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So, beloved, when you see a person, outwardly dressed in poor clothes, but inside clothed with virtue, do not disparage him for his outward appearance, but observe his spiritual wealth and inner light, and then you will see shining virtue in him from everywhere (1). Nebuchadnezzar, having thrown three youths into the oven and having actually recognized the virtue of these captive youths, began to glorify and extol them everywhere in his own language (see Dan. 3:28). This is where the greatness of God’s power is especially revealed, that it forces their very enemies to preach about God’s servants. And the one who in a rage ordered the stove to be lit, when he saw that the virtue of the youths, with help from above, defeated the power of fire, suddenly changed his thoughts and exclaimed: servants of the Most High God! Look how he glorifies not only them, but also the Lord of all. “Servants of the Most High God,” he says, “come out” (Dan. 3:93). What happened to you? Didn’t you put them to death? Didn’t you order the furnace to be heated to such an extent? Yes, he says; but now I see wondrous and wonderful things. This element, as if forgetting its power, as if bound by some kind of bonds, showed such obedience to them that it did not even touch their hair. And from here it should be understood that this the event is beyond the forces of human nature, that some ineffable and divine force is acting here and exerting such great providence on these youths. Do you see God’s love for mankind - how God, without abandoning His servants, although He allowed them to be thrown into the oven, but wanting to glorify them even more and show His omnipotence, softened the soul of the tormentor and showed such great patience? Of course, it would not be so wonderful if He did not allow them to be thrown into the oven from the very beginning, as now it is wonderful and wonderful that He did not allow them to suffer anything unpleasant even in the midst of the fire. This is how God, when He wants, magnifies those who are in the midst of grave disasters even more, and makes those who suffer stronger than those who cause them suffering. So it was with the apostles (see Acts 16). Those who, having taken them into their power, showered them with threats, and, as if gnashing their teeth at them, said to each other: what should we do with these people? - they held them in their hands, but did not dare to do anything. So strong is virtue, and so powerless is malice; The first one wins in the midst of suffering, and the last one shows only its own powerlessness in what it does. Knowing this, beloved, let us take every care of virtue and flee evil. In this way, we will receive help from above and achieve future benefits, which may we all be worthy of (1). Such is the power of virtue that even through persecution it achieves greater glory. Truly, there is nothing stronger, there is nothing more powerful than virtue - not because it in itself has such power, but because the one who acquires it also uses help from above. And with such help and assistance he is stronger than everyone else, he is invincible, he is elusive not only to human slander, but also to the machinations of demons. Knowing this, we will avoid not suffering, but atrocities. Evil deeds constitute real suffering. Whoever intends to do evil to his neighbor does not harm him at all; and if he does any harm, it is only in real life, and he is preparing endless punishments for himself, unbearable torments. And we cannot avoid them except if we dispose ourselves to be ready to endure evil, and, according to the teaching of the Lord, we pray for those who do us evil (1). Virtue is not subject to slavery and nothing can overcome it: neither slavery, nor captivity, nor poverty, nor illness, nor death itself, which is the strongest of all. The proof is provided by all those who endured all this and became more glorious because of it. What harm did Joseph suffer from slavery (nothing prevents us from again pointing to the same husband), what from imprisonment, what from bonds, what from slander, what from intrigues, what from life in a foreign land? What harm did Job suffer from the destruction of oxen and herds, from the violent and premature death of children, from damage to the body, from a crowd of worms, from unbearable sorrow, from sitting on rot, from the slander of his wife, from the reproaches of friends, from the reproach of slaves? What harm did Lazarus suffer from lying at the gate, being licked by the tongues of dogs, from constant hunger, from the contempt of the rich man, from wounds, from unbearable pain, from the lack of patrons, from the contempt of those who could have given him help? Or what harm did Paul suffer from many prisons, tortures, deaths, drownings and other temptations that cannot be counted in words? Reflecting on all this, let us avoid vice and follow virtue; let us pray so that we do not fall into temptation; and if when we fall, we will not lose heart and become despondent, because this is a weapon of virtue for those who use it as it should (4). He who dwells with virtue in the forests will live safer than in the city; on the contrary, one who indulges in wrongful actions, even if surrounded by a thousand walls, is no different from one who is unarmed and unprotected. Great good is virtue, preserved with all care; but the greatest evil is sin, that is, surrendering oneself to corruption. “Wisdom makes a wise man stronger than the ten rulers who are in the city” (Eccl. 7:19). “Get away from a foolish man whose wise mouth you do not notice” (Prov. 14:7). Let us put on this armor: there is nothing stronger than this weapon, which never leaves us unarmed and unprotected (4). Nothing spreads the glory of a person more than the shine of virtue, even if that person tries by all means to hide it. It is as if surrounded by a ray of sunshine and shines more clearly than the ray itself, extending its radiance not only to the earth, but also to the sky itself (6). Let us practice virtue; it constitutes great wealth and a great miracle. It delivers true freedom, manifests it in slavery itself, not freeing from slavery, but making the slaves themselves more honorable than the free; and this is much more important than giving freedom itself. It does not make the poor rich, but even in poverty itself it makes him more sufficient than the rich (6). You say, I would rather be kind out of necessity and not receive any rewards, than to be evil out of a free decision and endure punishment and torment. But it is impossible to be kind out of necessity. If you don’t know what you should do, declare it, and then we will say what needs to be said; and if you know that intemperance is evil, then why don’t you run away from evil? I can't, you say. But other people who have accomplished such great feats will judge you and stop your mouth with great force. You, perhaps, even having a wife, do not observe chastity; and the other, even without a wife, maintains perfect purity. What excuse do you have for not observing the measure, while another rises above what is commanded? But I, you say, am not like that in my bodily nature or disposition. Yes - because you don’t want to, and not because you can’t. I affirm that all are capable of virtue; whoever cannot do something will not be able to do it even if necessary; if someone can, if necessary, but does not do it without it, he does not do it by free decision. For example: it is difficult and even impossible for the human body to fly and rise to the sky; Therefore, if some king ordered this to be done, threatened with death [those who disobeyed] and said: I command those who do not fly to be flogged, burned, or subjected to something similar, then would anyone listen to him? No, because it is impossible for our nature. And if the same had been done regarding chastity and the order had been given to punish the incontinent, burn, whip, and subject them to countless tortures, then would not many have obeyed the orders? No, you will say, because even now there is a law commanding not to commit adultery, and not everyone obeys. But not because the law is powerless, but because many hope to hide. If a legislator and a judge were present with those who are inclined to commit adultery, then fear would be powerful to drive away lust. Even if I present another lesser need, for example, I take him away from the woman he loves and tie him up and lock him up somewhere, then even then he will be able to endure and will not tolerate anything bad. So, let’s not say that such and such is good by nature and such and such is evil by nature. If someone were good by nature, he could never become evil; and if he were evil by nature, he would never become good. Meanwhile, we see rapid changes: people fall into one state or another, and move from one to another. This can be seen not only in the Scriptures, where, for example, publicans become apostles, disciples become traitors, harlots become chaste, thieves become good, wise men become worshipers, wicked become pious, both in the New and Old Testaments, but every day one can see many similar cases. If [good and evil] were natural, then such changes would not exist. Thus, we are sensitive by nature and, no matter how hard we try, we will never become insensitive. What is natural does not come from nature. No one who needs sleep will stop sleeping; no one who is subject to corruption will be delivered from corruption; no one who hungers will ever achieve hunger. Therefore, this is not blamed, and we ourselves do not reproach ourselves for this. No one says in reproach to another: O perishable, O sentient! - but we always accuse the accused of adultery or fornication or something similar, and for this we bring them to the judges, who condemn and punish, and reward them for the contrary. So, from what we do among ourselves and what judges do to us, and from the fact that we have written laws and condemn ourselves, even if there is no accuser against us, and from the fact that we become worse from negligence and better from fear, and from the fact that we see others as virtuous and ascending to the heights of wisdom, it is obvious that the possibility of virtue is found in us. Why do many of us needlessly seduce ourselves with cold apologies and pretexts, which not only do not deserve forgiveness, but also bring on heavy punishment, when we should take care of virtue, having that terrible day before our eyes, and, having suffered a little, achieve unfading crowns? These apologies will not do us any good; slaves who are like us and have succeeded in doing otherwise will condemn all those who sin, the cruel - merciful, the evil - kind, the impudent - meek, the envious - friendly, the vain - wise, the careless - zealous, the depraved - chaste. Thus God will judge us, dividing us into two parts, and will reward some with praise and punishment with others (12). Let us observe the purity of life and abundantly kindle the fire of virtue, because “you,” says [the Apostle Paul], “shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). Each of us has received from God the opportunity to bring greater benefit than the sun, greater than heaven, earth and sea, as great as the spiritual is higher than the sensory. Therefore, looking at the circle of the sun and marveling at the beauty, substance and brilliance of this luminary, we will at the same time imagine that in us there is a higher and better light, just as there may be the thickest darkness if we are not careful. Let us disperse and destroy the entire universe. Virtue is more natural to us, but vice is more unnatural, just like illness and health. Thus, God gave us eyes not so that we could look with lust, but so that, marveling at the creatures, we would worship the Creator. That this is really the purpose of the eyes is clear from experience: we see the beauty of the sun and sky across an immeasurable space, but no one could see the beauty of a woman at such a distance. Isn't it obvious that our eyes are created more for the former? Also, God gave us hearing not so that we could perceive blasphemous speech, but so that we could hear saving dogmas. That is why, when he perceives something obscene, then the soul and the body itself shudder. “The idle talk of many who swear,” says [the Wise], “will raise the hair on end” (Sir. 27:14). Also, when we hear something rude and harsh, we are upset, but when we hear something gentle and humane, we admire and rejoice. And our lips, when they utter shameful words, make us ashamed and close ourselves; and when the words are decent, they flow calmly and freely; no one will be ashamed of what is natural, but they are ashamed of what is unnatural. Hands, too, when they are kidnapped, they hide and seek protection, and when they give alms, they are exposed to view. So, if we want, then everything will greatly dispose us towards virtue. If you point out to me the pleasure that comes from vice, then notice that we get even greater pleasure from virtue. To have a good conscience, to be respected by everyone, to nurture sweet hopes - this is most pleasant for someone who understands the essence of pleasure; and the opposite of this for one who understands the essence of displeasure is the most painful of all, such as: to be in contempt by everyone, to condemn oneself, to tremble and fear the future and the present (12). Only the virtuous live in pleasure; he is truly rich and truly free. If anyone, having agreed to attribute to virtue serenity, tranquility, freedom from fear, from all fear and all suspicion, does not only agree to attribute pleasure to it, he seems to me very ridiculous. What else does pleasure consist of, if not in being free from apprehension, fear and grief and not servile to anything? Who lives in pleasure, tell me, is it the one who is furious, restless, tormented by many passions and does not control himself, or the one who is free from all these worries and abides in wisdom, as in a harbour? Isn't it obvious that it's the latter? But this is characteristic of one virtue. Vice only bears the name of pleasure, but in reality it is deprived of it; before it is accomplished, it is a frenzy, not a pleasure; and when completed, then [the fury] suddenly disappears. If, neither at the beginning nor subsequently, pleasure is visible in vice, then where and when is it? So that you can better understand my words, let me explain this with an example. Suppose someone fell in love with a beautiful and pretty woman; until his passion is satisfied, he is like one who is raging and insane; and when satisfied, lust also disappears. If, however, he does not feel pleasure either at the beginning - because he is in a state of madness - or subsequently - because the desire ceases with the satisfaction of passion - then where is this pleasure? On the contrary, our pleasures are not like that: at the beginning they are alien to any confusion, and remain in their strength to the end, or, better, we have no end to pleasure; our benefits have no limit, and our pleasure never disappears. So, imagining all this and desiring to receive pleasure, let us love virtue (12). You might be interested in: