The Ven. Thomas à Kempis might be among the most "buried" of medieval theologians in terms of his theological genius. While his prestige lies with his literary masterpiece of devotional work known as The Imitation of Christ many people are unaware of his other biographies of the members of the Devotio Moderna, the order whose principles he had been most greatly influenced by, or even his own treasure of sermons and meditations that he wrote while serving as the canon regular. Although there seemed to be a strong movement forming toward the establishment of a cult of the Ven. Thomas à Kempis in the 19th century with the biography on his life by Francis R. Cruise, for some reason, it was shutdown very abruptly. I think that because of this, people have tended to want to push him aside. Not to mention the fictional story that has been invented as the enemies of Thomas à Kempis claim he shall never be canonized on the grounds he was "mistakenly buried alive" and tried to scratch his way out of the coffin. I have shown that to be false in another post.
With all that stated, his sermons on the feast of Christmas Day and Christmas Night, while short, are deep and profound. There is not a moment without substance. It is impossible to do the writer justice by simply referencing one. His sermon on Christmas Day describes it as a feast of the soul. It is more than just the outward festivities that make for Christmas. Indeed, it is impossible to have these outward festivities without there being that ongoing feast in the soul. I have said many times that it is impossible for atheists to celebrate Christmas. It is a Christian holy day, not a secular feast. An atheist who denies the incarnation of God as man cannot possibly hope to understand or even come to an adequate celebration of Christmas. They are in denial of Christ himself. The Ven. Thomas à Kempis would very much agree. "For it is no feast to me: save it be in the heart. But indeed it is often celebrated outwardly on that account: that it may be the more joyously solemnized within."
He contrasts the spiritual with the carnal in this sermon drawing us to the attention that the Feast is not intended for all to partake in but only those with a spiritual mindset. "When therefore my interior man concords well and rejoices with the outward festivity; I seem to have now not a single but a double feast: for what is wrought without, is the more holily celebrated within." It is not possible for many to adequately celebrate this feast. "O great and happy feast: whose celebration is granted not to all, but to a few. How far are these holy solemnities from the lovers of the world; who relish only earthly things: and look to outward things alone." This is precisely why the carnal man who cannot accept the incarnation of God, cannot ever hope to celebrate this holy day. It belongs to Christianity, not capitalism or socialism. A solemn feast is only celebrated in the soul abiding mindful of God alone.
Perhaps the most emphatic statement he makes is the following
"Who would not be glad to be present among the hymning choirs of angels; where there is no discord of voices, no relaxing frivolity, no harassing occupation, no pressing need, no corrupting affection, no distracting imagination: no subject of disturbance, no occasion of of temptation, no carelessness, no disorder, no toil, no weariness, no fatigue: but sovereign tranquillity, supreme joy and honied sweetness, absolute concord and deifying brightness, full bliss and perfect security?"
It is that concept of transcendence, to be elevated to the divine reality, that the secularists and the carnal man are incapable of. They fail to understand the very holy day as they corrupt it with their own economic interests and desires of the flesh. "For therefore came the Light into the world to show us the way to Heaven: to enkindle our heart to the love of Itself, and draw us away from all earthly things; to give us the light of wisdom, and chase away the darkness of ignorance: to make us together with Itself sharers of the kingdom, children of grace, and coheirs of eternal glory."
Expounding on that very theme of light, the Ven. Thomas à Kempis elaborates on the meaning of Christmas Night. I remember hearing about the Midnight Mass schedule when I was an Anglican from our priest the Sunday before Christmas in 2017 and how it would start at around 11pm. I laughed at first not even fully understanding the holy day. He said, "You laugh but I've known some that have started even earlier than that!" The purpose of the Midnight Mass, one would think, is to be the first liturgy for Christmas Day as the Eucharist would be timed in such a manner to be administered at midnight on the day of. But if it comes earlier, than what is the Midnight Mass but a poor misnomer of an even greater reality?
In the Byzantine tradition, we start our Nativity Festivities on the day before with the Vesperal Divine Liturgy. Later in the night, we celebrate the Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Holy Nativity. The Ven. Thomas à Kempis reflects in his sermon on Christmas Night that the medieval tradition was not that far removed from our own Byzantine tradition.
"To-day night is turned into day and great brightness: for to the righteous of heart a light is risen up in darkness, the merciful and compassionate Lord. Let this night be blessed for ever and numbered among the days of solemnity. Let them bless it who are wont to bless the day; and praise it all the children of the light: for therein is born Christ the Son of God, the Light of eternal light....And when the day shall have dawned: may the Son of Justice, Who is born, shine into the hearts of all them that love Him: and may fresh devotion again rise in the hearts of all that celebrate."
Not only does Thomas à Kempis maintain that night has been turned into day by the exuberance of the holy light, he also makes a direct reference to the resurrection in the very incarnation of God as he points to fresh devotion being risen up once again in our hearts. In the Byzantine tradition, we call this the Winter Pascha. Just as in Pascha, the Vesperal Divine Liturgy is celebrated in the midday of the previous day and the Paschal Feast is celebrated in the Evening, so too it is with the Nativity. For on Holy Saturday, the Immortal God lies dead in a tomb, the Creator of All has been hanged on a tree, and day has turned into night. In the Nativity, the Immortal God has taken on mortality, the Creator of All has assumed created nature, and night has been turned into day. This is why our Vesperal Divine Liturgy occurs in the mid-morning and our midday liturgy for both feast days occurs at night. It is not without coincidence that his birth occurs around the same time as the Winter Solstice. For as the created light begins to come into the world once again, so now the Light of the World shines in the midst of our darkness. 2020 has been a dark year for so many of us but it is at the point in which we feel most distant from God that he is nearest to us. May we all realize how near God is to us in the present darkness. So near that the night has turned into day.
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