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"Now, after these events Abram received an oracle from the Lord in a vision by night, with these words, 'Don't be afraid, Abram, I am your
shield. Your reward will be exceedingly great.'""
HE [332] VIRTUE OF THE JUST resembles a treasure that contains great wealth beyond all telling. Just as U)) any person who managed to take from that treasure even a slight part would gain for himself considerable prosperity, exactly the same you will find happening also in the case of the patriarch. Notice, in fact, how almost every day we propose to you some instruction from the narrative about him, providing you with sustenance in generous measure without ever being able to deal adequately with the slightest part of his good deeds even today—such is the abundance of his virtue. It is like the waters flowing generously from a spring: even if people draw from them all, the waters emerging from the spring not only suffer no diminution, but the greater number of people drawing water so much the greater force does the water have in issuing forth. Well, exactly the same thing do we see happening in the case of this wonderful patriarch: despite the great numbers of people drawing from the spring of his good deeds from the time he lived up to the present, not only have they not exhausted the waters but the wealth of his good deeds abounds even further. In fact, we will find commentary on him occurring in the pages of Sacred Scripture stitched together like some golden thread:? on 1. Gen 15.1, with the addition of the words "by night," perhaps by Chrysostom himself, since the words are not in Hebrew or the LXX generally, and yet Chrysostom makes some play on them.
2. This homily, like many others, eases the congregation into the subject matter through a series of figures to do with the rich fare being offered in a scriptural homily, as we noted in Introduction (12) in FOTC 74. This homily protracts the series more than most.
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each occasion he is first observed giving evidence of his characteristic good sense, while immediately there follows reward from God.
(2) For you to learn that this is the case, we need to summarize for you his story from the beginning, [333] so that you may see both the extraordinary degree of the just man's faith shown in regard to God's promises and rewards provided generously by the loving God. In fact, this just man is capable of instructing us all to embrace with enthusiasm the struggles of virtue in our trust in rewards from above, to realize the generosity of our Lord and to accept with ease all the things considered difficult in this world's terms, nourished as we are by the hope of recompense. Pay close attention, I beseech you, how from the outset he brought to bear his own innate resources arising from the knowledge inherent in our nature and had no teacher from any external source; rather, he was raised by infidel parents and yet enjoyed the divine vision. You see, since, far from following in the erroneous footsteps of his father, from his earliest years he gave evidence instead of devotion to divine things, he soon had the good fortune to enjoy attention from above while still in Chaldea. This, remember, was what blessed Stephen explained clearly to us in these words, ""The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was in Mesopotamia before settling in Charran.'"* Do you see how the vision induced him to move from there? After all, it was to be expected that with his devotion to divine things he would have shown respect for his parents and won his father over to a loving frame of mind, and thus become the cause of his moving from there: on account of the son's love the father would have consented to abandon his own country and dwell in a foreign one. Consider, precisely, however, I ask you, how the attention given him by God on account of his anticipated virtue once more causes his virtue to be more patent: he chose to leave the paternal country and dwell in a foreign one so as to put into effect the command from God. In my opinion he was ready
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even without his relatives to make the move by himself; but, as I said before, the man's virtues and his great devotion to his parents brought it about that his father became a sojourner with him.
(3) Then, when he reached Charran, he pitched his tent there. At the death of Tharra—that was his father's name, remember—he is once more bidden by God to move from there. "'Go forth from your country,'" the text says, remember, "'and your kindred, onwards to the land that I will show you.'"* You see, since he had moved to Charran with his whole household, for that reason in giving him the command in this case to leave he added, "'from your country and your kindred,'" to show him that he wanted him to make the move by himself, alone, and not to drag his brother—I mean Nachor—or anybody else along with him. Now, he said "'from your own country" since they had dwelt there no little time and by then had made their home in it as if in their own native land. Though admittedly his grief for his parents was still at its height, and there were many difficulties and obstacles involved in moving at that time, nevertheless he responded with great alacrity to the command from the Lord without knowing where an end would come to his journeying.
""Onward,'" the text says, remember, not to this land or that, but to "'the one I will show you." Despite the direction being so vague, he carried out the command without being concerned about it in any way; he did, however, take his nephew
[334] with him, showing in this his characteristic virtue. I mean, since he had taken him into his company as a young man and gradually made him an imitator of his own virtue, he would not bear to leave him behind and instead took him as a companion on his journey. In other words he said to himself, If my father, infidel though he was, agreed through love of me to leave his ancestral home, where we were born and raised, and accompany me, and ended his life in a foreign land, surely much more unwilling would I be to allow
4. Gen 12.1. Having already spent 35 homilies on 14 chapters of Genesis and dealt with this incident adequately in Homily 31, Chrysostom can still halt further progress to return to it—doubtless for its moral value.
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O27 my brother's son, who from his earliest years has shown that he is gradually advancing in virtue, to be left here.
(4) Since he had shown his godliness in every way and had even made this transfer, accordingly when he reached Palestine and crossed the frontier of the Canaanites God appeared to him out of a wish to strengthen his resolve and offer him his hand. He said to him, "'I will give this land to your descendants.'"? What he really longed for—I mean posterity— this he immediately promises him, granting him recompense for such great labors. You see, though he had been deprived of natural progeny, and age by then had obliged him to give up hope of any, by his promise God restores his vigor and transforms him into a person of greater enthusiasm, making a new man of him and preparing him for the struggles ahead. Accordingly, notice the just man after this promise engaging in another contest: with the onset of famine and the presence of extreme hardship in Canaan he made tracks for Egypt, and in his desire to find relief from famine he involved himself in greater perils. Sarah's womanly beauty and charm almost brought him face to face with death. Hence when he was on the point of entering Egypt, he said to her, "'I know that you are very beautiful.'"® I recognize the bloom of your charm, and I am afraid of the Egyptians' lust. So if they see you and know that I have you always with me as my wife, perhaps they will spare your life so as to put into effect their passionate frenzy, whereas they will kill me so as to be able to perpetuate their crime without fear in the absence of anyone capable of bringing their turpitude to light. "'So say that I am your brother.'" See his spirit of steel, see his attitude firmer than iron; the dreaded outcome did not sway his thinking, nor did he think or say to himself, Is this the reason
I left my own country and as index of my great obedience I went to another one, to fall victim to these scoundrels? Didn't he promise me just recently, "'I will give this land to your descendants'"? Lo, he strikes our soul with fear of dishonor and death. On the contrary, Abram allowed nothing of the 5. (Gem 12.7:
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sort to affect his thinking; instead, his one concern was how to act in this evil scenario so as to succeed in escaping at least one of these two perils besetting him.
(5) He had brought all his resources to bear in making his plans with courage; his wife had acted with every sign of obedience and devotion to her husband and had put into effect his decisions. So when they completed what lay within their power, when things offered no hope by human reasoning and the criminal events had almost come to pass, then it was that the great providence of God in their regard was revealed.
That is to say, not only did God snatch the woman from outrage in his anger vented on the king and all his household, but he also caused the patriarch to return with much acclaim from Egypt to Palestine. [335] Consider how in the midst of these trials the loving Lord made available his grace and caused him to be at the peak of his condition for facing the contests still ahead, not permitting him to be bereft of his assistance but arranging by every means to make perfectly clear to him that, trifling though his contribution might be, he was being accorded wonderfully abundant resources even surpassing human nature.
(6) So do you see the good man's endurance? Observe likewise after his return from there the extent of his humility and his great restraint. I mean, when he returned from Egypt after acquiring great affluence (not himself solely, however, but accompanied by his nephew), "the countryside could not manage to support their living together," (the text says)
"since their company was numerous"'—whence even trouble broke out between the herdsmen of Lot and Abram. This just man, however, showed his mildness of spirit and the extraordinary degree of his good sense by calling Lot and saying to him, "'Let there be no trouble between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and yours, for we are brothers'"*—as if to say to him, Nothing is so important as peace, nothing is more serious than strife; so to rid ourselves of every ground of contention, choose whatever territory you wish and leave
7. Gen 13.6.
8. Gen 13.8.
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o29 me the remainder for the sake of our remaining free from all rivalry and dispute. Do you see the man's virtue? He allowed his junior the choice of the best parts, and was content with the poorest land. See him, however, in another situation, enjoying great reward after giving evidence of effort on his part: as soon as the separation took place, God said to him after Lot's parting from him: "'Lift. up your eyes and see all the land on either side: all the land you see I will give to you and your descendants forever.'"® Notice how much regard he was accorded for the humility he had displayed in regard to his nephew; whereas he made slight concessions and yet was granted far greater rewards, Lot on the contrary shortly afterwards fell into perils after taking pride of place, not only gaining no advantage from his choice but also suddenly falling captive and losing hearth and home, learning through the very turn of events the just man's exceeding virtue and gaining the lesson himself never to perpetuate anything like that in future. You recall that after Lot took up residence in Sodom, immediately a bitter war broke out: the kings of the neighboring peoples attacked with great force and completely devastated the whole country, slaying the giants, driving out the Amalekites, even forcing the king of Sodom and Gomorrah to take flight, occupying the whole mountain region, overwhelming the cavalry of the king of Sodom, capturing
Lot with his women and all his possessions, and thus taking their leave.
(7) Notice, however, God's wonderful providence: out of a wish to free Lot from captivity and at the same time to shed notoriety on the patriarch, he prompts the just man to come to the assistance of his nephew. Learning of the event, he fell on those kings with his retainers, routed them with complete ease, and recovered Lot, his women and all the king's horses, taking splendid spoils and making quite clear to everyone
God's favor in his regard and the fact that he inflicted such a great defeat not by his own power but under the protection g. Gen 13.14-15, in a somewhat paraphrased form of those verses already commented on by Chrysostom in Homily 34.
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of help from on high. Then he took pains by this turn of events to become an [336] instructor in religion to all the residents of Sodom through his converse with the king. The king met him, expressed his thanks for what he had done and said he would let him keep all the horses while retaining the people for himself. Notice in turn the just man's magnanimity in the lesson he gives of his own sound values, namely, that he is protected against gifts from the king, and in leading the king to the knowledge of religion. You see, he did not simply tell him, I decline to accept anything from you, or I don't need any reward. Instead, what? "'I will raise my hand to swear before God the most high,'"!° (as if teaching him that those worshipped by you are not gods, but figures of stone and wood; one alone is God over all) "'who made heaven and earth, that I will not accept from you even string or shoelace,'""! lest you think we have taken vengeance for their sake and be in a position to say you were responsible for my prosperity. In fact, the one who provides the victory and guarantees my triumph is he who supplies also the source of my wealth. Notice how, if only he had wanted to, the king could have gained a lot from the patriarch's virtue in everything.
In case he might think that it was through stupidity or arrogance that he spurned what he had offered, consequently he said to him, While I will accept nothing—after all, I don't need it, and I don't depend on others to add to my wealth— yet I will allow my associates in danger to take portions lest they seem to have cold comfort for their good offices.
(8) While this was the reply the good man made to the king of Sodom, on the contrary, when Melchisedek king of Salem in his turn offered him bread and wine ("He was," the text says, remember, "priest of God the most high"!*), he accepted the offerings from him and rewarded him for the blessing bestowed on him and the praise of God (he said, remember, as the text tells us, ""Blessed be Abram by God the most high, and blessed be God, who delivered your enemies into your
10. Gen 14.22.
11. Gen 14.22—23, again paraphrased.
12. Gen 14.18.
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hands'"!%) by giving him a tenth of all the spoils he had taken.
Do you see the just man's godfearing attitude shown in every circumstance and how, while declining to take from the king of Sodom even string or shoelace, he did, on the other hand, accept the offering of Melchisedek and even recompensed him for them with offerings of his own, giving us the lesson of exhibiting great discretion instead of simply and without question accepting gifts from everyone. You see, whereas the king of Sodom proved well-disposed in giving gifts, yet he was in fact faithless in other matters and stood in need of much instruction; hence, on the one hand, Abram spurned the gifts, and on the other he went to considerable trouble to encourage him to a sense of religion both through the gifts he declined to accept and the conversation he had with him.
Quite rightly, on the contrary, did he accept them from Melchisedek; after all, Sacred Scripture gave indication of the man's virtue in saying, "Now, he was a priest of God the most high." In particular, these events were a type [337] of Christ, and the offerings themselves prefigured a kind of mystery!4#— hence Abram accepted them and in taking them he also taught us by the recompense given by him the greatness of his own virtue. He gave him a tithe, you remember, indicating by that his godly purpose.
(g) Perhaps our sermon has been drawn out to great length, but not idly or to no purpose.'® We came to know, in brief, the just man's bravery right from the beginning up to the text proposed to us today, his magnanimity, the extraordinary degree of his faith, his sensible attitude, the extent of his humility, his exceeding scorn for wealth, the constant
13. Gen 14.19—20, also paraphrased.
14. It is rare to find Chrysostom the Antiochene recognizing a spiritual or typological sense in Scripture, and then only (as here) with encouragement from the New Testament. His school's interest in the literal sense did not allow such departures, and his audience did not expect it. See Introduction
(21) in FOTC 74.
15. Well might Chrysostom advert to the length of this introduction, which has been little other than a summary of those chapters 12—14 of Genesis he had already commented on in similar vein in recent homilies. Did he suspect that some of his congregation had in fact not attended those homilies and needed a synopsis?
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providence of God's favor in his regard, and how the support given him each day rendered the good man in every instance more conspicuous and admirable.
If, however, you don't mind and are not weary, let us also touch on the text read just now and draw the sermon to a close by proposing a few matters to you in order that you may learn how much reward he was again granted for scorning the gifts offered him by the king of Sodom. What in fact does it say? "Now, after these events Abram received an oracle from the Lord." Why did it begin, "Now, after these events'? What events, tell me? Is it referring to his actions in regard to the king of Sodom? After that rejection, is it saying, after declining what was offered by him, after the lesson he gave by rejecting the gifts in leading him to a sense of religion and knowledge of the Creator of all—"now, after these events," after providing Melchisedek with the tithe, when (in short) he had discharged all that lay in his power, then "after these events Abram received an oracle from the Lord in a vision by night, with these words:
'Don't be afraid, Abram, I am your shield. Your reward will be exceedingly great.'"
(10) See the loving kindness of the Lord in immediately coming to his support by rewarding him with acts of kindness, anointing his athlete for the contest and bringing new life to him. "He received an oracle from the Lord in a vision by night." Why by night?!® So that he might receive the oracle in tranquility. God said to him, "'Don't be afraid, Abram."
Notice the extraordinary degree of his care. Why did he say, Don't be afraid? Since he had scorned so much wealth by giving little importance to the offerings of the king, God said to him, Have no fear for despising gifts of such value, nor be distressed on the score of your diminished prosperity. ""Don't be afraid.'" Then to cheer his spirit further, he adds his name to the encouragement by saying, ""Don't be afraid, Abram.'"
16. As we have remarked, neither the Hebrew nor LXX support Chrysostom in this reading. He is perhaps reasoning from v. 5 that it is night, though v. 12 speaks of the day (as Chrysostom admits in Homily 37)—something that suggests to modern commentators (but not Chrysostom, of course) diversity of tradition.
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ooo It proves to be no little help in encouraging a person to invoke the name of the person we are addressing. Then he said,
"'I am your shield.'" This phrase is also rich in meaning: I summoned you from the Chaldeans, I led you hither, I rescued you from the perils of Egypt, I promised once and again to give this land to your descendants, I it is who will be your shield; after daily making you acclaimed by all, I will be your shield—that is, I will struggle in your stead, I will be your shield. "'Your reward will be [338] exceedingly great.'" You refused to accept reward for the troubles you suffered in exposing yourself to such risks; instead, you scorned both the king and what he offered you. I will provide you with a reward, not to the degree that you would have received, but wonderfully, exceedingly great: "'Your reward," the text
Says, remember, "'will be exceedingly great.'"
(11) Do you see the Lord's generosity? Do you see the force of his words? Do you see how he encouraged this champion of religion? Do you see how he invigorated his spirit? I mean, the one who knows the unspoken thoughts of our mind understood that the just man could do with comfort from his own words; after all, see what he said in deriving confidence from his words: "Abram said, however, 'Lord, what will you give me? I am to pass on without children.'"!" Since God had promised him a reward, a wonderfully, exceedingly great reward, Abram revealed his grief of spirit and the disappointment affecting him constantly on account of his childless condition in saying, Lord, what sort of thing will you give me?
After all, behold, I have reached the height of old age and am to pass on without children. See how from the outset the just man showed his sound thinking in calling his departure from here passing on. I mean, people who live an assiduous life of virtue really pass on from struggle, as it were, and are freed from their bonds when they transfer from this life. You see, for people living virtuously it is a kind of transfer from a worse situation to a better, from a temporary existence to an everlasting one that is protected from death and has no 17. Gen 15.2.
oon
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end. "'I am to pass on without children,'" he said. And to win the merciful Lord over, far from resting content with these words what did he say? "'Since you have given me no offspring, a son of my household slave Mazek will be my heir.'"!® These words reveal the extreme degree of the pain in his soul, as if to say to God, Far from being granted what my slave was, I am to pass away without child or heir, whereas my slave will inherit the gifts granted me by you, despite the promise received from you more than once in the words, "To your descendants I will give this land.'" Consider, I ask you, the just man's virtue in this case also in the fact that while entertaining these thoughts in his mind he did not protest nor say any harsh words; instead, because driven on in this case by the words spoken to him, he spoke boldly to the Lord, revealed the tumult of his interior thoughts and made no secret of the wound to his spirit—hence in turn he received instant healing.
(12) "Immediately," the text goes on, "the voice of God came to him." See the precision of Scripture! "Immediately," the text says. He did not allow the just man to be distressed for a moment, but rather brought immediate comfort and assuaged the severity of the pain through his words to him.
"Immediately," the text says, "the voice of God came to him saying, 'Not that child will be your heir, but the one who comes from your body—he will be your heir.'"!9 Is this what you are afraid of? he asks. Is this what upsets you, does this aggravate your discouragement? Well, learn that "'not that child will be your heir, but the one who comes from your body—he will be your heir.'" So look not to human nature, nor consider your old age, nor Sarah's sterility; instead, trust the power of my promise, leave aside your discouragement, and rather take sufficient heart and convince [339] yourself that you will have an heir that will be born from your own
18. Gen 15.2b~-3, a passage that is corrupt in the Hebrew and rendered in a more complicated fashion in the LXX generally; in abbreviating it Chrysostom has probably represented the sense of Abram's complaint of lacking a true heir.
19. Gen 15.4.
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body. Then, since the promise was beyond nature and surpassed human reasoning (the natural difficulties, after all, caused considerable tumult within him—his old age, Sarah's sterility and the barrenness of her womb), he magnifies the extent of the promise so that the just man might be able to take heart in considering the generosity of the one making the promise. "He took him outside," the text goes on, "and said to him: 'Look up at the sky and count the number of the stars—if in fact you can number them.' He said, 'That will be the number of your descendants.' Abram had faith in God, and this was reckoned as righteousness in him."??
(13) Why did it inform us that "he took him outside"? Well, since it had said previously that God appeared to him in a vision by night and addressed those words to him, whereas now, however, he wants to show him the innumerable stars in the sky, the text says, "He took him outside and said, 'Look up at the sky and count the number of stars—if in fact you can number them.' He said, "That will be the number of your descendants.'" Wonderful the promise, marvelous the extent of the pledge—yet if we consider the power of the one promising, nothing will seem extraordinary to us. I mean, the one who formed the body from dust, brought it into being from non-being and created all visible things can also lavish upon us what is beyond the limits of nature.
(14) Do you see the Lord's generosity? After Abram said, remember, "'I am to pass on without children'" as though finding himself at the very gates of death and no longer in a position to do anything about having children, he added those further words by saying, ""The son of my household slave Mazek will be my heir.'" Hence, out of a desire to lift his spirits and cause his thoughts to be optimistic, he both liberates him from the pressing anxiety and also sets his mind at rights with his promise and the greatness of the gift, and by showing him the multitude of stars and promising that his offspring would be equal to them he led him to sound hope.
That is to say, when he saw the Lord's promise and discarded 20. Gen 15.5—6.
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every human consideration, having regard neither for himself nor for Sarah's being beset by so many handicaps, but rather surpassing all human problems and realizing that God is capable also of granting favors beyond human limits, he took heart from God's words and entertained no doubts nor had any qualms about what had been said. After all, this is what faith really is, when we trust in the power of the one promising, not on the basis of human plausibility of the promise made. "Faith is," remember, as blessed Paul also says,
"the substance of things hoped for, the guarantee of what is not seen,'*! and again, "After all, if a person sees something, what need has he also to hope for it?"?? Accordingly, that is faith, when we believe in those things that are not seen and keep our mind fixed on the trustworthiness of the one who has made the promise. This, in fact, is exactly what this just man did, giving evidence of much genuine faith in regard to the promises—hence he is acclaimed also by Sacred Scripture, for it added immediately, "Abram had faith in God, and this was reckoned as righteousness in him." Do you see how even before the outcome of the promises he received a commensurate reward for his very act of faith? It was reckoned as righteousness in him, remember, to have faith in the promise from God and not to delve into the words spoken by God by human reasoning.
(15) Accordingly, let us learn, [340] I beseech you, a lesson for ourselves as well from the patriarch, to believe in the words of God and trust in his promise, and not to apply the yardstick of our own reasoning but give evidence of deep gratitude. This, you see, will succeed in making us also be seen to be righteous and will quickly cause us to attain to the promise made by him. In Abraham's case, however, the promise was made that a complete multitude would develop from his descendants, and the effect of the promise was beyond the limits of nature and human logic—hence also faith in God won righteousness for him. In our case, on the other hand, if we are alert enough to see it, he promised much
21. Heb 11.1 in Chrysostom's text.
22. Rom 8.24.
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O57 more and we are able in great measure to transcend human reasoning, provided we believe in the power of the one who promises, in order that we may gain also righteousness from faith and attain to the good things promised. You see, all the things that are the particular object of his promise defy human reasoning and surpass all imagining—such is the extent of the promises. I mean, he did not only promise things in this world, the substance of material things, but also after our departure from here and the corruption of our bodies, when our bodies dissolve into dust and ashes—then it is that he promised to raise them up and transform them in greater glory. Blessed Paul says, remember, "The perishable must be clad in imperishability and the mortal be clad in immortality."?8 After the resurrection of our bodies he promised to grant us enjoyment of the kingdom, life with the saints, enjoyment for all eternity, and those ineffable good things
"which eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor have they been imagined by human heart."** Do you see the extraordinary extent of his promise? do you see the greatness of his gifts?
(16) With this in mind and aware of the impossibility of deceit by the one who promises, let us with enthusiasm prepare ourselves for the struggles of virtue so that we may be in a position to enjoy the good things promised and not put present concerns ahead of our salvation and the enjoyment of such wonderful blessings, and instead of considering the effort virtue involves let us have regard for its recompense; when there is need to give money to the poor, let us consider not the expense but the advantage to us stemming from it.
You see, the reason that Sacred Scripture compared almsgiving to sowing seed was that we might engage in it with relish and much enthusiasm. After all, if people plough seed into the soil, gather and scatter what they have stored, complete the process with joy and buoyed up with optimistic expectations already sketch in their imagination the sheaves and the brimming barns, much more should those who have been granted the favor of sowing this spiritual seed rejoice and 23.
1 Cor 15.53.
24. 1 Cor 2:q;
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exult in the fact that while sowing on earth they are destined to reap in heaven, and while dispensing money they receive remission of sins and find grounds for confidence, procuring for themselves through almsgiving here everlasting repose and life with the saints. If we have a love for self control, let us not have regard for the fact that virtue involves effort, nor that virginity involves a keen struggle; rather, let us consider the end awaiting us, and with this ever in mind let us check evil desire, get the better of the promptings of the flesh and discount the difficulty of effort with [341] the thought of the rewards received in return.
(17) The hope of real gain, after all, is enough to prepare us to face even great risk with boldness, not to mention putting up nobly with the effort virtue involves. I mean, when you consider that after fighting the good fight for a brief period and keeping the lamp of virginity shining you will be accorded that blessed existence and be in a position to join the bridegroom, provided you have your lamps alight and keep enough oil**»—that is, the doing of good deeds—how can you fail to survive all those difficulties with ease by keeping in mind that saying of blessed Paul, "Seek after peace with everyone and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord"? Do you see how he linked peace with holiness? You see, for us to learn that he stipulates not only purity of body but peace as well, he makes timely mention of it out of a wish for us to be secure on both scores and at rest in our thinking, so that there be no alarm or tumult in ourselves but that we live in peace and tranquility, be peacably disposed to all, mild, gentle and restrained so that all the colors of virtue may blossom on our countenance. In this way, you see, we shall be able for the future to scorn even the glory of this present life by preferring true glory, giving much attention to humility and despising all the prosperity of this present life so as to enjoy true and lasting prosperity and be deemed worthy to see Christ. "Blessed are the pure in heart," Scripture says, remember, "because they will see God."?? Accordingly, let us
25. Cf. Matt 25.1-13.
26. Heb 12.14.
27. Matt 5.8.
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purify our conscience and conduct our life meticulously so that by passing the present life in all virtue we may be deemed worthy to receive in the world to come the reward of our labors here, thanks to the grace and loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy
Spirit be glory, power and honor, now and forever, for ages of ages. Amen.