De profectu evangelii

To those who misuse the apostolic saying, "Whether by pretext or by truth Christ is proclaimed," and on humility. 1. Having recalled the Pharisee and the publican recently, and having yoked two chariots to our discourse, one of virtue and one of vice, we showed each: how great the profit of humility, how great the harm of arrogance. For the latter, even when joined with righteousness, fasts, and tithes, fell short; the former, even when yoked with sin, outstripped the Pharisee's chariot, although it had a worthless charioteer. For what is worse than a publican? Yet, because he crushed his own soul and called himself a sinner, which he was, he surpassed the Pharisee, who could speak of fasts and tithes and was free from every vice. For what reason and why? Because, although he was free from greed and plunder, he had the mother of all evils, vainglory and arrogance, deeply rooted in his soul. Therefore Paul also exhorts and says: Let each one examine his own work, and then he will have his boast in himself, and not in another. But that one came forward as an accuser of the whole world and declared himself better than all men. And even if he had set himself above only ten, or five, or two, or one, this would not have been tolerable; but now he not only set himself above the whole world, but also accused everyone. For this reason he fell behind in the race.

And just as a ship that has traversed countless waves and escaped many storms, then at the very mouth of the harbor strikes a certain reef and loses all the treasure stored within, so also this Pharisee, having endured the labors of fasting and of every other virtue, because he did not control his tongue, suffered a grievous shipwreck in the harbor itself. For that which came from prayer, from which he ought to have gained, to be so harmed and depart, is nothing other than to suffer shipwreck in the harbor. 2. Knowing this, therefore, beloved, even if we ascend to the very peak of virtue, let us consider ourselves the last of all, having learned that even from the heavens themselves arrogance can cast down the one who is not watchful, and from the very abyss of sins humility can raise up to a height the one who knows how to be moderate. For this humility placed the publican before the Pharisee; while that—I mean arrogance and pride—overcame even the incorporeal power of the devil; but humility and the recognition of one's own sins led the robber into paradise before the apostles. And if those who confess their own sins procure for themselves such great boldness, how many crowns will not be attained by those who are conscious of many good things in themselves but humble their own soul? For when sin is combined with humility, it runs with such ease that it surpasses and outstrips righteousness when joined with arrogance. If, then, you join humility with righteousness, where will it not reach? How many heavens will it not traverse?

He will certainly stand beside the throne of God in the midst of the angels with great boldness. Again, if arrogance yoked with righteousness, by the excess and weight of its own vice, was able to drag down that boldness, when it is combined with sin, into how great a gehenna will it be able to hurl the one who possesses it? I say these things not that we may neglect righteousness, but that we may flee arrogance; not that we may sin, but that we may be moderate. For humility is the foundation of our philosophy. Even if you build countless things above—alms, prayers, fasting, every virtue—if this is not laid down first, everything will be built in vain and to no purpose, and will easily collapse, like that building placed on sand. For there is nothing, nothing among our achievements, that does not need this; there is nothing that can stand without it. But whether you speak of temperance, virginity, contempt for money, or anything else, all are impure, polluted, and abominable when humility is absent. Therefore let us take it up everywhere—in words, in deeds, in thoughts—and with it let us build these things. 3. But enough has been said about humility, not according to the worth of the achievement—for no one can praise it worthily—but according to the understanding of your love. For I know well that even from these few words you will draw it to yourselves with great zeal.

Since it is necessary to make clear and evident the apostolic passage read today, which seems to many to provide an excuse for negligence, so that some, procuring from it a certain specious defense, may not neglect their own salvation, come, let us bring our discourse to this passage. What then is the passage? "Whether by pretext," he says, "or by truth, Christ is proclaimed." Many carry this about simply and at random, not reading what precedes or what follows, but, having cut off the rest of the members from the sequence, they put it forward to the more negligent for the destruction of their own soul. For, attempting to lead them away from sound faith, then seeing them fearful and trembling, as if this were not without danger, and wishing to dissolve their fear, they bring forward this apostolic passage, saying: "Paul permitted this, saying, 'Whether by pretext or by truth, let Christ be proclaimed.'" But this is not so, it is not so. First, for he did not say, "let it be proclaimed," but "it is proclaimed"; and there is a great difference between this and that. For to say "let it be proclaimed" is the act of one legislating; but to say "it is proclaimed" is the act of one reporting what happens. And that Paul does not legislate that there be heresies, but leads away all who attend to him, hear what he says: "If anyone evangelizes you contrary to what you received, let him be anathema, even if it be I, even if an angel from heaven." He would not have anathematized both himself and an angel, if he knew the matter to be without danger. And again, "For I am zealous for you with a divine zeal," he says; "for I betrothed you as a pure virgin to one man.

I fear lest, as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, so your thoughts be corrupted from the simplicity of faith in Christ. Behold, he has set simplicity, and he has not given pardon. For if there were pardon, there would be no danger; but if there were no danger, Paul would not have feared; and Christ would not have commanded the tares to be burned, if the matter were indifferent, and it were possible to attend to this one, that one, and another, and to all simply. 4. What then is the meaning of the saying? I wish to relate to you the whole history from a little above; for it is necessary to know in what circumstances Paul was when he wrote these things. In what circumstances then was he at that time? In prison, in chains, and in unbearable dangers. Whence is this clear? From the epistle itself. For above this he says: "I wish you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have come rather to the advancement of the Gospel, so that my chains have become manifest in Christ in the whole praetorium, and to all the rest; and that most of the brethren, emboldened by my chains, more boldly dare to speak the word." Now Nero had cast him into prison at that time. For just as a robber, having entered a house while all are sleeping, and stealing everything, when he sees someone lighting a lamp, extinguishes the light and kills the lamp-holder, so that he may with impunity steal and plunder the property of others;

Thus also Nero the Caesar at that time, like some robber and housebreaker, while all were sleeping a deep and insensible sleep, seizing everyone's possessions, breaking into marriages, overturning houses, displaying every form of wickedness, when he saw Paul kindling a lamp throughout the inhabited world—the word of teaching—and exposing his depravity, he hastened both to extinguish the proclamation and to destroy the teacher, so that he might be able to do everything with impunity; and having bound that holy man, he cast him into prison. Then it was that the blessed Paul wrote these things. Who would not be astounded? Who would not marvel? Or rather, who could be adequately astounded and marvel at that noble and heaven-high soul, that while bound and imprisoned in Rome, he sent letters to the Philippians from such a distance? For you know how great is the interval between Macedonia and Rome. But neither the length of the journey, nor the abundance of time, nor the press of affairs, nor the danger and successive terrors, nor anything else expelled the love and memory of his disciples; rather, he held them all in his mind. And not so much were his hands bound by chains as his soul was bound and nailed fast by longing for his disciples. This indeed he himself made clear in the preface of the epistle, saying: "Because I have you in my heart, both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel." And just as a king, having ascended the throne at dawn and seated in the royal courts, immediately receives countless letters from all sides—

Thus also that man, sitting in prison as if in a royal court, received and sent far more letters, as the nations from everywhere referred all their affairs to his wisdom concerning their own matters; and he administered more affairs than the reigning emperor, inasmuch as he had been entrusted with a greater authority. For God did not place only those inhabiting the Roman territory, but also all the barbarians, both land and sea, into his hands. And making this clear, he said to the Romans: "I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that I often intended to come to you, and was prevented until now, in order that I might have some fruit also among you, as among the other nations. To Greeks and barbarians, to wise and foolish, I am a debtor." So each day he took thought: now for the Corinthians, now for the Macedonians, how the Philippians were, how the Cappadocians, how the Galatians, how the Athenians, how those inhabiting Pontus, how all people. Yet, entrusted with the whole world, he was not only concerned for entire nations, but also for a single man; and now he sent a letter on account of Onesimus, now on account of the one who had committed fornication among the Corinthians. For he did not consider that the sinner was one person and in need of protection, but that he was a human being, a human being, the creature most precious to God, and for whose sake the Father did not spare even the Only-begotten. Do not say to me: "So-and-so is a runaway, a robber and a thief, full of countless evils," or that he is poor, cast off, worthless, and of no account.

But consider that Christ died for this man, and this suffices for you as a basis for all providence. Consider what sort of person that man must be, whom Christ honored so greatly that he did not spare even his own blood. For if a king had chosen to sacrifice himself for someone, we would not have sought any other proof that that man was great and highly valued by the king, I think; for the death would suffice to show the love of the deceased for him. But now it is not a man, not an angel, not an archangel, but the Lord of the heavens himself, the only-begotten Son of God himself, having put on flesh, gave himself for us. Shall we not, then, do and undertake everything so that men thus honored may enjoy all providence from us? And what defense shall we have? What pardon? This very thing Paul also indicated when he said: Do not destroy that man with your food, for whom Christ died. For wishing to shame those who despise their brothers and overlook them as if they were weak, and to bring them to zeal and persuade them to care for their neighbors, he set the death of the Lord before everything. So, sitting in prison, he wrote to the Philippians from such a distance.

Such is love according to God: it is not broken by any human thing, having its roots from above, from the heavens, and its rewards. And what does he say? I wish you to know, brothers. Do you see providence for the disciples? Do you see the teacher's care? Hear also the affection of the disciples toward the teacher, so that you may see that this was what made those men strong and invincible: being bound together. For if a brother aided by a brother is like a fortified city, much more would so many bound by the bonds of love repulse every plot of the evil demon. That Paul was bound together with the disciples, then, we no longer need proof or argument, since even when in chains he cared for them, and each day he died for them, inflamed with longing. That the disciples were bound to Paul with all precision, and not only men but also women, hear what he says about Phoebe: I commend to you Phoebe the sister, who is a deacon of the church in Cenchreae, so that you may receive her in the Lord worthily of the saints, and stand by her in whatever matter of yours she may need, she who became a patron of many, and of myself. But here he testified to her zeal only up to patronage; Priscilla and Aquila went even to death for Paul, and about them he writes thus, saying: Aquila and Priscilla greet you, who for my life put their own necks under, that is, to death. And concerning another again, writing to these same people, he says:

That he came near to death, risking his life, in order to fill up your deficiency of service to me. Do you see how they loved the teacher? How they considered his comfort before their own soul? For this reason none of them prevailed at that time. I say these things not that we may hear only, but that we may also imitate; and the speech is addressed not only to those who are ruled, but also to those who rule, so that the disciples may show much care for the teachers, and the teachers may have the same affection as Paul for those under them, not only for those present, but also for those far away. For Paul, as if inhabiting one house, the whole world, so he cared for the salvation of all, and leaving aside all his own bonds and afflictions and blows and distresses, he watched over and inquired each day how the affairs of the disciples were; and often for this very reason alone he sent, now Timothy, now Tychicus; and concerning the latter he says: That he might know about you, and encourage your hearts; and concerning Timothy: I sent him to you, no longer enduring, lest the tempter tempt you; and Titus again elsewhere, and another to another place. For since he himself, by the constraint of bonds

Often, while confined to a single place, he was unable to associate with his own flesh and blood, but through his disciples he associated with them. 7. And so, while in chains, he writes to the Philippians, saying: “I want you to know, brothers,” calling the disciples brothers. For such is love: it casts out all inequality, and knows neither superiority nor rank, but even if one is higher than all, he descends to the lowest of all; which is what Paul also did. But let us hear what he wants them to know: “That my circumstances,” he says, “have rather advanced the progress of the Gospel.” Tell me, how and in what way? Were you released from your bonds? Did you put off the chain, and preach in the city without hindrance? Did you enter the church, deliver long and many discourses concerning the faith, and, having gained many disciples, depart? Did you raise the dead, and become admired? Did you cleanse lepers, and astonish everyone? Did you drive out demons, and become exalted? None of these things, he says. How then did the progress of the Gospel occur? Tell me. “So that my chains,” he says, “became known in Christ in the whole praetorium, and to all the rest.” What are you saying? Is this, then, the progress? Is this the increase? Is this the growth of the proclamation, that all learned that you are bound? Yes, he says. Listen, then, to what follows, so that you may learn that the chains not only were not an obstacle, but also a basis for greater freedom of speech: “So that the majority of the brothers in the Lord, trusting in my chains, more boldly and fearlessly dare to speak the word.” What are you saying, O Paul? Did the chains not cause anxiety, but rather courage?

not fear, but longing? What is said has no coherence. I know that too. For these things did not happen according to the coherence of human affairs, he says, but what occurred was beyond nature, and the achievements were of divine grace. Therefore, what caused anguish in others provided confidence in him. For if someone takes a general and imprisons him and makes this known, he throws the entire army into flight; and if someone leads away the shepherd from the flock, he drives away the sheep with great impunity. But it was not so with Paul; on the contrary, the opposite entirely. For the general was bound, and the soldiers became more eager, and with greater boldness they attacked the enemy; the shepherd was confined, and the sheep were not destroyed nor scattered. 8. Who has seen, who has heard of disciples receiving greater encouragement in the perils of their teachers? How did they not fear? How were they not afraid? How did they not say to Paul, "Physician, heal yourself; free yourself from the manifold perils, and then you will procure countless benefits for us"? How did they not say these things? How? Because they were educated by the grace of the Spirit, because these things did not happen from weakness, but from Christ's permission, so that the truth might shine more brightly, increased and raised to greater magnitude through bonds, prisons, afflictions, and constraints. Thus the power of Christ is perfected in weakness. For if the bonds had overthrown Paul and made him more cowardly, then either he or those belonging to him would have had to be perplexed.

If it rather disposed them to be more confident and led them to greater glory, one must be amazed and wonder how through a thing that had dishonor glory was procured for the disciple, through a thing that instills cowardice courage and encouragement came to all of them. For who did not marvel at him then, seeing him bound in chains? It was then that demons fled all the more, when they saw him spending time in prison. For a diadem does not make a royal head so splendid as the chain makes his hands, not by its own nature, but by the grace that blooms upon them. Because of this, great encouragement came to the disciples. For they saw the body bound, but the tongue not bound; the hands constrained, but the word loosed, and running through the whole world faster than the sun's ray. And this became encouragement to them as they learned through the works that none of the present terrors was dreadful. For when the soul, dyed with divine longing and love, is genuinely affected, it turns to none of the present things; but just as those who are mad dare fire, iron, wild beasts, the sea, and everything, so these, having gone mad with a most beautiful and most spiritual madness, a madness born of sobriety, laughed at all that was seen. Therefore, seeing the teacher bound, they leaped all the more, rejoiced all the more, having given proof through their works to their opponents that they were from every side unassailable and unconquerable.

At that time, then, when matters were in this state, some of Paul's enemies, wishing to fan the war more fiercely and to increase the emperor's hostility toward him, pretended also themselves to preach, and they preached the right and sound faith in order to give the doctrine greater increase. They did this not because they wished to sow the faith, but so that Nero, learning that the preaching was growing and the doctrine was increasing, would more quickly lead Paul to the precipice. There were thus two schools: that of Paul's disciples and that of Paul's enemies—the former preaching from truth, the latter from contentiousness and hatred toward Paul. And indicating this, he said: "Some preach Christ out of envy and strife," pointing to those enemies; "Some also out of goodwill," saying this about his own disciples. He said again about the former: "Those from partisanship, the enemies—not purely, not soundly, but thinking to bring affliction to my bonds; those from love," again this about his own brothers: "Knowing that I am set for the defense of the Gospel." What then? "Nevertheless, in every way, whether by pretext or in truth, Christ is proclaimed." So this saying is taken up vainly and idly in the case of the heresies. For those who preached then did not preach a corrupted doctrine, but a sound and right faith. For if they had preached a corrupted doctrine and taught things different from Paul, it would not have succeeded for them in what they intended. And what did they intend?

The faith having increased and many having become Paul's disciples, they stirred Nero to a greater war. But if they had preached other doctrines, they would not have made many disciples of Paul; and not doing so, they would not have provoked the tyrant. Therefore he does not say that they introduced corrupt doctrines, but that the motive from which they preached was corrupt. For it is one thing to speak of the pretext of the preaching, and another for the preaching itself not to be sound. For the preaching is not sound when the doctrines are full of error; but the pretext is not sound when the preaching is sound, but those who preach do not preach for God's sake, but either for enmity or for the favor of others. 10. Therefore he does not say that they introduced heresies, but that they did not preach from a right pretext nor out of piety what they preached. For they did not do this to increase the Gospel, but to war against it and to cast him into greater danger; for this reason he accuses them. And see how precisely he has put it: "Thinking," he says, "to bring affliction to my chains." He did not say "bringing," but "thinking to bring," that is, supposing; showing that even if they think so, he himself is not so disposed, but even rejoices at the progress of the preaching. Therefore he added, saying: "But even in this I rejoice and

I will rejoice. But if the doctrines were erroneous and those men were introducing heresies, Paul could not have rejoiced. Since the doctrine is sound and unadulterated, therefore he says, "I rejoice and will rejoice." For what does it matter if those men are destroying themselves, doing so out of hostility? They are still increasing my work even against their will. Do you see how great Paul's power is? How he is caught by none of the devil's devices? And not only is he not caught, but he even subdues the devil by these very means. Great indeed is the devil's malice, and great the wickedness of those who serve him; for under the pretense of holding the same opinions, they wished to extinguish the preaching. But He who catches the wise in their own cunning did not permit this to happen then. Paul, indicating this very thing, said: "But remaining in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes, and I am persuaded of this, that I will remain and continue with you all." For those men desire to cast me out of this present life, and they endure everything for this purpose; but God does not permit it for your sakes. Remember all these things with precision, so that you may be able to correct with all wisdom those who use the Scriptures carelessly and haphazardly, to the ruin of their neighbors. And we will be able both to remember what has been said and to correct others, if we always take refuge in prayers and beseech God, who gives the word of wisdom, to grant also understanding of hearing, and accurate and invincible guardianship of this spiritual deposit. For what we are often unable to accomplish by our own zeal, we will be able to achieve easily through prayers—and by prayers I mean constant ones.

For one must always and unceasingly pray, both the one in distress and the one at ease, both the one in dire straits and the one in good circumstances: the one at ease and in many good things, so that these may remain stable and unchanged and never be overturned; the one in distress and many terrible things, so that he may see some favorable change occur for him and be transformed into a calm of consolation. Are you in calm? Then beseech God that this calm remain secure for you. Have you seen a storm rising? Beseech God earnestly to carry the surge past and to make calm from storm. Were you heard? Give thanks for this, because you were heard. Were you not heard? Persevere, so that you may be heard. For even if God sometimes delays the gift, it is not from hatred or aversion, but because he wishes to keep you continually near himself by the postponement of the gift, just as affectionate fathers do; for they too contrive the constant attendance of their more negligent children by delaying the gift. You have no need of mediators with God, nor of much running about and flattering others; but even if you are alone, even if you are without a patron, by yourself beseeching God you will certainly succeed. He is not accustomed to incline in response to others interceding for us as he is to us ourselves who are in need, even if we are full of countless evils. For if with men, even if we have given offense a thousand times, when we appear to those who are pained with us at dawn, at midday, and at evening, we easily dissolve their enmity by the continuity and unceasing frequency of our presence, much more would this happen with God.

12. But are you unworthy? Become worthy by your persistence. For that it is possible for even the unworthy to become worthy through persistence, and that God is more inclined to grant our request when we ourselves entreat him rather than through others, and that he often delays the gift, not wishing to reduce us to despair nor to send us away empty-handed, but in order to become the cause of greater goods for us—these three points I shall attempt to make clear through the parable read to you today. The Canaanite woman approached Christ, beseeching him on behalf of her demon-possessed daughter, and crying out with great intensity, she says: "Have mercy on me, Lord; my daughter is grievously possessed by a demon." Behold, the woman was a foreigner, a barbarian, and outside the Jewish polity. And what else was she but a dog, unworthy to receive her request? For it is not good, as they say, to take the bread of children and give it to little dogs. Yet, through her persistence, she became worthy. For not only did he bring her, who was a dog, into the nobility of his children, but he also sent her away with great praise, saying: "O woman, great is your faith; let it be as you wish." And when Christ says, "Great is the faith," seek no other proof of the woman's magnanimity. Do you see how through persistence she became worthy, though she was unworthy? Do you wish to learn also that we accomplish more by entreating him ourselves than through others? She cried out, and the disciples approached and said: "Send her away, for she is crying out behind us." And to them he said: "I was sent only for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

But when she herself came on her own and persisted, crying out and saying, "Yes, Lord, for even the little dogs eat from the table of their masters," then he granted the favor, and says, "Let it be as you wish." Do you see how, when they were pleading, he put them off, but when she herself, the one in need of the gift, cried out, he assented? To them, indeed, he says, "I was not sent except for the lost sheep of the house of Israel"; but to her he said, "Great is your faith; let it be as you wish." Again, at the beginning and in the preamble of the request, he answered nothing; but when she came once, twice, and three times, then he granted the favor, persuading us through the outcome that he delayed the giving not to reject her, but to show us all the woman's perseverance. For if he had delayed to reject her, he would not have given even at the end; but since he waited to display her philosophy to all, he was silent for this reason. For if he had given immediately and at the start, we would not have known the woman's fortitude. "Let her go," he says, "for she cries out behind us." But what does Christ say? "You hear a voice, but I see the intention; I know what she is about to say. I do not wish the treasure hidden in her mind to escape notice, but I wait and am silent, so that, having uncovered it, I may set it in the midst and make it manifest to all." 13. Having learned all this, then, even if we are in sins and unworthy to receive, let us not despair, knowing that by the persistence of the soul we will be able to become worthy of the request.

Even if we are without a patron and forsaken, let us not despair, knowing that it is a great protection to approach God oneself with much eagerness. Even if he delays and postpones the giving, let us not lose heart, having learned that the delay and postponement is a sign of care and love for humanity. If we have thus persuaded ourselves, and approach him with a soul that is pained and fervent and with an aroused purpose, and with the same kind of approach as the Canaanite woman had, then even if we are dogs, even if we have done some terrible thing, we will repel our own evils and will receive such freedom of speech as to be able to stand up for others. In the same way, this Canaanite woman not only enjoyed freedom of speech and countless praises herself, but also was able to snatch her little daughter from unbearable terrors. For nothing, nothing is more powerful than a prayer that is fervent and genuine. This both dissolves present terrors and snatches one from the punishments that occur at that time. Therefore, in order that we may complete the present life with ease and depart there with freedom of speech, let us perform this with great zeal and eagerness continually. For in this way we will be able to attain the good things that are stored up and to enjoy hopeful expectations. May it be that we all attain these, by the grace and love for humanity and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, there is glory, honor, and power for ever and ever. Amen.