THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
Therefore we also, brethren, if we truly love, let us become like Him. For we cannot bring forth a better fruit of love than the example of likeness.
Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in His steps (1 Pet 2:21).
In this statement the Apostle Peter seems to have shown that Christ suffered only for those who follow in His steps, and that Christ's Passion benefits only the one who follows in His steps.
The holy martyrs followed in them, even to the shedding of blood, even to likeness with His sufferings.
The martyrs followed, but not they alone. After they had passed over, the bridge was not destroyed. After they had drunk, the spring itself did not dry up.
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What is the hope of good believers who, in the marriage bond, chastely and harmoniously bear the yoke of marriage?
What is the hope of those who, in the continence of widowhood, subdue the enticements of the flesh?
What is the hope even of those who raise higher the summit of holiness, and, flourishing in new virginity, follow the Lamb wherever He goes?
What, I say, is the hope for them and for all of us, if only those who shed their blood for Christ follow Him?
Is Mother Church, then, going to lose her children, whom she has borne in greater abundance because she has had more tranquility in the time of peace?
Must she pray for persecution and trial, lest she destroy them? By no means, brethren.
How can one pray for persecution who cries out daily that we not be led into temptation (cf. Mt 6:13)?
There is, there is, brethren, there is a garden belonging to this Master. It is not only of the roses of martyrs, but also of the lilies of virgins, the ivy of the married, and the violets of widows.
In a word, dearly beloved, no class of mankind should despair of its calling. Christ suffered for all. Truly it is written of Him: "Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim 2:4).
Spouses have their virtue not because they beget children, but because they beget them honorably, chastely, and lawfully, and because they continually raise the children born to them together for their good.
They have virtue because they preserve fidelity of the marriage bed toward one another, and because they do not defile the mystery of marriage.
Yet all these are human duties. Virginal purity and freedom from every illicit union through pious continence are an angelic portion. They are a preparation, in corruptible flesh, for eternal incorruption.
Let every fruitfulness and every conjugal chastity yield to this. The first is not within man's power, and the second is not found in eternity.
Bodily fruitfulness is not subject to free will. Conjugal chastity does not possess heaven.
Indeed, in that common immortality, those who, while bodily, already possess something bodiless will possess something great in comparison with other men.
Therefore there is no commandment of the Lord concerning virgins. Yet by avoiding licentiousness, and also sin, eternal life must be attained.
In that life a certain higher glory is appointed, not for all who are gathered there in eternity to conquer, but granted there to some. To inherit it, it is not enough to have been freed from sin.
If someone has promised nothing to the Liberator Himself, he is not condemned for not having promised. But what he promised and fulfilled deserves praise.
For in eternal life itself the lights of merits shine distinctly, and in the Father's house there are many mansions.
Accordingly, by the equal denarius one man does not live longer than another. But in the many mansions one is glorified more than another.
Therefore press on toward the holy God, boys and girls, men and women, unmarried men and women. Press insistently toward the goal.
Praise the Lord more sweetly, for your thought is often directed toward Him. Hope with greater confidence in Him whom you serve without ceasing.
Love more ardently Him whom you strive to please ever more diligently. With loins girded and lamps burning, await the Lord when He comes from the wedding.
You will bring to the wedding of the Lamb a new song, which you will sing upon your harps.
Yet it will not be the song sung by the whole earth when it is said, "Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth" (Ps 95:1).
It will be a song that no one will be able to sing except you.
For so a certain one saw you in the Apocalypse, he who was loved by the Lamb before the others. He was accustomed to recline upon His breast, and he drank and poured forth the wonders of heavenly knowledge, the Word of God.
He sees you as twelve times twelve thousand holy harpists, of blameless virginity in body and blameless truth in heart.
And because you follow the Lamb wherever He goes, John wrote this about you.
Where, we ask, does this Lamb go, where no one except you has dared or wished to follow?
Where, we ask, does He go? To what pastures and meadows? There, I believe, grow the grasses that bring joys.
But they are not the empty joys of this world, of deceitful madness. Nor are they the joys appointed in the very kingdom of God for the rest who are not virgins.
They are joys different in kind from all other joys: the joys of Christ's virgins. They are from Christ, in Christ, with Christ, after Christ, through Christ, and for Christ.
The joys proper to Christ's virgins are not the same as those of the non-virgins, though they too belong to Christ.
For different people have different joys, but these joys belong only to some.
Go toward them. Follow the Lamb, because the flesh of the Lamb is first of all virginal.
For when He had grown, He preserved in Himself what, when conceived and born, He did not take away from His Mother.
Rightly follow Him in virginity of heart and flesh, wherever He goes.
For what does it mean to follow Him, if not to imitate Him?
For Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, as the Apostle Peter says, that we should follow in His steps (cf. 1 Pet 2:21).
Each one follows Him in that wherein he imitates Him, not as the Son of God, through whom all things were made, but as the Son of Man, who accomplished in Himself what should be imitated.
Many things in Him are set forth for imitation by all. But virginity of flesh is not set forth for all.
Those who have already done everything so as not to be virgins have no possibility of becoming virgins.
Therefore the rest of the faithful, who have lost bodily virginity, follow the Lamb not wherever He goes, but wherever they themselves are able to go.
They can go everywhere except where He enters into the beauty of virginity.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Mt 5:3). Imitate Him who, though rich, became poor for your sake.
"Blessed are those who mourn" (Mt 5:4).
Yet it is also true that married persons can walk in those footsteps. Even if their foot does not fall fully into the same print, they nevertheless advance along the same paths.
But look! This is the Lamb walking the way of virginity. How will those follow Him on this way who have missed it and can in no way recover it?
Therefore you, you follow Him, His virgins. You follow Him there, because in this one thing you follow Him wherever He goes.
For we can summon the married to any other gift of holiness in which they follow Him, except the one they have irretrievably lost.
Therefore follow Him, holding firmly to what you have ardently promised.
Do what you can, so that the good of virginity may not depart from you. For you can do nothing to regain it.
A multitude of other believers, who cannot follow the Lamb in this, will see you. They will see and will not envy.
Rejoicing with you in what they do not possess in themselves, they will possess it in you.
For that new and special song of yours cannot be performed by them. Yet it can be heard, and they can find delight in it as in a higher good.
But you are the ones who both perform and hear it. Since you hear what you yourselves perform, you will exult more joyfully and reign more gladly.
Yet from your greater joy there will be no sorrow for those who lack it.
For the Lamb whom you follow wherever He goes does not abandon those who cannot follow Him where you follow.
We speak of the almighty Lamb. He will grant to us also, and He will not turn away from them.
For God will be all in all (1 Cor 15:28).