Sermons · Sermon 335C2

1Love that which is good, my brothers; there is nothing more beautiful, even if it is seen only by the eyes of the heart. I speak to you. Behold, all things you see through the eye of the flesh are beautiful: heaven, earth, sea, and all that is in them, stars shining from the sky, the sun filling the day, the moon tempering the night, birds, swimming creatures, walking creatures, and humans themselves—created among all things in the image of God—praisers of creation, lovers of creation, but only if they are lovers of the Creator. Whatever you love so that you neglect God has been made by none other than God. Whatever, I say, you love so that you neglect God has been made by none other than God. For if it were not beautiful, you would not love it. And from where would beauty come, if not from that unseen beauty that created it? You love gold, God created it. You love beautiful bodies and flesh, God created them. You love pleasant estates, God created them. You greatly love this light, God created it. If you neglect God for the sake of what He created, I ask you, also love God Himself. How much He deserves to be loved, how much He deserves to be loved because He created all that you love. Love so that you love Him more. I do not want you to have nothing to love, but I want it to be ordered. Put heavenly things before earthly things, immortal things before mortal things, eternal things before temporal things. Put the Lord before all things, not by praising but by loving. For it is easy to prefer by praising. Temptation comes: I ask you whether you prefer by loving what you have preferred by praising. For when you are asked: What is better: money or wisdom, money or justice, finally money or God? you do not hesitate to say: wisdom, justice, God. Just as you do not hesitate to say, do not hesitate to choose. What is better: justice or money? And just as children, when asked in schools, eagerly shout out "justice". I know all, I hear your thoughts: justice is better. But temptation will come. It offers money on the other side. And temptation says to you: "You can have this money; if you commit fraud, money will come to you". But justice says: "What do you choose? Now is the time to test your tongue". Already asked, you preferred justice to money; but now, with the two placed before you: money on one side, justice on the other, as if ashamed, you close your eyes against justice, you extend your hand to money. Ungrateful, foolish, when asked by me, you preferred justice over money, you testified against yourself. Does God need another witness after you convict yourself? In praising, justice was preferred, in choosing, money was preferred. Do you not see on whose side you have chosen? On the perishable side of the perishable. Money indeed without doubt is perishable because the world will pass away and all its desires. Choose justice because he who does the will of God remains forever, as He Himself remains forever.