Homilies 12.32–13.21

“The righteous man is the one who fights against nature for the sake of what is reasonable. For example, it belongs to all by nature to love those who love them; the righteous man tries to love even his enemies and to bless those who revile him, and moreover to pray for his enemies and to pity those who wrong him. Therefore he refrains from doing wrong first even when wronged, and he blesses those who curse him, forgives those who strike him, gives way to those who persecute him, greets those who do not greet him, shares what he has with those who have not, persuades the angry, reconciles the enemy, exhorts the disobedient, instructs the unbeliever, comforts the mourner, bears it when insulted, is not angry when met with ingratitude. Having given himself to loving his neighbour as himself, he does not fear poverty, but, sharing his goods with those who have not, he becomes poor. Nor does he punish one who sins. For one who loves his neighbour as himself, as he knows that when he himself has sinned he does not wish to be punished, so he does not punish those who sin. And as he wishes to be treated kindly, to be blessed, to be honoured, and to have all his sins forgiven, this he does for his neighbour, loving him as himself. In a word, what he wishes for himself he wishes also for his neighbour. For this is the law of God and of the prophets; this is the teaching of the truth. These things, then, perfect love toward every human being, are the male part of love for humanity; and pitying is its female part: that is, to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to visit the sick, to receive the stranger, to appear and help, as far as possible, one who is in prison, in short, to pity the one in misfortune.”

When I heard this I said: “These things can be done; but to do good to enemies, bearing all their insults, I do not think is possible for human nature.” And Peter answered: “You are right; for love for humanity, being the cause of immortality, is given at a great price.” And I said: “How then can one come to grasp it?” And Peter answered: “It can be grasped, my dear Clement, if one is fully convinced that enemies, by afflicting for a time those whom they hate, become for them the cause of release from eternal punishment; and more than that, they will love them greatly as benefactors. And the way to obtain it, my dear Clement, is one only: the fear of God. For one who fears God cannot at first love his neighbour as himself; when commanded to do so, it does not come to his soul. But through the fear of God he can do the deeds of those who love; and then, when he has done the deeds of love, loving is brought to fear as a bride to a bridegroom. And so, giving birth to thoughts of love for humanity, it makes its possessor immortal, as a faithful image of God, whose nature cannot be outraged by corruption.” When he had set out for us this discourse on love for humanity, evening came on, and we turned to sleep.

At daybreak Peter came in and said: “Let Clement, with his mother Mattidia and my wife, sit together in the carriage.” And so it was done. As we set out on the road to Balaneae, my mother asked me how my father was. And I said: “He went out in search of you and of my twin brothers Faustinus and Faustinianus, and cannot be found. I think he died long ago, either overtaken by shipwreck, or lost on the road, or wasted away by grief.” When she heard this, she burst into tears and groaned in grief; but, rejoicing at having found me, she somewhat dulled the grief the memory brought. So we reached Balaneae. On the next day we came to Paltus, and from there to Gabala; and on the day after we reached Laodicea. And there, before the gates, Nicetes and Aquila met us, kissed us, and brought us to our lodging. Peter, seeing a fine and great city, said: “It is worth staying here some days. For, as a rule, a large population is better able to produce those we seek.” Nicetes and Aquila asked me who this strange woman was. And I said: “My mother, whom God granted me to recognize through my lord Peter.”

When I had said this, Peter told them everything in summary: how, when they had gone ahead, I, Clement, had told him my family history, and my mother's departure with her twin children on the pretext of the invented dream, and also my father's departure in search of her; and then how Peter himself, after hearing this, went onto the island, met the woman, saw her begging, asked the reason for her begging, and learned her family, her way of life, the invented dream, and the names of her children: mine, who had been left with my father, and those of the twin children who had travelled with her and who were supposed to have died in the deep.

When Peter had told this in summary, Nicetes and Aquila were astonished and said: “Master and lord of all, is this true, or is it a dream?” And Peter said: “Unless we are asleep, it is true.” They waited a little, deep in thought, and said: “We are Faustinus and Faustinianus. From the beginning of your account we looked at each other and guessed much about ourselves, wondering whether what was said might concern us, since we reasoned that many similar things happen in life; so we kept silent, though our hearts were throbbing. But when we saw toward the end of the account that the things said concerned us, then we declared who we were.” Having said this, they went in to their mother in tears, and finding her asleep, they wanted to embrace her at once. But Peter stopped them, saying: “Let me bring you and present you to your mother, in case she should lose her senses from such great and sudden joy, since she is asleep and her spirit is held fast by sleep.”

When she had had enough sleep and was awake, Peter brought them to her and began to say: “I want you to know, woman, the way of life of our religion. We worship one God, who made the world that you see, and we keep his law, which contains first of all to worship him alone and to hallow his name, to honour parents, to be chaste, and to live uprightly. Besides this, since we do not live indiscriminately, we do not partake of the table of the Gentiles, because we cannot even eat with them, since they live impurely. But when we have persuaded them to think and to do the things of the truth, and have baptized them with a thrice-blessed invocation, then we eat with them. For even if it were a father or a mother, or a wife, or a child, or a brother, or anyone else who has a natural claim on our affection, we cannot venture to eat with him; for we do this out of religion. So do not consider it an insult that your son does not eat with you, until you think and do the same things.”

When she heard this, she said: “What then prevents me from being baptized today? Even before I saw you, I had turned away from the so-called gods, reasoning that, though I sacrificed to them a great deal, almost every day, they did not stand by me in my needs. And what need is there even to speak of adultery? For not even when I was rich did luxury lead me astray into it, nor has the poverty that followed been able to force me into it, since I cling to my chastity as the greatest beauty, for whose sake I fell into such great trouble. But I do not think you are unaware, my lord Peter, that the greater part of desire arises from good cheer. So I, who was chaste in good cheer, do not give myself up to pleasures in despondency. But do not think that even now my soul has been freed from affliction, although it has received some comfort through the recognition of Clement. For the despondency over my two children comes in again and dims what joy I have. For I could be consoled for them, that they perished in the sea, but not that, besides this, they perished body and soul outside the walls of the worship of God. And their father, my husband, as I learned from Clement, went out to seek me and our sons and has not been seen for so many years; surely he has died. For the poor man, loving me because of my chastity, also loved his children. So, deprived of all of us whom he loved above all things, the old man died of the deepest despondency.”

As their mother said this, the sons, who were listening as Peter had advised, could no longer contain themselves, but rose up and embraced her, weeping much and kissing her. She said: “What is the meaning of this?” And Peter answered: “Set your mind firmly, woman, so that you may enjoy your children. For these are Faustinus and Faustinianus, your sons, who you said had died in the deep. How they are alive, though they died, as far as you knew, on that most dreadful night, and how one of them is now called Nicetes and the other Aquila, they themselves will be able to tell you; for we, with you, have yet to learn it.” When Peter said this, our mother rejoiced so greatly that she almost died from faintness. When we had revived her, she sat up, and coming to herself she said: “Please, my beloved children, tell us what happened to you after that dreadful night.”

And Nicetes, from now on Faustinus, began to speak: “On that same night, when, as you know, the ship was breaking up, some men who did not fear to practise piracy on the deep took us up, put us in a boat, and rowing, sometimes carried us along the coast, sometimes sent for provisions, and brought us to Strato's Caesarea. There, while we wept, by hunger, fear, and blows, so that we should not rashly say anything they did not want, and also by changing our names, they managed to sell us. A certain woman, a proselyte to the Jews, a very distinguished person, named Justa, bought us and kept us as her children, and had us carefully educated in all Greek learning. When we came to years of understanding, we both came to love her religion and laboured at our studies, so that in debating with the other nations we might be able to refute them concerning their error. We also studied the philosophers thoroughly, especially the most godless, I mean the teachings of Epicurus and Pyrrho, so that we might be better able to overturn them.”

“Having been brought up almost together with a certain Simon, a magician, we were in danger of being deceived by way of friendship. There is a doctrine about a certain man, at whose appearance the multitude of those who have worshipped God will live in his kingdom without death and without grief; but this, mother, will be explained to you more exactly in due time. When we were about to be deceived by Simon, a companion of our lord Peter named Zacchaeus took us up and warned us not to be deceived by the magician, and when Peter arrived he brought us to him, so that he might fully assure us and persuade us of what concerns the worship of God. So we pray, mother, that you too may share in the good things we have been counted worthy of, so that we may be able to share salt and table together. This, then, mother, is the reason why you thought we were dead: on that most dreadful night we were taken up at sea by pirates, and you thought we had perished.”

When Faustinus had said this, our mother fell at Peter's feet, begging and asking him to send for her hostess and to baptize both of them at once, “so that,” she said, “not a single day may pass, from the day I recovered my children, on which I do not eat with them.” When we too joined our mother in asking the same, Peter said: “What do you think? Am I alone heartless, that I do not wish you to eat with your mother by baptizing her today? But she must fast at least one day before being baptized. And that only because she simply spoke a word on her own behalf which I perceived to be a sufficient interpreter of her faith; otherwise she would have needed many days to be cleansed of her paganism.”

And I said: “Tell us what word she spoke by which she showed her faith.” And Peter said: “Her request that her hostess and benefactress should be baptized with her. She would not have asked for this to be given to the woman she loves, unless she herself had first come to regard baptism as a great gift. Hence I condemn many who, after being baptized and saying that they believe, do nothing worthy of faith, and do not urge those whom they love, I mean their wives or sons or friends, to this. For if they had believed that God gives eternal life with good works, they would have urged those they loved to be baptized without delay. But one of you will say: ‘They love them and care for them.’ That is foolish. For why, when they see them sick, or being led away to death, or suffering some other hardship, do they lament and pity them? In the same way, if they had believed that eternal fire awaits those who do not worship God, they would not have ceased admonishing them, or, seeing them disobedient, grieving over them as unbelievers, being fully assured of the punishment awaiting them. And now I will send for the hostess and question her whether she chooses to love the law proclaimed through us; and so we will do what must be done accordingly.”

“But since your mother is faithfully disposed toward baptism, let her fast at least one day before baptism.” But she swore: “For two of the past days, while I told the woman about the recognition, I could not take food for great joy, except only a little water yesterday.” And Peter's wife confirmed the oath, saying: “Truly she has not tasted anything.” And Aquila, or rather from now on Faustinus, said: “Then nothing prevents her from being baptized.” And Peter laughed and answered: “But that is not a baptismal fast which was not kept for the sake of baptism.” And Faustinus answered: “Perhaps God, wishing that our mother should not be separated from our table on any day since she recognized us, arranged the fast beforehand. For as she lived chastely in her ignorance, doing what befits the truth, so now too perhaps God arranged that she should fast one day beforehand, in her ignorance, for the sake of the true baptism, so that from the first day of recognizing us she might be able to share salt with us.”

And Peter said: “Let not wickedness overcome us, finding a pretext in providence and in your affection for your mother. Rather, let you, and I with you, continue the fast today, and tomorrow she will be baptized. For the hour of today is not suitable for baptism either.” And so we all agreed that it should be so.

That same evening we all enjoyed Peter's teaching. Taking occasion from what had happened to our mother, he showed us why the outcomes of chastity are good, while those of adultery are grievous and by nature bring destruction on a whole family, if not quickly, then at least slowly. “So greatly,” he said, “do the deeds of chastity please God, that even to those who are in error he grants some small favour for it in this present life (for salvation there is given only to those who have been baptized because of their hope in him and who act rightly with chastity). You have seen this happen in the case of your mother, I mean the good things at the end. Perhaps, if she had committed adultery, she would have been killed. Therefore God, pitying her for her chastity, turned away the death that threatened her and gave back the children who had been taken from her.”

“But perhaps someone will say: ‘How many have perished because of chastity!’ I say that it was because they did not perceive the danger. For a woman who perceives that someone loves her or that she loves someone must at once flee all contact with him, as from a blazing fire or a rabid dog. This is what the mother who bore you did, truly loving the good of chastity. Therefore she was preserved and, together with us, received the knowledge of the eternal kingdom. The woman who wishes to be chaste must know that, envied by wickedness, she has many plotting against her under pretext of love. But if she remains honourable in the one resolve to be chaste, she will win the victory over all and be saved. For even if someone should do all good things, for the one sin of adultery he must be punished, as the prophet said.”

“The chaste woman who does the will of God becomes a good reminder of his first creation: that God, being one, created one woman for one man. She remains still more chaste if she does not forget the creation, foresees the punishment, and is not ignorant of the loss of eternal goods. The chaste woman, delighting in those who wish to be saved, is a godly example to those who worship God; for she is a law of good living. She who wishes to be chaste cuts off the occasions of reproach; and if, giving no occasion, she is reviled as by an enemy, she is blessed and avenged by God. The chaste woman longs for God, loves God, delights God, glorifies God; she gives men no occasion for reproach. The chaste woman perfumes the church with good honour and glorifies it for its dignity; moreover she is the praise of her teachers, and a fellow worker with them in their chastity.”

“The chaste woman is adorned as for her bridegroom, the Son of God, clothed in holy light. Her beauty is the good order in her soul. She breathes the perfume of a good name. She wears fine things: she is clothed with modesty. She wears precious pearls, the words that make for chastity. She is white when she has been made radiant in mind. She looks in a fine mirror, gazing on God. She uses fine adornment, admonishing her soul with the fear of God. Beautiful is the woman, not bound in chains of gold, but freed from passing desires. The chaste woman is longed for by the great King; she is betrothed to him, kept for him, loved by him. The chaste woman gives no occasion to be desired, except to her own husband. The chaste woman is grieved when she is desired by another. The chaste woman loves her husband from the heart, kisses him, soothes him, pleases him, serves him, obeys him in everything, except where it would mean disobeying God. For she who obeys God is chaste in soul and pure in body without guards.”

“Foolish, therefore, is every husband who separates his wife from the fear of God. For she who does not fear God does not fear her husband either. If she does not fear God, who sees what is unseen, how will she be chaste toward one who does not see? And how will she be chaste who does not come to hear the words that make for chastity? How will she receive admonition? And how will she be chaste without guards, if she is not taught the coming judgment of God, nor fully assured of the eternal loss that follows a little pleasure? So, on the contrary, compel her, even against her will, always to come to the word that makes for chastity; coax her.”

“But much better if you lead her by the hand and come, so that you yourself may also become chaste. For you will wish to become chaste, so that you may know the fulfilment of an honourable marriage; and you will not hesitate, if you desire it, I mean to become a father, to love your own children and be loved by your own children. He who wishes to have a chaste wife is himself chaste: he renders the marriage bed that is due, eats with her, keeps company with her, comes with her to the word that makes for chastity, does not grieve her, does not quarrel without cause, does not make himself hateful, provides what good things he can, and where he lacks, makes up for what grieves her with tenderness. The chaste wife does not wait to be coaxed; she acknowledges her husband as lord, bears poverty with him when he is poor, goes hungry with him when he is hungry, travels with him when he travels, comforts him when he is grieved, and, even if she has the larger dowry, submits as though she had nothing. And the husband, even if he has a poor wife, should count her chastity a great dowry. The chaste wife uses food and drink sparingly, so that the weight of a pampered body may not drag the soul down to lawless desires. Moreover she does not keep private company with young men, and is wary even of old men; she rejects unruly laughter; giving herself to God alone, she does not go astray; she delights to hear honourable words, and rejects those not spoken for the sake of chastity.”

“God is witness: one adultery is many murders. And the terrible thing is that the dreadfulness and ungodliness of its murders is not seen. For when blood is shed, a dead body lies there, and the horror of the calamity strikes all. But the murders of the soul by adultery, though more dreadful, because they are not seen by men, give those who dare them an unhesitating impulse. Know, O man, whose breath you have for your life, and you will not wish it to be defiled. By adultery alone is the breath of God defiled. And for this reason it drags the one who defiled it into fire; for it hastens to hand over the one who outraged it to eternal punishment.”

As Peter said this, he saw the good and chaste Mattidia weeping for joy, and thinking she was grieved at the memory of what had happened, he said: “Take courage, woman. While many have suffered many evils because of adultery, you have suffered because of chastity, and for this reason you did not die. And even if you had died, you would have had your soul saved. You left your native Rome because of chastity; but through it you found the truth, the diadem of the everlasting kingdom. You were in danger in the deep, and did not die; and if you had died, the deep itself would have become for you, dying for chastity, a baptism for the salvation of your soul. You were deprived of your children for a little while, but they, being of legitimate birth, have been found in better circumstances. Starving, you begged for food, but you did not defile your body by sexual immorality. You tormented your body, but you saved your soul. You fled from an adulterer, so that you might not defile your husband's bed; but because of your chastity, God, who knows your flight, will fill the place of your husband. Grieved and left alone, you were deprived of husband and children for a little while; but you would have had to leave all of them at the appointed time of death. It is better that you were willingly deprived of them for chastity than if, after a time, you had perished unwillingly in your very sins.”

“It is much better, then, that the first things should be painful. For while they are present they do not grieve very much, in the hope that they will pass, and they even give joy in the expectation of something better. But above all I want you to know how much chastity pleases God. The chaste woman is God's choice, God's good pleasure, God's glory, God's child. So great a good is chastity. Were it not that there was a law that not even a righteous person may enter the kingdom of God unbaptized, perhaps the erring among the Gentiles could have been saved by chastity alone. For this reason I am very sad about those in error who are chaste, because, having chosen to be chaste without good hope, they are reluctant to be baptized. Therefore they are not saved; for God's decree stands that no one unbaptized shall enter his kingdom.” When he had said this, and more besides, we turned to sleep.