Leo Presbyter, On Pentecost

In pentecosten (homilia 13) (olim sub nomine Joannis Chrysostomi)

did the sound of tongues work? Since also at the giving of the law the voice of the trumpet sounded loudly, and the terrible water of † panstagos † ra

many times. From the Jews five times I received forty lashes less one, three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwr

the Scripture said, Rivers of living water will flow from his belly. But this, he says, he said concerning the Holy Spirit, which those who believed i

As the smoke of an animal into a certain house drives out the beasts lurking within, so also the horn of the cross of our savior Jesus Christ after th

As the smoke of an animal into a certain house drives out the beasts lurking within, so also the horn of the cross of our savior Jesus Christ after the voluntary death of the lord, from every place wherever it might approach, drives out the herd of demons. Let us long for, therefore, O friends, and let us honor the present feast. Let us honor it through all things; you go today to adorn the dead with roses, do not in drunkenness bear incense over the tomb, do not mix a mixing bowl. There is a need for tears, ***? There is a need for sympathy, surely not for dancing? There is a need for groans, surely not for castanets? There is a need for psalmody, surely not for lyre-playing? There is a need for piety, surely not for fighting? There is a need for encomiums, surely not for wranglings? There is a need for thanksgiving, surely not for indignation? Today you seek out the site, and you promise to design and to be the architect and to build, and on the next day all has fallen asleep. O disposition enduring withering at the same time as its budding. Honor the one who has gone before, do not grieve his soul in the spirit. The one who died before struggles how he will propitiate the judge, and you get drunk so that you may please the devil? Imitate the master Christ, O man. What did the lord do when he arrived at the tomb of Lazarus? Did he weep or did he dance? For to him our Lord Jesus Christ is due glory, majesty and magnificence, together with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

τοῦ ζῴου εἰς οἶκόν τινα καπνιζόμενον τοὺς ἐμφωλεύοντας θήρας ἀπελαύνει, οὕτω καὶ τὸ σταυρικὸν κέρας τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ τὸν ἑκούσιον τοῦ κυρίου θάνατον πάντα τὸν τόπον ὅπου ἂν ἐγγίσῃ, τὴν ἀγέλην τῶν δαιμόνων ἀπελαύνει. Ποθήσωμεν τοίνυν, ὦ φίλοι, καὶ τιμήσωμεν τὴν παροῦσαν ἑορτήν. ∆ιὰ πάντων αὐτὴν τιμήσωμεν· ἀπέρχῃ σήμερον τὸν νεκρὸν ῥοδίσαι, μὴ ἐν μέθῃ ἐπάνω τοῦ μνήματος θυμίαμα βάσταζε, μὴ κρατῆρα συγκίρνα. ∆ακρύων χρείαν, ***; Συμπαθείας χρεία, μὴ γὰρ ὀρχήσεως; Στεναγμῶν χρεία, μὴ γὰρ κουρταλισμῶν; Ψαλμῳδίας χρεία, μὴ γὰρ κιθαρῳδίας; Εὐλαβείας χρεία, μὴ γὰρ μάχης; Ἐγκωμίων χρεία, μὴ γὰρ περισχισμάτων; Εὐχαριστίας χρεία, μὴ γὰρ ἀγανακτήσεως; Σήμερον τὴν τοποθεσίαν ζητεῖς, καὶ διαγράφειν καὶ ἀρχιτεκτονεύειν καὶ οἰκοδομεῖν ἐπαγγέλλει, καὶ τῇ ἑξῆς πάντα κεκοίμηται. Ὦ διάθεσις ἅμα βλάστῃ μαρασμὸν ὑπομένουσαν. Τίμησον τὸν προοδοιπορήσαντα, μὴ λυπήσῃς αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν τῷ πνεύματι. Ὁ προτελευτήσας ἀγωνίζεται πῶς τὸν κριτὴν δυσωπήσει, καὶ σὺ μεθύσκει ὅπως τὸν διάβολον τέρψῃς; Μίμησαι τὸν δεσπότην Χριστόν, ὦ ἄνθρωπε. Τί παραγενάμενος ὁ κύριος εἰς τὸ μνῆμα Λαζάρου πεποίηκεν; Ἔκλαυσεν ἢ ὀρχήσατο; Ὅτι αὐτῷ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ πρέπει δόξα, μεγαλωσύνη καὶ μεγαλοπρέπεια, ἅμα τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τῷ υἱῷ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.