St Athanasius the Great LETTERS, Part I, Complete

Translated by Cardinal Newman.

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Page 79

Letter III.--For 331. Easter-day xvi Pharmuthi; iii Id. April; AEra Dioclet. 47; Coss. Annius Bassus, Ablabius; Praefect, Florentius; Indict. iv.

Again, my beloved brethren, the day of the feast draws near to us, which, above all others, should be devoted to prayer, which the law commands to be observed, and which it would be an unholy thing for us to pass over in silence. For although we have been held under restraint by those who afflict us, that, because of them, we should not announce to you this season; yet thanks be to 'God, who comforteth the afflicted [3975] ,' that we have not been overcome by the wickedness of our accusers and silenced; but obeying the voice of truth, we together with you cry aloud in the day of the feast. For the God of all hath commanded, saying, 'Speak [3976] , and the children of Israel shall keep the Passover.' And the Spirit exhorts in the Psalm; 'Blow the trumpet in the new moons [3977] , in the solemn day of your feast.' And the prophet cries; 'Keep thy feasts, O Judah [3978] .' I do not send word to you as though you were ignorant; but I publish it to those who know it, that ye may perceive that although men have separated us, yet God having made us companions, we approach the same feast, and worship the same Lord continually. And we do not keep the festival as observers of days, knowing that the Apostle reproves those who do so, in those words which he spake; 'Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years [3979] .' But rather do we consider the day solemn because of the feast; so that all of us, who serve God in every place, may together in our prayers be well-pleasing to God. For the blessed Paul, announcing the nearness of gladness like this, did not announce days, but the Lord, for whose sake we keep the feast, saying, 'Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed [3980] ;' so that we all, contemplating the eternity of the Word, may draw near to do Him service.

[3975] 2 Cor. vii. 6. The historical reference is not quite certain, but the Index iii. is clearly right in its statement that Ath. was absent at this time, as well as in 332.

[3976] 'Eipon, kai,' as LXX. not Peshito.

[3977] Cf. S. Cyril. Hom. Pasch. xxx. near the beginning.

[3978] Numb. ix. 2; Ps. lxxxi. 3; Nah. i. 15

[3979] Gal. iv. 10.

[3980] 1 Cor. v. 7.

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