I beg you, in all this recall to your mind what I believe you must never forget: All who would live godly in Christ suffer persecution.^[1] And with regard to this I confidently say that you would live less godly if you suffered less persecution. For let us hear what else the same teacher of the Gentiles says to his disciples. You yourselves know, brothers, how we came to you; we did not come in vain, for we had already suffered and been shamefully treated. My most sweet son, the holy preacher declared that his coming to the Thessalonians would have accomplished nothing if he had not been shamefully treated. . . . On the basis of Paul’s example be even more disciplined in the midst of adverse circumstances. In this way adversity itself may increase significantly your desire for the love of God and your earnestness in good works. Similarly, the seeds planted for a future harvest germinate more fruitfully if they are covered over with frost. Likewise fire is increased by blowing on it that it may grow greater.

For Paul’s work found its source in power, mighty power, power that surpassed mere human diligence. For Paul brought three qualifications to the preaching of the word: a fervent and adventurous zeal, a soul ready to undergo any possible hardship and the combination of knowledge and wisdom. Even with Paul’s love of the difficult task, his blameless life would have accomplished little had he not also received the power of the Spirit. Examine the matter from Paul’s own words: That our ministry not be blamed.^[1] And again, For our exhortation is not founded on error, nor uncleanness, nor guile nor hidden under a cloke of covetousness. Thus you have seen his blamelessness. And again, For we aim at what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of men.^[2]. . . Without this, Paul’s work would have been impossible. People were not converted because of Paul’s miracles; no, it was not the miracles that produced faith, nor did Paul base his high calling upon the miraculous but upon other grounds: a man must be irreproachable in conduct, prudent and discreet in his dealings with others, regardless of the dangers involved, and apt to teach. These were the qualifications that enabled Paul to reach his goal.

Since God has answered my prayer to see you godly people, I have proceeded to ask for more. I mean, it is as a prisoner for Christ Jesus that I hope to greet you, if indeed it be [God’s] will that I should deserve to meet my end. Things are off to a good start. May I have the good fortune to meet my fate without interference! What I fear is your generosity which may prove detrimental to me. For you can easily do what you want to, whereas it is hard for me to get to God unless you leave me alone. I do not want you to please men but to please God, just as you are doing. For I shall never again have such a chance to get to God, nor can you, if you keep quiet, get credit for a finer deed. For if you quietly let me alone, people will see in me God’s word. But if you are enamored of my mere bodily presence, I shall, on the contrary, be a meaningless noise. Grant me no more than to be a sacrifice for God while there is an altar at hand.

Therefore, our good Master has taught us by his apostle not to live right and to do right in order to be praised by men,^[1] that is, not to make the praise of men our motive for doing right, yet for the sake of men we are to seek what is worthy of praise. Even when good men are praised, the benefit falls more on those who praise than on those who are praised. For, as far as the latter are concerned, it is enough for them that they are good. But the former, whose advantage it is to imitate the good, are to praise the good because they give evidence that those whom they praise sincerely are pleasing to them. Thus the apostle says in a certain passage: If I pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.^[2] In another passage he says: Please all men in all things as I also in all things please all men, but he gives the reason: not seeking that which is profitable to myself but to many that they may be saved.^[3]

In all good works, be careful lest you be stirred by desire for human praise. You ought to be praised in your good works, but insofar as you do them, you ought not to expect human praises. The human tongue may praise you, but desire praise from God alone. And thus it may come about that while you do not seek human praise, God may be praised in your deeds. Recall how much the Lord forbids us to do our righteous works to garner human praise, saying, take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.^[1] Therefore, when he says that we should look out lest we do our righteous deeds before human beings, that we may be seen by them, and again he commands that our light shine before human beings,^[2] is he not commanding contrary things? Certainly not, but he commands that good deeds be done in such a way that we wish, not that we ourselves but that God be praised in our works. For the apostle too avoided human glory in his works but sought God’s glory. So he says, writing to the Thessalonians, Nor, indeed, did we ever appear with flattering speech, as you know, or with a pretext for greed—God is witness—nor did we seek praise from human beings, either from you or from others.

But there is no greater proof of charity in Christ’s church than when the very honor which seems so important on a human level is despised. This is why Solomon’s wise attempt to prevent the limbs of the infant being cut in two is like our efforts to prevent Christian infirmity from being torn to shreds by the break-up of unity.^[1] The apostle says that he had shown himself like a mother to the little ones among whom he had done the good work of the gospel, not he but the grace of God in him. The harlot could call nothing her own but her sins, whereas her ability to bear children came from God. And the Lord says beautifully about a harlot, she to whom much is forgiven loves much.^[2] So the apostle Paul says, I became a little one^[3] among you, like a nurse fondling her children. But when it comes to the danger of the little one being cut in two, when the insincere woman claims for herself a spurious dignity of motherhood and is prepared to break up unity, the mother despises her proper dignity provided she may see her son whole and preserve him alive. She is afraid that if she insists too obstinately on the dignity due to her motherhood, she may give insincerity a chance to divide the feeble limbs with the sword of schism. So indeed let mother Charity say Give her the boy.

We ought now to be in a position to understand that the name little one is not used in the sense of lacking intelligence. The notion of childishness has that pejorative meaning, but the term little one really means one newly become gentle, just as the word gentle means being mild-mannered.^[1] So, a little one means one just recently become gentle and meek of disposition. St. Paul obviously suggests this when he says: Although as the apostle of Christ we could have claimed a position of honor among you, still while in your midst we were children, as if a nurse were cherishing her own children. A little one is gentle and for that reason decidedly amenable, mild and simple, without deceit or pretense, direct and upright of mind. Childlikeness is the foundation for simplicity and truthfulness.

But another might say that the perfect man is here called little, applying the word, For he that is least among you all, the same is great.^[1] He will affirm that he who humbles himself and becomes a child in the midst of all that believe, though he be an apostle or a bishop, and becomes such as when a nurse cherishes her own children, is the little one pointed out by Jesus. He will also affirm that the angel of such a person is worthy to behold the face of God.^[2] The little are here called perfect, according to the passage He that is least among you all, the same is great.^[3] Paul said, Unto me who am less than the least of all saints was this grace given.^[4] These are in harmony with the saying, Whoever shall cause one of these little ones to stumble,^[5] and So it is not the will of my Father in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.^[6]

While Scripture is spiritual in itself, nonetheless it often, so to say, adapts itself to carnal, materialistic people in a carnal, materialistic way. But it doesn’t want them to remain carnal and materialistic. A mother, too, loves to nurse her infant, but she doesn’t love it so that it will always remain a baby. She holds it in her bosom, she cuddles it with her hands, she comforts it with caresses, she feeds it with her milk. She does all this for the baby, but she wants it to grow, so that she won’t be doing this sort of thing forever. Now look at the apostle. We can fix our eyes on him all the more suitably because he wasn’t above calling himself a mother. He writes I became like a baby in your midst, like a nurse fondling her children.^[1] There are of course nurses who fondle babies that are not their own children. And on the other hand there are mothers who give their children to nurses and don’t fondle them themselves. The apostle, however, full of genuine, juicy feelings of love, takes on the role both of nurse when he says fondling and of mother when he completes it with her children.

There you are then; persecution had increased so much, and tribulation so much, that the psalmist was even weary of living. See how fear and trembling had come upon him and darkness had covered him, as you heard when it was said in the psalm. It’s the voice, you see, of the body of Christ, the voice of Christ’s members. Do you want to recognize your own voice there? Be a member of Christ. Fear, it says, and trembling fell upon me, and darkness covered me. And I said, Who will give me wings like a dove’s, and I will fly away and take my rest?^[1]. . . The psalmist felt weariness, after a fashion, from the earthly heaviness and decay of the flesh, when he wanted to fly away to Christ; a plethora of tribulations was infesting the way but not blocking it altogether. He was weary of living but not of the eternal life about which he says, For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But because he was held down here by charity, how does he go on? If, though, to live in the flesh here is the fruit of my work—and which I should choose I do not know. But I am being torn both ways, having a longing to cast off and be with Christ.^[2]. . . But to remain in the flesh is necessary on your account.^[3] He had given in to the cheepings of his chicks. He was covering them with the spread of his wings, cherishing his chicks, as he says himself: I became a little one in your midst, like a nurse cherishing her children.

See Paul ascending: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven and heard unutterable words which it is not granted to man to speak.^[1] You heard him ascending; hear him descending: I could not speak to you as spiritual men but only as carnal, as to little ones in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food.^[2] Look, he who had ascended descended. Seek where he had ascended: Up to the third heaven. Seek where he had descended: To giving milk to little ones. Hear that he descended: I became a little one, he says, in your midst, as if a nurse were fondling her own children. For we see both nurses and mothers descend to little ones; and though they know how to speak Latin, they clip their words and somehow switch their speech so that they may be able to communicate their desires through simple language; for if they should speak in a mature, grammatically correct fashion, the infant does not hear with understanding. Neither does he benefit. And some eloquent father, though he be a great orator, thundering with his tongue and rattling the magistrates’ platforms, if he should have a son, when he returns home, he puts aside the legal eloquence by which he had ascended and with childish language he descends to his little one.

Can we not see, even in dumb, unreasoning creatures, where there is no spiritual charity but only that which belongs to their nature as animals, with what eager insistence the mother’s milk is demanded by her little ones? Yet, however rough be the nursing calf’s mouth upon the udder, the mother likes it better than if there were no sucking, no demanding of the debt that charity admits. Indeed, we often see the bigger calf butting with its head at the cow’s udders, and the mother’s body forced upward by the pressure; yet she will never kick her calf away, but if the young one not be there to suck, she will low for him to come. Of spiritual charity, the apostle says: I have become little among you, like a nurse cherishing her children. If such charity be in us, we cannot but love you when you press your demand upon us. We do not love backwardness in you. It makes us fearful that your strength is failing.

Perhaps someone says: Who can always be thinking of God and eternal bliss, since all men must be concerned for food, clothing and the management of their household? God does not bid us be free from all anxiety over the present life, for he instructs us through his apostle: If any man will not work, neither let him eat.^[1] The same apostle repeats the idea with reference to himself when he says: We worked night and day so that we might not burden any of you. Since God especially advises reasonable thought of food and clothing, so long as avarice and ambition which usually serve dissipation are not linked with it, any action or thought is most rightly considered holy. The only provision is that those preoccupations should not be so excessive that they do not allow us to have time for God, according to the words: The burdens of the world have made them miserable.^[2]

The sleep of a working man is sweet, whether he eats little or much.^[1] Why does he add, whether he eat little or much? Both these things usually bring sleeplessness, namely, poverty and abundance;. . . . But the effect of hard work is such that neither poverty nor excess disrupt this servant’s sleep. Though throughout the whole day they are running about everywhere, ministering to their masters, being knocked about and hard pressed, having little time to catch their breath, they receive a sufficient recompense for their toils and labors in the pleasure of sleeping. And thus it has happened through the goodness of God toward humanity, that these pleasures are not to be purchased with gold and silver but with labor, with hard toil, with necessity and every kind of discipline. Not so with the rich. On the contrary, while lying on their beds, they are frequently without sleep throughout the night. Though they devise many schemes, they do not obtain much pleasure. . . . For this reason also, from the beginning, God tied the man to labor, not for the purpose of punishing or chastising but for amendment and education. When Adam lived in idle leisure, he fell from paradise, but when the apostle labored abundantly and toiled hard, writing, In labor and travail, working night and day, then he was taken up into paradise and ascended to the third heaven!

Just as a nurse cherishes small children, now also as a father Paul instructs the Thessalonians to increase their abilities and effectiveness as Christians.

We may compare the manner in which our own word is made as it were the speech produced by our body, through assuming that speech as a means of displaying itself to human senses, with the assumption of flesh by the Word of God as a means of displaying himself to human senses. Even as our human words are human thoughts not yet not changed into speech, so the Word of God was made flesh, but most assuredly not changed into flesh. Our words become vocalized. So the divine Word becomes flesh by an assumption of the outward form and not by a transformation of one thing into another. He, therefore, who desires to arrive at some sort of likeness—unlike as it must be at many points—of the Word of God, should not regard as final the human word that sounds upon the ear, either in its vocal utterance or in the unspoken thinking of it. The words of every audible language may also be the subject of thought without being vocalized. Poems may be repeated mentally, while the bodily mouth remains silent. Not only the series of syllables but the notes of tunes, material as they are, and addressed to the material sense which we call hearing, may be presented through their material images to the thinking mind which rehearses them all in silence. We must go beyond all this to arrive at the human word which may furnish some small measure of likeness for comprehending, as in an enigma, the Word of God. We speak here not of that word which came to one or another of the prophets, of which it is said that the word of God grew and multiplied^[1]; or again that faith comes of hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ^[2]; or again: when you received from us the word of the hearing of God, you received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth, the word of God. There are numberless instances in the Scriptures where similar statements are made about the word of God, which is scattered in the sounds of many different languages through the hearts and minds of men. But it is called the word of God, therefore, because a divine and not a human doctrine is handed down.

Is it not apparently the beginning of the Thessalonians’ faith for which this same apostle thanks God, when he says, Therefore, we also give thanks to God without ceasing, because when you had received the word which you heard from us, you received it not as the word of men, but (as it truly is) the word of God, which works in you, in which you have believed? Why does he give thanks here to God? Certainly, it would be vain and meaningless if the person to whom he gives thanks for something is not the person who did it. But since this is not vain and meaningless, then certainly God, to whom he gives thanks for this work, is the one who brought it about that the Thessalonians, when they had received from the apostle the word by hearing it, received it not as the word of men but, as it truly is, as the word of God. Therefore, God works in the hearts of men, by that calling which is according to his purpose and of which we have said much, so that they would not hear the gospel in vain.

But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country.^[1] We must inquire whether the expression has the same force when applied universally to every prophet (as if all prophets are dishonored in their own country). Or, it may be the case that because the expression a prophet is in the singular, these things were said only about one. If, then, these words are spoken about one person, these things which have been said suffice, if we refer that which was written to the Savior. But if it is a general principle in view, it is not historically true; for Elijah was not dishonored in Tishbeth of Gilead, nor Elisha in Abelmeholah, nor Samuel in Ramathaim, nor Jeremiah in Anathoth. But figuratively interpreted, it is absolutely true; for we must think of Judea as their country and Israel as their kindred and perhaps of the body as the house.^[2] For all suffered dishonor in Judea from the Israel which is according to the flesh, while they were yet in the body. Thus it is written in the Acts of the Apostles, as Stephen censured the people, Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute, who appeared before of the coming of the Righteous One?^[3] And Paul says similar things in his first letter to the Thessalonians: For you brethren became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus, for you also suffered the same things of your own countrymen even as they did of the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and please not God, and are contrary to all men.

Are we worthy, then, so much as even to mention the name of Paul? He had, in addition, the help of grace, yet did not presume that grace eliminated the need to take chances. We, on the other hand, who are destitute of the confidence grace brings, on what basis, tell me, do we expect either to preserve those who are committed to our charge or to gain those who have not come to the fold? We, indeed, are those who have been making a study of self-indulgence, who are searching the world over for ease and who are unable or rather unwilling to endure the slightest hint of danger. We are as far distant from Paul’s wisdom as earth is from heaven. So it is, too, that they who are under us fall so far short of the men of those days. The reason is that the disciples of those days were better than the teachers of the present, isolated as they were in the midst of the populace, tyrants, surounded by enemies on all sides, and yet not in the slightest degree dragged down or giving up. Hear at least what Paul says to the Philippians^[1]: Because to you it has been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him but also to suffer in his behalf. And again to the Thessalonians, For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea.. . . And you see them too, all employed in doing good. And so in those days grace worked effectually, and they also lived in good works.

There is something more in the statement as they also did in Judea. It shows that everywhere they rejoiced when they contended nobly for the faith. Paul says therefore, that you also suffered the same things. And again, what wonder is it if you receive the same abuse when they dared to do the same things to the Lord himself? Do you see how Paul introduces this truth as containing great consolation? And how constantly he focuses our attention on it. Upon a close examination one may find it in nearly all his letters, how variously, upon all occasions of temptation, Paul brings forward Christ. Observe accordingly, that here also, when accusing the Jews, Paul puts them in mind of the Lord and of the sufferings of the Lord. Well does he know that this is a matter of the greatest consolation.

You, too, when you are about to perform any duty for God, expect manifold dangers, punishments, deaths. Don’t be surprised or disturbed if such things happen. For it is said, My Son, if you come to serve the Lord, prepare your soul for temptation.^[1] For surely no one choosing to fight, expects to carry off the crown without wounds! And you, therefore, who have decided to wage full combat with the devil, don’t think to pursue such a life without danger, expecting luxury instead! God has not pledged to you his recompense and promise for this life. These splendid things await you in the future life! Be glad and rejoice then, if when you have yourself done any good action, you receive evil in return. . . inasmuch as your suffering is the source of a higher recompense!. . . We see Paul in prison, yes, even in chains, instructing and initiating. He does the very same in a court of justice, in shipwreck, in tempest and in a thousand dangers. You also imitate these saints, and as long as you are able continue in your good works. Although you see the devil thwarting you ten thousand times, never fall back! Perhaps you have lost your wealth in a shipwreck. Remember Paul, carrying God’s word, a message far more precious than all material wealth, was traveling to Rome and was wrecked, and sustained innumerable hardships. And this principle he himself signified when he said, Many times we desired to come to you, but Satan hindered us. And God permitted it, thus revealing more abundantly his power.

Paul, the chosen vessel, chastised his body and brought it into subjection, lest after preaching to others he himself should be found a reprobate. He relates that there was given to him a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet him.^[1] And to the Corinthians he writes: But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.^[2] And elsewhere he says, Any one whom you forgive, I also forgive. What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, to keep Satan from gaining the advantage over us, for we are not ignorant of his designs.^[3] And again, No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man, but God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength; but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.^[4] And Let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.^[5] And to the Galatians, You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?^[6] And elsewhere: We greatly desired to have come unto you, I Paul once and again; and Satan hindered us.

For we ought to walk by the standard of the saints and the fathers, and imitate them, and to be sure that if we depart from them we put ourselves also out of their fellowship. Whom then do they wish you to imitate? The one who hesitated, and while wishing to follow, delayed the decision and took counsel because of his family?^[1] Or blessed Paul, who, the moment the stewardship was entrusted to him, did not immediately consult with flesh and blood? For although he said, I am not worthy to be called an apostle,^[2] yet, knowing what he had received and fully aware of the giver, he wrote, For woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.^[3] But, as it was woe to me if he did not preach, so, in teaching and preaching the gospel, he had his converts as his joy and crown. This explains why the saint was zealous to preach as far as Illyricum and did not shrink from proceeding to Rome^[4] or even going as far as the Spains,^[5] in order that the more he labored, he might receive so much the greater reward for his labor. He boasted then that he had fought the good fight and was confident that he should receive the great crown.^[6]

He who will not seek in the well-being of his neighbor his own benefit will not attain to the crown for this reason: God himself has so decided that human beings should be mutually bound together. When one awakens a sleeping child and asks him to follow his brother, left to himself he is often unwilling. If, however, we place in his brother’s hand an object the child desires, he will pursue his brother to obtain what he desires. It is the same case here. God has placed our benefit in the hand of our neighbor so that we will pursue one another and not be torn apart.

If you wish, apply this illustration to the one who addresses you today. For my benefit depends on you, as yours does on me. Thus, on the one hand, it is to your profit to be taught the things that please God, for these things have been entrusted to me that you might receive them from me and therefore might be compelled to run to me. On the other hand, it is to my benefit that you should be made better: for the reward which I shall receive for this will be great. This again, however, lies in you; and therefore am I compelled to follow after you that you may improve and that I may profit from your improvement. And so also Paul says, For what is my hope? Are not you that? And again, My hope and my joy, and the crown of my rejoicing.

Good teachers are accustomed to locate every hope and joy and crown in the progress of their students.

I beg you, therefore, by the mercy of the Lord,^[1] help with your prayers the one for whom you have voted with your desires. Pray that the Spirit of grace might remain in me^[2] and that you might not begin to reconsider your decision. May the one who has instilled in you an eager longing for agreement provide for us all the shared benefit of peace. I could then be made fit for serving almighty God and for surrendering myself to you for the rest of my life, entreating the Lord with confidence, Holy Father, keep in your name the ones you have given me.^[3] While you continually make progress toward salvation, my soul could then proclaim the greatness of the Lord.^[4] In the compensation of the judgment that is to come, the reckoning of my priesthood could take its stand before the just Judge in such a way that, through your good works, you might be a joy to me, and you a crown.^[5] You have already given sincere testimony about the present life by your good will.

What then is my defense? If it be false, you must convict me. But if true, you on behalf of whom and in whose presence I speak, must bear witness to it. For you are my defense, my witnesses and my crown of rejoicing, if I also may venture to boast myself a little in the apostle’s language. This flock was, when it was small and poor, as far as appearances went, no, not even a flock, but only a trace and relic of a flock, without order, shepherd or boundaries, with neither the right to pasture nor the defense of a sheepfold. Instead, you were wandering upon the mountains, in caves and dens of the earth, scattered and dispersed hither and yon as each one could find shelter or pasture or could gratefully secure its own safety. . . . Such then was the condition of this flock. Now it is so healthy and well grown that if it is not yet perfect, it is advancing toward perfection by constant growth, and I prophesy that it will advance.