The Second Epistle of St Clement to the Corinthians
(AD 150)
The so-called Second Epistle is not an epistle but a homily. It was attributed to St Clement because it was found in ancient manuscripts together with his Epistle to the Corinthians, but no firm evidence confirms his authorship.
This work is nevertheless of great value to us. Written about the year 150, this homily is the oldest Christian sermon extant.
Christ’s divine and human natures are clearly asserted in the opening lines. Jesus Christ endured great sufferings for our sake.
1 Brothers, we should contemplate Jesus Christ. He is God and the Judge of the living and the dead. Thus, we should not take our Savior lightly. If we take him lightly, we may hope to obtain but little. And those who regard matters of salvation as irrelevant commit sin. They seem to ignore from where and by whom we were called; and for what mission we are destined. These do not consider what sufferings Jesus Christ had to endure for our sake.
How can we, then, pay him back? What return can we make to him? What fruit can we offer to him equivalent to the gift he has given us? How many acts of service do we owe him?
He has given us the light of our eyes. He has spoken to us as a father to his son; he has saved us when we were perishing. How can we praise him adequately? What payment in return for what we have received?
Blinded, we bowed our heads to chunks of gold, silver, and brass; and our whole life was nothing else but death. We were covered with darkness, and our sight was obscured with mist. But then, by his Will we recovered our vision; the cloud that shrouded us vanished.
Jesus had compassion for us, he saved us, when we were drifting without direction, wrecked without hope of recovery. Only he could save us. And he called us when we were not; out of nothing we came to be.
We find here the first non-scriptural reference to the Church as Mother, even though the author does not use this word. Struggling for sanctity is the response to Christ’s love. Christian life is incompatible with worldly behavior.
In the reference to Mk 2:17, we find the first recorded instance –outside the Bible– of the New Testament quoted as “Scripture.”
2 “Rejoice, you barren woman who bore no children! Break into shouts of joy and gladness, you who have never been in labor! For there are more children of the forsaken one than children of the wedded wife” (Is 54:1).
When God said “Rejoice, you barren woman, who bore no children,” he was referring to us, for the Church was barren before being given children.
By saying “Break into shouts of joy and gladness, you who have never been in labor,” he was encouraging us to pray to God with simplicity and not to grow weary like women in labor.
By saying “There are more children of the forsaken one than children of the wedded wife,” he meant that our people seemed to be abandoned by God, but now, having believed, we have become more numerous than those who lived without paying attention to God.
Another passage of the Scripture says, “I did not come to call the just, but the sinners” (Mk 2:17). This means that all those perishing should be saved. It is a great and wonderful feat to sustain, not the things that are standing, but those that are falling. Thus, Christ willed to save those who were perishing; he came and called us. Our troubles are not yet over.
3 Jesus Christ said, “He who acknowledges me before men, I will acknowledge him before my Father who is in heaven” (Mt 10:32). Heaven, then, is our reward, if we acknowledge our Savior before men. But how do we acknowledge him? By doing what he says, and not disobeying his commandments; by honoring him not only with our lips but “with all our heart, and all our mind.”
4 He also says in Isaiah: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” Thus, we should not merely call him Lord, for this will not save us. He also says, “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall be saved, but he who does the Will of my Father.” So, then, let us acknowledge him with our works by loving one another, by not committing adultery, nor speaking against one another, by not being envious, but by being mortified, kind, and honest; we should be happy with the good fortune of the others, without being greedy. By these works we acknowledge him, and not by doing the opposite.
We must not fear men rather than God. For this reason, he said: “If you are gathered with me in my bosom and yet do not fulfill my commandments, I will cast you off and will say to you: ‘Depart from me; I do not know from where you come, you workers of iniquity.’”
5 Therefore, brothers, let us set aside sinful life-styles and live as wayfarers in this world. Let us do the Will of him who called us, and let us not be afraid of being different from the world. The Lord said: “You shall be as lambs in the midst of wolves.” And Peter asked, “What if the wolves tear the lambs?” Jesus said to Peter: “After they die, the lambs are no longer afraid of the wolves. And so with you. Do not fear those who kill you and can do nothing more to you. Fear him who after your death has power over soul and body, to cast them into hell fire.”#1
Understand, brothers, that our sojourn in this world is short and transient; Christ’s promise of eternal life in the Kingdom to come is firm, great, and wonderful.
What shall we do to attain this reward? To conduct ourselves with purity and justice, to consider these life-styles of the world as foreign to us and not desire them. The desire of these compensations leads us away from the path of sanctity.
6 The Lord says: “No servant can serve two masters” (Lk 16:13). Thus, we sin if we desire to serve both God and Mammon. “For what does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, but suffer the loss of his own soul?”(Mt 16:26). This world and the future world are two enemies. This world chimes in with adultery, corruption, love of money, and deceit; but it must say farewell to all these things.
We cannot be friends of both, this world and the future world. We must say farewell to this one before we can possess the other. Thus, we should not be attached to the things that are here, for they are trivial, passing, and perishable; and love the things that are there, things perfect and imperishable.
If we do the Will of Christ, we shall find peace; if not, if we neglect his commandments, nothing will rescue us from eternal punishment.
The Scripture says that even if Noah, Daniel, and Job arise, they will not be able to save their children (cf. Ez 14:14,18,20). Alone, even such holy men cannot rescue their children. How can we be sure of entering the palace of God, if we do not keep ourselves pure and unspotted? Who shall be our patron if we are found empty of holy and honorable deeds?
Christian life is compared with athletic games. Taken from athletic games, the figures of speech in these lines hint that this homily was preached at Corinth, were the famous Isthmian Games were held. The sacrament of baptism is called the seal (sphragis), which must be kept inviolate.
7 Let us then, my brothers, enter the contest. Right now, an important contest is going to take place in this city, we know. Many people are coming by ship to take part in these ephemeral games. But not all will win a crown of laurel, only those who have struggled hard and done well in the contest.
So, too, we should run a straight path in our immortal contest. We, too, should come by ship in great numbers and compete for the crown. And if we cannot all be crowned, at least we should come close to the victory.
Remember that whoever takes part in these worldly games should abide by the rules. If one cheats, he is punished, disqualified, and thrown off the course. Likewise in the eternal games. What do you think? What shall the punishment be for those who cheat in the eternal games? You remember the promises we made when we received the seal in baptism: to reject Satan, all his works and his empty promises, and to follow Jesus always. Well, the Lord has said of those who have not kept the promises:
Their worm will not die
nor their fire go out;
they will be loathsome to all mankind (Is 66:24; Mk 9:44).
This part of the sermon contains a direct testimony to the penance for sins committed after baptism. Christians are exhorted to confess their sins and continue fighting for sanctity.
8 Repent then, while we can do so. We are now like clay in the hand of the potter. If a vessel in a potter’s hands goes out of shape, or cracks, the workman molds it all over again as long as the clay is fresh. But if he has gone so far as to put it into his heated oven, there is nothing more he can do for it.
So, too, with us. While we are still in this world, we should repent with our whole heart of all the evil things we have done in the flesh, so that we may be saved by the Lord while we still have time to repent. Once we have left the world, we can no longer make our confession or repent.
So, my brothers, if we do the Father’s Will, observe the Lord’s commandments, and keep our flesh pure, we shall obtain everlasting life. The Lord says in the Gospel, “If you do not mind what is small, who will give you what is great? For I say to you, he who is faithful in the little things is faithful also in what is great” (Lk 16:10.12). And this is what he means: Keep the flesh pure, and fulfill your baptismal promises; you will receive eternal life.
9 Do not say, “This body is not judged or does not rise again.” Just think: In what state were you saved, and how did you recover your sight? Was it not with your body and soul? Thus, guard your body as the temple of God. Just as you were called in body and soul, so, too, you shall arrive in body and soul. As the Lord, being originally pure spirit, became man with body and soul, so, too, will those who are faithful receive their reward in body and soul.
Love one another, that we may all arrive in the Kingdom of God. While we have time to be healed, let us give ourselves to God our Healer, giving him something in exchange. But what can we offer him? Repentance, contrition from a sincere heart. He knows everything and knows what is in our heart. Let us give, then, eternal praise, not only from our mouth, but also from our heart; he will receive us as sons. For he had said, “Those who do the Will of my Father are my brothers” (Mt 12:50).
10 Let us do the Will of the Father who called us to life; let us seek virtue and abandon vice as the forerunner of our sins. Let us flee from indecency to avoid punishment. If we strive to do good, peace will come upon us. A man cannot find peace when he is full of human concerns and prefers the pleasures of the present, rather than the promises of the future. The pleasures of this world always bring great torture; the promises of the future bring great joy.
Worldly people are like a plague, impossible to keep within limits, always perverting others. If only they did the sinful things in private, it could still be suffered. But they continue teaching evil to innocent souls, not knowing that they incur a double condemnation, for themselves and their followers.
Faith in God’s promises. The aim of Christian life is sanctity.
11 Serve God with a pure heart and seek sanctity. If we do not abandon ourselves in God and serve him, we shall be miserable. Consider these prophetic words: “Miserable are those who question their faith and doubt in their heart saying: ‘We have heard all these things in our fathers’ time. We waited day after day, and nothing came to be.’ O foolish men! Compare yourselves to a grapevine. First it sheds its leaves, then comes a bud, after this, a sour berry, then, the bunch of sweet ripe grapes. So also my people had to undergo hardships and pain, but afterwards they shall receive only joys.”
Therefore, my brothers, do not admit voluntary doubts about our faith. Keep up your hope with patience, that you may gain your reward. For God is faithful to his promises and will pay to each the wages of his works. If we perform good deeds before God, we shall have access into his Kingdom and receive the reward which “ear has not heard, nor eye seen, nor has it entered into the heart of men.”
13 Brothers, repent now without delay. Let us guard our senses, for we are full of so much madness and malice. Let us wipe off from ourselves our past sins. We will be saved if we repent with all our hearts. Let us not be pleasers of men, nor seek to please ourselves alone. Rather, by our sanctity of life, let us try to bring in those who are outside. Thus, we will not cause scandal and they will not have motive to defame God’s Holy Name.
The description of the Church that we find in this homily is interesting. The Church was prepared and foreshadowed before the creation of the sun and the moon. But she was invisible, spiritual, barren. Now she is a living reality. She is the Body of Christ; she is the Spouse, and we are her children. Through prayer and apostolate, we bring people to salvation.
14 Brothers, if we do the Will of God, our Father, we shall be joining the original Church, which was spiritually established even before the sun and the moon. But if we do not do the Will of God, we shall be setting up what the Scripture describes: “My house has become a den of thieves.”
Belong to the living Church, that you may be saved. I am sure you know that the living Church is the Body of Christ. For the Scripture says: “God made them male and female.” The male is Christ, the female is the Church.
Moreover, the Sacred Books and the apostles declare that the Church is not merely of the present time, but was prepared from the beginning. When the world was made, the Church was present in figure or as a spirit, as also was Jesus foreknown. Jesus has become man in our time to save us, as also the Church has become a reality in the Body of Christ.
15 Do not neglect the advice I have given you concerning self-control and mortification. You will never regret having followed it; you will save both yourself and me, who advised you. For whoever converts a straying and perishing soul and brings it to salvation will receive no small reward. Indeed, this is the least one can do for God, who created us.
Conversion is possible if both, the one who speaks and the one who listens, act with faith and charity. Moreover, I encourage you to remain firm and uncompromising in the content of faith.
Pray to God with confidence, for he says: “Ask and I will answer you. And while you are still asking, I will say: Here I am “ (Is 58:9). This is a fact: The Lord is more eager to give than man is to ask. If such is God’s goodness, we should not be slow in asking. These words are a motive of joy for those who pray with confidence, but contain also a warning for those who do not pray.
The sermon is very clear on the necessity of good works for salvation. The author encourages all to think of the Last Judgment, to be faithful and persevere in good works.
16 So, brothers, we are given an opportunity to repent, let us turn to God who called us, while there is still time. God our Father is waiting for us. If we cut off ourselves from the pleasures of this world and reject the evil desires of our soul, if we constantly refuse to carry them out, Jesus will look at us with compassion. You know that the day of judgment is now coming, it will burn like a furnace. Even the stars of heaven will be dissolved, and the entire earth will be as lead melting in the fire. Then, the secret and public deeds of men will be known.
Almsgiving and detachment from material things are good as penance for sins. Fasting and mortification of the senses are better than reciting prayers; giving oneself is the best. Charity makes up for a multitude of sins; prayer from a good conscience delivers from eternal death. Blessed is the man who is found full of these things, for by giving ourselves to the others, we remove the burden of our sins.
17 Let us have contrition for our sins, and no one of us will fall astray as we tread along the way. If our duty is to snatch men away from idols, from religious ignorance, and to instruct them, how much more critical is that one of us who already knows God should not be lost? We should help one another to persevere. We should guide a brother who has grown lukewarm to continue in the straight path. We should encourage one another to have contrition and to get closer to God, so that we may all be saved.
I know you are now paying attention to my words and want to be faithful; be steadfast in your resolution. Keep in mind your duties toward the Lord also when you return home, and do not be carried away by worldly concerns.
Try to be constant in your attendance in these gatherings where you advance in the knowledge of your duties toward God, so that we will all keep the same mind and be gathered together in eternal life.
The Lord says, “I come to gather together all nations, tribes, and languages.” By this he means that he will come again on the last day to reward each according to his works. And those who were consistent with their faith shall see his glory and might. They shall be astounded when they look upon the power given to Jesus over the world.
Some shall say: “Woe to us, for you passed by, and we did not acknowledge you and did not believe you. We were disobedient to your priests who told us about salvation.”
On that day of judgment, we shall discover who were the unfaithful ones, and who did not live a life consistent with the commandments of Jesus Christ. These shall be made a spectacle to the world. They shall be thrown into hell, where “their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.”
The just will see those who have sinned, who have denied Jesus by their words or by their deeds, being punished with terrible tortures and unquenchable fire. They who have fought to be faithful, have endured tortures, and hated the illicit pleasures of life will give glory to God saying: “Have hope, a great reward is awaiting those who have served God with all their heart.”
18 Join the army of those who will be giving thanks, who had served God–not the company of those wicked men who are condemned. I myself am altogether sinful; I am far from being free of temptation. I am still under the attack of the devil, though I strive to pursue God’s way. How I would love to reach the end of it, for I fear the judgment to come.
19 And so, my brothers and sisters, following the God of truth, I am reading to you this appeal. Observe what I have written; you will save yourselves and him who is reading to you. Do me a favor; have repentance and contrition for your sins with your whole heart and attain salvation and life. By doing this, we shall also set a goal for all the young ones who wish to join this work of God.
We should not be annoyed or upset –fools that we are– when someone corrects us and brings us back to the straight path. For sometimes we do evil unknowingly, because of our lukewarmness and lack of fidelity. Our mind becomes darkened by vain desires.
Be faithful, to be saved in the end. Blessed are those who obey these instructions. Although we may suffer in this world for a short while, we shall reap the immortal fruit of the resurrection. Do not be sad if trials come; a time of immense happiness awaits us. We shall live again with our elders and rejoice in an eternity without sorrow.
20 Do not be disturbed if you see that the wicked are wealthy and the servants of God in difficult circumstances. Have faith!, my brothers and sisters. We are now engaged in a battle, fighting for the living God in this life, to win the crown in the life to come. Nobody has ever won his reward at once; one must always work and wait for it. If God were to reward anyone right away, that will look more like a business transaction, not like a fight for sanctity. We would give the impression of being good and loving God, while really going after personal profit.
This is the reason why God punishes the egoistic spirit and enchains it.
To the One, invisible God, the Father of Truth, who sent us the Savior, the Prince of Immortality, through whom he has revealed to us the truth and supernatural life, to him be glory forever. Amen.
Footnote:1. The source of the quotation is unknown, possibly an apocryphal Gospel. The main ideas are found in the canonical Gospels: Lk 10:3; Mt 10:16; Mt 10:28; and Lk 12:4.5
The so-called Second Epistle is not an epistle but a homily. It was attributed to St Clement because it was found in ancient manuscripts together with his Epistle to the Corinthians, but no firm evidence confirms his authorship.
This work is nevertheless of great value to us. Written about the year 150, this homily is the oldest Christian sermon extant.
Christ’s divine and human natures are clearly asserted in the opening lines. Jesus Christ endured great sufferings for our sake.
1 Brothers, we should contemplate Jesus Christ. He is God and the Judge of the living and the dead. Thus, we should not take our Savior lightly. If we take him lightly, we may hope to obtain but little. And those who regard matters of salvation as irrelevant commit sin. They seem to ignore from where and by whom we were called; and for what mission we are destined. These do not consider what sufferings Jesus Christ had to endure for our sake.
How can we, then, pay him back? What return can we make to him? What fruit can we offer to him equivalent to the gift he has given us? How many acts of service do we owe him?
He has given us the light of our eyes. He has spoken to us as a father to his son; he has saved us when we were perishing. How can we praise him adequately? What payment in return for what we have received?
Blinded, we bowed our heads to chunks of gold, silver, and brass; and our whole life was nothing else but death. We were covered with darkness, and our sight was obscured with mist. But then, by his Will we recovered our vision; the cloud that shrouded us vanished.
Jesus had compassion for us, he saved us, when we were drifting without direction, wrecked without hope of recovery. Only he could save us. And he called us when we were not; out of nothing we came to be.
We find here the first non-scriptural reference to the Church as Mother, even though the author does not use this word. Struggling for sanctity is the response to Christ’s love. Christian life is incompatible with worldly behavior.
In the reference to Mk 2:17, we find the first recorded instance –outside the Bible– of the New Testament quoted as “Scripture.”
2 “Rejoice, you barren woman who bore no children! Break into shouts of joy and gladness, you who have never been in labor! For there are more children of the forsaken one than children of the wedded wife” (Is 54:1).
When God said “Rejoice, you barren woman, who bore no children,” he was referring to us, for the Church was barren before being given children.
By saying “Break into shouts of joy and gladness, you who have never been in labor,” he was encouraging us to pray to God with simplicity and not to grow weary like women in labor.
By saying “There are more children of the forsaken one than children of the wedded wife,” he meant that our people seemed to be abandoned by God, but now, having believed, we have become more numerous than those who lived without paying attention to God.
Another passage of the Scripture says, “I did not come to call the just, but the sinners” (Mk 2:17). This means that all those perishing should be saved. It is a great and wonderful feat to sustain, not the things that are standing, but those that are falling. Thus, Christ willed to save those who were perishing; he came and called us. Our troubles are not yet over.
3 Jesus Christ said, “He who acknowledges me before men, I will acknowledge him before my Father who is in heaven” (Mt 10:32). Heaven, then, is our reward, if we acknowledge our Savior before men. But how do we acknowledge him? By doing what he says, and not disobeying his commandments; by honoring him not only with our lips but “with all our heart, and all our mind.”
4 He also says in Isaiah: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” Thus, we should not merely call him Lord, for this will not save us. He also says, “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall be saved, but he who does the Will of my Father.” So, then, let us acknowledge him with our works by loving one another, by not committing adultery, nor speaking against one another, by not being envious, but by being mortified, kind, and honest; we should be happy with the good fortune of the others, without being greedy. By these works we acknowledge him, and not by doing the opposite.
We must not fear men rather than God. For this reason, he said: “If you are gathered with me in my bosom and yet do not fulfill my commandments, I will cast you off and will say to you: ‘Depart from me; I do not know from where you come, you workers of iniquity.’”
5 Therefore, brothers, let us set aside sinful life-styles and live as wayfarers in this world. Let us do the Will of him who called us, and let us not be afraid of being different from the world. The Lord said: “You shall be as lambs in the midst of wolves.” And Peter asked, “What if the wolves tear the lambs?” Jesus said to Peter: “After they die, the lambs are no longer afraid of the wolves. And so with you. Do not fear those who kill you and can do nothing more to you. Fear him who after your death has power over soul and body, to cast them into hell fire.”#1
Understand, brothers, that our sojourn in this world is short and transient; Christ’s promise of eternal life in the Kingdom to come is firm, great, and wonderful.
What shall we do to attain this reward? To conduct ourselves with purity and justice, to consider these life-styles of the world as foreign to us and not desire them. The desire of these compensations leads us away from the path of sanctity.
6 The Lord says: “No servant can serve two masters” (Lk 16:13). Thus, we sin if we desire to serve both God and Mammon. “For what does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, but suffer the loss of his own soul?”(Mt 16:26). This world and the future world are two enemies. This world chimes in with adultery, corruption, love of money, and deceit; but it must say farewell to all these things.
We cannot be friends of both, this world and the future world. We must say farewell to this one before we can possess the other. Thus, we should not be attached to the things that are here, for they are trivial, passing, and perishable; and love the things that are there, things perfect and imperishable.
If we do the Will of Christ, we shall find peace; if not, if we neglect his commandments, nothing will rescue us from eternal punishment.
The Scripture says that even if Noah, Daniel, and Job arise, they will not be able to save their children (cf. Ez 14:14,18,20). Alone, even such holy men cannot rescue their children. How can we be sure of entering the palace of God, if we do not keep ourselves pure and unspotted? Who shall be our patron if we are found empty of holy and honorable deeds?
Christian life is compared with athletic games. Taken from athletic games, the figures of speech in these lines hint that this homily was preached at Corinth, were the famous Isthmian Games were held. The sacrament of baptism is called the seal (sphragis), which must be kept inviolate.
7 Let us then, my brothers, enter the contest. Right now, an important contest is going to take place in this city, we know. Many people are coming by ship to take part in these ephemeral games. But not all will win a crown of laurel, only those who have struggled hard and done well in the contest.
So, too, we should run a straight path in our immortal contest. We, too, should come by ship in great numbers and compete for the crown. And if we cannot all be crowned, at least we should come close to the victory.
Remember that whoever takes part in these worldly games should abide by the rules. If one cheats, he is punished, disqualified, and thrown off the course. Likewise in the eternal games. What do you think? What shall the punishment be for those who cheat in the eternal games? You remember the promises we made when we received the seal in baptism: to reject Satan, all his works and his empty promises, and to follow Jesus always. Well, the Lord has said of those who have not kept the promises:
Their worm will not die
nor their fire go out;
they will be loathsome to all mankind (Is 66:24; Mk 9:44).
This part of the sermon contains a direct testimony to the penance for sins committed after baptism. Christians are exhorted to confess their sins and continue fighting for sanctity.
8 Repent then, while we can do so. We are now like clay in the hand of the potter. If a vessel in a potter’s hands goes out of shape, or cracks, the workman molds it all over again as long as the clay is fresh. But if he has gone so far as to put it into his heated oven, there is nothing more he can do for it.
So, too, with us. While we are still in this world, we should repent with our whole heart of all the evil things we have done in the flesh, so that we may be saved by the Lord while we still have time to repent. Once we have left the world, we can no longer make our confession or repent.
So, my brothers, if we do the Father’s Will, observe the Lord’s commandments, and keep our flesh pure, we shall obtain everlasting life. The Lord says in the Gospel, “If you do not mind what is small, who will give you what is great? For I say to you, he who is faithful in the little things is faithful also in what is great” (Lk 16:10.12). And this is what he means: Keep the flesh pure, and fulfill your baptismal promises; you will receive eternal life.
9 Do not say, “This body is not judged or does not rise again.” Just think: In what state were you saved, and how did you recover your sight? Was it not with your body and soul? Thus, guard your body as the temple of God. Just as you were called in body and soul, so, too, you shall arrive in body and soul. As the Lord, being originally pure spirit, became man with body and soul, so, too, will those who are faithful receive their reward in body and soul.
Love one another, that we may all arrive in the Kingdom of God. While we have time to be healed, let us give ourselves to God our Healer, giving him something in exchange. But what can we offer him? Repentance, contrition from a sincere heart. He knows everything and knows what is in our heart. Let us give, then, eternal praise, not only from our mouth, but also from our heart; he will receive us as sons. For he had said, “Those who do the Will of my Father are my brothers” (Mt 12:50).
10 Let us do the Will of the Father who called us to life; let us seek virtue and abandon vice as the forerunner of our sins. Let us flee from indecency to avoid punishment. If we strive to do good, peace will come upon us. A man cannot find peace when he is full of human concerns and prefers the pleasures of the present, rather than the promises of the future. The pleasures of this world always bring great torture; the promises of the future bring great joy.
Worldly people are like a plague, impossible to keep within limits, always perverting others. If only they did the sinful things in private, it could still be suffered. But they continue teaching evil to innocent souls, not knowing that they incur a double condemnation, for themselves and their followers.
Faith in God’s promises. The aim of Christian life is sanctity.
11 Serve God with a pure heart and seek sanctity. If we do not abandon ourselves in God and serve him, we shall be miserable. Consider these prophetic words: “Miserable are those who question their faith and doubt in their heart saying: ‘We have heard all these things in our fathers’ time. We waited day after day, and nothing came to be.’ O foolish men! Compare yourselves to a grapevine. First it sheds its leaves, then comes a bud, after this, a sour berry, then, the bunch of sweet ripe grapes. So also my people had to undergo hardships and pain, but afterwards they shall receive only joys.”
Therefore, my brothers, do not admit voluntary doubts about our faith. Keep up your hope with patience, that you may gain your reward. For God is faithful to his promises and will pay to each the wages of his works. If we perform good deeds before God, we shall have access into his Kingdom and receive the reward which “ear has not heard, nor eye seen, nor has it entered into the heart of men.”
13 Brothers, repent now without delay. Let us guard our senses, for we are full of so much madness and malice. Let us wipe off from ourselves our past sins. We will be saved if we repent with all our hearts. Let us not be pleasers of men, nor seek to please ourselves alone. Rather, by our sanctity of life, let us try to bring in those who are outside. Thus, we will not cause scandal and they will not have motive to defame God’s Holy Name.
The description of the Church that we find in this homily is interesting. The Church was prepared and foreshadowed before the creation of the sun and the moon. But she was invisible, spiritual, barren. Now she is a living reality. She is the Body of Christ; she is the Spouse, and we are her children. Through prayer and apostolate, we bring people to salvation.
14 Brothers, if we do the Will of God, our Father, we shall be joining the original Church, which was spiritually established even before the sun and the moon. But if we do not do the Will of God, we shall be setting up what the Scripture describes: “My house has become a den of thieves.”
Belong to the living Church, that you may be saved. I am sure you know that the living Church is the Body of Christ. For the Scripture says: “God made them male and female.” The male is Christ, the female is the Church.
Moreover, the Sacred Books and the apostles declare that the Church is not merely of the present time, but was prepared from the beginning. When the world was made, the Church was present in figure or as a spirit, as also was Jesus foreknown. Jesus has become man in our time to save us, as also the Church has become a reality in the Body of Christ.
15 Do not neglect the advice I have given you concerning self-control and mortification. You will never regret having followed it; you will save both yourself and me, who advised you. For whoever converts a straying and perishing soul and brings it to salvation will receive no small reward. Indeed, this is the least one can do for God, who created us.
Conversion is possible if both, the one who speaks and the one who listens, act with faith and charity. Moreover, I encourage you to remain firm and uncompromising in the content of faith.
Pray to God with confidence, for he says: “Ask and I will answer you. And while you are still asking, I will say: Here I am “ (Is 58:9). This is a fact: The Lord is more eager to give than man is to ask. If such is God’s goodness, we should not be slow in asking. These words are a motive of joy for those who pray with confidence, but contain also a warning for those who do not pray.
The sermon is very clear on the necessity of good works for salvation. The author encourages all to think of the Last Judgment, to be faithful and persevere in good works.
16 So, brothers, we are given an opportunity to repent, let us turn to God who called us, while there is still time. God our Father is waiting for us. If we cut off ourselves from the pleasures of this world and reject the evil desires of our soul, if we constantly refuse to carry them out, Jesus will look at us with compassion. You know that the day of judgment is now coming, it will burn like a furnace. Even the stars of heaven will be dissolved, and the entire earth will be as lead melting in the fire. Then, the secret and public deeds of men will be known.
Almsgiving and detachment from material things are good as penance for sins. Fasting and mortification of the senses are better than reciting prayers; giving oneself is the best. Charity makes up for a multitude of sins; prayer from a good conscience delivers from eternal death. Blessed is the man who is found full of these things, for by giving ourselves to the others, we remove the burden of our sins.
17 Let us have contrition for our sins, and no one of us will fall astray as we tread along the way. If our duty is to snatch men away from idols, from religious ignorance, and to instruct them, how much more critical is that one of us who already knows God should not be lost? We should help one another to persevere. We should guide a brother who has grown lukewarm to continue in the straight path. We should encourage one another to have contrition and to get closer to God, so that we may all be saved.
I know you are now paying attention to my words and want to be faithful; be steadfast in your resolution. Keep in mind your duties toward the Lord also when you return home, and do not be carried away by worldly concerns.
Try to be constant in your attendance in these gatherings where you advance in the knowledge of your duties toward God, so that we will all keep the same mind and be gathered together in eternal life.
The Lord says, “I come to gather together all nations, tribes, and languages.” By this he means that he will come again on the last day to reward each according to his works. And those who were consistent with their faith shall see his glory and might. They shall be astounded when they look upon the power given to Jesus over the world.
Some shall say: “Woe to us, for you passed by, and we did not acknowledge you and did not believe you. We were disobedient to your priests who told us about salvation.”
On that day of judgment, we shall discover who were the unfaithful ones, and who did not live a life consistent with the commandments of Jesus Christ. These shall be made a spectacle to the world. They shall be thrown into hell, where “their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.”
The just will see those who have sinned, who have denied Jesus by their words or by their deeds, being punished with terrible tortures and unquenchable fire. They who have fought to be faithful, have endured tortures, and hated the illicit pleasures of life will give glory to God saying: “Have hope, a great reward is awaiting those who have served God with all their heart.”
18 Join the army of those who will be giving thanks, who had served God–not the company of those wicked men who are condemned. I myself am altogether sinful; I am far from being free of temptation. I am still under the attack of the devil, though I strive to pursue God’s way. How I would love to reach the end of it, for I fear the judgment to come.
19 And so, my brothers and sisters, following the God of truth, I am reading to you this appeal. Observe what I have written; you will save yourselves and him who is reading to you. Do me a favor; have repentance and contrition for your sins with your whole heart and attain salvation and life. By doing this, we shall also set a goal for all the young ones who wish to join this work of God.
We should not be annoyed or upset –fools that we are– when someone corrects us and brings us back to the straight path. For sometimes we do evil unknowingly, because of our lukewarmness and lack of fidelity. Our mind becomes darkened by vain desires.
Be faithful, to be saved in the end. Blessed are those who obey these instructions. Although we may suffer in this world for a short while, we shall reap the immortal fruit of the resurrection. Do not be sad if trials come; a time of immense happiness awaits us. We shall live again with our elders and rejoice in an eternity without sorrow.
20 Do not be disturbed if you see that the wicked are wealthy and the servants of God in difficult circumstances. Have faith!, my brothers and sisters. We are now engaged in a battle, fighting for the living God in this life, to win the crown in the life to come. Nobody has ever won his reward at once; one must always work and wait for it. If God were to reward anyone right away, that will look more like a business transaction, not like a fight for sanctity. We would give the impression of being good and loving God, while really going after personal profit.
This is the reason why God punishes the egoistic spirit and enchains it.
To the One, invisible God, the Father of Truth, who sent us the Savior, the Prince of Immortality, through whom he has revealed to us the truth and supernatural life, to him be glory forever. Amen.
Footnote:1. The source of the quotation is unknown, possibly an apocryphal Gospel. The main ideas are found in the canonical Gospels: Lk 10:3; Mt 10:16; Mt 10:28; and Lk 12:4.5