From the Great Commentary of Cornelius a Laipde
S.
Paulinus quotes this passage of S. Paul’s in a letter (27) to Aper,
who had been a lawyer and then had embraced the monastic life, and
was, therefore, exposed to ridicule. From this he confirms him in his
purpose, and shows him how to despise the laughter and sneers of men.
“I
congratulate you,”
he says, “on
having scorned that wisdom which is rejected of God, and on having
preferred to have fellowship rather with Christ’s little ones than
with the wise of the world. It is from this that you have merited the
grace from God of the hatred of men; this would not be had you not
begun to be a true follower of Christ.”
And a little lower, in showing the fruit and dignity of his purpose,
he says, “Rejoice
and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven; for it is
not you that they hate, but Him who has begun to be in you, whose
work is in you, whose humility they despise, whose holiness they
loathe. Joyfully recognise yourself to be a sharer in this good with
Prophets and Apostles. From the beginning of the world Christ has
ever suffered and triumphed in His own: in Abel He was killed by His
brother; in Noah He was mocked by His son; in Abraham He was a
pilgrim; in Isaac He was offered up; in Jacob He served; in Joseph He
was sold; in Moses exposed and forced to flee; in the Prophets stoned
and persecuted; in the apostles tossed about on sea and land; in His
Martyrs often slain and in different ways. In you, too, He suffers
reproaches, and thus world hates Him in you; but thanks be to Him
that He overcomes when He is judged and triumphs in us.”
Again, praising and admiring his change of life, he says, “Where
now is the once feared advocate and judge? Would that I had wings to
fly to you, to see you no longer yourself, but changed from a lion to
a calf—to see Christ in Aper, who has now laid aside his ferocity
and strength, and become a lamb unto God instead of a wild boar of
this world. For you are a boar, but of the corn-field, not of the
forest; you are rich in the good fruit of the holy discipline, and
have fed yourself with the fruit of virtues.”