Sanctifying Christ in the Heart: A Spiritual Portrait of St. Thomas More

A Meditation on 1 Peter 3:8–15

On the Anniversary of the Martyrdom of

St. Thomas More

February 7, 1478 - July 6, 1535

“And in fine, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, being lovers of the brotherhood, merciful, modest, humble: Not rendering evil for evil, nor railing for railing; but contrariwise, blessing: for unto this are you called, that you may inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Let him decline from evil and do good: let him seek after peace and pursue it: Because the eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and his ears unto their prayers: but the countenance of the Lord upon them that do evil things. And who is he that can hurt you, if you be zealous of good? But if also you suffer any thing for justice’ sake, blessed are ye. And be not afraid of their fear, and be not troubled. But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts...” (1 Peter 3:8–15)

Unity of Heart and the Spirit of Compassion

St. Peter calls Christians to live in harmony: “Be ye all of one mind.” This unity is not mere conformity but spiritual concord. St. Augustine of Hippo reflects that the peace of Christians is rooted in shared truth:

“Let us have one soul and one heart directed toward God. This is not something carnal, but spiritual.”[1]

Unity in Christ calls for a communion of hearts grounded in divine charity.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem remarks,

“If you see a man merciful, gentle, humble, peaceful, patient in his trials, let such a one be called a Christian.”[2]

These qualities—compassion, humility, mercy—are not optional. They are the marks of true discipleship, woven into the fabric of the Church.

St. Gregory the Great writes,

“The first property of charity is to will the good of another.”[3]

The Apostle’s list of virtues is not moral theory, but a summons to live according to the love that Christ has shown us.

The Call to Bless, Not Curse

When Peter commands, “Not rendering evil for evil, nor railing for railing; but contrariwise, blessing,” he echoes Christ’s own teaching:

“Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you” (Luke 6:27).

Origen writes,

“When we do not retaliate, but rather bless, we become imitators of God Himself, who causes His sun to rise upon the good and the evil.”[4]

The Apostle not only commends such virtue, he says that it is the means by which we “inherit a blessing.” St. Cyprian of Carthage challenged his readers:

“What glory is it if we are Christians in name only but not in action?”[5]

Christian identity must be proven not by mere profession of the faith, but by genuine imitation of Christ.

Christians are called to mirror the Cross, where our Lord, even as He was crucified, prayed, “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34). This is not passive weakness—it is the strength of divine love made perfect in human weakness.

Guarding the Tongue and Seeking Peace

St. Peter then quotes Psalm 33 (34):

“He that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.” 

The Fathers warn constantly about the dangers of the tongue. St. John Chrysostom compares it to the rudder of a ship, saying,

“If the tongue is controlled, the entire life of the man is rightly directed.”[6]

To “speak no guile” is to live in integrity. Deception, gossip, and duplicity not only harm others but defile the soul. Speech is an outward sign of the heart’s inner life.

St. Basil the Great notes,

“Peace is not something that merely happens—it must be cultivated, pursued, preserved. It requires war against the passions.”[7]

True peace is an active pursuit—requiring prayer, mortification, and the rooting out of all pride.

The Eyes of the Lord Upon the Just

Peter continues: “The eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and his ears unto their prayers.” St. Irenaeus teaches, “The glory of God is man fully alive; and the life of man is the vision of God.”[8] God’s gaze is not indifferent or distant—it is intimate, attentive, and loving toward the just.

Yet there is a contrast: “The countenance of the Lord upon them that do evil things.” St. Jerome warns that God's face to the wicked is not a blessing but a judgment:

“Those who do evil turn away from God, and God’s face becomes to them a consuming fire.”[9]

The just live under divine protection, while the wicked distance themselves from grace. This should not inflate pride but deepen the desire to live under the loving gaze of the Lord.

Who Shall Harm You?

“And who is he that can hurt you, if you be zealous of good?” (v. 13). This rhetorical question reflects the teaching of St. Paul: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). Suffering may still come, but the soul that does good in the sight of God cannot be conquered.

St. Clement of Rome affirms:

“He who walks in holiness is not afraid of threats; for what is flesh to one whose treasure is in heaven?”[10]

The true Christian does not measure threats as the world does. Even death becomes a door to life when it is embraced for the sake of Christ.

Suffering for Justice: The Path of the Saints

“But if also you suffer any thing for justice’ sake, blessed are ye.” This echoes Christ’s beatitude: “Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake” (Matt. 5:10). The early Church Fathers regarded suffering for justice as the highest form of Christian witness.

St. Polycarp, disciple of St. John, faced death at the hands of the Romans. When urged to curse Christ and live, he replied,

“Eighty-six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”[11]

Here, we find no fear, only faith—no bitterness, only love.

The Apostle says, “Be not afraid of their fear, and be not troubled.” Christian courage is not born of human strength but of sanctity. It is the interior presence of Christ that calms the heart, even in suffering.

Sanctify the Lord Christ in Your Hearts

Peter’s next command is the heart of the passage: “But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts.” St. Bede the Venerable explains:

“To sanctify Christ in our hearts means to keep our hearts always mindful of His holiness, always reverent, always obedient.”[12]

This is the wellspring of all other virtues. St. Thomas Aquinas says it involves “faith, reverence, and charity.”[13] When Christ is enthroned in the heart, every action flows from His presence—our words, our silence, even our willingness to suffer.

Then follows:

“Being ready always to satisfy every one that asketh you a reason of that hope which is in you.” 

Origen exhorts Christians to be like “tabernacles, in whom the Word dwells, ready to speak forth the Word to others.”[14] This is not argument for its own sake, but testimony—gentle, reverent, grounded in love.

A Saintly Illustration: St. Thomas More and the Crown of Conscience

The life and martyrdom of St. Thomas More (1478–1535) stands as a luminous example of how the exhortations in 1 Peter 3:8–15 can be lived out heroically in the face of political pressure, injustice, and even death. More was a man of extraordinary intellect, human warmth, and profound spiritual depth. A lawyer, scholar, diplomat, and ultimately Lord Chancellor of England, he served King Henry VIII faithfully for many years. Yet when the king sought to divorce Queen Catherine of Aragon and assert supremacy over the Church in England, More could not in good conscience acquiesce. His stand—taken quietly, respectfully, but resolutely—embodied the apostolic virtues outlined in this epistle.[15]

St. Peter’s call to be “of one mind, having compassion one of another, being lovers of the brotherhood, merciful, modest, humble” (1 Peter 3:8) is perfectly reflected in More’s character. He was not a zealot or an agitator, but a man of moderation and peace. As Lord Chancellor, he was known for fairness and gentleness, and even those who opposed him admitted his goodness. Erasmus, a contemporary and friend, said of him:

“More is a man of an angel's wit and singular learning. I know not his fellow.”[16]

More’s humility and charity were not merely private virtues—they shone in his public service, and in his family life, where he raised his children—especially his beloved daughter Margaret—in the faith and in learning.[17]

When faced with the king’s new Oath of Supremacy, which denied the Pope's authority and effectively redefined the Church in England, More refused to sign it.[18] He did not issue condemnations or incite rebellion. Rather, following the apostle’s command “not rendering evil for evil, nor railing for railing; but contrariwise, blessing” (1 Peter 3:9), he simply resigned his office and kept silent. His conscience was bound by the faith of the Church, and he chose to suffer loss of power, prestige, wealth, and eventually life itself, rather than betray the truth.

Like the early Christians praised by St. Peter, More suffered “for justice’ sake” (1 Peter 3:14) and found his strength not in political maneuvering but in the sanctification of Christ in his heart. He spent over a year imprisoned in the Tower of London. While there, he endured separation from his family, deteriorating health, and the looming prospect of execution. Yet, he spent his time in prayer, study, and even writing—producing spiritual meditations and letters filled with peace and encouragement.[19]

One such letter to his daughter Margaret reveals how he lived the exhortation: “Be not afraid of their fear, and be not troubled. But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts...” (1 Peter 3:14–15). He wrote:

“I do not mistrust my God... though I shall feel no comfort yet of myself, but he shall comfort me nevertheless and give me grace to tarry his leisure and to abide his pleasure. I shall with his grace also continue praying for them all and trusting that he shall yet once again give me the grace to do penance for all my sins, and whatsoever he suffer me to endure here, I may yet in the end come to his everlasting bliss.”[20]

Here is the voice of a man who had sanctified Christ in his heart, not through momentary enthusiasm, but through years of faithful service, habitual prayer, and disciplined virtue. He neither feared his persecutors nor cursed them, but prayed for them with confidence in God's providence.

His final days were marked by serenity and a refusal to compromise on essential truths. At his trial, he remained calm and respectful. Even when the outcome was certain and unjust, he did not lash out. Echoing the words of 1 Peter 3:15, he gave a reason for the hope that was in him, testifying that no temporal authority could usurp the spiritual jurisdiction of the Pope, and that to follow the king’s command in this matter would be to betray the law of God and the unity of the Church.[21]

On July 6, 1535, he was led to the scaffold on Tower Hill. There, with peace and even cheerfulness, he forgave his executioner and declared:

“I die the King’s good servant—but God’s first.”[22]

In that moment, Thomas More not only fulfilled the epistle’s teaching but crowned it with the glory of martyrdom. His was not the courage of defiance, but of sanctity. He had sanctified Christ in his heart; and so, when the hour came, he could bear witness with meekness and reverence.

His life reminds us that the Christian path is not always one of worldly success or comfort. Often it leads through hardship, misunderstanding, and loss. Yet, “who is he that can hurt you, if you be zealous of good?” (1 Peter 3:13). Though More lost his position, his wealth, and his earthly life, he inherited the blessing promised by God—eternal life and the crown of glory. In the words of Tertullian, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”[23] More’s blood bore fruit in future generations who would hold fast to the faith in the face of tyranny.

Notes

[1] Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 357.

[2] Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 4.

[3] Gregory the Great, Moralia in Job, Book 10.

[4] Origen, Commentary on Romans, Book 9.

[5] Cyprian of Carthage, On the Unity of the Church, ch. 23.

[6] John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew, Homily 15.

[7] Basil the Great, Long Rules, Q. 5.

[8] Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 4.20.7.

[9] Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel, Book 1.

[10] Clement of Rome, Letter to the Corinthians, ch. 45.

[11] Martyrdom of Polycarp, ch. 9.

[12] Bede the Venerable, Commentary on 1 Peter.

[13] Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on the Epistles, on 1 Peter 3.

[14] Origen, Homilies on Luke, Homily 12.

[15] Peter Ackroyd, The Life of Thomas More (New York: Nan A. Talese, 1998), 271–289.

[16] Desiderius Erasmus, Epistolae, ed. P. S. Allen, in The Correspondence of Erasmus, vol. 4 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1922), no. 1294.

[17] John Guy, A Daughter’s Love: Thomas and Margaret More (London: Fourth Estate, 2008), 37–65.

[18] E.E. Reynolds, Saint Thomas More (London: Burns & Oates, 1953), 165–170.

[19] Ibid., 173–189.

[20] Thomas More, Letter to Margaret Roper from the Tower, 1534, in The Correspondence of Sir Thomas More, ed. Elizabeth F. Rogers (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1947), 468–469.

[21] Jasper Ridley, Statesman and Saint: Thomas More (New York: Viking, 1983), 361–375.

[22] William Roper, The Life of Sir Thomas More, ed. E. V. Hitchcock and R. W. Chambers (London: EETS, 1935), 84.

[23] Tertullian, Apologeticus, ch. 50, in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 3, ed. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1994), 55.