Gaudentius of Brescia

In his own words on Sirach

• Sirach 2:5

  Regarding the punishment God inflicts on us, we hear, "When we are judged by the Lord, we are chastened so that we may not be condemned along with the world." Regarding the just, however, he says, "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies." In yet again in another place, the blessed apostle Paul—after having mentioned that he had been taken up to the third heaven and to paradise where he had heard ineffable words—adds immediately, "And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' " With even greater clarity another passage of the Scriptures that sounds quite similar says, "Gold and silver are refined in the fire, the just, however, in the furnace of humiliation." This is because, after the just have felt the heat of temptation and been weighed down by the burden of tribulations, there will be not even the slightest rise in them of pride over the merits of the justice they have received for their past actions, knowing that they will soon be rewarded with the very price of immortality. Indeed, the just become even more commendable in Christ when in good will they persevere in humility as those who are rich in sacred virtue and humble in heart.

  TO BENIVOLUS 51-53

• Sirach 15:16

  The Lord, who is truly a just judge, wants that everyone be the cause of what he merits. He wants the just to suffer for justice alone, and the wicked person, if he persists in evil, to be judged as liable to death based on his free will. As Scripture attests, God formed human beings, making them in his image and likeness, and left the faculty of decision in their hands. "He put before them fire and water, saying, 'Reach out your hand to what you will.' " God "put before the man," it said, "water and fire," that is, rest and punishment, forgiveness and torment, life and death. Who, I ask, would not flee torment, punishment and death and not choose rest, forgiveness and life? One flees death, however, who walks in the ways of the precepts that give life. One attains the gift of life who, through the effort of his commitment to spiritual things, avoids actions that bring death. This is why it was said, "Here is water and fire. Reach out your hand" (that is, your actions) "to what you will." By the hand are meant actions, since we cannot be subjected to sufferings without offenses or merit the prize without a fight, since the apostle says, "Is God unjust in inflicting his wrath?" And also, "Because no one who takes part in a contest is crowned unless he competes according to the rules."

  SERMONS 13:16-18

• Sirach 27:5

  If you are a sinner, recognize that it is for your correction that you have been afflicted, or at least for your purification.… If, rather, you are righteous (but do not presume to attribute this title to yourself), then you will understand that your sufferings happen so that you might receive glory from the trial. It is written, "As the furnace tests what it receives from the potter, so the temptation of trials tests the righteous." Thus the apostle also says, "Trials lead to patience, patience produces perseverance, and perseverance, hope. And hope does not deceive." In this world, therefore, various pains are inflicted to test the righteous, to correct sinners or to punish the impious. These blows bring death to some; to others, salvation. Precisely for this reason the following is written in the book of Psalms, with great acuity, "The death of sinners is miserable, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned." Here it considers miserable the death of those sinners who, desiring to remain in the wickedness of their sins, hate the righteous One who afflicts them. Of those who can be corrected, it says, "There are many lashes for sinners." Finally, of the saints it says, "Many are the trials of the righteous." It is not at all difficult, for anyone who has the Spirit, to discern these differences based on the fruit of each, as the Lord says, "By their fruits you will know them."

  TO BENIVOLUS 42-43

• Sirach 29:12

  The rapacity of the one who grasps does not reduce avarice but provokes it. Indeed, it is written, "One who loves money will not be satisfied by money." Nor does one love God who does not pity the poor, in whom Christ asks us to recognize that he is either helped or neglected. "When you did not do this to one of these least," he says, "you did not do it to me." And the apostle John says in his epistle, "If someone sees his brother or sister in need and closes his heart to them, the love of God is not in him." One falsely says that he loves Christ if he does not love the poor person, if he denies in his actions the love that he professes with his words. Let everyone therefore make an effort to give proof by their actions that they love God, because the love of God will purify them from all sin. Do you want, then, to know to what a great extent alms lighten the weight of sins? Listen to the counsel the prophet Daniel offers to the rich sinner: "Now, O king," he said, "may my advice please you: redeem your evil actions with alms and your sins with acts of mercy to the poor." But perhaps you are thinking of keeping for yourself and your children what you do not want to give to the poor? I do not want you to worry yourself so dangerously, since "you do not know what tomorrow will bring." Our God is powerful enough to give to them and to you. Indeed, everything that you give to the poor as alms you have put to your account and to that of your children. Nothing can be lacking to those whom you have joined to Christ. The one who assures us that he receives through the poor knows how to repay. Give without worries. He is a trustworthy borrower, the one who promises the kingdom of heaven. The divine Scripture says, "Hide your alms in the bosom of the poor person, and he will pray to God for you." It is as though it said, "Sell your inheritance and acquire a surety, by which you can look with an unveiled face on the judge who is coming, certain of having obtained pardon." Then in the Gospel it says, "If you want to be perfect, sell what you have, give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me."

  SERMONS 13:29-32