Brothers, how wrong those authors have been who have tried to write about the good of death. And what is so surprising about that? In this case the worldly-wise think that they are great and remarkable if they convince simple folks that the thing that is the greatest evil is the greatest good…. But these things, brothers, truth dispels, the Law banishes, faith attacks, the Apostle censures, and Christ blots out, who, while restoring the good that life is, discloses, condemns, and banishes the evil of death. - St. Peter Chrysologus, Homily
Excellent quote, and good to remember!
ReplyDeleteDeath is EVIL. He who imposes it upon his servants is evil. I mean of course the devil.
That God's own handiwork should be undone is evil. That the bearers of His own image should perish is unfitting and wrong. It is unjust even though they deserve to have this happen, because their Creator did not. It is unjust because human beings rightly belong not to to God and not to the usurper satan, who stole/seduced them away.
That is why Jesus came to reclaim us for God and to banish the injustice -- ironically, by His unjust death on the day the world died.
Anastasia
Make that "...rightly belong to God, and not to the usurper..."
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A.
I wonder, is Chrysologus referring to Ambrose's "De bono mortis"?
ReplyDeleteBen, I believe that the note in the Chrysologus sermon specifically referenced Ambrose as one who had spoken that way - and more than once. It's also in the Lutheran tradition: Komm, Süsser Tod! etc.
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