Psalm 132 [MT 133]

This is a short Psalm, but one well known and quoted. "Behold, how good and how pleasant is it, that brethren should dwell together in unity" [Psalm 133:1]. So sweet is that sound, that even they who know not the Psalter, sing that verse. ...

Perform your duties in the church faithfully and joyfully, as they fall to your lot according to your rank, and fulfill your ministry with uprightness, because of that God under whom we are fellow servants and to whom we understand that we shall render an account of our actions. Therefore, his mercy ought to abound in us, because "judgment without mercy to him that has not done mercy." For this reason pray with us for those who still cause us sadness, that the sickness of their carnal mind, intensified and concentrated by long custom, may be healed. For who does not understand "how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity" if that pleasure touches a palate from which the mind has spit out all the bitterness of division and that loves the sweetness of charity? The God to whom we pray for them is powerful and merciful enough to use any sort of occasion to draw them even now to salvation. May the Lord preserve you in peace.

As a figure of this it is written in the Psalm: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Like ointment upon the head, which descended upon the beard, the beard of Aaron." We have one Father, one sacrifice, one Sacrament, and one reward. First there is the ointment of piety upon the head; afterwards it descends upon all others who draw near to the head. First there ought to be piety in prelates and superiors, and afterwards in the common people; whence he says: "which descended to the hem of his garment."

The apostle taught us that our community, the communion by which we are joined to one another, springs from God, when he said, "Do not forget good works and communion, for God takes pleasure in such sacrifices." We read the same thing in the Acts of the Apostles: "For the multitude of believers had one heart and soul, and no one called anything his own. They held everything in common. And the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power." The psalmist is in agreement with these words when he says, "Behold, how good and how delightful it is for brothers to live together." And let us who live together in the Koinonia and who are united to one another in mutual charity, so apply ourselves that, just as we deserved fellowship with the holy fathers in this life, we may also be their companions in the life to come. We know that the cross of our life is also the foundation of our doctrine and that "we must share Christ's sufferings," and we must realize that without trials and difficulties no one attains victory. "Happy the one who endures trial, for when he has proved himself, he shall receive the crown of life."

The law was given not for one, but for all. So, too, Christ came not for one or to one but to all and for all. He desired to bring all things together into a unity that alone is good and pleasant. The prophet, aware of the future, assures us, "Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." For not singularity but unity is acceptable to God. The Holy Spirit descended on the apostles with all his welling fountain when they were assembled together. This occurred after the apostles had been instructed by the Lord's own commandment to wait in a group for the Spirit's coming.

The prophet said in praise of fraternal charity: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." What good is there in the life of people except peace, in which upright pursuits make progress and religious activities are fostered? What is more joyful than all nations serving the one God in peace and the prayers of all people converging to the praise of the one Lord?To dwell together in unity is this: to believe in God and faithfully to remain in the one Son of God. This is the one profitable and joyful union for mortals: our not dividing, as the heretics do, the Father from the Son, or the Son from the Father or the Holy Spirit from both, but, rather, our believing that these three names are distributed among the persons and that the persons rejoice in the participation of the one godhead. Thus it comes to pass that, when there is agreement to unity, there will be no shattering of charity in the church.

Assist, therefore, one another in good faith, and by deed and with a hearty will; nor let any one remove his hand from the help of a brother, since "by this," says the Lord, "shall all people know that you are my disciples, if you have love one toward another." Wherefore, too, he speaks by the prophet, saying, "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" In a spiritual dwelling, I interpret it, and in a concord that is in God, and in the unity of the faith that distinguishes this pleasant dwelling according to truth, which indeed was illustrated more beautifully in Aaron and the priests clothed with honor, as ointment on the head, nurturing the highest understanding and leading even to the end of wisdom. For in this dwelling the Lord has promised blessing and eternal life. Apprehending, therefore, the importance of this utterance of the prophet, we have spoken this present brotherly word for love's sake and by no means seeking, or meaning to seek, our own things.

Let the Psalm tell us what they are like. "As the ointment on the head, which descended to the beard, to Aaron's beard, which descended to the fringe of his garment" [Psalm 133:2]. What was Aaron? A priest. Who is a priest, except that one Priest, who entered into the Holy of Holies? Who is that priest, save Him, who was at once Victim and Priest? save Him who when he found nothing clean in the world to offer, offered Himself? The ointment is on his head, because Christ is one whole with the Church, but the ointment comes from the head. Our Head is Christ crucified and buried; He rose again, and ascended into heaven; and the Holy Spirit came from the head. Whither? To the beard. The beard signifies the courageous; the beard distinguishes the grown men, the earnest, the active, the vigorous. So that when we describe such, we say, he is a bearded man. Thus that ointment descended first upon the Apostles, descended upon those who bore the first assaults of the world, and therefore the Holy Spirit descended on them. For they who first began to dwell together in unity, suffered persecution. but because the ointment descended to the beard, they suffered, but were not conquered. ...

As a figure of this it is written in the Psalm: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Like ointment upon the head, which descended upon the beard, the beard of Aaron." We have one Father, one sacrifice, one Sacrament, and one reward. He says: "Like ointment upon the head." First there is the ointment of piety upon the head; afterwards it descends upon all others who draw near to the head. First there ought to be piety in prelates and superiors, and afterwards in the common people; whence he says: "which descended to the hem of his garment." Concerning this oil of piety it is said in the fourth book of Kings that a certain woman came to Elisha and said that her creditors wished to take her children; and she said: "My husband was a man who feared God." And Elisha said that she should bring all the vessels of her neighbors and pour some of that oil into each one, until all were filled. Why did he command her to bring the vessels of her neighbors? Could he not have multiplied the oil and filled a single jar, so that the woman would not have labored so much? I say that the woman holds the type of the Church, and Elisha holds the type of Christ. When the Church is poor in merits and it is necessary that she repay the debt: by what means will she repay? She must fill the vessels of her neighbors. Do you wish the piety of mother Church to descend upon you? Fill the vessels of your neighbors. This oil of piety ought to be possessed by all. Whence in the Song of Songs: "Your name is oil poured out."

And this entirely through that one hierarch, Jesus Christ, who by reason of the human nature assumed is not only hierarch in the ecclesiastical hierarchy, but also in the angelic, and the middle Person in that supercelestial hierarchy of the most blessed Trinity; so that through Him from God the supreme head, the grace of anointing descends not only upon the beard, but also upon the hem of the garment, because not only upon the heavenly Jerusalem, but even unto the Church Militant.

Since therefore through these four properties the body is made conformed to the spirit and also subject to it, hence it is that in these four it is said to be especially endowed, by reason of which it has the aptitude to follow the spirit and to be placed in the celestial region, which is the region of the Blessed. For in these properties it is made like to the celestial bodies, through which the celestial body is, as it were, gradually distant from the four elements: and thus the fourfold dowry of bodies renders the body both perfect in itself and conformed to the celestial habitation and to the blessed Spirit, through whom from the supreme head, God, even unto the hem of the garment, namely the body, the fullness of sweetness and the inebriation of beatitude overflows and, insofar as is possible, is derived.

And so, in descending order, out of charity which is an ointment flowing from the head over the beard upon the collar of the robe, there is the cleaving to God, to self, to the neighbor and to one's body. Hence, as there are twelve fruits in the twelve examples of ascent towards charity, so also there are twelve fruits in the descent. And this is what is said in the Apocalypse: "On both sides of the river, was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit according to each month." On the one side of the river, the intellectual fruits; on the other, the affective; or on the one side the ascending fruits, and on the other the descending.

There is a hierarchizing of the soul in the order of descent, that is, by way of going down. For it is fitting that "the ointment upon the head" of the hierarchy on high run down "over the beard" in the intermediate hierarchy, and upon the "robe," that is, the lowest hierarchy. Now, these things come about according to the powers of the soul, and Dionysius says they are three: the powers of receiving, preserving, and distributing, so that a soul may receive abundantly, preserve attentively, and pour out again generously.

But it is, as we have already said, impossible for a novice to understand or to teach this. For if one is incapable of receiving it, how can he be fit to pass it on to another? But if he has had the audacity to teach anything on these matters, most certainly his words will be idle and useless and only reach the ears of his hearers without being able to touch their hearts. Uttered as they were in sheer idleness and unfruitful vanity, they do not proceed from the treasure of a good conscience, but from the empty impertinence of boastfulness. For it is impossible for an impure soul (however earnestly it may devote itself to reading) to obtain spiritual knowledge. No one pours any rich ointment or fine honey or any precious liquid into a dirty and stinking vessel. A jar that has once been filled with foul odors spoils the sweetest myrrh more readily than it receives any sweetness or grace from it, for what is pure is corrupted much more quickly than what is corrupt is purified. And so the vessel of our heart unless it has first been purified from all the foul stains of sin will not be worthy to receive that blessed ointment of which it is said by the prophet: "Like oil on the head, which ran down upon Aaron's beard, which ran down to the edge of his garment." Nor will it keep undefiled that spiritual knowledge and the words of Scripture which are "sweeter than honey and the honeycomb." "For what does righteousness share with wickedness? Or what agreement has light with darkness? Or what friendship has Christ with Belial?"

"As the dew of Hermon, which fell upon the hills of Sion" [Psalm 133:3]. He would have it understood, my brethren, that it is of God's grace that brethren dwell together in unity. ...

But ye should know what Hermon is. It is a mountain far distant from Jerusalem, that is, from Sion. And so it is strange that he says thus: As the dew of Hermon, which fell upon the mountains of Sion, since mount Hermon is far distant from Jerusalem, for it is said to be over Jordan. Let us then seek out some interpretation of Hermon. The word is Hebrew, and we learn its meaning from them who know that language. Hermon is said to mean, a light set on a high place. For from Christ comes the dew. No light is set on a high place, save Christ. How is He set on high? First on the cross, afterwards in heaven. Set on high on the cross when He was humbled; humbled, but His humiliation could not but be high. The ministry of man grew less and less, as was signified in John; the ministry of God in our Lord Jesus Christ increased, as was shown at their birth. The former was born, as the tradition of the Church shows, on the 24th of June, when the days begin to shorten. The Lord was born on the 25th of December, when the days begin to lengthen. Here John himself confessing, "He must increase, but I must decrease." And the passion of each shows this. The Lord was exalted on the cross; John was diminished by beheading. Thus the light set on high is Christ, whence is the dew of Hermon. ...But if he have the dew of Hermon, which fell on the hill of Sion, he is quiet, peaceable, humble, submissive, pouring forth prayer in place of murmuring. For murmurers are admirably described in a certain passage of the Scriptures, "The heart of a fool is as the wheel of a cart." What is the meaning of "the heart of a fool is as the wheel of a cart"? It carries hay, and creaks. The wheel of a cart cannot cease from creaking. Thus there are many brethren, who do not dwell together, save in the body. But who are they who dwell together? They of whom it is said, "And they had one mind and one heart towards God."

"Because there the Lord commanded blessing." Where did He command it? Among the brethren who dwell together. There He enjoined blessing, there they who dwell with one heart bless God. For thou blessest not God in division of heart. ...Art thou straitened on earth? Depart, have thy habitation in heaven. How shall I, a man clothed in flesh, enslaved to the flesh, thou wilt say, have my habitation in heaven. First go in heart, whither thou wouldest follow in the body. Do not hear, "Lift up your hearts," with a deaf ear. Keep thy heart lifted up, and no one will straiten thee in heaven.