Sermon 169

SERMO 169

ON THE WORDS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL (PHIL 3:3-16):
"For we are not the circumcision,"
"WE WHO SERVE THE SPIRIT OF GOD," etc.
Against the Pelagians

To serve God in spirit, what it is.

Let your Holiness direct your ears and mind to the apostolic reading, aiding us with your affection before the Lord our God, so that we may be able to present to you what He deems to reveal to us in an appropriate and beneficial manner. Therefore, when it was read, you heard the apostle Paul saying: For we are the circumcision, who serve the Spirit of God. I know that many codices have: Who serve God in spirit. However, as much as we have been able to investigate, more Greek texts have: Who serve the Spirit of God. But the issue is not there. For it is evident that both are appropriate and conform to the rule of truth, because we both serve the Spirit of God and serve God not by the flesh but by the spirit. Indeed, one serves God by the flesh, who hopes to please God through carnal things. But when even the flesh is subjected to the spirit for good works, we serve God by the spirit; because we subdue the flesh so that the spirit may obey God. For the spirit governs, the flesh is governed; nor does the spirit govern well if it is not governed.

Circumcision and righteousness are how we are. Our righteousness is from the gift of God.

Therefore, when he says: We are the circumcision; see what he wanted to be understood in that circumcision which was given in shadow signifying, which was removed with the coming of the light. But why did he not say: We have the circumcision; but: We are the circumcision; understand that the Apostle wished to say: We are justice. For circumcision is justice. Moreover, he emphasizes more by saying that we are justice than by saying that we are just; yet so that when he says justice, we understand the just. For we are not that unchangeable justice, of which we are made partakers; but just as it is said: There, in great youth, for many young people; so it is said justice, to understand the just. Hear this more clearly, with the same Apostle speaking: That we, he says, might be made the justice of God in Him. We might be justice, not our own, but of God; accepted from Him, not taken by us; imparted, not usurped; given, not seized. For to some it was robbery to be equal with God; and because he sought robbery, he found ruin. But our Lord Jesus Christ, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. For to Him, equality with God was natural, it was not robbery. Nevertheless, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, so that we might be the justice of God in Him. For if He had avoided poverty, we would not be free from poverty. For He became poor, though He was rich; so that by His poverty, as it is written, we might be made rich. What shall His riches do for us, whose poverty makes us rich? The Apostle therefore did not deny you circumcision, but explained it; he presented the light and removed the shadow.

Spiritual circumcision of those who glory in Christ. Why circumcision was done on the eighth day. The Lord's day.

We are, he says, the circumcision, who serve God in spirit, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. He referred to some who trusted in the flesh; they were those who gloried in the circumcision of the flesh. Of whom he says in another place: Their god is their belly, and glory is in their shame. Understand circumcision yourself, and be the circumcision; understand, and be: For understanding is good to all who do it. Indeed, the infant was not ordered to be circumcised on the eighth day in vain, since the rock with which we are circumcised was Christ. For the people were circumcised with stone knives: But the rock was Christ. Why then on the eighth day? Because in the weeks, the same is the first who is the eighth. For after completing seven days, one returns to the first. The seventh is finished, the Lord is buried; one returns to the first, the Lord is risen. For the resurrection of the Lord has promised us an eternal day and consecrated unto us the Lord's day. Which is called "the Lord's", it seems particularly to belong to the Lord; because on that day the Lord rose. The rock has been given back, let those be circumcised who wish to say: For we are the circumcision. For he was delivered up for our sins, and raised for our justification. Your justification, your circumcision, is not from you. By grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not from you, but it is the gift of God; not from works. Lest perhaps you should say: I have deserved, and therefore I have received. Do not think you have received by deserving, who would not have deserved, unless you had received. Grace preceded your merit; not grace from merit, but merit from grace. For if grace is from merit; you have bought, not received it freely. For nothing, he says, you will save them. What does it mean: For nothing, you will save them? You find nothing in them from which you save, and yet you save. You give freely, you save freely. You precede all merits, so that your gifts may achieve my merits. You give completely freely, you save freely, who find nothing from which you might save, and find much from which you might condemn.

Trust in the flesh.

Therefore, he says, we are the circumcision, who serve the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus. He who glories, let him glory in the Lord. And not trusting in the flesh. And what does it mean to trust in the flesh? Listen, he says. Although I, he says, have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has confidence in the flesh, I more so. Do not think, he says, that I despise this because I do not have it. What is so great if an abject man, a commoner, an ignoble person, despises nobility, and then shows true humility? Although I, he says, have confidence even in the flesh. Therefore, he says, I teach you to despise it, because you see that I have what I despise. If anyone else thinks he has confidence in the flesh, I more so.

Paul's reason for boasting in the flesh, what it will have been.

And listen to confidence in the flesh: Circumcised on the eighth day; that is, not a proselyte, not a stranger to the people of God, not circumcised when older, but born a Jew from parents, I have the circumcision of the eighth day. Of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law, a Pharisee. Some were chiefs, and, as it were, separated for Jewish nobility, not mingled with the contemptible common people, who were called Pharisees. For it is said that this word is interpreted as “separation,” just as in the Latin language "egregious" is said, as if separated from the crowd. But there were Israelites, that is, of the stock of Israel, even those who were separated from the temple. However, the tribe of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin remained at the temple. The tribe of Levi in priests, the tribe of Judah royal, and the tribe of Benjamin, this alone remained at Jerusalem and at the temple of God, when that separation happened in the servant of Solomon. Therefore, do not take lightly what he says: of the tribe of Benjamin; adhering to Judah, not departing from the temple. A Hebrew of Hebrews, as touching the law, a Pharisee, as for zeal, persecuting the Church. Among his merits, he recounts that he was a persecutor: for zeal, he says. What zeal? I was not, he says, a lazy Jew; whatever seemed opposed to my Law, I endured impatiently, pursued sharply. This is nobility among the Jews; but humility is sought in Christ. Therefore, there he is Saul, here Paul. Saul is derived from Saul. You know who Saul was; his tall stature was chosen. Scripture describes him as superior to all when he was chosen to be anointed as king. Paul was not thus, but became Paul. For Paul is little, therefore Paul means small. Hence: For zeal, he says, persecuting the Church. From this, men understand what kind of person I was among the Jews, who pursued the Church of Christ with zeal for the traditions of my fathers.

To walk in the law without complaint.

He adds: According to the righteousness which is in the law, I have been blameless. Your Love knows that it is said that Zachariah and Elizabeth walked blamelessly in all the commandments of the Lord. Scripture says, walking in all the justice of the Lord blamelessly. Behold, this was also our Paul, when he was Saul. He walked blamelessly in the law; and what was blameless in him, this made a great complaint about him. What then do we think, brothers, is it evil to be blameless according to the justice which is in the law? If it is evil to be blameless according to the justice which is in the law, then is the law in some way evil? But we have the same Apostle saying: Therefore the law is indeed holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. If the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good; how can it not be good, how can it not be holy, to walk blamelessly according to the justice which is from the holy law? Is it perhaps holy? Let us listen to the Apostle himself; see what he says: Whatever things were gain to me, those I considered loss for the sake of Christ. He calls them losses, and among his losses he counts that he was blameless in the justice which is in the law. Nevertheless, he says, and I count all things as loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord. I consider, he says, my praises, I compare them to the excellence of our Lord Jesus Christ. I desire that; I despise this. This is but little: For whom I have suffered the loss of all things, he says, and count them as dung, that I may gain Christ.

Justice from the law, why does it remove from Christ?

A great question has arisen, O Paul! If you lived blamelessly according to the righteousness that is in the law, and this you regard as loss, damage, and dung to gain Christ, does that mean that righteousness was prohibited by Christ? I beseech you, explain this a little. Rather let us pray to God, that He may enlighten us, by whom he himself was enlightened, who wrote this letter to us, not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. You see, beloved, how arduous it is, how difficult it is to understand this; while it is agreed that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good; it is totally agreed among faithful Catholics; so that no one dissents, except he who does not want to be Catholic, that this law was given only by the Lord our God; according to that righteousness, which is in the law, living blamelessly was an impediment to the Apostle, so that he might not come to Christ; nor did he come to Christ, unless he reckoned this which was according to the righteousness that is in the law, blamelessly, among losses, detriment, and dung. Let us follow, then, and come a little closer, lest something shines forth for us in the very words of the Apostle, from which this obscurity may be removed and solved. Losses, he says, I have considered all these things, and I have regarded them as dung, that I may gain Christ. Pay attention, I beseech you. Losses, damages, and dung I have regarded them as, including this, that I was blameless according to the righteousness that is in the law. Therefore, I considered all these things as losses and dung, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness which is from the law. You who have anticipated the understanding of the exposition, think you are walking as the swift with the slower ones on the way. Let the speed be restrained a little, lest the slower companion is abandoned. That I may gain Christ, he said, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law. If he said my own, why did he add from the law? For if it is from the law, how is it yours? Did you impose the law upon yourself? God gave the law, God imposed the law, God commanded you to obey His law. If the law did not teach you how you should live, how could you have righteousness without blame according to the law? If you have it according to the law, how can you say: Not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, which is from God?

He approaches the solution of the question. Justice from the law, when the law is obeyed out of fear. The desire is not removed by the fear of punishment. The delight of justice is a gift of God.

Now therefore I will speak as best I can; may He who possesses you reveal it better, granting both understanding and affection. For He will grant effect if He grants affection. This is what I want to say; with the law of God set forth, for it indeed said: "You shall not covet"; with the law of God set forth, apart from those carnal sacraments which were shadows of things to come; with the law of God set forth, whoever fears it and thinks he can fulfill it by his own strength, and does what the law commands, not loving righteousness, but fearing punishment; indeed, according to the righteousness which is of the law, he was a man without complaint; he does not steal, does not commit adultery, does not bear false witness, does not commit murder, does not covet his neighbor's property; he can do this, he can perhaps; from what source? From the fear of punishment. Although, who from the fear of punishment does not covet, I think he still covets. With a great terror of arms and weapons, and perhaps by the approaching multitude or the one going before him, even a lion is called back from its prey; and yet the lion comes, the lion returns; the prey was not seized, wickedness was not put away. If you are such, there is still justice, but it is the kind of justice where you consult your own interests so as not to be tormented. What is great about fearing punishment? Who does not fear it? What thief, what criminal, what evildoer? But this is the difference between your fear and the thief’s fear, that the thief fears human laws, and therefore commits theft because he hopes to deceive human laws; but you fear His laws, you fear His punishment, whom you cannot deceive. For if you could deceive Him, what would you not do? Therefore, even your evil desire is not taken away by love, but suppressed by fear. To the sheepfold, the wolf; by the barking of dogs he is not taken away by love, but suppressed by fear. The wolf comes to the sheepfold; by the barking of dogs and the shout of shepherds, the wolf is driven away from the sheepfold; yet he is always a wolf. Let him be turned into a sheep. For indeed, the Lord makes this happen; but that is His justice, not yours. For as long as you have your own, you can fear punishment, not love righteousness.

The delight of justice is a gift of God.

Therefore, my brothers, does iniquity have its delights, and justice does not? Does evil delight, and good does not delight? It entirely delights; but: The Lord will give sweetness, and our land will yield its fruit. Unless He first gives sweetness, our land will have nothing but sterility. Therefore, it is this justice that the Apostle desired, he was delighted; he remembered God, and he was delighted; his soul desired, and it burned in the courts of the Lord; and all things he considered great became worthless, losses, detriments, filth.

Saul, the persecutor of the Church, because establishing his own righteousness.

For from there was also that which persecuted the Church, according to the zeal of paternal traditions; from there it was, because he was establishing his own righteousness, he was not seeking the righteousness of God. For see how he was persecuting the Church. What then shall we say? said the Apostle himself in another place: Because the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained righteousness. But what kind? The righteousness which is by faith. But the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness, which is by law, as if their own, which is done out of fear of punishment, not out of love of righteousness; because they did not pursue righteousness, they attained righteousness; but the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, he says, pursuing the law of righteousness, did not attain the law of righteousness. Why? Because it was not by faith. What does it mean: Because it was not by faith? He did not hope in God, he did not ask for it from God, he did not believe in Him who justifies the ungodly; he was not like the Publican lowering his eyes to the ground, beating his breast, and saying: Lord, be merciful to me a sinner. Therefore: Pursuing the law of righteousness, he did not attain the law of righteousness. Why? Because it was not by faith, but as if by works. For they stumbled at the stumbling stone. Behold why Saul persecuted the Church. For when he persecuted the Church, he stumbled at the stumbling stone. Christ lay humble on the earth; indeed, He was also in heaven, His flesh raised from the dead; but unless Christ lay on the earth, He would not have cried out to Saul: Why do you persecute me? Therefore He lay humble because He displayed humility; he stumbled because he did not see. And all this not seeing, where was it from? From the swelling of pride. What is it: From the swelling of pride? As if from his own righteousness. From the law, indeed, but his own. What is it: From the law? Because in the commands of the law. What is it: From his own? As if from his own strength. Love was missing, the love of righteousness, the love of the charity of Christ. And from where would he have love? Fear alone possessed him, but it kept a place in his heart for the love to come. While he raged upright, boasting, glorying among the Jews themselves that according to the zeal of paternal traditions he was persecuting the Church; while he seemed exalted to himself, he heard from above the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ, now sitting in heaven, and still commending humility: Saul, he said, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads. I could let you go; for you would be troubled by my pricks, I would not be broken by your kicks; but I do not let you go. You rage, and I pity. Why do you persecute me? For I do not fear you, lest you crucify me again; but I want you to recognize me, so that you do not kill not me, but yourself.

Paul shudders at his own righteousness, so that he may have righteousness from God.

The Apostle, therefore, shuddered, struck down and prostrated, raised up and instructed. For it happened in him: "I will wound, and I will heal." For he does not say: "I will heal, and I will wound;" but: "I will wound, and I will heal." I will wound you, and I will give myself to you. Thus prostrated, he shuddered at his own righteousness, in which he certainly was without complaint, praiseworthy, great, almost glorious among the Jews; he considered these things losses, believed them damages, counted them as refuse, so that he might be found in Him not having his own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, which, he says, is from God. But what does the Apostle himself say about those who stumbled over the stone of offense? Because, he says, not by faith, but as though by works. For they stumbled at the stone of offense as though by their own righteousness; as it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of scandal; and whoever believes in Him shall not be put to shame." For whoever believes in Him will not have his own righteousness, which is from the law, though the law itself is good; but he will fulfill that law, not by his own righteousness, but by that given from God. Thus he will not be put to shame. For charity is the fullness of the law. And whence is this charity poured into our hearts? Surely not from ourselves, but through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Therefore, they stumbled at the stone of offense, and the rock of scandal. And he said of them: "Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is for their salvation." The Apostle prays for the unbelievers, that they may believe; for those turned away, that they may be converted. You see that even this conversion is not without God's aid. "My prayer," he says, "to God for them is for salvation. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God." So he himself had it too; he had a zeal for God. But how did he have it? As they had it: "but not according to knowledge." What is this: "not according to knowledge"? For being ignorant of God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own. Hence he, corrected, says: "Not having my own righteousness." They want to establish their own, still taking pleasure in lying in refuse. I do not have my own righteousness, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God; righteousness, I say, from God, who justifies the ungodly.

True justice for us is not except by grace.

Remove yourself, remove yourself, I say, from yourself, you hinder yourself; if you build yourself, you build ruin. Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Therefore, do not wish to have your own righteousness. Certainly, it is from the law, indeed from the law; certainly, God gave the law, and because righteousness is from the law, it should not be yours. The Apostle Paul speaks; let not those who love their own righteousness slander me. See where you have him: open, read, listen, see. Do not have your own righteousness; the Apostle accounts it as filth, even though it is from the law, yet because it is his own. For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and wishing to establish their own, they have not submitted to the righteousness of God. Do not think that because you are called a Christian, you cannot stumble on the stone of offense. To whom grace is denied, in him you stumble. It is less to offend Christ hanging on the cross than sitting in heaven. Let there be righteousness, but let it be from grace, let it be from God to you; let it not be yours. "May your priests be clothed with righteousness," he says. A garment is received, not born with hair; livestock are clothed from their own. This the Apostle Paul proclaims: let it be from God to you. Groan to obtain it, weep to obtain it, believe to obtain it. "Whoever," he says, "shall call upon the name of the Lord, will be saved." Do you think it was said this way: "Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, will be saved"; from fever, or from plague, or from gout, or from some bodily pain? Not so, but will be saved, will be righteous. Since: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." He explained it when he said: "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

It is great to know the power of Christ's resurrection. Our resurrection is more wonderful.

Therefore, see what follows. "And I be found in him," he says, "not having my own righteousness, which is from the law; though it is from the law, yet it is mine: but that which is through the faith of Christ; which is obtained from God, which is from God, righteousness through faith, to know him, and the power of his resurrection." It is a great thing to acknowledge the power of the resurrection of Christ. Do you think this is great, because he raised his own flesh? Did he say the power of his resurrection itself? Will it not also be our resurrection at the end of the age? Will not this corruptible put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality? Just as he rose from the dead, and no longer dies, death no longer has dominion over him; so also we, more wonderfully, if I may say so? For his flesh did not see corruption; ours is restored from ashes. Indeed, it is a great thing because he preceded us as an example and gave us something to hope for; but this is not the only thing for him who spoke of righteousness not his own, but that which is from God, and there he mentioned the power of the resurrection of Christ; recognize there your justification. For we are justified by his resurrection, as if we were circumcised from a stone. Therefore, he began there: "We are the circumcision." From what circumcision? From a stone. What stone? Christ. How? On the eighth day. How did the Lord rise on the Lord's Day?

Our justification is from grace, not without our will.

Therefore, my brothers, let us have this justification, insofar as we have it, and let us increase it insofar as we are lesser, and let us complete it when we arrive there, where it will be said: "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" But all is from God; not, however, as if we were sleeping, not as if we were not to strive, not as if we were not to will. Without your will, the justice of God will not be in you. Indeed, the will is yours, the justice is God's. The justice of God can exist without your will, but it cannot exist in you without your will. It has been shown what you ought to do; the law commanded: Do not do this, do not do that; do this and that. It has been shown to you, it has been commanded to you, it has been revealed to you; if you have a heart, you have understood what you ought to do; pray that you may do it, if you recognize the power of Christ's resurrection. For he was delivered for our offenses, and he rose for our justification. What does it mean: for our justification? That he might justify us, that he might make us just. You will be the work of God, not only because you are a human, but also because you are just. For it is better to be just than to be human. If God made you a human, and you make yourself just, you do something better than God did. But God made you without you. For you did not give any consent, that God might make you. How could you consent when you were not? Therefore, he who made you without you, does not justify you without you. Therefore, he made you not knowing, he justifies you willing. However, he himself justifies, lest it be your justice, lest you return to losses, to detriments and dregs, finding in him not having your justice, which is from the law, but the justice through the faith of Christ, which is from God; the justice from faith, to know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings. And that same power will be your strength; the fellowship of Christ's sufferings will be your strength.

The sharing of Christ's sufferings from love.

But what will it be: in sharing the sufferings of Christ, if there is no love? Are not robbers found in such physical strength that some of them not only were unwilling to betray their accomplices, but also refused to confess their own names; amidst tortures, amidst torments, with their sides broken open, and nearly losing their limbs, their spirit remained in the most wicked obstinacy? See, therefore, what they loved. However, they could not do these things without great love. But not so the lover of God. God is not loved, except from God. That man loved I know not what else of the flesh, like a human. Whatever he loved, he loved his companions, he loved the consciousness of crimes, he loved glory in wicked deeds; whatever he loved, he loved much, who could be tortured, could not fail. So if he could, who could be tortured, could not fail; if he could not bear so much without love; neither can you share in the sufferings of Christ without love.

Charity and enlargement of the heart from the Holy Spirit.

But I ask, with what love? Let it not be desire, but charity. For if, he says, I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profits me nothing. To benefit from the communion of Christ's sufferings, charity must be present. Whence comes charity for you? O most impoverished weakness, whence for you comes the love of God? Do you wish me to show you whence it comes? Ask the Lord's storehouse. For if the love of God is in you, you will share in Christ's sufferings and be a true martyr. In whom love is crowned, he will be a true martyr. So, from where is it for you? We have this treasure in earthen vessels, says the Apostle, so that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. So, where is charity for you, except it be because it is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us? Behold for which you groan. Despise your spirit, receive the Spirit of God. Let not your spirit fear, lest when the Spirit of God begins to dwell in you, it should suffer distress in your body. When the Spirit of God begins to dwell in your body, it will not exclude your spirit; do not fear. If you host a wealthy person, you suffer distress; you find no place to stay, where to prepare a bed for him, where for his wife, where for his children, where for the household. What do I do, you ask? Where do I go? Where will I move? Receive the wealthy Spirit of God; you will be expanded, not distressed. You have widened my steps beneath me, you say. You will say to your guest: You have widened my steps beneath me. When you were not here, I suffered distress; you filled my room, and did not exclude me, but my distress. For when he says: The love of God is poured out, this diffusion signifies widening. Do not, then, fear distress, receive this guest; and let him not be a guest as if passing through. For he does not have to give by departing: coming, let him dwell in you, and he gave. Be his, let him not leave you, let him not migrate from there; hold him entirely, and say to him: Lord our God, possess us.

The Apostle professes himself imperfect.

Therefore, he said, let us have that righteousness which is from God, to know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. For we are buried, he said, with Christ through Baptism into death; that just as Christ was raised from the dead, so we too may walk in newness of life. Die, so that you may live; be buried, so that you may rise again. For when you have been buried and have risen again, then it will be true: Lift up your heart. It made sense what I said. Would this speech have made sense if there were not an internal sweetness in you? Conformed, he said, to His death, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. He was speaking of righteousness, the righteousness which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God, and thus he executed all things. And when he sought righteousness saying: That I may be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but the righteousness which is through faith in Christ, which is from God; now he says: If by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Why did you say: If by any means I may attain? Not that I have already received it, or am already perfect; but I press on, if I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. His righteousness has gone before me, let mine follow Him. However, mine will follow if it is not mine. If by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Why did you say: If by any means I may attain? Not that I have already received it, or am already perfect; but I press on, if I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. His righteousness has gone before me, let mine follow Him. However, mine will follow if it is not mine. If by any means I may attain. Not that I have already received it, or am already perfect. Those who were hearing the Apostle say this began to marvel: Not that I have already received it, or am already perfect. What is it that he had not yet received? He had faith, he had virtue, he had hope, he burned with charity, he performed virtuous deeds, he preached most invincibly, he endured all persecutions, in all things patient, loving the Church, bearing the care of all the Churches in his heart; what had he not yet received? Not that I have already received it, or am already perfect. What is it that you say? You say it, and we marvel; you say it, and we are astonished. For we know what we are hearing; what do you say? Brothers, he says. What is it that you say? What do you say? I do not consider myself to have apprehended. Do not, he said, be deceived in me; I know myself better than you do. If I do not know what is lacking in me, I do not know what is present. I do not consider myself to have apprehended. But one thing; this I do not consider myself to have apprehended. I have many things, and I have not yet apprehended one thing. One thing have I asked of the Lord, this will I seek after. What have you asked for, or what do you seek after? That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. For what? To behold the delight of the Lord. This is the one thing that the Apostle said he had not yet apprehended; and as much as he lacked this, to that extent he was not yet perfect.

The duties of Martha and Mary. Contemplation.

You remember, my brothers, that Gospel reading where two sisters received the Lord: Martha and Mary. You certainly recall: Martha was busied with much serving and was occupied with the care of the house, as she had received the Lord and His disciples as guests. She was diligently and earnestly taking care that the saints would suffer no offense in her house. While she was thus engaged in much serving, Mary, her sister, sat at the Lord's feet and was listening to His word. Martha was annoyed with her labor because she saw Mary sitting and not caring about her labors, and she appealed to the Lord: "Lord, does it not concern You that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me." The Lord replied: "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things. But one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her. You have chosen well, for it is good to serve the saints, but she has chosen the better part. What you have chosen is transient. You serve the hungry, you provide for the thirsty, you prepare beds for those who sleep, you offer a home for those who want to dwell; all these things pass away. There will be a time when no one hungers, no one thirsts, no one sleeps. Therefore, your care will be taken from you. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her. It will not be taken away; she has chosen to contemplate and to live by the word. What kind of life will there be of the Word without the word? Now she lived by the Word, but by the sounding word. There will be a life by the Word without the sounding word. The very Word is life. We will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is. She was the one to contemplate the Lord's delight. We cannot do this in the night of this world. 'In the morning, I will stand before You and contemplate.' Thus: 'I do not consider myself to have apprehended it yet. One thing, however...'"

Always advancing on the way towards God.

What then do I do? Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I follow according to purpose. I still follow: to the prize of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus. I still follow, I still advance, I still walk, I am still on the way, I still extend myself, I have not yet arrived. Therefore, if you also walk, if you stretch forward, if you think of the things that are to come; forget the past, do not look back at it, lest you remain where you have looked back. Remember Lot’s wife. As many of us as are perfect, let us think this way. He had said: I am not perfect, and he says: As many of us as are perfect, let us think this way. I do not consider myself to have apprehended. Not that I have already obtained, or am already perfect; and he says: As many of us as are perfect, let us think this way. Perfect, and not perfect; perfect travelers, not yet perfect possessors. And so that you may know that he speaks of perfect travelers; those who are already walking on the way are perfect travelers; so that you know he spoke of travelers, not residents, not possessors; hear what follows: As many of us as are perfect, let us think this way. And if in any way you think otherwise, lest perhaps it creeps in on you, because you think you are something. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. And if anyone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. Therefore: And if in any way you think otherwise, as small children; God will also reveal that to you. Regardless, to what we have attained, let us walk in it. So that God may reveal to us also that which we think otherwise, to what we have achieved, let us not remain in it, but let us walk in it. You see that we are travelers. You say: What is it to walk? I briefly say: To advance; lest perhaps you do not understand, and walk more sluggishly. Advance, my brothers, always examine yourselves without deceit, without flattery, without fondling. For there is no one inside you, whom you should be ashamed of, and boast yourself. There is someone there, but one to whom humility is pleasing, let him test you. Even you yourself, test yourself. Always be dissatisfied with what you are, if you wish to arrive at what you are not yet. For when you are pleased with yourself, there you have remained. But if you say: It is enough; and you have perished. Always add, always walk, always advance; do not remain on the way, do not return backward, do not go astray. He remains, who does not advance; he returns backward, who turns back to what he had already left; he goes astray, who deserts. It is better for the lame to walk on the way, than for the runner to pass by the way. Turned towards the Lord, etc.