Greg., Hom. in Ev., xi, 1: The treasure hidden in
the field is the desire of heaven; the field in which the treasure is hidden is
the discipline of heavenly learning; this, when a man finds, he hides, in order
that he may preserve it; for zeal and affections heavenward it is not enough
that we protect from evil spirits, if we do not protect from, human praises.
For in this present life we are in the way which leads to our country, and evil
spirits as robbers beset us in our journey.
Those therefore who carry their treasure openly,
they seek to plunder in the way. When I say this, I do not mean that our
neighbors should not see our works, but that in what we do, we should not seek
praise from without. The kingdom of heaven is therefore compared to things of
earth, that the mind may rise from things familiar to things unknown, and may
learn to love the unknown by that which it knows is loved when known.
It follows, “And for joy thereof he goes and sells
all that he hath, and buys that field.” He it is that sells all he has and buys
the field, who, renouncing fleshly delights, tramples upon all his worldly
desires in his anxiety for the heavenly discipline.
Hom. in Ev., xi, 2: Or by [p. 514] the pearl of
price is to be understood as the sweetness of the heavenly kingdom, which, he
that hath found it, sells all and buys. For he that, as far as is permitted,
has had perfect knowledge of the sweetness of the heavenly life, readily leaves
all things that he has loved on earth; all that once pleased him among earthly
possessions now appears to have lost its beauty, for the splendor of that
precious pearl is alone seen in his mind.
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