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The Word of God is a spiritual treasure. And just as someone who receives even one stone from a material treasure often acquires great wealth, so here too the virtues of the righteous, if we want to be attentive, can bring us such great benefit that jealousy will be aroused in us to imitate them. And in this way, we too can receive the same favor from God as the righteous. “God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him” (Acts 10:34, 35) - so if we want, nothing will prevent us from receiving the same or even greater help from above. If He sees that we, on our part, are making every possible effort and preferring what is pleasing to Him over human things, then He Himself will show such care for us that we will become insurmountable in everything. We have a constant enemy who has irreconcilable hatred towards us; therefore we must be vigilant in order to defeat his wiles and rise above his arrows. And we can only win only if through a virtuous life we ​​acquire help from above. The best way of life is a pure life. This is the foundation and root of virtue. Whoever firmly lays such a foundation will easily overcome everything else: neither the passion for wealth, nor the love of fame, nor envy, nor any other passion will overcome him. I’ll tell you how it is. Whoever has a clear conscience and free from any vice, the Lord of all will dwell in him: “Blessed,” it is said, “are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). When someone is worthy of having Him in himself, he will be in such a state as only one clothed with a body, and will show complete contempt for everything human. Everything visible will appear to such a person as a shadow and a dream; as if already having been in heaven, he will not want anything in this life. Such was Paul, the teacher of the universe, why he exclaimed, saying: “You are looking for evidence of whether Christ speaks in me” (2 Cor. 13:3). And again: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). Do you see a man here, clothed with a body, but speaking about everything as if he had the lot of an incorporeal being? (1) We ask your love to do this and arrange all your affairs in order to receive favor from above. If God favors us, then everything will be convenient and easy for us, and nothing will be able to sadden us in real life, even if something seems regrettable. Such is the abundance of His power that, when He pleases, He turns even the most sorrows into joy. So Paul, in the midst of his sorrows, rejoiced and was glad, inspired by the expectation of the rewards prepared for him. That is why the prophet said: “In cramped times you gave me room” (Ps. 4:2), admonishing us that God, even in the most adversity, granted him to enjoy security and tranquility. Having such a Master, so powerful, so thoughtful and wise, so loving of mankind, let us apply our zeal and have great care for virtue in order to receive both present and future benefits (1). Where God favors, there is dew found in the fire; and when God overcomes, then there is pleasure in fighting and arguing. Were the Babylonians outside the furnace consumed by fire? God was their enemy. Were not the three youths cast into a burning furnace, and the fire did not harm them at all? God was their friend. Nothing good happens to those whom God does not favor; on the contrary, to whom He favors, nothing evil happens. So, why do you make such a long journey, invent so many means and improvements, run here and there, asking for one, promising another a perishable reward, making others mediators, when you needed to take a shortcut - to be reconciled with God? If God does not favor you, then all your labors are useless; and if He looks mercifully on you, then even enemies will become friends (4). You might be interested in: