State super vias et videte et interrogate de semitis antiquis quae sit via bona et ambulate in ea et invenietis refrigerium animabus vestris

11 May 2022

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Vos autem curam omnem inferentes, ministrate in fide vestra virtutem.

Virtutem hoc loco non pro fortitudine ne ac miraculis, sed pro conversatione bona posuit; quae fidei recte jungenda est, ne sine operibus otiosa sit et mortua: in quo recte omnem curam subinferri praecepit, quia qui mollis et dissolutus est in opere suo, frater est sua opera destruentis.

In virtute autem scientia.

Juxta illud Isaiae: Discite bene facere quaerite judicium.

In scientia autem abstinentiam.

Ut cum bona facere didicerint, mox a malis abstineant, ne in vaccum scientia coelestium cadat, si se ab illecebris terrestribus quis continere neglexerit.

In abstinentia autem patientiam.

Abstinentiam necesse est semper, ut patientia comitetur, ut quicunque a voluptatibus mundi se continere didicit, ejus quoque adversa corde firmo sustineat, a dextris videlicet et a sinistris per arma justitiae munitus

In pietate autem amorem fraternitatis

Ut non alterius rei intuitu pietatis opera suis quisque adversaris impendat, nisi fraternae tantum dilectionis. Hoc, videlicet, tota in tentatione procurans, ut quos docendo solum vel redarguendo nequit, ad affectum pietatis orando vel bene faciendo convertat.

In amore autem fraternitatis, charitatem.

Charitatem hoc loco appellat specialiter eam qua Conditorem diligimus, quae, proficientibus virtutum gradibus, merito amori fraternitatis adjungitur, quia nec Deus sine proximo, nec sine Deo proximus perfecte valet amari. Et quidem Dei amor excellentior est amore proximorum, quia illos sicut nos, Deum vero ex toto corde, tota anima, tota virtute diligere jubemur sed tamen consuetudine amoris fraterni oportet nos ad amorem Conditoris ascendere. 'Qui enim non diligit fratrem suum quem videt, Deum quem non videt quomodo potest diligere?

Sanctus Beda, In Secundam Epistolam Petri

Source: Migne PL 93.70
And you, attentive with all care, serve your faith with virtue. 1

Virtue here does not mean fortitude or miracles, but it is given as a turning to goods, which is rightly joined with faith, for without works faith is useless and dead, 2 to which he rightly commands all care be given, because he who is weak and dissolute in his works, so his works are the brother of destruction.

'And virtue with knowledge.'

As according to Isaiah: 'Learn to do well, seek judgement.' 3

'And knowledge with abstinence.'

That when we have learned to do good deeds, so we will abstain from evil ones. Heavenly knowledge will fall into emptiness if a man neglects to withdraw from worldly depravity.

'And abstinence with endurance.'

With abstinence it is always necessary to associate endurance, that anyone who has learned to withdraw from the pleasures of the world also strengthen his heart against adversities, on the right and the left being equipped with the arms of righteousness. 4

'And piety with fraternal love.'

That the works of piety be done to enemies and not for any other thing but only on account of fraternal love. Indeed this is to be looked to in all trials, so that those a man is unable to refute with teaching alone, he convert by the affection of piety in prayer or good deeds.

'And fraternal love with charity.'

Here he names charity, especially that by which we love the Creator, by which, advancing up the steps of virtue, by merit is joined to fraternal love, for neither God without neighbour, nor neighbour without God is able to be perfectly loved. And certainly the love of God is more excellent than the love of neighbours because they, like ourselves, are commanded to love God with the whole heart and the whole soul, 5 but the habit of fraternal love should lead up to the love of the Creator. 'For he who does not love his brother whom he sees, how shall he love God whom he does not see?' 6

Saint Bede, from the Commentary on the Second Letter of St Peter

1 2 Pet 1.5
2 James 2.14-17
3 Isaiah 1.17
4 Ephes 6.10-17
5 Mk 12.30
6 1 Jn 4.20

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