Second Homily on Eutropius (After His Captivity)

¹⁵ Inasmuch then as our Master knew that if He carved out only one road for us, many must shrink from it, He carved out various roads. You can not enter the kingdom it may be by the way of virginity. Enter it then by the way of single marriage. Can you not enter it by one marriage? Perchance you may by means of a second marriage. You can not enter by the way of continence: enter then by the way of almsgiving: or you can not enter by the way of almsgiving? Then try the way of fasting.

If you can not use this way, take that— or if not that, then take this. Therefore the prophet spoke not of a garment of gold, but of one woven with gold. It is of silk, or purple, or gold. You can not be a golden part? Then be a silken one. I accept you, if only you are clothed in my raiment. Therefore also Paul says “If any man builds upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones.” You can not be the precious stone? Then be the gold. You can not be the gold? Then be the silver, if only you are resting upon the foundation.

And again elsewhere, “there is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.” You can not be a sun? Then be a moon. You can not be a moon? Then be a star. You can not be a large star? Be content to be a little one if only you are in the Heaven. You can not be a virgin? Then live continently in the married state, only abiding in the Church. You can not be without possessions? Then give alms, only abiding in the Church, only wearing the proper raiment, only submitting to the queen. The raiment is woven with gold, it is manifold in texture.

I do not bar the way against you: for the abundance of virtues has rendered the dispensation of the king easy in operation. “Clothed in a vesture woven with gold, manifold in texture.” Her vesture is manifold: unfold, if you please, the deep meaning of the expression here used, and fix your eyes upon this garment woven with gold. For here indeed some live celibate, others live in an honourable estate of matrimony being not much inferior to them: some have married once, others are widows in the flower of their age.

For what purpose is a paradise? And wherefore its variety? Having various flowers, and trees, and many pearls. There are many stars, but only one sun: there are many ways of living, but only one paradise; there are many temples, but only one mother of them all. There is the body, the eye, the finger, but all these make up but one man. There is the same distinction between the small, the great, and the less. The virgin has need of the married woman; for the virgin also is the product of marriage, that marriage may not be despised by her.

The virgin is the root of marriage: thus all things have been linked together, the small with the great, and the great with the small. “The queen stood on your right hand clothed in a vesture wrought with gold, manifold in texture.” Then follows “Hearken! O daughter.” The conductor of the bride says that you are about to go forth from your home to the home of the bridegroom who in his essential nature far surpasses you. I am the conductor of the bride. “Hearken O daughter.” Did she immediately become the wife?

Yea: for here there is nothing corporeal. For He espoused her as a wife, He loves her as a daughter, He provides for her as a handmaid, He guards her as a virgin, He fences her round like a garden, and cherishes her like a member: as a head He provides for her, as a root he causes her to grow, as a shepherd He feeds her, as a bridegroom He weds her, as a propitiation He pardons her, as a sheep He is sacrificed, as a bridegroom He preserves her in beauty, as a husband He provides for her support.

Many are the meanings in order that we may enjoy a part if it be but a small part of the divine economy of grace. “Hearken O daughter” and behold, and look upon things which are bridal and yet spiritual. Hearken O daughter. She was at first a daughter of demons, a daughter of the earth, unworthy of the earth and now she has become a daughter of the king. And this He wished who loved her. For he who loves does not investigate character: love does not regard uncomeliness: on this account indeed is it called love because it oftentimes has affection for an uncomely person. Thus also did Christ.

He saw one who was uncomely (for comely I could not call her) and He loved her, and He makes her young, not having spot or wrinkle. Oh what a bridegroom! adorning with grace the ungracefulness of his bride! Hearken O daughter! Hearken and behold! Two things He says “Hearken” and “Behold,” two which depend on yourself, one on your eyes, the other on your hearing. Now since her dowry depended on hearing (and although some of you have been acute enough to perceive this already, let them tarry for those who are feebler: I commend those who have anticipated the truth, and make allowances for those who only follow in their track) since the dowry then depended on hearing— (and what is meant by hearing? faith: for “faith comes by hearing” faith as opposed to fruition, and actual experience) I said before that He divided the dowry into two, and gave some portion to the bride for an earnest, while He promised others in the future.

What did He give her? He gave her forgiveness of sins, remission of punishment, righteousness, sanctification, redemption, the body of the Lord, the divine, spiritual Table, the resurrection of the dead. For all these things the Apostles had. Therefore He gave some parts and promised others. Of some there was experience and fruition, others depended upon hope and faith. Now listen. What did He bestow? Baptism and the Sacrifice. Of these there is experience. What did He promise? Resurrection, immortality of the body, union with angels, a place in the joyful company of archangels, and as a citizen in His kingdom, immaculate life, the good things “which eye has not seen, nor ear heard nor have entered into the heart of man, things which God has prepared for them that love Him.”