ACC ~ James 5 v20

CONVERTING OTHERS. ORIGEN: A man who converts others will have his own sins forgiven. SERMONS ON LEVITICUS 2.4.

HOW TO CONVERT OTHERS. CHRYSOSTOM: And how do you go about converting someone? It is like the seeds sown by farmers. They are sown once, but they do not survive forever unless they are carefully nurtured. And unless the tillers of the soil protect the seeds, they will be exposed to the birds and to every seed-eating creature. We are just like this, unless we protect what has been sown in us by constant care, for the devil will snatch it away and our own lethargy will destroy it. The sun dries it up, the rain drowns it, and weeds choke it, so that it is not enough for the sower to pass by once only. Rather he must tend it often, driving away the birds of the air, pulling up the weeds and filling up the rocky places with much soil. He must prevent, block off and eject any form of destruction. Where soil is concerned, everything depends on the farmer, for without him it remains lifeless, ready only to suffer harm. It is not like that with spiritual soil however. For in spiritual matters it is not all up to the teachers; at least half the effort must come from the pupils. It is up to us the teachers to sow the seed but up to you the pupils to do the rest. CATENA.

RESCUING A SOUL FROM DEATH. GREGORY THE GREAT: If it is a great thing to rescue someone’s body when it is on the point of death, how much greater is it to deliver someone’s soul from death, so that it might live forever in the heavenly country? LESSONS IN JOB 19.31.

PREACH IN ORDER TO CONVERT. HILARY OF ARLES: Someone who preaches to sinners in order to convert them will save his soul, even if the people he preaches to are not actually converted. INTRODUCTORY TRACTATE ON THE LETTER OF JAMES.

THE MOTIVE OF LOVE. BEDE: James does all he can here to ensure that imperfect people like ourselves do not gloat over winning others away from their wicked ways and converting them to the truth by reminding us that we should be engaged in such work out of love for our brothers and sisters. CONCERNING THE EPISTLE OF ST. JAMES.

PHYSICIAN AND SHEPHERD. SYMEON THE NEW THEOLOGIAN: As a physician you must cure the passions and diseases of those who are sick in soul; as a shepherd you must bring back those who have strayed. DISCOURSES 18.16.

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER