Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Series 2 - The Still Small ...

ationis intelligentia contemplari: sapientiæ dulcissimis fructibus perfrui præsto est. Tibi
omnium cedit animantium genus, quæ per connexa montium vel prærupta rupium aut opaca
silvarum feruntur; omne quod vel aquis tegitur, vel præpetibus pennis in aere suspenditur.
Omne, inquam, quod hujus mundi est, servitis et subjectioni tuæ liberalis munificentia conditoris
indulsit. Nonne tu, sensu tibi rationabili suggerente, diversitates artium reperisti?
Nonne tu urbes condere, omnemque earum reliquum usum pernecessarium viventibus invenisti?
Nonne tibi per rationem quæ in te est mare pervium fit? Terra, flumina, fontesque tuis
vel usibus vel voluptatibus famulantur. Nonne aer hic et cœlum ipsum atque omnes stellarum
chori vitæ mortalium ministerio cursus suos atque ordines servant? Quid ergo deficis animo,
et deesse tibi aliquid putas, si non tibi equus producitur phaleris exornatus et spumanti ore
frena mandens argentea? Sed sol tibi producitur, veloci rapidoque cursu ardentes tibi faces
caloris simul ac luminis portans. Non habes aureos et argenteos discos: sed habes lunæ discum
purissimo et blandissimo splendore radiantem. Non ascendis currum, nec rotarum lupsibus
veheris, sed habes pedum tuorum vehiculum tecum natum. Quid ergo beatos censes eos qui
aurum quidem possisent, alienis autem pedibus indigent, ad necessarios commeatus? Non
recubas eburneis thoris, sed adjacent fecundi cespites viridantes et herbidi thori, florum varietate
melius quam fucatis coloribus Tyrii muricis picti, in quibus dulces et salubres somni
nullis curarum morsibus effugantur. Non te contegunt aurata laquearia; sed cœlum te contegit
ineffabili fulgore stellarum depictum. Hæc quidem quantum ad communem humanitatis
attinet vitam. Accipe vero majora. Propter te Deus in hominibus, Spiritus sancti distributio,
mortis ablatio, resurrectionis spes. Propter te divina præcepta hominibus delata, quæ te perfectam
doceant vitam, et iter tuum ad Deum per mandatorum tramitem dirigant. Tibi
panduntur regna cœlorum, tibi coronæ justitiæ præparantur; si tamen labores et ærumnas
pro justitia ferre non refugis.” 579
Homily VI., on Luke xii. 18, is on selfish wealth and greed.
Beware, says the preacher, 580 lest the fate of the fool of the text be thine. “These things
are written that we may shun their imitation. Imitate the earth, O man. Bear fruit, as she
does, lest thou prove inferior to that which is without life. She produces her fruits, not that
she may enjoy them, but for thy service. Thou dost gather for thyself whatever fruit of good
works thou hast strewn, because the grace of good works returns to the giver. Thou hast
given to the poor, and the gift becomes thine own, and comes back with increase. Just as
grain that has fallen on the earth becomes a gain to the sower, so the loaf thrown to the
hungry man renders abundant fruit thereafter. Be the end of thy husbandry the beginning
of the heavenly sowing. ‘Sow,’ it is written, ‘to yourselves in righteousness.’ 581 Why then
579 § 6.
580 § 3.
581 Hos. x. 12.
Homiletical.
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