Give thanks, Brethren, to the Divine
Mercy Which has brought you safely halfway through the season of Lent. For this favor they give praise to God,
thankfully and with devotion, who in these days have striven to live in the
manner which they were instructed at the beginning of Lent; that is, those who,
coming with eagerness to the Church, have sought with sighs and tears, in daily
fasting and almsdeeds, to obtain the forgiveness of their sins.
They, however, who have neglected
this duty, that is to say, those who have not fasted daily, or given alms, or
those who were indifferent or unmoved in prayer, they have no reason to
rejoice, but rather, unhappy that they are, for mourning. Yet let them not mourn as if they had no
hope; for He Who could give back sight to the blind from birth (cf. Jn 9), can
likewise change those who now are lukewarm and indifferent into souls fervent
and zealous in His service, if with their whole heart they desire to be
converted unto Him. Let such persons
acknowledge their own blindness of heart, and let them draw near to the Divine
Physician that they may be restored to sight.
Would that you might seek the
medicine of the soul when you have sinned, as you seek that of the body when
you are ill in the flesh. Who now in
this so great assembly were he condemned, not to be put to death, but to be
deprived of his sight only, would not give all he possessed to escape the
danger? And if you so fear the death of
the flesh, what do you not fear more than the death of the spirit, especially
since the pains of death, that is, of the body, are but of an hour, whilst the
death of the soul, that is, its punishment and its grieving, has no end? And if you love the eyes of your body, that
you soon will lose in death, why do you not love those eyes of the soul by
which you may see your Lord and your God forever?
Labor therefore, Beloved Children in
the Lord, labor while it is yet day; for as Christ Our Lord says, The night cometh, when no man can work (Jn
4:4) Daytime is this present life; night
is death, and the time that follows death.
If after this life there is no more freedom to work, as the Truth tells
us, why then does every man not labor while he yet lives in this world?
Be fearful, Brethren, of this death,
of which the Savior says: The night
cometh, when no man can work. All
those who now work evil are without fear of this death, and because of this,
when they depart from this life they shall encounter everlasting death. Labor while yet ye live, and particularly in
these days; fasting from delicate fare, withholding yourselves at all time from
evil works. For those that abstain from
food, but do not withhold themselves from wickedness, are like to the devil,
who while he eats not, yet never ceases from evildoing. And lastly, you must know that what you deny
yourself in fasting, you must give to heaven in the poor.
Fulfill in work, Brethren, the lesson
of this day . . . lest there come upon you the chastisement of the Jews. For they said to the blind man: Be thou his disciple (Jn 9:28). What does being a disciple of Christ mean if
not to be an imitator of His compassion, and a follower of His truth and
humility? But they said this meaning to
curse the man. Instead it is a truly
great blessing, to which may you also attain, by His grace Who liveth and
reigneth unto ages of ages. Amen. (St. Ambrose, Sermon on Lent)
