§544The kingdom belongs to the poor and lowly, which means those who have accepted it with humble hearts. Jesus is sent to "preach good news to the poor";253 he declares them blessed, for "theirs is the kingdom of heaven."254 To them - the "little ones" the Father is pleased to reveal what remains hidden from the wise and the learned.255 Jesus shares the life of the poor, from the …

§1033We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him. But we cannot love God if we sin gravely against him, against our neighbor or against ourselves: "He who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."610 Our Lord warns us that we shall be separated from him if we fail t…

§1373"Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us," is present in many ways to his Church:195 in his word, in his Church's prayer, "where two or three are gathered in my name,"196 in the poor, the sick, and the imprisoned,197 in the sacraments of which he is the author, in the sacrifice of the Mass, and in …

Concerning sacrifices and oblations, and those who truly offer them. 1. The oblation of the Church, therefore, which the Lord gave instructions to be offered throughout all the world, is accounted with God a pure sacrifice, and is acceptable to Him; not that He stands in need of a sacrifice from us, but that he who offers is himself glorified in what he does offer, if his gift …

Those persons prove themselves senseless who exaggerate the mercy of Christ, but are silent as to the judgment, and look only at the more abundant grace of the New Testament; but, forgetful of the greater degree of perfection which it demands from us, they endeavour to show that there is another God beyond Him who created the world. 1. Inasmuch, then, as in both Testaments ther…

One and the same God the Father inflicts punishment on the reprobate, and bestows rewards on the elect. 1. It is therefore one and the same God the Father who has prepared good things with Himself for those who desire His fellowship, and who remain in subjection to Him; and who has the eternal fire for the ringleader of the apostasy, the devil, and those who revolted with him, …

2. And after six days He takes with Him Peter and James and John. Matthew 17:1 Now another says, after eight, Luke 9:28 not contradicting this writer, but most fully agreeing with him. For the one expressed both the very day on which He spoke, and that on which He led them up; but the other, the days between them only. But mark thou, I pray you, the severe goodness of Matthew, …

2. Then, in order that you may see in another way also the justice of the sentence, He first praises them that have done right, and says, Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world. For I was an hungered, and you gave me meat, and all that follows. Matthew 25:34-40 For that they may not say, we had it not, He condemns…

2. But mark, I pray you, their craft, how ridiculous it is. We remember, these are their words, that that deceiver said, while He was yet alive, After three days I rise again. Yet if He were a deceiver, and boastfully uttered falsehood, why are you afraid and run to and fro, and use so much diligence? We are afraid, it is replied, lest perchance the disciples steal Him away, an…

1. They who for the sake of the truth and the confession of Christ suffer anything terrible and are insulted, these are especially honored. For as he who loses his possessions for His sake, the same it is who most finds them; as he who hates his own life, the same it is who most loves it; so too he who is insulted, is the same who is most honored. As fell out in the case of the…

2. Thus having, you see, recovered and raised up by this common example him who thought himself depreciated, again he leaves the topic of common experience, and comes to another, a spiritual one, bringing greater consolation and indicative of great equality of honor. What then is this? 1 Corinthians 12:13 For in one Spirit, says he, were we all baptized into one body, whether J…

2. What then, I ask, did you give order about? On the first day of the week, that is, the Lord's day, let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper. Mark how he exhorts them even from the time: for indeed the day was enough to lead them to almsgiving. Wherefore call to mind, says he, what ye attained to on this day: how all the unutterable blessings, and that which…

1. In what has gone before he had shown that the sacrifices were unavailing for perfect purification, and were a type, and greatly defective. Since then there was this objection to his argument, If they are types, how is it that, after the truth has come, they have not ceased, nor given place, but are still performed? He here accordingly labors at this very point, showing that …

1. There are many things characteristic of Christianity: but more than all, and better than all, Love towards one another, and Peace. Therefore Christ also says, My peace I give unto you. John 14:27 And again, By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35 Therefore Paul too says, Follow peace with all men, and holiness, that is, purit…

Chapter 5.—The Passages in Which the Saviour Declares that There Shall Be a Divine Judgment in the End of the World. The Saviour Himself, while reproving the cities in which He had done great works, but which had not believed, and while setting them in unfavorable comparison with foreign cities, says, “But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day…

Chapter 9.—What the Reign of the Saints with Christ for a Thousand Years Is, and How It Differs from the Eternal Kingdom. But while the devil is bound, the saints reign with Christ during the same thousand years, understood in the same way, that is, of the time of His first coming.13541354 Between His first and second coming. For, leaving out of account that kingdom concerning …

Chapter 24.—Passages from the Psalms of David Which Predict the End of the World and the Last Judgment. There are many allusions to the last judgment in the Psalms, but for the most part only casual and slight. I cannot, however, omit 444 to mention what is said there in express terms of the end of this world: “In the beginning hast Thou laid the foundations of the earth, O Lor…

Preface of Rufinus. Reader, remember me in your prayers, that we too may deserve to be made emulators of the spirit. The two former books on The Principles I translated not only at your instance, but even under pressure from you during the days of Lent; but as you, my devout brother Macarius, were not only living near me during that time, but had more leisure at your command th…

76. How then has He chosen us, before we came into existence, but that, as he says himself, in Him we were represented beforehand? And how at all, before men were created, did He predestinate us unto adoption, but that the Son Himself was 'founded before the world,' taking on Him that economy which was for our sake? Or how, as the Apostle goes on to say, have we 'an inheritance…

To men justified in this manner, whether they have preserved uninterruptedly the grace received or have recovered it when lost, are to be pointed out the words of the Apostle: Abound in every good work, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. For God is not unjust that he should forget your work, and the love which you have shown in his name. And, Do not lose your c…

Q. But why are you called a Christian? A. Because by faith I am a member of Christ and so I share in his anointing. I am anointed to confess his name, to present myself to him as a living sacrifice of thanks, to strive with a good conscience against sin and the devil in this life, and afterward to reign with Christ over all creation for all eternity.

We believe the most good God to have from eternity predestinated unto glory those whom He hath chosen, and to have consigned unto condemnation those whom He hath rejected; but not so that He would justify the one, and consign and condemn the other without cause. For that would be contrary to the nature of God, who is the common Father of all, and no respecter of persons, and wo…