Gods And Mercy

Confitemini Deo deorum; quoniam in saecula misericordia ejus Ut in Evangelis responsione Domini ad Saducaeos docemur, non est Deus mortuorum, sed vivorum: per quem et dictum est: Ego dixi, Dii estis, et filii Excelsi omnes. Non dignatur Deus corruptibilium et mortuorum Deus esse: sed eorum qui in coelestem gloriam transformandi, exuti vetere homine terreno, novum qui in coelis induerunt, qui conformes erunt corpori gloriae Dei. Et deos hos effici, licet et ut fidei eorum meritum exigat, tamen ea maxima causa est, quoniam in saeculum misericordia ejus. Non ille eguit deorum Deus nuncupari: sed bonitatis et misericordiae suae est, ut deos faciat, honorem nominis sui ex affectu misericordia et bonitatis impertiens. Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis,Tractatus super Psalmos, Tractatus in Psalmum CXXXV Source: Migne PL 9.770c-771a

Confess to the Gods of gods, that into eternity is His mercy. 1 As in the Gospels, in the answer of the Lord to the Sadducees, we learn that He is not the God of the dead but the living, 2 whence it has been said: 'I said to you, you are Gods and sons of the most High.' 3 It is beneath God to be the God of the corruptible and dead, but He is of those who have been transformed unto celestial glory, sloughing off the old earthly man and putting on the new in heaven, they who are conformed in the body to the glory of God. 4 And these He makes gods, whom by faith have earned the reward, but the greater cause is that unto eternity is His mercy. It is not that the God of gods needs to do this, but it is of His kindness and mercy that he makes gods, it is that on account of His mercy and kindness He gives a share of the honour of His name. Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 135 1 Ps 135.2 2 Mt 22.32 3 Ps 81.6, Jn 10.34 4 Ephes 4.22-24