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In Psalmum 92 [Sp.]

On the saying of the ninety-second psalm, that is, "The rivers have lifted up their voices;" and concerning the Savior walking on the sea, on the five loaves and the two fish, and on the

first-formed against the transgression.

55.611 1. From the things just now read aloud to us from the Gospel according to Matthew,

taking the starting points from the Gospel in the raging storm of the sea, and in the Lord's miracle-working, and in the apostles' faint-heartedness, it is opportune for us to say the words of the prophet: The rivers have lifted up, O Lord, the rivers have lifted up their voices, from the voices of many waters; wonderful are the surgings of the sea. What are the surgings of the sea? The Lord's miracle-working, because by a nod alone He caused the roughened sea to become calm. And who are the rivers that lifted up their voices in the sea, but the disciples of the Lord certainly? For the apostles are rivers, as having come forth from the ever-flowing 55.612 spring of Christ, according to the saying that states: He who believes in me, rivers of living water will flow from his belly. And the Lord did not cease working miracles; and the apostles of righteousness did not desist, being tossed on the sea.

For when they saw the Lord in the fourth watch of the night passing over the back of the sea, they thought it was a ghost. What ghost? The servant girl recognized the Master, and the disciples did not recognize the Master? Having such proofs of his miracles, they doubted, when they saw him walking upon the back of the sea. Was it not he who by the staff of Moses 55.613 laid bare the deep gulf, and made the sons of Israel to pass through on plastered foot? They thought it was a ghost, and they were afraid. Thus, They were afraid with a fear where there was no fear. For they were afraid, seeing the harbor of life drawing near. But when all were afraid, Peter approached and said to the Lord: Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters. And the Lord said to him, Come. Then to the disciples, Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid. I am not an apparition, but I speak the truth. For I, the truth, became man, that I might abolish the one who appears as a phantom. It is I; do not be afraid. What do you think of the blowing of the winds? Did not the saying speak of me: He who brings forth winds from their treasuries? And now I have sent forth the winds, not to trouble you, but to strengthen you. As the Lord was saying these things, Peter, leaping forward again, as one fervent in faith, answered, saying: Lord, if you are the Christ who is known by words, and doubted in deeds; for we have nowhere seen you walking on the sea; if you are the Christ, command me to come to you on the waters. And the Lord said to him: Come, if you have faith to support you. I grant nothing with irony. If you do not believe, you do not walk. And when Peter leaped down at the Lord's promise, he began to walk upon the sea, having his faith unshaken by the waves. But when he had gone a little way, since he was of human habit, a slave to change, being shaken as a man, he doubted, he became slack, and began to say to himself: The sight is incredible; I walk on the sea, the liquid throws up dust.

At this, as Peter doubted, the fellow-servant sea, as at an unbelieving servant, began to grow rough, and to chastise its fellow-servant, and to submerge the unbelieving one. Wherefore Peter, understanding that faith provided the foundation, but

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In Psalmum 92 [Sp.]

Εἰς τὸ ῥητὸν τοῦ ἐνενηκοστοῦ καὶ δευτέρου ψαλμοῦ, τὸ, "Ἐπῆραν οἱ ποταμοὶ φωνὰς αὐτῶν·" καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἐν θαλάσσῃ περιπατοῦντος Σωτῆρος, εἰς τοὺς πέντε ἄρτους καὶ τοὺς δύο ἰχθύας, καὶ εἰς τοὺς

πρωτοπλάστους κατὰ τῆς παραβάσεως.

55.611 αʹ. Ἐκτῶν ἀρτίως ἡμῖν παραναγνωσθέντων ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ Ματθαῖον

Εὐαγγελίου τὰς ἀφορμὰς λαβόντες ἐν τῇ τῆς θαλάσσης τρικυμίᾳ, καὶ τῇ τοῦ Κυρίου θαυματουργίᾳ, καὶ τῇ τῶν ἀποστόλων ὀλιγοψυχίᾳ, εὔκαιρον λέγειν ἡμᾶς τὰ τοῦ προφήτου· Ἐπῆραν οἱ ποταμοὶ, Κύριε, ἐπῆραν οἱ ποταμοὶ φωνὰς αὐτῶν, ἀπὸ φωνῶν ὑδάτων πολ λῶν· θαυμαστοὶ οἱ μετεωρισμοὶ τῆς θαλάσσης. Τίνες οἱ μετεωρισμοὶ τῆς θαλάσσης; Ἡ τοῦ Κυρίου θαυμα τουργία, ὅτι νεύματι μόνῳ τὴν τραχυνομένην θάλασσαν γαληνιᾶσαι παρεσκεύασε. Τίνες δὲ οἱ ἐπάραντες φωνὰς ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ ποταμοὶ, ἀλλ' ἢ οἱ μαθηταὶ τοῦ Κυρίου πάντως; Ποταμοὶ γὰρ οἱ ἀπόστολοι, ὡς ἐκ τῆς ἀεννάου 55.612 πηγῆς Χριστοῦ προελθόντες, κατὰ τὸ φάσκον ῥητόν· ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ, ποταμοὶ ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας αὐτοῦ ῥεύσουσιν ὕδατος ζῶντος. Καὶ ὁ μὲν Κύριος θαυμα τουργῶν οὐκ ἐπαύετο· οἱ δὲ ἀπόστολοι τῆς δικαιοσύνης οὐκ ἀφίσταντο, ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ κυμαινόμενοι.

Τὸν Κύριον γὰρ τετάρτῃ φυλακῇ τῆς νυκτὸς διοδεύοντα τὰ νῶτα τῆς θαλάσσης κατανοήσαντες, ἔδοξαν φάντασμα εἶναι. Ποῖον φάντασμα; Ἡ δούλη τὸν ∆εσπότην ἐγνώρισε, καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ τὸν ∆εσπότην οὐκ ἐγνώρισαν; Ἔχοντες αὐτοῦ τοιαύτας ἀποδείξεις θαυμάτων, ἀμφέβαλλον, κατανοή σαντες αὐτὸν τὰ νῶτα τῆς θαλάσσης χωροβατοῦντα. Οὐχὶ αὐτὸς ἦν ὁ διὰ τῆς Μωϋσαϊκῆς βακτηρίας τὸν55.613 βύθιον κόλπον γυμνώσας, καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ κεκονιαμένῳ ποδὶ παροδεῦσαι κατασκευάσας; Ἔδοξαν φάντασμα εἶναι, καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν. Οὕτως Ἐφοβήθησαν φόβῳ, οὗ οὐκ ἦν φόβος. Ἐφοβήθησαν γὰρ, τὸν λιμένα τῆς ζωῆς κατανοήσαντες πλησιάσαντα. Πάντων δὲ φοβηθέντων, ὁ Πέτρος πλησιάσας ἔφη πρὸς τὸν Κύριον· Κύριε, εἰ σὺ εἶ, κέλευσόν με ἐλθεῖν πρὸς σὲ ἐπὶ τὰ ὕδατα. Ὁ δὲ Κύριος πρὸς αὐτὸν, Ἐλθέ. Εἶτα πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς, Θαρσεῖτε, ἐγώ εἰμι, μὴ φοβεῖσθε. Οὐ φαντάζω, ἀλλ' ἀληθεύω. Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐνηνθρώπησα, ἵνα τὸν φαντάζοντα καταργήσω. Ἐγώ εἰμι, μὴ φοβεῖσθε. Τί δοκεῖσθε τῇ τῶν ἀνέμων ἐμπνεύσει; Οὐ περὶ ἐμοῦ ἔλεγε τὸ φάσκον ῥητόν· Ὁ ἐξάγων ἀνέμους ἐκ θη σαυρῶν αὐτῶν; Καὶ νῦν τοὺς ἀνέμους ἐξέβαλον, οὐχ ἵνα ταράξω ὑμᾶς, ἀλλ' ἵνα στηρίξω. Ταῦτα τοῦ Κυρίου λέγοντος, πάλιν ὁ Πέτρος προπηδήσας, ὡς θερμὸς τῇ πίστει, ἀπεκρίνατο λέγων· Κύριε, εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ τοῖς ῥήμασι γνωριζόμενος, καὶ τοῖς πράγμασιν ἀμφι βαλλόμενος· οὐδαμοῦ γάρ σε κατενοήσαμεν τὴν θάλασσαν πεζεύοντα· εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς, κέλευσόν με ἐλθεῖν πρὸς σὲ ἐπὶ τὰ ὕδατα. Ὁ δὲ Κύριος πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἐλθὲ, ἐὰν ἔχῃς πίστιν βαστάζουσάν σε. Οὐδὲν εἰρωνείᾳ χαρίζομαι. Εἰ μὴ πιστεύεις, οὐ βαδίζεις. Τοῦ δὲ Πέτρου καταπη δήσαντος πρὸς τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπαγγελίαν, ἤρξατο χω ροβατεῖν τὴν θάλασσαν, ἔχων τὴν πίστιν ἀκλυδώνιστον. Ὡς δὲ προέβη μικρὸν, ἐπειδὴ ἀνθρώπινος ἦν ἕξει, τρο πῇ δουλεύων, ὡς ἄνθρωπος κλονούμενος, ἐδίστασεν, ἐνεχαυνώθη, καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἤρξατο λέγειν· Ἄπιστον τὸ φαινόμενον· τὴν θάλασσαν πεζεύω, ἡ ὑγρὰ κόνιν ἐκ βάλλει.

Ἐν τούτῳ τοῦ Πέτρου διστάζοντος ἡ σύνδουλος θάλασσα, ὡς ἐπὶ ἀπίστου δούλου, ἤρξατο κυματοῦσθαι, καὶ παιδεύειν τὸν σύνδουλον, καὶ καταποντίζειν τὸν ἄπι στον. Ὅθεν ὁ Πέτρος κατανοήσας, ὅτι ἡ μὲν πίστις τὴν βάσιν παρεῖχεν, ἡ δὲ