because they no longer find resistance to Jesus within themselves. Thirdly, because they are annihilated, God frequently uses them for the governance of his church. God makes these people pastors, when the church seems at the height of destruction.
We must see all the circumstances. God wants souls to faithfully keep his will to the end, that is to say, they become united at their end and he gives them power among the nations. As he has said, To rule them with an iron rod, with authority so strong that nothing can resist it. Because these souls are annihilated, they have not a rigorous authority, but they have divine power. They dispose of things as it pleases them and reveal even things that are most interior and hidden. This makes it clear that divine power is communicated to them. As Jesus Christ says, I received authority from my Father. The same power is communicated is to them. The same power I have received from my Father works in them.
Jesus Christ adds, I will also give them the morning star. The star of the morning precedes the dawn. The morning light brings pink light and this rosy light falls almost as soon as it is lifted. These people have a right and advantage that God gives them, that is, when they instruct docile souls in the interior way, the true spirit of Jesus Christ. Like a beautiful dawn, Jesus Christ does not fail to shine in them the beautiful day of his grace. Like a beautiful rose, he sends at the same time into hearts a very abundant consolation and divine unction. It is the same star of the morning, which announces the day to the travelers who want to walk in the way of perfection.
“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your works; you have a name of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God.” (Rev 3:1–2)
How many of these pastors are dead but appear to be alive? They are dead lacking the vigor and life to keep their flocks. Also, they are not animated by the interior Spirit and pure love. Through their actions they seek the vain illusion of reputation.
Whoever has the Spirits of God, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and the seven stars of divine lights, discovers what is most hidden. They find the One who reveals that you were dead, although you appear alive to all others. Wake up to get out of this death. Strengthen what remains and let those escape the debris that your lack of vigilance has caused. Strengthen them, so they do not perish like the others because they are on the point of dying through your fault. How many negligent pastors are there, from whose hands the wolf takes away the sheep? It is quite a horror to eat the butter and milk of the flock, and to be clothed with their wool, but not to keep, defend, and support the flock.
Remember then what you received and heard; obey it, and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. (Rev 3:3)
As the evil of this pastor is personal, he must repent. A true repentance is to do the contrary action changing what was done before. The pastor should now watch for the source of the evil and fill the fold with good dogs who take away the power of vice. God asks for specific remedies, but they cause pain while healing. This is what the repentance of God asks for with justice. O negligent pastors, who should be attending! The Master will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. But who do you think he will take away? It will not only be your flock exposed to danger for a lack of a vigilant pastor, but it will be yourself. He will ask you for your soul and the soul of your brother.
“Yet you have still a few persons in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes; they will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 If you conquer, you will be clothed like them in white robes, and I will not blot your name out of the book of life; I will confess your name before my Father and before his angels.” (Rev 3:4–5)
All towns have some holy people. Frequently the most corrupt places have the greatest saints. Have not soiled their clothes is to have not lost the grace of their baptism, which is a great advantage. Those who are walking with Jesus Christ in white clothes include those who have not been unfaithful since their conversion.
Those who conquer have been entirely destroyed, died, and annihilated, where the new Adam has conquered and destroyed the first Adam. They are restored to the first grace more perfect than the state of innocence. According to Paul, our redemption is abundant and superabundant, and restores human beings to its first state with all the advantages this has. Otherwise, redemption would not be equal to the grace of creation, so it would not be abundant. The soul in whom the grace of redemption has expanded receives the state of innocence more perfect than the first. Those who have conquered in him and through him participate in his happiness. This is why their robes are white because they are dressed in vestments of innocence, their name will never more be blotted out of the book of life and they will never have mortal faults anymore. Jesus Christ has confessed them, he has recognized them before God the Father as his own. He receives them as adoptive children, heirs of God, and coinheritors of Jesus Christ.
“Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” (Rev 3:6)
We need to have divine intelligence to understand these things and not be scandalized by them. O God! In this century the greatest truth passes for errors and blasphemies! Those who speak these truths are hated and contradicted by creatures. Instead, crimes, folly, and garbage pass for gallantries. And your servants, O Lord, become infamous! They are esteemed as rubbish of the world because they support your name (1 Cor 4:13). O, the derangement, perversity, and corruption of this century! We are ashamed to be with God. Those who in the past centuries were saints now pass for infamous. They are regarded with indignation. It seems, my God, that you are blind, or that you do not know all things. You see them and conceal them to test the patience of your servants.
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens: 8 I know your works. Look, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but are lying—I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.” (Rev 3:7–9)
This is the only pastor for whom he has no words of reproach. The pastor has but little power, but God has made the pastor strong. Because he has no strength in himself, he finds all his strength in God. What qualities does Jesus regard well? Holy and true qualities. Because the good pastor was perfectly annihilated, all his holiness was in God. Jesus is holy for him. He praises him primarily because of the two qualities for which Jesus has regard: holiness and truth. Jesus promises him souls, this being the highest reward that a pastor like this can claim in this life. Because he has no propriety, his only interest is God’s interests and only desires to win hearts for Jesus Christ’s kingdom. They will bow to your feet, says God, acknowledge their fault, and discover by experience that they will receive graces through you, and know how much I love you. The greatest sign of the love of God is to want to serve him to win hearts.
The holy and true God says to his servant that he has the key of David. This key is his incarnation, by which he is born of David according to the flesh to open to all the predestined. It is Jesus Christ who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. What is this opening? Jesus Christ through his incarnation has the key of David and opens the heart of God the Father. If he does not open God’s heart, no one can ever enter there. But when he has once opened it, nothing in the world can close it. He opens the door to his servants, so they can enter and hide with him. So then the pastor without being pulled from his union with Jesus Christ acts entirely for his neighbor and make thousands of converts.
Because you have kept my word of patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. (Rev 3:10)
Kept my word of patient endurance is to suffer because of the will of God. When we suffer like this, we still have a way to keep the word of patience. God talks to the soul, filling it with well-being. David says, Do not keep silence toward me (Psalm 28:1). For as God waited a long time for the soul, she waits for God.