Luke 8:15

(ubi sup.) The good ground then bears fruit through patience, for nothing we do is good unless we endure patiently our closest evils. They therefore bear fruit through patience, who when they bear strifes humbly, are after the scourge received with joy to a heavenly rest.

This good seed is worthy of admiration. Rich and well-productive land brings forth fruit a hundredfold. They say that the best soils sometimes under cultivation produce a hundredfold, so this is a mark of every fertile and productive spot. One of the holy prophets said from the mouth of God, "And all nations shall congratulate you, because you are a desirable land." When the divine word falls upon a pure mind skillful in cleansing itself from things hurtful, it fixes its root deeply and shoots up like an ear of corn. It brings its fruit to perfection being strong in blade and beautifully flowered.

But that on the good ground, these are they who, having heard the word in a good and excellent heart, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience. Good ground (as we have said before) is contrary to all three varieties of bad ground, both by willingly receiving the seed of the word and by keeping what it receives amidst adversities and prosperities patiently unto the times of fruit. Differently. Good ground yields fruit through patience, because indeed no good things that we do, if we do not even endure the evils of our neighbors with equanimity. For the higher anyone progresses, the more he finds in this world what he must bear more difficultly. For while the affection of our mind withdraws from the present world, the adversity of the same world increases. Hence it is that we see many both doing good and yet sweating under the heavy burden of tribulations. But according to the voice of the Lord, they yield fruit through patience. For when they humbly receive chastisements, they are afterward sublimely received to rest after the chastisements. But that which is said according to Matthew: And bears fruit, and yields some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty, thirty refers to marriage. For even the conjunction of the fingers, as if embracing and uniting with a soft kiss, represents the husband and the wife. Sixty refers to widows, because they are placed in distress and tribulation. Hence they are also pressed down on the upper finger. And the greater the difficulty in abstaining from the enticements of formerly experienced pleasure, the greater the reward. But the hundredfold number, I ask you, reader, to note diligently, is transferred from the left hand to the right, with the same fingers, but not the same hand, in which on the left hand wives and widows are signified, making a circle, expresses the crown of virginity. Differently. The thirtieth fruit brings forth the word, which builds the faith of the Holy Trinity. The sixtieth, which teaches the perfection of work. For there are six days in which it is necessary to work. The hundredth, which preaches eternal life at the right hand of the kingdom.