Persevere in the obedience you have undertaken that through humility you may ascend to sublimity. This is the way, and apart from it there is no other. Anyone who goes another way falls down instead of going up, because humility alone exalts and alone leads to life. Christ, in his divine nature, had no way to grow or ascend, because there is nothing beyond God. Yet he found a way to grow by descending, coming to be incarnate, to suffer and die, lest we should die for ever.
Because of this God highly exalted him; for he rose, ascended and took his seat at the right hand of God. “Go and do the same.” You cannot ascend unless you descend because it is fixed as an everlasting law that everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled and anyone who humbles himself shall be exalted.
It is extremely difficult to ascend but extremely easy to descend; yet the children of Adam raise themselves up with ease and lower themselves with difficulty. That is, they are ready for honors and the heights of ecclesiastical offices that make even the shoulders of angels tremble! Lord Jesus, scarcely are any found to follow you, who allow themselves to be drawn or who are willing to be led along the way of your commandments. Some are drawn and can say, Draw me after you. Others are led and say, The king has led me to his store rooms. Still others are caught up as the Apostle Paul was caught up to the third heaven. Fortunate, indeed, are the first: in their patience they possess their souls. Even more fortunate are the second because they give praise to him of their own free will. Most fortunate of all are the third: as if having their power of free choice somehow buried in God’s boundless mercy, they are caught up by a spirit of ardor to the riches of his glory, not knowing whether they are in or out of the body.
Blessed be that one, Lord Jesus, whom you lead everywhere. As for us, your people and the sheep of your pasture, may we follow you, through you, toward you, because you are the way, the truth and the life: the way, in your example; the truth, in your promise; in your reward, the life.
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