Lectio
altera
Ex Sermónibus beáti Isaac
abbátis monastérii de Stella
(Sermo 51: PL 194, 1862-1863. 1865)
Unus enim totus ac solus Christus caput et corpus: unus autem is uníus
Dei in cælis, et uníus matris in terris; et multi fílii, et unus fílius. Sicut namque caput ac membra, unus fílius, et plures fílii, sic María et
Ecclésia, una mater et plures; una virgo et plures.
Tweede lezing
Uit een preek van de zalige Isaac, abt van Stella († ca. 1169)
Maria en de kerk.
De Zoon van God is de eerstgeborene onder vele broeders; ofschoon Hij enig was in zijn natuur, heeft Hij door de genade velen met zich verbonden, die dus met Hem één zijn geworden. Want ‘Hij gaf het vermogen om kinderen van God te worden’ (Joh. 1, 12) aan die Hem ontvangen.
Hij die zoon van een mens was geworden, maakte velen tot zonen van God. Hij dus, die enig is in zijn liefde en macht, heeft velen met zich verbonden: ofschoon zij door hun menselijke geboorte uit zichzelf verscheiden zijn, zijn zij toch door goddelijke wedergeboorte met Hem één.
Want één is de gehele en enige Christus, hoofd en lichaam. Maar die éne zoon van één God in de hemel en van één moeder op aarde, is zowel vele zonen als één zoon. Want zoals er één hoofd en vele ledematen zijn, één Zoon en vele zonen, zo zijn er Maria en de kerk, één moeder en vele moeders, één maagd en vele maagden.
Beiden zijn moeder, beiden zijn maagd; beiden ontvangen uit dezelfde Geest, zonder lust; beiden baren voor God de Vader een kroost, zonder zonde. Maria heeft vrij van alle zonde voor het lichaam het hoofd voortgebracht; de kerk heeft tot vergeving van alle zonden voor het hoofd een lichaam voortgebracht. Beiden zijn moeder van Christus, maar zonder de andere baart geen van beiden de gehele Christus.
Daarom wordt ook in de door God geïnspireerde Schriften terecht datgene wat over de kerk als moedermaagd in het algemeen gezegd wordt, over de moedermaagd Maria in het bijzonder verstaan, en datgene wat over de moedermaagd Maria speciaal gezegd wordt, over de kerk als moedermaagd in het algemeen verstaan. En wanneer een tekst over één van beiden spreekt, wordt de betekenis bijna altijd gemeenschappelijk en zonder onderscheid op elk van beiden toegepast. Zelfs iedere gelovige ziel kan op haar eigen wijze als bruid van het Woord van God, als moeder, dochter en zuster van Christus, als maagd en moeder worden opgevat.
Dus wordt er in het algemeen over de kerk, in het bijzonder over Maria, en ook persoonlijk over de gelovige ziel gesproken door de Wijsheid zelf van God, die het Woord van de Vader is.
Vandaar ook de tekst: ‘En ik zal wonen in het erfdeel van de Heer’ (Vulg. Sir. 24, 11). Want het erfdeel van de Heer is in het algemeen de kerk, in het bijzonder Maria, persoonlijk iedere gelovige ziel. Christus heeft negen maanden verbleven in de tent van Maria’s schoot, in de tent van het geloof der kerk zal Hij tot aan het einde van de wereld verblijven, maar in de kennis en de liefde van de gelovige ziel tot in alle eeuwigheid.
From a sermon by Blessed Isaac of Stella, abbot
Mary and the Church
The Son of God is the first-born of many brothers. Although by nature he is the only-begotten, by grace he has joined many to himself and made them one with him. For to those who receive him he has given the power to become the sons of God.
He became the Son of man and made many men sons of God, uniting them to himself by his love and power, so that they became as one. In themselves they are many by reason of their human descent, but in him they are one by divine rebirth.
The whole Christ and the unique Christ – the body and the head – are one: one because born of the same God in heaven, and of the same mother on earth. They are many sons, yet one son. Head and members are one son, yet many sons; in the same way, Mary and the Church are one mother, yet more than one mother; one virgin, yet more than one virgin.
Both are mothers, both are virgins. Each conceives of the same Spirit, without concupiscence. Each gives birth to a child of God the Father, without sin. Without any sin, Mary gave birth to Christ the head for the sake of his body. By the forgiveness of every sin, the Church gave birth to the body, for the sake of its head. Each is Christ’s mother, but neither gives birth to the whole Christ without the cooperation of the other.
In the inspired Scriptures, what is said in a universal sense of the virgin mother, the Church, is understood in an individual sense of the Virgin Mary, and what is said in a particular sense of the virgin mother Mary is rightly understood in a general sense of the virgin mother, the Church. When either is spoken of, the meaning can be understood of both, almost without qualification.
In a way, every Christian is also believed to be a bride of God’s Word, a mother of Christ, his daughter and sister, at once virginal and fruitful. These words are used in a universal sense of the Church, in a special sense of Mary, in a particular sense of the individual Christian. They are used by God’s Wisdom in person, the Word of the Father.
This is why Scripture says: I will dwell in the inheritance of the Lord. The Lord’s inheritance is, in a general sense, the Church; in a special sense, Mary; in an individual sense, the Christian.
Christ dwelt for nine months in the tabernacle of Mary’s womb. He dwells until the end of the ages in the tabernacle of the Church’s faith. He will dwell for ever in the knowledge and love of each faithful soul.
From a sermon by Blessed Isaac of Stella, abbot
Mary and the Church
The Son of God is the first-born of many brothers. Although by nature he is the only-begotten, by grace he has joined many to himself and made them one with him. For to those who receive him he has given the power to become the sons of God.
He became the Son of man and made many men sons of God, uniting them to himself by his love and power, so that they became as one. In themselves they are many by reason of their human descent, but in him they are one by divine rebirth.
The whole Christ and the unique Christ – the body and the head – are one: one because born of the same God in heaven, and of the same mother on earth. They are many sons, yet one son. Head and members are one son, yet many sons; in the same way, Mary and the Church are one mother, yet more than one mother; one virgin, yet more than one virgin.
Both are mothers, both are virgins. Each conceives of the same Spirit, without concupiscence. Each gives birth to a child of God the Father, without sin. Without any sin, Mary gave birth to Christ the head for the sake of his body. By the forgiveness of every sin, the Church gave birth to the body, for the sake of its head. Each is Christ’s mother, but neither gives birth to the whole Christ without the cooperation of the other.
In the inspired Scriptures, what is said in a universal sense of the virgin mother, the Church, is understood in an individual sense of the Virgin Mary, and what is said in a particular sense of the virgin mother Mary is rightly understood in a general sense of the virgin mother, the Church. When either is spoken of, the meaning can be understood of both, almost without qualification.
In a way, every Christian is also believed to be a bride of God’s Word, a mother of Christ, his daughter and sister, at once virginal and fruitful. These words are used in a universal sense of the Church, in a special sense of Mary, in a particular sense of the individual Christian. They are used by God’s Wisdom in person, the Word of the Father.
This is why Scripture says: I will dwell in the inheritance of the Lord. The Lord’s inheritance is, in a general sense, the Church; in a special sense, Mary; in an individual sense, the Christian.
Christ dwelt for nine months in the tabernacle of Mary’s womb. He dwells until the end of the ages in the tabernacle of the Church’s faith. He will dwell for ever in the knowledge and love of each faithful soul.
