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A lion has rested, as a lion's whelp he has slept, as a king sleeping while being guarded. Who shall rouse him? 'Now I will arise,' says the Lord, 'now I will be exalted, now I will be glorified; now you will see, now you will perceive.' 33. But the women, set on fire by the intense love of the Teacher, seeing all these things unveiledly, and hastening to be the first to risk danger for the Lord, surpassed the boldness of the apostles, not enduring to be outdone. Therefore where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. For it was necessary that through those by whom death was served, through these also the resurrection should be ministered. But why indeed do the apostles hide? It was necessary for the most faithful witnesses of the divine economy to be preserved, who were to be preachers to the nations, as having been eyewitnesses and ministers of the divine mysteries. And why is Peter also allowed to fall into denial, being such a zealot and a most exact guardian of good things? He was indeed about to be entrusted with the rudders of the Church. Therefore, so that he might be forgiving to those returning from transgression, he is providentially allowed to slip into denial, being taught by his own fall to be sympathetic. But the women, being filled with divine grace like myrrh, and having drawn by their longing Christ the myrrh poured out for our renewal, who was divinely emptied and anointed, but bodily was anointed; for both that which anointed and that which was anointed came together to the fulfillment of one person and one hypostasis; always pursuing him with love, and running unceasingly to the fragrance of his ointments, they again buy myrrh, and hasten to the tomb. Wherefore they are also the first to encounter the divine resurrection, the righteous judge measuring out grace appropriate to their eagerness. 34. Let us then also become like wise servants awaiting the arrival of the master of the house, 96.637 who, having received the talent, let us multiply it with all our strength; so that as good servants and faithful stewards we may obtain the joy of the Lord. And a talent seems to me to be every gift given to men by the divine goodness. Therefore, there is no one who is completely without a share of the divine gifts, but one is useful for this virtue, and one for more, another for fewer; one for high and transcendent ones, another for humble and subordinate ones. To each God has dealt a measure of faith. The mighty therefore shall be mightily tested, and of whom they have committed much, of him they will ask the more. For each one is required according to the measure of the power entrusted to him by God. And he who gives knows to whom he gives, and all things are naked and opened unto his eyes. Let us hasten, therefore, with all our power to multiply the talent. Let him who received five, render five others to the one who gave; and two, he who was entrusted with two. He who has received this grace, let him stretch out a practical hand to those in need of mercy and those who labor under the burden of poverty; and let another feed with the word those who are wasting away in famine and are parched by the heat of unbelief. Let us make friends for ourselves from the mammon of unrighteousness, and let us fill the bellies of the poor, so that as approachable orators they may plead for us before the judgment seat full of terror. Let us receive the homeless; let us clothe the naked; let us visit the sick; let us not hesitate to move our foot toward those in prison; let us extend a hand to those in distress and sorrow. Let us suffer with them; let us pour out a sympathetic tear; for it will quench the unceasing fire of Gehenna. If we accomplish these things with a thirsty heart, the Lord will also say to us: 'Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you.' 35. You who are called, let us be adorned brightly with a wedding garment, so that we may be partakers of the

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λέων ἀνεπαύσατο, ὡς σκύμνος λέοντος ἐκοιμήθη, ὡς βασιλεὺς ὑπνῶν φυλαττόμενος. Τίς ἐγερεῖ αὐτόν; Νῦν ἀναστήσομαι, λέγει Κύριος, νῦν ὑψωθήσομαι, νὺν δοξασθήσομαι· νῦν ὄψεσθε, νῦν αἰσθήσεσθε. λγʹ. Ἀλλ' αἱ γυναῖκες ἐκκαεῖ τοῦ ∆ιδασκάλου τῷ φίλτρῳ πυρούμεναι, ταῦτα πάντα ἀπερικαλύπτως θεώμεναι, καὶ προκινδυνεύειν τοῦ Κυρίου κατεπειγόμεναι, τῶν ἀποστόλων τὴν παῤῥησίαν ἐνίκησαν, παρευδοκιμεῖσθαι μὴ ἀνασχόμεναι. Ἄρα ὅπου ἐπλεόνασεν ἡ ἁμαρτία, ὑπερεπερίσσευσεν ἡ χάρις. Ἔδει γὰρ δὴ δι' ὧν διηκονήθη ὁ θάνατος, διὰ τούτων λειτουργηθῆναι καὶ τὴν ἀνάστασιν. Τί δὲ δήποτε οἱ ἀπόστολοι κρύπτονται; Ἔδει τοὺς τῆς θείας οἰκονομίας φυλάττεσθαι μάρτυρας πιστοτάτους, ἐσομένους τοῖς ἔθνεσι κήρυκας, ὡς αὐτόπτας καὶ ὑπηρέτας τῶν θείων μυστηρίων ὑπάρξαντας. Τί δὲ καὶ ὁ Πέτρος ἐκπεσεῖν συγχωρεῖται πρὸς ἄρνησιν, ζηλωτὴς οὗτος καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν φύλαξ ὢν ἀκριβέστατος; Ἔμελλε δὴ τοὺς τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐγχειρίζεσθαι οἴακας. Ὡς οὖν συγγνώμων τοῖς ἐκ παραβάσεως παλινοστοῦσι γίγνοιτο, ἐξολισθῆσαι προνοητικῶς συγχωρεῖται τὴν ἄρνησιν, συμπαθὴς εἶναι τῷ οἰκείῳ παιδευόμενος ὀλισθήματι. Ἀλλ' αἱ γυναῖκες μύρου δίκην τῆς θείας ἐμφορούμεναι χάριτος, καὶ Χριστὸν τὸ κενωθὲν μύρον εἰς ἡμῶν ἀνακαίνισιν τῷ πόθῳ ἑλκύσασαι, τὸν θεϊκῶς μὲν κενωθέντα καὶ χρίσαντα, χρισθέντα δὲ σωματικῶς· τό τε γὰρ χρίσαν, καὶ τὸ χρισθὲν εἰς ἑνὸς προσώπου καὶ μιᾶς ὑποστάσεως συνῆλθον συμπλήρωσιν· τοῦτον ἀεὶ τῷ φίλτρῳ διώκουσαι, καὶ εἰς ὀσμὴν μύρων αὐτοῦ ἀνενδότως τρέχουσαι, μύρα πάλιν ὠνοῦνται, καὶ πρὸς τὸν τάφον ἐπείγονται. ∆ιὸ καὶ πρῶται τυγχάνουσι τῆς θείας ἀναστάσεως, τοῦ δικαίου κριτοῦ τὴν χάριν ἐπιμετροῦντος τῇ προθυμίᾳ κατάλληλον. λδʹ. Γενώμεθα τοίνυν καὶ ἡμεῖς ὅμοιοι σοφοῖς οἰκέταις προσδεχομένοις τοῦ οἰκοδεσπότου τὴν ἄφιξιν, 96.637 οἳ τὸ τάλαντον λαβόντες, τοῦτο σθένει παντὶ πολυπλασιάσωμεν· ὅπως ὡς ἀγαθοὶ δοῦλοι καὶ πιστοὶ οἰκονόμοι τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου χαρᾶς ἐπιτύχωμεν Τάλαντον δέ μοι εἶναι δοκεῖ ἅπαν παρὰ τῆς θείας ἀγαθότητος τοῖς ἀνθρώποις διδόμενον χάρισμα. Ἔστι μὲν οὖν τῶν θείων δώρων οὐδεὶς ὅστις παντελῶς ἀμέτοχος, ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν πρὸς τήνδε τὴν ἀρετὴν εὔχρηστος, καὶ ὁ μὲν πρὸς πλείους, ἕτερος δὲ πρὸς ἐλάσσους· ὁ μὲν πρὸς ὑψηλὰς καὶ ὑπεραναβεβηκυίας, ὁ δὲ πρὸς ταπεινὰς καὶ ὑφειμένας. Ἑκάστῳ ὁ Θεὸς ἐμέρισε μέτρον πίστεως. ∆υνατοὶ μὲν οὖν δυνάτως ἐτασθήσονται, καὶ ᾧ παρέθεντο πολὺ, πολὺ ἀπαιτήσουσιν αὐτόν. Ἕκαστος γὰρ ἀπαιτεῖται κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τῆς ἐγχειρισθείσης αὐτῷ πρὸς Θεοῦ δυνάμεως. Καὶ ὁ διδοὺς οἶδεν ᾧ δίδωσι, καὶ πάντα γυμνὰ καὶ τετραχηλισμένα τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ. Σπεύσωμεν τοίνυν ὅση δύναμις πολυπλασιάσαι τὸ τάλαντον. Ὁ τὰ πέντε λαβὼν, πέντε ἕτερα προσαπονέμοι τῷ δεδωκότι· καὶ δύο, ὁ τὰ δύο πεπιστευμένος. Ὃς μὲν ὀρεγέτω χεῖρα πρακτικὴν τοῖς ἐλέου χρῄζουσι, καὶ τῆς πενίας τῷ φορτίῳ κάμνουσιν, ὅστις τούτου τὴν χάριν ἐδέξατο· ὃς δὲ τρεφέτω λόγῳ τοὺς ἐν λιμῷ τηκομένους καὶ ξηρανθέντας τῆς ἀπιστίας τῷ καύσωνι. Κτησώμεθα φίλους ἐκ τοῦ μαμωνᾶ τῆς ἀδικίας, καὶ τὰς τῶν πενήτων γαστέρας ἐμπλήσωμεν, ἵνα ὡς εὐπρόσιτοι ῥήτορες πρὸ τοῦ φρίκης γέμοντος βήματος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ῥητορεύσωσιν. Ἀστέγους ξενίσωμεν· γυμνοὺς ἀμφιάσωμεν· νοσοῦντας ἐπισκεψώμεθα· πρὸς τοὺς ἐν φρουρᾷ τὸν πόδα κινεῖν μὴ κατοκνήσωμεν· τοῖς ἐν ἀνίαις καὶ λύπαις τὴν χεῖρα ἐκτείνωμεν. Συναλγήσωμεν· ἐκχέωμεν δάκρυον συμπαθές· σβέσει γὰρ τὸ τῆς γεέννης ἀτελεύτητον πῦρ. Εἰ ταῦτα διψώσῃ καρδίᾳ τελέσωμεν, ἐρεῖ καὶ ἡμῖν ὁ Κύριος· ∆εῦτε, οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ Πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν. λεʹ. Οἱ κεκλημένοι, ἔνδυμα γάμου λαμπρῶς στολισώμεθα, ὡς ἂν κοινωνοὶ τοῦ