Numbers 28:11

The third festival is set as the day of the new moon, on which a victim also is offered. Now "neomenia" means the new moon. This too, then, is a festival, when the moon is renewed. And it is called "new" when it has been made nearest to the sun and very closely joined to it, so that it hides beneath its brightness. But perhaps it may seem wonderful, indeed superfluous, that the divine law should command this. For what does it profit religion to observe as a festival the new moon, that is, when it is joined to the sun and cleaves to it? If these things are considered according to the letter, they will seem not so much religious as superstitious; but the Apostle Paul knew that the law does not speak of these things, nor did the Holy Spirit command that rite which seems to be observed by the Jews; and therefore he said to those who had received the faith of God: "Let no one therefore judge you in food or drink or in respect of a feast day or of a new moon or of a sabbath, which are a shadow of things to come." If, therefore, the sabbath, of which we expounded above as best we could, is a shadow of things to come, and the new moon is a shadow of things to come, it is certain that the other festivals likewise are shadows of things to come. But now let us look at the new moon. We said that the festival is called the new moon when the moon has begun to be renewed and to be made nearest to the sun and wholly joined to it. The Sun of justice is Christ; if the moon, that is, His Church, which is filled with His light, be joined to Him and cleave wholly to Him, so that, according to the word of the Apostle, "he who joins himself to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him," then it keeps the festival of the new moon; for then it is made new, when it has cast off the old man and put on the new, who is created according to God, and thus deservedly keeps the solemnity of renewal, which is the festival of the new moon. And it is then, finally, when it can neither be seen nor comprehended by human sight. For when the soul has wholly allied itself to the Lord and has wholly withdrawn into the splendor of His light, and thinks nothing at all earthly, seeks nothing worldly, nor is eager to please men, but has surrendered itself wholly to the light of wisdom, wholly to the warmth of the Holy Spirit, made subtle and spiritual — how can it be discerned by men or apprehended by human sight? For the animal man cannot understand and discern the spiritual man. And therefore most worthily will it keep the feast day and will slay to the Lord the victim of the new moon, as one renewed through Him.