Chapter I.
Just as in the past the Fathers, when they were advancing to war, and on the days of rejoicing were playing the trumpet, so also to us, on the days of fasting and approaching the Paschal feast, the trumpet is to be played.
1. The divine oracle resulted in the Israelites blowing the trumpet when they went out to battle, so that with the sound of the trumpet the Lord would remember His people and come to their aid, knowing the incentives of His mercy. And on the days of their joy, on their appointed feasts, they would sing with the sound of the trumpets. Hence David also says: Blow the trumpet at the beginning of the month, on the day of your solemn feast. Therefore the day of solemnity will come to us, and it is now approaching. Let us sing with the trumpet as if advancing into battle. Let us sing with the trumpet, to announce the day of solemnity, because both a contest is imminent for us and victory is promised. Our victory is the cross of Christ: our trophy is the Easter of the Lord Jesus. But He has fought the battle before, in order to conquer, not because He needed the struggle Himself; but so that He may beforehand prescribe to us the form of fighting, and afterwards give us the grace of triumph. Our struggle is a fast. Finally, the Savior fasted, and so the tempter approached him. And first, he directed a dart to the stomach, saying: If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread (Luke 4:3). He presented food as a lure, in order to ensnare bodily desire: the Lord preferred fasting, in order to dissolve the snares of the tempter and break his chains. Finally, it is written: Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God (ibid., 4). By that noose Adam had been strangled, by this absolution from the devilish question every man is freed.