Lessons 5 & 6 from the Divine Office for St. Linus, Pope, Martyr: Sermon 21 from the Exposition of Psalm 118 by St. Ambrose the Bishop.
Lessons 5 & 6 from the Divine Office for St. Linus, Pope, Martyr: Sermon 21 from the Exposition of Psalm 118 by St. Ambrose the Bishop.
Princes have persecuted me without cause, but my heart standeth in awe of thy word. Thus might a Martyr speak of himself, for in that he is punished unjustly, he is persecuted. He hath committed no robbery, oppressed none by violence, shed no blood, defiled the bed of no man, is debtor to the laws in nothing; yet he is punished more grievously than any malefactor. A Martyr speaketh righteousness, and there is none that will hear. He proclaimeth salvation, and men fight against him. Thus he well might say: When I speak unto them of peace, they make them ready to battle; they fought against me without a cause. Yea, they fought against him without a cause, for they could lay no sin to his charge. They fought against him as an evildoer, albeit in his confession of God he is worthy of praise. They fought against him as a sorcerer, and behold, he glorieth in the Name of the Lord, the love whereof is the source of all well-doing. But certain also it is that they do fight against him in vain when they the ungodly accuse him of ungodliness, or when he who was a master of faith is accused of faithlessness. Verily, him that is fought against without a cause it behoveth to be stedfast and fearless. Wherefore then saith he: My heart standeth in awe of thy word? Awe is sometimes a mark of the weak, the timid, and the fearful. But there is also a weakness unto salvation, and a fear which is an holy fear, as it is written: O fear the Lord, all ye his Saints. Or again: Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. And wherefore is he blessed? Because he hath great delight in his commandments.