Letter 25

Festal. When the only-begotten God took on human flesh and accomplished our salvation, those who lived in those days and saw with their own eyes the source of these blessings held no particular feast in response. But in our time, land and sea, city and village, though unable to see their benefactor with bodily eyes, keep a feast in memory of all he has done for them. And the joy that flows from these celebrations is so great that streams of spiritual gladness run in every direction. We greet your piety now, therefore — both to share the cheerfulness the feast has brought to us, and to ask your prayers that we may keep it faithfully to its end.

Letter 25 Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more — all for only $19.99... Festal. When the only begotten God had been made Man, and had wrought out our salvation, they who in those days saw Him from whom these bounties flowed kept no feast. But in our time, land and sea, town and hamlet, though they cannot see their benefactor with eyes of sense, keep a feast in memory of all He has done for them; and so great is the joy flowing from these celebrations that the streams of spiritual gladness run in all directions. Wherefore we now salute your piety, at once to signify the cheerfulness which the feast has caused in us, and to ask your prayers that we may keep it to the end.