Rev. José Mario O. Mandía
jmom.honlam.org
Today we will study another Father from Syria: Saint Ephrem. He was born to a Christian family in 306 AD and, as Pope Benedict XVI said, grew up to be “Christianity’s most important Syriac-speaking representative and uniquely succeeded in reconciling the vocations of theologian and poet. He was educated and grew up beside James, Bishop of Nisibis (303-338), and with him founded the theological school in his city. He was ordained a deacon and was intensely active in local Christian community life until 363, the year when Nisibis fell into Persian hands. Ephrem then emigrated to Edessa, where he continued his activity as a preacher. He died in this city in 373, a victim of the disease he contracted while caring for those infected with the plague. It is not known for certain whether he was a monk, but we can be sure in any case that he remained a deacon throughout his life and embraced virginity and poverty” (General Audience, 28 November 2007).
He was a staunch defender of correct doctrine. Although he has works written in ordinary prose, most of his other productions are in poetry form, including his defense of the faith. “It is surprising to read that he wrote hymns against the heretics of his day. He would take the popular songs of the heretical groups and using their melodies, compose beautiful hymns embodying orthodox doctrine. Ephrem became one of the first to introduce song into the Church’s public worship as a means of instruction for the faithful. His many hymns have earned him the title “Harp of the Holy Spirit” (Franciscan Media, “St Ephrem.” https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-ephrem/).
Pope Benedict says, “If we desire to approach his doctrine, we must insist on this from the outset: namely, on the fact that he produces theology in poetical form. Poetry enabled him to deepen his theological reflection through paradoxes and images. At the same time, his theology became liturgy, became music; indeed, he was a great composer, a musician. Theology, reflection on the faith, poetry, song and praise of God go together; and it is precisely in this liturgical character that the divine truth emerges clearly in Ephrem’s theology. In his search for God, in his theological activity, he employed the way of paradoxes and symbols. He made ample use of contrasting images because they served to emphasize the mystery of God” (General Audience, 28 November 2007).
Saint Ephrem’s approach to explaining the faith shows us that the truth is not only good but also beautiful. Some people may find it difficult to talk about the truth, or about morality (good and evil), but when they see or hear something beautiful, they are captivated by it, and are eventually attracted to the truth and the good. Whenever we explain our faith, whether it be in a class or a homily, we need to try to present it in a way that attracts and pleases because that is what beauty is. As St Thomas wrote in his Summa Theologiae: “pulchra enim dicuntur quae visa placent” – “those which please when seen are said to be beautiful” (I q5 a4 ad1) and “pulchrum autem dicatur id cuius ipsa apprehensio placet” – “what is said to be beautiful is that which, when apprehended, pleases or gives delight” (I-II q27 a1 ad3).
Let us end with an excerpt from the works of Saint Ephrem. The following text is used in the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
“Lord, who can comprehend even one of your words? We lose more of it than we grasp, like those who drink from a living spring. For God’s word offers different facets according to the capacity of the listener. And the Lord has portrayed his message in many colors, so that whoever gazes upon it can see in it what suits him. Within it he has buried manifold treasures, so that each of us might grow rich in seeking them out.
“The word of God is a tree of life that offers us blessed fruit from each of its branches. It is like that rock which was struck open in the wilderness, from which all were offered spiritual drink. As the Apostle says: They ate spiritual food and they drank spiritual drink.
“And so whenever anyone discovers some part of the treasure, he should not think that he has exhausted God’s word. Instead he should feel that this is all that he was able to find of the wealth contained in it. Nor should he say that the word is weak and sterile or look down on it simply because this portion was all that he happened to find. But precisely because he could not capture it all, he should give thanks for its riches.
“Be glad then that you are overwhelmed, and do not be saddened because he has overcome you. A thirsty man is happy when he is drinking, and he is not depressed because he cannot exhaust the spring. So let this spring quench your thirst, and not your thirst the spring. For if you can satisfy your thirst without exhausting the spring, then when you thirst again you can drink from it once more. But if when your thirst is sated the spring is also dried up, then your victory would turn to harm.
“Be thankful, then, for what you have received, and do not be saddened at all that such an abundance still remains. What you have received and attained is your present share, while what is left will be your heritage. For what you could not take at one time because of your weakness, you will be able to grasp at another if you only persevere. So do not foolishly try to drain in one draught what cannot be consumed all at once. And do not cease out of faintheartedness from what you will be able to absorb as time goes on” (St Ephrem, On the Diatessaron 1, 18-19).
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