Martin of Braga

Consequently our elders decided that one full month must be observed for the birthday of the world and that Easter should be observed in whatever part of it both the day and the moon coincided. This is not without scriptural authority, for Moses said, “This month shall stand at the head of your calendar, the first month of the year.” With these words he consecrated a whole month for the day of the world’s birth. Thus our elders, who had found that March 22 was the birthday of the world, defined April 21 as a limit in determining the first month. So it will be permitted to celebrate Easter neither before March 22 nor after April 21. But when during this month both the moon and the day coincide, that is, the fourteenth day of the moon and Sunday, then Easter is to be celebrated. Now again, since the fourteenth day of the moon frequently does not fall on Sunday, they preferred to have the moon extended for seven days, provided they observed Sunday in the joy of the resurrection. So when the day falls thus, we always postpone Easter as far as the twenty-first day of the moon for the sake of Sunday, so that Easter is celebrated neither before March 22 nor after April 21. In this way it is found that the month and the day and the moon are retained in the observance of Easter.

The prophet David said that it was better for him to be corrected or advised by a just person than to be praised by any flatterer. It was right that he should denote the flatterer with the name of “sinner,” since his is the greatest and most detestable crime in the sight of God—to hold one thing in his heart, speak another with his lips. Of such he also says in another psalm: “His words are smoother than oil, but they are drawn swords.” Of the just person he says, “He speaks the truth in his heart and works not deceit with his tongue.” Although in these ways any subtle remarks of people, even without the pleasing sensations of praise, may draw your credulous mind to agreement, turn rather to the deeds of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels, and you will find that the Lord of lords left us to a great example of sacred humility amid the praises of people. Practice humility, then, take it for your mistress, set it as your guide when flatterers entice. Humility will tell you just how much of the things that people ascribe to you in praise is really yours and how long it will last. Humility does not let you be attentive to lies.

Behold, this is the true and the Christian humility. In this you will best govern both yourself and those in your charge. In this you will be able to achieve victory over every vice, by attributing to God rather than to yourself the fact that you have won. The reason why our vices recover their strength at the very moment when they have almost been subdued is, in my opinion, only because we do not say to God what his warrior David said when fighting the wars of the Lord: “Through you,” he said, “we have struck down our foes; and through your name we trample down our adversaries.” And again: “No one prevails by his own strength. The Lord makes his adversary weak.” But perhaps I shall receive the answer: “Are we then not to offer thanks to God, not to render praises?” I think so, but the trouble is that when we do it, we do it in words only, and inwardly: to God we offer thanks in private, to ourselves in public. We render praise to God on our lips, but to ourselves both on our lips and in our heart. This is what often raises up the enemy when he is already humbled, for the sin of our vanity is his strength.

Now your goodness must listen briefly while I explain how this virtue may be obtained. First of all, if you intend to start a good work, you will begin it not with the intention of acquiring praise but for the love and desire of doing good. Then, when this good task, whatever it is, has been completed, you will guard your heart most cautiously, lest you fall under the influence of human favors and overestimate yourself, thus trying to please yourself or to look for some renown from any deed. For glory is like the human shadow: if you follow it, it runs away; if you run away, it follows. Always value yourself least of all and remember, whenever any good befalls you throughout your life, ascribe it all to God who gave it, not to yourself who received it, convincing yourself with these words of the apostle Paul: “What have you that you have not received? And if you have received it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” And also reflecting on these words of the apostle: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” And when you have built in your heart a temple to the Holy Spirit, using these most precious stones of holy humility, then pray in it, using the song of the prophet David. Not in words only but in deeds shall you sing: “O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor are my eyes haughty; I busy not myself with great things or with things too sublime for me.” This song you will truly be able to offer to God when you humiliate yourself and praise him alone, to whom truly with all the faithful you may every day say, “To you we owe a hymn of praise,” glorifying him alone.

Therefore in all matters where great flattery has even exceeded the limits proper to humanity, you must recall that well-known lesson of David, in which he shunned the poison of flatterers with these words: “The just person shall correct me in kindness and shall reprove me, but let not the oil of the sinner fatten my head.” The “oil of the sinner” is flattery, which uses a smooth, suave unction to brighten up, as though with cosmetics, the head of the inner person, that is, the heart. Therefore, the prophet David said that it was better for him to be corrected or advised by a just person than to be praised by any flatterer. It was right that he should denote the flatterer with the name of “sinner,” since his is the greatest and most detestable crime in the sight of God—to hold one thing in his heart, to speak another with his lips. Of such he also says in another psalm: “His words are smoother than oil, but they are drawn swords.” Of the just person he says, “He speaks the truth in his heart and works not deceit with his tongue.” Although in these ways any subtle remarks of people, even without the pleasing sensations of praise, may draw your credulous mind to agreement, turn rather to the deeds of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels, and you will find that the “Lord of lords” left us a great example of sacred humility amid the praises of people. Practice humility, then, take it for your mistress, set it as your guide when flatterers entice. Humility will tell you just how much of the things that people ascribe to you in praise is really yours and how long it will last. Humility does not let you be attentive to lies.

Although, in general, this inflation of pride attacks many people, there are none who have to fear it more than those who have reached the perfection of virtues of the spirit or copious riches and highest offices in the flesh. It becomes all the greater in their cases, because the one who shows pride is greater. It is not content to destroy lowly and common people, but it is also present in the wiles of the greatest. The higher their rank, the deeper their fall. Hence Scripture also has this to say about the same spirit of pride: “And his food,” it says, “is rich.” It attacks people who are select and lofty. It suggests to them that they are great, that they need nothing, that whatever they do, think or say is all due to their wisdom and their prudence. If something turns out well for them under God’s direction, they straightaway claim that it was due to their own strength and their own industry, and they shout, “I did this,” “I said it,” “I thought it,” and as if everyone were stunned, they seize the glory of God and offer themselves to be admired in his likeness. By a righteous sentence, God withdraws his protection from them, as the apostle says, “He has given them up to a reprobate sense, so that they do not do or think what is fitting,” because, when they recognize the providence of God in all matters, they do not magnify God or offer thanks, but they boast of themselves and turn aside in their own idle thoughts. Though they claim to be wise, they are foolish; though they boast that they are firm, unconquered, powerful, they are weak, conquered and powerless.