Sermons

Savonarola’s preaching on Scripture and the liturgical year, including major series on Exodus, Ezekiel, Amos, and other biblical texts.

Sermons

Feb 11, 1498

49 min read

Sermon I on Exodus

My Lord, this morning I, dust and ashes, first wish to speak to your majesty. Were it not presumptuous, I would desire to speak with you face to face; but that is not possible because my eye cannot reach your light. You, my Lord, have set limits to every creature, and my corporeal eye cannot extend beyond the limits you have set for it. It is finite and limited to seeing colors and material light, and cannot penetrate your infinite light. My intellect and my natural light, while in this body, cannot penetrate your light and cannot see you, for there many things in the imagination that impede it. Even when it is separated from this body, it will not be able to see or understand you by its nature, for you are infinite, and you have set limits to every intellect. Even then it will not be able to understand or see you except through creatures and according to its finite limits.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

Sermons

May 4, 1497

28 min read

Sermon on the Ascension

How great is the power of faith, beloved in Christ Jesus, is manifested by our Savior when he says: Si habueritis fidem sicut granum sinapis, dicitis monti huic: Transi hinc, et transibit, et nihil impossibile erit vobis, that is, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. And although this authority should be sufficient for us, nevertheless, for greater understanding, we will still prove by reason that faith is extremely powerful, speaking especially of formed faith.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

Sermons

Sep 20, 2024

19 min read

On the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord

Ungrateful, disobedient, sinful soul, I lifted you from the filth, from the mire of your sins, from the dregs of your iniquity, from the very gates of death, from your wicked habits, and from the ways of the world and, not by any merit of your own, I brought you into my most holy tabernacle—into the cloister of holy Religion—that you might proclaim and preach my praises to your brethren. You are my creation, my creature, and despite your countless negligences, I have exalted you, making you my instrument to proclaim my sweet love, my kindness, my infinite mercy, and my compassion to my beloved creatures and brides, the rational souls present here today. I have placed you here so that, through your obedience and the office granted to you by my grace, and through their humble reception of my burning words through your tongue, they might find some sweet consolation in my beloved, only-begotten Son, and at last, eternal life.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

Sermons

Dec 12, 1495

7 min read

Excerpt from Sermons XIX and XX on Psalm Quam bonus

Whoever humbles himself to attend the lowly school of Jesus Christ—that is, the holy manger—and takes the form of a disciple will undoubtedly learn more in one day at this school than in a hundred years at the schools of Plato and Aristotle. The school of the Holy Spirit is humble. And what is this school? The Manger of Jesus. O proud man, what will you do today? Where will you hide in shame? You who seeks grand status, who strives to expand your estates by licit and illicit means, who disdains the sight of the poor, who exalts yourself through noble lineage; and you, proud woman, who takes pride in wealth, vain beauty, family connections, and your husband—behold your God, made flesh for you, and see how in all things He favors humility.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

Sermons

Aug 4, 1495

30 min read

On the Solemnity of Our Holy Father St. Dominic

Behold the great Priest, who in his life propped up the house, and in his days fortified the temple. This, brethren, is Blessed Dominic, whose feast we celebrate today, and who, born in the Western parts while the end of the world neared, together with Blessed Francis, renewed the crumbling Church.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

Sermons

Apr 1, 1496

8 min read

Excerpt from Sermon XXXVIII on Amos and Zechariah

What can we say about the praises of our Queen? I find it difficult to praise her sufficiently, for it seems impossible. "How can you not know how to praise her?" you might ask. "You have praised the Lord, who is far greater than she." Even so, I have not praised Him adequately—indeed, not even to a thousandth of the extent He deserves.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

Sermons

Dec 1, 1490

21 min read

Sermon I on the First Epistle of St. John

Oh my beloved, if it were easy to persuade the minds of men about even a minute fraction of the glory of the blessed, it would not be so difficult to induce their souls to disdain the world and its allurements, and instead embrace tribulation and persecution for the love of Christ.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

Sermons

May 4, 1497

28 min read

Sermon on the Ascension

How great is the power of faith, beloved in Christ Jesus, is manifested by our Savior when he says: Si habueritis fidem sicut granum sinapis, dicitis monti huic: Transi hinc, et transibit, et nihil impossibile erit vobis, that is, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. And although this authority should be sufficient for us, nevertheless, for greater understanding, we will still prove by reason that faith is extremely powerful, speaking especially of formed faith.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

Sermons

Sep 20, 2024

19 min read

On the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord

Ungrateful, disobedient, sinful soul, I lifted you from the filth, from the mire of your sins, from the dregs of your iniquity, from the very gates of death, from your wicked habits, and from the ways of the world and, not by any merit of your own, I brought you into my most holy tabernacle—into the cloister of holy Religion—that you might proclaim and preach my praises to your brethren. You are my creation, my creature, and despite your countless negligences, I have exalted you, making you my instrument to proclaim my sweet love, my kindness, my infinite mercy, and my compassion to my beloved creatures and brides, the rational souls present here today. I have placed you here so that, through your obedience and the office granted to you by my grace, and through their humble reception of my burning words through your tongue, they might find some sweet consolation in my beloved, only-begotten Son, and at last, eternal life.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

Sermons

Dec 12, 1495

7 min read

Excerpt from Sermons XIX and XX on Psalm Quam bonus

Whoever humbles himself to attend the lowly school of Jesus Christ—that is, the holy manger—and takes the form of a disciple will undoubtedly learn more in one day at this school than in a hundred years at the schools of Plato and Aristotle. The school of the Holy Spirit is humble. And what is this school? The Manger of Jesus. O proud man, what will you do today? Where will you hide in shame? You who seeks grand status, who strives to expand your estates by licit and illicit means, who disdains the sight of the poor, who exalts yourself through noble lineage; and you, proud woman, who takes pride in wealth, vain beauty, family connections, and your husband—behold your God, made flesh for you, and see how in all things He favors humility.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

Sermons

Aug 4, 1495

30 min read

On the Solemnity of Our Holy Father St. Dominic

Behold the great Priest, who in his life propped up the house, and in his days fortified the temple. This, brethren, is Blessed Dominic, whose feast we celebrate today, and who, born in the Western parts while the end of the world neared, together with Blessed Francis, renewed the crumbling Church.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

Sermons

Apr 1, 1496

8 min read

Excerpt from Sermon XXXVIII on Amos and Zechariah

What can we say about the praises of our Queen? I find it difficult to praise her sufficiently, for it seems impossible. "How can you not know how to praise her?" you might ask. "You have praised the Lord, who is far greater than she." Even so, I have not praised Him adequately—indeed, not even to a thousandth of the extent He deserves.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

Sermons

Dec 1, 1490

21 min read

Sermon I on the First Epistle of St. John

Oh my beloved, if it were easy to persuade the minds of men about even a minute fraction of the glory of the blessed, it would not be so difficult to induce their souls to disdain the world and its allurements, and instead embrace tribulation and persecution for the love of Christ.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

Sermons

May 1497

28 min read

Sermon on the Ascension

How great is the power of faith, beloved in Christ Jesus, is manifested by our Savior when he says: Si habueritis fidem sicut granum sinapis, dicitis monti huic: Transi hinc, et transibit, et nihil impossibile erit vobis, that is, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. And although this authority should be sufficient for us, nevertheless, for greater understanding, we will still prove by reason that faith is extremely powerful, speaking especially of formed faith.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

Sermons

Sep 2024

19 min read

On the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord

Ungrateful, disobedient, sinful soul, I lifted you from the filth, from the mire of your sins, from the dregs of your iniquity, from the very gates of death, from your wicked habits, and from the ways of the world and, not by any merit of your own, I brought you into my most holy tabernacle—into the cloister of holy Religion—that you might proclaim and preach my praises to your brethren. You are my creation, my creature, and despite your countless negligences, I have exalted you, making you my instrument to proclaim my sweet love, my kindness, my infinite mercy, and my compassion to my beloved creatures and brides, the rational souls present here today. I have placed you here so that, through your obedience and the office granted to you by my grace, and through their humble reception of my burning words through your tongue, they might find some sweet consolation in my beloved, only-begotten Son, and at last, eternal life.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

Sermons

Dec 1495

7 min read

Excerpt from Sermons XIX and XX on Psalm Quam bonus

Whoever humbles himself to attend the lowly school of Jesus Christ—that is, the holy manger—and takes the form of a disciple will undoubtedly learn more in one day at this school than in a hundred years at the schools of Plato and Aristotle. The school of the Holy Spirit is humble. And what is this school? The Manger of Jesus. O proud man, what will you do today? Where will you hide in shame? You who seeks grand status, who strives to expand your estates by licit and illicit means, who disdains the sight of the poor, who exalts yourself through noble lineage; and you, proud woman, who takes pride in wealth, vain beauty, family connections, and your husband—behold your God, made flesh for you, and see how in all things He favors humility.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

Sermons

Aug 1495

30 min read

On the Solemnity of Our Holy Father St. Dominic

Behold the great Priest, who in his life propped up the house, and in his days fortified the temple. This, brethren, is Blessed Dominic, whose feast we celebrate today, and who, born in the Western parts while the end of the world neared, together with Blessed Francis, renewed the crumbling Church.

Fra Girolamo Savonarola, O.P.

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