Translated by Qwen.
That No One Is Truly a Christian Unless They Are a Lover, Worshipper, and Follower of Christ
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil 2:5)
"Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked" (1 John 2:6)
Just as the most holy doctors Cyprian and Augustine affirm, he is in vain—indeed, to his own greater damnation—called a Christian by Christ, who does not imitate Christ's virtues: humility, meekness, patience, obedience, and charity. For he is truly and salvifically called a Christian who is a worthy imitator of Christ, who declares himself a worshipper, lover, and follower of Christ; and who, being such, obeys Christ, preferring eternal and heavenly goods to temporal and earthly ones. Therefore, he is most blessed who says with John: "He who says he abides in Him"—that is, truly exists as a Christian and adheres to Christ through faith formed by charity—"ought to walk," that is, to conduct his life, just as Christ walked; so that he does nothing contrary to Christ's precepts.
Whoever therefore is proud, whoever is envious, whoever is avaricious or lustful, whoever is slothful or subject to impatience, ought rather to be called diabolical than Christian. For he is a member and servant of the devil, not of Christ; and he consents to and serves the devil, while being rebellious and ungrateful to Christ. Moreover, it especially pertains to every Christian to be truly charitable and merciful. Therefore, Christians ought, for God's sake and in God, to love truly and spiritually both enemies and friends alike, to do good to all, and to insist greatly upon the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Wherefore the Apostle admonishes and instructs all the faithful, saying: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil 2:5); so that just as Christ was always tranquil and most patient in mind, and filled with all piety, charity, and virtue, so Christians, according to the requirement of their vocation and according to the measure of their state and rank, should strive to imitate Christ the Lord, their Head and Master, in these virtues.
Finally, just as he would be foolish and deserving of ridicule who called himself a smith, or a weaver, and yet possessed no smith's craft nor weaver's art; so he is to be ridiculed and is senseless who professes himself a Christian and yet does not follow the life of Christ. Hence Christ Himself said to the Apostles at the Last Supper, and in their person to all believers: "I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you do also" (John 13:15). Whence St. Jerome relates concerning himself that when he was still a young man and delighted more in the books of the gentile philosophers and rhetoricians than in the codices of Sacred Scripture, he was caught up in a nocturnal vision to the judgment of God and presented before Christ. When asked by Christ what condition he was of, he confidently responded that he was a Christian. To whom Christ spoke: "You are not a Christian, but a Ciceronian"—namely, because he immoderately delighted in the books of Cicero or Tully. Wherefore Christ commanded that he be severely scourged.
Secondly, let us consider how Christ humbled Himself in His entire conversation in this world.
For although from the beginning of His incarnation He was filled, even according to His assumed nature, with wisdom, virtue, and every grace of the Holy Spirit, nevertheless He remained hidden until the thirtieth year of His life; nor did He preach publicly, nor display His wisdom everywhere, nor hasten to acquire human fame or praise. Then, having become thirty years old, He came to the baptism of John His precursor, among the common people and sinners, as if one of them; and, as if He were a sinner, He deigned to be baptized. Afterwards, He did not disdain to be tempted and led by the devil. When He began to preach publicly, He gathered few disciples—rough and simple men, poor and ignoble. Among whom, until the hour of His passion, He conversed with ineffable condescension and humility, as He said: "I am in the midst of you as he who serves" (Luke 22:27). Whence, as a sign of His most profound humility, at the Last Supper He washed the feet of the Apostles, bending His knees before them, He Himself, the King of kings and Lord of all.
Thirdly, let us consider how Christ humbled Himself in His saving Passion.
In this indeed He humbled Himself altogether beyond telling: because He permitted Himself, as if a most wicked transgressor, to be captured, bound, mocked, accused, scourged, and killed. He stood before Pilate with His face inclined toward the earth, with admirable silence, with a most humble heart; He permitted Himself to be mocked with a white garment, to be stripped, bound to a column, torn by scourges, crowned with thorns and spat upon; but He Himself carried the cross to death, and deigned to be suspended between thieves, and thus to be reckoned as nothing. Indeed, He did not shrink from being despised as a leper and one struck by God, so that He might give us a most efficacious example of despising all vanities and human praises, temporal honors, dignities, and promotions. Whence, when the Jews wished to seize Him and make Him king, He fled into the mountain; but when they wished to seize Him to crucify Him, He went to meet them.
Fourthly, as this Epistle teaches, we ought to follow Christ's obedience.
For He was made obedient to the eternal Father unto the most bitter and most ignominious death of the cross. Therefore we also ought always, willingly and promptly, out of charity and equity, with right intention, to obey God and His vicars, our prelates, and the precepts of the Church in all things: "Not my will, but Yours be done" (Luke 22:42). For the disobedient and proud person prefers his own will to the divine will; and thus he indescribably dishonors God and subjects himself to the yoke of sin and damnation. Therefore, just as to serve God is to reign—that is, to dominate the devil and vices and one's own will, and to possess the best liberty—so not to obey God is to be most basely subjected and enslaved; that is, to be overcome and subjected by vices, concupiscences, and passions, to obey demons, and to be constrained in hell. Therefore, if after this very brief life we wish to be eternally exalted, honored, and established in happiness by God, let us not now refuse, for God's sake, to humble ourselves greatly and to obey in all things.
Exemplum from the Lives of the Fathers
It is related in the fifth book of the Lives of the Fathers that in a certain monastery there were two carnal brothers, of whom one was of great abstinence, the other of great obedience, so that he most promptly obeyed the abbot in all things, and therefore was held in great esteem. From this, his brother conceived a certain envy against him and said within himself: "I will test this man to see if he has true obedience." Therefore, having obtained permission from the abbot, he took his brother with him along a certain road. When they came to a river in which there was a multitude of crocodiles, the abstinent brother said to his obedient brother: "Go down into the river and cross." He immediately entered the river; and the crocodiles coming near licked his feet, harming him not at all. Seeing this, his brother said: "Come out of the river."
And when they continued their journey, they found the body of a dead man lying on the ground. The abstinent brother said: "If we had something of a relic, we would cast it upon this body." The obedient brother responded: "Let us rather pray; perhaps he will rise." And when they prayed earnestly, that dead man arose. When this was done, the abstinent brother boasted, saying: "On account of abstinence this dead man has risen." But God revealed these things to their abbot. Therefore, when they had returned, the abbot said to the abstinent brother: "Why did you act thus toward your brother? Behold, nevertheless, on account of his obedience that man arose."
From this example it is proved how virtuous and pleasing to God it is to obey superiors. Therefore, let us imitate Christ's obedience.
Comments
Post a Comment