Lest You Remain

“the day of all days most favored and bountiful in greatest joy.” This joy is also shared in heaven: “…there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents that over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance” (Lk 15:7). Thus, it is difficult to comprehend the joy known by the heavenly inhabitants on account of the conversion of the sinner Magdalene. The earth also trembles with great joy, because the Messiah has come to her in order to redeem sinners. Not one of them should despair, if only they can comprehend that Jesus easily pardons offenses to those who repent, and that He even takes them into His care. The exam- ple of His unprecedented goodness is His pardon of the adulteress and His defend- ing her before the Pharisees. Uplifted in spirit by such an act of mercy, the Servant of God cries out with the Psalmist: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love is ever lasting” (Ps 106:1). 17 Joy from the occasion of a conversion, the joy of converts is not everything. They also achieve a special excellence. For Fr. Papczy < ski the argument that under- pins this conviction is Jesus’ written genealogy, where sinful David is placed prior to the righteous Abraham (cf. Mt 1:1). This is proof that when a sinner truly repents, he will not only return to grace, but also will be honored and raised to a higher throne in heaven. It goes without saying that such an elevation was earned by the meek and repentant sinners. 18 To encourage the effort necessary to gain the “throne of heavenly glory”, Fr. Papczy < ski depicts an apocalyptic vision of the heavenly city—namely the New Jerusalem—that needs to be won. Saint John the Baptist incites the fight for this city by his words and actions. His example alone can rouse to battle. “He has a face gaunt with fasting, deeply set eyes; wearing a coarse camel skin; barefoot, pale, exhausted, filled only with the Spirit of God coming down upon him. He proclaims a baptism of repentance—he prepares a battering ram to conquer heaven. He shows that heaven must be won by the use of great force: knocking with deep sighs, breaking in with fasting, bribing the guards with generous and pious alms. And if this holy attack does not bring success, one needs to break into the city by ravaging one’s body and mortifying those parts that fight against the spirit.” 19 When the soldier in Fr. Papczy < ski—a chaplain of the Polish knighthood— wakes up, his thoughts take on a battle-like approach. To give grounds to his the- sis, he quotes Christ’s words: “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force” (Mt 11:12). Heaven can be violated through virtue; and for those who have it “the sky is the limit.” The gates of the heavenly city are wide open for such people, and the Christ in the Spirituality of the Servant of God, Fr. St. Papczy < ski 201 17 Ibid., f. 125v. 18 Ibid., f. 140v. 19 Orator Crucifixus , 26.