The Reward Remains, the Work Ends

I did not say that the reward for a good work would be taken away, for the Lord himself says: “Whoever gives one of the least of these only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.” What I maintain is that the doing of a thing will be taken away, when it is something that bodily need, or the assault of the flesh, or the inequalities of this world compel us to do. For diligence in reading and self-denial in fasting are usefully practiced for purifying the heart and chastening the flesh in this life only, as long as “the flesh sets its desires against the spirit.” And sometimes we see that even in this life they are taken away from men who are worn out by excessive toil, or bodily weakness, or old age, and can no longer practice them. How much more, then, will they come to an end hereafter, when “this corruptible has put on incorruption,” and the body that is now “a natural body” has risen “a spiritual body,” and the flesh has begun to be such that it no longer sets its desires against the spirit? [a]

The blessed apostle also speaks clearly of this, when he says that “bodily exercise is profitable for a little, but godliness” (by which he certainly means love) “is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” This clearly shows that what is said to be useful for a little is not to be practiced for all time, and cannot possibly, by itself alone, give the highest state of perfection to the man who toils at it. For the words “for a little” may mean either of two things. They may refer to the shortness of the time, because bodily exercise cannot possibly last on with a man both in this life and in the world to come. Or they may refer to the smallness of the profit that comes from exercising the flesh, because bodily austerities produce some sort of beginnings of progress, but not the actual perfection of love, which has the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. And that is why we judge the practice of these works to be needful: because without them we cannot climb the heights of love.

For what you call works of religion and mercy are needful in this life, while these inequalities and differences of condition still prevail. But even here we would not look for them to be performed, were it not that such a great number of poor, needy and sick people abound. And this is brought about by the wickedness of men: of those, that is, who have seized and kept for their own use (without, however, using them) the things that were granted to all alike by the Creator of all. As long, then, as this inequality lasts in this world, this kind of work will be needful and useful to the one who practices it, since it brings the reward of an eternal inheritance to a good purpose and a devout will. But it will come to an end in the life to come, where equality will reign. Then there will no longer be the inequality on account of which these things must be done, but all will pass from these many practical works to the love of God and the contemplation of heavenly things in continual purity of heart. To this, those men who are earnest in devoting themselves to knowledge and to purifying the heart have chosen to give themselves up with all their might. While they are still in the flesh, they take up that duty in which they are to continue when they have laid aside corruption and come to that promise of the Lord the Savior, which says: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”