Delivered in the Vatican, on the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, 1717
So great a Mark of his Affection and Familiarity did the Divine Majesty vouchsafe to give to the Prince of the Apostles, who when the Lord asked his Disciples whom they said he was, answered before the rest, with a Confession full of Faith, Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God: That we cannot sufficiently wonder why St. Peter only, amongst the many who made this Confession so due, so just, should receive that most ample, most glorious, and singular Reward, as is discovered to us in the Gospel Lesson of this Day. For did not Nathanael, a true Israelite, in whom there was no Guile, long before St. Peter, or any other, declare Christ to be the Son of God; when he said openly and in publick, Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God? And when Jesus came into the Ship, did not all those that were there Adore and Worship him, saying, Of a Truth Thou art the Son of God? And did not also Martha, when the Lord said to her, Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never Die, believeth thou this? Immediately make Answer, Yea Lord, I believe that Thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God, which camest into this World? Did not lastly the Centurion, when he saw Christ expiring on the Cross, cry out with a loud Voice, Truly this was the Son of God? How comes it then to pass that Nathanael, though he was the first of all men who publish’d the Divinity of Christ; and therefore, we would think as St. Augustine observes, should be accounted as the first of the Apostles, and yet he is not only not reckon’d to have the first Place amongst the Twelve, but neither the middle, nor the last?
Why is it also, that those who were in the Ship and worshipp’d Christ, and confessed him to be the Son of God, were not called Blessed by the Lord? Why lastly did neither the Faith of Martha deserve to be Prais’d, nor the Confession of the Centurion merit Honour? And only St. Peter by affirming Christ to be the Son of God, pronounced Blessed by the Testimony of the Eternal Truth, appointed by a new Name to be the happy Foundation whereon he would build the Church, declar’d the Keeper of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven the Judge of what ought to be bound and loosed, whose Sentence Heaven itself was to approve of by a Ratification permanent and eternal. Let us examine, Venerable Brethren, Beloved Children, let us examine fervently the Reasons, That we may acknowledge the Mistery. Nathanael said, Christ was the Son of God: But at the same time he also said, He was the King of Israel; Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God, Thou art the King of Israel. This Faith of his might favour something of the Man, something Human, which acknowledg’d him to be the Son of God, whom it believ’d to be a King. Martha acknowledg’d the Divinity of Christ, but she acknowledg’d it at that time, when she desir’d him to raise her Brother Lazarus to Life. Those in the Ship adored and worshipped Christ, and confessed him to be the Son of God, but it was the Fear of Shipwreck, extorted from them this confession. Such Confession also did the Centurion make, but it was as we read in the Gospel, after he had seen the Earth-quake. Only St. Peter despising things Terrestial, having an Eye to things Celestial, allured b no Desire of Transitory Happiness, terrified with no Fears of Danger, with that sublime and lofty Confession, which neither Flesh nor Blood reveal’d to him, but with which the Divine Father, which is in Heaven, had inspir’d his Apostolical Heart, while others were of different Sentiment, courageously publish’d and believ’d him to be the Christ the Son of the Living God. If then only St. Peter obtain’d that excellent, that illustrious, that glorious Reward for this his Confession, which the Lord bestow’d upon him, when he said, Blessed art thou Simon Bar Jona, for Flesh and Blood hath not reveal’d it to thee, but my Father which is in Heaven: And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter (or a Rock) And upon this Rock I will build my Church, and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it, and I will give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth, shall be loosed in Heaven. This, my most beloved Children, was the Merit of St. Peter’s Faith, a Faith altogether Holy, Couragious, Heroick: Transcending all the Uncertainty of Human Opinion, and carrying with it the firmness and stability of a Rock, which was not to be shaken by the most violent Storms and Tempests. But where now can we find this intrepid, this Apostolical Faith.
She is more precious than Rubies, and all things that can be desired, are not to be compared unto her. Alass! how degenerate a Disposition does Faith now in her mature State, or rather in her Old Age, discover in these our Days, how different from what she had, while she was yet in her tender Years, when at the Breast, when in her Infancy! How discolour’d now from what she appear’d to be in those Times, when the invincible Champions of Christ, to assert her Glories, courageously spurned the soft Pleasures and Enjoyments of this World, and suffered the sharpest Pains and Tortures! How different now are the fearful Steps of the Faithful from the swift Race of those who were provok’d on to the Course, by the Authority of the Apostles Words, Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God! They went Rejoicing from the Presence of the Council, because they were thought worthy to suffer Contumely and Reproach for the Name of Christ! The Gold is tarnish’d, and its beautiful Colour chang’d.
But now let us cease our Sorrows, and put an End to our Affliction; and with a due Acknowledgment to the Almighty for his ever flowing Bounty and continual Dispensation to us of his Divine Gifts, let us rather offer up our humble Thanks to the Father of Mercies, and the God of all Consolation, who even in these our Days, revives those Examples of the Primitive Faith, and gives us, as we may now see before us, a Magnanimous, and Constant Defender of the Faith, who has known how to conquer Flesh and Blood in their Opposition to the Enligtnings of the Eternal Father, has shewn with a sublime and truly Royal Soul an entire Contempt and Disdain for all the August Glories, and splendid Honours this World can bestow, that he might keep that pure, that strong, that invincible Faith, which Christ so gloriously extoll’d in St. Peter, and Rewarded with so many Benefits. Yet let us, my most beloved Children, take care least this Gift of the Divine Goodness, which shines out in such Light and Splendour in these our Days, and which will never be blotted out in Oblivion by late Posterity, at any time Reproach our Sloth and Coldness, and least we, after having so bright and illustrious an Example before our Eyes, be found sluggish and lifeless in the Duties of our most Holy Religious, and behold this shining Image of Heroick and Consummate Vertue (now before us) with looks of Indolence, Indifference, and Inaction.
Let us therefore Study with all the Fervour of our Soul, to embrace with a diligent Imitation the Faith if St. Peter, a Royal Faith, and undaunted Faith, which we so worthily commend and honour, having continually in Mind, and always before our Eyes, that glorious saying of St. Gregory, He truly believes who puts in Practice by good Works, what he believes.
