Ælfric’s first series homily on the Assumption of Mary, part 1:
Jerome the holy priest wrote an epistle concerning the death of the blessed Mary, God's mother, to some holy maiden, whose name was Eustochium, and to her mother Paula, who was a hallowed widow. To these two women wrote the same Jerome manifold commentaries; for they were persons of holy life, and very diligent in bookly inquiries. This Jerome was a holy priest, and educated in the Hebrew language, and in Greek, and in Latin, perfectly; and he turned our library of Hebrew books to Latin speech. He is the foremost interpreter between the Hebrews, and Greeks, and Latiners. Seventy two books the old law and the new he translated into Latin to one Bible, besides many other treatises which he with diligent understanding deep-thinkingly examined. Then at last he arranged this epistle the holy widow Paula, and to the maiden of God, Eustochium, her daughter, and to all the maidenly company, who were with them living, thus saying: "Certainly ye compel me that I will unfold a tale to you how the blessed Mary, on this present day to heavenly dwelling was taken up, that your maidenly company have this gift in the Latin speech, how this great feast-day over every year's course is spent with heavenly praise, and with ghostly bliss is celebrated, lest the false decree should come to your hand which through heretics is widely sown, and ye then receive the contrived falsity for a true reckoning. Truly from the beginning of the holy gospel ye learned how the high-angel Gabriel proclaimed to the blessed maiden Mary the birth of the heavenly Atheling, and the wonders of the Healer, and the blessed mother of God's ministry, and her life's deeds in the four gospel books revealed. John the Gospeller wrote on Christ's suffering, that he himself and Mary stood with dreary heart beside the holy rood, on which the Healer was fastened. Then said he to his own mother, "Thou woman, behold here is thy son." After he said to John, "Look now, here stands thy mother." Afterwards, from that day, had the Evangelist John care of the holy Mary, and with careful service, obeyed just as if she was his own mother. The Lord, through his piety, committed the blessed maiden his mother to the clean man John, who has ever dwelled in pure virginity; and he particularly was beloved of the Lord, so much so that he would entrust to him that dear-worth treasure, the queen of all middle-earth; certainly that her cleanest maidenhead might be associated with that chaste man with gratifying fellowship in winsome conduct. In them both was one virtue of perfect virginity, but a second thing in Mary; in here is fruitful virginity, so as in no other. In no other person is there virginity if there be fruitfulness; no fruitfulness if there be whole maidenhood. Now is therefore hallowed both Mary's maidenhood and her fruitfulness through the godlike birth; and she transcends all others in maidenhood and in fruitfulness. Nevertheless though she was especially committed to the care of John, yet she lived commonly, after Christ's ascension, with the apostolic company, going in and out among them, and they all with great piety and love served her, and she openly all things about Christ's humanity informed; for she had from the beginning exactly learned all them through the Holy Ghost, and seen them with her own sight; though the apostles understood all things through the same Ghost, and in all soothfastness were taught. The high-angel Gabriel held her unspotted, and she continued in the care of John and in all the apostles, in the heavenly troop, about God's law thinking, until God on this day took her to the heavenly glory-seat, and over the host of angels elevated her. There is not read in any book any manifest information about her ending, except that she now today gloriously from the body departed. Her tomb is observable to all onlookers to this present day, in the middle of the valley of Jehosaphat. The valley is between Mount Zion and the mount of Olives, and the tomb appears open and empty, and thereupon in her honor is raised a great church with wondrous stonework. There is not any mortal person knows how, or at what time her holy body was brought from thence, or whither it be heaved up, or whether she arose from death: said though some teachers, that her Son, who on the third day mightily from death arose, that he also his mother's body from death raised, and with immortal glory united it in the kingdom of heaven. Even so in like very many teachers in their books set, concerning the requickening people who with Christ arose from death, that they are everlastingly reared. Truly they recognize that those raised people would not have been true witnesses of Christ's arising, except they were eternally reared. Nor do we against-say concerning the blessed Mary's eternal resurrection, though, for caution to preserve faith, it befits us that we hope rather than we foolishly assert it that which is unknown without any peril. We read everywhere in books, that very often angels came to good people's departure, and with ghostly praise-songs their souls to the heavens led. And, that yet is more clear, people have heard at the departure the song of men and women, with great light and sweet scent: in this is known that those holy men who come to God's kingdom through good merits, that they at other people's departure receive their souls, and with great bliss lead them to rest. Now if the Healer manifested such honor oft in his hallows' departure, and commanded their ghosts fetched with heavenly hymns, how much rather thinkest thou that he would now today send the heavenly host to meet his own mother, that they with immeasurably light and unutterable praise-songs they to the glory-seat lead her which was prepared from the beginning of middle-earth. There is no doubt that all the heavenly host then with unutterable bliss would celebrate her coming. Soothly also we believe that the Lord himself came towards her, and pleasantly with joy by his glory-seat set her: certainly he would fulfill through himself what he in his law commanded, thus saying, "Honor thy father and thy mother." He is his own witness that he honored his Father, just as he said to the Jews, "I honor mine Father, and ye dishonor me." In his humanity he honored his mother, when he was, just as the holy gospel says, subjected to her in his youthhood. Much more is it to be believed that it came to pass that he with unspeakable honor holds his mother in his kingdom, when he would after his humanity in this life obey her. This feast-day surmounts incomparably all other hallows' mass-days, as much as this holy maiden, the mother of God, is incomparable with all other maidens. This feast-day to us is yearly, but it is to heaven-citizens perpetual. From the heavenly queen's ascension the Holy Ghost in praise-songs wondered, thus inquiring, "What is this that here ascends like the arising daybreak, as beautiful as the moon, as choice as the sun, and as terrible a steadfast-army?" The Holy Ghost wondered, for he caused all heaven-dwellers to wonder at the ascension of this woman. Mary is more beautiful than the moon, for she shines without exhaustion of her brightness. She is choice as the sun with beams of heavenly virtue, for the Lord, who is the sun of righteousness, chose her for his mother. Her going is compared to a strong military, for she was fortified with holy powers, and with throngs of angels. Of this heavenly queen is yet said through the same Spirit of God: he says, "I saw the beauteous one as a dove rising over the streaming stream, and an ineffable odor steamed from her attire; and, so as in the spring-tide, rose blossoms and lilies surrounded her." The rose blossoms betoken with their redness martyrdom, and the lilies with their whiteness betoken the shining cleanness of sound maidenhead. All the chosen who God prospers through martyrdom or through purity, all they journeyed with the blessed queen; for she is herself both martyr and maiden. She is as beautiful as a dove, for she loved mildness, which the Holy Ghost betokened, when he was seen in the likeness of a dove over Christ at his baptism. Other martyrs in their bodies suffered martyrdom for the faith of Christ, but the blessed Mary was not bodily martyred, but her soul was greatly vexed with great suffering, when she stood sad before Christ's rood, and saw her beloved child with iron nails fastened on the the hard tree. Now is she greater than a martyr, for she suffering that martyrdom in her soul which other martyrs suffered in their bodies. She loved Christ over all other people, and therefore was also her affliction for him greater than other people's, and she made his death as her own death, for his suffering pierced her soul as a sword. She is deprived of no holy virtue, nor any beauty, nor any brightness; and therefore she was encircled with roses and lilies, that her virtues were with virtues supported, and her fairness with the beauty of cleanness was increased.
Ælfric Homily Project
Ælfric’s first series homily on the Assumption of Mary, part 1:
Jerome the holy priest wrote an epistle concerning the death of the blessed Mary, God's mother, to some holy maiden, whose name was Eustochium, and to her mother Paula, who was a hallowed widow. To these two women wrote the same Jerome manifold commentaries; for they were persons of holy life, and very diligent in bookly inquiries. This Jerome was a holy priest, and educated in the Hebrew language, and in Greek, and in Latin, perfectly; and he turned our library of Hebrew books to Latin speech. He is the foremost interpreter between the Hebrews, and Greeks, and Latiners. Seventy two books the old law and the new he translated into Latin to one Bible, besides many other treatises which he with diligent understanding deep-thinkingly examined. Then at last he arranged this epistle the holy widow Paula, and to the maiden of God, Eustochium, her daughter, and to all the maidenly company, who were with them living, thus saying: "Certainly ye compel me that I will unfold a tale to you how the blessed Mary, on this present day to heavenly dwelling was taken up, that your maidenly company have this gift in the Latin speech, how this great feast-day over every year's course is spent with heavenly praise, and with ghostly bliss is celebrated, lest the false decree should come to your hand which through heretics is widely sown, and ye then receive the contrived falsity for a true reckoning. Truly from the beginning of the holy gospel ye learned how the high-angel Gabriel proclaimed to the blessed maiden Mary the birth of the heavenly Atheling, and the wonders of the Healer, and the blessed mother of God's ministry, and her life's deeds in the four gospel books revealed. John the Gospeller wrote on Christ's suffering, that he himself and Mary stood with dreary heart beside the holy rood, on which the Healer was fastened. Then said he to his own mother, "Thou woman, behold here is thy son." After he said to John, "Look now, here stands thy mother." Afterwards, from that day, had the Evangelist John care of the holy Mary, and with careful service, obeyed just as if she was his own mother. The Lord, through his piety, committed the blessed maiden his mother to the clean man John, who has ever dwelled in pure virginity; and he particularly was beloved of the Lord, so much so that he would entrust to him that dear-worth treasure, the queen of all middle-earth; certainly that her cleanest maidenhead might be associated with that chaste man with gratifying fellowship in winsome conduct. In them both was one virtue of perfect virginity, but a second thing in Mary; in here is fruitful virginity, so as in no other. In no other person is there virginity if there be fruitfulness; no fruitfulness if there be whole maidenhood. Now is therefore hallowed both Mary's maidenhood and her fruitfulness through the godlike birth; and she transcends all others in maidenhood and in fruitfulness. Nevertheless though she was especially committed to the care of John, yet she lived commonly, after Christ's ascension, with the apostolic company, going in and out among them, and they all with great piety and love served her, and she openly all things about Christ's humanity informed; for she had from the beginning exactly learned all them through the Holy Ghost, and seen them with her own sight; though the apostles understood all things through the same Ghost, and in all soothfastness were taught. The high-angel Gabriel held her unspotted, and she continued in the care of John and in all the apostles, in the heavenly troop, about God's law thinking, until God on this day took her to the heavenly glory-seat, and over the host of angels elevated her. There is not read in any book any manifest information about her ending, except that she now today gloriously from the body departed. Her tomb is observable to all onlookers to this present day, in the middle of the valley of Jehosaphat. The valley is between Mount Zion and the mount of Olives, and the tomb appears open and empty, and thereupon in her honor is raised a great church with wondrous stonework. There is not any mortal person knows how, or at what time her holy body was brought from thence, or whither it be heaved up, or whether she arose from death: said though some teachers, that her Son, who on the third day mightily from death arose, that he also his mother's body from death raised, and with immortal glory united it in the kingdom of heaven. Even so in like very many teachers in their books set, concerning the requickening people who with Christ arose from death, that they are everlastingly reared. Truly they recognize that those raised people would not have been true witnesses of Christ's arising, except they were eternally reared. Nor do we against-say concerning the blessed Mary's eternal resurrection, though, for caution to preserve faith, it befits us that we hope rather than we foolishly assert it that which is unknown without any peril. We read everywhere in books, that very often angels came to good people's departure, and with ghostly praise-songs their souls to the heavens led. And, that yet is more clear, people have heard at the departure the song of men and women, with great light and sweet scent: in this is known that those holy men who come to God's kingdom through good merits, that they at other people's departure receive their souls, and with great bliss lead them to rest. Now if the Healer manifested such honor oft in his hallows' departure, and commanded their ghosts fetched with heavenly hymns, how much rather thinkest thou that he would now today send the heavenly host to meet his own mother, that they with immeasurably light and unutterable praise-songs they to the glory-seat lead her which was prepared from the beginning of middle-earth. There is no doubt that all the heavenly host then with unutterable bliss would celebrate her coming. Soothly also we believe that the Lord himself came towards her, and pleasantly with joy by his glory-seat set her: certainly he would fulfill through himself what he in his law commanded, thus saying, "Honor thy father and thy mother." He is his own witness that he honored his Father, just as he said to the Jews, "I honor mine Father, and ye dishonor me." In his humanity he honored his mother, when he was, just as the holy gospel says, subjected to her in his youthhood. Much more is it to be believed that it came to pass that he with unspeakable honor holds his mother in his kingdom, when he would after his humanity in this life obey her. This feast-day surmounts incomparably all other hallows' mass-days, as much as this holy maiden, the mother of God, is incomparable with all other maidens. This feast-day to us is yearly, but it is to heaven-citizens perpetual. From the heavenly queen's ascension the Holy Ghost in praise-songs wondered, thus inquiring, "What is this that here ascends like the arising daybreak, as beautiful as the moon, as choice as the sun, and as terrible a steadfast-army?" The Holy Ghost wondered, for he caused all heaven-dwellers to wonder at the ascension of this woman. Mary is more beautiful than the moon, for she shines without exhaustion of her brightness. She is choice as the sun with beams of heavenly virtue, for the Lord, who is the sun of righteousness, chose her for his mother. Her going is compared to a strong military, for she was fortified with holy powers, and with throngs of angels. Of this heavenly queen is yet said through the same Spirit of God: he says, "I saw the beauteous one as a dove rising over the streaming stream, and an ineffable odor steamed from her attire; and, so as in the spring-tide, rose blossoms and lilies surrounded her." The rose blossoms betoken with their redness martyrdom, and the lilies with their whiteness betoken the shining cleanness of sound maidenhead. All the chosen who God prospers through martyrdom or through purity, all they journeyed with the blessed queen; for she is herself both martyr and maiden. She is as beautiful as a dove, for she loved mildness, which the Holy Ghost betokened, when he was seen in the likeness of a dove over Christ at his baptism. Other martyrs in their bodies suffered martyrdom for the faith of Christ, but the blessed Mary was not bodily martyred, but her soul was greatly vexed with great suffering, when she stood sad before Christ's rood, and saw her beloved child with iron nails fastened on the the hard tree. Now is she greater than a martyr, for she suffering that martyrdom in her soul which other martyrs suffered in their bodies. She loved Christ over all other people, and therefore was also her affliction for him greater than other people's, and she made his death as her own death, for his suffering pierced her soul as a sword. She is deprived of no holy virtue, nor any beauty, nor any brightness; and therefore she was encircled with roses and lilies, that her virtues were with virtues supported, and her fairness with the beauty of cleanness was increased.
3 months ago | [YT] | 1