Freedom And The Way

Religio Christiani nominis in qua vocati sumus, liberi arbitrii suscepit officium, ad quam si quis invitus venerit, oneri onus addit, et exutis antiqua lege corporibus, desperatae vitae pondus imponit. Inde est quod multos porta mortis recipit, quia perituris semper vitae difficultas occurrit. Necessarium itaque ut quia ad libertatis viam pervenit, si quid in se est infidelitatis, resecet, et coeleste testimonium studio voluntariae servitutis accumulet: ne homo tantis Deo beneficiis obnoxious, in parvis officiis inveniatur ingratus. A negligentibus et imperitis servitium Deo debitum forte judicetur onerosum, ex hoc quod nullum tempus vacationis excipiat. Omnem hominem Deus, non solum ad libertatem vocavit, sed etiam in summa rerum dignitate constituit. Ipse autem sibi servitium indicit, qui invitus servit. Nam si voluntati servitium accommodes, non te famulum Dei invenies esse, sed filium. Nam ita dicit propheta voce Domini: Ego ero vobis in patrem, et vos eritis mihi in filios et filias, dicit Dominus omnipotens. Sanctus Valerianus Cemeliensis, Homilia III, De Arcta et Angusta Via Source: Migne PL 52.700c-701a

The religion by the name of Christian into which we have been called, receives the service of a free will, whence if someone comes to it unwillingly, he adds a burden on a burden, and on a body stripped of ancient law he imposes the weight of a despairing life. That is why the gate of death receives so many, 1 for the difficulty of living always press on those soon to die. Consequently, if a man is coming to the way of freedom, he must prune away any remnant of unfaithfulness that may be in him and store up heavenly merit by giving a willing service to God. Otherwise the man who is obligated to God for such great benefits may find himself ungrateful even in regard to small duties. The negligent and inexperienced will perhaps judge the service due to God to be burdensome because there can never be a period of vacation from his service. God has not merely called every man to freedom; He has also given him the highest dignity of His creatures. But the man who gives a reluctant service brings a state of slavery upon himself. For if you should make your service a willing one, you would find yourself to be not God's servant, but His son. That is what the Prophet tells us by the Lord's own words: 'I will be a Father to you and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord almighty.' 2 Saint Valerian of Cimelium, from Homily 3, On The Narrow and Difficult Way 1 Mt 7.13-14 2 Jerem 31.9, 2 Cor 6.18