Paul shudders at his own righteousness, so that he may have righteousness from God.
The Apostle, therefore, shuddered, struck down and prostrated, raised up and instructed. For it happened in him: "I will wound, and I will heal." For he does not say: "I will heal, and I will wound;" but: "I will wound, and I will heal." I will wound you, and I will give myself to you. Thus prostrated, he shuddered at his own righteousness, in which he certainly was without complaint, praiseworthy, great, almost glorious among the Jews; he considered these things losses, believed them damages, counted them as refuse, so that he might be found in Him not having his own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, which, he says, is from God. But what does the Apostle himself say about those who stumbled over the stone of offense? Because, he says, not by faith, but as though by works. For they stumbled at the stone of offense as though by their own righteousness; as it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of scandal; and whoever believes in Him shall not be put to shame." For whoever believes in Him will not have his own righteousness, which is from the law, though the law itself is good; but he will fulfill that law, not by his own righteousness, but by that given from God. Thus he will not be put to shame. For charity is the fullness of the law. And whence is this charity poured into our hearts? Surely not from ourselves, but through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Therefore, they stumbled at the stone of offense, and the rock of scandal. And he said of them: "Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is for their salvation." The Apostle prays for the unbelievers, that they may believe; for those turned away, that they may be converted. You see that even this conversion is not without God's aid. "My prayer," he says, "to God for them is for salvation. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God." So he himself had it too; he had a zeal for God. But how did he have it? As they had it: "but not according to knowledge." What is this: "not according to knowledge"? For being ignorant of God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own. Hence he, corrected, says: "Not having my own righteousness." They want to establish their own, still taking pleasure in lying in refuse. I do not have my own righteousness, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God; righteousness, I say, from God, who justifies the ungodly.
True justice for us is not except by grace.
Remove yourself, remove yourself, I say, from yourself, you hinder yourself; if you build yourself, you build ruin. Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Therefore, do not wish to have your own righteousness. Certainly, it is from the law, indeed from the law; certainly, God gave the law, and because righteousness is from the law, it should not be yours. The Apostle Paul speaks; let not those who love their own righteousness slander me. See where you have him: open, read, listen, see. Do not have your own righteousness; the Apostle accounts it as filth, even though it is from the law, yet because it is his own. For being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and wishing to establish their own, they have not submitted to the righteousness of God. Do not think that because you are called a Christian, you cannot stumble on the stone of offense. To whom grace is denied, in him you stumble. It is less to offend Christ hanging on the cross than sitting in heaven. Let there be righteousness, but let it be from grace, let it be from God to you; let it not be yours. "May your priests be clothed with righteousness," he says. A garment is received, not born with hair; livestock are clothed from their own. This the Apostle Paul proclaims: let it be from God to you. Groan to obtain it, weep to obtain it, believe to obtain it. "Whoever," he says, "shall call upon the name of the Lord, will be saved." Do you think it was said this way: "Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, will be saved"; from fever, or from plague, or from gout, or from some bodily pain? Not so, but will be saved, will be righteous. Since: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." He explained it when he said: "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
It is great to know the power of Christ's resurrection. Our resurrection is more wonderful.
Therefore, see what follows. "And I be found in him," he says, "not having my own righteousness, which is from the law; though it is from the law, yet it is mine: but that which is through the faith of Christ; which is obtained from God, which is from God, righteousness through faith, to know him, and the power of his resurrection." It is a great thing to acknowledge the power of the resurrection of Christ. Do you think this is great, because he raised his own flesh? Did he say the power of his resurrection itself? Will it not also be our resurrection at the end of the age? Will not this corruptible put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality? Just as he rose from the dead, and no longer dies, death no longer has dominion over him; so also we, more wonderfully, if I may say so? For his flesh did not see corruption; ours is restored from ashes. Indeed, it is a great thing because he preceded us as an example and gave us something to hope for; but this is not the only thing for him who spoke of righteousness not his own, but that which is from God, and there he mentioned the power of the resurrection of Christ; recognize there your justification. For we are justified by his resurrection, as if we were circumcised from a stone. Therefore, he began there: "We are the circumcision." From what circumcision? From a stone. What stone? Christ. How? On the eighth day. How did the Lord rise on the Lord's Day?
Our justification is from grace, not without our will.
Therefore, my brothers, let us have this justification, insofar as we have it, and let us increase it insofar as we are lesser, and let us complete it when we arrive there, where it will be said: "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" But all is from God; not, however, as if we were sleeping, not as if we were not to strive, not as if we were not to will. Without your will, the justice of God will not be in you. Indeed, the will is yours, the justice is God's. The justice of God can exist without your will, but it cannot exist in you without your will. It has been shown what you ought to do; the law commanded: Do not do this, do not do that; do this and that. It has been shown to you, it has been commanded to you, it has been revealed to you; if you have a heart, you have understood what you ought to do; pray that you may do it, if you recognize the power of Christ's resurrection. For he was delivered for our offenses, and he rose for our justification. What does it mean: for our justification? That he might justify us, that he might make us just. You will be the work of God, not only because you are a human, but also because you are just. For it is better to be just than to be human. If God made you a human, and you make yourself just, you do something better than God did. But God made you without you. For you did not give any consent, that God might make you. How could you consent when you were not? Therefore, he who made you without you, does not justify you without you. Therefore, he made you not knowing, he justifies you willing. However, he himself justifies, lest it be your justice, lest you return to losses, to detriments and dregs, finding in him not having your justice, which is from the law, but the justice through the faith of Christ, which is from God; the justice from faith, to know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings. And that same power will be your strength; the fellowship of Christ's sufferings will be your strength.
The sharing of Christ's sufferings from love.
But what will it be: in sharing the sufferings of Christ, if there is no love? Are not robbers found in such physical strength that some of them not only were unwilling to betray their accomplices, but also refused to confess their own names; amidst tortures, amidst torments, with their sides broken open, and nearly losing their limbs, their spirit remained in the most wicked obstinacy? See, therefore, what they loved. However, they could not do these things without great love. But not so the lover of God. God is not loved, except from God. That man loved I know not what else of the flesh, like a human. Whatever he loved, he loved his companions, he loved the consciousness of crimes, he loved glory in wicked deeds; whatever he loved, he loved much, who could be tortured, could not fail. So if he could, who could be tortured, could not fail; if he could not bear so much without love; neither can you share in the sufferings of Christ without love.
Charity and enlargement of the heart from the Holy Spirit.
But I ask, with what love? Let it not be desire, but charity. For if, he says, I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profits me nothing. To benefit from the communion of Christ's sufferings, charity must be present. Whence comes charity for you? O most impoverished weakness, whence for you comes the love of God? Do you wish me to show you whence it comes? Ask the Lord's storehouse. For if the love of God is in you, you will share in Christ's sufferings and be a true martyr. In whom love is crowned, he will be a true martyr. So, from where is it for you? We have this treasure in earthen vessels, says the Apostle, so that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. So, where is charity for you, except it be because it is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us? Behold for which you groan. Despise your spirit, receive the Spirit of God. Let not your spirit fear, lest when the Spirit of God begins to dwell in you, it should suffer distress in your body. When the Spirit of God begins to dwell in your body, it will not exclude your spirit; do not fear. If you host a wealthy person, you suffer distress; you find no place to stay, where to prepare a bed for him, where for his wife, where for his children, where for the household. What do I do, you ask? Where do I go? Where will I move? Receive the wealthy Spirit of God; you will be expanded, not distressed. You have widened my steps beneath me, you say. You will say to your guest: You have widened my steps beneath me. When you were not here, I suffered distress; you filled my room, and did not exclude me, but my distress. For when he says: The love of God is poured out, this diffusion signifies widening. Do not, then, fear distress, receive this guest; and let him not be a guest as if passing through. For he does not have to give by departing: coming, let him dwell in you, and he gave. Be his, let him not leave you, let him not migrate from there; hold him entirely, and say to him: Lord our God, possess us.
The Apostle professes himself imperfect.
Therefore, he said, let us have that righteousness which is from God, to know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. For we are buried, he said, with Christ through Baptism into death; that just as Christ was raised from the dead, so we too may walk in newness of life. Die, so that you may live; be buried, so that you may rise again. For when you have been buried and have risen again, then it will be true: Lift up your heart. It made sense what I said. Would this speech have made sense if there were not an internal sweetness in you? Conformed, he said, to His death, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. He was speaking of righteousness, the righteousness which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God, and thus he executed all things. And when he sought righteousness saying: That I may be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but the righteousness which is through faith in Christ, which is from God; now he says: If by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Why did you say: If by any means I may attain? Not that I have already received it, or am already perfect; but I press on, if I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. His righteousness has gone before me, let mine follow Him. However, mine will follow if it is not mine. If by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Why did you say: If by any means I may attain? Not that I have already received it, or am already perfect; but I press on, if I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. His righteousness has gone before me, let mine follow Him. However, mine will follow if it is not mine. If by any means I may attain. Not that I have already received it, or am already perfect. Those who were hearing the Apostle say this began to marvel: Not that I have already received it, or am already perfect. What is it that he had not yet received? He had faith, he had virtue, he had hope, he burned with charity, he performed virtuous deeds, he preached most invincibly, he endured all persecutions, in all things patient, loving the Church, bearing the care of all the Churches in his heart; what had he not yet received? Not that I have already received it, or am already perfect. What is it that you say? You say it, and we marvel; you say it, and we are astonished. For we know what we are hearing; what do you say? Brothers, he says. What is it that you say? What do you say? I do not consider myself to have apprehended. Do not, he said, be deceived in me; I know myself better than you do. If I do not know what is lacking in me, I do not know what is present. I do not consider myself to have apprehended. But one thing; this I do not consider myself to have apprehended. I have many things, and I have not yet apprehended one thing. One thing have I asked of the Lord, this will I seek after. What have you asked for, or what do you seek after? That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. For what? To behold the delight of the Lord. This is the one thing that the Apostle said he had not yet apprehended; and as much as he lacked this, to that extent he was not yet perfect.
The duties of Martha and Mary. Contemplation.
You remember, my brothers, that Gospel reading where two sisters received the Lord: Martha and Mary. You certainly recall: Martha was busied with much serving and was occupied with the care of the house, as she had received the Lord and His disciples as guests. She was diligently and earnestly taking care that the saints would suffer no offense in her house. While she was thus engaged in much serving, Mary, her sister, sat at the Lord's feet and was listening to His word. Martha was annoyed with her labor because she saw Mary sitting and not caring about her labors, and she appealed to the Lord: "Lord, does it not concern You that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me." The Lord replied: "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things. But one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her. You have chosen well, for it is good to serve the saints, but she has chosen the better part. What you have chosen is transient. You serve the hungry, you provide for the thirsty, you prepare beds for those who sleep, you offer a home for those who want to dwell; all these things pass away. There will be a time when no one hungers, no one thirsts, no one sleeps. Therefore, your care will be taken from you. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her. It will not be taken away; she has chosen to contemplate and to live by the word. What kind of life will there be of the Word without the word? Now she lived by the Word, but by the sounding word. There will be a life by the Word without the sounding word. The very Word is life. We will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is. She was the one to contemplate the Lord's delight. We cannot do this in the night of this world. 'In the morning, I will stand before You and contemplate.' Thus: 'I do not consider myself to have apprehended it yet. One thing, however...'"
Always advancing on the way towards God.
What then do I do? Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I follow according to purpose. I still follow: to the prize of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus. I still follow, I still advance, I still walk, I am still on the way, I still extend myself, I have not yet arrived. Therefore, if you also walk, if you stretch forward, if you think of the things that are to come; forget the past, do not look back at it, lest you remain where you have looked back. Remember Lot’s wife. As many of us as are perfect, let us think this way. He had said: I am not perfect, and he says: As many of us as are perfect, let us think this way. I do not consider myself to have apprehended. Not that I have already obtained, or am already perfect; and he says: As many of us as are perfect, let us think this way. Perfect, and not perfect; perfect travelers, not yet perfect possessors. And so that you may know that he speaks of perfect travelers; those who are already walking on the way are perfect travelers; so that you know he spoke of travelers, not residents, not possessors; hear what follows: As many of us as are perfect, let us think this way. And if in any way you think otherwise, lest perhaps it creeps in on you, because you think you are something. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. And if anyone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. Therefore: And if in any way you think otherwise, as small children; God will also reveal that to you. Regardless, to what we have attained, let us walk in it. So that God may reveal to us also that which we think otherwise, to what we have achieved, let us not remain in it, but let us walk in it. You see that we are travelers. You say: What is it to walk? I briefly say: To advance; lest perhaps you do not understand, and walk more sluggishly. Advance, my brothers, always examine yourselves without deceit, without flattery, without fondling. For there is no one inside you, whom you should be ashamed of, and boast yourself. There is someone there, but one to whom humility is pleasing, let him test you. Even you yourself, test yourself. Always be dissatisfied with what you are, if you wish to arrive at what you are not yet. For when you are pleased with yourself, there you have remained. But if you say: It is enough; and you have perished. Always add, always walk, always advance; do not remain on the way, do not return backward, do not go astray. He remains, who does not advance; he returns backward, who turns back to what he had already left; he goes astray, who deserts. It is better for the lame to walk on the way, than for the runner to pass by the way. Turned towards the Lord, etc.