Letter 930

That the persecuted are called blessed shows that we must not suppose the persecution for righteousness' sake to be entirely and only that inflicted by wicked men. For there are also invisible enemies who drive people away from the knowledge of God and from the doing of good, by setting aside the supposedly small commandments. For this reason one must not surrender one's ears to idle talkers, to those who busy themselves with slandering nearly everyone, and to those who speak evil. Nor indeed is it of any use to the soul to take part in buffoonery. For all this belongs to vulgarity, and is a slip of the spirit, and a sign of the disharmony and slackness within. For instead of laughing, one ought rather to hymn and to honor the divine; for to those who keep their mouth open night and day for the hymning of God, the treasury of heavenly good things is readily opened.