Homily
3.5:
Let no one persuade himself, let no one deceive
himself. Outside this house, that is, outside the Church, no one is saved. If
anyone goes outside, he is responsible for his own death. This is the
significance of the blood, for this is also the purification that is manifest
through the blood.
In that the sign hangs in a window I think this is
indicated: A window is that which illumines the house through which we receive
light, not wholly but enough, enough to suffice for the eye and for our vision.
Even the incarnation of the Savior did not give us pure wine and the whole
aspect of divinity, but did not give us pure wine and the whole aspect of
divinity, but through his incarnation, just as through the window, he makes us
behold the splendor of the divinity. For that reason, so it seems to me, the
sign of salvation was given through a window.
By that sign, all persons attain salvation, all those
who are found in the house of the one who was once a prostitute, all those
cleansed in the water and by the Holy Spirit and in the blood of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ, “to whom is the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen!” (Origen,
Homilies on Joshua
[trans. Barbara J. Bruce; The Fathers of
the Church 105; Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press,
2002], 50)
Homily 4.2:
What great things were manifested before! The Red Sea
was crossed on foot, manna was given from heaven, springs were burst open in
the wilderness, the Law was given through Moses. Many sings and marvels were performed
in the wilderness, but nowhere is it said that Jesus was “exalted.” But where
the Jordan is crossed, there it is said to Jesus, “IN this day I am beginning
to exalt you in the sight of the people.” But his exaltation, even his
exaltation in the sight of the people, assumes a beginning from then on. IF “all
who are baptized [into Christ Jesus] are baptized into his death,” and the
death of Jesus is made complete by the exaltation of the cross, deservedly
then, Jesus is first exalted for each of the faithful when that person arrives
at the mystery of baptism. Because thus it is written that “God exalted him,
and gave him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every
knee should bend, in heaven and on earth, and below the earth.”
Nevertheless, the people are led by the priests and
make the journey to the land of promise by the teaching of those priests. And
who today is so great and so excellent among priests as to deserve to be added
to that rank? For if anyone so be excellent, the waters of the Jordan will yield
to that one, and the elements themselves will show their respect. Part of the
waters of the rivers will leap backwards and be restrained behind his back, but
the other part will disappear into the salty sea in a rapid glide.
Still I believe it was not without reference to a
mystery that this was written, that part of the waters of the Jordan plunges
into the sea and flows into bitterness, while the other part continues on in
sweetness. For if all who are baptized maintained the sweetness of the heavenly
grace they received and no one were changed into the bitterness of sins, it
would never have been written that part of the river was plunged into the abyss
of the salty sea. Therefore, it seems to me that the variety of those baptized
is designated in these words, a variety we ourselves—I remember with grief—often
see occur. When some who receive holy baptism surrender themselves again to the
affairs of the world and to the lures of pleasure, and when they drink the
salty cup of avarice, they are symbolized by that part of the waters that flows
into the sea and perishes in salty billows. But the part that continues steadfast
and protects its own sweetness stands for those who unchangeably hold the gift
of God they have received. And suitably, there is one part of them who are
saved, because there is also one bread “who descends from heaven and gives life
to the world” and “There is one faith and one baptism and one spirit,” from
which all are caused to drink in baptism, and “one God the Father of all.” (Ibid.,
53-54)
Homily 5.1:
Concerning those, indeed, who passed through the Red Sea,
the Apostle said, “All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.”
But concerning those who passed through the Jordan, we also can proclaim that
all were baptized into Jesus in the Jordan, so that those things that are
reported to have happened in the Jordan may hold the sign of the sacrament that
is celebrated through baptism.
But note what is written: “And the people hastened and
crossed the Jordan. And it came to pass when all the people had passed through,
the ark of the covenant of the Lord also crossed.” IT seems to me the words, “the
people hastened to cross” were not added idly by the Holy Spirit. For this
reason, I also think that when we come to baptism for salvation and receive the
sacraments of the Word of God, we should not do it idly or negligently, but we
should hurriedly press on all the way until we cross over everything. (Ibid.,
59)
Homily
5.6:
Nevertheless, let us see what sort of thing this is of
which it is said, “Today I have taken away the reproach from the sons of
Israel.”
All persons, even if they come from the Law, even if
they have learned through Moses, still have the reproach of Egypt in them, the reproach
of sins. Who will be like Paul even according to the observance of the Law.
Just hear him saying, “According to the righteousness based upon the Law. I
lived without blame.” Nevertheless, he himself publicly announces and says, “For
we were even ourselves as some time foolish, unbelieving, wondering, enslaved
to desires and various forms of pleasure, in malice and envy, hateful, hating
one another.” Do these things not seem to you to be reproaches, even the reproaches
of Egypt? But since Christ came and gave to us the second circumcision through “the
baptism of regeneration” and purified our souls, we have cast away all these
things and in exchange for them we have received and affirming of a good
conscience toward God. At that time, through the second circumcision, the
reproaches of Egypt were taken away from us, and the blemishes of sins were
purified. No one, therefore, fears the reproaches of past transgressions if he
has been wholly converted and has repented from the heart, and by faith, has
parted the waters of the Jordan and been purified through the second circumcision
of the gospel. You hear that, “Today, I have taken the reproach of Egypt away
from you.” (Ibid., 64)
