The Paraclete and the Prayer of the Poor

“so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the nations”—and a blessing that is productive is not, in reality, a curse. The productive things of the good are good. The productive things of those pleasing to God are themselves pleasing to God. And the name of the curse signifies the cross, just as the apostle himself, having written this voice, demonstrated. He said: “For it is written: cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree” (Gal 3:13), and just as he became dead, in order to show and make the dead alive, and he became dead in death, in order to destroy death and to set free those held by it; so also he became poor, in order that through his poverty they might become rich for whom the poor became poor.

And behold the difference: “know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that being rich he became poor for your sakes” (2 Cor 8:9). To become poor for us, is not to be rich for us; for it has not been said to become rich just as it has been said to become poor, but “being rich he became poor for your sakes.” And just as having the form of God and being in the form of God, having taken the form of a slave of God, he did not cast away the form of God, so he, becoming poor for the sake of others, did not cast away the wealth; for we do not say of his wealth as if it were the virtues of holy men; for he himself is the provider of the virtues, he is the one in whose participation the virtues exist. Thus, remaining rich, he became poor. But he became poor for the sake of others, so that they might become rich.

And when we remain in the prior poverty and do not hasten to take up that wealth which his poverty grants, that which is for us, he remains poor; for if for the sake of others, so that they might become rich, he became poor, when they become rich, he is no longer poor. He became poor by becoming flesh. When we behold “his glory, a glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14), we have become rich from the poor, and he himself was shown to be rich from the poor, he did not become rich. For his glory has become manifest, that “as an only-begotten” he is “from the Father, full of grace and truth.” “He did not disregard nor make void the prayer of the poor”; for he was interceding for the salvation of all. “And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the...”

righteous, so that he might forgive us our sins. Truly, insofar as we are in sins, we have him as a Paraclete. But when we cease from having sins, he no longer pleads at all concerning this. Therefore also he is able to save to the full those who approach God through him, always living to intercede for them.

If he intercedes for them so that they may live, when they live, he no longer brings up this prayer concerning them, but rather pleads concerning its preservation, concerning its remaining. This, therefore, the prayer of the poor, he neither despised nor disregarded the one bringing it. 'Nor did he turn his face away.' A person turns his face away from one praying when God is not favorable, but also when he prevents the prayer from being sent up. He prevented Jeremiah at one time from praying for the people. Why? For ambassadors and Paracletes ought to bring an embassy for those having repented and no longer sinning.

For he says: 'Do you not see what they are doing? Their fathers' they searched through, being filled with idolatry, and they do not remain. So also the face of Samuel was turned away, when he heard: 'How long will you grieve over Saul, while I have rejected him?' (1 Sam 15:11). But the face has boldness for those interceding, if those for whom they intercede run together with his will. For he neither despised nor disregarded the prayer of the poor, nor did he turn his face away from me.

The poor man himself says concerning himself. A change of face has occurred. The writing Spirit says: 'He neither despised nor disregarded the prayer of the poor.' Then that same poor man, whose prayer was not loathed, did not turn away, says: 'Nor did he turn his face away from me, and in my crying out to him, he heard me.' And in my crying out to him, he heard me. Great is it to say this. This is not said in mere words, but when it is shown that the thing for which he prayed exists.

And so this happened: 'My praise shall be in you in a great congregation' (Ps 18:3). Behold, the work of the cry I have accomplished; I have established it as a congregation of peace for me, 'glorious, having neither blemish nor wrinkle or anything of this kind' (Eph 5:27). My praise, therefore, is this, that he accomplished this. Just as indeed not...