Most people, as they near retirement, are contemplating the travel they will soon be free to do, the books they’ve been awaiting time to read, the hobbies they are anxious to pursue. There have been some, however, who have ended successful careers in the public sphere and become ascetics, leaving behind the material pursuits of life in the world to devote themselves to more spiritual pursuits.
In the latter half of the fourth century, Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, from the Spanish territories of the Roman Empire, became a lawyer and was given several important positions as governor before being called to serve at the court of Emperor Theodosius I. Toward the end of the century, Prudentius was able to walk away from all this and finally “retire” to his most important work, that of writing Christian hymns and poetry.
To better concentrate on this work, Prudentius took on ascetic practices, particularly fasting, and spent the remainder of his life writing hymns for the various feasts of the liturgical year as well as poems in defense of Orthodox Christianity against some of the heresies of his day.
The St. Ambrose Hymnal contains five of his hymns: “Behold the Golden Dawn Arise” (the morning office hymn for Thursdays), “Earth Has Many a Noble City” (the morning office hymn for Epiphany), “Servant of God, Remember” (a hymn which we sing in Holy Week), and “All Ye Who Seek for Jesus” (the evening office hymn for Transfiguration). The most beloved of his hymns is one we sing at Christmas: “Of the Father’s Love Begotten”, which places the Nativity of Our Lord in the context of all time and creation.
Of the Father’s love begotten ere the worlds began to be, He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He, of the things that are, that have been, and that future years shall see, ever more and ever more.
At His word they were created; He commanded, it was done; Heaven and earth and depths of ocean in their threefold order one; all that grows beneath the shining of the light of moon and sun, ever more…
O that birth for ever blessed! Whe the Virgin, full of grace, by the Holy Ghost conceiving, bare the Savior of our race, and the Babe, the world’s redeemer, fist revealed his sacred face, ever more…
This is He whom seers and sages sang of old with one accord; whom the writings of the Prophets promised in their faithful word; now he shines, the long-expected: let creation praise its lord, ever more…
May those of us who are retired from our worldly careers and those who are contemplating retirement take heed to the example of Aurelius Prudentius and remember that our most important work for God may lie ahead!