Acts 10:2

"A devout man," he says, "and one that feared God with all his house": that you may not imagine that it is because of his high station that these things are done. When Paul was to be brought over, there is no angel, but the Lord Himself: and He does not send him to some great one, but to a very ordinary person: but here, on the contrary, He brings the chief Apostle to these Gentiles, not sends them to him: herein condescending to their weakness, and knowing how such persons need to be treated. As indeed on many occasions we find Christ Himself hasting to such, as being more infirm. Or it may be because Cornelius was not able himself to leave his home.

But here again is a high commendation of alms, just as was there given by means of Tabitha. "A devout man," it says, "and one that feared God with all his house." Let us hear this, whoever of us neglect them of our own house, whereas this man was careful of his soldiers also. "And that gave alms," it says, "to all the people." Both his doctrines and his life were right.

Observe with whom the beginning of the Gentiles is made - with "a devout man," and one proved to be worthy by his works. For if, though the case be so, they are still offended, if this had not been the case, what would not have been the consequence!

Hear, all ye that are in military commands, all ye that stand beside kings. "A just man," it says, "fearing God; devout; and what is more than all, with all his house. Not as we: that our servants may be afraid of us, do everything, but not that they may be devout." And over the domestics too, so. Not so this man; but he was "one that feared God with all his house," for he was as the common father of those with him, and of all the others under his command.

See how great the virtue of alms, both in the former discourse, and here! There, it delivered from death temporal; here, from death eternal; and opened the gates of heaven. Such are the pains taken for the bringing of Cornelius to the faith, that both an angel is sent, and the Spirit works, and the chief of the Apostles is fetched to him, and such a vision is shown, and, in short, nothing is left undone. How many centurions were there not besides, and tribunes, and kings, and none of them obtained what this man did!