Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 21

We know that repentance over one’s sins renews a person, making him better, but it will result in nothing more if it does not result in works of mercy. Truth testifies the same thing through the mouth of John when against those who were approaching him he said, “Generation of vipers! Who made you to believe that you could escape from the coming wrath? Produce fruit therefore in keeping with repentance, and do not say to yourselves, ‘We are descendants of Abraham,’ because I assure you that God is able to raise up children of Abraham from these stones. The ax is already at the root of the trees, ready to cut; every tree that does not yield good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” This is the fruit about which he had said in the preceding phrase, “Produce fruits in keeping with repentance.” Anyone who does not produce such fruits has no reason to believe that an unfruitful penance will merit the forgiveness of sins. And what these fruits are, the same John indicates, because after he had said these things, “The crowds questioned him, saying, ‘What shall we do?’ ” that is, what are these fruits that he was pressing them to produce. “And he answered, ‘Whoever possesses two cloaks should give one to the person who has none, and he should do the same with his provisions.’ ” It is an unambiguous, clear, explicit answer. So what is the meaning of what he said first, “Every tree that does not yield fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire,” except what those who are on his left are going to hear to whom he says, “Be gone into the eternal fire, for I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat.” It is not enough therefore just to stop sinning if we neglect repairing the guilt of the past. In fact, Scripture says, “Son, have you sinned? Sin no more.” However, if you think that this alone will make him safe, “and about the past” he quickly adds, “pray that the guilt of your transgressions may be pardoned.” But what good does such praying do for you if you do not become worthy to be heard by not yielding fruits worthy of repentance, so that you are not cut down like a barren tree and thrown into the fire? If you want to be heard when you pray for your sins, “Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you.”

Sermon 389:6

Penance can be useful to every person in this life. Whenever one does it, however evil he was, however burdened with years of life, if with all his heart he has renounced the sins of his past and poured out tears in the presence of God, not only for the body but also for the soul, and he has taken care to wash the stains of his evil works with good works, he will receive the forgiveness of all his sins. This, in fact, is what the Lord promises to us with the words of the prophet, saying, “If you will be converted and weep, you will be saved.” Elsewhere it is also said, “My child, have you sinned? Sin no more, but ask forgiveness for your previous sins so that they may be forgiven.” Prayer for sins would not have been commanded of the sinner if forgiveness of sins would not have to be granted to the one praying. But penance is fruitful for the sinner if it takes place in the catholic church; to the church, God in the person of Peter granted the power to bind and to loose, saying, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Therefore, at whatever age an individual makes true penance for his sins and corrects his life through the gift of illumination that God gives to him, he will not be deprived of the gift of forgiveness because God, as he asserts through the prophet, does not desire the death of one dying but rather that he be converted from his perverse way and that his soul live.

Letter to Peter on the Faith 39

“Benjamin, ravenous wolf, still eating by morning and by evening dividing the food. All these are the twelve sons of Jacob, and the words their father said to them as he blessed them. Each according to his blessing, he blessed them.” I wish that those who insist on the letter would tell me what there could be in Benjamin of the ravenous wolf, or how, eating by morning, he could then divide the food in the evening. Even the coarse Jews reject the insult of the letter in this passage. Some refer it to the greediness of the altar, meaning that it was built on Benjamin’s portion, since what is offered in the morning is divided in the evening by the priests. Others, with various stories, which are nonetheless fables, admit that these words can have no literal force. In the church, many hold the opinion that this passage refers to the apostle Paul. I do not reject or question this interpretation but try to do what is written: “Hearing a wise word, he praises it and adds another.” And thus to the explanation that my predecessors have validly referred to Paul and that I do not deny, I nevertheless add another. Benjamin, it says, means “son of sorrow.” By lot he obtained as his inheritance the place in which the earthly Jerusalem was located, which is the type and has the form of the heavenly. When, therefore, the time will come for the heavenly Jerusalem and the church of the firstborn enrolled in heaven to be manifest, this Jerusalem that at present has been cast out and driven away for its lack of faith, that for so long with its children has suffered hunger for the word of God and thirst for spiritual drink12—when the fullness of the Gentiles has been reached, according to the apostle’s promise, “then all Israel will be saved.”

The Blessings of the Patriarchs 2:28-29

The fear of God is without turmoil, agitation or restlessness. If, therefore, before our encounter with others, we prepare our hearts with vigilance in the fear of God, why should there be any reason for us to become upset or laugh? There is, in fact, no laughter in the presence of godly fear. It is said of the fools that they raise their voice when they laugh and that the speech of the fool is agitated and results in unpleasantness. Of the righteous one, however, it is said that he only smiles. If, therefore, we bring to ourselves in a similar way the memory of God and fill our thoughts with quiet humility when we are in the company of our friends, we love them in this way and hold before their eyes the tremendous judgment of God. Such a disposition will drive away from our heart every evil thought. For where, in fact, there is quiet, gentleness and humility, this is where God dwells.

Book of Letters 454

For what good reason would the prophet have said “the tongue meditates injustice,” if meditation pertains to the living soul through its rational consciousness, whereas the tongue was not created according to a rational nature proper to it but to be at the service of the rational nature? And yet, another prophet also shows the authoritativeness of a similar inspired and perfect saying when he says, “The heart of fools is in their mouth,” meaning that they randomly say things that have no foundation, accustomed as they are to not treating any argument with the deliberation of reason and after meditating on it in the heart but only by the imprudent movement of a rash tongue. If a fool’s heart is in his mouth, it is because he does not say what he has thought but thinks afterwards about what he has said. This refers to the tongue of the fool. Of the tongue of the wise, rather, we read, “The tongue of the wise meditates wisdom.” And, “My tongue like the pen of a nimble scribe.” The tongue of the wise is born of meditation on wisdom, and therefore of itself, like the pen of a scribe, it does nothing disordered or uncertain. It submits itself, rather, to what has been thought and read, which make it flow nimbly according to the judgment of reason.

Homilies on the Psalms 51:7

Some may find it difficult or think it is a fable when we say there are many demons to take care of each particular sinner. Let them return to the authority of the Gospel and find that man who lived in the tombs, possessed by the demons. When the Savior asks it, “What is your name?” it answers, “Legion, for we are many.” Why therefore does it seem strange to attribute a demon to a particular kind of sin, since it is written that in a single man an entire legion of demons was found? But I remember saying similar things when we were expounding that verse in the psalms where it says, “In the mornings I wiped out all the sinners on the earth in order to disperse from the city of the Lord all those who do iniquity.” Thus it is also said that “in the hand of the just there are swords that cut in two,” undoubtedly in order for them to destroy opposing powers. But I believe that, in order to bring even more force to these affirmations, we can cite the word of the apostle Paul: “May the God of peace swiftly grind Satan under your feet.” If, in fact, Satan is alone, can he be subjected under the feet of the servants of God and then take action again? If he has been subjected, and subjected by God, he surely can act no longer. Perhaps it will be necessary then to think that there are as many satans as there are those who complete his works. It seems to me that this is also what is indicated in the book of Wisdom where it is said, “The impious who curse Satan are cursing their own soul.” But we also find this kind of thinking in a booklet not even contained in the canon, entitled The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, that individual satans ought to be recognized in individual sinners. The same idea seems to be expressed in a still more illuminating way when looking at the meaning of its name, according to the instruction of erudite Hebrews: Satan means “adversary.” All those, therefore, who oppose the will of God can be called satans.

Homilies on Joshua 15:6