Psalms, Growth and Example

When you say a psalm, consider whose words you are saying, and take more delight in a soul truly crushed with sorrow than in the sweetness of a trilling voice. For God values the tears of one who praises him in song more than the beauty of his voice, as the prophet says, “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” Now where there are fear and trembling, there is no raising of the voice, but humility of mind with lamenting and tears. [a]

Be diligent in everything you do, for it is written, “Cursed is the man who does the work of the Lord carelessly.” Let grace grow in you with the years, let righteousness increase with age, and let your faith appear the more perfect the older you become. For Jesus, who left us an example of how to live, grew not only in years in his body, but in wisdom and spiritual grace before God and people. Count as wholly lost all the time in which you do not see yourself growing better. Hold to the end the purpose of virginity you have formed, for it belongs to virtue not merely to begin but to finish, as the Lord says in the Gospel, “Whoever endures to the end will be saved.” Beware, then, of giving anyone an occasion even of evil desire, because your God, who is betrothed to you, is jealous; and an adulteress against Christ is guiltier than one against her husband.

So be a pattern of life for everyone; be an example, and surpass in actual conduct those whom you go before in your consecration to chastity. Show yourself a virgin in every respect, and let no stain of corruption be charged against your person. And let one whose body is perfect in its purity be blameless in conduct too. As we said at the beginning of this letter, you have become a sacrifice that belongs to God. Such a sacrifice, without doubt, imparts its own holiness to others as well, so that everyone who receives from it worthily also becomes a sharer in sanctification. So then, let the other virgins also be sanctified through you, as through a divine offering. Show yourself so holy to them in everything that whoever comes in contact with your life, whether by hearing or by seeing, may experience the power of sanctification. Let him feel such grace passing to him from your way of acting that, while he longs to imitate you, he himself becomes worthy to be a sacrifice devoted to God.