Friendship and the Fear of Death

Vobis autem dico amicis meis, Ne terreamini ab his qui occidunt corpus, et post haec non habent amplius quid faciant. Ostendam autem vobis quem timeatis: timete eum qui postquam occiderit, habet potestam mittere in gehennam.  Vobis autem dico amicis meis, Ne terreamini: quia libertatem probat virtus, metus indicat servitutem; nam liber ad gloriam, servus natus est ad timorem; merito ergo ad Dei amicitias sublimatur, qui propter Deum humanas descipit mortes, nescit timores. Si amicos morum facit imitatio, morum similitudo conjuugit, convenienter eos amicos vocat Christus, quos imitatione sua mundi jacula, et ipsam mortis formideinem conscipit et praevidet calcaturos. Vobis autem dico. Id est, non omnibus, sed amicis Vobis autem dico. Quos mors absolvit ista, non finit Vobis dico. Quos corporis resolutio promovet ad melius, non transducit ad poenam. Vobis dico. Quibus morte vita inchoatur, non finitur. Vobis dico. Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus, Sermo CI

'I say to you my friends, Do not be terrified of those who kill the body and after that have no more to do. I shall show to you what you should fear: fear him who after he has killed has the power to place you in hell.'1 'I say to you my friends, Do not be terrified'  because virtue demonstrates liberty and fear indicates slavery; for as a free man is born to glory, so a slave is to fear; by merit therefore let us be raised up to the friendship with God where on account of God we shall look down on human death, not knowing fear. If imitation of behaviour makes friends, similitude of conduct binding them together, fittingly these Christ calls friends: those who by imitation of him recognise and foresee the shafts of the world and the sting of the fear of death. 'To you I say'. That is, not to everyone but to friends. 'To you I say'. To those whom death delivers and does not extinguish. 'To you I say.' To those whom the dissolution of the flesh moves to what is better, not passing them on to punishment. 'To you I say.' To those who with death life begins, not ends. 'To you I say.'  Saint Peter Chrysologus, from Sermon 101 1 Lk 12. 4-5