On the Unity of the Catholic Church 21–27

Confession is the beginning of glory, not yet the full merit of the crown; it does not complete praise but begins dignity; and since it is written, "He who endures to the end, he will be saved," whatever comes before the end is a step by which one climbs to the summit of salvation, not the goal where the top of the height is already held. He is a confessor: but after confession the danger is greater, because the adversary has been more provoked. He is a confessor: all the more ought he to stand with the Lord's gospel, having obtained glory from the Lord through the gospel. "From him to whom much is given, much is required"; and from him to whom more dignity is ascribed, more service is demanded. Let no one perish by a confessor's example; let no one learn injustice, insolence, or faithlessness from a confessor's conduct. He is a confessor: let him be humble and quiet, let him be modest and disciplined in his conduct, so that he who is called a confessor of Christ may imitate the Christ whom he confesses. For since he says, "He who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted," and he himself was exalted by the Father because he, the Word and the Power and the Wisdom of God the Father, humbled himself on earth, how can he love self-exaltation who both commanded humility to us by his law and himself received from the Father the most exalted name as the reward of humility? He is a confessor of Christ: but only if the majesty and dignity of Christ are not afterwards blasphemed through him. Let the tongue that has confessed Christ not be abusive, not turbulent, not heard resounding with insults and quarrels; let it not, after words of praise, dart the poisons of the serpent against the brothers and the priests of God. But if he afterwards becomes blameworthy and detestable, if he squanders his confession by evil conduct, if he stains his life with shameful foulness, if, finally, forsaking the church where he became a confessor and splitting the concord of unity, he exchanges his first faith for later faithlessness, he cannot flatter himself by his confession as if chosen for the reward of glory, since from this very fact the deserts of punishment have grown the greater.

For the Lord chose Judas too among the apostles, and yet Judas afterwards betrayed the Lord. Yet the firmness and faith of the apostles did not fall on that account, because Judas the traitor fell away from their fellowship. So here too the holiness and dignity of the confessors is not at once diminished because the faith of some has been broken. The blessed apostle speaks in his letter, saying: "For what if some of them have fallen away from the faith? Has their unbelief made void the faithfulness of God? By no means; for God is true, but every man a liar." The greater and better part of the confessors stands firm in the strength of its faith and in the truth of the Lord's law and discipline; nor do they depart from the peace of the church, who remember that they obtained grace in the church by God's favour; and by this very fact they obtain a fuller praise for their faith, that, separated from the faithlessness of those who were joined with them in the fellowship of confession, they have withdrawn from the contagion of crime. Truly enlightened by the light of the gospel, shining with the pure and white light of the Lord, they are as praiseworthy in preserving the peace of Christ as they were victorious in their conflict with the devil.

I wish, indeed, dearest brothers, and at the same time I counsel and urge, that if it can be, none of the brothers may perish, and that our rejoicing mother may enclose in her bosom the one body of a people in agreement. Yet if wholesome counsel cannot recall to the way of salvation certain leaders of schisms and authors of dissension who persist in blind and obstinate madness, still you others, whether taken in by simplicity, or led on by error, or deceived by some cunning of deceitful craft, free yourselves from the snares of deceit, release your wandering steps from errors, recognize the straight road of the heavenly way. It is the voice of the apostle bearing witness: "We command you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that you withdraw from all brothers who walk disorderly and not according to the tradition which they received from us." And again he says: "Let no one deceive you with empty words; for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of stubbornness. Do not, therefore, be partakers with them." We must withdraw from those who do wrong, or rather flee from them, lest, while one is joined to those who walk wickedly and goes along the paths of error and crime, wandering from the way of the true road, he too be held in the same crime. There is one God, and one Christ, and one church of his, and one faith, and one people joined into the solid unity of a body by the glue of concord. Unity cannot be split, nor can one body be separated by the division of its structure, torn into pieces with its vitals ripped apart. Whatever departs from the womb cannot live and breathe apart; it loses the substance of salvation.

The Holy Spirit warns us and says: "Who is the man who desires life and loves to see the best days? Keep your tongue from evil, and let your lips not speak deceitfully. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." The son of peace ought to seek peace and pursue it; he who knows and loves the bond of charity ought to keep his tongue from the evil of dissension. Among his divine commands and saving teachings, the Lord, when already near his passion, added, saying: "Peace I leave you, my peace I give you." This inheritance he gave us; all the gifts and rewards of his promise he promised in the keeping of peace. If we are heirs of Christ, let us remain in the peace of Christ; if we are sons of God, we ought to be peacemakers. "Blessed," he says, "are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." The sons of God ought to be peacemakers, gentle in heart, simple in speech, concordant in affection, faithfully cleaving to one another in the bonds of unanimity.

This unanimity existed once under the apostles; so the new people of believers, keeping the Lord's commands, held fast their charity. Scripture proves it, saying: "And the multitude of those who had believed acted with one soul and mind." And again: "And they were all persevering with one mind in prayer, with the women and Mary, who had been the mother of Jesus, and his brothers." And therefore they prayed with effective prayers; therefore they could obtain with confidence whatever they asked of God's mercy.

But in us unanimity has so diminished that generosity in good works has also been broken. Then they sold houses and estates, and, laying up treasures for themselves in heaven, they offered the price to the apostles to be distributed for the needs of the poor. But now we do not give even tithes from our patrimony, and, while the Lord bids us sell, we rather buy and increase. So the vigour of faith has withered in us, so the strength of believers has languished. And therefore the Lord, looking upon our times, says in his gospel: "When the Son of Man comes, do you think he will find faith on the earth?" We see what he foretold coming to pass. In the fear of God, in the law of righteousness, in love, in works, there is no faith. No one thinks of the fear of things to come; no one considers the day of the Lord and the wrath of God and the punishments coming upon unbelievers and the eternal torments appointed for the faithless. Whatever our conscience would fear if it believed, because it does not believe it does not fear at all. But if it believed, it would also take care; and if it took care, it would also escape.

Let us rouse ourselves as much as we can, dearest brothers, and, breaking off the sleep of our old sloth, let us be watchful to observe and do the Lord's precepts. Let us be such as he himself commanded us to be, saying: "Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning, and you like men waiting for their master, when he comes from the wedding, so that when he comes and knocks they may open to him. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he comes, finds watching." We ought to be girded, lest, when the day of setting out comes, it catch us hampered and entangled. Let our light shine and gleam in good works, that it may lead us from this night of the world to the light of eternal brightness. Let us always wait, anxious and cautious, for the sudden coming of the Lord, that when he knocks our faith may be awake, to receive from the Lord the reward of its watchfulness. If these commands are kept, if these warnings and precepts are held fast, we cannot be overcome while asleep by the deceiving devil; as watchful servants we shall reign with Christ as Lord.