ACC ~ Revelation 3 v19

BEAR INJURIES WITH PATIENCE AND SELF-CONTROL. TERTULLIAN: Let us strive, then, to bear the injuries that are inflicted by the evil one, that the struggle to maintain our self-control may put to shame the enemy’s efforts. If, however, through imprudence or even of our own free will we draw down upon ourselves some misfortune, we should submit with equal patience to that which we impute to ourselves. But if we believe God strikes some blow of misfortune, to whom would it be better that we manifest patience than to our Lord? In fact, more than this, it befits us to rejoice at being deemed worthy of divine chastisement: “As for me,” he says, “those whom I love I chastise.” Blessed is that servant upon whose correction the Lord insists, at whom he deigns to be angry, whom he does not deceive by omitting his admonition! ON PATIENCE 11.3-4.

A BISHOP MUST BE A PHYSICIAN. CYPRIAN: He who consoles the sinner with flattering blandishments furnishes the means for sinning and does not check transgressions but nourishes them. But he who rebukes at the same time that he instructs with firmer counsels urges a brother on to salvation. “Whom I love,” says the Lord, “I rebuke and chastise.” Thus also ought the priest of the Lord not to deceive by pretended submissions but to provide salutary remedies. A physician is unskilled who handles the swelling folds of wounds with a sparing hand and increases the poison inclosed within the deep recesses of the vital organs as he cares for it. The wound must be opened and cut and treated by a sterner remedy by cutting out the corrupting parts. Although the sick man, impatient by reason of his pain, cries out, shrieks and complains, he will give thanks afterwards, when he has experienced good health. THE LAPSED 14.

TRIALS THAT COME FROM GOD. FULGENTIUS OF RUSPE: The kindness of God leads us to penance. He afflicts us with trials, he corrects us with infirmities, teaches us with cares, so that we who have sinned in the health of the body may learn to abstain from sins in infirmity. We who scorned the mercy of God in frivolity, corrected by the lash of sadness should fear his justice. Thus it comes about that we who by abusing health have begotten infirmity for ourselves, through that infirmity may again procure the benefits of health. And we who through frivolity have fallen into trials, through these trials may regain happiness. Holy Scripture bears witness that God’s love for us is shown more by the lash and correction. For it says, “My child, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproofs, for the Lord reproves the one he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.” And the Savior himself says that he loves those he reproves, saying, “Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise.” The teaching of the apostles does not cease to proclaim that “it is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”The Lord himself also says that the road which leads to life is constricted and the gate narrow. LETTER 7.16, TO VENANTIA.

A SIGN OF DIVINE JUDGMENT. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: Do the proud and wicked souls who commit serious sins seem happy to you because they do not suffer evil in this world? Listen to what the Scriptures say about such people: “They are not in the labors of men: neither shall they be scourged with other men. Therefore their pride has held them fast: they are covered with their iniquity and their wickedness. Their iniquity has come forth, as it were from fatness.” They are not scourged at all in this world, because they are reserved for eternal punishment due to the excessive number of their sins. They cannot be punished in this short time, for they require endless torture. Now, our Lord and God, who withholds punishment of these people in his justice, does not cease to exercise his children with diverse tribulations, as we read: “God scourges every son whom he receives,” and, “those whom I love I rebuke and chastise.” If he scourges every son he receives, then if he does not chastise a person, he does not accept him. If he chastises all whom he loves, he does not love a person if he does not chastise him. The power of God does not effect this, but the wickedness of people merits to suffer it, according to what is written: “He who is filthy, let him be filthy still. He who is just, let him be just still.”SERMON 5.3.

Rev