Striking And Healing

Quoniam quem tu percussisti persecuti sunt... Et forte non injuste, quem Deus percusserit, persecuti esse videantur. Ac de his, quae percussa a Deo sint, quid sentiri oporteat ante tractandum est: ut quatenus et haec percussio salutaris, et illa percussi persecutio impia sit, possit intelligi. Percussit Dominus Sodomam et Gomorrha ultimis sceleribus pollutas et abominatas: et invenio his ad misericordiae reconciliationem id quod percussae sunt profecisse; cum tolerabilius his in die judicii sit futurum, quam his civitatibus, in quibus de Apostolorum pedibus pulvis excussus sit. Percussam quoque synagogam Dathan et Abiron plaga dignissima cognitum est:  sed in animis eorum ea, quibus maxime peccaverant, sanctificata sunt opera. Et ne per singula quae sunt multa discurram, cum et Apostolus in interitum carnis ad salutem spiritus tradat; Dominus ipse quid percutiens proficiat ostendit dicens: Videte, videte quia ego sum, et non est Deus praeter me. Ego interimam, et ego vivificabo; percutiam, et ego sanabo: ut percutiendi causam proficisci ex causa sanationis ostenderet. Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis,Tractatus super Psalmos, Tractatus in Psalmum LXVIII Source: Migne PL 9.483b-484a

Because him whom you have struck they have persecuted.. 1 And perhaps not unjustly the one whom God shall have struck shall seem to have been persecuted. But concerning those who are struck by God, one should consider beforehand how it should be grasped how much the strike is for the sake of salvation, and if it is a strike against the impious. The Lord struck Sodom and Gomorrah for the pollution and abomination of most wretched crimes; 2 and I find here that those struck may be helped toward the reconciliation of mercy when it is said that it will be more tolerable for them on the day of future judgement than these cities against which the feet of the Apostles have shaken off the dust. 3 And well known is the striking of the gathering of Dathan and Abiron, 4 but the actions against the souls of those who have gravely sinned are holy. And lest I discourse over each one of many strikes, when even the Apostle gives over to the destruction of the flesh for the spirit of salvation, 5 the Lord himself shows how striking profits, saying, 'See, see that I am and there is no God but me. I destroy and I give life, I strike and I heal' 6 that the cause of striking for benefit on account of healing be shown. Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Homilies on the Psalms, Psalm 68 1 Ps 68.27 2 Gen 19.24 3 Mt 10.15 4 Num 16.32 5 1 Cor 5.5 6 Deut 32.39