Church Fathers, Day 250: St. Ambrose advises us to uproot sin and sow spiritual seed

Last updated on: March 28, 2015 at 3:30 am by Pete Socks

Church Fathers, Day 250: St. Ambrose advises us to uproot sin and sow spiritual seed 2015-03-01T19:05:20-05:00 Pete Socks

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Uproot sin and sow spiritual seed

St. Ambrose uses a farming metaphor to tell us about confession: you need to root out the weeds before you can grow the fruit you want. A perfect example, he says, is St. Paul, who sinned worse than almost any of us, actually persecuting believers for being Christians.

So let us not be ashamed to confess our sins to the Lord.

It’s true, we do feel shame when each one of us makes his sin known. But that shame plows his land, so to speak: it takes out the brambles that keep sprouting up, prunes the thorns, and gives life to the fruits we thought were dead.

Follow the man who, by diligently plowing his field, worked for eternal fruit: “When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things” (1 Corinthians 4:12-13). If you plow this way, you will sow spiritual seed. Plow to uproot sin and grow fruit. He plowed to destroy the last tendency to persecution in himself. What more could Christ give to lead us on to pursue perfection, than to convert and then give us as a teacher someone who had been a persecutor?

–St. Ambrose, Two Books on Repentance, 2.5

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

Is shame keeping me from confessing some of my sins?

CLOSING PRAYER

God of mercy, free me from sin and protect me from evil; for I know that I cannot be saved without you.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Remember to subscribe to my feed so you will not miss a day! This recurring feature at The Catholic Blogger is possible through the cooperation of author Mike Aquilina and publisher Saint Benedict Press. To get your own copy of this book, click below.

A Year with the Church Fathers

Mike Aquilina

Saint Ambrose

Saint Benedict Press

Previous Post

March 27, 2015

Church Fathers, Day 249: St. Gregory the Great says learn to repent from Judas

Next Post

March 29, 2015 Church Fathers, Day 251: St. John Chrysostom tells us to bear fruit that befits repentance

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A Year with Mary A Year with the Angels A Year with the Church Fathers Book News Children's Review Featured CD Giveaway Guest Post Interview Linked Review Media review Movie Review New Releases Off the Shelf Review speakers Teen Review The Clergy Speaks The Laity Speaks The Open Book Podcast Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz