The blessed apostle Paul exhorts us to the crown of heavenly glory not only through the teaching of the Law, but also by an example drawn from this present age. For thus, among other things, he says, as your charity has heard: 'Do you not know that they who run in the stadium all indeed run, but one receives the prize?' And he added: 'So run that you may obtain' (1 Corinthians 9). According to the earthly example, many indeed, as the Apostle says, run in the stadium, but one receives the crown, namely he who runs best; so also in the stadium of this present life many indeed run, but one receives the crown. The Jews run through the Law, the philosophers run through empty wisdom, the heretics too run through false proclamation, and the catholics run through the true preaching of Christ.
But of all these one receives the crown, namely the catholic people, who, having taken up the course of faith, presses on toward Christ, so that it may attain the palm and crown of immortality. Wherefore both the Jews, and the philosophers, and the heretics run in vain, since they do not walk on the straight path of faith. For what does it profit the Jews to run through the observance of the Law, who are ignorant of Christ, the Lord of the Law? The philosophers also run through the empty wisdom of the world, but their course is superfluous and vain, since they know not the true wisdom of Christ. For the true wisdom of God is Christ, who is adorned not with words nor with brilliant oratory, but is recognized by the faith of the heart.
The heretics too run through their poisoned assertion, they run through fastings, they run through almsgiving, yet they cannot arrive at the crown, because they do not run with a faithful course; for their false faith does not deserve to receive the grace of the true faith. The Apostle makes this plain in another place when he says: 'If I distribute all my substance to the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned by fire, but have not charity, it profits me nothing' (1 Corinthians 13). For he does not have the charity of Christ who does not faithfully believe in Christ. And therefore the Apostle rightly added, saying: 'So run that you may obtain.'
We must therefore run with a faithful course in the faith of Christ, in the commandments of God, in the works of righteousness, that we may be able to attain the crown of eternal life. Finally, in what manner we must run, the same Apostle consequently shows, saying: 'Everyone,' he says, 'who strives in the contest abstains from all things; and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible one' (1 Corinthians 9). See by what examples the Apostle invites us to the crown of promised immortality. In this earthly contest those who wish to conquer abstain from certain foods, from excessive drink; they abstain from all uncleanness, under such great chastity that they do not even seek their own wedlock;
nor do they hope to be able to conquer in any other way, unless they keep their body chaste and modest. And after so great a labor, what else do they receive than a small, corruptible, and indeed worthless crown? If then so great a labor is undertaken by some for a corruptible crown, how much more ought we to sustain every labor, to whom a heavenly reward and the crown of eternal glory is promised? We must therefore contend in love with no light struggle; for we contend against the spiritual forces of wickedness, against the devil and his angels; we contend against injustice, against impiety, against malice, against unchastity, against the various enticements of sins.
And if, contending, we conquer, we receive as many crowns as we have been victors over vices. Great therefore is this contest, in which we present a spectacle to the Lord: for we are watched as we contend by the Lord, we are watched by his angels; on earth we conquer, but we receive the reward of virtue in the heavenly places. Finally, the holy martyrs, set in the contest of the struggle, conquered not only the vices of sins but death itself, and received the rewards of immortality. In this contest our Lord and Savior first both contended and conquered, that he might show us an example of the struggle and of the victory. Discussing these things with you, therefore, we cast the seed of the good contest into your hearts, finding your breasts as it were furrowed by the plow of righteousness.
Cherish therefore the word which we have sown among you, that what has been planted may be able to sprout. And may God by his visitation flood you with the dew of his mercy; and may he give increase to our seeds, so that in the gathered sheaves of merits you may be able to attain to the hundredfold fruit.