On the Saying: "All Things Work Together for Good for Those Who Love God" (and on Patience)

ON THE APOSTOLIC SAYING, "WE KNOW THAT FOR THOSE WHO LOVE GOD ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD" (ROM. 8:28), AND ON PATIENCE, AND HOW GREAT IS THE PROFIT FROM TRIBULATIONS

^A 1. To have returned to you after such a long interval of time—this is how I am feeling today. Even if I were confined at home on account of bodily infirmity, I was feeling as though I had been sent far away from your love. For the one who truly knows how to love, when it is not granted him to be in the company of the one loved, feels nothing less than those who dwell in a foreign land, even if he happens to inhabit the same city. And those who know how to love are acquainted with this fact. Forgive me, therefore, I entreat you; for this separation did not come about from any sloth on our part, but our silence was caused by bodily weakness. ^B And I know indeed that you all rejoice now that I have laid aside my infirmity; but I rejoice, not only that I have laid aside my infirmity, but also because I am able to see your longed-for faces again, and to delight in your love according to God. And just as many men, after recovery from illness, seek out bowls and cups and cool springs, so to me your company has become sweeter than any joy, and this is both the cause of my health and the occasion of my gladness.

Come, therefore, since by the grace of God we have received one another back, let us pay you the debt of love, if indeed it is possible to pay this back at any time. For this debt alone does not know how to come to an end; but the more it is paid, the more the debt increases; and just as in the case of money we praise those who owe nothing, so here we count those blessed who owe much. ^C For this reason also the teacher of the inhabited world, Paul, writing, said: "Owe no one anything, except to love one another" (Rom. 13:8), wishing us to pay this debt always, and always to be in debt, and never to terminate this obligation until we terminate this present life. Just as, therefore, to be in debt for money is burdensome and grievous, so it is worthy of accusation not to be always in debt for this obligation. And that you may know that this is so, hear the wisdom of this marvelous teacher, how he introduced the exhortation. For having first said, "Owe nothing to anyone," he then added, "except to love one another," desiring that all our debt should be emptied out in this [love], and wishing for this debt to remain perpetually undissolved. For this is most of all that which strengthens and binds our life together. ^D Since, therefore, we have learned how great is the profit of this debt, and that it increases all the more as it is paid, come, let us also today, as far as is possible, hasten to pay the debt which we owe to you—not out of sloth, nor out of any ingratitude, but because of the illness that befell us—by discoursing a little to your love, taking as the theme of our discourse this same marvelous teacher of the inhabited world; and let us call to mind the things which, writing to the Romans today, he was discoursing upon, and bring them into the open, and after a long period of time serve up this spiritual feast to your love. And it is necessary to say what the readings were, so that, having been reminded of what was said, you may receive the things we say with greater readiness. "We know," he says, "that for those who love God all things work together for good." What does this very preface mean? For that blessed soul does not speak anything simply or in vain, but always applies spiritual medicines suitable to the ailments at hand. What, then, is that which he says? Because from every side many temptations were surrounding those who were then drawing near to the faith, and the stratagems of the enemy were successive, and the plots were continuous, and those who were warring against the preaching were not sleeping—some casting them into prisons, others leading them away, others dragging them down into ten thousand other chasms—therefore, like an excellent general, seeing the adversary breathing with much fury, he goes about and stirs up his own troops from every side, strengthens them, anoints them, makes them more courageous, makes them more eager to raise their hands against the enemy and not to fear his onsets, but standing with a firm mind face to face, to shatter his very visage, if it be possible, and not to be thunderstruck by the resistance against them. In the same way, this blessed one, this heaven-reaching soul, wishing to stir up the minds of the believers, and hastening to lift up their reasoning which was—so to speak—lying prostrate, began to speak thus: "We know…"

that all things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28). Do you see the apostolic wisdom? He did not say, "I know," but "We know," in order to draw his hearers to give their assent to the statement, that for those who love God all things work together for good. Observe how accurately the apostle speaks. He did not say, "Those who love God avoid evils or are liberated from temptations," but "We know," he says—that is, we are persuaded, we have been made certain, we have received proofs taught by the very experience of events—that "to them that love God all things work together for good."

^B How much power do you think this short saying contains? "All things," he says, "work together for good." Do not recount to me only the conveniences of this life, nor revolve in your mind only pleasure or security, but also the opposites: prisons, tribulations, plots, daily incursions, and then you will accurately perceive the power of the statement. And so that I may not lead your love far afield to distant examples, let us bring forward a few matters from those things that happened to this blessed man, and you will recognize the power of this word. For when he was going around to all the regions, sowing the word of piety, uprooting thorns, and striving to plant the truth in the souls of individuals, he arrived at a city of Macedonia, as the blessed Luke—who composed the book of Acts—has narrated to us. A certain maid, who had an evil spirit and could not be silent but went about and everywhere wished to make known the deeds of the demons concerning them, he—with great authority, by a word and command alone, as if against some scoundrel—drove out, and liberated her from the wicked demon. When it was fitting ^C for the inhabitants of that city to look upon the apostles henceforth as their benefactors and the guardians of their own salvation, and to follow them with every kind of service and to repay such a great benefit, they pay back the direct opposite. And hear in what manner they repaid them. "Having seen," he says, "her masters, that the hope of their gain departed, they caught Paul and Silas and brought them into the marketplace to the rulers, and offering them to the magistrates, when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely" (Acts 16:19–23). Do you see the utter wickedness of the inhabitants of that city? Do you see the patience and tolerance of the apostles? Wait a little while and you will see the kindness of God. For since He is wise and skillful, He does not take away evils at the beginning or in the exordiums, but when the machinations of the adversaries have received increment, and the patience of the athletes has been proved by the events themselves and has become known, then He provides His own help—so that no one might be able to say that they subject themselves to dangers because they trust that they will suffer nothing troublesome. For this reason, indeed, through a certain ineffable wisdom, He leaves some in evils, and rescues others, so that from all of this you may learn the sum of His kindness and that He prepares greater rewards for them, often permitting evils to be increased. Thus He did also in this place. After such a great miracle and benefit, which they had conferred by driving out that impudent demon, He permitted them to be beaten with rods and cast into prison. For from thence, especially, the power of God was shining forth. ^D Wherefore this blessed man also used to say: "Most gladly will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me"; and again, "When I am weak, then am I strong" (2 Cor. 12:9, 10), calling continuous temptations infirmity.

But perhaps someone in this place will ask, for what reason did they drive out the demon whilst it was contradicting nothing, but rather acknowledging them? For it was crying out for many days, saying: "These men are the servants of the most high God, who announce to us the way of salvation" (Acts 16:17). Do not wonder, dearest, for this also was of the apostolic prudence and of the benefit of the Holy Spirit. For although it said nothing contrary to them, lest it should gain some faith for itself—and through this might be able to craftily attract the simpler folk—for that reason, after he had stopped its mouth, he cast it out, and did not allow it to speak those things which exceeded its dignity and grasp. He did this, moreover, so that it might follow the footsteps of its own Master; for even when approaching Him they would say: "I know who thou art, the Holy One of God" (Luke 4:34), and yet, saying these things, He cast them out. This was done for the accusation of the impudent Jews, that they, indeed, though seeing miracles every day and countless wonders being done, did not believe; but the demons acknowledged Him and confessed Him to be the Son of God.

^B But let us return to the sequence of the discourse. In order, therefore, that you may learn how "to them that love God all things work together for good," it will be worth the effort for the whole story to be read to you, that you may know therefrom how, after the stripes, after the prison, the grace of God changed all things for the better. But let us see in what manner the blessed Luke indicates this, saying: "Having received such a command, the jailer cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks" (Acts 16:24). Observe in what manner evils are increased, so that the patience of the apostles might become more illustrious, and the immense power of God might be rendered manifest to all. But hear what follows; for he adds: "And at midnight Paul and Silas, praying, praised God" (Ibid. v. 25). See the quickened soul, see the vigilant mind; let us not pass over what has been said thoughtlessly, beloved. For he did not designate the time itself without cause, saying, "And at midnight," but because he wished to show that this was done at the time when sweet sleep comes to all others and closes the eyelids, and when those—especially who are oppressed by many sorrows and troubles—are accustomed to be taken by sleep. At that moment, then, he says, when the power of sleep was dominating and prevailing from every side, then they "praying, praised God," and exhibited this as the greatest sign of their love for Him. For just as we, as often as we are vexed by bodily pains, seek the company of those near to us, so that we may mitigate the intensity of the pain through their conversation: so also these saints, inflamed with love for the Lord and offering sacred hymns, did not even grasp the sensation of those troubles, but were entirely intent upon prayer, and were bringing the wonderful those—

hymns, and the prison finally became a Church, and the whole place was hallowed through the hymnody of those saints. And it was possible to see wonderful and paradoxical things: men bound to the wood, and in no way hindered from their hymnody. For nothing will ever be able to hinder one who is sober, and awake, and has a burning desire for God from communion with the Master; for God says, I am a God at hand, and not a God afar off (Jer. 23:23); and again elsewhere, While you are yet speaking, I will say, Behold, I am here (Is. 58:9). For wherever the mind is sober, the thought is winged and is delivered, so to speak, from the bond of the body, and it flies up to the One who is desired, and despises the earth, and becoming higher than visible things, hastens toward Him; which indeed happened also with these saints. For see the immediate power of the hymns, and how, even having come into the prison and having been bound to the wood, and having been mingled with impostors and prisoners, 154 they not only were not harmed, but even shone out all the more from this very thing, and illuminated all who dwelt in the prison with the light of their own virtue. For the voice of those sacred hymns, entering into the soul of each one of the prisoners, was transforming and reshaping it, so to speak. For suddenly, he says, there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and the bonds of all were loosed (Acts 16:26). Do you see the power of the hymns to God? Not only did those who were offering the hymns enjoy consolation, but they also procured that the bonds of all were loosed; so that it might be demonstrated through the events themselves how To those who love God all things work together for good. For behold, both being struck, and prison, and wood, and living with executioners, and yet these things have become a basis for good things and an occasion for approval, not only for them, nor for the prisoners dwelling in the prison, but even for the jailer himself. For being awakened, he says, the jailer, and seeing the doors of the prison opened, having drawn a sword, was about to destroy himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. See for me here the philanthropy of God, surpassing every argument. For for what cause do all these things happen at midnight? For the sake of nothing else, but that the matter might be arranged without disturbance and in quiet, and that they might bring about the salvation of the jailer. For with the earthquake happening and the doors opened, the bonds of all those there were loosed, and no one of them was allowed to leap out. Consider for me another wisdom of God here. For all the other things happened, the earthquake, I say, and the opening of the doors, so that all might learn through the deeds who they were who were then dwelling in the prison, and that they are not chance persons; yet it was permitted to no one to go out, so that it might not become an occasion of danger for this jailer. And that this is true, listen to how, when the jailer merely suspected that this had happened, and thought that some had escaped, he even despised his own life. For having drawn, he says, a sword, he was about to destroy himself. But the one who is everywhere sober and awake, the blessed Paul, snatched the lamb from the throat of the beast with his own voice. For he cried with a loud voice, saying, Do yourself no harm; for we are all here (Ib. v. 28). O the superabundance of humility! He did not think highly of himself because of what had happened, he did not exalt himself over the jailer, he did not deign to speak anything inflated; but he numbered himself with the prisoners, with the executioners, with the malefactors, saying, We are all here. Did you see him using much humility, and assigning to himself nothing more than the malefactors there? See also the jailer henceforth, not approaching [the apostles] as one would to any of the others. For taking heart and asking for lights, he rushed in, and being trembling, fell down before Paul and Silas, and having brought them out, he said, Sirs, 155 what must I do to be saved? (Ib. v. 30). Did you see how to those who love God all things work together for good? Did you see the machine of the devil, how it was dissolved? How his devices became void? Because they had driven out the demon, he arranged for them to be thrown into prison, thinking to hinder the course of the preaching through this. But behold, even the prison has become a basis of spiritual profit for them.

4. Affliction makes those who love God more attentive. Therefore we also, if we are sober, are able to gain not only when we are in comfort, but even in afflictions, and at that time even more than when we enjoy comfortable things. For comfort, for the most part, makes us more sluggish; but affliction, preparing one to be sober, makes us worthy also of the help from above, and especially when we show patience and endurance in all the afflictions brought upon us. Let us not, therefore, be grieved when we are afflicted, but rather let us rejoice; for this is the basis of our approval. For this reason also Paul was saying, We know that to those who love God all things work together for good. But let us look at the burning soul of these saints. Since therefore they heard the jailer saying, What must I do to be saved?, did they put it off, did they delay? Did they neglect the instruction? By no means; but what did they say to him? Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, and all your house (Ib. v. 31). See the apostolic care. They are not content with his salvation alone, but through him they wish to net all those belonging to him into the word of piety, giving the devil a timely blow; and he was baptized, he and all his own immediately, and rejoiced with all his house, having believed in God (Ib. v. 33, 34). From this we are taught never to procrastinate at all in spiritual matters, but always to deem the occurring opportunity a suitable time. For since these saints did not deign to postpone [instruction] even though it was night, what defense shall we have, letting spiritual profit pass by at another time? Did you see the prison becoming a Church? Did you see the lodging of the executioners having suddenly been shown to be a house of prayer, and the initiation being completed there?

the spiritual gains, and to believe that any time is suitable for such commerce. Rightly, therefore, did the blessed one write, "For all things work together for good to them that love God." Keeping this sentiment, I beg, well-carved ^A in our minds, let us never be angry if, while living in this life, we fall into any misfortunes, whether into calamities or bodily sicknesses or other troublesome things. Instead, let us show great moderation of soul and philosophy, resisting every temptation, knowing that if we are vigilant, we can from all sides derive profit, and even more so from temptations than from comfort. Let us never be discouraged, thinking what a gain is patience, nor let us look with hostility upon those who bring temptations upon us. 156 For even if they do so to fulfill their own purpose, yet the common Master permits it, because He wishes us in this way to engage in this spiritual commerce and to receive the reward of patience. If, therefore, we can endure what is brought upon us with thanksgiving, we will blot out no small part of our sins. For if the Master permitted this treasure and teacher of the world to be exposed to dangers every day, not because He despised His athlete, but because He was preparing a longer stadium for his virtue so as to render him more brilliant crowns, what shall we say, who abound in countless sins and therefore frequently fall into temptations, that by enduring them we might at least obtain some small portion of mercy ^B and in that fearful day enjoy those ineffable good things? Considering this within ourselves, let us resist all things steadily and patiently, that we may receive from the kind Master the reward of endurance and be able to diminish the multitude of our sins and attain to eternal goods, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, and honor, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

WARNING ON THE HOMILY ON THE TEXT, IF THINE ENEMY HUNGER, FEED HIM

AGAINST THOSE WHO DID NOT COME TO THE GATHERING, AND ON THAT APOSTOLIC PHRASE, "IF THINE ENEMY HUNGER, FEED HIM," AND ON THE REMEMBRANCE OF ENMITIES.

157 1. It seems that we have profited nothing by having delivered a long speech recently to exhort your zeal for coming to the gatherings. The church is again stripped of her children. I am therefore compelled to appear again burdensome and severe, both by reproving those present and by rebuking those who have absented themselves; the former because they have not cast off their sloth, and you because you do not care for the salvation of your brethren. ^C I am compelled to seem burdensome and severe—not for my own sake nor for my own possessions' sake, but for your sake and for the sake of your salvation, than which nothing is more precious to me. Let him who wishes be annoyed; let him call me importunate and shameless; I, however, shall never cease to provide annoyance for this cause, for nothing can be more profitable to me than this shamelessness. Perhaps, perhaps, if not because of anything else, at least because of this you will be ashamed, so that you may not always be annoyed for the same reason, and you will take up the care to help your brethren. For what do your praises profit me, when I do not see you making progress in virtue? Or what harm comes to me from the silence of the hearers, when I see your piety being increased? The praise of the speaker, you see, is not applause, but the zeal and diligence of the hearers in piety; not the tumult excited at the time the discourse is heard, but the zeal and diligence which is displayed at all times. Applause issues at the same time from ^D the mouth of the speaker. Perhaps, indeed, perhaps, even if nothing else, this at least, being ashamed that I am not constantly being crowded by the same ones, you will take up the care of your brethren. For what do your praises of me matter when I do not see you making progress in virtue? Or what harm is it to me from the silence of those who listen, when I see that you are being corrected? For the praise of the one speaking is not the first thing, nor is it the zeal of the hearers—it is not noise; for the time of listening, it is the zeal and diligence of the time that passes. The applause goes forth at the same time from the mouth [of the speaker], and the air being dispersed is destroyed. But to make the hearers better, ageless and immortal, brings the reward both to the one speaking and to those who obey.