What do you say? Do you excite contentions and fightings? And does any ask who is so unhappy? Many there are who rejoice at evil, and who do rather rend in pieces the Body of Christ, than did the soldiers pierce it with the spear, or the Jews who struck it through with the nails. A less evil was that than this; those Members, so cut through, again united, but these when torn off, if they be not united here, will never be united, but remain apart from the Fullness. When you are minded to war against your brother, bethink you that you war against the members of Christ, and cease from your madness. For what if he be an outcast? What if he be vile? What if he be open to contempt? So says He, “It is not the will of My Father that one of these little ones should perish.” And again, “Their Angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in heaven.” God for his sake and yours even became a servant, and was slain; and do you consider him to be nothing? Surely in this respect also you fight against God, in that you deliver a judgment contrary to His. When he that is over the Church comes in, he straightway says, “Peace unto all”; when he preaches, “Peace unto all”; when he blesses, “Peace unto all”; when he bids to salute, “Peace unto all”; when the Sacrifice is finished, “Peace unto all”: and again, in the middle, “Grace to you and peace.” How then is it not monstrous, if, while hearing so many times that we are to have peace, we are in a state of feud with each other; and receiving peace, and giving it back, are at war with him that gives it to us? You say, “And to your spirit.” And do you traduce him abroad? Woe is me! That the majestic usages of the Church have become forms of things merely, not a truth. Woe is me! That the watchwords of this army proceed no farther than to be only words. Whence also you are ignorant wherefore is said, “Peace unto all.” But hear what follows, what Christ says; “And into whatsoever city or village you shall enter...as you enter into the house, salute it; and if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.” We are therefore ignorant; because we look upon this merely as a figure of words; and we assent not to them in our minds. For do I give the Peace? It is Christ who deigns to speak by us. Even if at all other times we are void of grace, yet are we not now, for your sakes. For if the Grace of God wrought in an ass and a diviner, for the sake of an economy, and the advantage of the Israelites, it is quite clear that it will not refuse to operate even in us, but for your sakes will endure even this.
Let none say then that I am mean, and low, and worthy of no consideration, and in such a frame of mind attend to me. For such I am; but God's way always is, to be present even with such for the sake of the many. And, that you may know this, with Cain He vouchsafed to talk for Abel's sake, with the devil for Job's, with Pharaoh for Joseph's, with Nebuchadnezzar for Daniel's, with Belshazzar, for the same. And Magi moreover obtained a revelation; and Caiaphas prophesied, though a slayer of Christ, and an unworthy man, because of the worthiness of the priesthood. And it is said to have been for this reason that Aaron was not smitten with leprosy. For why, tell me, when both had spoken against Moses did she alone suffer the punishment? Marvel not: for if in worldly dignities, even though ten thousand charges be laid against a man, yet is he not brought to trial before he has laid down his office, in order that it may not be dishonored along with him; much more in the case of spiritual office, be he whosoever he may, the grace of God works in him, for otherwise everything is lost: but when he has laid it down, either after he is departed or even here, then indeed, then he will suffer a sorer punishment.
Do not, I pray you, think that these things are spoken from us; it is the Grace of God which works in the unworthy, not for our sakes, but for yours. Hear ye then what Christ says. “If the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it.” And how becomes it worthy? If “they receive you”, He says. “But if they receive you not, nor hear your words,...verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.” What boots it then, that you receive us, and hear not the things we say? What gain is it that you wait upon us, and give no heed to the things which are spoken to you? This will be honor to us, this the admirable service, which is profitable both to you and to us, if you hear us. Hear also Paul saying, “I knew not, brethren, that he was High Priest.” Hear also Christ saying, “All whatsoever they bid you observe”, that “observe and do.” Thou despisest not me, but the Priesthood; when you see me stripped of this, then despise me; then no more will I endure to impose commands. But so long as we sit upon this throne, so long as we have the first place, we have both the dignity and the power, even though we are unworthy. If the throne of Moses was of such reverence, that for its sake they were to be heard, much more the throne of Christ. It, we have received by succession; from it we speak; since the time that Christ has vested in us the ministry of reconciliation.
Ambassadors, whatever be their sort, because of the dignity of an embassy, enjoy much honor. For observe; they go alone into the heart of the land of barbarians, through the midst of so many enemies; and because the law of embassy is of mighty power, all honor them; all look towards them with respect, all send them forth with safety. And we now have received a word of embassy, and we have come from God, for this is the dignity of the Episcopate. We have come to you on an embassy, requesting you to put an end to the war, and we say on what terms; not promising to give cities, nor so and so many measures of grain, nor slaves, nor gold; but the kingdom of heaven, eternal life, society with Christ, the other good things, which neither are we able to tell you, so long as we are in this flesh, and the present life. Ambassadors then we are, and we wish to enjoy honor, not for our own sakes, far be it, for we know its worthlessness, but for yours; that you may hear with earnestness the things we say; that you may be profited, that not with listlessness or indifference ye may attend to what is spoken. See ye not ambassadors, how all pay court to them? We are God's ambassadors to men; but, if this offend you, not we, but the Episcopate itself, not this man or that, but the Bishop. Let no one hear me, but the dignity. Let us then do everything according to the will of God, that we may live to the glory of God, and be counted worthy of the good things promised to those that love Him, through the grace and lovingkindness, etc. etc.
Source: Homilies on Colossians (New Advent)