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  DEPARTURE FROM ROME
  by Clement of Rome
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Summary: Clement of Rome reflects on his own guilt and heedlessness, and
decides to travel to Judaea to spread the news about the appearance of
the Son of God in Rome.

Topics: "Hypocrisy", "False Hope"
Scripture References: Proverbs 19:21, Proverbs 27:1, Matthew 7:3, John 1:14, James 4:13

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DESCRIPTION
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Clement of Rome reflects on his own faults while pointing out the
hypocrisy of blaming others for the same mistakes. Despite intending to
go to Judæa, he faces delays in arranging his worldly affairs, leading
him to contemplate the fleeting nature of life and the traps of false
hope. Eventually, he ends up in Alexandria due to adverse winds, where
he engages with philosophers who are familiar with the Son of God born
in Judæa and His miraculous deeds.

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CONTENT
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While I spoke thus concerning others, I also lectured myself, saying,
Why do I blame others, being myself guilty of the very same crime of
heedlessness?

But I shall hasten into Judæa, having first arranged my affairs. And
when I had thus made up my mind, there occurred a long time of delay, my
worldly affairs being difficult to arrange. Therefore, meditating
further on the nature of life, that by involving men in hope it lays
snares for those who are making haste, yea, and how much time I had been
robbed of while tossed by hopes, and that we men die while thus
occupied, I left all my affairs as they were, and sped to Portus; and
coming to the harbour, and being taken on board a ship, I was borne by
adverse winds to Alexandria instead of Judæa; and being detained there
by stress of weather, I consorted with the philosophers, and told them
about the rumour and the sayings of him who had appeared in Rome.

And they answered that indeed they knew nothing of him who had appeared
in Rome; but concerning Him who was born in Judæa, and who was said by
the report to be the Son of God, they had heard from many who had come
from thence, and had learned respecting all the wonderful things that He
did with a word.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/clement-of-rome/departure-from-rome/
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