The False Celebration

The same Asterius's categorical discourse on the feast of the Kalends.

Two feasts have come together at once upon the yesterday and the present day, not in harmony or brotherhood, but on the contrary, holding enmity and opposition toward one another. For one is of the external gathering, bringing together much silver for Mammon and drawing in other trades, both in the marketplace and more freely; but the other is of holy and true worship, training the virtue of the relationship toward God and of a purified life.

Since many, preferring the luxury and idleness of vanity, have been left away from the assembly according to the church, come, let us drive away by word the foolish and harmful pleasure, just as one drives away a little madness in laughing and playing at death.

At the right time, let us imitate Solomon in the handling of the word. For he, advising the youths to keep themselves safely from the snares of immorality (Proverbs 7), so that his own exhortation might work as active and effective, personifies immorality as a woman condemned; and thus, by exposing all her wickedness, he decides the worth of hatred for those being enticed.

Therefore, I also, having shown the vanity of the human feast by word, will attempt to turn away the lovers of that fallen pursuit.

This custom and law is, therefore, a feast of the people; first, it is manifest that the purpose of the festival is to be a common joy for all, and not for one part to enjoy while the remainder spends the rest in grief and depression. For this is more like a war than a feast, since it is necessary for those who prevailed to parade in victory, and for those who were defeated to weep over their misfortune.

Regarding these days, first, it is unclear upon what the festival is celebrated. For myths...

Many things are said, which contradict one another; but nothing is true. Furthermore, I see only a few rejoicing; but the many are dejected, even if their sorrow is shaded by a decent appearance; and everything is full of noise and trouble, and the crowd is vainly pushed toward itself.

It is a remembrance and a joy of the year. What kind of joy, man? First, when I perceive the form of the meeting, that is, how suspicious and not friendly it is! The address proceeds with a dull and thin voice; then follows a kiss as a prelude to the bribe, and the mouth loves, but the coin is loved; the form of a disposition and the work of greed. But where pure friendship and guileless, unmercenary and sincere intentions exist.

Indeed, much is carried about everywhere and the gold is given, but a just and decent pretext for the bribe neither exists nor is spoken of. It is not a marriage, so that someone might call the bridegroom's zeal a wedding. I do not call the expense almsgiving; for no poor man is released from misfortune. No one would call what is happening a contract; for the crowd does not stir anything up among themselves. And to call it a gift is not even as far as being just, where necessity is joined to the giving.

What then shall we call, either the feast or the things spent in it? I myself do not find a name. But you, who have bitten through the crust around it, give a reason, as we are of the true and God-ordained festivals. We celebrate a birthday, because God showed us the theophanies in the flesh at this time. We lead a panegyric of lights, because through the forgiveness of sins we are led from a kind of dark prison of the former life toward the luminous and unconstrained.

We are made beautiful again and, rejoicing, we process on the day of the resurrection; for incorruption shows us a relocation toward the better. Thus these...