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it is necessary to be disposed, not for those who are punished, for they are being drawn toward health, but to mourn and lament for those who sin with impunity. For he who is occupied with good hopes and is confident about the future, has from this point already tasted of the kingdom; for nothing is so accustomed to restore the soul and make it better, as a good hope for the future. For those who empty all their zeal into the adornment of their own house, being rich in outward things, neglect what is within, and overlook their own soul, leaving it desolate and squalid and full of cobwebs; 63.624 but if, neglecting outward things, they expend all their eagerness on their own mind, adorning it from every side, the soul of such people will be a lodging-place for Christ; and of him who has Christ as an indweller, what could be more blessed? What defense, then, shall we have, what excuse, when, if the body is sick, where it is necessary to pay money, and to summon physicians, and to endure much pain, we take so much care; but we despise the soul? and this, when we do not have to pay money, nor to trouble others, nor to undergo pains; but, apart from all these things, through only choosing and willing, are able to accomplish the correction for all of them, and know precisely that if we do not do this, we will undergo the ultimate penalty, and the inexorable punishments and chastisements? And just as those who dwell in prison are always in dejection and pain, but especially on that day on which they are to be led out, and brought to the very doors of the judge, and standing before the rails, and hearing the voice of the judge from within, are frozen with fear, and are in no better state than the dead; so also the soul is especially pained and distressed at the very time of sin, but much more so, when, torn away from here, it is about to be led away to the reckonings there and the fearful tribunal. For this reason it often shrinks back and goes down to the depth, and fears and shudders, when it is about to fly away from the flesh. For then, whether one has robbed, or been greedy, or insulted someone, or become an enemy to someone unjustly, or has done any other terrible thing, the whole chorus of sins is renewed, and appears before the eyes, a bitter accuser standing for the conscience. For this reason also the soul has become immortal for us, and the body will also be immortal, so that we may enjoy unending good things. But if you are nailed to the earth, when heavenly things are set before you, consider how great an insult it is to the Giver, when He offers you the things above, but you, making little account of them, exchange the earth for heavenly things. May it be that we all attain these things, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 63.623 HOMILY 9. On not despising the Church of God and the holy mysteries. Few are those who have joined us today. What then is the reason? We are celebrating the memory of martyrs, and no one has met with us. But the length of the road cast them into sloth; or rather, not the length of the road, but sloth hindered them. For just as nothing can hinder one who is zealous and roused in purpose; so everything can be a hindrance for the slothful and listless. The martyrs poured out their own blood for the sake of the truth; and you cannot despise the distance of a short road? They laid down their heads for Christ; but you are not willing to come even a little way for the Master? The Master died for you, and you hesitate for His sake? It is the memory of martyrs, 63.624 and you are slothful and listless? It is necessary for you to be present, and to see the devil defeated, and a martyr conquering, and God glorified, and the Church crowned. But I am a sinner, he says, and I am not able to come. Since you are a sinner, come, that you may become righteous. But who of the

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διακεῖσθαι χρὴ, οὐχὶ τοὺς κολαζομένους, οὗτοι γὰρ πρὸς ὑγίειαν ἕλκονται, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας ἀτιμωρητὶ πενθεῖν καὶ ὀδύρεσθαι. Ὁ γὰρ χρησταῖς συστρεφόμενος ἐλπίσι καὶ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων θαῤῥῶν, ἀπεντεῦθεν ἤδη τῆς βασιλείας ἐγεύσατο· οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω ψυχὴν εἴωθεν ἀνακτᾶσθαι καὶ ἀμείνω ποιεῖν, ὡς ἡ χρηστὴ τῶν μελλόντων ἐλπίς. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἅπασαν τὴν σπουδὴν εἰς τὸν καλλωπισμὸν κενοῦντες τῆς ἑαυτῶν οἰκίας, ἐν τοῖς ἔξω πλουτοῦντες, ἀμελοῦσι τῶν ἔνδον, καὶ ἔρημον καὶ αὐχμῶσαν καὶ ἀραχνίων γέμουσαν περιορῶσι τὴν ἑαυτῶν ψυχήν· 63.624 ἂν δὲ τῶν ἔξωθεν ἀμελήσαντες εἰς τὴν ἑαυτῶν διάνοιαν τὴν προθυμίαν καταναλώσωσιν ἅπασαν, πανταχόθεν αὐτὴν καλλωπίζοντες, καταγώγιον ἔσται τῷ Χριστῷ τῶν τοιούτων ἀνθρώπων ἡ ψυχή· τοῦ δὲ τὸν Χριστὸν ἔχοντος ἔνοικον, τί γένοιτ' ἂν μακαριώτερον; Τίνα οὖν ἕξομεν ἀπολογίαν, ποίαν συγγνώμην, ὅταν μὲν τοῦ σώματος νοσοῦντος, ἔνθα καὶ ἀργύριόν ἐστι καταβαλεῖν, καὶ ἰατροὺς παρακαλέσαι, καὶ ὀδύνην ὑπομεῖναι πολλὴν, τοσαύτην ποιώμεθα πρόνοιαν· ψυχῆς δὲ καταφρονῶμεν; καὶ ταῦτα μήτε ἀργύριον καταβαλεῖν μέλλοντες, μήτε ἑτέρους διενοχλεῖν, μήτι ὀδύνας ὑφίστασθαι· ἀλλὰ, χωρὶς τούτων πάντων, διὰ τοῦ προελέσθαι καὶ βουληθῆναι μόνον πᾶσιν αὐτοῖς δυνάμενοι ποιήσασθαι τὴν διόρθωσιν, καὶ ἀκριβῶς εἰδότες, ὡς, εἰ μὴ τοῦτο ποιήσαιμεν, τὴν ἐσχάτην ὑποστησόμεθα δίκην, καὶ τὰς ἀπαραιτήτους κολάσεις καὶ τιμωρίας; Καὶ καθάπερ οἱ τὸ δεσμωτήριον οἰκοῦντες ἀεὶ μὲν ἐν κατηφείᾳ καὶ ὀδύναις εἰσὶ, μάλιστα δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην, καθ' ἣν ἂν μέλλωσιν ἐξάγεσθαι, καὶ παρ' αὐτὰς τὰς τοῦ δικάζοντος ἄγεσθαι θύρας, καὶ πρὸ τῶν κιγκλίδων ἑστῶτες, καὶ τῆς τοῦ κρίνοντος φωνῆς ἔνδοθεν ἀκούοντες, ἀποπήγνυνται τῷ φόβῳ, καὶ τῶν νεκρῶν οὐδὲν ἄμεινον διάκεινται· οὕτω καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ μάλιστα μὲν ἐν αὐτῷ τῆς ἁμαρτίας καιρῷ ὀδυνᾶται καὶ στενοχωρεῖται, πολλῷ δὲ πλέον, ὅταν ἐντεῦθεν ἀποσπασθεῖσα πρὸς τὰς εὐθύνας τὰς ἐκεῖ καὶ τὸ φοβερὸν ἀπάγεσθαι μέλλῃ δικαστήριον. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο πολλάκις ἀναδύεται καὶ πρὸς τὸ βάθος κάτω χωρεῖ, καὶ δέδοικε καὶ φρίττει, μέλλουσα τῆς σαρκὸς ἀφίπτασθαι. Τότε γὰρ, εἴτε ἥρπασέ τις, εἴτε ἐπλεονέκτησεν, εἴτε τινὰ ἐπηρέασεν, εἴτε τινὸς ἐχθρὸς γέγονεν ἀδίκως, εἴτε ἄλλο ὁτιοῦν εἰργάσατο δεινὸν, ἅπας ὁ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων χορὸς ἀνανεοῦται, καὶ πρὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν φαίνεται πικρὸς ἑστηκὼς τοῦ συνειδότος κατήγορος. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἀθάνατος ἡμῖν γέγονεν ἡ ψυχὴ, καὶ τὸ σῶμα δὲ ἔσται ἀθάνατον, ἵνα τῶν ἀτελευτήτων ἀπολαύσωμεν ἀγαθῶν. Ἂν δὲ τῇ γῇ προσηλωμένος ᾖς, τῶν οὐρανίων προκειμένων, ἐννόησον ὅση γίνεται εἰς τὸν δωρούμενον ὕβρις, ὅταν ἐκεῖνος μὲν τὰ ἄνω σοι προτείνῃ, σὺ δὲ οὐ πολὺν αὐτῶν ποιούμενος λόγον, τὴν γῆν ἀνταλλάσσῃ τῶν οὐρανίων. Ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. 63.623 ΛΟΓΟΣ Θʹ. Περὶ τοῦ μὴ καταφρονεῖν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησίας καὶ τῶν ἁγίων μυστηρίων. Ὀλίγοι ἡμῖν σήμερον οἱ παραγενόμενοι. Ἄρα τί τὸ αἴτιον; μνήμην μαρτύρων ἐπιτελοῦμεν, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἡμῖν ἀπήντησεν. Ἀλλὰ τὸ διάστημα τῆς ὁδοῦ εἰς ῥᾳθυμίαν αὐτοὺς ἐνέβαλε· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐ τὸ διάστημα τῆς ὁδοῦ, ἀλλ' ἡ ῥᾳθυμία αὐτοῖς ἐνεπόδισεν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸν σπουδαῖον καὶ διεγηγερμένον τῇ προαιρέσει οὐδὲν δύναται κωλῦσαι· οὕτω τὸν ῥᾴθυμον καὶ ἀναπεπτωκότα πάντα δύναται κωλῦσαι. Οἱ μάρτυρες τὸ ἴδιον αἷμα ἐξέχεον ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας· καὶ σὺ οὔτε βραχείας ὁδοῦ διάστημα καταφρονῆσαι δύνασαι; ἐκεῖνοι τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀπέθεντο διὰ τὸν Χριστόν· σὺ δὲ οὔτε μικρὸν ἀπαντῆσαι θέλεις διὰ τὸν ∆εσπότην; ὁ ∆εσπότης διὰ σὲ ἀπέθανε, καὶ σὺ δι' αὐτὸν ὀκνεῖς; μνήμη μαρτύρων, 63.624 καὶ σὺ ῥᾳθυμεῖς καὶ ἀναπέπτωκας; ∆έον ἐστί σε παραγενέσθαι, καὶ ἰδεῖν τὸν διάβολον ἡττώμενον, καὶ μάρτυρα νικῶντα, καὶ Θεὸν δοξαζόμενον, καὶ Ἐκκλησίαν στεφανουμένην. Ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλός εἰμι, φησὶ, καὶ οὐ δύναμαι ἀπαντῆσαι. Ἐπειδὴ ἁμαρτωλὸς εἶ, ἀπάντησον, ἵνα γένῃ δίκαιος. Τίς δὲ τῶν