Sermons · Sermon 1252

1Having heard this, direct your heart to God. Do not deceive yourselves. Then ask yourselves, when it is well in the world; then ask yourselves, if you love this world, or if you do not love it; learn to let go, before you are let go. What does it mean: to let go? To not love in the heart. While you still have what you are going to lose, either alive or dying you let it go, it cannot be with you forever; therefore, while it is still with you, release your love; be ready in the will of God, suspend in God. Hold on to Him whom you do not lose against your will; so that if it happens that you lose these temporal things, you may say: The Lord gave, the Lord took away; as it pleased the Lord, so it was done; blessed be the name of the Lord. But if it happens, and God wills it, that those things you have remain with you until the end; released from this life, you receive the denarius of fifty, and in you is made the perfection of blessedness when you sing Alleluia. Keeping these things in memory which I have recalled, may they be strong so that you do not love the world. Its friendship is bad, it is deceitful, it makes God an enemy. Quickly in one temptation a man offends God, and becomes an enemy. Nay, he does not then become an enemy, but is then revealed to have been an enemy. For when he loved and praised, he was an enemy; but neither he knew it himself, nor others. Temptation comes, a vein is touched, and fever is revealed. Therefore, brothers, the love of the world, and the friendship of the world makes enemies of God. And it does not provide what it promised, it is deceitful, and it deceives. Therefore men do not cease to hope in this world, and who attains all that he hopes for? But to whatever he attains, immediately that to which he has attained becomes worthless to him. Other things begin to be desired, other dear things are hoped for; while they come, whatever comes to you, becomes worthless. Therefore hold on to God, because He never becomes worthless, because nothing is more beautiful. For this reason these things become worthless, because they cannot remain, because they are not what He is. For you, O soul, nothing else suffices, except He who created you. Whatever else you seize is wretched; because only He who made you in His likeness can suffice for you. This is said from that very voice: Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us. Only there can there be security, and where there can be security, there in a certain way will be an insatiable satisfaction. For neither will you be sated, so that you wish to depart; nor will anything be lacking, so that you suffer any want.