SERMO 149
IN WHICH QUESTIONS ARE RAISED FROM THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES (CHAPTER 10)
And from the Gospel, they are resolved; or concerning the four questions;
First, concerning the vision of Peter. Second, concerning the words of the Gospel:
"Let your light shine before men,"
"That they may see your good works," etc. And a little later:
"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men,"
"SO THAT YOU MAY BE SEEN BY THEM," ETC. THIRD, ON THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL:
"Let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing."
FOURTH, ON THE LOVE OF THE ENEMY (MT 5:16; 6:1-4; 5:43-48)
Questions to be resolved: first question, concerning the vision of Peter.
Before last Sunday, I remember that I became a debtor to Your Holiness for certain questions proposed from the Scriptures. But now, as much as the Lord deigns to grant, it is the time to resolve them, lest we owe anything longer, except only love, which is always returned and always owed. We said that there should be an inquiry about the vision of Peter, what that vessel might mean; as if a sheet let down from heaven by four corners, in which were all the four-footed animals of the earth, and creeping things, and birds of the sky; and that it was said to Peter by the divine voice: “Kill and eat”; and that this happened three times and was taken up.
Gluttony was not commanded to Peter.
Against those who think that gluttony was commanded by the Lord God to Peter, it is easy to argue. First, because even if we wish to take literally what was said: "Kill and eat," it is not a sin to kill and eat, but to use immoderately the gifts of God, which He provided for human use.
The abstinence of the Jews from unclean animals was symbolic.
For the Jews had received certain animals which they might eat, and certain ones from which they should abstain; which the apostle Paul indicates they received in the signification of future things, saying: Therefore let no one judge you in food, or in drink, or in part of a feast day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come. Therefore already in the times of the Church, he says in another place: All things indeed are clean to the clean, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. For there were those at that time, when the Apostle was writing these things, who ate meats, to the offense of some of the weaker brethren. For the meat of those animals which soothsayers sacrificed was then sold in the market, and many brethren abstained from eating meat, lest they unwittingly encounter meats of which sacrifices had been made to idols. Whence in another place the same Apostle, so that their conscience might not tremble with fear, says: Eat everything that is sold in the market, asking no questions for conscience's sake. For the earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness. And again: If anyone from the unbelievers invites you, and you wish to go; eat whatever is set before you, asking no questions for conscience's sake. But if anyone says to you: This has been offered in sacrifice; do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience. Therefore everything in these matters, whether clean or unclean, is established not in the touching of flesh, but in the purity of conscience, or in the stain.
Animals prohibited to the Jews are signs.
Whence was given the freedom to Christians, which was not given to the Jews. For all the animals that are forbidden to the Jews to eat are signs of things, and as it is said, shadows of things to come. Just as that circumcision signifies the circumcision of the heart, which they bore in the flesh, and repudiated in the heart; so too those feasts are precepts of mysteries, and signs of things to come. Just as it is written for them, to eat those that chew the cud and have split hooves; but not to eat those to which one or both of these characteristics are lacking; certain men are signified who do not belong to the society of saints. For the split hoof pertains to morals, and chewing the cud pertains to wisdom. Why to morals the split hoof? Because it slips with difficulty. For slipping is a sign of sin. How does chewing the cud pertain to the doctrine of wisdom? Because the Scripture says: “A desirable treasure rests in the mouth of the wise, but a foolish man swallows it up.” Therefore, he who hears and through negligence becomes forgetful, swallows what he heard; so that now it has no taste in his mouth, burying the very hearing in forgetfulness. But he who meditates on the law of the Lord day and night, as if chews the cud, and in the palate of the heart enjoys the taste of the word. Therefore, what was commanded to the Jews signifies that those do not belong to the Church, that is, to the body of Christ, to the grace and society of saints, who are either negligent listeners, or have bad morals, or are reprehensible in both vices.
Why the precepts of Jewish observances are read to Christians.
Thus all other things that were commanded in this manner to the Jews are shadowy indications of future things. After the light of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ, came, they are read only to be understood, not also to be observed. Therefore, license was given to Christians that, according to this vain custom, they should not do, but eat what they want, with moderation, with blessing, with thanksgiving. Thus perhaps it was said to Peter: Kill and eat; so that he should no longer hold the observances of the Jews; yet it was not commanded to him as a glutton of the stomach and foul voracity.
A figurative vision of Peter.
But yet, in order for you to understand that this was shown as a figure, there were crawling creatures in that vessel. Could he indeed eat serpents? What then does this signify? That vessel signifies the Church: the four lines by which it was extended represent the four parts of the world, through which the Catholic Church extends, which is spread everywhere. Therefore, whoever wishes to go into a part and separate from the whole does not belong to the mystery of the four lines. But if it does not pertain to Peter's vision, nor to the keys given to Peter. For from the four winds, God says he will gather his saints in the end; because now through all these four corners the evangelical faith is spread. Therefore, those animals are the Gentiles. For all the Gentiles, who were unclean in their errors and superstitions and lusts before Christ came, upon his coming, with their sins forgiven, were made clean. Hence now, after the remission of sins, why should they not be received into the body of Christ, which is the Church of God, whose person Peter bore?
Peter bears the character of the Church.
For Peter appears in many places of Scripture to bear the person of the Church; especially in that place where it is said: To you I hand over the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound also in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed also in heaven. Did Peter receive these keys, and Paul did not receive them? Did Peter receive them, and John and James did not receive them, and the other Apostles? Or are not these keys in the Church, where sins are forgiven daily? But because Peter was bearing the person of the Church in signification, what was given to him alone was given to the Church. Therefore, Peter was bearing the figure of the Church; the Church is the body of Christ. Let therefore the Gentiles, already purified and whose sins have been forgiven, be accepted; from which Cornelius, a Gentile man, and those who were Gentiles with him, had sent to him. His alms had been accepted and had cleansed him in some manner; it remained that, as clean food, he would be incorporated into the Church, that is, the body of the Lord. But Peter feared to deliver the Gospel to the Gentiles; because those who had believed from the circumcision prohibited the Apostles from delivering the Christian faith to the uncircumcised; and they said that they should not approach the participation of the Gospel, unless they had received the circumcision, which had been handed down to their ancestors.
The reception of the Gentiles within the Church.