St Athanasius the Great LETTERS, Part I, Complete

Translated by Cardinal Newman.

St Athanasius the Great Resources Online and in Print

This Part: 128 Pages

Page 110

9. Now he who has been counted worthy of the heavenly calling, and by this calling has been sanctified, if he grow negligent in it, although washed becomes defiled: 'counting the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a profane thing, and despising the Spirit of grace,' he hears the words, 'Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having wedding garments?' For the banquet of the saints is spotless and pure; 'for many are called, but few chosen [4191] .' Judas to wit, though he came to the supper, because he despised it went out from the presence of the Lord, and having abandoned his Life [4192] , hanged himself. But the disciples who continued with the Redeemer shared in the happiness of the feast. And that young man who went into a far country, and there wasted his substance, living in dissipation, if he receive a desire for this divine feast, and, coming to himself, shall say, 'How many hired servants of my father have bread to spare, while I perish here with hunger!' and shall next arise and come to his father, and confess to him, saying, 'I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am not worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants [4193] ;'--when he shall thus confess, then he shall be counted worthy of more than he prayed for. For the father does not receive him as a hired servant, neither does he look upon him as a stranger, but he kisses him as a son, he brings him back to life as from the dead, and counts him worthy of the divine feast, and gives him his former and precious robe. So that, on this account, there is singing and gladness in the paternal home.

10. For this is the work of the Father's loving-kindness and goodness, that not only should He make him alive from the dead, but that He should render His grace illustrious through the Spirit. Therefore, instead of corruption, He clothes him with an incorruptible garment; instead of hunger, He kills the fatted calf; instead of far journeys, [the Father] watched for his return, providing shoes for his feet; and, what is most wonderful, placed a divine signet-ring upon his hand; whilst by all these things He begot him afresh in the image of the glory of Christ. These are the gracious gifts of the Father, by which the Lord honours and nourishes those who abide with Him, and also those who return to Him and repent. For He promises, saying, 'I am the bread of life; he that cometh unto Me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst [4194] .' We too shall be counted worthy of these things, if at all times we cleave to our Saviour, and if we are pure, not only in these six days of Easter [4195] , but consider the whole course of our life as a feast [4196] , and continue near and do not go far off, saying to Him, 'Thou hast the words of eternal life, and whither shall we go [4197] ?' Let those of us who are far off return, confessing our iniquities, and having nothing against any man, but by the spirit mortifying the deeds of the body [4198] . For thus, having first nourished the soul here, we shall partake with angels at that heavenly and spiritual table; not knocking and being repulsed like those five foolish virgins [4199] , but entering with the Lord, like those who were wise and loved the bridegroom; and shewing the dying of Jesus in our bodies [4200] , we shall receive life and the kingdom from Him.

11. We begin the fast of forty days on the twenty-third of Mechir (Feb. 17), and the holy fast of the blessed feast on the twenty-eighth of Phamenoth (Mar. 24); and having joined to these six days after them, in fastings and watchings, as each one is able, let us rest on the third of the month Pharmuthi (Mar. 29), on the evening of the seventh day. Also that day which is holy and blessed in everything, which possesses the name of Christ, namely the Lord's day [4201] , having risen upon us on the fourth of Pharmuthi (Mar. 30), let us afterwards keep the holy feast of Pentecost. Let us at all times worship the Father in Christ, through Whom to Him and with Him be glory and dominion by the Holy Ghost for ever and ever. Amen. All the brethren who are with me salute you: salute one another with a holy kiss.

There is no eighth or ninth, for he did not send them, for the reason before mentioned [4202] .

Here endeth the seventh Festal Letter of holy Athanasius the Patriarch.

[4191] Heb. x. 29; Matt. xxii. 12; Ib. 14.

[4192] Cf. Col. iii. 4

[4193] Luke xv. 17.

[4194] John vi. 35.

[4195] Vid. Suicer. Thes. in. voc. apokreos, and the notes of Valesius on Euseb. Orat. in laud. Constant. ch. ix. With us, Easter-week includes the six days following Easter-Sunday; with the Greeks, the ebdomas ton paschon was applied to the preceding six days, as here.

[4196] Vid. supr. Letters 5. 1, 7, 3. init.

[4197] John vi. 68.

[4198] Rom. viii. 13.

[4199] Matt. xxv. 1-12.

[4200] 2 Cor. iv. 10.

[4201] kurionumos--kuriake L. Vid. Suicer Thes. sub. voc. kuriake. Expos. in Psalm. cxvii. 24.

[4202] See the Index. This notice suggests that the present collection of letters has undergone a recension since its union with the Index.

Previous Page / First / Next Page of Athanasius - LETTERS

St Athanasius the Great Home Page ||| More Church Fathers

Elpenor's Free Greek Lessons

Reference address : https://www.elpenor.org/athanasius/letters.asp?pg=110