I have heard about the death of the blessed Theodorus,^[1] and the news caused me great anxiety, knowing as I did his value to you.^[2] Now if it had not been Theodorus, I would have spoken to you at greater length, with tears, considering what follows after death. But since it is Theodorus whom you and I have known, what need I say in my letter except Blessed is Theodorus, who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly?^[3] But if he is blessed who fears the Lord, we may now confidently call Theodorus blessed, having the firm assurance that he has reached as it were a haven and has a life without care. Would that the same had also befallen each one of us; would that each of us in his running might thus arrive; would that each of us, on his voyage, might anchor his own ship there in the stormless haven, so that, at rest with the fathers, he might say, here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein.^[4] Wherefore, brother beloved and most longed for, weep not for Theodorus, for he is not dead but is sleeping.^[5]

But even if this should be referred to the form in which each one shall rise, what should hinder us from applying to the woman what is expressly said of the man, understanding both sexes to be included under the general term man? For certainly in the saying, Blessed is he who feareth the Lord, women also who fear the Lord are included.

Let no one think that this^[1] was said only recently and that it was spoken of by the philosophers before it was mentioned in the gospel. For the philosophers, that is to say, Aristotle and Theophrastus, as also Zeno and Hieronymus, certainly lived before the time of the gospel, but they came after the prophets. Let them rather think how long before even the names of the philosophers were heard of, both of these [Aristotle and Theophrastus] seem to have found open expression through the mouth of the holy David; for it is written, Blessed is the man whom you instruct, O Lord, and teach him out of your law.^[2] We find elsewhere also, Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, he will rejoice greatly in his commandments. We have proved our point as regards knowledge, the reward for which the prophet states to be the fruit of eternity, adding that in the house of the one who fears the Lord or is instructed in his law and rejoices greatly in the divine commandments is glory and riches; and his justice abides for ever and ever.^[3] He has further also in the same psalm made statements about good works, that they gain for an upright man the gift of eternal life. He speaks thus: Blessed is the man who shows pity and lends; he will guide his affairs with discretion, surely he shall not be moved for ever, the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.^[4] And further, He has dispersed, he has given to the poor, his justice endures forever.^[5]

Your fourth question is, Why David said, ‘His seed shall be mighty on the earth, the generation of the right-eous shall be blessed,’ when we know that the children of the just were and are cursed and those of the unjust were and are blessed. I answer this question from an exposition of the same psalm^[1] that I gave to the people. For, Blessed is the one who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly in his commandments. God, who alone judges rightly and mercifully, shall see how much he excels in his commandments, since, as holy Job says, The life of [a person] on earth is a warfare.^[2] And again it is written, For the corruptible body is a load on the soul, and the earthly habitation presses down the mind that muses on many things.^[3] But he who judges us is the Lord, and we should not judge before the time until the Lord shall come and bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the heart.^[4] Then shall each person have praise from God. Therefore, [God] shall see how much each person excels in his commandments, yet each person shall delight exceedingly who truly loves the peace of the cobuilding, nor should each person despair now, since in his commandments he shall delight exceedingly, and there will be peace in the land to men of good will.^[5]

Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone around them.^[1] What does it mean that, as the angel was appearing to the shepherds, the splendor of divine brightness also enclosed them, something that we have never discovered in the whole course of the Old Testament? Though in countless cases angels appeared to prophets and just people, nowhere do we read of angels enclosing the human beings with the brightness of divine light. [Why is this], unless it is because the privilege was properly kept for the dignity of this time? For when the true Light of the world was born in the world, it was unquestionably fitting that the herald of his nativity should also bathe the bodily sight of human beings with the freshness of heavenly light. Now the prophet says concerning his nativity, A light has arisen in the darkness for those who are righteous in heart. And as though we were asking what the light was to which he refers, he immediately goes on, He is a merciful and compassionate and just Lord. Therefore, when the merciful and just Maker and Redeemer of the human race deigned to illuminate the world by the glory of a wondrous nativity, it was entirely proper that the brightness of a wondrous light should fill that very region in which he was born.

So the just person will be remembered forever; and he will not be afraid of an evil hearing. The judge is coming, you see, of the living and the dead, as we read in the Gospel. And it is true; since in fact the things we now see had not yet occurred, when it was foretold they would happen. The fact that you can now see the name of Christ being proclaimed throughout all nations, people converted to the one God, idols being forsaken, temples pulled down, images smashed; none of these things had yet happened, and yet they were spoken of, and now they can be seen. So in the Scriptures in which these things we can now see were written about (they were written, though, at a time when they could not be seen, but they were being promised for the future), in the very same Scriptures we read of what has not yet come about.

I mean, the day of judgment has not yet come, the resurrection of the dead has not yet happened, the one who is going to judge has not yet come, who came the first time to be judged.

However, in my opinion, he who possesses things of higher value is the one, and the only one, who is truly wealthy, without passing for such. A gem is not worth much, nor is silver, nor clothes nor beauty of body; but virtue is, because it is reason translated into deeds under the guidance of the Educator [Christ]. This is reason forbidding luxuriousness, stimulating independent service of self and singing the praises of frugality, offspring of self-control. Receive instruction, Scripture says, and not money, and choose knowledge rather than gold. For wisdom is better than precious stones, and all that is priceless cannot be compared with it. And, again, My fruit is better than gold and precious stone and silver; and my blossoms than choice silver.^[1] If we must make distinctions, let the person with a fortune be considered the wealthy one, loaded down as he is with gold like a dingy purse; but the holy one is the discreet one, for discretion is the quality that maintains a properly balanced moderation between spending and giving. Some distribute their own goods, it is written, and become richer.^[2] Of such people, Scripture says, He has distributed, he has given to the poor; his justice remains forever.^[3] Therefore, it is not he who possesses and retains his wealth who is wealthy but he who gives; it is giving, not receiving, that reveals the happy person. Generosity is a product of the soul; so, true wealth is in the soul.

Who, more than she [Gregory’s sister], threw open her house, with a courteous and generous welcome to those who live according to God? And, better still, who received them with such modesty or advanced to meet them in a manner so pleasing to God? Further, who displayed a mind more tranquil in misfortune or a heart more sympathetic to those in distress? Who was more liberal to those in want? I would not hesitate to praise her in the words of Job: Her door was open to every traveler, the stranger did not stay without.^[1] She was an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame and a mother to orphans.^[2] Of her compassion toward widows, what more need I say than that she received as its fruit never to be called a widow herself? Her house was a common hospice for all her needy relatives, and her goods were as common to all the needy as their own personal belongings. She has distributed, she has given to the poor. Because of the infallible truth of the divine promise, she stored up many treasures in the heavenly coffers and often received Christ himself in the person of the many to whom she had shown kindness. Best of all, she was more truly what she was than she appeared to be, and in secret she cultivated piety for him who sees secret things. She snatched everything from the prince of this world, and she transferred it to safe storehouses. She left nothing behind to earth except her body. She exchanged all things for the hopes above. The only riches she left to her children were imitation of her example and emulation of her virtues. ON HIS SISTER ST.

There are many people even today who in imitation of them^[1] want to be remembered for such achievements, by building splendid homes, baths, porches and avenues. I mean, if you were to ask each of them why they toil and labor and lay out such great expense to no good purpose, you would hear nothing but these very words—so as to ensure their memory survives in perpetuity and to have it said that this is the house belonging to so-and-so, this the property of so-and-so. This, on the contrary, is worthy not of commemoration but of condemnation: hard on those words come other remarks equivalent to countless accusations—belonging to so-and-so the grasping miser, despoiler of widows and orphans. So such behavior is calculated not to earn remembrance but to encounter unremitting accusations, achieve notoriety after death and incite the tongues of onlookers to calumny and condemnation of the person who acquired these goods. But if you are quite anxious for undying reputation, I will show you the way to succeed in being remembered for every achievement and also, along with an excellent name, to provide yourself with great confidence in the age to come. How, then, will you manage both to be remembered day after day and also become the recipient of tributes even after passing from one life to the next? If you give away these goods of yours into the hands of the poor, letting go of precious stones, magnificent homes, properties and baths. This is undying reputation; this remembrance proves that you are a provider of countless treasures; this remembrance relieves you of the burden of sins and procures for you great confidence with the Lord. After all, consider, I ask you, even the very words everybody would be likely to say about the dispenser of such largesse—so generous and kind, so gentle and good. Scripture says, remember, He distributed his goods as gifts to the poor; his righteousness lasts forever. That, after all, is what material wealth is like: the more it is given away, the more it remains, whereas if it is clung to and locked up in safe keeping, it destroys even the people who cling to it. He distributed his goods as gifts to the poor, it says, remember. But listen to what follows as well: His righteousness lasts forever. It took one day for him to distribute his wealth, and his goodness continues for all time and earns an undying remembrance.

For our part, beloved brothers, when we recognize our kind Redeemer and reflect on our price, let us not love the world or the things that are in the world;^[1] but according to the apostle, having food and sufficient clothing, with these let us be content.^[2] Let us seek the use of what is necessary but not have greedy desires. If we lack riches, let us not seek them in the world by evil deeds or unjust gains. However, if we have them, let us transmit them to heaven by good works, so that there may be fulfilled in us what is written: Lavishly he gives to the poor; his generosity shall endure forever; with the help of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

So there is a good that can make [you] good, and there is a good with which you can do good. The good that makes [you] good is God, for only the one who is always good can make people good. In order that you, therefore, may be good, call on God. There is, however, another good with which you can do good, anything, that is, that you may have. It is gold, it is silver, it is good, not such that can make you good but such that you can do good with.

You have gold, you have silver, and you are lusting for gold, and you are lusting for silver. You have it, and you are lusting for it, you are full, and you are still thirsty. It is a disease you have, not prosperity. There are people with a disease that makes them full of moisture and yet always thirsty; they are full of moisture, and they are thirsting for moisture! So how can you enjoy your prosperity when your lust for money suggests a bad case of dropsy?

So you have gold, it is good; you have something to do good with but not something to be good with. What good, you ask, am I going to do with gold? Haven’t you heard the psalm, He has distributed, it says, he has given to the poor his justice abides forever and ever. This is the good, this is the good you are good with, justice. If you have the good you can be good with, do good with the good you are not good with. You have some money, disburse it. By disbursing your money, you increase your justice. He has distributed, you see, he has disbursed, he has given to the poor; his justice abides forever and ever. Notice what gets less and what increases; what gets less is money, what increases is justice. It is what you are going to say goodbye to that gets less, what you are going to leave behind that gets less; what increases is what you are going to possess forever.

Dearly beloved, whether the Jews receive these divine testimonies with joy or with indignation, nevertheless, when we can, let us proclaim them with great love for the Jews. Let us not proudly glory against the broken branches; let us rather reflect by whose grace it is, and by much mercy, and on what root, we have been ingrafted. Then, not savoring of pride but with a deep sense of humility, not insulting with presumption but rejoicing with trembling,^[1] let us say, Come and let us walk in the light of the Lord,^[2] because his name is great among the Gentiles. If they hear him and obey him, they will be among them to whom Scripture says, Come to him and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be confounded.^[3] If, however, they hear and do not obey, if they see and are jealous,^[4] they are among them of whom the psalm says, The wicked shall see and shall be angry, he shall gnash with his teeth and pine away. But I, the church says to Christ, as a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God for ever, yea forever and ever.^[5]