90 AFTER
THE ASCENSION, THE LORD DID NOT SPEAK ON EARTH . . . OR HE DID
1.
Augustine
on the Epistle of John, homily nine: (Aug., In Epist. Ion. ad Parthos
10.9; PG 35.2060) When he was about to ascend, he spoke his last words; after
that, he did not speak words on earth.
2.
Gregory,
book two, homily three from the Forty Homilies, about the hospitable
man, who received the Lord Jesus, appearing as a pilgrim, and professed that
Jesus came to him on the following night, through a vision, saying: (Greg. XL
Homil. in evang., ii.23.2; PL 71.1183 BC) Other days you have received me
in my members, but yesterday you received me myself. Behold, coming to
judgment, he says (Mt 25.40) “What you did to the least of mine, you did to me”.
Behold, before judgment, when he is received through his members, he seeks his
receivers through himself; we, however, are sluggish in the grace of hospitality.
3.
Gregory,
in the same book, homily nineteen, about the monk Martyrius who lifted to his
shoulders the Lord Jesus Christ in the form of a leper, and carried him: (Greg.,
XL Homil. in evang., ii.29.10; PL 76.1300 CD) And when he had come near
the entrance of the monastery, the spiritual father of that monastery began to
shout loudly, “Run, run, quickly open the monastery doors, since brother
Martyrius comes carrying the Lord”. As soon as Martyrius reached the entrance,
the one he thought was a leper leaped from his neck and appeared in the form in
which the Savior of the human race, Jesus Christ, God and man, is usually
recognized by humans. With Martyrius looking, he returned to heaven, saying as
he ascended, “Martyrius, you were not ashamed by me on earth, I will not be ashamed
of you in the heavens”. As soon as that holy man had entered the monastery, the
father of the monastery said to him, “Brother Martyrius, where is the one you
were carrying?” He responded, “Ig I had known who he was, I would have held
onto his feet”. Then Martyrius related that, when he had carried him, he felt
his weight not at all. No wonder. How could he, who was carrying in the
carrier, feel his weight? (Yes and
No: The Complete English Translation of Peter Abelard’s Sic Et Non [trans.
Priscilla Throop; 2d ed.; Charlotte, Vt.: MedievalMS, 2008], 219-20)
