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St Symeon Metaphrastis: Paraphrase of the Homilies of St Makarios of Egypt: III: Patient Endurance and Discrimination
33. The signs that accompany those who wish to submit to the Logos of God and who bring forth good fruit are: sighing, weeping, sorrow, stillness, shaking of the head, prayer, silence, persistence, bitter grief, tribulation of heart arising from religious devotion. In addition, their actions manifest vigilance, fasting, self-control, gentleness, forbearance, unceasing prayer, study of the divine Scriptures, faith, humilit)', brotherly affection, submission, rigorous toil, hardship, love, kindliness, courtesy and-the sum of all-light, which is the Lord. The signs that accompany those who are not producing the fruit of life are listlessness, day-dreaming, curiosity, lack of attention. grumbling, instability; and in their actions they manifest gluttony, anger, wrath, back-biting, conceit, untimely talk, unbelief, disorderliness, forgetful-ness, unrest, sordid greed, avarice, envy, factiousness, contempt, garrulity, senseless laughter, willfulness and - the sum of all - darkness, which is Satan.
34. In accordance with divine providence, the devil was not sent at once to the Gehenna assigned to him, but his sentence was postponed in order to let him test and try men's free will. In this way, he unintentionally fosters greater maturity and righteousness in the saints by promoting their patient endurance, and so is the cause of their greater glory; and, at the same time, through his malevolence and his scheming against the saints he justifies more fully his own punishment. In this way, too, sin becomes more utterly sinful, as St Paul puts it (cf . Rom. 7:13).
35. By deceiving Adam and in this way gaining mastery over him, the devil deprived him of his authority and proclaimed himself lord of this world. For in the beginning God appointed man to be the lord of this world and the master of visible things (cf. Gen. I :26). On this account, fire had no power over him, water did not drown him, no animal injured him, poisonous snakes had no effect on him. But once he had been deceived, he surrendered his lordship to his deceiver. For this reason sorcerers and magicians, through the use of diabolic energy, become with God's permission miracle-workers: they have power over poisonous snakes and they challenge fire and water, as was exemplified by the followers of Jannes and Jambres who opposed Moses (cf. Exod. chs. 7-8; 2 Tim. 3:8), and by the Simon who resisted the chief apostle, Peter (cf. Acts 8: 18-24).
36. When the devil beheld Adam's original glory shining from the face of Moses (cf. Exod. 34 : 30-31), he was cut to the quick since he saw in this a sign of the coming destruction of his kingdom. St Paul's words, 'Death held sway from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned' (Rom. 5:14), may be taken to refer to this. In my opinion the glorified face of Moses preserved the type and example of the first man created by the hands of God. It is for this reason that when death - that is to say, the devil, who is the cause of death - saw it, he then guessed that his kingdom would fall, as in fact happened with the advent of the Lord. Genuine Christians are therefore encompassed by this glory even in this present life; and inwardly they have annulled death, that is to say, the shameful passions, which cannot operate within them, since the glory of the Holy Spirit shines fully and consciously in their souls. In the resurrection, moreover, death is totally abolished.
37. When, using the woman as his accomplice, the devil deceived Adam, he divested him of the glory that enveloped him. Thus Adam found himself naked and perceived his disfigurement, of which he had been unaware until that moment since he had dehghted his mind with celestial beauty. After his transgression, on the other hand, his thoughts became base and material, and the simplicity and goodness of his mind were intertwined with evil worldly concerns. The closing of paradise, and the placing of the cherubim with the burning sword to prevent his entrance (cf. Gen. 3:24), must be regarded as actual events; but they are also realities encountered inwardly by each soul. A veil of darkness-the fire of the worldly spirit-surrounds the heart, preventing the intellect from communing with God, and the soul from praying, believing and loving the Lord as it desires to do. All these things may be learnt from experience by those who truly entrust themselves to the Lord, persist in prayer, and fight zealously against the enemy, beginners in the spiritual life. Yet, as has been said, he brings them great glory and added honor because of the afflictions and trials they endure. In this way he helps them to attain the state of perfection, while he prepares even greater and harsher punishment for himself. In short, something most beneficial is brought about through him: as has been said, evil, while intending what is not good, contributes to the good. For, in souls whose intention is sound, even that which appears harmful results in something good. As St Paul says: 'All things work together for good to them that love God' (Rom. 8:28).
39. It is on this account that the rod of chastisement was permitted, so that through it, as in a furnace, the vessels might be more rigorously fired; but those unequal to the test, being easily broken, are rejected as faulty, since they cannot endure the heat of the fire. Being a servant and the Lord's creation, the devil tests and afflicts people, not as he thinks fit or desires, but to the extent that his Master allows him. Knowing the exact nature of everything, God permits each person to be tested according to his strength. As St Paul puts it: 'God is to be trusted not to let you be tried beyond your strength, but with the trial He will provide a way out, so that you are able to bear it' (1 Cor. 10:13).
40. As the Lord affirms, the person who seeks and knocks and who never gives up asking will attain what he asks for (cf Matt. 7:8). Only he must have the courage to entreat continually with intellect and tongue, and to cleave to God relentlessly with bodily worship; and he must not entangle himself in worldly things or indulge in evil passions. He who said, 'Whatever you ask for in prayer, believing, you will receive' (Matt. 21 :22), is not a liar. Those who say that even if you fulfill all the commandments in the hope of attaining grace in this present life, you will gain nothing, are ignorant and what they say is wrong and contrary to divine Scripture. There is no injustice in God that would make Him fail to fulfill His obligations if we fulfill ours. Only you must see to it that when the time comes for your soul to leave your hapless body you are still engaged in spiritual struggle, pressing on, awaiting the promise, persevering, trusting, seeking with discrimination. Do not disbelieve me when I say that you will go forth joyfully, with confidence, and you will be found worthy to see the kingdom of God. Indeed, if your soul is refined through your faith and ardor, you are already in communion with God. The person who looks lustfully at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his heart (cf. Matt. 5:28), and even if he has not sullied his body is regarded as already guilty of adultery. Similarly, the person who expels evil from his heart and who cleaves to God with longing, supplication, diligence and love, already enjoys communion with God, and has even now received from God this great gift, that he can persist in prayer diligently and devotedly. If the giving of a cup of cold water does not go unrewarded (cf. Matt. 10:42), how much more will God give what He has promised to those who devote themselves to Him night and day?
41. Those who are troubled by what will happen to them if one day they find themselves full of hatred for their brother, or realize that involuntarily they are in the grip of some other evil passion, should be told that they need to struggle without intermission against the devil and evil thoughts. For where the darkness of the passions and death - that is to say, the will of the flesh - hold sway, it is impossible for some evil fruit not to manifest itself, visibly or invisibly. A bodily wound, even if it only discharges slightly, exudes moisture and festers or is puffy and swells up, until it is totally healed. This is so even when it is being treated and when no remedy is wittingly omitted. But if the festering is neglected it can lead to the corruption of the whole body. In a similar way the soul's passions, even if they receive great attention, will go on smoldering within the soul until with steadfast diligence they are finally cured through the grace and co-operation of Christ. For there is a certain hidden pollution and a strange darkness of the passions that, in spite of man's pure nature, have insinuated themselves into the whole of humanity as a result of Adam's transgression; and they obscure and defile both body and soul. But just as iron when fired and struck is purified, or gold mixed with copper or iron is separated out by fire, so through the most pure Passion of the Savior the soul, fired and struck by the Holy Spirit, is cleansed of every passion and of every sin.
42. Just as many lamps may be lit from the same oil and from a single light, and yet often do not give out an equal radiance, so the gifts that come from different virtues reflect the light of the Holy Spirit in different ways. Or as the many inhabitants of a single city all use bread and water, though some of them are men, some infants, some children, some old people, and there is a great variety and difference among them; or as wheat sown in the same field may bear dissimilar ears of corn, though they are all brought to the same threshing-floor and stored in the same bam: so it seems to me that in the resurrection of the dead different degrees of glory will be distinguished and recognized among those who are resurrected, depending on the level of virtue they have attained and the extent of their participation during this present life in the Holy Spirit that already dwells within them. This is the significance of the phrase, 'Star differs from star in glory' (1 Cor. 15:41).
43. Even if some stars are smaller than others, they all shine with a single light. The image is quite clear; but let us give attention to one thing only: after being born in the Holy Spirit, to wash away our indwelling sin. Once this birth through the Holy Spirit has taken place, it means that an image of perfection is active within us in an initial form, though it is not yet expressed in terms of power, intellect or courage. Whoever has attained the full measure of mature manhood naturally lays aside childish things (cf I Cor. 13:11). That is why St Paul says that speaking in tongues and prophecies will come to an end (cf I Cor. 13:8). Just as an adult does not eat foods or use words fitting for a child, but scorns them as unworthy of him, since he has entered another stage of life, so the person who approaches perfection in the evangelic virtues ceases to be an infant with respect to that perfection. To quote St Paul again, 'When I grew up I finished with childish things'(l Cor. 13:11).
44. The person who is born in the Spirit is in a certain manner perfect, just as we call an infant perfect when all his limbs are sound. But the Lord has not bestowed the grace of the Spirit so that one may fall into sin. Men are themselves the cause of the evils into which they fall: not living in accordance with grace they are taken captive by evil. Man can lapse through his own natural thoughts if he is negligent or inattentive or presumptuous. St Paul himself says: To stop me from growing unduly elated I was given a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan' (2 Cor. 12:7). You see how even those who have attained such great heights as St Paul stand in need of protection. Yet if man did not give the devil the opportunity he would not be forcibly dominated by him. Because of this, his actions are not to be imputed either to Christ or to the devil. But if finally he submits to the grace of the Spirit, he is on the side of Christ. If this is not the case, even though he is born in the Spirit - that is to say, even though he participates in the Holy Spirit-yet because of his actions he follows the will of Satan. For if it were the Lord or Satan who had forcibly seized hold of him, then he himself would not be the cause of his falling into hell or of his attaining God's kingdom.
45. He who follows the spiritual path must pay great attention to discrimination, since the ability to distinguish between good and evil, and to scrutinize and understand the various tricks through which the devil by means of plausible fantasies leads most people astray, keeps us safe and helps us in every way. If a man wanting to test his wife's virtue comes to her at night disguised as someone else, and she repels him, he will rejoice at this and welcome the assurance it gives. It is exactly the same with us in relation to the attacks of the evil spirits. Even if you repel the heavenly spirits, they will be gladdened by this, and will help you to participate still further in grace: because of this proof of your love for the Lord they will fill you brim-full with spiritual delight. So do not from light-mindedness speedily surrender yourself to the visitations of spirits, even if they are heavenly angels, but be wary, submitting them to the most careful scrutiny. Thus you will welcome the good and repel the evil. In this way you will increase in yourself the workings of grace, which sin, however much it may assume the appearance of the good, cannot altogether simulate. According to St Paul, Satan can even change himself into an angel of light in order to practice his deceptions (cf 2 Cor. 11:14); yet though he may manifest himself in such a glorious manner, he cannot, as we said, produce within us the effects of grace, and so it becomes quite clear that the vision is counterfeit. For the devil cannot bring about love either for God or for one's neighbor, or gentleness, or humility, or joy, or peace, or equilibrium in one's thoughts, or hatred of the world, or spiritual repose, or desire for celestial things; nor can he quell passions and sensual pleasure. These things are clearly the workings of grace. For the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, and so on (cf. Gal. 5:22), while the devil is most apt and powerful in promoting vanity and haughtiness. You may know from its effect whether the intellectual light shining in your soul is from God or from Satan. Indeed, once it has developed its powers of discrimination, the distinction is immediately clear to the soul itself through intellectual perception. Just as the throat through its sense of taste distinguishes the difference between vinegar and wine, although they look alike, so the soul through its intellectual sense and energy can distinguish the gifts of the Spirit from the fantasies of the devil.
46. The soul must watch and anticipate carefully so that it is not even for the twinkling of an eye taken captive by the devil's power. Even if only one part of an animal is caught in a trap, the whole animal is held fast and falls into the hands of the hunters; and the same thing is liable to happen to the soul at the hands of its enemies. The psalmist makes this quite clear when he says: 'They prepared a trap for my feet and bowed down my soul' (Ps. 57:6. LXX).
47. He who wants to enter the strong man's house through the narrow gate and to make off with his goods (cf. Matt. 7:14; 12:29) must not surrender to luxury and obesity, but must strengthen himself in the Holy Spirit, having in mind the phrase, 'Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God' (1 Cor. 15:50). But how should he strengthen himself in the Spirit? Here he should heed the words of St Paul, that God's wisdom is regarded as foolishness by men (cf. I Cor. I :23), as well as those of Isaiah, that he had seen the son of man, and His form was despised, and He was forsaken by all the sons of men (cf. Isa. 53:3). Thus he who wants to be a son of God must first humble himself in the same way and be regarded as foolish and despicable, not turning his face aside when spat upon (cf. Isa. 50:6), not pursuing the glory and beauty of this world or anything of this kind, not having anywhere to lay his head (cf Matt. 8:20), vilified, mocked, downtrodden, regarded by all as an object of contempt, attacked invisibly and visibly, yet resisting in his mind. It is then that the Son of God, who said, 'I will dwell and walk among you' (cf. Lev. 26: 12), will become manifest in his heart, and he will receive power and strength so that he can tie the strong man up and make off with his goods (cf. Matt. 12:29), and tread upon asp and basilisk (cf. Ps. 91:13. LXX), snakes and scorpions (cf. Luke 10:19).
48. No little struggle is required of us to break through death. Christ says: 'The kingdom of God is within you' (Luke 17:21); but he who fights against us and takes us captive also finds some way of being within us. The soul, therefore, must not rest until it has killed him who takes it prisoner. Then all pain, sorrow and sighing will flee away (cf. Isa. 35: 10), because water has sprung up in thirsty earth (cf. Isa. 43:20) and the desert has become full of waters (cf. Isa. 41: 18). For He has promised to fill the barren heart with living water, speaking first through the prophet Isaiah, saying: 'I will give water to those who are thirsty and who walk through dry land' (Isa. 44:3. LXX); and then through Himself, with the words: 'Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again' (John 4:14).
49. The soul overcome by listlessness is manifestly also possessed by lack of faith. It is on account of this that it lets day after day go by without heeding the Gospels. Not paying attention to the inner warfare, it is taken captive by conceit and frequently elated by dreams. Conceit blinds the soul, not letting it perceive its own weakness. 50. As the new-born child is the image of the fuU-grown man, so the soul is in a certain sense the image of God who created it. The child, on growing up, begins gradually to recognize its father, and when it reaches maturity, they dispose things mutually and equally, father with son and son with father, and the father's wealth is disclosed to the son. Something similar should have happened to the soul. Before the fall, the soul was to have progressed and so to have attained full manhood (cf Eph. 4:13). But through the fall it was plunged into a sea of forgetfulness, into an abyss of delusion, and dwelt within the gates of hell. As if separated from God by a great distance, it could not draw near to its Creator and recognize Him properly. But first through the prophets God called it back, and drew it to knowledge of Himself. Finally, through His own advent on earth. He dispelled the forgetfulness, the delusion; then, breaking through the gates of hell. He entered the deluded soul, giving Himself to it as a model. By means of this model the soul can grow to maturity and attain the perfection of the Spirit. It is therefore for our sakes that the Logos of God is by divine permission tempted by the devil, and then endures vilifications, mockeries, beatings at the hands of savage men, and finally death on the Cross, showing us, as we said, what attitude we must take up towards those who vilify and mock us and bring us to our death. Thus we become as though deaf and dumb before them, not opening our mouth, so that clearly perceiving the subtlety and energy of evil, and as though nailed to the cross, we may call loudly to Him who can deliver us from death (cf. Heb. (5:7) and cleanse us from our secret faults (cf. Ps. 19:12); for 'if they do not have dominion over me, then I shall be faultless' (Ps. 19:13). When we are faultless we find Him 'who has brought all things into subjection' (Ps. 8:6), and we reign and enjoy repose with Christ. Overpowered through the fall by material and unclean thoughts, the soul became as though witless. As a result, no small effort is needed for it to rise out of materiality and to grasp the subtlety of evil, so that it can commingle with unoriginate Intellect.
51. If you want to return to yourself and to recover your original glory, which you lost through your disobedience, heedlessly paying more attention to the orders and counsel of the devil than to the commandments of God, then you must now have done with him whom you obeyed and turn towards the Lord. But you must know that only after much labor and sweat of the brow will you recover your richness. Nor is it to your advantage to attain this blessed state without suffering and great effort, for if you do you will lose what you have received and betray your inheritance to the enemy. Let us each realize, then, what we have lost and repeat the lamentation of the prophet: 'Our inheritance is despoiled by strangers and our house by aliens' (Lam. 5:2), because we disobeyed the commandment and surrendered ourselves to our own desires, delighting in sordid and worldly thoughts. Then our soul was far away from God and we were like fatherless orphans. Thus, if we are concerned for our own soul we must make every effort to purge away evil thoughts and 'all the self-esteem that exalts itself against the knowledge of God' (2 Cor. 10:5). And when we have forcibly applied ourselves to keeping God's temple spotless, then He who promised to make His dwelling in it will come to us. Then the soul recovers its inheritance and is privileged to become a temple of God. For, after thus Himself expelling the devil and his army, from henceforth He reigns within us.
52. What the Creator outwardly said to Cain, that he would wander over the earth lamenting and trembling (cf Gen. 4:12. LXX), is in its inner meaning a figure and image of all sinners. For the race of Adam, having broken the commandment and become guilty of sin, is shaken by restless thoughts, full of fear, cowardice and turmoil. Every soul not reborn in God is tossed hither and thither by the desires and multifarious pleasures of the enemy, and whirled about like corn in a sieve. To show that those who act in accordance with the desires of the devil bear in themselves the image of Cain's iniquity, the Lord Himself said: 'You seek to carry out the desires of your father, the murderer. He was a murderer from the first and is not rooted in the truth' (cf. John 8:44).
53. It is significant how deeply attracted men are by the spectacle of an earthly king and how eagerly they seek after it; and how everyone who lives in a city where the king has his residence longs to catch a glimpse simply of the extravagance and ostentation of his entourage. Only under the influence of spiritual things will they disregard all this and look down on it, wounded by another beauty and desiring a different kind of glory. If the sight of a mortal king is so important to worldly people, how much more desirable must the sight of the immortal king be to those into whom some drops of the Holy Spirit have fallen and whose hearts have been smitten by divine love? For this they will relinquish all amity with the world, so that they may keep that longing continually in their hearts, preferring nothing to it. But few indeed there are who add to a good beginning an equivalent end and who endure without stumbling until they reach it. Many are moved to repentance and many become partakers of heavenly grace and are wounded by divine love; but, unable to bear the ensuing tribulations and the wily and versatile assaults of the devil, they submit to the world and are submerged in its depths through the flabbmess and debility of their will, or are taken captive by some attachment to worldly things. Those who wish to pursue the way with assurance to the end will not permit any other longing or love to intermingle with their divine love.
54. Just as the blessings promised by god are unutterably great, so their acquisition requires much hardship and toil undertaken with hope and faith. This is clear from Christ's words: 'if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me' (matt. 16:24); and: 'he who does not hate father and mother, brothers and sisters, wife and children, and even his own soul, cannot be a disciple of mine' (Luke 14:26). Most people are so lacking in intelligence as to want to attain the great and inconceivable blessing of the kingdom of god, and to inherit eternal life and reign for ever with Christ, while living according to their own desires - or rather, according to him who sows within them these clearly noxious vanities.
55. Those who reach the goal without falling do so through hating themselves and all worldly desires, distractions, pleasures and preoccupations, for this is what 'denying oneself amounts to. Hence everyone expels himself from the kingdom by his own choice, through not embracing suffering and denying himself for the sake of the truth, but wanting to enjoy something of this world in addition to that divine longing, and not surrendering the whole inclination of his will to god. This may be understood from a single example. On examining himself a man realizes that what he is so eager to do is wicked. At first he feels doubt about it in his heart. Next, the measure and balance in his conscience make it clear inwardly whether the bias inclines to love for god or love for the world; and after that he proceeds to outward action. If for instance someone happens to have fallen out with his brother, then he examines himself, as we have said. At first he finds himself hesitant about whether to speak or not to speak, whether to return the insults hurled at him or to keep silent. At this point the man still remembers god's commandments, but he also thinks about his own reputation and has not fully chosen to deny himself. If a bias in favor of the world tips his heart's balance even slightly, an evil word will at once be on the tip of his tongue. When this happens, with the intellect stretched inwardly like a bow he attacks his neighbor with his tongue and even with his hands - indeed, the evil can proceed so far that wounds result, or even murder. Thus it is possible to compare the starting-point of the slight movement in his soul with the terrible consequences to which it led. In this way every sin and malpractice, whether adultery, theft, greed, self-esteem or anything else, occurs when the will of the soul is beguiled and coaxed to evil by worldly desires and pleasures of the flesh.
56. Even good actions are frequently carried out for the sake of empty glory, and on this account they will be judged by God in the same way as theft, injustice and other major sins. 'God has scattered the bones of those who seek to please men', it is said (Ps. 53:5. LXX). The devil, being wily, versatile, tortuous and inventive, seeks to gain our allegiance and service even through our good actions.
57. Whenever anyone loves something belonging to this world, it will burden his mind, dragging it down and not allowing it to rise up. In such people the weight, bias and balance of the will, that is, of the heart, are inclined to what is evil. It is in this way that torment and trial afflict the whole human race, whether they are Christians living in cities or on mountains, in monasteries, in the country or the desert. For if one is willingly enticed by what one loves it is clear that one has not yet dedicated all one's love to God. Whether one likes possessions, or gold, or serving one's stomach, or indulging in fleshly desires, or wordy wisdom designed to gain men's praise, or authority, or honors from men, or anger and wrath, or useless speeches, or merely day-dreaming and listening to idle words, or acting as a teacher for the sake of men's esteem-in each and every case to give oneself to a passion is manifestly to love it. One person surrenders himself to sluggishness and negligence, another delights in extravagant clothes, another in sleep, another in silly jokes: whatever the worldly thing, big or small, by which one is bound and held fast, it prevents one from raising oneself up. Clearly, we indulge ourselves in whatever passion we do not resist and fight against bravely: like some shackle it binds us and drags us down, degrading the mind so that it does not dedicate itself to God and worship Him alone. The soul that truly directs its desire towards the Lord focuses all its longing on Him, denying itself and not following the desires of its own intellect.
58. Example makes it clear that man is destroyed by his own free choice: for out of love for some worldly thing he throws himself into fire, is drowned in the sea and gives himself into captivity. Let us suppose that someone's house or field has caught fire. The person who wanted to save himself fled without anything as soon as he noticed the fire, leaving everything in it and concerned only with his own life. But someone else thought he would take some of the goods with him, so he stayed behind to collect them; and as he was taking them the fire, which had already overwhelmed the house, caught him as well and burnt him. In this way, through his attachment to some transient thing, he was destroyed in the fire by his own free choice. Again, two men were shipwrecked. One of them, wanting to save himself, stripped off his clothes and threw himself into the water; and in this way he was able to save his life. The other, wanting to save his clothes as well, was drowned, destroying himself for the sake of a slight gain. Or again, let us suppose that news of an attack by an enemy was announced. One man, as soon as he heard the news, fled as fast as his feet would carry him, without a thought for his possessions. Another, either because he distrusted the news, or because he wanted to take with him some of his goods, waited until later, and when the enemy arrived he was caught. Thus, through his lack of alertness and his attachment to worldly things, he lost body and soul by his own free choice.
59. Few are those who really acquire perfect love for God, looking upon all worldly pleasures and desires as nothing and patiently enduring the devil's trials. But one must not despair on this account, or give up hope. Even if many ships suffer shipwreck there are always those that come safely through to port. For this reason we need great faith, endurance, attentiveness, struggle, hunger and thirst for what is right, as well as great understanding and discrimination, together with clear-sightedness and lack of shame in making our requests. As we have said, most men want to attain the kingdom without toil and sweat; and although they praise the saints and desire their dignity and gifts, they are not willing to share with them in the same afflictions, hardships and sufferings. Everyone - prostitutes, tax-collectors and everyone else - wants this. For this reason, trials and temptations are set before us, so as to make it clear who in truth loves their Lord and deserves to attain the kingdom of heaven.
60. In afflictions and sufferings, endurance and faith, are concealed the promised glory and the recovery of celestial blessings. Even the grain of corn sown in the earth, or the graft on a tree, has to go through a kind of putrefaction and, so to say, humiliation before it clothes itself in its full glory and produces a rich crop. But for this putrefaction and, as it were, dishonoring, neither would attain its final glory and beauty. This is confirmed by the apostles when they say that to enter the kingdom of God we have to pass through many afflictions (cf. Acts 14:22). And the Lord Himself says: 'You will gain possession of your souls through your patient endurance' (Luke 21:19); and: 'In the world you will experience affliction' (John 16:33).
61. If through faith and effort we are enabled to become partakers of the Holy Spirit, then to a corresponding degree our bodies also will be glorified on the last day. For what is now treasured up within the soul will then be revealed outwardly in the body. Trees provide an illustration of this: once winter is past and the sun shines more brightly and fully and the winds blow benignly, they put forth buds from within and clothe themselves in leaves, flowers and fruits. Similarly, in springtime flowering plants shoot up from the breast of the earth so that the ground is covered with them, wearing them as though they we're a beautiful dress; as Christ says: 'Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these' (Matt. 6:29). All these are types and examples and images of the reward that the redeemed will receive at the resurrection; for to all devout souls - that is to say, to all true Christians - it is in the first month, which is April, that the power of the resurrection is revealed. In the words of Holy Scripture, 'This month .. . will be to you the first among the months of the year' (Exod. 12:2). This month will clothe the naked trees with the glory previously hidden within them. And so, too, will the bodies of the righteous be glorified through the ineffable light - the power of the Spirit-that is already present within them; and this will be to them clothing, food, drink, exultation, joy, peace and, crowning all, life eternal.
