayer; that He who once willed to hunger for human salvation in the Egypt of this tribulation may deign to open the granaries of charity for each of us, offering the grain of the heavenly word to the interior mind — He who through the death of the cross willed to compare Himself to a grain of wheat.
Chapter VII. Just as Joseph hid the cup in the sack of his younger brother, so the Jews hid the Lord's wood.
Therefore, just as the kernel of the wheat, which had long lain hidden under the chaff of Egyptian servitude, has now been most clearly revealed to us by the winnowing of the heavenly grain, so that cup of Joseph ought by no means to be hidden by your charity — the cup which he once ordered to be concealed in the sack of his younger brother. For it is fitting that, just as from Joseph's granaries the kernel of the heavenly grain was first extracted, so from his cup the flask of spiritual sacrament should now be offered to you as drink, so that in the observance of so great a mystery you may be partakers of God's grace, which the Jews once lost in hiding the Lord's wood. For by the fact that the Jews hid the wood of the cross so deeply, as it were in the mouth of the earth, they were unwilling to imitate Joseph's deed, who, after he had given fitting answers to all his brothers' inquiries, at last hid a silver cup in the mouth of the younger brother's sack. Just as the splendor of the heavenly word is expressed by the cup, and the letter of the law by the sack, so by the mouth of the younger brother's sack the soul of man is signified — if, however, it clings more fully and more perfectly to that knowledge of which it is written: The soul of the just is the seat of wisdom. Whence, since Joseph always enclosed in the summit of his heart, as it were in the mouth of the sack, that knowledge of which it is written: The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom (Ps. 16), therefore his heart never departed from His law. But since the same cup of truth was far removed from the treachery of Jewish impiety, therefore they could not preserve that desirable treasure in the depths of the mind, of which it is written: A desirable treasure rests in the mouth of the wise. Whence it is no wonder that, although Joseph and the Hebrews came from one lineage, yet in this deed Joseph had one intention and the Jews another, since because of the diverse quality of their merits, the will of each was also diverse. For just as Joseph, to chastise the boldness of fraternal impiety, turned insult into grace in the concealment of that cup, so the Jews, on the contrary, to obscure the memory of the Christian religion, in the concealment of the cross chose insult for us rather than glory. In which matter they acted with extreme malice, since for so long a time they hid the treasure of Divinity to our insult, when it would have been better for them to have found, with Joseph, the cup of truth than to have hidden the wood of the cross so long out of envy of Christians. And whereas, according to the precept of the law, they ought to have carried with Joseph the stake of compunction under the girdle of their heart to cover the dung of Jewish filth, on the contrary they lost the stake of faith, hope, and charity while through the goad of envy they wove the banner of the Lord's cross. But it is no wonder that they did not have the stake of compunction under the girdle of their heart who had within the depths of their mind the cup of lost love, because, cast headlong by the chariot of their pride into the prison of diabolical captivity, they were separated from the granary of the Church and the cup of wisdom. Whence, lest we in the same way seem to be imprisoned by the ancient Pharaoh, we ought to be elevated with Joseph on the chariot of humility and patience, so that in the granary of the Church we may merit not only to be fed with the measure of spiritual wheat, but also to be intoxicated by the cup of heavenly eloquence with Christ giving us drink. And so, with spiritual sacrament, as if distinguishing by the work of bas-relief, what is signified by the same prison and chariot, and what by the grain or the cup — it is fitting that we should not pass over in silence the finding of the Holy Cross today, which is attested by the opening of the prison, and the ascent of the chariot, and by the distribution of the grain, and the finding of the cup.
Chapter VIII. Just as, after the example of Isaac, the eyes of the Jews grew dim when out of envy of the Christians they hid the wood of the cross; so the same people unwillingly revealed the wood of the cross, just as Isaac unknowingly blessed his son.
Behold, since our discourse has been somewhat prolonged with Japheth while, for the sake of proclaiming the mystery of the cross, we have lingered for some time with Joseph, it remains that now, exchanging wine and milk without cost from either law, we should pass from the granaries of Joseph to the wells of Isaac. But before we say anything about those same wells, nothing prevents us from first saying a few words about the dimness of his eyes, especially since, according to the comparison of good and evil, his blindness can be worthily equated with the blindness of the Jews. Now it is not without significance that the son of Abraham incurred this blindness, although that blindness which befell Israel was not from Abraham and Sarah but from Hagar and Ishmael. For if Sarah is compared to Hagar, they are unequal to each other in freedom yet equal in condition; because it is not unknown to you what each of them was, since one was free and the other a handmaid. Whence, since God has endowed us with the freedom of the one, we ought not to be oppressed by the servitude of the other, so that with Isaac we may attain such perfect freedom that by his example we may by no means imitate the blindness of the Jews. For if he himself grew somewhat dim in his outward eyes, while spiritually prefiguring in himself the blindness of the Jews, much more did that Jewish people lose the interior light of truth when, in the concealment of the Lord's wood, they cut themselves off from the unity of the Church. But thanks be to God that, just as the eyes of the Jews once grew dim, as it were with Isaac, when to the injury of the Christians they concealed that same treasure of Divinity, so the same people unwillingly bestowed upon us in the finding of the Holy Cross the same blessing with which the aforementioned Isaac once unknowingly blessed his son. For just as Isaac unknowingly extended a blessing to his son, and yet foresaw long before what would come to pass for him, so that Jewish people, following the example of the same Israelite, unwillingly revealed the wood of the cross which they were unwilling to reveal of their own accord.
Chapter IX. As the Philistines buried Isaac's wells, so the Jews hid the wood of the cross. And just as the same wood was found by Queen Helena, so by Isaac in those same wells pure water was found.
Since the hour has now come that, as we indicated beforehand, we should pass to those wells from which we may offer you cups of clearer water. For nothing prevents us, if the wells which Isaac once dug among a foreign nation we should today recall to mind in honor of the Holy Cross, lest we smother that mystery with the foul smoke of human silence — how the Philistines, laying snares, filled those same wells with earth. What, then, is signified by the Philistines if not the Jews? And what by the wells, if not the depth of God's Scriptures? For the Jews are not unfittingly compared to the Philistines, who in the concealment of the Lord's wood long laid snares against human salvation, not heeding that saying of the ancient proverb in which it is said: The wicked shall be caught in their own snares (Prov. 11). Whence it is no wonder that, just as the Philistines buried the living water by filling with earth the wells that Isaac had dug, so the Jews in concealing the Lord's wood buried that heavenly water of which it is written: Whoever drinks the water that I shall give him, it shall become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4). But thanks be to God that, just as Isaac, to quench the thirst of believers, merited to find wells of living water, so Judas the Hebrew, although he cried out that he was unworthy of this work, on this day found the Lord's wood. Moreover, just as the Philistines strove to bury the wells of Scripture with the earth of their malice, lest the true water of spiritual understanding could flow from them, so the Jews long wished to suffocate the wood of the Holy Cross with earth, lest the wave of saving mystery could flow thence to us. Whence it is necessary for us that, just as Isaac used to cast out earth from the wells of his fathers so that he might find the heavenly water of saving grace, so we also, in seeking the wave of spiritual understanding, should penetrate the depths of our thoughts until, with all the earth of malice removed from the well of our heart, through the mystery of the cross the pure water of true innocence may shine forth for us.
Chapter X. How that well, whose name is 'of the Living and Seeing One,' can correspond to the well of the divine blood and the mystery of the cross.
Therefore, just as we found spiritual water in Isaac's wells for cleansing the sewer of carnal impurity, so it now profits us for the irrigation of the mind if we hasten with the same Isaac still further to the well whose name is 'of the Living and Seeing One.' For although there the wells are many and here there is one, yet through all of them the gift of one sacrament is offered to us, since in all of them one figure is contained, and in each and every one holy Scripture is signified. But who is the Living One, if not God, of whom it is written: The Lord lives, and blessed is my God? (Ps. 17). But who is the Seeing One, He Himself indicated to us from Himself, who said to Nathanael: When you were under the fig tree, I saw you (John 1). This is that living well, of which the Apostle said: It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me (Gal. 2), so that by his example each of us may draw from the same well and live, of which it is written: If anyone thirsts, let him come and drink (John 7). For each of the faithful has eternally from the well of Him who lives for all and sees all things, dying, that is, with the aforementioned Isaac in Him, and living in Him, because He is called both the Living and the Seeing One. For just as Isaac, according to the higher understanding of the mind, walked along the way that leads to the well whose name is 'of the Living One,' so the true Isaac, through the mystery of the cross, deigned to open the well of life for the world, from which the water of divine knowledge could be drawn from the deep. But just as by the well, as has been said, the depth of sacred reading is figured, so by the way that leads to the well, the humility of the Lord's Passion is signified, through which the spiritual streams of holy Scripture were opened to us — streams which before the Lord's Passion lay hidden under the chaff of the law. Whence, that we too, after the example of Isaac, may be intoxicated from that well of the Most High, of which it is written: Drink and be intoxicated, beloved (Song of Songs 1), it is fitting that we should follow the forerunner and guide Himself along the way that leads to Him, who for running the way of the Passion bore in His body nails, lance, and cross.
Chapter XI. Just as Moses was found by Pharaoh's daughter beside the bank of the river, so by Queen Helena in the place of Calvary the wood of the cross was found.
Therefore, since, according to the Apostle, we have given you not solid food but milk, while in the figure of the Lord's cross we have narrated certain things to you about Joseph and Isaac, it is fitting that now, to explain another matter to you, we should pass in the same way from Isaac to Moses. For just as Moses was found by the divine will beside the bank of the river on that day when Pharaoh's daughter came down to bathe in the river, so on this day the wood of the cross was found by the Church of the twofold people in the place of Calvary. And because by the hidden judgment of Divinity it had long seemed to be buried in that same place, it should not slip from our memory what the history records on account of the envy of the Jews. For at the suggestion of the Jewish priests, Emperor Hadrian perpetrated a horrific crime: to display the example of Jewish depravity, in the place where the Lord's wood had lain, he built a temple to Venus, so that Christian devotion would neither bend the knee there nor offer to God the libations of their vows. But thanks be to God that, just as Pharaoh's daughter showed great kindness to the Hebrew infants and preserved male children along with female, so the Church of God has been preserved by great grace in the true Moses, since the Lord's cross was today shown by Queen Helena to both men and women. Therefore, if we rightly wish to consider the wickedness of Pharaoh, it is no wonder that he commanded the males of the Hebrew infants to be killed and the females to be preserved. For just as males and females are distinguished by their twin natures, so virtues are signified in males and vices in females. Whence, lest by preserving females and killing males the ancient enemy be received into the vessels of our hearts, we must pray that the true Moses may deign to bestow upon us these twin virtues, so that in the gathering of virtues and the cutting off of vices we may preserve the males and kill the females, lest we seem to submit to the dominion of the true Pharaoh, who commanded the male sex to be killed and the female to be preserved.
Chapter XII. Just as Moses was hidden by his mother in a basket, so the Lord's cross was long hidden in the Synagogue. And in the same way the cross was found in the earth as Moses was found on the riverbank, or Christ in the Church.
Moreover, this must by no means be concealed by us in silence: that, after the example of Moses, the cross of the Lord was once seen to be hidden, because just as Moses was hidden by his mother in a basket beside the bank of the river, so the wood of the cross was long hidden by the Synagogue in the earth. But just as Moses was found at the riverbank, or Christ at the water of baptism, so Thermuth, Pharaoh's daughter — that is, the Church of the Gentiles — merited to find the Lord's wood for the salvation of believers. And it should be known that, just as the Jews seemed to stand at a distance to observe the outcome of the event, as it were with Miriam the sister of Moses, so all who are still clothed with the toga of the ancient law seem to stand far from the mystery of Christ's cross with the Synagogue. But just as Pharaoh's daughter preserved Christ for us in the male child, since she used to lift Moses, enclosed, out of the little vessel, so the Church of the Gentiles today revealed the wood of the cross for human use, which had long lain enclosed through the envy of the Jews. And just as she found the basket in the pavilion, so the Church found the Lord's cross today in its place of confinement, for by one and the same grace the cross was found today in the earth as Moses is daily found on the riverbank, or Christ in the Church! O wondrous mercy of God! O light brighter than others, that light of the day in which, after the example of the same Israelite leader, the wood of the cross was raised from the place of its confinement! For thanks be to God that, just as Pharaoh's daughter emptied that vessel in which Moses had long lain hidden, so Queen Helena destroyed on this very day that temple which Hadrian had built to the dishonor of God, to the shame of the devil. Moreover, just as Moses merited to draw the water of divine knowledge from the river of spiritual understanding, so we also in the mystery of the cross ought to draw the waters of our redemption, of which it is written: You shall draw waters with joy from the springs of the Savior (Isa. 12). Furthermore, just as Moses in the desert of Mount Sinai, where the Son of Man never rested, was accustomed to sweeten the most bitter waters for the children of Israel, so the true Moses through the mystery of the cross sweetened the bitter and incurable waters, when by an infused sweetness He made them drinkable for us. And just as the true Moses deigned to free the children of Israel from Egyptian slavery, when He cast Pharaoh's chariots and his army into the sea, so the most blessed Helena today freed the Lord's cross from Jewish captivity and placed it in the bosom of the Church, as if upon a longed-for shore. Whence we must pray that, just as the same Moses instructed the Hebrew people by the miracle of Divinity when he brought forth water from the rock for the healing of their bodies and minds, so that true Moses may cause us to cleanse the sewers of our vices by the waters of repentance — He who brought forth water from the rock and led waters like rivers (Ps. 77).
Chapter XIII. Moses, as a figure of the eternal King, trampled underfoot that royal diadem which Pharaoh had placed on his head at his daughter's request.
Therefore, although we have spoken about Moses and Pharaoh's daughter once and twice, yet, about to speak with them a third time for a little while, we shall touch briefly upon both her and him. For it should be known that this same boy, dressed in royal apparel, handsome in attire but more handsome still in countenance, prefigured by his beauty and comeliness that Lord of whom it is written: Beautiful in form above the sons of men (Ps. 44). Whence it is no wonder that, by the counsel of the ancient divinity, when Pharaoh's daughter adopted him as her son, this same adopted son prefigured in hope that Son of whom it is written: You are my Son; today I have begotten you (Ps. 2). Accordingly, as a type of Him who makes the barren woman dwell in her house, a joyful mother of children (Ps. 112), she presented the same infant to her father Pharaoh, asking, that is, that through the intimate love of fatherly charity he would make him the successor of his empire. And so, transferred to the house of Pharaoh, he was by no means deprived of royal goods there, that prophetic saying being fulfilled in him: He will not deprive of good things those who walk in innocence (Ps. 83). For as Josephus reports in his books of Antiquities, he held great authority in the house of Pharaoh, typically designating Him of whom the distinguished prophet says: The government was placed upon his shoulder (Isa. 9). Whence, although Pharaoh was ignorant of the noble lineage of his race, yet for the sake of his daughter's favor he placed upon him the diadem of his kingdom, that saying of the Gospel being fulfilled in himself: The kingdom shall be taken from him, and given to a nation producing its fruits (Matt. 21). This same Moses also showed well to us immediately in his own action, when, casting that royal diadem to the ground, he trampled it underfoot, signifying that he who was about to receive the kingdom of beauty and the diadem of splendor from the hand of the Lord would by no means succeed to an earthly man on the throne of an earthly kingdom. In which deed, indeed, he foresaw that the kingdom of the devil would one day be destroyed, since he crushed with his feet the crown that Pharaoh had placed upon him, typically intimating to us that by the power of the cross we shall always fiercely crush him of whom the Apostle says: God will crush Satan under your feet swiftly (Rom. 16).
Chapter XIV. These three men, Joseph, Isaac, and Moses, according to their prophecy and law, had diverse speech indeed concerning the mystery of the cross, but a like mind.
Behold, just as through the riddles of spiritual words, in the explanation of the three men, we ran from one to another, so now it seems to us fitting and opportune that we should gather those same men together here into one. But since those same men — namely Joseph, Isaac, and Moses — bore three figures in three persons, we must consider with both eyes in what respect the third seems to differ from the two. For proclaiming the King of all ages, therefore, two of them offered prophecy, the third the law, since, just as the law was given through Moses, so through Joseph and Isaac prophecy was offered to us. Whence, although two of them are patriarchs and the third a prophet, nevertheless the law and prophecy of each seem almost entirely fulfilled in the mystery of the Holy Cross, except for those things which, promising us either reward or punishment, still await the future judgment. But it should be noted that wherever they preached the living God, they had diverse speech but a like mind, because if we wish to consider the words of each more carefully, whatever one and another testify, so also does the third. For it was indeed fitting that those whom the ray of heavenly light had penetrated should all equally speak from the mystery of the cross, in which, for the cleansing of the sewer of original impurity, blood and water came forth from the side of the Savior (John 19). Whence it should be known that, just as Abraham showed that he bore the type of the Savior when beneath the tree of the cross he saw three and adored one, so also these three reverenced the divine and human nature in God, since they were accustomed to adore the form of the Holy Trinity according to the same figure. But although all had the worship of the one God, yet in themselves they bore a simple figure, since one had the worship of piety and the type of the living God by the testimony of the prison, another of the ram, and the third of the serpent. Whence, lest we seem to be imprisoned in the dungeon of Egyptian captivity, as it were with Joseph, we ought to imitate the two other men, Isaac and Moses, so that against the wiles of the ancient serpent we may be so armed in mind with the weapons of justice together with them, that we may imitate the fortitude of the Savior in the ram and His prudence in the serpent.
Chapter XV. That in the figure of the Lord's cross and of evangelical grace, twofold or threefold nourishments fittingly correspond to those three men: Joseph, Isaac, and Moses.
Having thus considered these things, other works of piety must also be considered in them, so that we may know what ought rightly to be sought from each of them — men for whom, because of the diversity of grace, the figures were also diverse. For just as Joseph merited to feed others with the bread of life and understanding, and to be fed himself, so Isaac and Moses merited to be given the water of wisdom to drink, so that by unequal grace and equal good will each could be joined to the other by mutual charity. For spiritual gifts are so constituted that one virtue is always sustained by another, since among the virtues of spiritual men the proportion is such that the virtue which is not possessed in one is possessed in another. Whence it is no wonder that, just as Joseph, according to the sacrament of higher understanding, is accustomed to dispense spiritual grain to us from the granary of charity, so Isaac and Moses, according to the grace given to each, will give us the water of heavenly wisdom. For just as Joseph in the mystery of the cross figuratively showed us that bread of which it was said: This is the living bread which came down from heaven (John 6), so Isaac and Moses ought to give us drink from the hidden vein of that rock, of which it is written: For they all drank from the spiritual rock that followed them (1 Cor. 10). Whence, lest we perish from thirst or hunger, it is fitting that through the mystery of the cross we be refreshed by the water and bread of the heavenly word, especially since those same three men can remedy the thirst of souls entirely thereby, if one gives us bread and two give us drink. But in the meantime nothing seems to hinder us if Joseph is briefly separated from the other two, so that where reason seems to agree with reason, he may in due course be restored to his former place. For in two ways we must briefly note here how in Isaac and Moses causes correspond to causes and things to things, especially since through the flowing verse of the following statement they can fully ward off from us the peril of interior thirst. For just as Isaac, from that well whose name is 'of the Living and Seeing One,' ought in the figure of the Savior to water the arid places of the mind, so, that the thirst of our hearts may be quenched by Moses, we ought to be intoxicated in the ark of the Church with the cup of charity together with Noah, where through the mystery of the sevenfold cross, with the flood of God's grace inundating us, Isaac ministered to us the water of wisdom from the well, and Moses from the river.
Chapter XVI. How, according to the threefold grace of the divinity, of the three men just named, one was to give bread and the others water.
Behold, if anyone now wishes to consider the time and the hour more carefully, once again, as we have indicated, the third must be recalled to his place, so that in the heavenly high ministry of the Holy Trinity he may be joined to the other two in number and in mystery. For just as Joseph at the altar of the cross foreshowed to us among the Hebrews that bread of which it is written: He gave them the bread of heaven (Ps. 77), so Isaac and Moses ought to minister to us certain secrets of heavenly wisdom in the twofold measure of twofold love. For since metron in Greek means 'measure' in Latin, the twofold measures well suited the teaching of these same men, since with twofold or threefold measures they filled those heavenly water-jars, of which it is written: Each containing two or three measures (John 2). For it should be known that, just as by twofold measures twofold love is signified, so by threefold measures the faith of the Holy Trinity is typically shown. Moreover, just as from the insight of the interior kernel, law and grace are figured by the twofold measures, so by the threefold measures the threefold order of believers is signified — namely, the married, virgins, and the continent. Whence, since on two commandments and the faith of the Trinity the whole law and the prophets depend (Matt. 22), not unfittingly do twofold or threefold measures correspond to these three men, because heavenly nourishment is daily ministered by them to these three orders: the married, the continent, and virgins. For just as Joseph, through the mystery of the cross, refreshes the strength of souls with that bread of which it is said: You will feed us with the bread of tears (Ps. 79), so Isaac and Moses are accustomed to intoxicate our hearts with the figure of that drink of which it is written: You will give us drink in tears by measure (ibid.). And therefore it is necessary for us, through the grace of Almighty God, to strive to fill the water-jars of the mind with the Lord's precepts — in such a way, indeed, that by the twofold coin of the law and of grace we may fill them to the brim with good works. Otherwise, if the ceremonies of the Hebrew law fail, in vain were the wedding feast celebrated for us at Cana of Galilee (John 2), unless in the Church of God, from the good life of believers, the feast of the guests is daily filled.
But since in the mystery of the Lord's Passion and cross a twofold grace has been given to us, so that in the Lord's sacraments we should lack neither wine nor water, therefore both must be offered in the service of God, lest either the law be lacking to grace or grace to the law. For it should be known that if wine alone is offered by either one or the other in the sacrifice of the Redeemer, His blood begins to be without us. But if water alone is ministered by this one or that, the people alone begin to be without Christ. And therefore, just as we have learned in the school of holy Mother Church herself, in the sacrifice of the Lord neither wine alone nor water alone is to be offered, but rather both should be mixed together, so that from both, one sacrament may be perfected by spiritual sanctification. For to this end, as we have from the tradition of the faithful, at the wedding feast water was changed into wine and the law was changed into the Gospel, so that we too may be transformed by the Almighty into another image, so that, just as once in body, so now we may be changed in mind. But it should be known that the law changed into the Gospel, and water converted into wine, must first be brought to the master of the feast, since in the Church of God — which in three orders has a threefold banquet hall — the figure of the teachers seems to hold the principal authority. For since archos in Greek means princeps ('leader') in Latin, this name seems well to suit the pastors of the churches, because they are accustomed to hold primacy over the three principal orders of dignities in the banquet hall of the Church. Whence, since water was then spiritually made into wine when the mystery of the Lord's Passion and cross seemed to be accomplished, it was fitting that the grace which previously lay hidden in water and wine should first be brought by the children of the Church to the master of the feast. Otherwise the twofold grace preserved for us in the same wine and water would be in vain, unless that wine made from water were brought both here to us and there to Him, of which it is written: But you have kept the good wine until now (John 2). For such wine is owed not to putrid skins but rather to new wineskins; since the whole assembly of the faithful must take good care not to put old wine into new wineskins. But what is signified by new wineskins if not new human beings — provided, however, that those renewed by the grace of Almighty God have newness not of body but of mind? For He who through the death of the cross once raised the putrid dead, He Himself always requires new wineskins to receive His blood — wineskins that may be renewed from the old man into the new man according to the same form by which Peter, Paul, and the rest were renewed. Whence, lest the wineskins of our hearts be found unlike those wineskins of which Truth says: New wine they put into new wineskins, and both are preserved (Matt. 9), it is necessary that by the frost of heavenly grace, the inward parts of our vices grow cold with that wineskin, of which it is written: I have become like a wineskin in the frost (Ps. 118). For since no one can have interior beauty unless he has coldness in his vices and warmth in his virtue, it is fitting that each one of us should have in himself that same warmth of divine love, of which it is said: My heart grew warm within me (Ps. 38). Otherwise we cannot cry out confidently that passage from the Song of Songs: Arise, O north wind, and come, O south wind (Song 4), unless the coldness of all malice is thus excluded from the cloister of our inner thought, so that the door of the heart is closed to the North Wind and open to the South Wind. Therefore, since we can in no way please the divine sight unless we have coldness in our vices and warmth in our virtues, it is necessary that for the celebration of the wedding feast of almighty God we fill the water jars of our minds with good habits and upright deeds, so that in the mystery of the cross we may worthily draw from that wine of spiritual gladness, of which it is written: Draw now, and bring it to the master of the feast (John 2).
Since, therefore, the wedding feast of the guests has already been more than sufficiently filled, while in the banquet of spiritual words we have filled the water jars of our minds, it is time for us to return from the wedding feast and the water jars to the patriarchs and prophets, in order to take up again the measures of the earlier discourse. For it is fitting that, just as through the efficacy of divine goodness we turned for a while from the law to grace, so now, to proclaim the King of all things, we should run back from wine to water, and from grace to law. But although we must draw with great effort whatever must be drawn from the wells of Isaac and from the law of Moses, nevertheless, since we have once experienced the severity of both, we must return to them by resuming our former reading. For those same prophets hold the same power over us as we see in the lodestone over rings and straw, since we are compelled to obey those same prophets in the same manner as a piece of straw or a ring is compelled to serve the power of the magnet. For just as the lodestone draws to itself by a certain art of wondrous power whatever encounters it from the opposing side, so we too, in carrying out our ancient business, seem to be drawn obliquely to those same prophets.
Therefore, lest in pursuing the theory of the proposed reasoning Joseph should digress too far from the path away from the other two, it is necessary that he be associated with the other two all the more quickly, inasmuch as he ought to assist both in number and in mystery. For those same men are all the more worthy of the ministry of human service, the fewer they are in number and the more numerous in mystery, since the two-edged sword of both Testaments rightly indicates to us that in them the understanding is manifold. Hence, since under the profession of one faith the grace of Christ was manifold in them, while one had one office and the other another, it is necessary that we strive to weigh carefully among ourselves what we may worthily hope from each of them. For we need their patronage and the grace of God in one way, and the Jews in another, since in the mystery of the cross between us and them so great a chasm is seen to be established (Luke 16) that neither we to them, nor they wish to have passage to us. Therefore, lest with those same Jews we suffer hunger like dogs (Ps. 58), in the mystery of the cross spiritual loaves must be sought for us daily from the true Joseph, so that just as he came to meet the fugitive with the marrow of wheat or with loaves, so Isaac and Moses might bring the water of heavenly eloquence to the thirsting mind. For it should be known that, just as the true Joseph once fed us spiritually with that bread, and the Hebrews carnally, of whom the prophet David says: With the bread of heaven he satisfied them (Ps. 104); so the true Isaac and the true Moses with that heavenly water gave drink to us spiritually and to the Jews figuratively, of which it is written: With the water of wisdom he gave them drink (Sir. 15). And therefore it is necessary for us that, just as the true Joseph through the mystery of the cross gives us daily that heavenly manna to be chewed with the teeth of faith, of which the Psalmist says: He rained manna upon them to eat (Ps. 77); so the true Isaac and the true Moses should remedy that thirst of souls for us individually, of which it is written: He turned rivers into a desert, and springs of water into thirsty ground (Ps. 106).
Furthermore, it is also necessary that, just as the true Joseph through the mystery of the heavenly sacrament is accustomed to feed us daily in the storehouse of the Church from the fatness of grain, so by a twofold or threefold measure of spiritual understanding Isaac may wish to give us drink from the wells and Moses from the rock. For indeed, as can be discerned by the perspicacity of the inner eye, in these three men a threefold grace meets us, since two offer us water and the third offers bread. But although food of one kind often does not suit three people according to the quality of men, nevertheless it must be shown here by us with singular devotion and common reason how in the mystery of the cross one suits all and all suit one. Hence, since in Him alone — whose figure Joseph, Isaac, and Moses bore — is our faith and our hope, we must pray that, just as the true Joseph through the mystery of the cross feeds us daily with that bread in the house of the present Church, of which it is written: Man ate the bread of angels (Ps. 77); so the true Isaac may wish to show himself so devoted to our devotion that from the well of his blood he may bestow upon us the drink of heavenly grace, so that through the grace of him who will satisfy the empty soul, two offer us water and the third bread.
But although one ought to minister bread to us and two water, we must pray that through the true Moses of faith, hope, and charity, upheld by the threefold oar, we may be able to cross the sea of the present age with dry footstep: so that through his passion and cross we may always be put to death in the body and given life in the mind — he whose death Joseph prefigured in prison, Isaac in the ram, and Moses in the serpent. May he himself deign to grant this to us, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
For since we must now swiftly bring to a conclusion whatever we have proposed concerning Joseph, Isaac, and Moses, we must consider what the word of God, which is effective and living, lastly accomplishes here as one in three; and so our discourse, as if after overcoming the shadow or turmoil of worldly care, will arrive in Christ Jesus at the summit itself.
Book Two: On the Discovery of the Holy Cross
Chapter I. Blessed Helena and her son Constantine the Great obtained grace from God.
Although it cannot be unknown that after the Passion of the Lord the wood of the Lord had long been hidden by the Jews, it is nevertheless fitting that we recall to memory when and by whom it was found, in order to proclaim the victory of that most sacred cross. Blessed Helena, then, once a native of the city of Trier, after the grace of baptism began to labor in works of piety, because, being perfect in faith and more perfect in charity, she was noble by birth but nobler in holiness. For by the nobility of her character she surpassed the nobility of others, knowing of course that this is undoubted nobility: that which is proved to be adorned with good habits. Hence from the stock of noble senators she bore a certain noble son who, like the greater luminary which is seen to preside over the day, was the splendor of the empire both in the things of the world and in the things of God.
Wherefore, as the divine decree had foreordained for him, Constantine was not unfittingly named after Constans and Constantius, showing himself to have greater constancy toward God than those same parents of his, Constantius or Constans. But although according to the dignity of the world he was noble from the stock of his father, he was nevertheless nobler in the things of God from the lineage of his mother, since after receiving the grace of the living God, he preferred nobility of mind to nobility of body. For after the grace of baptism, by which both were reconciled to the heavenly Father, the same virtue that was given to the son was given also to the mother, because if we wish to consider the history of both more closely, the God whom the mother worshipped, the son worshipped also.
Chapter II. That Syria was converted through Helena the mother, and the Romans and Greeks through her son Constantine, and that to them alone was committed the grace of finding the cross.
After the son, therefore, received this grace from the Almighty through Pope Silvester — that in the pool of salvation he might be cleansed from leprosy in body and from vices in mind — immediately, so that he might also lead others out of the pit of misery and from the mire of filth (Ps. 39), he began to thunder the faith of the Holy Trinity to the Romans as well as the Greeks. Although he was greater in strength and in virtue, he nevertheless strove with equal measure to labor for the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles, as if running between the Jewish peoples as a mediator, he began to recall the unbelieving and to strengthen the believing.
Meanwhile, while by such devotion he subjected the world to himself and himself to God, his mother did likewise here and there, drawing frequent sighs from the depths of her heart because Syria had so long previously resisted the Christian faith. Therefore mother and son followed the precepts of life all the more zealously because the grace that was given to one was given to both: for just as the heavenly Father had inspired both, the faith that the son preached, the mother also preached. For when they were casting their nets on both sides to catch men, immediately Rome and Greece were being drawn to the faith of Christ. Moreover, lest the hearts of other nations, as if fasting from faith, should fail along the way, Syria was converted through the mother and Romania through the son.
Hence, since from such good works the mother was proved worthy and the son upright, it is no wonder that the grace preserved for one is preserved for both, since for seeking the mystery of the saving wood a singular grace was preserved for both above all others. For by the counsel of the ancient Divinity the task of finding the cross was reserved for this mother and her son, so that each of them might know they had received this from divine grace — something that no one else before them could have had. Hence, since by the effort of both the standard of the Lord's cross was found, it is doubtful whether in this discovery we should prefer her or him: especially since for this quest they had for so long a counselor — one in a thousand — until she and he had arrived at the accomplishment of that work.
For through the internal persuasion of divine inspiration, the son provided the beginning to this discovery, and the mother the conclusion; because, while each of them made themselves inclined to this quest, the son imposed the origin and the mother the end.
Chapter III. Constantine armed himself with the sign of the cross against the barbarians, and according to the sign that he saw in the sky he overthrew and conquered his enemies.
But since it is known only to the heavenly Father why the discovery of the most sacred cross was reserved for this son and mother, we must tell how the secret counsel of the ancient Divinity provoked both mother and son to seek that same wood of the Lord.
At a certain time, therefore, no small multitude of barbarians began to devastate the territories of the Greeks everywhere, since, as if breaking out into open apostasy, they were accustomed to occupy nearly all of Romania. Constantine, however, not yet fearing God but reverencing men, armed himself against his enemies like a veteran soldier, while day and night he began to think and reconsider with his men how or in what way he could drive them off. But when he was anxious about this every single night and every single day — as an anxious mind always changes its resolve when circumstances are alarming — at last, for the purpose of revealing the most sacred wood of the cross against his enemies, he was divinely relieved by the following sign. For on a certain night while resting on his bed, he saw the sign of the cross in the sky, and after this vision he immediately heard a voice from heaven with this meaning: that on the day of battle, and in the time of fighting, through this sign he should have the victory of triumphing. Hence, although he was still a pagan and had not yet been instructed in anything about the mystery of the cross, he immediately had another sign fashioned after the same form that he saw in the sky. And when the opportune day arrived, on which the Crucified One himself was about to show the power of the cross to confirm the sign of heavenly grace, that same standard was carried before the battle line of Constantine. In this conflict, although each side held a hardened face against the other, nevertheless battle line most fiercely attacked battle line, until the immense battle line of his men overcame the battle line of the adversaries through the power of the cross.
For when veteran recruits had been intent on arms here and there, and along the bank of the Danube one side was encountering the other and nation meeting nation, immediately, as divine grace had previously shown him in a vision, he destroyed some of his enemies and put others to flight through the power of the cross. Thus, therefore, after he merited the victory through the power of the cross for the praise and glory of the Divinity, he has well experienced in himself that grace of divine promise, of which it is written: Those who hate him I will turn to flight (Ps. 88). For since the Lord does not leave the rod of sinners upon the lot of the just (Ps. 124), on that day he clearly demonstrated it in the valor of his men, since through the power of the cross he himself wished to free them from the barbarian nations, of whom it is written: The Lord strengthens the just (Ps. 36).
But although they were not yet just in the eyes of men, they were nevertheless just before the Lord; because already that remedy of heavenly grace had begun to draw near to them, through which they were going to walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord without reproach (Luke 1).
Chapter IV. After Constantine had obtained victory by the sign of the cross, he first began to inquire about the mystery of the cross from the worshippers of idols; then, having been baptized by Silvester, he caused the faith of Christ to be preached throughout the whole world.
Constantine, therefore, after the flight of the enemy and the victory of his men, began to inquire about the mystery of the cross from the priests of idols, as if those who had not yet experienced the power of the holy cross could tell him anything certain about it. But a few Christians who were present there at the time, hearing this, first preached to him certain things about the coming of the Son of God, and then, recounting in full order the mystery of his passion and cross, they narrated to him all the things that were done concerning Jesus of Nazareth.
Constantine then, in order to appease the Maker of all things, having been confirmed and baptized in the name of the Lord by him, began to learn what he owed to God and to man. Indeed, assuming a new demeanor and a new spirit, at the font of the Savior he began to receive two kinds of remedies; for because he refused to shed innocent blood, leprosy left his body and vices left his mind. Therefore, trusting in divine power, he waged internal wars against the vices of the flesh; because when he impressed the form of the Divinity more deeply upon himself, the war that he previously had with enemies he afterward waged against vices: for after his many sins were forgiven him, because he loved much (Luke 7), he was immediately converted to the worship of one God; because, lest he should continue to sacrifice to diverse idols in the common temple of idols, he did not wish afterward to sacrifice to many gods, but to one. For from that day, not wishing to make himself guilty before God, he worshipped God who is three in persons and one in majesty, while his heart was all the more fixed on the love of the Creator because he wished to know nothing else except Christ Jesus, and him crucified (1 Cor. 2).
Thus, therefore, as he grew by daily advances from virtue to virtue and from salvation to salvation, it came about that he became more powerful everywhere throughout the world, the more fervent he became in the service of the Creator. Hence, because humble in thought and faithful in action he served on earth him whom the angels attend in heaven, therefore for this faithful pursuit of a new way of life his throne was made like the days of heaven (Ps. 88). But because by the worship of faith and the fruit of good works he thus brought joy to Christians and grief to idolaters, we too ought to render greater thanks to the Creator of grace on his behalf, because his faithfulness was beneficial both to himself and to us. For he had brought nearly the whole world to that same faith in which he himself had been instructed through the blessed Pope Silvester, knowing of course that, just as the strength of the whole garment hangs on the warp, so the whole salvation of the soul hangs on the faith of Christ.
Chapter V. Constantine sent his mother, Blessed Helena, to Jerusalem for the quest of the wood of the Lord; and when she had arrived there, she inquired with great zeal among the Jews about the holy cross.
Therefore, when through the secret governance of the ancient Divinity, Emperor Constantine had once ruled the Roman Empire, in order to sow the seed of the faith here and there everywhere, he passed from nation to nation and from kingdom to kingdom (Ps. 104); while, joyful for the faithful and sorrowful for the unfaithful, he set forth the faith of the Holy Trinity to both. Meanwhile, while he labored in this way for both Jews and Gentiles, he began to inquire about the wood of the Lord from the wise, all the more eagerly desiring to venerate the memory of that same cross because through it he had previously merited victory over his enemies.
But since he himself divided his mind among many things for the sake of the faith of Christ and the business of the empire, he therefore sent Blessed Helena his mother to Jerusalem in his place, so that she might inquire there all the more zealously for the Lord's cross, since for this quest she would have the Crucified One himself as guide and leader. Blessed Helena, therefore, using wise counsel, immediately obeyed God within and her son without; for she not only went to Jerusalem with a strong hand for the same quest, but also diligently inquired from the Jews where the wood of the Lord might be. For she who had by then already passed from vices to virtues by good works, not undeservedly sought that treasure of the Divinity — she sought it and found it, found it and guarded it. Hence, so that we too with her may hasten as if from darkness to light, we ought to tell how she herself found that same cross, lest anyone among the listeners should ever be so foolish as to say afterward that he did not know these things, when he does know them.
Chapter VI. Blessed Helena judges that those Jews who refused to reveal the holy cross should be punished with death and burned by fire, and orders that Judas be kept in a pit for seven days.
Choosing therefore for herself from the Jews a thousand men in number, she inquired from them what this one or that one thought about it; and thus seeing them all content with one and the same reasoning, she again began to separate five hundred from them. These, although they were instructed in the divine law, did not know what the queen wished to do with them, except insofar as Judas, one of them, was able to explain to the rest of the Jews. And he, rendering them a just account of the matter, said: "She wishes to make an inquiry about the wood of the Lord." Concerning which, however, he said that nothing at all had been written down, except what he acknowledged had been foretold to him by his father or grandfather. Therefore, remembering his father and grandfather of old, he began to explain their pronouncements to the others, narrating to both peoples — Jews and Gentiles — whatever he had received about this from both parents.
For they had told him that he and all his posterity could know this: that whenever a search for the wood should be made, their race would no longer be able to reign, but their kingdom was to be transferred to the salvation of the believers, of which it is written: The kingdom is the Lord's, and he shall rule over the nations (Ps. 21).
The queen, however, calling back to herself the whole cohort of Jews, set before them life and death — life, that is, if they would show the wood of the cross, but death if they refused to reveal it. But since their hearts had been hardened against this, and they said they did not know what they did know, she compelled them to say what had to be said all the more quickly, since she wished to learn from them all the sooner what she did not know. But since the truth of the matter could not be investigated from them by any means, she immediately ordered all of them to be burned by fire, so that she might thus compel them to obey divine admonitions — those whom she had been unable to provoke to this either by blandishments or by threats.
The Jews, however, fearing for themselves and preferring to live rather than to die, finally, in order to show her the naked truth, surrendered Judas on behalf of them all. When she could neither terrify him with threats nor entice him with blandishments to say anything true about it, immediately taking this one from among them all, she ordered him to be kept fasting in a pit for seven days, until, the seven days having passed, he should request to be brought out on the condition that he would render the due service to the Lord's cross. When he had been brought out of the pit after these words, joy immediately arose among the Christians and grief among the Jews; because all the Jews who had gathered there envied us and feared for themselves.
Chapter VII. Then Judas, having been extracted from the pit, after making a prayer to the Lord, found three crosses; and a dead man resuscitated there bore witness to the Lord's cross.
For this reason, therefore, when the crowd of the twofold people had gathered from everywhere to that place where Calvary was, one side began to draw toward the other, lest through the impiety of the Jews cunning should outwit cunning. But Judas, standing among the others in the sight of the sons of men, poured forth this prayer to the Lord from the depths of his heart: that He who once deigned to show Moses the bones of our father Joseph would deign to show him where the trench of the Lord's cross was.
But since he could not find a certain trace of that same place unless divine pity wished to demonstrate some heavenly wonder, therefore, to strengthen the hope of the unbelieving and the faith of the believing, suddenly that same place was shaken. Moreover, to reveal the wood of the Lord's cross, another sign immediately followed, for in order to tame the untamed heart of the Jews, a smoke of spices immediately rose from that same place.
But Judas, who had previously been hanging between hope and fear, began to have joy instead of sorrow, and weeping instead of joy, giving thanks to God for all the glorious things that were being done by Him. Then bowing himself humbly to the ground, having seized a spade, he began to dig manfully; and others after others began to dig with him for so long until, instead of the one cross they sought, they found three together.
O what a wondrous and unheard-of thing, that one cross was sought and three were found, although for the illumination of the souls of the faithful one was far more precious than two! Hence it is no wonder that this same Judas was the first among others to be concerned about what should be done with the three crosses, since, as several Jews from the Synagogue of the Jews affirmed, two crosses belonged to the robbers and the third to God. Thus, therefore, since among so many crosses Judas himself did not know whose this or that one had been, immediately a certain dead man resuscitated on the spot gave greater credence to the Lord's cross above the other crosses. For it was not unknown to human ingenuity what honor and reverence was owed to two and what to the third; therefore after the people had vainly brought the same dead man to one cross and then to another, when he was immediately brought to the third, he recognized the power of the holy cross — after the crowd of pedestrians had stretched him out in vain before two crosses, as soon as he was placed before the third, he arose.
Hence not undeservedly did all bless God, for whom the resurrection of the dead man bore witness to the power of the Lord's wood; deservedly also did the same dead man bless Him above all others, he who on that same day had been dead and came back to life.
Chapter VIII. On the testimony that the holy cross received from both the living and the dead, and on the spiritual joy of Blessed Helena.
But He who is our salvation in the time of tribulation (Ps. 36), had mercy on them and had mercy on us, since turning to us and returning to them, on that day He wished to gladden the Christians and to enlighten the Jews.
O precious and admirable wood! O wood worthy of angelic and human proclamation, through which while the ancient Divinity both restored the dead man to life and the captive to freedom, it well declared that that wood did not appear dead, but living! O sacred and venerable cross! O glorious and admirable cross, to which, so that due honor might be shown by all, it had proclamation from the living and testimony from the dead! O inestimable love of charity, O ineffable dispensation of divine piety, which through the secret counsel of the ancient Divinity delivered God to the death of the cross for man, and the Son for the servant, so that after the bitterness of that same death was overcome, the servant might receive freedom and the son his inheritance! Although indeed that most sacred cross does not need human proclamation, since it is freely commended by prophetic and evangelical testimony, it is nevertheless fitting that we pursue it all the more zealously with immense praise, since on it our salvation was seen to be in a sense suspended.
For this is that cross which, having been long held under Jewish captivity, is today proved to have been found by Queen Helena; so that we too, admonished by this example, may strive to be found in its likeness. This is that cross on which the Son of God, being lifted up, drew all things to himself (John 12), of whom the angel said to Mary: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you (Luke 1). This is also that sacred and most celebrated cross, on which that light hung which said: Let there be light, and there was light (Gen. 1), so that He himself might lead us with Him to eternal light, who for our sake deigned to endure nails, the lance, and the cross.
This is that cross which, as the sacraments of Sacred Scripture bear witness, is proclaimed to have been found by Blessed Queen Helena, with the evangelical words being fulfilled in it today, in which it is said: Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find (John 16). But how joyful or glad that same queen was made today, when the Lord's cross was seen raised up from the ground, no one at all can know, except He who alone knows how to open the seven seals in the book of life. Hence, so that what was begun under a good omen might be closed with a good ending, it was fitting that that most beautiful gift should first be brought to the most beautiful queen, so that by the governance of heavenly grace she who was greater in authority might be first in the gift.
Chapter IX. With what zeal and eagerness of clergy and people the life-giving wood of the cross was received.
Meanwhile, while through the saving mystery the Lord looked down upon the sons of men (Ps. 32), the crowds of people running together were blessing the Lord in hymns and confessions; moreover, for the purpose of greeting the casket of that same saving grace, great joy was immediately made among the people. For with the ancient perfidy of the Jews excluded, there the harp and lyre of spiritual song, the tambourine and the flute resounded; since, so that no person of fitting profession or age should be absent there, the neighbor and the inhabitant, the pilgrim and the stranger hastened thither: so that just as none of them appeared immune from guilt, so that same singular grace might be common to all.
How great was the gathering of nations there and the joy of the peoples, the hearing of ears cannot perceive, nor the sight of eyes; for all who were present had such joy there and such jubilation that on account of their desire to see, they even set aside their eagerness for eating at that hour.
There, while each was envious of the other's speed, charity became a rival to charity, when for the purpose of seeing the dignity of that same heavenly mystery, charity began to slow down charity. O praiseworthy separation and admirable exchange, in which the running of the swift slowed the running of the sluggish, where although the swifter ones seemed to slow down the sluggish, they nevertheless did not appear to be in any way devoid of the grace of God. But because they had not yet experienced the power of the holy cross, the sluggish clung to the swift and the swift to the sluggish, so that each appeared less sluggish to the other, the more each wished to be more skillful than the other in running the way.
For just as the Jews had begun to be saddened when they saw the glory of God in the wood of the Lord, so the Christian people rejoiced when that casket of the heavenly mystery was seen. There without doubt the cheerful and the tearful gathered, there the strong and the weak, while through the diverse lots of both parties, the cheerful were joined to the tearful and the strong to the weak. There also the blind and the lame were gathered together for the divine praise, as if someone were inviting them thither with those evangelical words in which it was said: Bring in here the blind and the lame (Luke 14).
Furthermore, wherever any deaf or mute person was there lying in wait for his own salvation, since for the grace of Him who made the deaf hear and the mute speak (Mark 7), the devout came thither. Hence, since to see the casket of the most sacred cross, clergy from everywhere hastened after clergy and people after people, it is no wonder if such a multitude of peoples was turned as if from whirl to whirl, where from the collision of the crowds man jostled woman and woman jostled man.
For where the clergy and people were gathered together in a wondrous throng, what did it profit if the neighbor was there and the husband clung to his wife and the wife to her husband, especially when each of them there, submissive to divine honor, both wife envied husband and husband envied wife? For in greeting the casket of that most precious treasure, a clamor arose among the clergy and a tumult among the people, while for the hurried visitation of that same heavenly offspring and divine seed, sweat broke out in men and blushes in women. Although here and there the people seemed to stand as a wall, yet still father hastened with son, mother with child: although the wailing infant was kept at home in the cradle, nevertheless none of them wished to be exempt from that same joy.
For so that each might behold the life-giving mystery before the other, each began to impede the other's desire: because, just as at the funerals of loved ones each is joined to the bier before the other by pious devotion, so at that divine ceremony each strove to get ahead of the other by turns. There indeed each caused a long delay for the other, while from hour to hour each held the other back from seeing this grace; because, although every sex and age ran together to this spectacle, yet each of them exceeded the bounds of their accustomed pace.
Hence how much sorrow all those who were absent had, only those who were present could know: especially since those who were absent were overwhelmed with all the greater sadness in proportion to the greater joy with which they had seen those who were present rejoicing. But perhaps no one among those whom the discipline of the heavenly teaching governed was absent there from the council of the just and the congregation (Ps. 110), since a greater punishment would have bound him if he happened to be absent from that same assembly.
For there each began all the more zealously to get ahead of the other to that spectacle, the more each wished to behold the divine miracle before the other, where the most sacred cross, stained with the liquid of the Lord's blood, is read to have been divinely laid bare by Queen Helena.
But although we were not bodily with them on that day, we ought nevertheless to rejoice with the same joy as they; because although we were absent in bodily presence, yet in the body of Christ we were in a way seen to be present with them. For by the sharing of spiritual gladness and exultation on that day we were present to them and they to us, since in the unity of the Church He himself held us in Himself together with them — He who said of His chosen ones to the Father: I will that they be one in me, just as I am in you (John 17).
Behold how fortunate — indeed more fortunate than all good fortune — that between God and man there is such a union and such a common communion, so that man has the same union in God and God in man as a body has in the head or a head in the body. For since God is the head of Christ and Christ is the head of the Church, this can be most fully proved in the passage where it is said: He who clings to the Lord is one spirit (1 Cor. 6).
Hence it is written that the Jews, divided from Christians in this union, are seen to be entirely cut off from the body of the Church, since concerning the mystery of the cross and the incarnation of Christ they think one thing and we another. For just as we, for the forming of the souls of the faithful, believe in three persons and worship one God, so the Jews on the contrary transform themselves into another form by believing badly, since they worship one person in God and reject the other two. But it should be noted that, although Christians believe in one way and Jews in another, both nevertheless have the worship of one God, because although the Christian thinks one thing about the mystery of the cross and the Jew another, yet by both one God is worshipped.
But since in the death of the Savior one is innocent and the other guilty, not undeservedly should the Christian rejoice and the Jew grieve, so that from the fruit of a good or bad tree, on account of the mystery of the cross, one should be in joy and the other in sorrow. And rightly indeed it befits both believers and unbelievers that the former should rejoice with those who rejoice and the latter should weep with those who weep (Rom. 12), since, as the Apostle says: The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing; but to those who are being saved, that is to us, it is the power of God (1 Cor. 1). Hence it is no wonder that, just as among the believers you shall see that laughter in the future, of which Truth says: Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh (Luke 6); so among the unbelieving that laughter shall one day be seen, of which it is written: Laughter shall be mingled with sorrow (Prov. 14).
And therefore, so that we may always strive for that spiritual joy by good merits, of which James says: Count it all joy, brethren, when you fall into various temptations (James 1), we must pray that through the grace of the Divinity that full joy may always remain in us, of which Truth says to the disciples: Your joy no one shall take from you (John 16).
Chapter X. On the comparison of Constantine and his mother Helena.
Therefore, since we have already for some time forgotten the earlier discourse, while we were striving with just reason to resist the perfidy of the Jews, it is fitting that, just as in the hiding of the Lord's wood we have sufficiently experienced their hardness, so now we should return to Constantine and Helena by resuming our former discourse. For he himself, instructed by the governance of the heavenly sign, was the first of all to burn with desire for seeking the cross, but it was his mother who brought the intention of his good will to its fulfillment.
For it should be known that after their prayer was made pure through good works, in the quest for the saving wood he became first and she second. For although both had one intention regarding the finding of the cross, nevertheless the quest ennobled the son, and the discovery ennobled the mother. For when both applied themselves to the same quest, the son sought the wood of the cross and the mother found it; she who, while she began to search the depths of the earth for the same cause, became first in the finding and second in the seeking.
Hence, although it is not unknown to the eternal Father whether we owe greater reverence to the son or to the mother, yet we, in Him who always regards the prayers of the humble, believe the mother to be of greater merit than the son. But nevertheless we owe some reverence to both on this account, that each of them has already received the rewards of life: although, just as star differs from star in brightness (1 Cor. 15), so the mother differs from the son in the greatness of her merits.
For if we wish to weigh the deeds of both more carefully, the mother is believed to be of greater worth before God than the son; because after both were reconciled to the heavenly Father, in building churches of God there was great care in the son, but greater in the mother. For although the son had built many churches in Greece and Rome, upon which he bestowed many royal gifts in treasuries and estates, yet the mother, as the diverse martyrdoms of the saints still attest, built far more churches in Gaul and Syria. Therefore the churches consecrated everywhere to God in her honor well attest how greatly she excels in holiness before the Lord; especially since the knowledge of the ancient Divinity alone knows what and how great her holiness and magnificence may be.
Hence, since the power of her holiness is so great that she is deservedly numbered among the other saints as a saint herself, it is no wonder that, as the catalog of saints customarily attests everywhere, her feast day ought to be celebrated by us in its annual recurrence always.
Chapter XI. How we too ought to rejoice in the honor of the holy cross, and what difference there is between Christians and Jews.
Since in that same catalog there is no mention of her son, but rather his memory is there completely obliterated by silence, therefore, so that he too may please God in the land of the living, it is necessary that prayer be made by the Church to God on his behalf. (Constantine the Great, although a most pious prince, has nevertheless not yet been enrolled by the Roman Church in the number of the saints.) For since in the dwelling of the present Church the office of the festal solemnity is owed to the mother rather than to the son, therefore in the services for the dead all should take care to keep the memory of the son among the departed. Accordingly, to reconcile God the Father to us, we should no longer pray to the same son, but to the mother, so that she herself by the aid of her most sacred intercession may plead before God for us and for her son.
For since the evils we have committed are many, we ought most zealously to commend both ourselves and him to the prayers of that same woman, although there is no doubt that the mother herself who bore him prays all the more zealously for her son, inasmuch as that same son grew old not in vices but in virtue. And not undeservedly indeed we ought to commend both ourselves and him to that same widow, so that she may be willing to beseech God assiduously on behalf of us and him, especially since she can thereby have us more willing in her service, if by her prayers she protects both those of her own household and strangers together with her same son.
For since that saying is great in substance and small in words, in which it was said: The earnest prayer of a just person avails much (James 5), it is necessary that she deign to supplicate all the more humbly on our behalf and that of her son, inasmuch as the mother is declared to be more just than the son. Hence, so that it may be well for us and for him both in the present age and in the future, we ought always to pray to God in secret for ourselves and for him, so that the grace which He has prepared for His elect both here and there may never fail either us or him.
Furthermore, lest there should ever be lacking rest for our souls or repose for our bodies, we ought to supplicate God on behalf of ourselves and of him every single day, so that He who is rich in promises and richer in gifts may, according to the riches of His glory, have mercy on him and on us.
But since he has perhaps already long been atoning after his death, if there was any sin in him before death, it is fitting that we supplicate God for ourselves with all the more earnest prayer, since perhaps he is already in rest and we are in labor. And since he does not yet have the full perfection of future rest, but together with us rather hopes still to find a better resurrection, we must pray that He who through His blood wished to sanctify the standard of the life-giving cross may lead both us and him at some time to perfect rest.
For it should be known that, although that great and illustrious man is not, by reason of the imperfection of his merits, such as to be worthily counted in the number of the saints, yet truly and without any doubt he will have a part in the council of the just and the congregation (Ps. 110). And not undeservedly indeed, because although Philip and Gaius — only these two rulers before him — he was the first Christian of all the emperors and rulers who most zealously subjected the monarchy of the Roman world to divine laws. Hence, since by such works he drove away from himself every power of the enemy, not undeservedly, although not a saint, he could nevertheless be called just; since after the example of that just man he always desired to live for God, of whom it is written: The just man lives by faith (Gal. 3). For if anyone diligently seeks his deeds in the histories, he will clearly see that this same man, although not a saint, was nevertheless just, since after the example of that just man he was weak in vices and strong in virtue, of whom it is said: The just man shall be in everlasting remembrance (Ps. 111).
And since his mother and he himself had possessed a thousand virtues, not undeservedly was she just and he just; but she was the more just. Hence it is no wonder that, just as the son will have the type of that just man forever, of whom it is written: The just man shall flourish like the palm tree (Ps. 91), so also the mother, beautiful with the grace of diverse virtues, now appears not deformed like a thorn, but beautiful like a rose. But although according to the diverse quality of merits, roses belong to the martyrs, etc., and lilies to the confessors, yet because through the mortification of vices their hearts were barren of vices and noble in virtue, not undeservedly the son shall now flourish like the palm and the mother like the rose.
Furthermore, by the counsel of the ancient Divinity the son shall flourish like the olive and the mother like the lily, since now that the exile of the present life has run its course, the crown of justice can fail neither the mother nor the son. And not undeservedly are they worthy of so great a reward, for whom the discovery of the Lord's wood was reserved; although the son sought it and the mother found it.
For although he stirred her and she stirred him to seek the standard of the Lord's cross, yet each fulfilled what was pious, since the son sought that same cross and the mother found it. Hence it should be known that, if the same son ought to have a fitting reward for having been the first to seek the wood of the Lord's cross, his mother merited far greater glory, she who on this present day elegantly revealed to us the wood of the Lord.
And if she who found the cross is worthy of glory and honor, much more should he be honored who redeemed us on the cross, since in that same wood which she has been accustomed to reveal to us today, he graciously fulfilled the work of our redemption. Hence, since in his honor we daily adore the life-giving cross — He who once upon the cross turned night into day and darkness into light — we must pray that through the glorious power of that same most sacred cross, He may deign to grant us at some time rest for our souls and now health for our bodies; so that through His grace we may deserve to be freed both then from punishments and now from sins, because on the altar of the cross He offered Himself to God the Father as a sacrifice in a fragrance of sweetness — Jesus Christ our Lord, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns forever and ever.
Book Three: On Constantius and Helena
A Brief Preface by the Author.
Since we have already said some things about the discovery of the holy cross, dearest brothers, we shall say something about Constantius and Helena, through whom the cross was discovered, so that in the course of this work, after the subject matter, the authors of the subject may be made known. For it is fitting that, since we have treated the discovery itself, we should bring forward something about its discoverers, so that, once their glory and greatness are recognized, the preceding discourse may run better toward the remaining matters.
Chapter I. How Constantius Joined Helena to Himself.
Constantius Caesar, therefore, who was the grandson of the Emperor Claudius through his daughter, always preferred foreign wars to civil ones, so that by foreign wars he might curtail the boundaries of those civil wars about which it is written: "Another age is now being worn away by civil wars." Hence, assembling for himself a military company in due course of his turn, he waged distinguished war here and there, and while defending the commonwealth by public magistracy, he subjected many cities and provinces to Roman rule. For this reason, setting out from Rome into Gaul with a large army, he brought arms against rebels here and there, and gifts to the submissive, so that for the differing conduct of each, the grace of gifts might also differ for them. And so he was held in all the greater affection by the Gauls, because he was a mountain to the proud and a valley to the humble, as by suppressing the hated and advancing the beloved, he began to tame the arrogant and raise up the lowly. Thus, after he had traversed Gaul everywhere in all directions, he finally turned toward the most famous city of Trier, which at that time was all the more opulent in wealth and resources as it appeared more powerful in arms and soldiers. For although it was strong from the provinces and cities adjacent on all sides, yet by divine grace it was stronger through its believers; especially since through blessed Eucharius and his companions, idolatry had become so barren and faith so fruitful that it was not without reason called a second Rome. Meanwhile, while Constantius extended the Roman Empire throughout Gaul everywhere, he loved the blessed Helena, a virgin, on account of the exceeding beauty she possessed; for she was not only beautiful in appearance and delightful in aspect, but also seemed more admirable in glory and honor. Thus, while he devoted his entire mind and all his effort to this matter, at last pursuing his beloved desire, he joined her to himself in marriage: from whom, as divine providence had foreordained, he fathered a son who was called Constantine the Great. Hence, since she was better than Galerius, and nobler than Chlorus and Cyrus, it is no wonder that so noble a woman was joined to so noble a man; for just as she herself was noble to the world, and therefore nobler, so too he was useful to himself and more useful to the empire.
For he was, as it were, like a mirror, a ray of the empire in human form, in the things that are of the world. But she, impressing herself by the ray of divine faith upon the law, was a mirror of the empire in the things that are of the world and in the things that are of God. And therefore, by nobility of mind, which the divine decree had bestowed upon her, she appeared far nobler than Constantius; because through the inestimable efficacy of heavenly piety, the nobility of mind that he did not possess by nature, she merited having through grace. Hence, since the same Constantius could nowhere find so delightful a refuge for his love, it is no wonder that so noble a man joined so noble a woman to himself in marriage.
Concerning her, as the history informs us more precisely, through the grace of God so great and illustrious a son was given to us, who would be second to none of the preceding kings in virtue, and first among the succeeding ones in bringing salvation. And therefore blessed was the man who had such a son: blessed also the woman, who after this man did not go to another! But he could have been made much more blessed, if he had wished to be more fruitful through the fruit of justice. Happy nonetheless, in a way, was the father of so great a son! Happy was the mother too! But both would have appeared happier if they had already equally obtained the reward of life. Yet through the grace of whatever virtue, each appeared happy in some measure, since just as he was happy in temporal virtue or victory, so too she was happy in everlasting grace and glory. Hence, through the grace of whatever virtue, she was partly happy, he was happy, each was happy; but one was happier than the other insofar as he appeared more skilled in the law of God.
And although this same man, who was a mirror of the Roman world, was happy with respect to the age, yet through the fact that in the eyes of God the darkness of paganism had blackened him, he was by no means happy with respect to God. But if it can be granted in some way that he is called happy in something through the grace of God, he would nevertheless have been much happier if he had come to the faith with his wife, since thereby he could have flourished with more prosperous successes, if through the faith of Christ he had more carefully guarded against monstrous transgressions.
Chapter II. The Witnesses to the Nobility of the Lineage of St. Helena.
On the other hand, that precious woman appeared noble not only in lineage but also in virtue, since through the grace of God Almighty she always elevated the nobility of her body by the nobility of her mind. Hence, although in the histories the noble lineage of her parents is passed over in silence, yet the ancient heritage of her buildings still bears witness to her nobility among the people of Trier: where the pavement of her house, once paved with various marbles and Parian stone, well declares how great she was seen to hold primacy above others. Moreover, the very flat surfaces of the walls, painted with tawny gold as if in hyacinth-colored weaving, well testified to the insignia of her unconquered nobility; in addition, the abundance of her estates, once bestowed upon the churches of God from all sides, clearly declares how greatly she flourished in the most noble antiquity of her lineage. And her bed, furnished and distinguished with golden silks, testified in some way to a nobility in her as of Roman citizens, especially since from the rising of the sun to farthest Thule no bed could be found similar to this bed; because that chamberlain of her heart's chamber never defiled it with any pollution, of whom it is written: In his bed he set himself in every way that is not good (Psalm 35). But all these things were perhaps happening in a figure; for she who would one day be queen began to have through grace what she previously had by nature; because after she merited being recalled to the faith of Christ by heavenly aid, she drew the ornaments of bodily dignity toward the salvation of her soul, while in the discovery of the holy cross, laboring for human salvation, she became glorious through this work, but more glorious in virtue.
In the type, that is, of the Church, she was inwardly adorned with the dignity of diverse virtues, of whom it is written: The queen stood at your right hand in gilded clothing, surrounded with variety (Psalm 44). Hence, since she was inwardly adorned with such great and such virtues, therefore in all things and in all respects she pleased the divine gaze; and because in her outward appearance and beauty she was adorned externally, therefore she appeared lovely and pleasing to her husband Constantius; for she was so instructed in the rule of inner piety and eternal beauty that she pleased God in her soul and Constantius in her form.
For according to common opinion and the truth of the matter, she was dutiful in attending upon her husband, but more dutiful in attending upon God; since the love of Constantius and of God was thus distinguished in her heart by a twofold reason, so that she was subject to Constantius outwardly and to God inwardly. After Constantius had partly arranged the affairs of war in Gaul himself and partly entrusted them to others to arrange, he at last revisited his kin and homeland with his fellow soldiers, so that he might receive a greater crown of laurel triumph, having returned from Gaul to Rome with a greater palm of victory. But although it is unknown to us whether blessed Helena had departed with the same Constantius, or had remained in Gaul on account of the tenderness of the child, it can nevertheless be believed that either she was the more safely taken with him, or the more quickly brought after him without great delay, she who was loved by him more than all other women. It is also to be believed that whenever she was brought there, she was immediately properly nourished with royal ornaments and provisions and carefully instructed, so that just as she was elegant in dress and more elegant in countenance, so nothing of royal provision or adornment should be lacking to her.
Chapter III. How Constantius Joined Helena to Himself in Lawful Marriage, and Concerning Their Son Constantine Declared Caesar.
When Theodora, the wife of Constantius, had died, blessed Helena was joined to him in partnership, so that she who previously enjoyed a somewhat more obscure governance in the palace might then share with him both marriage and rule. For it was fitting that he should deem her worthy of a greater honor, since she had already learned with him in peace what she had previously endured for him in toil; especially since all heavy labor seems entirely burdensome unless it is lightened by the grace of consolation in tribulation.
Then indeed, when the Roman Empire was being divided between two Augusti, namely Constantius and Galerius, Illyricum and Asia fell to Galerius, while Africa and Europe came to Constantius. When, by the permission or aid of divine condescension, one presided over Asia and the other over Europe, it came about that Constantius had the less concern for Italy and Africa, the more care he had for Spain and Gaul. Meanwhile, Constantine, his son, suited to duties and acceptable to men, was elected Caesar by the Romans at the counsel of the senate; since on account of the virtue of both, it seemed to them worthy and just that the son should be promoted to Caesar and the father to Augustus. In this indeed divine power well declared in him that there is no power except from God; for through the hidden aid of Divinity at the very same time in which He had advanced the father, He was also advancing the son.
But after Constantine defended the Roman Empire for some years with a virtue as strong as it was fortunate, he further showed what spirit he had toward the commonwealth, when for the sake of acquiring the crown of greater glory, he migrated again with a strong hand from Rome to Gaul.
Chapter IV. How Constantius Departed After Overcoming the Germans and Britons, and How Leprosy Attacked Constantine.
Where, although the people of Britain and Germany stirred him up to new wars again by old tyranny and fresh rebellion, he was nevertheless the less filled with sadness thereby, since both a new army and old wisdom were present for him to triumph. Meanwhile Constantine the son, leaving his mother in the Roman regions, followed his father to Gaul with wonderful skill; so that father with son might the more easily resist the tyrannical faction, as son would assist father and strategy assist strategy. For since both were clever in intellect and provident in counsel, therefore by mutual service of charity, the son would come to aid the father and the father the son, so that the more strongly one side might overwhelm the other, the more cleverly strategy might outwit strategy.
Amid all this, although Constantine was of remarkable cunning and admirable strength in the affairs of war, yet the people of Britain and Germany became for him a grape of gall and a cluster of bitterness, since by prolonging the delays of war among them for seven years, he had barely subjected them to Roman rule in the seventh year. Thus, with Germany and Alemannia finally conquered, the conqueror of all died at last and was buried in Britain; and directing his son Constantine to the Romulean seat, he left him as heir of the Roman Empire as well as of Gaul.
Constantine, moreover, after he had arranged the affairs of the kingdom in Gaul as best he could, once he returned to Rome, made known who and what manner of man he would be, as through the inestimable grace of the celestial high priesthood, after a brief time he assumed the monarchy of the Roman Empire. But how wisely and vigorously he ruled the Roman Empire everywhere, his ancient virtues testify to this day, except that through the manifold worship of idols he quickly became a persecutor of Christians. Therefore, to avenge upon him the guilt of excessive persecution, God delivered him over to the passions of ignominy, when, although he was of great power and even greater constancy, leprosy nevertheless struck him with elephantiasis. In which deed indeed, because many are the scourges of the sinner, the power of the Author was well demonstrated in him, so that that prophetic saying could worthily be recalled by him: My scourges have been multiplied upon me, and I knew it not (Psalm 34). For although for the various arts of medicine various physicians were gathered from various regions, yet no physician and no medicine availed to heal that same divine wound. Hence, in seeking a more potent kind of medicine, more than three thousand infants and nurslings were gathered from throughout the kingdom, as if a more effective medicine for healing him could exist if he were bathed in a pool of their milky blood.
But on the appointed day, when he had proceeded from the palace to the Capitol for this same purpose, and had seen the mothers of the infants wailing and lamenting here and there with their hair unbound, immediately rejecting the counsels of the priests, he began to abhor the terrifying crime. And he who had previously been stronger than the strongest men in many battles, on that day yielded, to be sure, to women, as through an inner inspiration he began to be bent toward such great mercy that he ordered each mother's children to be returned to them, even with most generous gifts. Hence it came about that, just as none of them had previously been free from sorrow, so the cause of the subsequent joy seemed to be shared by all, especially since they had not had as much sorrow in coming as they seemed to have joy in returning.
Thus therefore Constantine, who had previously been conquering others, on that day rejoiced to have conquered himself, since, overcome by the female sex for the praise and glory of the Divinity, he merited having victory. For he preferred still to have the volatile leprosy alone rather than to stain a versatile sword in the blood of the innocent, and therefore by divine power he was made from an impious man into a pious one, he who for the salvation of many was setting aside the salvation of one.
Chapter V. He Compares Constantine with Herod, Setting the Piety of One Against the Cruelty of the Other.
Hence, since the piety of Constantine and the impiety of Herod are known to you, dearest ones, in many ways, it does no harm if according to the comparison of good and evil we compare one to the other by a special rule. For if one is compared to the other, it can be proven whom death follows and whom life follows, since by death and life both are now separated from each other, while one has the reward of death and the other of life. Hence, so that it may be known to you, O Christian, what the divine and human laws think about each, therefore imitate this one and cease imitating that one, since in one way that one sinned, and in another way this one.
For King Herod sinned knowingly, when he shamelessly gave himself over to bringing about the death of the Savior. But Constantine, on the contrary, erred in ignorance, when for the life of one man he dictated a sentence of death upon so many men. Herod, scheming to extinguish the birth of the eternal King, used to draw his sword more tightly, staining it with blood, against the necks of nursing infants; but Constantine, wishing to show himself more gentle than Herod, began with pious devotion to hold back his blade from the necks of the infants. Herod took bad counsel and made bad provision for his own salvation, when for the sake of one boy he killed many boys; but Constantine was accustomed to provide much better for his own salvation, as he was unwilling to prefer the salvation of one to the salvation of many. Herod also, seeing that he had been mocked by the Magi, in the slaughter of the little ones had augmented punishments with punishments and wounds with wounds; but Constantine, seeing from the soothsayers and magi that he had been badly advised, wished to calm the sobbing of the wailing mothers by releasing their little ones.
Herod, touched by ambition for temporal kingship, was deprived by divine vengeance of the joy of the heavenly kingdom; but Constantine, for releasing the host of those to be killed and not killing them, worthily merited entering the kingdom of paradise. Herod, fearing to lose the lot of earthly rule, for the death of one inflicted death on many; but Constantine preferred to have alone the scab of a volatile leprosy rather than to incur a leonine frenzy through the slaughter of many. Herod, the chariot of evils and the charioteer of the wicked, was the very murderer of his own three sons; but Constantine, the chariot of the Greeks and the charioteer of the Romans, refused to become the murderer of other people's sons.
Herod was already condemned to punishments in many ways, since he did not spare even pleasing arms for shedding the blood of his own sons; but Constantine, on the contrary, was freed from eternal punishments, because in the ransoming of other people's children he spared them from others' punishments. Herod cast himself farther from the face of the Lord, since in the slaughter of the little ones he rather slew himself; but Constantine spared himself better, since by sparing the blood of the innocent, he was unwilling to slay himself.
But since there now falls into our hands the mention of that same nefarious Herod, we ought not to pass over in silence the torment of his illness and his death, especially since after his death his poisonous banes well testified to who and what manner of man he had been in life. For him, therefore, before his death, not only the departure from the present life seemed to be imminent, but also future punishment, with divine vengeance pursuing him with various infirmities so that no medicine could possibly come to his aid. For on account of his putrefying limbs and his eyes spontaneously failing, he was hateful to those standing by and more hateful to those sitting beside him, since on account of the excessive failure of his body and strength, he was foul in his breath and unsightly in his appearance. And although in his lower parts he was almost entirely liquid and livid, yet there was moisture in his feet and swelling in his legs; and his private parts, putrid and swarming with worms, could scarcely wait until the end of his miserable life should arrive. The more the divine wound raged in his putrid private parts, the more the ruin was multiplied in them, since because his spirit was fierce and his belly was swollen, his pain was always in his sight. For although fever tormented him on one side and itching on the other, yet an insatiable desire for food seemed to be present in him, so that the frequent heaving, the excessive bloating, and the coughing often attested to the gluttony of the belly while eating. Moreover, although he burned inwardly and outwardly with excessive fire, he would still gladly have made use of the shortcut of the present life, except that, having contracted an even greater bodily infirmity, his intestines seemed to be blocked within by various ulcers. Hence, although he had been quite often anointed with warm water infused and hot oil for the sake of medicine, at last he died a bad death with a bad end, because after the many kinds of punishments with which he had previously bloodied others, he at last willingly slew himself with his own knife.
Thus, just as he previously afflicted others innocently with various plagues, it is no wonder that he who always lived wickedly died a wicked death; it is also no wonder that he who could never be satisfied with others' sufferings is to be tortured with his own punishments forever and beyond. For although before his death he had often profaned the temple of God by the slaughter of the just, yet in his very death he left a wicked example for his descendants, when he ordered all the noblest men, whom he had caused to be gathered from all Judea into one place, to be slain by the sword at the very departure of his soul, so that their survivors would rejoice the less at his death, the more they would have something in their hands to grieve over regarding the slaughter of their own.
O wickedness of the king! And injustice of Herod, which is known to us and to you by such great and such evils — he who, under the pretext of piety, by convening a cohort of Jews, through the enormity of torments brought death upon those who hoped for life: dedicating, that is, the entrance of death and the exit of life with such auspices, so that those who had been unwilling to be saddened at his death would be saddened against their will.
Chapter VI. How the Apostles Peter and Paul Appeared to Constantine, and How He Was Made a Catechumen.
But since to reject evil and choose good is not a gift of human but of divine munificence, it is time that, just as a little while ago we turned from Constantine to Herod, so now we should return from Herod to Constantine in the same order. For just as Herod was struck in both man by that double destruction about which it is written: Destroy them with a double destruction, O Lord (Jeremiah 17); so Constantine, on the contrary, for a simpler fault was struck by God with a simpler plague, since for persecuting Christians he was punished with a volatile and wandering leprosy. But since in the eyes of God he did not wish to make himself guilty of the same fault as Herod when he sought the child to destroy him, therefore he was not rewarded with the same recompense with which Herod is known to have already been rewarded. Since, then, the mention of that same nefarious king has been sufficiently aggravated, we now wish to obliterate his memory in silence, since in the furnace of eternal fire he is to be cooked eternally with such great torments that it is not necessary for us to speak anything more about him. For he himself, armed by the enormity of cruelty for the death of the innocent, fell without doubt into the lot of eternal death; but Constantine, on the contrary, by the humanity of piety deferring the death of the innocent, had without doubt escaped the lot of eternal death.
But how he escaped that same death, or who showed him beforehand the way of escape, we wish to explain to you all the more fully, as we are unwilling to pass over anything here concerning necessary matters. Therefore, when the day had passed on which he had abstained from the nefarious crime of shedding innocent blood, on the following night he was divinely revealed through the blessed apostles Peter and Paul by an oracle to this effect: namely, that he would obtain the salvation of his flesh and spirit from the supreme Maker, if he first sought the salvation of his soul from Sylvester the bishop. O how great the kindness and humanity of the Savior! Who, though He is the creator of all creatures, willed to reveal so great a mystery to so great a man through a dream, that he would obtain the salvation of body and soul through a heavenly examination.
Constantine therefore, to confirm the grace of divine piety and glory, committed that same vision most diligently to memory, so that he might the more quickly relate it to Sylvester once his cruelty had been softened — Sylvester who for a long time out of fear of him had been hiding in the mountains and in caves and in the hollows of the earth. But who among you can imagine how quickly he had Sylvester summoned to him at once? Who can also imagine how long a delay it seemed to him to make, when he could scarcely wait one hour for his presence? For in order that that blessed man might be brought quickly, messenger after messenger and envoy after envoy were sent after him all the more swiftly, since with the cooperation of the grace of divine power, he was to receive the medicine of salvation from that same man.
Sylvester, however, had the less fault of faintheartedness of spirit and turmoil, the more he dreaded being summoned to martyrdom, although for the Lord he was prepared to go to prison and to death, even if he were compelled by that same man to undergo all kinds of torments. And although on account of this same anxiety he had, as it were, a thousand thoughts before another thousand, yet he had been thinking in one way and the other man in another, since through the inestimable gift of divine piety, what the one reckoned for evil, the other was turning to good. For although the counsel for recovering his health had not yet been obtained from that same bishop, yet that blessed man was received by the emperor with great joy, since in seeking him out he had not previously had as much eagerness as he was accustomed to have rejoicing afterward in receiving him.
What more? Therefore, as the two were sitting together here and there and conversing with each other about the faith of the holy Trinity, it was doubtless believed that the same Wisdom was present in their conversation who after the resurrection was speaking to two disciples on the road. But although amid these mutual kinds of conversation the faith of one was still tender in its root, yet so that amid the diverse propositions of their statements one would have less weariness from the other, each proposed to the other in the open what had been revealed to him, as he related the vision of the divine apparition in the same words to this one as had previously been revealed to him by the apostles of Christ. And although this same man, soon to become a soldier of Christ, was somewhat assured by the same vision, yet wishing to be still more assured, he began to inquire whether images of them were available in painted form. Hence blessed Sylvester, to block up the chasm of this same distrust, had the genuine image of those same apostles brought to him: so that the image of the painted tablet might more fully testify whether that vision should be ascribed to a real event or to a fable. And when he sought no other images besides these two, he immediately recognized them as his own among the hands of those presenting them, while according to his measure he gave all the greater thanks to divine power, the more assured he was about the same vision and the closer he appeared to be to salvation.
Hence, after his spirit had risen up in praise of those whose faces he had beheld in the vision, he began to delight all the more in the investigation of the catholic faith, the more certain he was made from each image about his future healing. Thereupon, when a little shoot of divine knowledge had sprung up in his heart, he passed from the old image into a new image, since for this purpose he renounced evil thoughts and impure works, so that he who had borne the image of the earthly might also bear the image of the heavenly. For just as he passed, as it were, from image to image, so he passed from vice to virtue, seeking rest in place of toil, and health in place of infirmity, when through the ineffable efficacy of divine piety, he passed from death into life, from guilt into grace.
In just such a manner, wishing to restrain himself from every crime, he rested from carnal work, as from the journey of the legal Sabbath, when in order to depart from guilt and rest in grace, as if with a lamp and a light, he began to decrease in one thing and increase in another. For illuminated by Sylvester with the knowledge of divine light, just as he was declining in guilt, he was advancing in grace and wisdom, except for this one thing: guilt still reproached him that in the wisdom of God he had not yet fully known God through wisdom. Hence, in order to be wisely foolish among those foolish ones about whom it is written: God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 2), he began to inquire all the more eagerly from the wise about the faith of the Trinity and the mystery of the cross, since after the example of the Apostle he was able to be a debtor to the wise and the foolish (Romans 1). And in order to reach at some point the port of perpetual salvation, he provided in himself the setting of idolatry and the rising of faith, because after he was being instructed by blessed Sylvester in the faith of the holy Trinity, right there in his heart faith received its origin and idolatry its end.
For according to the admonition of Sylvester and the revelation of the Lord, he obeyed God and man inwardly and outwardly, while seizing the right path as if at the Pythagorean crossroads of the catechized, he merited being catechized in the symbol of the faith through Sylvester.
Chapter VII. By Whom Constantine Was Baptized.
But since we now have Sylvester and Constantine in our hands, we shall say some things about the name of the one and the baptism of the other, since in the hearts of some a great schism has often arisen from this: that in one place he is read to have received baptism from Eusebius, and in another from Sylvester. For if one searches diligently in the records of the Greeks, it is asserted that he was baptized by Eusebius, bishop of the city of Rome. But if one investigates in the histories of the Romans with honest study, he is without doubt read to have been baptized by Sylvester. Hence it must briefly be explained here in the name of the Lord how these two names may apply to one man, so that the question which is accustomed to arise among some on this matter may be laid to rest by just reasoning.
For according to the definition of the wise, and not according to the opinion of the common people, some called him Sylvester and others Eusebius, since, as is reported by Christians in many places, he was called Eusebius by the Greeks and Sylvester by the Romans. Therefore, since Eusebius was a Greek name, he not unfittingly had that Greek name from the Greeks, because just as a reader is named from reading, or a painter from painting, so Eusebius is said from writing to mean 'good writer.' (These etymological explanations do not seem to accord sufficiently with the Greek meaning.) For he, as a scribe learned in the kingdom of heaven, wrote with the pen of preaching in the hearts of his neighbors the things that the Lord narrated in the scriptures of the peoples, when among the other miracles of divine power, he brought forth for them from his treasury things new and old. And since he had the decree of the old and new law diligently inscribed on the tablet of his heart, therefore day and night he learned in the Scripture of truth how he would hate every way of iniquity.
Hence, after he had dipped the pen of his heart more deeply in the fountains of the Savior, he painted the interior of his mind in the image and likeness of God, so that he might be transformed into another form by the pen of the scribe who says: My tongue is the pen of a scribe writing swiftly (Psalm 44).
Therefore, since we have now satisfied the pedestrian crowd concerning the name Eusebius, it is fitting that we should now satisfy the equestrian soldiery, as it were, concerning the designation Sylvester, because just as from 'horse' one is called a 'horseman,' and from 'foot' a 'foot-soldier,' so this same man was not unfittingly called Sylvester from 'forest.' For who would doubt that this man, instructed in the prophetic and evangelical laws, always grew with the foliage of good works into a forest of virtues? For lest he should be cut down by the evangelical pruning hook together with that tree about which it is said: Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire (Matthew 3), therefore he always wished to bear the figure of that tree through the eminence of his merits, about which it is written: A bad tree does not bear good fruit (Luke 6). And because now, with a free mind and captive flesh, he always flourished in the house of God as a fruitful olive, therefore for the flowers of his virtues he will forever bear the type of that palm about which it is written: The just man shall flourish like a palm tree (Psalm 92).
Since therefore he always grew with the shoots of good works, as it were into a forest of virtues — since what he taught in words he fulfilled in deeds — therefore, while he was seen to be a minister of the heavenly word and a mediator of divine love, he was not without reason called Sylvester, as it were from 'forest.'
But just as some things have now been said separately about each of the two names, so both names must now be gathered together in summary, because although one may seem to differ from the other in word, though not in deed, he himself nevertheless strove with supreme effort to observe the etymology of each through spiritual exercise. Hence he without doubt deceived himself in nothing, he who received both names in this one man; but whoever carries any doubt about this in his mind is truly looking for a knot in a bulrush. For since every Roman pontiff to this day has two names, one indeed from another and another from his own, it is no wonder if this same man, promoted to the rank of the apostolate by the efficacy of divine piety, had one name from nature and another from grace.
Since therefore he was always engaged in exhorting by writings and sayings for gathering in the sheep and converting the people of God, and severe in correcting, therefore, while in the zeal of preaching he was gentler toward some and harsher toward others, he was not without reason called both Sylvester and Eusebius.
Chapter VIII. How Constantine Devoted Himself Entirely to Works of Piety, Being About to Receive Holy Baptism.
Behold, since in the explanation of each name — namely of Eusebius and of Sylvester — our discourse has now stood for some time on level ground, it is fitting that we should now, for a higher mystery, as if ascending the mountain with Jesus, follow King Constantine with the procession of our reading to the font. For just as no one can worthily seek heavenly things in place of earthly, unless he first wishes to abandon earthly things for heavenly, so Constantine could by no means arrive at the font of everlasting life unless he had first ascended the mountain, as it were with Jesus, by the steps of the virtues. Hence, by the counsel and instruction of Sylvester, he was no longer willing to stand with the worldly crowd on level ground, as after the grace of baptism, out of love for God, he ascended Jacob's ladder all the higher with the ascending angels, since before baptism he had descended that same ladder all the more eagerly with the descending angels, out of compassion for his neighbors.
For in order to heal the diverse wounds of his soul by the remedy of penance, he devoted himself to works of mercy for seven consecutive days, so that in secular affairs the labor would weigh upon him less with each passing day, the more the rest seemed to him to consist in spiritual matters. In just such a manner, preparing himself for divine praise throughout all seven days, he ordered the temples of the Christians to be opened and the temples of the idols to be closed; and wishing to do good to all and to spare all, he cast out captives from captivity and the imprisoned from prison, so that for his salvation they would rejoice with him in God with all the greater joy, as they were released from every yoke of servitude by him as if in an annual jubilee.
Thus, when those who were tormented by cold and nakedness or by hunger and thirst had been freed from all distress and tribulation, it came about that through these diverse comforts of heavenly mercy, they were raised from the injury of the preceding evil by the grace of the subsequent joy.
Constantine, moreover, desiring to abolish the ignorance of his former error, after the example of Mary the sinner began to wash the feet of the Savior with the tears of penance, since in order to cleanse the leprosy of his vices, he strove all the more to approach His feet, the more he was unwilling to stand at a distance for long with the ten lepers of the Gospel. Hence, renouncing all idolatry at the admonitions of blessed Sylvester, according to the command of the Lord he showed the leprosy of his sin to that same priest, lest he should be driven about by the diverse motions of vices together with those ten lepers, to whom the Truth said: Go, show yourselves to the priests (Luke 17). What more? For so long each made use of the other's counsel, for so long also one spoke with the other as a father with his son, until the obedient son merited being reconciled to Mother Church.
For just as our Savior once, having left the ninety-nine sheep in the desert of heaven (Luke 15), had sought the hundredth sheep in the Idumea of the present age, so blessed Sylvester, grieving that the hundredth sheep had strayed from the Lord's fold, strove to carry it back to the Church on the shoulder of fatherly love. And lest the grace of heavenly power should be deferred any longer for this sheep, the acceptable time came, and the day of salvation, in which that hour began to draw nearer and nearer which was due to reward him with a worthy recompense for the release of the little children.
Hence, after blessed Sylvester had more fully demonstrated to him the discipline of the Christian faith, he began to show him medicine for medicine and pool for pool, when, reformed by prophetic and evangelical teachings, in place of the pool of blood he baptized him in the pool of salvation. O that venerable day and remarkable hour, in which an overwhelming light penetrated the eyes of all, when divine power, making a covenant of ancient love with him, deigned to restore the fallen and to strengthen the broken! O sacred and most celebrated day, in which rest was given to his soul and repose to his body, when in that same font, like the scales of enormous fish, the infamous kind of volatile leprosy was falling from his body! O bright day, and brighter than all other days, in which end and beginning were bestowed upon two things, because when a sound arose in the water as of a hissing frying pan, in his heart the end of idolatry and the beginning of faith were given!
For on account of the exterior leprosy of his body and the offense of his interior soul, a double power of Divinity was shown in him, because just as the tracks of a serpent are not found on a rock, so neither was a stain found in his soul nor leprosy on his body.
Chapter IX. He Compares the Leprosy of Constantine with the Leprosy of Naaman the Syrian.
But since no one except God can make possible things from impossible, or similar things from dissimilar, it does no harm if we, on the contrary, comparing similar things with similar things, compare the leprosy of Constantine with the leprosy of Naaman the Syrian. For although each had been renowned in the worship of idols, yet each was strong and wealthy, but leprous, because if we consider the life of each attentively, each of them had leprosy in his body and leprosy in his mind. Hence, when for the salvation of both things, the one sought the help of Elisha (4 Kings 5) and the other the help of God, it came about that although the one was cured by God and the other by Elisha, yet each was truly cured by God. For the right hand of the Lord wrought power, when He willed to bestow the longed-for salvation upon both; yet that same right hand bestowed a greater grace upon the one who in the font of the Savior was cured both inwardly and outwardly. Hence, lest it should remain untouched by us how God acted with each, it must briefly be said here in the name of Christ, so that the power of divinity might come to the aid of that one or this one.
Thus for Naaman the Syrian, the word of the king of Israel was bitter as gall, when he saw the king of Israel tear his garments for the sake of his health. But for Constantine, on the contrary, the word of truth seemed sweet as honey, when he perceived a prophet in Israel for his salvation. Naaman, setting out toward the shadow of the Old Testament, carried with him ten talents of silver; but Constantine, penetrating the shadow of the decalogue with the splendor of the sacrament, preserved in the ark of his heart the memory of the weight of silver. Naaman, as a figure of the ten legal precepts, carried with him ten changes of garments; but Constantine, carrying with him ten changes of the legal scriptures, by mystical understanding changed them into the salvation of souls.
Naaman, not yet seeing the glory of God, stood at the door of the house of Elisha to seek salvation; but Constantine likewise began to stand at the door of Him about whom it is said in the Gospel: I am the door, says the Lord (John 10), to seek salvation. Naaman, never signing himself with the sign of the cross on his forehead, turned away from Elisha and departed in indignation; but Constantine, signing himself without ceasing with the mark of Christ, was unwilling to turn away from God and depart in indignation. Naaman, still oppressed with Hagar under the yoke of servitude, attempted the less to recline with Issachar within the boundaries of eternal happiness, the more he esteemed the Jordan River to be inferior to the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar; but Constantine wished all the more to be cured in body and reborn in mind in the font of the Savior, the better he esteemed it than the Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus.
Naaman, obedient to the words of Elisha, the servant of God, had obeyed his own servants in the washing of the Jordan; but Constantine, often disobedient to the Son of God, began to obey the counsel of Sylvester, the servant of God. Naaman, washed seven times in the Jordan River, was made entirely clean from the leprosy of his body. But Constantine, dipped three times in the font of the Savior by the grace of the sevenfold Spirit, was cured outwardly and inwardly. Naaman was by no means reborn by water and the Spirit, because Christ was not yet glorified; but Constantine, reborn by water and the Spirit in the bath of regeneration, was seen to be cured in body as well as in soul. Naaman, returning to the house of the man of God, gave thanks to him for the health he had received; but Constantine, removed by a long exile from the home of the heavenly fatherland, returned to his father's house like the prodigal son.
For Naaman, resisting the divine will with a frivolous will, rejected idols for the sake of bodily health; but Constantine, for the salvation of his soul and the love of the heavenly fatherland, gave in his heart an end to perfidy and a setting to idolatry. Naaman, inflamed by a small torch of the Jewish faith, was seen to depart from Elisha the man of God in peace; but Constantine, strengthened in the catholic faith by the aid of the true Elisha, proclaimed peace to those who were far off, and peace to those who were near.
Chapter X. On the Name of Constantine.
Since, therefore, the comparison of Naaman and Constantine has been discussed by us morally, it remains that the name Naaman should be discussed separately in equal measure, so that the salvation by which each man was saved may be seen to agree with the name. For since the same Naaman always had a manly spirit in the virtue of wars, he was not unfittingly seen to signify the Gentile people, which is also well indicated by the interpretation of his name, because Naaman is interpreted as 'beauty' or 'their commotion.' For he, not wishing to serve God without the beauty of virtues eye to eye, stirred the Gentile people to the worship of the one God (4 Kings 5), lest he should become similar to those in their inner eyes, about whom it is written: You have made us a likeness among the nations; a shaking of the head among the peoples (Psalm 43). He who, coming as it were with the Gentile people into Judea to the house of Elisha, had observed the worship of God according to the law of Moses, lest in the transgression of one commandment he should become guilty of all before His eyes, of whom it is written: God is known in Judea (Psalm 75).
But since we have expressed the name of Naaman morally, so for expressing the name of Constantine we must proceed with different steps; so that, if it cannot be expressed by us allegorically, it may at least be expressed historically through a certain likeness. For just as from 'distance' one is called 'distant,' and from 'nearness' one is called 'near,' so from Constans came Constantius, and from Constantius was derived Constantine; demonstrating in himself, that is, the constancy of his father and his grandfather, of whom one was called Constantius and the other Constans.
So great indeed was the constancy he possessed from both Constantius and Constans that his shield in battle never turned backward, but forward, with such great constancy of spirit that the assault of enemy fear was wiped away, so that his spear in battle was never seen to be turned back. Hence, although by the same derivation Constantius comes from Constans and Constantine is derived from Constantius — just as 'human' is derived from 'humanity' and 'divine' from 'divinity' — yet Constantine was always accustomed to labor for the Church of God more abundantly than either Constans or Constantius had ever labored before him.
After indeed recovering his health, he began to adore the same God as Naaman, whom Abraham was seen to have adored before himself (Genesis 18) — Abraham who, foreshadowing the faith of the holy Trinity for us, saw three under the tree of the cross, as it were, and adored one. Yet one received a greater purity of grace than the other, since the former followed the shadow and the latter the truth; because, as is clear and plain to all, the former followed the chaff and the latter the grain. Hence it is no wonder that a greater grace than had once befallen Naaman the Syrian under the shadow of the law was bestowed upon this most blessed man through the grace of truth; for just as the former, having been washed seven times, returned from paganism to Judaism, so the latter, reborn by the sevenfold spirit, arrived at baptism: when, although the one was washed reluctantly and the other willingly, yet the one was cured in the Jordan and the other in the font. For although through the Spirit of God dwelling in their hearts, the former followed the letter that kills and the latter the spirit that gives life (2 Corinthians 3), yet after experiencing the benefits of health, each merited arriving at the grace of the Creator. But just as in these two respects — namely the shadow of the law and the grace of truth — they were unequal, so in these two ways they seemed equal: because just as through the one the Lord gave salvation to Syria, so through the other He gave salvation to the Church.
Chapter XI. What the Difference Is Between Constantine and Gehazi the Leper.
Since, therefore, we have spoken enough to your charity, dearest ones, about the typical healing of each of these men, it is time that, passing from these matters to others, we should bring forth new and old things for the purpose of expressing other topics. Hence, so that another leper nearby may be found by us to take the place of Naaman, one who can be joined to the same Constantine by a worthy comparison on account of bodily infirmity, nothing prevents us from descending, as it were on the ladder of the Church from a higher step to a lower one, and comparing this same most illustrious man with a lesser man.
But who can that leper be except Gehazi, who extorted money from the aforementioned Naaman by deceit and force (4 Kings 5), when not under his own name but under the name of Elisha he carried off double gifts from that same man? Hence it is fitting that, just as piety was once joined to severity in the heart of Moses, so now we should compare the piety of Constantine with the malice of Gehazi; because just as Gehazi fell into infirmity on account of greed and avarice, so Constantine merited receiving health on account of piety and justice.
For Gehazi, without the profit of the divine sacrament, received two talents of silver from Naaman. But Constantine, likewise receiving two talents from God, carried them with the profit of good works to the true Elisha. Gehazi, unwilling to enjoy the heavenly reward eternally, hid the money of his master without assessment; but Constantine, in order to gain his master's money, wished himself and all his possessions to be shared with God and with men. Gehazi, for the double change of garments he had received, was struck with the plague of Naaman's leprosy by Elisha the man of God; but Constantine, freed from the plague of elephantine leprosy, was clothed by God with the double garment of immortality and innocence.
Gehazi deluded himself with greed and avarice, when he enclosed the double gifts in two sacks; but Constantine refused to enclose his money in the malice of that old sack, about which it is written: You have cut open my sackcloth and surrounded me with joy (Psalm 49). Gehazi, puffed up against his fellow servants and haughty against the humble, was unwilling to obey his master as a servant; but Constantine, humble to the humble and proud against the proud, presided over servants as a lord and obeyed the Lord as a servant.
Gehazi also, forgetful of the Lord his creator, coveted his neighbor's goods against the precept of the law; but Constantine was unwilling to covet his neighbor's goods with Gehazi, against the commandment of the Lord and the law of Moses. Gehazi also, on account of the iniquity of his greed, did not bear the type of those about whom it is written: From usuries and iniquity he shall redeem their souls (Psalm 71); but Constantine merited bearing the figure of that just man who did not give his money to usury for earthly gain (Psalm 14). Gehazi was unwilling to shun those assemblies of the deceitful, about which it is written: Why do you love vanity and seek falsehood? (Psalm 4). But Constantine observed against his neighbor that precept of the Wise Man, in which it is said: Do not love falsehood against your brother (Ecclesiastes 7).
Gehazi, not having perfectly the faith of the Creator like Abraham, was not without reason struck with the leprosy of Naaman. But Constantine, possessing the faith of Christ, was unwilling to have that leprosy cling to him, about which Elisha said to Gehazi: The leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you (4 Kings 5). Gehazi, blackened by the darkness of vices like pitch, went out from Elisha leprous as snow; but Constantine, whitened like snow from the blackness of his sins, was unwilling to be further blackened like pitch by the darkness of idolatry.
But because Gehazi, through the precipices of vices, went farther from himself into the valley of greed, while he snatched from the goods of Naaman whatever he saw as delightful, it is no wonder that the kind of reward he received therefrom is indicated by the interpretation of his own name, since Gehazi is interpreted as 'seeing the precipice' or 'vision of the valley.' For he who in inaccessible cliffs and in steep rocks, as in the mountains of virtues, was spiritually unwilling to dwell with the mountain goats — therefore, raging against virtues and smiling at vices, he was not unfittingly called 'seeing the precipice.' And because he was unwilling to ascend from the valley of vices to the mountain of virtues, he was not without reason called 'vision of the valley,' since he did not dispose those ascents in his heart by the steps of good works, in the valley of tears, in the place which he has set (Psalm 83).
Hence, since on the mountain of virtues the path of justice was so rarely seen from him, and his name would not without reason be called 'vision of the valley,' it is no wonder that on account of the leprosy of his vices, far removed from the salvation of believers, he cannot see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 26). But since in the comparison of Gehazi and Constantine we have now lingered for a long time, while we have compared the impiety of the one with the piety of the other, it remains that, just as we have drawn out a long thread in this discourse for the consideration of those men, so now we should again turn the pen of our speech from Gehazi to Constantine.
For lest the same Constantine should be struck any further with bodily leprosy like Gehazi, he began spiritually to observe the law of Moses: although after the grace of baptism the Jews had begun to detract much from him thereby, because he had so often sought the mercy of the true Elisha. For when by the admonitions of blessed Sylvester he had been not only released from the chains of idolatry, but also washed in the bath of divine regeneration, the more perfectly he enclosed the love of heavenly affection in his heart, the more perfect charity cast out fear (1 John 4). And not without reason indeed did he love God with the love of inner affection — He who with double healing was his helper in favorable times, in tribulation (Psalm 9), since from the double infirmity of body and soul he merited being relieved by the cure of a double grace; when in the bath of regeneration he received these two medicines of healing, so that he might be cleansed from leprosy in his body and from vices in his soul.
Appendix: De Mysterio Ligni Dominici
(On the Mystery of the Lord's Wood and on Visible and Invisible Light Through Which the Ancient Fathers Once Merited to Be Illuminated)
Since the first man, dearest brothers, on account of the food of desire which he ate unlawfully (Genesis 3), sat for a very long time in darkness and in the shadow of death, it was necessary that the only-begotten Son of God should intervene so graciously on his behalf as to open for him a path to the way of eternal light. For long it was the case that, having lost the light of truth, he was not unjustly enclosed in the abyss of ancient blindness; since by his own free will he separated himself from the divine light, when against the command of the Lord he loved the darkness of wicked action. But since he could by no reason return from darkness to light unless our Savior wished to open the way for him through Himself; therefore, to show him the brightness of the most loving light, He became obedient for us to the Father even unto death, the death of the cross (Philippians 2).
Hence, thanks be to God, because while the Son obeys the Father, the blind man of the Gospel returns to the light: so that the human race may be the less afflicted by the feeling of its former blindness, the more it is daily illuminated by the sight of the heavenly light through the blood of Christ. Otherwise it will not see that lovable light, of which it is written: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light (Isaiah 9); unless through the fruit of the good work of those it may merit being united to the choirs of whom it is added: To those dwelling in the region of the shadow of death, a light has risen for them (ibid.).
This is therefore that light of which the first man merited to be deprived, when he reached for guilt and grace abandoned him, because while in the tree of death he more tightly pressed upon himself the delight of guilt, divine power took away one light from him and granted another. For He Himself, who is the faithful witness in heaven (Revelation 1), bestowed upon him one light on earth and another in heaven; because, when in the very creation of the world He distributed His gifts as needed to each creature, He gave one light to the human race and promised another. But since from the one light which was promised we can be all the more secure the more we see daily with bodily eyes the other that was given, it is fitting that for the sake of that which was promised, we should imitate in all things the actions of those about whom it is written: They wrought justice, they obtained the promises (Hebrews 11).
For since one light is earthly and another heavenly, it is fitting that we should always pursue the heavenly light with upright conduct, so that, just as through the tree of death we are earthly from the earth, so through the tree of life we are also heavenly from heaven. Otherwise we shall in no way be able to see that visible light, which we must one day see not with bodily but with spiritual eyes, unless we are first instructed by this visible light on earth as to what kind that light is which is reserved for us in heaven.
Hence, since mention has been made by us here of temporal and eternal light, we ought not to obliterate their differences in silence, since the pearl of perpetual light must be purchased by us at an all the greater price, the greater the distinction appears to be between this light and that. For just as prosperous things differ from adverse, or joyful from sorrowful, so one light is proven to be distinct from the other: especially since one appears so unequal to the other that one is eternal and the other temporal. Yet although the inextinguishable waters cannot extinguish either light, nevertheless a great diversity exists in each; for as the page of sacred Scripture testifies, the one illuminates and is illuminated, but the other illuminates and is not illuminated. For if we attentively consider the brightness of each, by the one we are without doubt illuminated in body and by the other in mind; since so great is the power of the light coming from the divine splendor that it cannot be grasped by the eyes of the body but only by the gaze of the mind.
Hence, if we are accustomed to marvel at beholding this temporal light, by which not hearts but bodies are seen to be illuminated, much more should believers admire that eternal light, by which both their bodies and their minds are illuminated. Moreover, if the peoples marvel at this visible light of the sun and moon, for whose intolerable splendor the human...
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