Considerations Of The Flesh

Non dissonat, dilectissimi, ab hac fide magister gentium apostolus Paulus, cum dicit: Etsi cognovimus secundum carnem Christum, sed non jam non novimus. Resurrectio enim Domini non finis carnis, sed commutatio fuit, nec virtutis augmento consumpta substantia est. Qualitas transiit, non natura defecit; et factum est corpus impassibile, quod potuit crucifigi; factum est immortale, quod potuit occidi; factum est incorruptibile, quod potuit vulnerari. Et merito dicitur caro Christi in eo statu quo fuerat nota, nesciri: quia nihil in ea passibile, nihil remansit infirmum, ut et ipsa sit per essentiam, et non sit ipsa per gloriam. Quid autem mirum, si hoc de corpore Christi profitetur, qui de omnibus Christianis spiritalibus dicit: Itaque nos ex hoc neminem novimus secundum carnem? Ex hoc, inquit, initium nobis factum est resurrectionis in Christo, ex quo in eo qui pro omnibus mortuus est, totius spei nostrae forma praecessit. Non haesitamus diffidentia, nec incerta exspectatione suspendimur, sed accepto promissionis exordio, fidei oculis quae sunt futura, jam cernimus; et naturae provectione gaudentes, quod credimus jam tenemus. Non ergo nos rerum temporalium occupent species, nec ad se contemplationem nostram a coelestibus terrena deflectant. Pro transactis habeantur quae ex maxima parte jam non sunt; et mens intenta mansuris, ibi desiderium suum figat, ubi quod offertur aeternum est. Quamvis enim spe salvi facti simus, et corruptibilem adhuc carnem mortalemque gestemus, recte tamen dicimur in carne non esse, si carnales nobis non dominentur affectus; et merito ejus rei deponimus nuncupationem, cujus non sequimur voluntatem. Cum itaque Apostolus dicat: Carnis curam ne feceritis in desideriis, non ea nobis interdicta intelligimus quae saluti congruunt et quae humana poscit infirmitas. Sed quia non omnibus desideriis serviendum, nec quidquid caro concupiscit implendum est, de adhibendo temperantiae modo admonitos nos esse cognoscimus, ut carni, quae sub animi est constituta judicio, nec superflua concedamus, nec necessari denegemus. Unde idem Apostolus alibi ait, Nemo enim umquam carnem suam odio habuit, sed nutrit et fovet eam: cum utique non ad vitia, non ad luxuriam , sed ad debitum sit alenda et fovenda famulatum: ut teneat ordinem suum renovata natura, nec perversa ac turpiter superioribus inferiora praevaleant, aut inferioribus superiora succumbant, et vitiis animum superantibus, ibi fiat servitus ubi debet esse dominatus. Sanctus Leo Magnus, Sermo LXXI Cap IV-V Source: Migne PL 54.388c-389b

The Apostle Paul, teacher of the Gentiles, most dearly beloved, does not disagree with this belief, when he says, 'Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet not now do we know Him.' 1 For the resurrection of the Lord was not the ending of the flesh, but the changing of it, and by an increase in virtue His substance was not destroyed. The quality altered, the nature did not pass away; the body that was able to be crucified was made impassible; that which was able to be wounded was made incorruptible. And rightly is it said that Christ's flesh is not known in that state in which it had been known, because nothing remained passible in it, nothing remained weak, so that it was the same in essence and not the same in glory. But why wonder if he maintains this about Christ's body, when he says of all spiritual Christians 'Thus henceforth we know no one according to the flesh.' 2 Henceforth, he says, is the beginning in us of the resurrection in Christ, since that time when in Him, who died for all, the form all our hopes were foreshown. We do not hesitate in diffidence, we are not held up in uncertain expectation, but having received the first example of the promise, we now see with the eyes of faith the things which will be, and rejoicing in the uplifting of nature, what we believe we already possess. Therefore let us not be occupied by the appearances of temporal things, nor lower our contemplation from heavenly things to worldly things. As accomplished let things be which have not for the most part come to be, and the mind intent on things that persist, there let its desire be fixed, where that which is offered is eternal. For though by hope we are saved, 3 we yet bear corruptible and mortal flesh, and yet rightly we are said not to be in the flesh, if we not dominated by carnal affections, 4 and rightly we do not have the name of what we have put aside, not following its will. When then the Apostle says: 'Do not have care for the flesh in its desires,' 5 we do not understand that these things are prohibited to us which befit health and are demanded by human infirmity. But because not every desire should be attended to, nor whatever the flesh desires be fulfilled, we know that we are admoinished to cleave to temperance, so that to the flesh, which in judgement is set below the soul, we do not concede things which are superflouous, nor do we deny what is necessary. Whence the same Apostle says elsewhere: 'No one ever hates his own flesh but he nourishes it and cares for it,' 6 that is, when he nourishes and cares for it not for vice, not for luxury, but as a duty to a servant, that nature restored holds to its order, the inferior not prevailing in perversity and baseness over the superior, nor the higher succumbing to the inferior, so that the soul is overcome with vice and there is servitude when there should be rule. Pope Leo the Great, from Sermon 71, Chap 4-5 1 2 Cor 5.16 2 2 Cor 5.16 3 Rom 8.24 4 Rom 8-8-11 5 Rom 13.14 6 Ephes 5.29