Homily 7
1 John 4:4-12
"Now are you of God, little children, and have overcome him: because
greater is He who is in you, than he that is in this world. They are of
the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world hears
them. We are of God: he who knows God hears us; he who is not of
God hears not us. From this know we the spirit of truth, and [the
spirit] of error. Dearly, beloved, let us love one another: for love is of
God; and every one who loves is born of God, and knows God. He who
loves not knows not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the
love of God in us, that God sent His only-begotten Son into this world,
that we may live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved, but
that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the Atoner for our sins. Dearly
beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man
has seen God at any time."
1. So is this world to all the faithful seeking their own country, as was
the desert to the people Israel. They wandered indeed as yet, and
were seeking their own country: but with God for their guide they
could not wander astray. Their way was God's bidding. For where they
went about during forty years, the journey itself is made up of a very
few stations, and is known to all. They were retarded because they
were in training, not because they were forsaken. That therefore
which God promises us is ineffable sweetness and a good, as the
Scripture says, and as you have often heard by us rehearsed, which
"eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of
man."But by temporal labours we are exercised, and by temptations of
this present life are trained. However, if you would not die of thirst in
this wilderness, drink charity. It is the fountain which God has been
pleased to place here that we faint not in the way: and we shall more
abundantly drink thereof, when we are come to our own land. The
Gospel has just been read; now to speak of the very words with which
the lesson ended, what other thing heard you but concerning charity?
For we have made an agreement with our God in prayer, that if we
would that He should forgive us our sins, we also should forgive the
sins which may have been committed against us. Now that which
forgives is none other than charity. Take away charity from the heart;
hatred possesses it, it knows not how to forgive. Let charity be there,
and she fearlessly forgives, not being straitened. And this whole
epistle which we have undertaken to expound to you, see whether it
commends aught else than this one thing, charity. Nor need we fear
lest by much speaking thereof it come to be hateful. For what is there
to love, if charity come to be hateful? It is by charity that other things
come to be rightly loved; then how must itself be loved! Let not that
then which ought never to depart from the heart, depart from the
tongue.
2. "Now," says he, "are you little children of God, and have overcome
him:" whom but Antichrist? For above he had said, "Whoever
unmakes Jesus Christ and denies that He is come in the flesh is not of
God." Now we expounded, if you remember, that all those who violate
charity deny Jesus Christ to have come in the flesh. For Jesus had no
need to come but because of charity: as indeed the charity we are
commending is that which the Lord Himself commends in the Gospel,
"Greater love than this can no man have, that a man lay down his life
for his friends." How was it possible for the Son of God to lay down His
life for us without putting on flesh in which He might die? Whoever
therefore violates charity, let him say what he will with his tongue, his
life denies that Christ is come in the flesh; and this is an antichrist,
wherever he may be, wherever he have come in. But what says the
apostle to them who are citizens of that country for which we sigh?
"You have overcome him." And whereby have they overcome?
"Because greater is He who is in you, than he that is in this world."
Lest they should attribute the victory to their own strength, and by
arrogance of pride should be overcome, (for whoever the devil makes
proud, he overcomes,) wishing them to keep humility, what says he?
"You have overcome him." Every man now, at hearing this saying, "You
have overcome," lifts up the head, lifts up the neck, wishes himself to
be praised. Do not extol yourself; see who it is that in you has
overcome. Why have you overcome? "Because greater is He who is in
you, than he that is in the world." Be humble, bear your Lord; the
beast for Him to sit on. Good is it for you that He should rule, and He
guide. For if you have not Him to sit on you, you may lift up the neck,
may strike out the heels: but woe to you without a ruler, for this
liberty sends you among the wild beasts to be devoured!
3. "These are of the world." Who? The antichrists. You have already
heard who they be. And if you are not such, you know them, but
whoever is such, knows not. "These are of the world: therefore speak
they of the world, and the world hears them." Who are those who
"speak of the world"? Mark who are against charity. Behold, you have
heard the Lord saying, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will forgive you also your trespasses. But if you
forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your
trespasses." It is the sentence of Truth: or if it is not Truth that speaks,
gainsay it. If you are a Christian and believe Christ, He has said, "I am
the truth." This sentence is true, is firm. Now hear men that "speak of
the world." "And will you not avenge yourself? And will you let him say
that he has done this to you? Nay: let him feel that he has to do with a
man." Every day are such things said, Those who say such things, "of
the world speak they, and the world hears them." None say such things
but those that love the world, and by none are such things heard but
by those who love the world. And you have heard that to love the
world and neglect charity is to deny that Jesus came in the flesh. Or
say if the Lord Himself in the flesh did that? if, being buffeted, He
willed to be avenged? if, hanging on the cross, He did not say, "Father,
forgive them, for they know not what they do"? But if He threatened
not, who had power; why do you threaten, why are you inflated with
anger, who are under power of another? He died because it was His
will to die, yet He threatened not; you know not when you shall die,
and do you threaten?
4. "We are of God." Let us see why; see whether it is for any other thing
than charity. "We are of God: he who knows God hears us; he who is
not of God hears not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and of
error:" namely by this, that he who hears us has the spirit of truth; he
who hears not us, has the spirit of error. Let us see what he advises,
and let us choose rather to hear him advising in the spirit of truth, and
not antichrists, not lovers of the world, not the world. If we are born of
God, "beloved," he goes on - see above from what: "We are of God: he
who knows God hears us; he who is not of God hears not us. Hereby
know we the spirit of truth, and of error:" aye, now, he makes us
eagerly attentive: to be told that he who knows God, hears; but he who
knows not, hears not; and that this is the discerning between the
spirit of truth and the spirit of error: well then, let us see what he is
about to advise; in what we must hear him - "Beloved, let us love one
another." Why? because a man advises? "Because love is of God." Much
has he commended love, in that he has said, "Is of God:" but he is going
to say more; let us eagerly hear. At present he has said, "Love is of God;
and every one who loves is born of God, and knows God. He who loves
not knows not God."Why? "For God is love" [Love is God]. What more
could be said, brethren? If nothing were said in praise of love
throughout the pages of this epistle, if nothing whatever throughout
the other pages of the Scriptures, and this one only thing were all we
were told by the voice of the Spirit of God, "For Love is God;" nothing
more ought we to require.
5. Now see that to act against love is to act against God. Let no man
say, "I sin against man when I do not love my brother, (mark it!) and
sin against man is a thing to be taken easily; only let me not sin against
God." How sin you not against God, when you sin against love? "Love is
God." Do "we" say this? If we said, "Love is God," haply some one of you might be offended and say, What has he said? What meant he to
say, that "Love is God"? God "gave" love, as a gift God bestowed love.
"Love is of God: Love IS God." Look, here have you, brethren, the
Scriptures of God: this epistle is canonical; throughout all nations it is
recited, it is held by the authority of the whole earth, it has edified the
whole earth. You are here told by the Spirit of God, "Love is God." Now
if you dare, go against God, and refuse to love your brother!
6. In what sense then was it said a while ago, "Love is of God;" and
now, "Love IS God?" For God is Father and Son and Holy Ghost: the
Son, God of God, the Holy Ghost, God of God; and these three, one God,
not three Gods. If the Son be God, and the Holy Ghost God, and that
person loves in whom dwells the Holy Ghost: therefore "Love is God;"
but "IS God," because "Of God." For you have both in the epistle; both,
"Love is of God," and, "Love is God." Of the Father alone the Scripture
has it not to say, that He is "of God:" but when you hear that
expression, "Of God," either the Son is meant, or the Holy Ghost.
Because while the apostle says, "The love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us:" let us understand that
He who subsists in love is the Holy Ghost. For it is even this Holy
Spirit, whom the bad cannot receive, even He is that Fountain of which
the Scripture says, "Let the fountain of your water be your own, and
let no stranger partake with you." For all who love not God, are
strangers, are antichrists. And though they come to the churches, they
cannot be numbered among the children of God; not to them belongs
that Fountain of life. To have baptism is possible even for a bad man;
to have prophecy is possible even for a bad man. We find that king
Saul had prophecy: he was persecuting holy David, yet was he filled
with the spirit of prophecy, and began to prophesy. To receive the
sacrament of the body and blood of the Lord is possible even for a bad
man: for of such it is said, "He who eats and drinks unworthily, eats
and drinks judgment to himself." To have the name of Christ is
possible even for a bad man; i.e. even a bad man can be called a
Christian: as they of whom it is said, "They polluted the name of their
God." I say, to have all these sacraments is possible even for a bad man;
but to have charity, and to be a bad man, is not possible. This then is
the peculiar gift, this the "Fountain" that is singly one's "own." To
drink of this the Spirit of God exhorts you, to drink of Himself the
Spirit of God exhorts you.
7. "In this was manifested the love of God in us." Behold, in order that
we may love God, we have exhortation. Could we love Him, unless He
first loved us? If we were slow to love, let us not be slow to love in
return. He first loved us; not even so do we love. He loved the
unrighteous, but He did away the unrighteousness: He loved the
unrighteous, but not to unrighteousness did He gather them together:
He loved the sick, but He visited them to make them whole. "Love,"
then, "is God." "In this was manifested the love of God in us, because
that God sent His only-begotten Son into the world, that we may live
through Him." As the Lord Himself says: "Greater love than this can no
man have, that a man lay down his life for his friends:" and there was
proved the love of Christ towards us, in that He died for us: how is the
love of the Father towards us proved? In that He "sent His only Son" to
die for us: so also the apostle Paul says: "He who spared not His own
Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how has He not with Him also
freely given us all things?" Behold the Father delivered up Christ;
Judas delivered Him up; does it not seem as if the thing done were of
the same sort? Judas is one who delivered up, [or, a traitor]: is God the
Father that? God forbid! You say. I do not say it, but the apostle says,
"He who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all."
Both the Father delivered Him up, and He delivered up Himself. The
same apostle says: "Who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me."
If the Father delivered up the Son; and the Son delivered up Himself,
what has Judas done? There was a delivering up by the Father; there
was a delivering up by the Son; there was a delivering up by Judas: the
thing done is the same, but what is it that distinguishes the Father
delivering up the Son, the Son delivering up Himself, and Judas the
disciple delivering up his Master? This: that the Father and the Son did
it in love, but Judas did this in treacherous betrayal. You see that not
what the man does is the thing to be considered; but with what mind
and will he does it. We find God the Father in the same deed in which
we find Judas; the Father we bless, Judas we detest. Why do we bless
the Father, and detest Judas? We bless charity, detest iniquity. How
great a good was conferred upon mankind by the delivering up of
Christ! Had Judas this in his thoughts, that therefore he delivered Him
up? God had in His thoughts our salvation by which we were
redeemed; Judas had in his thoughts the price for which he sold the
Lord. The Son Himself had in His thoughts the price He gave for us,
Judas in his the price he received to sell Him. The diverse intention
therefore makes the things done diverse. Though the thing be one, yet
if we measure it by the diverse intentions, we find the one a thing to
be loved, the other to be condemned; the one we find a thing to be
glorified, the other to be detested. Such is the force of charity. See that
it alone discriminates, it alone distinguishes the doings of men.
8. This we have said in the case where the things done are similar. In
the case where they are diverse, we find a man by charity made fierce;
and by iniquity made winningly gentle. A father beats a boy, and a boy-
stealer caresses. If you name the two things, blows and caresses, who
would not choose the caresses, and decline the blows? If you mark the
persons, it is charity that beats, iniquity that caresses. See what we are
insisting upon; that the deeds of men are only discerned by the root of
charity. For many things may be done that have a good appearance,
and yet proceed not from the root of charity. For thorns also have
flowers: some actions truly seem rough, seem savage; howbeit they
are done for discipline at the bidding of charity. Once for all, then, a
short precept is given you: Love, and do what you will: whether you
hold your peace, through love hold your peace; whether you cry out,
through love cry out; whether you correct, through love correct;
whether you spare, through love do you spare: let the root of love be
within, of this root can nothing spring but what is good.
9. "In this is love - in this was manifested the love of God toward us,
because that God sent his only-begotten Son into this world, that we
may live through Him. - In this is love, not that we loved God, but that
He loved us:" we did not love Him first: for to this end loved He us,
that we may love Him: "And sent His Son to be the Atoner for our sins:
i.e. one who sacrifices. He sacrificed for our sins. Where did He find
the sacrifice? Where did He find the victim which he would offer pure?
Other He found none; His own self He offered. "Beloved, if God so
loved us we ought also to love one another. Peter," says He, "do you
love me?" And he said, "I love." "Feed my sheep."
10. "No man has seen God at any time:" He is a thing invisible; not
with the eye but with the heart must He be sought. But just as if we
wished to see the sun, we should purge the eye of the body; wishing to
see God, let us purge the eye by which God can be seen. Where is this
eye? Hear the Gospel: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see
God." But let no man imagine God to himself according to the lust of
his eyes. For so he makes to himself either a huge form, or a certain
incalculable magnitude which, like the light which he sees with the
bodily eyes, he makes extend through all directions; field after field of
space he gives it all the bigness he can; or, he represents to himself
like as it were an old man of venerable form. None of these things do
you imagine. There is something you may imagine, if you would see
God; "God is love." What sort of face has love? what form has it? what
stature? what feet? what hands has it? no man can say. And yet it has
feet, for these carry men to church: it has hands; for these reach forth
to the poor: it has eyes; for thereby we consider the needy: "Blessed is
the man," it is said, "who considers the needy and the poor." It has
ears, of which the Lord says, "He who has ears to hear let him hear."
These are not members distinct by place, but with the understanding
he who has charity sees the whole at once. Inhabit, and you shall be
inhabited; dwell, and you shall be dwelt in. For how say you, my
brethren? who loves what he does not see? Now why, when charity is
praised, do you lift up your hands, make acclaim, praise? What have I
shown you? What I produced, was it a gleam of colours? What I
propounded, was it gold and silver? Have I dug out jewels from hid
treasures? What of this sort have I shown to your eyes? Is my face
changed while I speak? I am in the flesh; I am in the same form in
which I came forth to you; you are in the same form in which you
came hither: charity is praised, and you shout applause. Certainly you
see nothing. But as it pleases you when you praise, so let it please you
that you may keep it in your heart. For mark well what I say brethren;
I exhort you all, as God enables me, to a great treasure. If there were
shown you a beautiful little vase, embossed, inlaid with gold, curiously
wrought, and it charmed your eyes, and drew towards it the eager
desire of your heart, and you were pleased with the hand of the
artificer, and the weight of the silver, and the splendour of the metal;
would not each one of you say, "O, if I had that vase!" And to no
purpose you would say it, for it would not rest with you to have it. Or
if one should wish to have it, he might think of stealing it from
another's house. Charity is praised to you; if it please you, have it,
possess it: no need that you should rob any man, no need that you
should think of buying it; it is to be had freely, without cost. Take it,
clasp it; there is nothing sweeter. If such it is when it is but spoken of,
what must it be when one has it?
11. If any of you perchance wish to keep charity, brethren, above all
things do not imagine it to be an abject and sluggish thing; nor that
charity is to be preserved by a sort of gentleness, nay not gentleness,
but tameness and listlessness. Not so is it preserved. Do not imagine
that you then love your servant when you do not beat him, or that you
then love your son when you give him not discipline, or that you then
love your neighbour when you do not rebuke him: this is not charity,
but mere feebleness. Let charity be fervent to correct, to amend: but if
there be good manners, let them delight you; if bad, let them be
amended, let them be corrected. Love not in the man his error, but the
man: for the man God made, the error the man himself made. Love
that which God made, love not that which the man himself made.
When you love that, you take away this: when you esteem that, you
amend this. But even if you are severe at any time, let it be because of
love, for correction. For this cause was charity betokened by the Dove
which descended upon the Lord. That likeness of a dove, the likeness
in which came the Holy Ghost, by whom charity should be shed forth
into us: wherefore was this? The dove has no gall: yet with beak and
wings she fights for her young; hers is a fierceness without bitterness.
And so does also a father; when he chastises his son, for discipline he
chastises him. As I said, the kidnapper, in order that he may sell,
inveigles the child with bitter endearments; a father, that he may
correct, does without gall chastise. Be such to all men. See here,
brethren, a great lesson, a great rule: each one of you has children, or
wishes to have; or if he has altogether determined to have no children
after the flesh, at least spiritually he desires to have children: - what
father does not correct his son? what son does not his father
discipline? And yet he seems to be fierce with him. It is the fierceness
of love, the fierceness of charity: a sort of fierceness without gall after
the manner of the dove, not of the raven. Whence it came into my
mind, my brethren, to tell you, that those violators of charity are those
who have made the schism: as they hate charity itself, so they hate
also the dove. But the dove convicts them: it comes forth from heaven,
the heavens open, and it abides on the head of the Lord. Why this?
That John may hear, "This is He who baptizes." Away, you robbers;
away, you invaders of the possession of Christ! On your own
possessions, where you will needs be lords, you have dared to fix the
titles of the great Owner. He recognizes His own titles; He vindicates
to Himself His own possession. He does not cancel the titles, but
enters in and takes possession. So in one who comes to the Catholic
Church, his baptism is not cancelled, that the title of the commander
be not cancelled: but what is done in the Catholic Church? The title is
acknowledged; the Owner enters in under His own titles, where the
robber was entering in under titles not his own.