Sacred Calendar

Fourth Lesson

Alexis was a member of one of the noblest Roman families. Through his exceeding great love for JESUS Christ, he received a particular command from God to leave his bride untouched upon his wedding night, and to undertake a pilgrimage to the most famous Churches of the world. For seventeen years he remained occupied in these journeys and utterly unknown.

At the end of that time, his name was spoken from an image of the most holy Virgin Mary in the city of Edessa, in Syria, and when he found himself recognised he took ship from thence. He landed at Porto near Rome, and fared to the house of his own father, who gave him shelter as a strange beggar. He lived there unrecognised by any for seventeen years more, and then passed away to heaven, in the time of Pope Innocent I. He left behind him a writing giving his name, family, and the story of his life.

St. Gregory, On the Simplicity of the Righteous

The simplicity of the righteous is made a subject of derision. The wisdom of this world hideth our true feelings by artifice, and useth language to conceal our thoughts; this is the wisdom which demonstrateth the truth of falsehood, and showeth the falsehood of the truth. This kind of shrewdness the young acquire by practice, and children pay for the learning it.

Those who are good at this look down upon their neighbours; those who are bad at it are humble and timid, and wonder at it in others; they regard this astuteness too, wrong though it be, with wistful admiration, under softened epithets. Unstraightforwardness is called good breeding. The principles of the world teach those who entertain them, to try and rise to distinction, and when they have attained the bubble of glory which is so soon to pass away, to feel it sweet to have at their feet them on whom they may wreak rich revenge. These principles teach a man, as long as he is strong enough, to give way to nobody else, and, if he hath no chance by force, to try and attain his object by diplomacy.

The wisdom of the righteous is the contrary of all this. They seek to avoid deception, to give their thoughts a clear expression in their words, to love the truth because it is the truth, to avoid falsehood, and rather to suffer than to inflict evil. Such are they who seek not to avenge themselves for wrong, and deem it gain to be despised for the truth's sake.

This their simplicity is made a subject of derision, for such as are wise in this world believe the purity of their virtue to be simple foolery. Whatsoever is done innocently, they consider without doubt stupid. Such works as the truth approveth are idiotic, when tried by carnal standards of wisdom. After all, what stupider thing is there in this world than to express our real thoughts in our words, to keep nothing quiet by skilful tact, to repay no injuries, to pray for them which curse us, to seek poverty, to give up property, to strive not with such as take from us, to turn the other cheek to the smiter?

"A lamp despised in the thoughts of the rich, is ready for the time appointed." It often happeneth that one of the elect, who is on his way to be happy for ever, is crushed down here by repeated misfortunes. He reposeth in no luxury of possessions, no distinction marketh him as honourable among men, no admiring followers court him, no rich dress maketh comely his bodily appearance. Everybody seeth in him a person to be looked down upon, and his reputation is that of one unworthy of the world's favour.

And yet, that is a man who, to the eyes of the Judge Who seeth in secret, is glorious through virtue, whose life is radiant with worth. He disliketh to be honoured, and doth not refuse to meet with contempt. He bringeth abstinence to bear on his body, and his luxury is spiritual richness in love. He trieth to keep his feelings patient, and when he hath to stand up for righteousness' sake, is glad to be despised. He feeleth from his heart for the afflicted, and the prosperity of the godly giveth him as much pleasure as if it were his own. He is careful inwardly to digest the food of the Holy Word. When he is inquired of, he doth not know how to give a double answer.

St. Jerome, Homily on Matthew 19

Peter was a fisherman, he was not rich, he earned his bread by his hand and skill, and nevertheless he is thus bold, and saith confidently: "We have forsaken all." And because it sufficeth not to forsake only, he addeth that which to do is to be perfect: "and followed Thee." "We have done that which Thou hast commanded us, what reward therefore wilt Thou give us?"

"And JESUS said unto them: Amen I say unto you, that ye which have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." He said not, "Ye which have forsaken all," for this did even Crates the philosopher, and they which have set nothing by riches are many, but, "Ye which have followed Me." This did the Apostles, and this do believers do.

"In the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory," and when the dead shall rise again from corruption incorruptible, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones of judgment, condemning the twelve tribes of Israel, because, when ye believed in Me, they would not. "And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My Name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life."

This place agreeth well with that other where the Saviour saith: "I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes shall be they of his own household." Every one, therefore, that hath set no store by affection, and riches, and the pleasures of the world, for Christ's faith's sake, and the preaching of the Gospel, shall receive an hundred-fold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

By reason of these words, "an hundredfold," some will have it that there shall be a thousand years after the resurrection, wherein they that have forsaken all things shall receive an hundredfold of those things which they have forsaken, and shall inherit everlasting life. Such men consider not that though in other things this were worthy, as touching wives it is unseemly: for it becometh us not to think that he that hath forsaken one wife in this world, shall receive an hundred wives in that which is to come.

But the meaning is this, that every one that for the Saviour's sake hath forsaken earthly things, shall receive spiritual things: which things, being rightly weighed against earthly things, are as though an hundredfold were weighed against one.