On His Birthday, Second Sermon

God in his kindness has made this a day of honor for me. By raising my lowliness to the highest rank, he has shown that he does not despise any of his own. So, although one must be unsure of one’s own merit, it is still one’s plain duty to rejoice over the gift. For the one who lays the burden on us is himself the one who helps us carry it; and so that the weak man who receives it may not fall beneath the greatness of the grace, he who conferred the dignity will also give the strength. So, as the day comes round again on which the Lord willed that I should begin my office as bishop, I have true cause to rejoice to the glory of God. That I might love him much, he has forgiven me much; and that I might make his grace wonderful, he has conferred his gifts on me, in whom he found nothing that merit could recommend. And by this work of his, what does the Lord urge and commend to our hearts but this: that no one should presume on his own righteousness, nor distrust God’s mercy, which shines out most of all when the sinner is made holy and the downcast is lifted up? For the measure of heavenly gifts does not rest on the quality of our deeds. Nor in this world, in which “all life is temptation,” is each one rewarded as he deserves; for if the Lord were to keep count of a man’s sins, no one could stand before his judgment. [a]

Therefore, dearly beloved, “magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together,” so that the whole reason for today’s gathering may be turned to the praise of him who brought it about. For as far as my own feelings go, I confess that what I rejoice over most is the devotion of you all. And when I look on this splendid gathering of my venerable brother priests, I feel that where so many saints are assembled, the very angels are among us. Nor do I doubt that today we are visited by a richer outpouring of the divine presence, when so many beautiful dwelling places of God, so many excellent members of the body of Christ, are in one place and shine with one light. Nor, I am sure, are the fostering kindness and true love of the most blessed apostle Peter absent from this congregation. He has not deserted your devotion, since it is in his honor that you have met. And so he too rejoices over your good will, and welcomes the reverence for the Lord’s own institution that you show toward those who share his honor. He commends the well-ordered love of the whole church, which always finds Peter in Peter’s see, and which, out of affection for so great a shepherd, does not grow lukewarm even toward so inferior a successor as I am. So, dearly beloved, in order that the loyalty you all show with one mind toward my lowliness may bear the fruit of its zeal, beg the merciful goodness of our God on bended knee. Ask that in our days he will drive out those who attack us, strengthen faith, increase love and increase peace. Ask that he will make me, his poor slave, whom he has willed to stand at the helm of the church to show the riches of his grace, equal to so great a work and useful in building you up; and that to this end he will lengthen our time of service, so that the years he grants us may be used to his glory, through Christ our Lord. Amen. [c]