Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/155



In these words the Apostle lays down three propositions. Firstly, he exhorts that we should do good, “ In well doing.” Secondly, that we should not fail of good works, “ Let us not be weary.” Thirdly, he places before us the reward, “In due season we shall reap.”

I. On the first head it is to be noted, that we ought to do good for three reasons. (1) Because all things naturally teach us to do good, and they teach this in a three-fold manner. Firstly, because all things are good, “ And God saw everything that He had made, and behold it was very good,” Gen. i. 31. Sinners can never sufficiently blush when placed in so great a multitude of creatures which are all good, whilst they themselves are evil. Secondly, because all things naturally do good, for whatever the creature gives to itself is an indication of the goodness of themselves and of the Creator. S. Dionysius says that God is the effusion of good to Himself ; S. Augustine, that it is a great indication of the Divine goodness that which every creature thinks to give to itself. Thirdly, because all things naturally desire good, and tend to good; so Philo says, that good is that which is desired by all.

II. On the second head it is to be noted, that there are three things which chiefly enable man to persevere in good. (1) Constant and devoted prayer, by which man implores the help of God lest he should give way under temptations, “Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation,” S. Matt, xxvi. 41. (2) Continuous fear; for immediately a man ceases to fear he fails to perform good works, “ Unless a man hold himself diligently in the fear of the Lord, his house shall be soon overthrown,” Ecclus. xxvii. 3. Interpret, “ the fear of the Lord,” the custody of life ; “ soon,” i.e., unforeseenly; “ his house shall be overthrown,” i.e., his earthly dwelling, or the hope of earthly things. (3) The avoiding of small sins which are the occasion of deadly sins,