Saint Romuald, Abbot

1If it is necessary (though certainly not expedient) to glory, then I will next tell of visions and revelations from the Lord. 2I know a man in Christ, who, more than fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I do not know, or out of the body, I do not know: God knows), was enraptured to the third heaven. 3And I know a certain man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I do not know: God knows), 4who was enraptured into Paradise. And he heard words of mystery, which it is not permitted for man to speak. 5On behalf of someone like this, I will glory. But on behalf of myself, I will not glory about anything, except my infirmities. 6For even though I am willing to glory, I will not be foolish. But I will speak the truth. Yet I will do so sparingly, lest anyone may consider me to be anything more than what he sees in me, or anything more than what he hears from me. 7And lest the greatness of the revelations should extol me, there was given to me a prodding in my flesh: an angel of Satan, who struck me repeatedly. 8Because of this, three times I petitioned the Lord that it might be taken away from me. 9And he said to me: “My grace is sufficient for you. For virtue is perfected in weakness.” And so, willingly shall I glory in my weaknesses, so that the virtue of Christ may live within me. 10Because of this, I am pleased in my infirmity: in reproaches, in difficulties, in persecutions, in distresses, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am powerful.

8The Angel of the Lord will encamp around those who fear him, and he will rescue them.

9Taste and see that the Lord is sweet. Blessed is the man who hopes in him.

10Fear the Lord, all you his saints. For there is no destitution for those who fear him.

11The rich have been needy and hungry, but those who seek the Lord will not be deprived of any good thing.

12Come forward, sons. Listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

13Which is the man who wills life, who chooses to see good days?

24No one is able to serve two masters. For either he will have hatred for the one, and love the other, or he will persevere with the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. 25And so I say to you, do not be anxious about your life, as to what you will eat, nor about your body, as to what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26Consider the birds of the air, how they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of much greater value than they are? 27And which of you, by thinking, is able to add one cubit to his stature? 28And as for clothing, why are you anxious? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither work nor weave. 29But I say to you, that not even Solomon, in all his glory, was arrayed like one of these. 30So if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and cast into the oven tomorrow, how much more will he care for you, O little in faith? 31Therefore, do not choose to be anxious, saying: ‘What shall we eat, and what shall we drink, and with what shall we be clothed?’ 32For the Gentiles seek all these things. Yet your Father knows that you need all these things. 33Therefore, seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be added to you as well. 34Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow; for the future day will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its evil.”