Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/Pseudo-Clementine Literature/The Clementine Homilies/Homily XII/Chapter 7

Chapter VII.&#8212;&#8220;Not to Be Ministered Unto, But to Minister.&#8221;

But I, when I heard this, fell a-trembling and weeping, that such a word should be spoken by a man to whom all the men of this generation are inferior in point of knowledge and piety.&#160; But he, seeing me weeping, asked the cause of my tears.&#160; Then I said, &#8220;In what have I sinned so that you have spoken to me such a word?&#8221;&#160; Then Peter answered, &#8220;If it were wrong of me to speak of being your servant, you were first in fault in asking to be mine.&#8221;&#160; Then I said, &#8220;The cases are not parallel; for to do this indeed becomes me well; but it is terrible for you, the herald of God, and who savest our souls, to do this to me.&#8221;&#160; Then Peter answered, &#8220;I should agree with you, but that our Lord, who came for the salvation of all the world, being alone noble above all, submitted to the condition of a servant, that He might persuade us not to be ashamed to perform the ministrations of servants to our brethren, however well-born we may be.&#8221;&#160; Then I said, &#8220;If I think to overcome you in argument, I am foolish.&#160; However, I thank the providence of God, that I have been thought worthy to have you instead of parents.&#8221;