John Chrysostom, On the Acts of the Apostles

in the course of sequence we have fallen upon these topics. For neither when we speak against covetousness, do we speak to you, nor even to any one person. May it be that the medicines are prepared by us in vain. The prayers of physicians are of this kind, asking nothing else than that after all their great pains the medicines may be simply thrown away. This is what we also pray for, that our words may be spoken simply into the air, so as to be words only. I am ready to undergo anything, so as not to be brought to the necessity of saying these things. And if you wish, we will be silent; only let the silence be without danger. For I do not think anyone, even if he be exceedingly vainglorious, would wish to make a mere display when there is no need calling for it. We will yield the teaching to you; for this is the greater teaching, that which is by deeds; since also the best of physicians, although the disease 60.42 of the sick brings them fees, would wish their friends to be in health. And we wish all to be in health. For we do not wish that we should be approved, and you be reprobate. I wished if it were possible to show you by sight itself the love which I have for you; for then no one would have accused me of anything, even if my speech were very harsh. For things said by friends, even if they be an insult, are bearable. For more trustworthy are the wounds of a friend, than the willing kisses of an enemy. Nothing is more longed for by me than you, not even this light. For I would pray ten thousand times to be maimed myself, if it were possible by this means to convert your souls; so much sweeter to me than the light itself is your salvation. For what is the benefit to me of the sun's rays, when despondency on your account spreads so much darkness over my eyes? For light is good then, when it appears in gladness; since to a grieving soul it seems even to be annoying. And that I do not lie, may it never happen that you have proof of it. But if it should ever happen that one of you sins, stand by me as I sleep; may I perish, if I am not like the paralytics, if not like those out of their minds, and according to the prophetic saying, And the light of my eyes, it also is not with me. For what hope is there, if you do not progress? And what despondency, when you are succeeding? I seem to take wing, whenever I hear something good about you. Fulfill my joy. This much only have I brought to my prayer: that I desire your progress. But what I contend for against all is this, that I love, that I am entwined with you, that you are everything to me, both father, and mother, and brothers, and children. Do not then think that any of the things said by us are said out of enmity, but for correction. For a brother, he says, helped by a brother, is as a strong city. Do not then be indignant; for neither do I dishonor a word from you, but I would wish to be corrected by you, I would wish to learn. For we are all brothers, and one is our teacher. But it is possible even among brothers for one to command, and the others to obey. Do not then be indignant, but let us do all things to the glory of God; because to Him is the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

60.41 HOMILY IV. And when the day was being fulfilled of the

Pentecost, they were with one accord in the same place; and there came suddenly from heaven a sound.

a. What is this Pentecost? When it was time to put the sickle to the standing corn;

when it was necessary to gather the fruits. Have you seen the type? See again the reality. When it was time to put in the sickle of the word, when it was time to gather the harvest, then like a sharpened sickle the Spirit flies down. For hear Christ saying: Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest; and again, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. So that he

τῆς ἀκολουθίας εἰς τούτους ἐνεπέσομεν τοὺς λόγους. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὅταν κατὰ πλεονεξίας λέγωμεν, πρὸς ὑμᾶς λέγομεν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ πρὸς ἕνα. Γένοιτο εἰκῆ τὰ φάρμακα παρ' ἡμῶν κατασκευάζεσθαι. Αἱ τῶν ἰατρῶν εὐχαὶ τοιαῦταί εἰσιν, οὐκ ἄλλα αἰτοῦσαι, ἢ ὥστε μετὰ τὸν πολὺν πόνον ἁπλῶς ῥιφῆναι τὰ φάρμακα. Ταῦτα καὶ ἡμεῖς εὐχόμεθα, ἁπλῶς εἰς ἀέρα λέγεσθαι τὰ ῥήματα τὰ ἡμέτερα, ὥστε ῥήματα μόνον εἶναι. Πάντα ὑποστῆναι ἕτοιμος ἐγὼ, ὥστε μὴ εἰς χρείαν καταστῆναι τοῦ ταῦτα λέγειν. Εἰ δὲ βούλεσθε, καὶ σιγήσομεν· μόνον ἔστω ἀκίνδυνος ἡ σιγή. Οὐ γὰρ οἶμαι οὐδένα, κἂν σφόδρα κενόδοξος ᾖ, μὴ καλούσης χρείας θελῆσαι ἂν ἁπλῶς ἐπιδείκνυσθαι. Παραχωρήσομεν τῆς διδασκαλίας ὑμῖν· αὕτη γὰρ μείζων ἡ διδασκαλία ἡ διὰ πραγμάτων· ἐπεὶ καὶ τῶν ἰατρῶν οἱ ἄριστοι, καίτοιγε τῆς νόσου 60.42 τῶν καμνόντων φερούσης αὐτοῖς μισθοὺς, βούλοιντο ἂν ὑγιαίνειν τοὺς αὐτῶν φίλους. Καὶ ἡμεῖς βουλόμεθα ἅπαντας ὑγιαίνειν. Οὐ γὰρ ἵνα ἡμεῖς δόκιμοι ὦμεν βουλόμεθα, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἀδόκιμοι ἦτε. Ἐβουλόμην εἰ οἷόν τε ὄψει αὐτῇ τὴν ἀγάπην, ἢν περὶ ὑμᾶς ἔχω, ἐπιδείξασθαι· οὐδεὶς γάρ μοι λοιπὸν οὐδὲν ἂν ἐνεκάλεσεν, εἰ καὶ σφόδρα τραχὺς ἦν ὁ λόγος. Τὰ γὰρ παρὰ φίλων λεγόμενα, κἂν ὕβρις ᾖ, φορητά. Ἀξιοπιστότερα γὰρ τραύματα φίλου, ἢ ἑκούσια φιλήματα ἐχθροῦ. Οὐδὲν ἐμοὶ ποθεινότερον ὑμῶν, οὐδὲ τοῦτο τὸ φῶς. Μυριάκις γὰρ ἂν εὐξαίμην αὐτὸς πηρωθῆναι, εἰ γε ἐνῆν διὰ τούτου τὰς ὑμετέρας ἐπιστρέψαι ψυχάς· οὕτως αὐτοῦ τοῦ φωτὸς γλυκίων ἐμοὶ ἡ σωτηρία ἡ ὑμετέρα. Τί γὰρ ὄφελός μοι τῶν ἀκτίνων τῶν ἡλιακῶν, ὅταν ἡ δι' ὑμᾶς ἀθυμία πολὺ κατασκεδάζῃ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τὸ σκότος; Τὸ γὰρ φῶς τότε καλὸν, ὅταν ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ φαίνηται· ἐπεὶ τῇ λυπουμένῃ ψυχῇ καὶ παρενοχλεῖν δοκεῖ. Ὅτι δὲ οὐ ψεύδομαι, μὴ γένοιτο μέν ποτε πεῖραν λαβεῖν. Πλὴν εἴποτε συμβαίη τινὰ ὑμῶν ἁμαρτάνειν, καθεύδοντί μοι παράστητε· ἀπολοίμην, εἰ μὴ τοῖς παραλύτοις ἔοικα, εἰ μὴ τοῖς ἐξεστηκόσι, καὶ κατὰ τὸν προφητικὸν λόγον, Καὶ τὸ φῶς τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου, καὶ αὐτὸ οὐκ ἔστι μετ' ἐμοῦ. Τίς γὰρ ὑμῖν ἐλπὶς, ὑμῶν μὴ προκοπτόντων; τίς δὲ ἀθυμία, ὑμῶν εὐδοκιμούντων; Πτεροῦσθαι δοκῶ, ὅταν τι περὶ ὑμῶν ἀκούσω χρηστόν. Πληρώσατέ μου τὴν χαράν. Τοσοῦτον μόνον εἰσήνεγκα εἰς τὴν εὐχὴν, ὅτι ἐπιθυμῶ ὑμῶν τὴν προκοπήν. Ὃ δὲ διαμιλλῶμαι πρὸς πάντας τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅτι φιλῶ, ὅτι συμπέπλεγμαι, ὅτι πάντα μοι ὑμεῖς ἐστε, καὶ πατὴρ, καὶ μήτηρ, καὶ ἀδελφοὶ, καὶ παιδία. Μὴ δὴ νομίσητέ τι τῶν παρ' ἡμῶν λεγομένων πρὸς ἀπέχθειαν λέγεσθαι, ἀλλὰ πρὸς διόρθωσιν. Ἀδελφὸς γὰρ, φησὶν, ὑπὸ ἀδελφοῦ βοηθούμενος, ὡς πόλις ὀχυρά. Μὴ δὴ ἀπαξιώσητε· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐγὼ τὸν παρ' ὑμῶν ἀτιμάζω λόγον, ἀλλὰ βουλοίμην ἂν διορθοῦσθαι παρ' ὑμῶν, βουλοίμην ἂν μανθάνειν. Πάντες γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἀδελφοί ἐσμεν, εἷς δὲ ἡμῶν ἐστιν ὁ καθηγητής. Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἐν ἀδελφοῖς ἕνα ἐπιτάττειν, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους πείθεσθαι. Μὴ δὴ ἀπαξιώσητε, ἀλλὰ πάντα ποιῶμεν εἰς δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ· ὅτι αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

60.41 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ∆ʹ. Καὶ ἐν τῷ συμπληροῦσθαι τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς

Πεντηκοστῆς, ἦσαν ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό· καὶ ἐγένετο ἄφνω ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἦχος.

αʹ. Τίς ἐστιν αὕτη ἡ Πεντηκοστή; Ὅτε τὸ δρέπανον ἐπιβάλλειν ἔδει τῷ ἀμητῷ·

ὅτε τοὺς καρποὺς συνάγειν ἐχρῆν. Εἶδες τὸν τύπον; Βλέπε πάλιν τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Ὅτε τὸ δρέπανον ἐπιβάλλειν ἔδει τοῦ λόγου, ὅτε τὸν ἀμητὸν συλλέγειν, τότε καθάπερ δρέπανον τὸ Πνεῦμα ἠκονημένον ἐφίπταται. Ἄκουε γὰρ τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος· Ἐπάρατε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑμῶν, καὶ θεάσασθε τὰς χώρας, ὅτι λευκαί εἰσι πρὸς θερισμὸν ἤδη· καὶ πάλιν, Ὁ μὲν θερισμὸς πολὺς, οἱ δὲ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι. Ὥστε αὐτὸς