Psalms 132:17

We speak to your charity in the house of God about what the present Psalm has reminded us. Who is it that says: I have prepared a lamp for my Christ. His enemies I will clothe with shame; but upon him my sanctification shall flourish; and what is that lamp which he has prepared for his Christ; and who are the enemies of his Christ, whom he clothes with shame through that lamp; and what is his sanctification, who prepared a lamp for his Christ, which will flourish upon his Christ. In all these words, it seems clear and open that he says here: For my Christ; for nothing else is to be understood than Christ the Lord and our Savior. Therefore, when exploring, as God grants, the depth of this meaning, we find that God the Father says this. Therefore, God the Father, that is, the person of God the Father speaks through the Prophet: I have prepared a lamp for my Christ. However, it is not necessary to explain to Christians that the Son of God is also the Christ of God. Having found the person speaking, let us see what the lamp prepared by God the Father for Christ the Son is. The Lord himself speaks about John the Baptist: He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. Therefore, he called John a lamp, kindled from the source of light. To bear witness to the truth. For men lay in this blindness and in this infirmity of the inner eye, so that the sun of righteousness would be sought through the lamp. For if anyone had a clear eye of the heart, he would first gaze upon it, nor would he seek a lamp for its testimony. For when he had said about that lamp: You were willing to rejoice for a while in his light; but I, he says, have greater testimony than John. Therefore, a lamp was kindled for the weak in the night. And how did he kindle it? […]

A lamp was therefore prepared for Christ our Lord, John the Baptist; his enemies, slanderous questioners, retreated confused when the light of the lamp was brought forth; it was fulfilled: I will clothe his enemies with shame. But we, brothers, recognizing through John the Baptist the precursor the Lord, and even more through the testimony of the Lord himself, of whom he said: I have a greater testimony than John, believing in Christ, let us be made the body of his head, so that Christ may be one head and body; and in all of us having been made one it will be fulfilled: And upon him shall my sanctification flourish.

"I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall rejoice and sing" [Psalm 132:16]. We are now at the end of the Psalm; attend for a short space, Beloved. "I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall rejoice and sing." Who is our salvation, save our Christ? What means, therefore, "I will clothe her priests with salvation"? "As many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ." [Galatians 3:27] "And her saints shall rejoice and sing." Whence shall they rejoice and sing? Because they have been clothed with salvation: not in themselves. For they have become light, but in the Lord; for they were darkness before. [Ephesians 5:8] Therefore he has added, "There will I raise up the horn of David" [Psalm 132:17]: this will be David's height, that trust be put in Christ. For horn signifies height: and what sort of height? Not carnal. Therefore, while all the bones are wrapped up in flesh, the horn goes beyond the flesh. Spiritual altitude is a horn. But what is spiritual loftiness, save to trust in Christ? Not to say, It is my work, I baptize; but, "He it is who baptizes." [John 1:33] There is the horn of David: and that you may know that there is the horn of David, heed what follows: "I have ordained a lantern for mine Anointed." What is a lantern? You already know the Lord's words concerning John: "He was a burning and a shining light." [John 5:35] And what says John? "He it is who baptizes." Herein therefore shall the saints rejoice, herein the priests shall rejoice: because all that is good in themselves, is not of themselves, but of Him who has the power of baptizing. Fearlessly therefore does every one who has received baptism come unto His temple; because it is not man's, but His who made the horn of David to flourish.

What is the woman? The flesh of Christ. What is the lamp? "I have prepared a lamp for my anointed." Therefore we were sought in order that we might be found; having been found, we speak. Let us not be proud because, before we were found, if we were not sought for, we would have been lost. Therefore let not those whom we love and whom we wish to win over to the peace of the catholic church say to us, "Why do you want us? Why do you seek us if we are sinners?" We seek you precisely that you may not be lost; we seek you because we were sought; we wish to find you because we were found.

To bud - His power and glory to flourish. A lamp - A successor to continue forever in his family, as this phrase is expounded 1 Kings xi, 36; xv, 4, and particularly one eminent and glorious light, namely, the Messiah.