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When this happens, the Prophet says, they will seek My care for them, and will exhort each other to pray to God, who punished them, and apply decent medicine to the wounds. Hos.6:2. As if he were beaten, he will heal us; he will wound us, and he will heal us. And letting you see the speed of healing, the Prophet continues: Hos.6:3. We will be healed in two days, and on the third day we will rise again. God does not need a long time to heal; He will suddenly give you health. But by this the Prophet also gives us to understand the resurrection of the Savior that took place in three days, which became the cause of the general resurrection, and gave us all the hope of immortality acquired by the knowledge of God. For the Prophet says: on the third day we will rise again, and we will live and be remembered before Him; because after the resurrection, says the Apostle, “now I understand in part, but then I will know, just as I was also known” (1 Cor. 13:12). Therefore, then, as the Prophet says, we will acquire the most accurate knowledge. let's get married to lead the Lord away, i.e. We will seek it with diligence and diligence. As the morning is ready, let us find Him. Just as the morning dispels the darkness of the night, so the Lord will deliver us from the temptations that surround us and illuminate us with the ray of His providence. And it will come to us like the early and late rain of the earth; because he will give us an abundance of all good things. After this transformation of them into a better state, like a compassionate father, he conducts a conversation with them. Hos.6:4. What will I do to Ephraim? What will I do to you Judas? Your mercy is like the morning cloud and like the early falling dew. I wish to grant you all philanthropy; but your repentance is temporary and short-lived, and is likened to dew that appears and disappears briefly in the sun, and a cloud that appears in the morning and is scattered by the sun's rays. But mercy is commensurate with repentance. However, even with this disposition of yours, I did not cease to vouchsafe you all care for you, so that I became the cause of the death of My Prophets; because, sending them for your teaching, he gave them over to the death they accepted from you. For God expressed this when he said: Hos.6:5. For this reason I have reaped your Prophets, I have killed you with the words of My mouth: and My judgment will come forth like light. If you kill all the Prophets, then you will not be able to prove that the prophecy is false; because, like a certain light, I will reveal the truth, Hos.6:6. I desire mercy rather than sacrifice, and the taking away of God rather than burnt offerings. Hos.6:7. These are like a man who transgresses the covenant: there he despises Me. I have no need for sacrifices, says God, I accept them, condescending to the weakness of your understanding, but I demand the following: love for Me and philanthropy for your neighbor. And in My law this is put in first place: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30-31). This is the law I laid down, and they became like a man who violates the agreement he has concluded with others; because they, like this, despising My long-suffering, trampled upon the laws given to them. Hos.6:8. Gilead has despised Me, you make vain hail, you muddy the waters, Hos.6:9. And your fortress is like the husband of a sea robber. And above I mentioned this city as devoted to idols and drawing many into wickedness. He said that they “muddy the waters,” disturbing the purity of the knowledge of God. And he likened the strength of the city to a sea robber; because by charming magic and some clever inventions they set idols in motion. How sea robbers indirectly attack swimmers; Thus, the servants of idols, not being able to clearly demonstrate their initiative, deceive the foolish with their tricks. The priests of God should have boldly denounced the impudent wickedness, but they remained silent, fearing the fury of the wicked. Therefore he rightly and very justly accuses them, saying: Having hidden the way of the Lord, the priests killed Sikima, as if they had committed lawlessness. Os.6:10. In the house of Israel I saw a terrible thing: there is the fornication of Ephraim, Israel and Judah are defiled, left his harvest. The meaning of these words is this: Levi, the ancestor of the priests, using Simeon for assistance, destroyed the entire city of Sikima to the ground; for insulting his sister, punishing those who scolded her. Therefore, God accuses the priests and says: you, their descendants, did not have their zeal. They took revenge for their sister’s insult and were jealous of their father’s house; but you, taking advantage of all your honor, did not want to expose the iniquity committed against Me, and continued to remain silent, even when you saw how not just one person, but all Ephraim and all Judah, dared to commit such terrible and terrible desecrations. What is most regrettable is that Judas, at the very time when he should have reaped the fruits of the Divine promises, left the harvest unharvested. But put aside, Judas, negligence and laziness. Hos.6:11, 7:1. Begin to gather grapes for yourself, when I bring back the captivity of my people: when I heal Israel, Because before the trial of disasters you did not want to reap the fruits of righteousness; then now, after testing and after returning from captivity, live according to the law, and reap the fruits that grow from this. And it is expressively said; “begin to embrace yourself,” because, living according to the law, we do not bring anything to God, but we acquire the benefits this brings to ourselves.