1 Thessalonians 4:13

For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we be ever with the Lord." What archangel's voice, (I wonder), what trump of God is now heard, except it be, forsooth, in the entertainments of the heretics? For, allowing that the word of the gospel may be called "the trump of God," since it was still calling men, yet they must at that time either be dead as to the body, that they may be able to rise again; and then how are they alive? Or else caught up into the clouds; and how then are they here? "Most miserable," no doubt, as the apostle declared them, are they "who in this life only" shall be found to have hope: they will have to be excluded while they are with premature haste seizing that which is promised after this life; erring concerning the truth, no less than Phygellus and Hermogenes.

For the consideration of the apostle's declaration must be set before us, who says, "Be not overwhelmed with sadness at the falling asleep of any one, just as the nations are who are without hope." And justly; or, believing the resurrection of Christ we believe also in our own, for whose sake He both died and rose again.

I suppose, moreover, that he promises to the Thessalonians the integrity of the whole substance of man. So that for the great future there need be no fear of blemished or defective bodies.

I believe (He does so) for fear the heads of some should be seen! And oh that in "that day" of Christian exultation, I, most miserable (as I am), may elevate my head, even though below (the level of) your heels! I shall (then) see whether you will rise with (your) ceruse and rouge and saffron, and in all that parade of headgear: whether it will be women thus tricked out whom the angels carry up to meet Christ in the air If these (decorations) are now good, and of God, they will then also present themselves to the rising bodies, and will recognise their several places.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them which are asleep in Jesus Will God bring with Him.".
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also them which have fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him."

All things are directed by the goodness of the Master. Nothing which happens to us should be received as distressful, although at present it affects our weakness. In fact, even if we are ignorant of the reasons for which each event is applied as a blessing to us from the Master, nevertheless, we ought to be convinced of this—that what happens is assuredly advantageous either for us as a reward for our patience or for the soul that was taken up, lest tarrying too long in this life it should be filled with the evil which exists in this world. For if the hope of Christians were limited to this life, for what reason would the premature separation from the body be considered difficult? If, however, the beginning of true life for those living in God is the release of the soul from these corporeal chains, why do you grieve, even as those who have no hope? Therefore, be encouraged. Do not succumb to your afflictions, but show that you are superior and have risen above them.

At the time that Basil, great among the saints, left the life of man and went to God, and a common onset of grief descended upon the churches, my sister and teacher was still alive, and I hurried to her to tell her the sad news about our brother.… She, however, like those who are skilled in the equestrian art, first allowed me to be swept along for a little while by the violence of my grief and, after this tried to restrain me, guiding the disorder of my soul with her own ideas as if with a bridle. She [Macrina] quoted the following apostolic saying: “It is not right to grieve for those who are asleep, since we are told that sorrow belongs only to those who have no hope.” And I, with my heart still seething with pain, asked: “How is it possible for me to achieve this attitude, since there is a natural aversion to death in each person, and no one can endure the sight of others dying, and those who are dying themselves flee from it as much as they can?”

But if you again remind me of your grief because he departed so early from life, I certainly do not deny that he died at an untimely age, one whom we would have wished to support with time taken from our own life, that he might live out of our own years who could not complete his own. But I ask whether or not there is any consciousness after death? If there is, he is alive; no, rather, because there is, he now enjoys eternal life. For how does he not possess consciousness whose soul lives and flourishes and will return to the body, and will make that body live again when it has been reunited with it? The apostle cries out, “We would not, brothers, have you ignorant concerning those who are asleep, lest you should grieve, even as others who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so with him God will bring those also who have fallen asleep through Jesus.” Life, therefore, awaits them for whom resurrection awaits.

"But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, which have no hope."

Here he proceeds now to start his discourse concerning the Resurrection. And why? Had he not discoursed with them upon that point? Yes, but here he glances at some further mystery. What then is this? "That we that are alive," he says, "that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in nowise precede them that are fallen asleep." The discourse then of the Resurrection was sufficient to comfort him that was grieving. But that which is now said is sufficient also to make the Resurrection eminently worthy of credit. But first let us speak of what precedes, "But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, which have no hope." See how here also he treats them mildly. He does not say, "Are ye so without understanding?" as he said to the Corinthians, "foolish"? that, knowing there is a resurrection, ye so sorrow, as those who do not believe; but he speaks very mildly, showing respect to their other virtues. And he has not said "concerning the dead," but "them that are asleep," even at the beginning suggesting consolation to them. "That ye sorrow not," he says, "even as the rest, which have no hope." Therefore to afflict yourselves for the departed is to act like those who have no hope. And they justly. For a soul that knows nothing of the Resurrection, but thinks that this death is death, naturally afflicts itself, and bewails and mourns intolerably as for lost ones. But thou, who expectest a resurrection, on what account dost thou lament? To lament then is the part of those who have no hope.

Hear this, ye women, as many of you as are fond of wailing, as many as at times of mourning take the sorrow impatiently, that ye act the part of heathens. But if to grieve for the departed is the part of heathens, then tell me whose part it is to beat one's self, and tear the cheeks? On what account do you lament, if you believe that he will rise again, that he has not perished, that the matter is but a slumber and a sleep?

Thus when we have to face the hard and cruel necessity of death, we are upheld by this consolation, that we shall shortly see again those whose absence we now mourn. For their end is not called death but a slumber and a falling asleep. Wherefore also the blessed apostle forbids us to sorrow concerning them which are asleep, [1 Thess. 4:13-14] telling us to believe that those whom we know to sleep now may hereafter be roused from their sleep, and when their slumber is ended may watch once more with the saints and sing with the angels: - "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men of good will." [Luke 2:14, Vulg]

And you should not grieve as the heathen do who have no hope, because we have hope, based on the most assured promise, that as we have not lost our dear ones who have departed from this life but have merely sent them ahead of us, so we also shall depart and shall come to that life where, more than ever, their dearness to us will be proportional to the closeness we shared on earth and where we shall love them without fear of parting.

Paul didn’t just say that you may not be saddened, but that you may not be saddened as the heathen are, who do not have any hope. It is unavoidable, after all, that you should be saddened; but when you feel sad, let hope console you. SERMONS 173.3.Fulgentius of Ruspe: There must remain in our heart a distinction between a beneficial and a harmful sadness. The benefit of the distinction is that we see that a spirit given over to eternal things does not collapse because of the loss of temporal solace. Rather it is able to feel a salutary sadness concerning those things in which it considers that it acted either below, or apart from, the standard which it ought to have observed. So Paul teaches that each type of sadness is different, no less in deed than in word. Finally, he shows that in one there is progress toward salvation but in the other an ending in death, saying, “For godly sorrow produces a beneficial repentance without regret, but worldly sorrow produces death.”

In the Gospel it is written, “And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slept”? If we understand that sleep as caused by the delay of the last judgment, to which Christ is to come to judge, and the fact that because iniquity has abounded, the charity of many grows cold, how shall we put the wise virgins there, when they are rather of those of whom it is said, “But he that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved”? It says, “they all slept,” because it is not only the foolish who do their good works for the sake of human praise, but also the wise who do them that God may be glorified, who experience that death. Both kinds die. And that death is often spoken of in the Scripture as sleep, as the resurrection is called an awakening. Hence the apostle says, “But I will not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning them that are asleep,” and in another place, “of whom many remain until this present, and some are fallen asleep.”

“Brothers, I want you to know about those who sleep: you must not grieve like the rest of humanity, who have lost all hope.” Our resurrection too will take place by the power of the Holy Spirit who is within us. Because the Holy Spirit is in faithful persons when they die, their death cannot be called death, but only sleep.

There must remain in our heart a distinction between a beneficial and a harmful sadness. The benefit of the distinction is that we see that a spirit given over to eternal things does not collapse because of the loss of temporal solace. Rather it is able to feel a salutary sadness concerning those things in which it considers that it acted either below, or apart from, the standard which it ought to have observed. So Paul teaches that each type of sadness is different, no less in deed than in word. Finally, he shows that in one there is progress toward salvation but in the other an ending in death, saying, “For godly sorrow produces a beneficial repentance without regret, but worldly sorrow produces death.”

In the Gospel passage which was read to us concerning the ten virgins, beloved brothers, it is said, “All the virgins trimmed their lamps.” Now the foolish virgins did not have oil ready with their lamps, “While the wise did take oil in their vessels. Then as the bridegroom was long in coming, they all became drowsy and slept. And at midnight a great cry arose, Behold the bridegroom is coming, go forth to meet him! Then all the virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.” When the lamps of the foolish virgins went out, they asked the others who had oil in their vessels to give them some of theirs, but they said, “Lest there may not be enough for us and for you, go rather to those who sell it, and buy some for yourselves. Now while they were gone to buy it, the bridegroom came; and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterwards there came the other virgins, who said, ‘Sir, open the door for us!’ The answer was given to them, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ ” Now what these facts signify, dearest brothers, we briefly suggest to your charity according to what we read in the exposition of the ancient fathers. They were not called five virgins because there was to be so small a number in eternal life, but because of the five senses through which death or life enters the soul. If we use them badly, we are corrupted, but if we steadfastly use them well, we preserve the purity of our soul. When it was said, “As the bridegroom was long in coming, they all became drowsy and slept,” that sleep signified death. Finally, the apostle also speaks in the same way, “I would not, brothers, have you ignorant concerning those who are asleep.” When a great cry arose, the middle of the night typified the day of judgment. It is called the middle of the night on account of human ignorance, since no one knows when or at what hour the day of judgment will come.

Still, lest some tribulation should still maintain itself in your soul, I exhort you to rest from sorrow, to cease to be sad. For it is unseemly to addict oneself to weary affliction for those of whom it is to be believed that they have attained to true life by dying. Those have, perhaps, just reason for long continued grief who are unaware of another life and have no trust that there is a passing from this world to a better one. We, however, who know this, who believe it and teach it, should not be too much distressed for those that depart, lest what in others demonstrates affection be to us instead a matter of blame. For it is, as it were, a kind of distrust to be tormented by sadness in opposition to what everyone preaches. It is as the apostle says, “But we would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.”