CIRCUMCISION was a sacrament of the Old Law, and the first legal
observance required by Almighty God of that people, which he had chosen
preferably to all the nations of the earth to be the depositary of his
revealed truths.--These were the descendants of Abraham, whom he had
enjoined it, under the strictest penalties,[2] several hundred years
before the giving of the law to Moses on Mount Sinai; and this on two
several accounts: First, as a distinguishing mark between them and the
rest of mankind. Secondly, as a seal to a covenant between God and that
patriarch: whereby it was stipulated on God's part to bless Abraham and
his posterity; while on their part it implied a holy engagement to be
his people, by a strict conformity to his laws. It was, therefore, a
sacrament of initiation in the service of God, and a promise and
engagement to believe and act as he had revealed and directed.
Circumcision is also looked upon by St. Austin, and by several eminent
modern divines,[3] to have been the expedient, in the male posterity of
Abraham, for removing the guilt of original sin, which in those who did
not belong to the covenant of Abraham, nor fall under this law was
remitted by other means, probably by some external act of faith.
This law of circumcision continued in force till the death of Christ:
hence our Saviour being born under the law, it _became him_, who came to
teach mankind obedience to the laws of God; to _fulfil all justice_, and
to submit to it. Therefore, he was _made under the law_, that is, was
circumcised, that he might redeem them that were under the law, by
freeing them from the servitude of it; and that those, who were in the
condition of servants before, might be set at liberty, and _receive the
adoption of sons_ in baptism; which by Christ's institution, succeeded
to circumcision. On the {060} day he was circumcised he received the
name of JESUS, the same which had been appointed him by the angel before
he was conceived.[4] The reason of his being called JESUS is mentioned
in the gospel:[5] _For he shall save his people from their sins_. This
he effected by the greatest sufferings and humiliations; _having humbled
himself_, as St. Paul says,[6] not only unto death, but even _to the
death of the cross; for which cause God hath exalted him, and hath given
him a name which is above all names; that at the name of JESUS every
knee should bow_: agreeably to what Christ says of himself,[7] _All
power is given unto me in heaven and in earth_.[8]
Christ being not only innocent, but incapable of sin, could stand in no
need of circumcision, as an expedient then in use for the remission of
sin. He was pleased, however, to subject himself to this humbling and
painful rite of the Mosaic dispensation for several reasons: as, First,
to put an end in an honorable manner to a divine, but temporary,
institution, by taking it upon his own person. Secondly, to prove the
reality of his human body; which, however evident from this and so many
other actions and sufferings of his life, was denied by several ancient
heretics. Thirdly, to prove himself not only the son of man, but of that
man in particular of whose seed the Messiah was promised to come: thus
precluding any future objection that might be raised by the Jews against
his divine mission in quality of Messiah, under the pretence of his
being an alien; and hereby qualifying himself for free conversation with
them for their own spiritual advantage: setting us all a pattern of
undergoing voluntarily several hardships and restraints, which, though
not necessary on our own account, may be of great use to promote the
good of others. Christ not being like other Jewish children, who could
not know or fear the pain of circumcision, when they were going to
suffer the operation, was perfectly sensible of it beforehand, and with
calmness and intrepidity offered himself willingly to suffer the knife,
and shed the first-fruits of his sacred blood in this painful manner.
Under the smart this divine infant shed tears, but not as other
children; for by them, with the most tender love and compassion, he
bewailed chiefly our spiritual miseries, and at the same time presented
with joy his blood as the price of our redemption to his Father.
Fourthly, by thus humbling himself under this painful operation, he
would give us an early pledge and earnest of his love for us, of his
compassion for our miseries, and of his utter detestation of sin. The
charity and zeal which glowed in his divine breast, impatient, as it
were, of delay, delighted themselves in these first-fruits of
humiliation and suffering for our sakes, till they could fully satiate
their thirst by that superabundance of both, in his passion and death.
With infinite zeal for his Father's honor, and charity for us sinners,
with invincible patience, and the most profound humility, he now offered
himself most cheerfully to his Father to undergo whatever he was pleased
to enjoin him. Fifthly, he teaches us by the example of voluntary
obedience to a law that could not oblige him, to submit with great
punctuality and exactness to laws of divine appointment; and how very
far we ought to be from sheltering our {061} disobedience under lame
excuses and frivolous pretexts. Sixthly, by this ceremony, he humbled
himself to satisfy for our pride, and to teach us the sincere spirit of
humility. What greater humiliation can be imagined than for Him who is
the eternal Son of God, in all things equal to his Father, to conceal
these glorious titles under the appearance of a sinner? What a subject
of confusion to us, who, being abominable criminals, are ashamed to pass
for what we are, and desire to appear and be esteemed what we are not!
Shall we not learn from this example of Christ to love humiliations,
especially as we cannot but acknowledge that we deserve every reproach
and all manner of contempt from all creatures? Seventhly, by beginning
the great work of our salvation in the manner he was one day to finish
it; suffering in his own person the punishment of sin, to deliver us
from both sin and its punishment, he confounds the impenitence of
sinners who will suffer nothing for their own sins; and inculcates the
necessity of a spiritual circumcision, whereof the external was but the
type and figure, as the apostle puts us in mind.[9]
It is manifest, beyond all contradiction, from several texts of the Old
Testament,[10] that men under that dispensation ought not to have rested
in the external act alone, but should have aspired from the letter to
the spirit, from the carnal to a spiritual circumcision. These texts, at
the same time that they set forth its necessity, describe it as
consisting in a readiness and willing disposition to conform to the will
of God, and submit to it when known, in every particular. They in
consequence require a retrenchment of all inordinate and superfluous
desires of the soul, the keeping a strict guard and government over
ourselves, a total abstinence from criminal, and a prudent reserve even
in the lawful gratifications of sense and appetite. If such instances of
spiritual circumcision were required of those under the Old Law, to
qualify them for acceptance with God, can any thing less than the same
entitle us Christians to the claim of spiritual kindred with faithful
Abraham, and to share of that redemption which Christ began this day to
purchase for us at the expense of his blood? We must cut off whatever
inordinate or superfluous desires of riches, honors, or pleasures reign
in our hearts, and renounce whatever holds us wedded to our senses or
the world. Though this sacrifice required the last drop of our blood, we
ought cheerfully to make it. The example of Christ powerfully excites us
not to spare ourselves. A thousand irregular affections reign in our
souls, and self-love is master there. This enemy is only to be expelled
by compunction, watchfulness over ourselves, perfect obedience, humble
submission to correction, voluntary self-denials, and patience under
crosses. To these endeavors we must join earnest prayer for the
necessary grace to discover, and courageously crucify whatever opposes
the reign of the pure love of God in our affections. If we are conscious
to ourselves of having taken a contrary course, and are of the unhappy
number of the _uncircumcised to heart_; what more proper time to set
about a thorough reformation, by cutting off whatever is inconsistent
with or prejudicial to the true Christian spirit, than this very day,
the first of the new year? that so it may be a _new_ year to us in the
most Christian and beneficial sense of the word.[11]
{062}
Wherefore, after having consecrated its first-fruits to God, by the most
sincere and fervent homage of praise and adoration; after having paid
him the just tribute of thanksgiving for all his benefits, and in
particular for the mercy by which he vouchsafes us still time to appease
his anger, and serve him; it becomes us to allot some part of this day
to tears of compunction for our past offences, and to the diving into
the source of our spiritual sloth and other irregularities, with a view
to the amendment of our lives, and the preventing of relapses: not
contenting ourselves with general purposes, which cost self-love so
little, the insufficiency of which our own experience has convinced us
of; we must lay the axe to the root, and seriously resolve to decline,
to the best of our power, the particular occasions which have betrayed
us into sin, and embrace the most effectual means of reformation of life
and improvement in virtue. Every year ought to find us more fervent in
charity; every day ought our soul to augment in strength, and be decked
with new flowers of virtue and good works. If the plant ceases to grow,
or the fruit to ripen, they decay of course, and are in danger of
perishing. By a rule far more sacred, the soul, which makes not a daily
progress in virtue loses ground: a dreadful symptom in the spiritual
life.
The more intense ought our fervor to be, as we draw the nearer to the
end of our course: _So much the more_, says the apostle, _as you
perceive the day to approach_,[12] the day of _retribution_ to each
according to his works, which will be that of our death, which may be
much nearer than we are willing to imagine. Perhaps we may not live to
the end of this very year: it will be the case of thousands, who at this
time are as regardless of it as we can be. What security can we have
against a surprise, the consequences whereof are infinite and
irretrievable, except that of a sincere and speedy conversion, of being
upon our guard against temptations, of dedicating effectually this
ensuing year and the remainder of our short lives to God, our last end
and only good, and frequently imploring his grace and mercy. It is our
blessed Saviour's advice and injunction: _Watch ye therefore; praying at
all times {063} ... that you may be accounted worthy ... to stand before
the Son of man_.[13]
The Christian's devotion on this day ought to consist, first, in the
solemn consecration of the first-fruits of the year to God; and
secondly, in honoring the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God,
particularly his birth and circumcision. The church invites us on this
day to unite our homage with the seraphic ardors and transports of
devotion with which the glorious Mother of God assisted at these
wonderful mysteries which we commemorate, but in which she acted herself
so great a part. With what sentiments did Mary bear in her womb, bring
forth, and serve her adorable son, who was also her God? with what love
and awe did she fix her eyes upon him particularly at his circumcision,
who can express in what manner she was affected when she saw him
subjected to this painful and humbling ceremony? Filled with
astonishment, and teeming affections of love and gratitude, by profound
adorations and praise she endeavored to make him all the amends in her
power, and the best return and acknowledgment she was able. In amorous
complaints that he would begin, in the excess of his love, to suffer for
us in so tender an age, and to give this earnest of our redemption, she
might say to him: _Truly than art to me a spouse of blood._[14] With the
early sacrifice Christ here made of himself to his Father, she joined
her own offering her divine son, and with and through him herself, to be
an eternal victim to his honor and love, with the most ardent desire to
suffer all things, even to blood, for the accomplishment of his will.
Under her mediation we ought to make him the tender of our homages, and
with and through this holy Redeemer, consecrate ourselves to God without
reserve.
Footnotes:
1. In the ancient sacramentary of the Roman church, published by
cardinal Thomasius, (the finishing of which some ascribe to Pope
Gelasius I., others more probably to Leo I., though the ground was
doubtless the work of their predecessors,) this festival is called
the Octave of our Lord's Nativity. The same title is given to it in
the Latin calendar (or rather collection of the gospels read at Mass
throughout the year) written above 900 years ago, presented to the
public by F. John Fronteau, regular canon of saint Genevieve's at
Paris, and by Leo Allatius. The inference which Baillet draws from
thence that the mystery of our Lord's circumcision was not then
commemorated in the office of this day, is a notorious mistake. For
Thomassin takes notice from Ivo of Chartres, that the word Octave
here implies the circumcision of our Lord, which was performed on
the eighth day after his birth; and in the above mentioned
Sacramentary express mention is made of the circumcision in the
Secret of the Mass. In F. Froubeau's calendar the gospel read on
this day is the history of the circumcision given, by St. Luke. An
old Vatican MS. copy of St. Gregory's Sacramentary and that of
Usuard's Martyrology kept at St. Germain des-Pres, express both the
titles of the Octave day and of the circumcision.
Durandus in the 13th century, (Ration. offic. l. 6, c. 15,) John
Beleth, a theologian of Paris, (c. 71,) and several missals of the
middle ages prescribe two masses to be said on this day, one on the
circumcision, the other on the B. Virgin Mary. Micrologus (c. 39)
assigns this reason, that as the B. Virgin, who had so great a share
in the birth of Christ, could not be mentioned in that solemn
office, therefore a commemoration of her is deferred to the Octave
day. The second Mass is now abolished: but in a great part of the
office a regard is had to the B. Virgin. In F. Fronteau's Roman
calendar, after the title of the Octave is added, _Natale S. Mariae_
for which Dom Martenne would have us read _S. Martinae_; but without
grounds. For, as Pope Benedict XIV. observes, (Comment. de Festis
Domini, c. 1,) the original unquestionably means a festival of the
B. Virgin Mary. The word _Natale_, which was used originally for the
birth-day of the emperors, was afterwards taken for any annual
feast.
2. Gen. xvii.
3. Grounding their opinion on Gen. xvii. 14, &c.
4. Luke i. 31.
5. Matt. i. 21.
6. Phil. ii. 8, 9, 10.
7. Matt. xxviii. 18.
8. The Jews generally named their children on the day of their
circumcision, but this was not of precept. There are several
instances of children named on the day of their birth, (Gen. xxx.)
which could not be that of their circumcision by an express law
requiring the interval of eight days from their birth; the child
being presumed too weak and delicate to undergo the operation
sooner, without danger of its life. It seems to have been the
practice among the Jews for children to be circumcised at home; nor
was a priest the necessary or ordinary minister, but the father,
mother, or any other person could perform the ceremony, as we see in
the time of Abraham, (Gen. xvii.; Acts vii.) and of the Maccabees,
(1 Mac. 1.) St. Epiphanius, (Haer. 20.) Whence F. Avala, in his
curious work entitled _Pietor Christianus_, printed at Madrid in
1730, shows that it is a vulgar error of painters who represent
Christ circumcised by a priest in the temple. The instrument was
sometimes a sharp stone, (Exod. iv. Jos. v.,) but doubtless most
frequently of iron or steel.
9. Rom. ii. 29.
10. Deut. x. 16; xxx. 6; Jer. iv. 4.
11. The pagan Romans celebrated the _Saturnalia_, or feast of Saturn,
from the 17th of December during seven days: at which time slaves
dined with their masters, and were allowed an entire liberty of
speech, in the superstitious remembrance of the golden age of the
world, in which no distinction of ranks was yet known among men.
(Macrob {}, 10. Horat. &c.) The calends also of January were
solemnized with licentious shows in honor of Janus and the goddess
Strenia: and it is from those infamous diversions that among
Christians, are derived the profane riots of new year's day,
twelfthtide, and shrovetide, by which many pervert these times into
days of sin and intemperance. Several councils severely condemn
these abuses; and the better to prevent them, some churches formerly
kept the 1st of January a fast-day, as it is mentioned by St.
Isidore of Seville (lib. 2 offic c. 40) Alcuin (lib. de div offic)
&c. Dom Martenne observes, (lib. de antiquis ritibus in celebr. div.
offic. c. 13,) that on this account the second council of Tours in
567 ordered that on the calends of the circumcision the litany be
sung, and high mass begun only at the eighth hour, that is, two in
the afternoon, that it might be finished by three, the hour at which
it was allowed to eat on the fasts of the stations. We have among
the works of the fathers many severe invectives against the
superstitions and excesses of this time. See St. Austin, (serm. 198,
in hunc diem,) St. Peter Chrysologus, (serm. in calendas,) St.
Maximus of Turin, (Hom. 5, apud Mabill. in Musaeo Italico,) Faustinus
the Bishop, (apud Bolland. hac die. p. 3,) &c. The French name
Etrennes is pagan, from _strenae_, or new-year gifts, in honor of the
goddess Strenia. The same in Poitou and Perche, anciently the
country of the Druids, is derived from their rites. For the
Poitevins for Etrennes use the word Auguislanneuf, and the
Percherons, Equilans, from the ancient cry of the Druids, _Au guy
l'an neuf_, i.e. _Ad Viscum, annul novus_, or to the mistletoe the
new-year, when on new-year's day the Pagans went into the forests to
seek the mistletoe on the oaks. See Chatelain, notes on the Martyr.
Jan. 1, p. 7.
The ancients began the year, some from the autumnal, others from the
vernal equinox. The primitive patriarchs from that of autumn, that
is, from the month called by the Hebrews Tisri, which coincides with
part of our September and October. Hence it seems probable, that the
world was created about that season; the earth, as appears from Gen.
iii. 2, being then covered with trees, plants, fruits, seeds, and
all other things in the state of their natural maturity and
perfection. The Jews retained this commencement of the year, as a
date for contracts and other civil purposes; as also for their
sabbatical year and jubilee. But God commanded them to begin their
ecclesiastical year, or that by which their religious festivals were
regulated, from the spring equinox, or the Hebrew month Nisan, the
same with part of our March and April, Exod. xii. 2. Christian
nations commenced the year, some from the 25th of March, the feast
of the Annunciation, and bordering upon the spring equinox; others
from Christmas; others from its octave day, the first of January, in
which our ancestors have often varied their practice. Europe is now
agreed in fixing the first of January for this epoch.
The Julian year, so called from Julius Caesar, from whom the Roman
calendar received its last reformation, consisted of 365 days and 6
hours, which exceed the true solar year by 11 minutes, for
astronomers compute the yearly revolution of the sun not to exceed
365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 37 seconds, according to Cassini,
but according to Keil 57 seconds, or almost 49 minutes. This error,
becoming daily more sensible, would have occasioned the autumnal
equinox to have at length fallen on the day reckoned the solstice,
and in process of time, on that held for the vernal equinox. The
Golden number, or Grecian cycle of the lunar years, was likewise
defective. The remedy both which, pope Gregory XIII., in 1585,
established the new style. Scaliger, Tachet, and Cassini have
demonstrated that cycles might be chosen still more exact by some
few seconds: however, this adopted by pope Gregory, besides being
the easiest in the execution, admits of no material error, or
sensible inconveniency. This correction of the style was received by
act of Parliament, in Great Britain, in 1752; for the promoting of
which, great praise is due to the two illustrious ornaments of the
republic of letters, the earls of Chesterfield and Macclesfield.
12. Heb. x. 25.
13. Luke xxi. 36.
14. Exod. v. 25.