The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church: Containing the Sermones Catholici, or Homilies of Ælfric, in the Original Anglo-Saxon, with an English Version. Volume I.Aelfric, Abbot of Eynsham
Religion
The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church: Containing the Sermones Catholici, or Homilies of Ælfric, in the Original Anglo-Saxon, with an English Version. Volume I.
Aelfric, Abbot of Eynsham
Sermons, English (Old)
"Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is called of Tiberias, and a
great multitude followed him, because they {183} had seen the miracles
which he had wrought on the diseased men. Then Jesus went up into a
mountain, and there sat with his disciples, and the holy Easter-tide was
then very nigh. Jesus then looked up, and saw that there was a great
multitude coming, and said to one of his disciples, who was called Philip,
With what can we buy bread for this people? This he said to prove the
disciple: himself knew what he would do. Then Philip answered, Though two
hundred pennyworth of bread were bought, yet could not every one of them
get a morsel. Then said one of his disciples, who was called Andrew,
Peter's brother, Here beareth a lad five barley loaves, and two fishes, but
what is that for so great a multitude? Then said Jesus, Make the people
sit. And there was much grass on the place pleasant to sit on: and they
then all sat, about five thousand men. Then Jesus took the five loaves, and
blessed, and brake, and divided them among those sitting: in like manner
also he divided the fishes; and they all had enough. When they all were
full, Jesus said to his disciples, Gather the remainder, and let it not be
lost. And they gathered the fragments, and filled twelve baskets with the
remainder. The people, who saw this miracle, said that Christ was the true
prophet who was to come to this world."
The sea which Jesus passed over betokeneth this present world, which Christ
came to and passed over; that is he came to this world in human nature, and
passed over this life; he came to death, and from death arose; and went up
on a mountain, and there sat with his disciples, for he ascended to heaven,
and there sits now with his saints. Rightly is the sea compared to this
world, for it is sometimes serene and pleasant to navigate on, sometimes
also very rough and terrible to be on. So is this world; sometimes it is
desirable and pleasant to dwell in, sometimes also it is very rugged, and
mingled with divers things, so that it is too {185} often very unpleasant
to inhabit. Sometimes we are hale, sometimes sick; now joyful, and again in
great affliction; therefore is this life, as we before said, compared to
the sea.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account