HOMILY VII
A Angeli nostrum custodes. — For if to those who manage only their own lives, and do nothing for the common good, angels have been given as guardians by the Lord of all—as also someone says: *The angel who delivers me from my youth* (Gen. 48.16)—much more are the powers from above present to those to whom the care of the whole world has been entrusted, and who bear the burden of such great gifts. And indeed, those who have been deemed worthy of this honor by the powers of this world are encircled with precious garments and golden collars, and are brilliant on every side; but this man, wearing a chain instead of gold, carries the cross; this man is driven, this man is scourged, and suffers hunger. But do not be downcast, beloved. For this order is much better and more brilliant than that, and is dear to God; wherefore even as he bore it, he did not labor. For this is the marvelous thing, that he was more brilliant with chains and lashes and marks than those who possess the purple and the diadem. And that he was more brilliant, and that those things were not empty boasts, his garments manifested. For you might lay ten thousand diadems and as many purples upon one who is sick, yet not be able to cut off even a little of the flame; but his handkerchiefs, coming into contact with the bodies of the sick, cause every disease to flee; and with good reason. For if robbers, seeing that military sign, do not dare to approach but flee looking not behind them, much more do diseases and demons, seeing that sign, flee. He bore it, though, not that he might carry it alone, but that he might make all others such and teach them to bear it; wherefore he said: *Be imitators of me, just as I am of Christ* (1 Cor. 11.1). He became an imitator of Christ himself, but you are not even of the apostles; he was an emulator of the Lord, but you are not even of your fellow servant; and what excuse can you have? And how, he says, did he imitate Him? Consider this from the beginning and from the very outset. For since he came up from those life-giving waters having so great a fire that he did not even await a master—for he did not wait for Peter, nor did he come to James, nor to any other person at all, but, caught up by his own zeal, he so inflamed the city that a grievous war flared up against him; for indeed, even when he was a Jew, he used to do things beyond his station, binding, leading away, confiscating the Christians. So also Moses, when no one had ordained him, defended his own kin against the iniquity of the barbarians.
C True virtue in Paul. — For these are the sure proofs of a brave and manly soul: this mark of his own free judgment, not indeed to bear with patience the afflictions of others, but to kindly and constantly hold [to the support of] those who are oppressed, even if no one orders him to this office. For indeed, that he rightly seized the leadership, God showed by afterwards bestowing that dignity. He preserved the same in Paul: for as he rightly acted by spontaneously seizing the beginnings of the word and of the teaching, in the same way he showed he was quickly exalting that teacher. For if they had leaped into affairs and into the curing of others for the sake of honor and rank, they would justly have been blamed. Since, however, they loved dangers and drew deaths upon themselves that they might save others, who is so wretched as to bring a charge against such zeal? For that they were doing these things out of a desire for the salvation of the lost, both the verdict of God has declared, and the ruin of those who had wrongly coveted that honor has declared. For others also once leaped into rule and leadership, but they all perished—some burned, others swallowed up by a rift in the earth. For they were not doing this for the sake of the defense of the people, but for the love of rank. Uzziah also leaped, but he too became unclean (2 Par. 26): he also leaped, Simon, but he was rejected.
and was in danger of death (Acts 8); Paul, indeed, also rushed in, but he was crowned with the glory of the apostolate. For he did not rush into the priesthood, nor into honor, but into ministry and labors; and he hastened with the greatest zeal and eagerness in this: therefore he is proclaimed, therefore he is immediately rendered illustrious. For just as one who has been ordained a leader, if he does not administer the office imposed upon him worthily, deserves even greater punishments; so someone else, even if he is not ordained, yet if he undertakes—and fulfills as is fitting—not, I say, the priesthood, but the solicitude and care for many, he is surely worthy of every honor. Therefore, he did not suffer even one day to pass in ease and quiet, this man who was more vehement than the very fire in the ardor of preaching; but as soon as he ascended from the life-giving fountain, and kindled a great flame within himself, he did not fear dangers, he did not blush with shame at the mocking and reproaches of the Jews, nor did he take it indignantly when his speech was rejected by them: he thought of nothing similar to any of these things, but taking up other eyes—those of charity—and another mind, he rushed in with much impetuosity like a torrent, dragging and rolling everything of the Jews along with it, and clearly showing from the Scriptures that he himself was Christ. And certainly not so many gifts of grace were yet shining in him, not yet had he been endowed with such illumination by the Spirit; but nevertheless, his inflamed will and truly mortified soul were doing everything, and as if he were always satisfying God for time already spent, so he carried out all things, so he gathered spiritual gains from every side, confidently leaping into the place which was the greatest part of the war, and full of labors and dangers.
Obedience of Paul commended.
This, however, is worthy of even greater admiration: that while he was so bold, and as if always equipped for battle, and breathing a certain warlike fire, he again showed himself so placable and flexible to his masters, that he never offended them even in that great impetuosity of eagerness. So, when they commanded the then-fervent, or rather raging man that he should go to Tarsus and Caesarea, he did not refuse. They said that it was necessary for him to be let down through the wall, and he suffered it; they gave advice that he should shave his head, he did not resist; they persuaded him not to enter into the theater, and he yielded. He had so dedicated himself to this matter, that he received everything willingly for the utility of the faithful, loving peace, consensus, dispensation, and concord for their very edification, and keeping himself everywhere the same and always equal to the preaching. Therefore, when you hear that he sent his sister's son to the Tribune, wishing to be freed from dangers; and that he appealed to Caesar; and that he hastened to go to Rome; do not by any means think this is an expression of fear. For he who groaned at still being in this life, would he not rather have chosen to be with Christ? He who even despised heaven because of Him, and the angels, by what means finally did he love these present things? For the sake of what thing, therefore, was he doing these things? Without doubt, so that he might insist on the preaching longer, and might go to Christ with many having believed from this place and all being crowned. For he surely feared that he might depart from here poor and destitute of the salvation of many. And for that reason he said: "To remain in the flesh is necessary for your sake" (Philipp. 1.24). Therefore, when he saw that a better sentence had proceeded for him in judgment, and even with Festus saying, "This man could have been released, if he had not appealed to Caesar" (Acts 26.32), nevertheless, bound, and led with many prisoners who had committed a thousand crimes, he did not blush to be bound with them; nay rather, he took care of all those sailing together, for he was secure about himself, and most certain that he was safe enough. And although he was being led bound through such a vast sea, he rejoiced nevertheless, as if he were being led into the greatest empire. For truly, no small reward was proposed to him: the conversion of the city of Rome. But he did not think even those who were sailing together were to be held in contempt, but he moderated them also with the sweetness of truth, indicating to them the divine countenances, and commemorating those things which had been said to him, that is: "God has granted thee all them that sail with thee" (Acts 27.24). He was doing this, however, not arrogantly extolling himself, but preparing them for the persuasion of faith. Therefore God also permitted the sea to be moved, so that through that by which he was not heard, and through that by which he was heard, the spiritual grace of Paul might be revealed. For even when he gave advice that they should not sail, he was held in contempt, and they came even to extreme dangers (Ibid.). But he did not become more onerous for them even when they were contemplating this; but again, as a father provides for his children, he acted and did all things, so that no one should perish.
How much modesty he exhibited at Rome. Comparison with a leader of an army.
But after he entered Rome, with how much modesty he announces the truth there also, with how much liberty he shuts the mouths of the impious! But not content with remaining even there, he also traverses into Spain. But since he was sustaining varied dangers more often, he trusted more and became more bold; and not he alone, but also the disciples because of him, who were strengthened by his example in any case. For just as if they had seen him more remiss and slothful, they perhaps would have been cast down by sadness; so those who saw that he had been made stronger, and that he was often growing in the virtue of constancy amidst injuries and blows, they themselves also preached with greater confidence: and signifying this, he says, "So that more of the brethren, being confident in my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word of God without fear" (Philip. 1.14). For if a leader of the army is strong and robust—not only striking and crushing, but also himself struck by a wound—he makes his own subjects stronger, and he provides this more when he himself is wounded than when he is wounding. For when those who fight under such a master see the wounds inflicted, the flowing blood, and that he does not yield even then to the enemies at any time, but stands bravely, brandishing his spears, and rushing into the adversaries with frequent and certain blows, and not at all sparing himself from the pain, they are undoubtedly subjected to such a leader with greater eagerness. This therefore happened also to Paul. For seeing him bound in chains, and nevertheless preaching in prison, seeing him also scourged, and yet the scourgers themselves...