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In pentecosten Sermo 1

ON PENTECOST. Sermon 1.

52.803 Today the earth has become heaven for us, not by stars from heaven to earth

coming down, but by apostles ascending above the heavens, since the grace of the Spirit was poured out. It made the inhabited world a heaven, not by changing its nature, but by correcting its will. It found a tax collector, and made him an evangelist; it found a blasphemer, and made him an apostle; it found a robber, and brought him into paradise; it found a prostitute, and made her more venerable than a virgin; it found magi, and made them evangelists. It cast out wickedness, and brought back virtue; it brought the grace of God. The earth has become heaven. For what are stars like the apostles? Stars are in heaven; apostles are above heaven. For, "Set your minds on things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." Stars are of perceptible fire; apostles of spiritual fire. Stars shine in the night, but in the day are hidden; but apostles shine their own ray in night and day. Stars, when the sun is shining, do not shine; but apostles, when the Sun of righteousness is shining, flash their own splendors. Stars at the resurrection fall like leaves; but apostles at the resurrection are caught up in the clouds. Among the stars there is an evening star, and a morning star; but among the apostles there is no evening star, but all are morning stars.

For this reason indeed the apostles are brighter than the stars; and one would not err in calling them luminaries of the world, not when they were living, but also now when they have died. For the grace of the saints is not cut off by death, is not dulled by decease, is not dissolved into the earth; and the facts bear witness. They were fishermen, and the fishermen died; but their nets are at work; and the multitude of those saved each day bears witness. They were vinedressers, and they departed, and the vine boasts in its leaves, and is heavy with fruit. For they are vinedressers, and fishermen, and pillars, and physicians, and generals, and teachers. Pillars, because they bore 52.804 the roof of the faith; harbors, because they calmed the waves of impiety; pilots, because they guided the world from earth to heaven; shepherds, because they drove away the wolves, and saved the flocks; vinedressers, because they pulled up the thorns, and sowed the seeds of piety; physicians, because they healed our wounds. And that you may learn that these words are no boast, I bring forward Paul who did all these things. Do you wish to see him as a planter? "I planted, Apollos watered." Do you wish to see him as a builder? "Like a wise master builder, I laid a foundation." Do you wish to see him as a boxer? "So I do not box as one beating the air." Do you wish to see him as a wrestler? "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood." Do you wish to see him as a runner? "so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the gospel of God." "having put on the breastplate of faith." Do you wish to see him as a contender? "I have fought the good fight." Do you wish to see him crowned? "Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness." Being one, he became all things, imitating his own Master. For our Master also, being one in substance, was fashioned for all things.

How for all things? For our salvation. You became a branch, and He became a root; "For I am the vine, you are the branches." You wished to walk; He became a way for you; "If anyone enters by me... he will go in and out and find pasture." You became a sheep, He became

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In pentecosten Sermo 1

ΕΙΣ ΤΗΝ ΠΕΝΤΗΚΟΣΤΗΝ. Λόγος αʹ.

52.803 Οὐρανὸς ἡμῖν γέγονε σήμερον ἡ γῆ, οὐκ ἀστέρων ἐξ οὐρανοῦ εἰς γῆν

καταβάντων, ἀλλ' ἀποστόλων ὑπὲρ τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ἀναβάντων, ἐπειδήπερ ἐξεχύθη ἡ χάρις τοῦ Πνεύματος. Οὐρανὸν τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐποίησεν, οὐ τὴν φύσιν μεταβαλὼν, ἀλλὰ τὴν προαίρεσιν διορθωσάμενος. Εὗρε τελώνην, καὶ εὐαγγελιστὴν κατεσκεύασεν· εὗρε βλάσφημον, καὶ ἐποίησεν ἀπόστολον· εὗρε λῃστὴν, καὶ εἰς παράδεισον εἰσήγαγεν· εὗρε πόρνην, καὶ παρθένου ἐποίησε σεμνοτέραν· εὗρε μάγους, καὶ εὐαγγελιστὰς εἰργάσατο. Ἐξέβαλε τὴν κακίαν, καὶ ἐπανήγαγε τὴν ἀρετήν· τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριν ἐκόμισεν. Οὐρανὸς γέγονεν ἡ γῆ. Τί γὰρ τοιοῦτον ἀστέρες, οἷον ἀπόστολοι; Ἀστέρες ἐν οὐρανῷ· ἀπόστολοι ὑπὲρ τὸν οὐρανόν. Τὰ ἄνω γὰρ φρονεῖτε, οὗ ὁ Χριστός ἐστιν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ Θεοῦ καθήμενος. Ἀστέρες ἀπὸ πυρὸς αἰσθητοῦ· ἀπόστολοι ἀπὸ πυρὸς πνευματικοῦ. Ἀστέρες ἐν νυκτὶ φαίνουσιν, ἐν δὲ ἡμέρᾳ κρύπτονται· ἀπόστολοι δὲ ἐν νυκτὶ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀκτῖνα λάμπουσιν. Ἀστέρες, ἡλίου φαίνοντος, οὐ φαίνουσιν· ἀπόστολοι δὲ, τοῦ Ἡλίου τῆς δικαιοσύνης λάμποντος, τὰς ἑαυτῶν λαμπηδόνας ἀπαστράπτουσιν. Ἀστέρες ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει ὡς φύλλα πίπτουσιν· ἀπόστολοι δὲ ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει ἐν νεφέλαις ἁρπάζονται. Ἐν τοῖς ἄστροις ὁ μὲν ἔστιν ἕσπερος, ὁ δὲ φωσφόρος· ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἀποστόλοις ἕσπερος οὐδεὶς, ἀλλὰ φωσφόροι πάντες.

∆ιὰ δὴ τοῦτο τῶν ἀστέρων οἱ ἀπόστολοι φαιδρότεροι· καὶ οὐκ ἄν τις αὐτοὺς ἁμάρτοι φωστῆρας τῆς οἰκουμένης προσειπὼν, οὐχ ὅτε ἔζων, ἀλλὰ καὶ νῦν ὅτε ἐτελεύτησαν. Ἡ γὰρ τῶν ἁγίων χάρις οὐ διακόπτεται θανάτῳ, οὐκ ἀμβλύνεται τελευτῇ, οὐ διαλύεται εἰς τὴν γῆν· καὶ μαρτυρεῖ τὰ πράγματα. Ἁλιεῖς ἦσαν, καὶ οἱ ἁλιεῖς ἀπέθανον· αἱ δὲ σαγῆναι αὐτῶν ἐργάζονται· καὶ μαρτυρεῖ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν καθ' ἡμέραν σωζομένων. Ἀμπελουργοὶ ἦσαν, καὶ ἀπῆλθον ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ ἡ ἄμπελος τοῖς φύλλοις κομᾷ, καὶ τῷ καρπῷ βρίθεται. Καὶ γὰρ ἀμπελουργοὶ, καὶ ἁλιεῖς, καὶ στῦλοι, καὶ ἰατροὶ, καὶ στρατηγοὶ, καὶ διδάσκαλοι. Στῦλοι μὲν, ὅτι τὸν ὄροφον τῆς πίστεως ἐβά 52.804 στασαν· λιμένες δὲ, ὅτι τὰ κύματα τῆς ἀσεβείας κατέστειλαν· κυβερνῆται δὲ, ὅτι τὴν οἰκουμένην ἀπὸ γῆς εἰς οὐρανὸν ἐχειραγώγησαν· ποιμένες δὲ, ὅτι τοὺς λύκους ἀπήλασαν, καὶ τὰ θρέμματα διέσωσαν· ἀμπελουργοὶ, ὅτι τὰς ἀκάνθας ἀνέσπασαν, καὶ τὰ σπέρματα τῆς εὐσεβείας κατέσπειραν· ἰατροὶ, ὅτι τὰ τραύματα ἡμῖν διωρθώσαντο. Καὶ ἵνα μάθῃς ὅτι οὐ κόμπος τὰ ῥήματα, παράγω Παῦλον ἅπαντα ταῦτα ποιήσαντα. Βούλει ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν φυτουργόν; Ἐγὼ ἐφύτευσα, Ἀπολλὼς ἐπότισε. Βούλει ἰδεῖν οἰκοδόμον; Ὡς σοφὸς ἀρχιτέκτων, θεμέλιον τέθεικα. Βούλει ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν παγκρατιαστήν; Οὕτω πυκτεύω ὡς οὐκ ἀέρα δέρων. Βούλει ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν ἀθλητήν; Οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα. Βούλει ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν δρομέα; Ὥστε με ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ κύκλῳ μέχρι τοῦ Ἰλλυρικοῦ πεπληρωκέναι τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐνδυσάμενοι τὸν θώρακα τῆς πίστεως. Βούλει ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν ἀγωνιστήν; Τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν καλὸν ἠγώνισμαι. Βούλει ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν στεφανίτην; Λοιπὸν ἀπόκειταί μοι ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανος. Εἷς ὢν, πάντα ἐγένετο, τὸν ∆εσπότην τὸν ἑαυτοῦ μιμούμενος. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ ∆εσπότης ὁ ἡμέτερος εἷς ὢν τὴν οὐσίαν, πρὸς ἅπαντα ἐσχηματίζετο.

Πῶς πρὸς πάντα; ∆ιὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν. Κλῆμα ἐγένου, καὶ ἐγένετο ῥίζα· Ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος, ὑμεῖς τὰ κλήματα. Βαδίσαι ἠθέλησας· ἐγένετό σοι ὁδός· ∆ι' ἐμοῦ ἐάν τις εἰσέλθῃ καὶ ἐξέλθῃ, νομὴν εὑρήσει. Πρόβατον ἐγένου, ἐγένετό