St. Bede the Venerable, an eighth century English monk and Doctor of the Church, composed a wonderful sermon for the solemnity of All Saints, a portion of which was at one point included in the Matins Lessons, a part of the Divine Office, which the Church assigned to be read for the solemnity. I have included the portion belonging to the Matins' lessons below, with an English translation of my own, along with a small number of notes, followed by the original Latin.
English Translation
Today, dearly beloved, we celebrate under the singular joy of a solemnity the festivity of all the saints: in whose society heaven exults, by whose patronage the earth rejoices, by whose triumphs holy Church is crowned; the confession of which saints, as much as it was firm in suffering, so much does it now shine in honour; for, while the fight grew, so too grew the fighters’ glory, and the triumph of martyrdom is adorned with the various kinds of sufferings, and through such mighty torments, mightier still was the reward: whilst Holy Mother Church, who has been spread throughout the whole world, was led forth in her very head, Christ Jesus, to fear not contumelies, crucifixions, and death; and having been more and more strengthened — not by resisting, but by bearing — all whom dreadful [1] cells have enclosed in her illustrious army — who indeed were par and like in fervour of virtue in bearing the fight [2] — she has inspired to a glorious triumph [3].
O truly joyous Mother Church, whom the honour of divine dignation [4] has illumined, whom the glorious blood of conquering martyrs has decorated, whom the pure virginity of perseverant confession has vested! Neither roses nor lilies are lacking amidst her flowers [5]. Let each one now, dearly beloved, fight, so that they might for both honours receive the most magnificent dignity: the crown, either pure white of virginity, or blood red of suffering. In the heavenly camps both peace and army [6] have their own flowers which crown the soldiers of Christ.
For the ineffable and immense goodness of God provides for this also, that the time of labours and agonies indeed is not extended, neither made long nor eternal, but brief and, if I may so speak, momentary: that in this quick and short life there should be agonies and labours; but in that life which is eternal, crowns and the rewards of merits should endure without end; that after the darkness of this world they are soon to see the brightest light, and soon to receive a happiness greater than the bitterness of all sufferings. The Apostle himself so testified, when he says: ‘The sufferings of this time are not the like of the coming glory, which will be revealed in us' [7].
Notes
[1] Literally 'penal cell', carcer poenalis; rendered dreadful cell to better keep with the register of the sermon.
[2] fight or contest, certamen : perhaps an allusion to St. Paul's famous "I have fought the good fight", bonum certamen certavi, vide 2 Timothy 4:7.
[3] A triumphus or triumph referred in ancient Rome a specific type of military parade. Though Venerable Bede is writing after the fall of the empire, this soldierly language is still expressive of the glory and joy that ensue after a hard-faught battle or contest.
[4] 'dignation', an older English word for the Latin dignatio. It is the noun derived from the verb 'deign', as in 'God so deigned to redeem.'
[5] The red color of roses represents martyrdom, while the white of lilies represents purity. Neither martyrs nor virgins are lacking amidst the Church's saints. But the analogy may be extended further: the lilies are the virgins specifically, but also in a broader sense the saints of innocence, like St. Therese; the roses are the martyrs but also, perhaps, in a broader sense the penitents who atone for their sins through suffering and penance, like St. Augustine of Hippo.
[6] Peace, pax, perhaps stands for the virgins and innocent, unstained by sin; acies, literally an army in array, for the martyrs and the penitents, who attain to their place by contest and suffering.
[7] From Romans 8:18. The Knox translation has it, “Not that I count these present sufferings as the measure of that glory which is to be revealed in us.”
Latin
Hódie, dilectíssimi, ómnium Sanctórum sub una solemnitátis lætítia celebrámus festivitátem: quorum societáte cælum exsúltat, quorum patrocíniis terra lætátur, triúmphis Ecclésia sancta coronátur, quorum conféssio quanto in passióne fórtior, tanto est clárior in honóre: quia, dum crevit pugna, crevit et pugnántium glória, et martýrii triúmphus multíplici passiónum génere adornátur: perque gravióra torménta, gravióra fuére et prǽmia: dum cathólica mater Ecclésia, quæ per totum orbem longe latéque diffúsa est, in ipso cápite suo Christo Jesu edúcta est, contumélias, cruces et mortem non timére; magis magísque roboráta, non resisténdo, sed perferéndo, univérsis, quos ágmine ínclito carcer pœnális inclúsit, pari et símili calóre virtútis ad geréndum certámen, glóriam triumphálem inspirávit.
O vere beáta mater Ecclésia, quam sic honor divínæ dignatiónis illúminat, quam vincéntium gloriósus Mártyrum sanguis exórnat, quam inviolátæ confessiónis cándida índuit virgínitas! Flóribus eius nec rosæ nec lília desunt. Certent nunc caríssimi, sínguli, ut ad utrósque honóres amplíssimam accípiant dignitátem, corónas, vel de virginitáte cándidas, vel de passióne purpúreas. In cæléstibus castris pax et ácies habent flores suos, quibus mílites Christi coronántur.
Dei enim ineffábilis et imménsa bónitas étiam hoc provídit, ut labórum quidem tempus et agónis non exténderet, nec longum fáceret, aut ætérnum, sed breve, et ut ita dicam, momentáneum: ut in hac brevi et exígua vita agónes essent et labóres; in illa vero quæ ætérna est, corónæ et prǽmia meritórum: ut labóres quidem cito finiréntur, meritórum vero prǽmia sine fine durárent: ut post huius mundi ténebras visúri essent candidíssimam lucem, et acceptúri maiórem passiónum cunctárum acerbitátibus beatitúdinem, testánte hoc idem Apóstolo, ubi ait: Non sunt condígnæ passiónes huius témporis ad superventúram glóriam, quæ revelábitur in nobis
