Vigils Reading

BE PERFECT,

AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER

From a treatise by St Cyprian

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Dearly Beloved in the Lord, let us try to understand more fully that

patience is an attribute of God and that whoever is gentle, patient, and meek is

an imitator of God the Father. The Lord Jesus said as much in his Gospel

teaching. For when he was giving out precepts unto salvation, and he was

instructing his disciples unto perfection with holy advice, he said thus: You

have heard that it was said:

‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love

your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of

your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the

good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who

love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others?

Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your

heavenly Father is perfect.’

He said that it is in this way that the children of God are made perfect; He

showed that it is in this way that we reach our consummation, and he taught

that we are restored by a heavenly birth, if the patience of God the Father abide

in us, and if the divine likeness which our first parents lost by sin be manifested

and shine in our actions. What glory it is to become like God! What wonderful

and what great happiness it is to possess in virtues what can be put on the same

level with the divine praises.

Jesus Christ, Our Lord and God, did not teach this by words only, but He

also fulfilled it by His deeds. For He said that He came down for this purpose,

namely, to do the will of His Father. By other miracles of virtue, He gave proof

of his divine majesty. But he also preserved and exemplified His Father’s

patience by His own habitual forbearance.