On Lent, First Sermon

In former days the Hebrew people and all the tribes of Israel were oppressed by the harsh tyranny of the Philistines because of their shameful sins. Then, so that they might be able to overcome their enemies, they restored their strength of mind and body by keeping a fast that had been commanded them, as the sacred history tells. For they understood that they had deserved that hard and wretched subjection by neglecting God’s commands and by their evil ways, and that it was useless for them to fight with weapons unless they had first stood firm against their sin. So, abstaining from food and drink, they put themselves under the discipline of strict correction, and in order to conquer their enemies they first conquered the lure of the palate in themselves. And so it came about that their fierce enemies and cruel masters, who had held them in subjection while they were full, gave way before them when they fasted. And so we too, dearly beloved, set as we are in the middle of many oppositions and conflicts, may be cured by a little care, if only we will use the same means. For our case is almost the same as theirs: as they were attacked by enemies in the flesh, so are we, chiefly by spiritual enemies. And if we can conquer these, by God’s grace enabling us to correct our ways, the strength of our bodily enemies will also give way before us. By amending ourselves we will weaken those who were made formidable to us not by their own merits but by our failings. [a]

So then, dearly beloved, that we may be able to overcome all our enemies, let us seek God’s help by keeping the heavenly commands, knowing that we cannot prevail against our adversaries in any other way than by prevailing against ourselves. For we have many battles with ourselves: the flesh desires one thing against the spirit, and the spirit another thing against the flesh. In this disagreement, if the desires of the body are stronger, the mind will shamefully lose its proper dignity, and it will be most disastrous for the part that ought to rule to be made a slave. But if the mind, subject to its Ruler and delighting in gifts from above, tramples underfoot the lure of earthly pleasure and does not let sin reign in its mortal body, reason will keep a well-ordered rule, and no strategy of the spiritual forces of wickedness will cast down its strongholds. For a person has true peace and true freedom only when the flesh is ruled by the judgment of the mind, and the mind is directed by the will of God. This state of readiness, dearly beloved, should always be kept, so that our ever-watchful enemies may be overcome by unceasing diligence. Yet now it must be sought more anxiously and cultivated more zealously, when the schemes of our subtle enemies themselves are carried on with keener craft than ever. For they know that the most holy days of Lent are now at hand, in the keeping of which all past laziness is punished and all negligence atoned for. So they turn all the force of their spite on this one thing: that those who intend to celebrate the Lord’s holy Passover may be found unclean in some matter, and that cause for offense may arise where propitiation ought to have been obtained. [c]

So as we approach the beginning of Lent, dearly beloved, which is a time for serving the Lord more carefully, because we are entering, as it were, on a kind of contest in good works, let us prepare our souls for fighting with temptations. Let us understand that the more zealous we are for our salvation, the more determined the attacks of our opponents will be. But “stronger is he who is in us than he who is against us,” and we are powerful through him in whose strength we trust. For it was for this that the Lord allowed himself to be tempted by the tempter: that we might be taught by his example as well as strengthened by his help. As you have heard, he conquered the adversary by words from the law, not by sheer strength, so that by this very thing he might do greater honor to man and inflict a greater punishment on the adversary, by conquering the enemy of the human race not now as God but as man. So he fought then, so that we too might fight afterward; he conquered, so that we too might conquer in the same way. For there are no works of power, dearly beloved, without the trials of temptation. There is no faith without testing, no contest without an enemy, no victory without battle. This life of ours is lived in the middle of snares and in the middle of battles. If we do not want to be deceived, we must keep watch; if we want to win, we must fight. That is why the most wise Solomon says, “My son, when you come to the service of God, prepare your soul for temptation.” Being a man full of the wisdom of God, he knew that the pursuit of religion involves hard struggles. He foresaw the danger of the fight as well, and he warned the one about to enter the contest, so that the tempter would not come on him in his ignorance, find him unready, and wound him unawares. [e]

So, dearly beloved, let us who have been instructed in divine learning come knowingly to the present contest and struggle, and hear the apostle when he says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this dark world, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly things.” And let us not forget that these enemies of ours feel that everything we strive to do for our salvation is done against them, and that by the very act of seeking some good thing we are challenging our foes. For this is an old quarrel between us and them, fed by the devil’s ill will: they are tortured by our being justified, because they have fallen from those good things toward which we, with God’s help, are advancing. So if we are raised up, they are thrown down; if we are strengthened, they are weakened. Our cures are their blows, because the healing of our wounds wounds them. “Stand, therefore,” dearly beloved, as the apostle says, “having the loins of your mind girded with truth, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, in all things taking the shield of faith, with which you may be able to put out all the fiery arrows of the evil one; and put on the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” See, dearly beloved, with what mighty weapons, with what unbreakable defenses we are armed by our Leader, who is famous for his many triumphs, the unconquered Master of the Christian warfare. He has girded our loins with the belt of chastity; he has shod our feet with the bindings of peace. For the soldier without a belt is quickly overcome by the one who suggests immodesty, and the one without shoes is easily bitten by the serpent. He has given the shield of faith to protect our whole body; he has set the helmet of salvation on our head; he has armed our right hand with a sword, that is, with the word of truth. So the spiritual warrior may not only be safe from wounds, but may also have strength to wound his attacker. [h]

Relying, then, on these weapons, dearly beloved, let us enter actively and fearlessly on the contest set before us, so that in this struggle of fasting we do not rest content with this one aim, thinking that abstaining from food is all that is wanted. For it is not enough that the substance of our flesh should be reduced if the strength of the soul is not also built up. When the outer man is somewhat subdued, let the inner man be somewhat refreshed; and when bodily excess is denied to our flesh, let our mind be strengthened by spiritual delights. Let every Christian examine himself and search his inmost heart severely. Let him see that no discord clings there and no wrong desire is harbored. Let chastity drive lack of self-control far away; let the light of truth scatter the shadows of deception; let the swellings of pride go down; let anger give way to reason; let the arrows of ill treatment be broken and the scolding of the tongue be bridled; let thoughts of revenge come to nothing, and injuries be given over to forgetfulness. In short, let “every plant that the heavenly Father has not planted be pulled up by the roots.” For the seeds of virtue are well nourished in us only when every foreign growth is rooted out of the field of wheat. So if anyone has been fired by a desire for vengeance against another, so that he has handed him over to prison or bound him with chains, let him hurry to forgive, not only the innocent, but also one who seems to deserve punishment. Then he may with confidence use the petition in the Lord’s Prayer and say, “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” The Lord marks this petition with special emphasis, as if the power of the whole prayer rested on this condition, when he says, “For if you forgive men their sins, your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your sins.” [j]

So, dearly beloved, mindful of our weakness, since we easily fall into faults of every kind, let us by no means neglect this special remedy, this most effective healing of our wounds. Let us forgive, so that we may be forgiven; let us grant the pardon we ask for; let us not be eager for revenge when we pray to be forgiven. Let us not pass over the groans of the poor with a deaf ear, but with prompt kindness show our mercy to the needy, so that we may deserve to find mercy at the judgment. Whoever, helped by God’s grace, strains every nerve toward this perfection will keep this holy fast faithfully. Free from the leaven of the old wickedness, with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, he will reach the blessed Passover, and by newness of life he will worthily rejoice in the mystery of man’s remaking through Christ our Lord, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. [l]