Receiving The Nativity

Ergo, fratres, natalem Domini suscepturi exornemus nos puris et nitidis indumentis. Animae autem loquor indumenta, non carnis. Carnis enim indumentum vilis amictus est; animae vestimentum corpus est pretiosum. Illud humanis manibus densatum est; istud Dei manibus institutum est: atque ideo majoris est sollicitudinis Dei opus sine macula custodire, quam opera hominum impolluta servare. Mundanum enim vestimentum, si sordidum fuerit, potest illud fullo conductis eluere; animae autem vestimentum, si semel inquinatum fuerit, nisi propriis et assiduis operibus vix lavatur. Nihil ei prodest manus artificis, nihil fullonis operatio: conscientiae enim membra polluta aqua abluere potest, non potest tamen mundare. Haec sunt animae vestimenta pretiosa quae Marcus evangelista in Salvatore collaudat, dicens: Et vestimenta ejus facta sunt fulgentia, candida nimis velut nix, qualia fullo super terram non potest facere. Laudatur igitur Christi vestimentum, quia nitebat, non textura, sed gratia: laudatur indumentum, non quod staminum subtilitate densatum est, sed quod corporis integritate conceptum: laudatur vestimentum, non quod mulierum manus texuit, sed quod Mariae virginitas procreavit. Et ideo in eo magnificatur candoris gratia, quia immaculatum illud non artificis cura praestiterat. Qualia fullo, inquit, super terram non potest facere. Non potest plane fullo Christi facere vestimentum; fullo enim praestare potest nitorem, munditiam, puritatem, praestare tamen non potest virginitatem, justitiam, bonitatem. Illud enim in arte est operis, istud in natura virtutis. Haec enim in Christo Domino S. Evangelista virtutum indumenta collaudat, quae et beatus David pari sententia praedicavit dicens: Myrrha, et gutta, et casia a vestimentis tuis pretiosis. His enim aromatum odoribus sanctarum significantur indumenta virtutum. Ergo, fratres, natalem Domini suscepturi ab omni conscientiam nostram faece mundemus. Accuremus nos non sericis vestibus, sed operibus pretiosis. Vestimenta enim nitida membra operire possunt, conscientiam mundare non possunt: nisi quod majoris est verecundiae nitidum membris incedere, et pollutum sensibus ambulare. Interioris igitur prius hominis ornemus affectum, ut exterioris quoque hominis sit amictus ornatus. Spirituales maculas abluamus, ut carnalia in nobis fulgeant vestimenta. Nihil autem prodest fulgere vestibus et sordere flagitiis. Ubi enim conscientia tenebrosa est, totum corpus obscuratum est. Habemus autem, quo conscientiae maculas abluamus: scriptum est enim Date eleemosynam, et omnia munda sint vobis. Bonum eleemosynae mandatum, per quod manibus operamur, ut corde mundemur. Sanctus Maximus Taurinensis, Homilia IV, ante Natale Domini Source: Migne PL 57.233c-236a

Therefore, brothers, let us receive the nativity of the Lord with ourselves adorned with pure and bright vestments. I speak of the covering of the soul, not the flesh. The covering of the flesh is common clothing, the soul's vestment is the more precious body. The former is fixed together by human hands, the latter is established by the hands of God, and therefore there should be greater care to guard the work of God from defilement than to preserve the works of men from soiling. For if a clean vestment becomes dirty, it may be cleaned by the action of a fuller, but the vestment of the soul, if once it is defiled, cannot be washed but with its own assiduous works. The hand of the maker profits nothing, nor the labour of the fuller, but polluted members are washed with the water of conscience, else they cannot be cleansed. These are the precious vestments of the soul which Mark the evangelist praised in the Saviour, saying, 'And His vestments were made bright, as white as snow, which no fuller on the earth can make.' 1 Therefore the vestment of Christ is praised because it shone, but not for its texture, but because of grace. The covering is not praised because of the subtle tightness of the weave, but because of the pure conception of body. The vestment is not praised because of the skill of the women who wove it, but because the virginity of Mary fashioned it. Therefore in Him is magnified the grace of brightness, because that immaculate one was not produced by the care of a craftsman. 'Which no fuller on the earth can make,' it says. It is not possible that a fuller could make the vestment of Christ, for though a fuller is able to produce brightness nd cleanliness, and free from dirt, he cannot bring forth virginity, righteousness and goodness. For the former is in the art of the worker, the latter is of the nature of virtue. This is the covering of virtue that the blessed Evangelist praises, and which even the blessed David foretells with fitting meaning: 'Myrrh and aloes and cassia from his precious vestments.' 2 The covering of virtue is signified by these aromatic odours. Therefore, brothers, in our reception of the nativity of the Lord let us cleanse our conscience of all filth. Let us not show care for silk garments but for precious works. Shining vestments can cover limbs but they cannot cleanse the conscience. Unless one walks more with modesty than with glittering limbs, one walks with a polluted mind. Therefore first adorn the interior state of man, so that the exterior of a man may also be finely clothed. Let us wash away spiritual faults so that the vestment of flesh may shine in us. It profits nothing to glitter with clothing and to be foul with sins. When the conscience is shadowed the whole body is darkened. And we have that by which we may wash clean the stains of conscience. It is written: 'Give alms and everything shall be clean to you.' 3 This good commandment of alms-giving, which we work with our hands, makes the heart clean. Saint Maximus of Turin, from Homily 4, Before the Nativity of the Lord 1 Mk 9.2 2 Ps 44.9 3 Lk 11.41