De spe

On Hope. All human beings are by nature resourceful, because of the natural discerning and intelligent faculty of reason. For each of them entrusts himself to farming, travel, or some craft with some hope. For all endure labors, sweats, dangers, and afflictions with eagerness because of the expectation of future goods. The farmer, bending his back in the contraction of sinews and limbs, and arming both hands with a goad and a plow, willingly endures the frosts of winter and the torments from the clod and the embedded thorns, consoling his toils with the future expectation of the crops. The traveler, setting out on difficult and steep roads, his soles lashed by the resistance of the hard ground, boiling over with copious drops of sweat from head to nails, and bravely enduring heatwaves, lack of water, and scarcity of food, because of the profit he hopes for from the journey. Physicians, in the excision of festering wounds, endure the foul odor, and receiving from their hands the evacuations of bellies and the discharges of loose humors, they do not refuse, because of the health of the sick and because of their own prosperity hoped for from those they treat.

But the seafaring navigators, leaving the land and cutting through the salty and dark blue backs of the sea, endure the violence of contrary winds and incurable disturbances, the stretching of intricately woven ropes, the fearful creaking of sails and masts, and the roaring descents of wild waves, receiving these terrors because of the safety and prosperity hoped for from the voyage itself. All these and more besides endure labors and dangers because of a hope that appears for a short time. Much more so the God-loving race of Christians—I mean both men and women, for not only the male is enlisted in the service of God, but also the female, not by bodily strength but by the courage of prudence—both willingly undergo persecutions and famines, fasting and sleeplessness and sleeping on the ground, and other indescribable afflictions, because of the pure and blessed hope in the heavens. Therefore, let each stand firm in his own work and be strengthened by hope. The farmer of the spiritual field, thrust the plow of teaching into the receptive field of the mind; then, along with the previously sown seeds of the heretics, uproot the growth of Jewish and Greek sophistries, so that, having cleansed the soul, you may sow the holy seeds of faith, the joys of hope, the sweetnesses of love. For not only to Jeremiah was given the authority to tear down the worse and to plant the better, but also to you, in the saying: "Behold, I have placed my words in your mouth.

Behold, I have set you today over nations and kingdoms, to uproot and raze and destroy, and to rebuild and plant. Uproot, then, the wild shoots of lust, and plant the holy imitations of chastity; raze the planting of the evil one, and plant the polity of Christ; destroy the fugitive teachings, but set up as monuments the earnest thoughts. As a builder, tear down the images badly built by the device of the devil in the souls of men, and build a temple of God, laying as foundation the Son Christ, the cornerstone, upon which the fair works of righteousness are built. Doing these things, even if you are oppressed, endure; even if you are persecuted, do not grow weary; even if you hunger, do not flee; but endure all things eagerly for the sake of the hoped-for recovery in the luxury of paradise. You are a traveler, according to the one who says, "Set my steps in your paths, that my steps may not be shaken." Flee the broad and spacious road that leads to destruction; take the staff of the Spirit, which accomplishes two actions: it kills the crooked serpent lurking in your path, and it supports you when you are faint and falling in temptations. Bear the trial as it is brought; if you thirst, run to the immortal spring, Christ; if you hunger, seek the living bread, that you may not grow weary nor yield, slackened by pleasures, but be strengthened by looking to the end of the road, hoping for the angelic life in the kingdom of heaven.

The physician of souls cuts out with the sword of the Spirit the swollen and ulcerated passions of pride; he washes away the filth of pleasures with the water of teaching; he heals the wounds inflicted by sin upon the souls of men, using wine and oil according to the Lord: with wine he contracts, so that they no longer slackly yield to desires, and with oil he dissolves the pains of the soul, promising them swift forgiveness for past transgressions. Do not, looking to monetary gain, overlook the poor man, nor again, on account of despicable wealth, overlook the rich man, but exhort both poor and rich alike to be temperate. Despair of no one, not even the exceedingly sinful, lest we cast them completely into the abyss of sin, but give a hand to the fallen one, saying: The Lord came not to save the righteous, but sinners; so that, becoming eager, they may turn away from evil, do good, and be saved. Do everything for the health of the sick, nourished by the hope of those being saved and by the joy hoped for in God. As an athlete, contend lawfully; for no one is crowned unless he contends lawfully. The struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Endure the ascetic labors, flee the devilish snares. See Paul both running and boxing and wrestling. Thus I run, he says, that I may overtake; thus I box, not beating the air.

but I bruise my body, lest I, who have proclaimed, be myself found unworthy. Run, then, that you may overtake; box and wrestle, that you may conquer the enemy; anoint yourself with the oil of piety; you have wrestling moves left to you by the holy fathers; take the forbearance of Moses, the chastity of Joseph, the meekness of David, the virginity of Elijah, the fasting of Elisha, the poverty of Isaiah, the faith of Paul and Peter, the love of Christ, that having contended well in all things, you may receive the prizes of victory from the hand of God. Are you a shepherd of the rational sheep of Christ? Pen the sheep, turn back the straying, bind up the broken, heal the wolf-bitten, drive off the wolves, and the dogs that not only do not sleep for the flock but bark and secretly bite the flock of the Master—drive these away. Point out the ever-blooming grass that sprang from Mary, indicate the immortal spring of baptism, wipe clean the spotted sheep with the water of tears; endure every toil and labor, that when the chief shepherd Christ appears, you may receive the unfading crown of glory. Are you a sheep? Obey your shepherd, do not flee the fold, cherish the faith, the staff of the shepherd

Do not shrink back. For he does not strike you to kill you, but to turn you from error. The flower that blossomed from the rod of Jesse, distribute without distinction; the immortal spring that gushes forth from the unhewn rock, give to drink abundantly, so that from there you may not gather wealth into the fold of luxury; rather, do not love wealth. Flee from care for money; do not hoard coins; do not amass riches, through which accusations grow, but sow generously the sustenance for the poor, hoping to reap a bountiful and ripe sheaf for the soul. Let the poor person not be faint-hearted; do not despair of life; do not blaspheme, but give thanks; endure the brief stage of poverty; look to your standard-bearer Lazarus, and be strengthened by hope; for you too will attain the Abrahamic bosom of repose. There may the Lord God of all deem even us worthy, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom is the glory and the power together with the Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.