This advent of the Spirit on the apostles was prefigured in the fire that came from heaven on the offerings of righteous Abel, as is testified in Genesis, (the book) of the Law, where it says,'respexit Deus ad Abel et ad munera eius,' when fire of God came from heaven on the offerings of Abel, for they were pleasing to God ; so, too, in the fire that came of yore on the Bush, in prefiguration of the descent of the Spirit on the apostles on this day of Pentecost; again, in the fiery column of old, that led the children of Israel out of the Egyptian captivity to go up into the land of promise, in prefiguration of the Holy Spirit, who summoned the apostolic people from the straits of Jewish persecution in which they were held, to go and preach to everyone in every direction; and He invites the people of the New Testament from the darkness of sins and transgressions to the light of virtuous and goodly deeds; so, too, in the sevenfold candelabrum, that illumined the tabernacle of Moses, in prefiguration and foretoken of the sevenfold Spirit, that illumined the Church of the Seven Orders in this seven-day festival of Pentecost; and in this same manner in many other places the advent of the Holy Spirit was prefigured. It was foretold by the prophets: by David, the son of Jesse, when he said, 'fluminis impetus laetificat ciuitatem Dei' [Ps. xl. 5], concerning that honour of the spiritual grace in which the Church rejoices; by the prophet Joel, son of Phathuel [Salahel], when he said, 'erit in nouissimis diebus, dicit Dominus, effundam de Spiritu meo super omnem carnem' [Acts ii. 17], 'the time will come, saith the Lord, when I will pour out the grace of the Holy Spirit on every holy man of faith in the Church' ; by the Author of every prophecy and of all true knowledge, Jesus Christ Himself, after His resurrection, when He said to His apostles, 'accipietis uirtutem superuenientis Spiritus sancti' [Acts i. 8], ' the grace of the Holy Spirit shall come upon you.'
Haec est historia huius lectionis.
'XII. On the Day of Pentecost', The Passions and the Homilies from Leabhar Breac - Text, Translation and Glossary by Robert Atkinson (Dublin, 1887), 439-40.
Haec est historia huius lectionis.
'XII. On the Day of Pentecost', The Passions and the Homilies from Leabhar Breac - Text, Translation and Glossary by Robert Atkinson (Dublin, 1887), 439-40.
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10 comments:
Beautiful! Thank you for posting this.
Can you tell me a little more about this text. Where is its origin. Where can I read the rest of it? Who wrote it?
It's from a homily preserved in the manuscript known as the Leabhar Breac, a 15th-century compilation of religious and other materials compiled in north Tipperary. A selection of its homilies and accounts of the passions of various saints was published in the 19th-century and is the text cited at the conclusion of the post. The volume is available through the Internet Archive here: http://www.archive.org/details/toddlectureserie02royauoft
The Day of Pentecost is homily 22 in Atkinson's collection but the bulk of the text was not translated into English, but Latin, while the original is in medieval Irish. The author is unknown, although the manuscript is 15th-century, the materials contained within it go back to various earlier periods.
Where are these sermons now? The quality of preaching just doesn't compare.
I dont know how you keep doing it. You have a wonderful gift and it is really great that you share it with us. Eileen Mc
Thanks very much, Eileen, it is amazing what is out there. I have unearthed some other interesting homilies and hope to share those too in the future.
I would also like to know more about the Leabhar Breac, if you have the time.
There's a summary of the Leabhar Breac at my own blog here:
http://brigid-undertheoak.blogspot.com/2009/06/leabhar-breac.html
I'm sure you realise that "effundam de Spiritu meo super omnem carnem" does not mean "grace of the Holy Ghost on every holy man of faith in the Church" but 'outpouring of my Spirit on all flesh' very different words representing a very different concept. Even in 1887 there were serious problems with Biblical interpretation.
Yes, I accept indeed that there are many problems with these older translations. Atkinson's 1887 translation of these Homilies from the Leabhar Breac is still the only one made thus far, I think. Many factors influence the making of such translations including the writer's own religious affiliation. Most of the 19th-century translators of Irish materials were Anglicans, whether his translation of this particular passage reflects some theological viewpoint of his church or whether it's some personal foible of his own, I don't know. Many Victorian scholars dressed up bare Latin originals with much more flowery translations. We have only to look at the translations of Latin hymns, including those made by Catholics, to see that. But yes, you are right to remind us to use these translations with caution.
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