THEOSISAmbrose of Milan
It has previously been stated that the reward for virtuous deeds is the joy of everlasting life. By abandoning the pursuit of indulgent pleasures and the dread of adversity that drains one’s courage and fortitude, we can demonstrate that even within suffering, there exists the potential for a blessed existence. This is easily substantiated through the words of Scripture: "Blessed are ye, when they revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you for righteousness' sake. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven: so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matt. 5:11-12). In another passage, it states: "If any man will come after me, let him take up his cross, and follow me" (Matt. 16:24).
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Happiness can also arise from hardship, imbued with a virtue rich in sweetness and self-sufficiency. These qualities are nurtured by a pure conscience and divine grace. Consider Aaron; when did he deem himself more blessed than at the moment he stood between the living and the dead, thereby halting death from claiming the living (see Numbers 16:1-50)? Virtue endures even amid tribulation, finding its strength in the joy of righteousness, affirming that suffering does not detract from the delight of virtue. Thus, just as the joy found in virtue is unaffected by suffering, no earthly pleasures can enhance it. The Apostle expresses this beautifully: "What was an advantage to me, for Christ's sake I counted as nothing" and continues, "For Him I have given up all things, and counted them all as rubbish, that I might gain Christ" (Phil. 3:7-8).