Sermon Iii Of Humbly Hearing The Words And Counsels Of Elders
SERMON III
OF HUMBLY HEARING THE WORDS AND COUNSELS OF ELDERS
ASK thy father and he will declare to thee: thy elders and they will tell thee. Beloved brethren, listen willingly to the wholesome counsels of your elders; and be not wise in your own conceits: lest you fall into the snare of the devil and incur scandal to your soul. Search not things sublime; nor curiously examine the deeds of others: but what is the will of God, and what you have promised to observe: always keep in mind. A certain devout religious said: “He who holds his peace concerning the affairs of all others: has peace with all.” O precious word: profitable to be ever kept in the soul. For the more a man is spread abroad without: the more is he lessened within. Let no man then, looking at others, neglect himself: having a care of himself before all, let him be silent as to the rest: which does not concern his charge. And so let every one, who wishes to be interior, say with the psalmist: “My soul is continually in my hands: and I have not forgotten Thy law.” Whoever will make progress in the spirit: let him give himself often to prayer and the privacy of silence; let him shun many questions and the making of long discourses: but rather let him devoutly pray with holy David: “O Lord, to Thee have I fled: teach me to do Thy will.” If you ask what is the will of God: blessed Paul plainly and clearly answers us all: “This is the will of God, your sanctification.” What is this sanctification; if not to keep away from evil, and daily to exercise oneself in good? If you do not know what is more pleasing to God, and what you should do for greater profit; go at once and diligently ask of your superior, or of the more experienced elders: lest it befall you to abound in your own sense, and err. What is the cause that so many fall away from their first devotion; and make so little headway in true virtues? Because, alas! they depart little by little from the holy purpose of poverty and simplicity, which they received and learnt from the elders; and follow rather their own fancies, and devise new conveniences, dread things simple and lowly, seek the familiarity of men; desire to show their knowledge: and esteem themselves above even learned elders. And would that they would learn again the humble exercises of novices: and gratefully receive a little warning.
Brethren, let no man be ashamed to learn from the elders; let no man spurn to receive an edifying word from the juniors: for this is a praiseworthy sign of humility; this is a very good omen of spiritual progress: according to that proverb of Solomon: “A wise man shall hear and shall be wiser, and he that understandeth shall possess governments.” Who wishes to be wise and to be accounted learned before he listens and learns: he shall long remain foolish in the midst of the wise. It is a true proverb: “Who will not hear the master like a good scholar: he shall be beaten with the obstinate like an unmannered ass.”
Consider now in order from the writings of both Testaments, the holy fathers and doctors, the prophets and apostolic men resplendent in knowledge and virtues; how eager they were in life and in death to teach their children and subjects: how many secret things of God they foretold them concerning the future and heavenly goods under various figures and parables; thereby to render all their hearers well-disposed to observe the law: and to make them wishful to obtain all the divine promises both present and to come. For Moses, the chief teacher and lawgiver, spake thus: “Hear, O Israel, the commandments and judgements which I teach thee: that doing them thou mayest live. You shall not add to the word that I speak to you, neither shall you take away from it: and thou shalt teach them to thy children and children’s children.” And again in another place: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul: and with thy whole strength. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart, and thou shalt tell them to thy children: and thou shalt meditate upon them sitting in thy house, and walking on thy journey, sleeping and rising. And thou shalt bind them as a sign on thy hand; and they shall move between thy eyes: and thou shalt write them in the entry and on the doors of thy house.” Behold what holy precepts and godly exercises of divine teaching are proposed to us by Moses: to be worthily followed also by all the faithful.
After holy Moses arose in his place Josue, a faithful minister chosen out of thousands: to whom the Lord said: “As I have been with Moses: so will I be with thee. Take courage and be very valiant; that thou mayest observe and do all the law, which Moses My servant commanded thee: and turn not from it to the right or to the left.” And because Moses laid his hand upon him, he merited the divine blessing; and he was filled with the spirit of wisdom which is most necessary for good government in a state and multitude: and the children of Israel obeyed him as Moses according to the commandment of the Lord. Hearing this each Brother, novice or professed, ought to apply it as a profitable example to himself, humbly obeying his superior or senior Brother for God’s sake, that he may deserve to have a heavenly blessing: because of his humility and ready obedience. For humble obedience merits a special grace from God; and it is protected from many snares of the devil: and it shall be excused in the judgement of the ill deeds and offences charged against it. Therefore I beseech you, younger ones, listen humbly to the seniors, who have long experience in many things; who have long borne in the Order the burden of the day and the heats; often wearied in body, often afflicted in mind. Whom God tried mightily in the fire of poverty as gold in the furnace of fire; and after long want and distress of heart He very often comforted them with the joy of the Holy Ghost and the sweetness of the Sacrament: as of old He fed the children of Israel in the desert with manna from Heaven.
It is read in the First Book of Kings, that Samuel, dear to God and men, when he was yet a small child, was offered by his holy mother Anna to God, and entrusted to the priest Heli to be instructed; that under his teaching he might be accustomed from boyhood humbly to serve God in the tabernacle of the altar: and in good conduct according to the law of God gradually be made perfect to receive higher and more holy things. Which also was done with the gracious favour of God. And he in everything to be done and decided strove to obey at once the priest, as the vicar of God: so that he did not presume even to go to sleep without his leave. For called thrice by the Lord in the night: he at once arose from his bed. And because as yet he did not know the divine revelation, readily he ran to the presence of the priest which was known to him: and submitted to the judgement of his superior the voice, which he heard; trusting more to the experience of the old man and the advice of the priest: than to his own innocence which might easily be deceived in the secret things of God or foolishly lifted up. O what will this child be in the future: who was so repectful and obedient to his elder in the opening of life. Certainly as he grew in age he increased also in the grace of a more sublime revelation: so that after the death of his priest he became the judge of the whole people; and anointed kings by the order of the Lord: and by the power of his prayer vanquished the force of the enemy. For all knew from Dan to Bersabee: that Samuel was a faithful prophet of the Lord. Who often calling the people together, and reminding them of the very numerous blessings of God, rebuked them for the foolish worship of idols: and for their great ingratitude after so many favours bestowed. And because they had often offended God: therefore they deserved to be most grievously chastised by their foes. Then he earnestly calls back to the observance of the holy law all them that err, and says: “Put away the strange gods from among you; and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only: and He will deliver you out of the hands of your enemies.”
David also, the king, powerful and holy, anointed by Samuel with holy oil prince of the people: when he had mightily ruled for many years the nation of Israel; before his death called Solomon his son to him: and charged him saying: “I am going the way of all flesh. Take thou courage and show thyself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord thy God: to walk in His ways, and observe His ceremonies, and His precepts, and judgements, and testimonies: as it is written in the law of Moses.” Again in a certain psalm inspired by the Holy Ghost, instructing the people commended to him, and urging them to the worship of God he prays and saith: “Attend, O my people, to my law: incline your ear to the words of my mouth. How great things He commanded to our fathers that they should make the same known to their children: that another generation might know them. The children that should be born and should rise up: and should declare them to their children. That they may put their hope in God, and may not forget the works of the Lord: and may seek His commandments.” Behold how devout an admonition of the glorious king; to the keeping of the holy law.
Solomon also the most wise of kings following his father’s footsteps: among many proverbial sayings instructing youth speaks thus: “Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father: and attend that you may know prudence. I will give you a good gift: forsake not my law. For I also was my father’s son, tender and as an only son in the sight of my mother: and he taught me and said: ‘Let thy heart receive my words: keep my commandments and thou shalt live. Get wisdom, get prudence: forsake her not and she shall keep thee.’ ” Behold how profitable a lesson the Wise Man delivers to youth and especially to you novices, who have entered the school of God: that by the help of God you may progress in virtues even to old age.
It is also read in the first Book of the Maccha-bees, of Mathathias, a most noble man and a most unyielding defender of the law; that on fire with the zeal of God and powerfully aided by the help of God and men, he drove the wicked and the forsakers of the law of the ancients from his bounds: and according to his strength brought back befittingly the neglected statutes of the early fathers to a holy observance pleasing to God. Who in all his warlike deeds aimed at no other end; but that the honour and worship of God should be most firmly established in the holy laws: and that the desolate people by serving God should enjoy a happy peace; and with sincere hearts should worship God almighty with unbounded exultation: and with joyous voices should praise Him together. He at length, after many glorious deeds of good works, being at the point of death, and anxious with a father’s love for the future, lest the good commenced with devout endeavour should perish through sloth; having called to his side his sons and friends who had zeal for God, he strengthens their hearts in most excellent words with many examples of holy men gone before: and earnestly urging and begging them all to perseverance in the good way on which they had entered, he said: “Now, therefore, O my sons, be ye zealous for the law: and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers. And call to remembrance the works of the fathers, which they have done in their generations: and you shall receive great glory and an everlasting name.”
Our Saviour also the Lord Jesus Christ, having accomplished the mystery of our redemption by His Passion and cross, after His blessed resurrection appearing frequently to His disciples, among many sacred discourses, whereby He wisely and minutely instructed them: He uttered these parting and wholesome words. “Go ye,” He said, “into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature: and teach all nations to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” O happy and meritorious obedience: which regards nothing else than the eager fulfilment of the good pleasure and will of the heavenly Father. O how holy the soul, which strives to resign itself: and to conform its whole life to the actions of Christ. Truly a most excellent pattern of a good life: Jesus Christ left to us all. He is the master of all: He the book and rule of religious; He the commentary of monks: He the text and glossary of decrees. He is the pattern of life for clerics, the instruction of laymen; the light of the faithful, the joy of the just, the glory of the angels: the end and consummation of all the desires of the saints.
It is also read in the Acts of the Apostles, of most blessed Paul the apostle: that in the beginning of his conversion a heavenly voice said to him: “Arise, and go into the city: and there it shall be told thee what thou must do.” Who immediately arose and obeyed the voice of God; and became a holy and great preacher throughout the world: who before had been a persecutor of the churches. He has shown a pattern of perfect renunciation to all religious: but he has especially left an example of obedience to the newly converted: that they say every hour with Paul, “Lord, what will thou have me to do?” And as then all who had known him were astounded at his sudden conversion: so also now all the wise of the world, wherever Christ be named, wonder and rejoice at his doctrine. Therefore on fire with divine love: he urged all to the love of Christ, saying: “Be followers of me, dearly beloved, as I also am of Christ.” Of whom it is written in the Acts of the Apostles: that he was sent with Barnabas to preach the word of God to the gentiles: and converted many to the faith of Christ. And after some days Paul said again to Barnabas: “Let us return and visit the brethren in all the cities wherein we have preached the word of the Lord, to see how they do: whether they are progressing or failing in their good beginnings.” And again: “But Paul choosing Silas as a suitable companion for the work of preaching, went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches: commanding them to keep the precepts of the apostles and the ancients.”
Lo, brethren, you have now heard many good things, how solicitous the saints were in their day, to teach their children and subjects, to walk in the holy precepts of God: what examples also of holy conduct they left to their successors: which they themselves had first heard and learnt from the fathers and the ancients. So do you also, dearly beloved, as shoots of olive planted in the house of the Lord, stand in obedience and the discipline of the cloister; hold to the traditions of the elders and the statutes of the General Chapter: drawn up by the Definitors under divine inspiration for your salvation. Receive gratefully the warnings of your superiors: and patiently bear their reproofs: for it is better that they should correct you now: than that the devil hereafter should more grievously punish and mock you. For if now for Christ’s sake you humbly yield to the advice of the elders, and forsake your own opinion; then you shall have great peace: and by the grace of Christ you shall receive eternal blessedness. Amen.