609 chapter 10: the lampstand of the mystical temple ity. On the contrary, the wisdom of the just is: to feign nothing by dissimulation, to reveal feelings with words, to esteem highly things that are true, to avoid things that are false, to do good freely, to endure willingly evil things rather than do them, to seek no revenge for injustice, to consider an outrage suffered for the truth as gain. But this guilelessness of the just” (he adds) “is ridiculed, because the virtue of candor is believed to be foolishness by this kind of wise men.”92 But on the Day of Divine Judgment, after having treated with disregard those who are wise in accordance with God’s mind, being very angry at their own stupidity which they will then recognize, and, groaning in anguish of the spirit, they will lament most bitterly: “These are” (they will point out with a finger the foolish because of Christ) “they whom we held sometime in derision and for a parable of reproach. We fools esteemed their life madness and their end without honor. Behold how they are numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints!” (cf. Wis 5:3-5) [LV]. Next, I understand knowledge to mean knowing those things that are necessary for salvation. “For to what good,” (as he93 says) “is this great deceptive subtle reasoning about hidden and obscure matters since we shall not be accused on Judgment Day that we were ignorant of them!”94 “Indeed a humble peasant who serves God is better than a proud philosopher who neglecting himself [that is his own soul] studies the course of the heavenly bodies.”95 “And yet knowledge or any simple acquaintance with a thing is not to be blamed, which, when considered in itself, is good and ordained by God.”96 Now to understanding pertains discernment and orderly use of things, as the prophet said about our Savior: “He shall be living on curds and honey by the time he learns to reject the bad and choose the good” (Is 7:15). 92 Gregory the Great, Moralia X, in: On Chapter XII of Job: PL 75, 947 (n. 360). 93 The author of Imitation of Christ. See Ch. III, footnote 42 (p. 584). 94 IC, Bk. I, Ch. 3, § 1. 95 Ibid., Ch. 2, § 1. 96 Ibid., Ch. 3, § 4.
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