On Jeremiah (Homilies 12-20) On And you shall say to this people: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Every wineskin will be filled with wine up

 Therefore He here named the punishments unmixed wine, which they drink who are worthy of unmixed wine, that is, of unmixed punishment. But there are a

 to have the preeminence of a more honorable name than the people, God spares him so that he might not be punished when he sins. But the things written

 that God, sparing many, does not spare one. I will also take the example of a physician, showing that in sparing the whole body he does not spare one

 Then after this he commands them not to be lifted up, and teaches what must be done. What then is it to hear and what is it to give ear, let us unders

 does darkness not happen? Work while the light is in you. <The light is in you>, if you have in you the one who said: I am the light of the world

 glory to God those who do things contrary to the glory of God through their sins. 12.12 “Give glory to the Lord our God before it grows dark, before y

 the prophets, lest we fall under the prophecy that says: but if you do not listen secretly, your soul will weep because of insolence. As many of you

 to cast a vote against the one who has sinned, each of the onlookers does not spare, does not look sad, does not pity, does not return to intercede fo

 What follows also fits: You have turned me away, says the Lord, you will go backward. Because you have turned away from the Son of God, and because

 but not of pains that bring health to those being treated. 14.2 That people, therefore, was sick various diseases were among the people who were call

 spiritual riches, but they turned away from what was being said and did not present themselves receptive so that they might be indebted for this reas

 how often I wanted to gather your children together» and what follows. And these things are also clearly spoken by the Savior in the passage, “Woe is

 of the double-minded is judged. If you bear the image of the heavenly one having put off the image of the earthly one, you are not earth condemnin

 of their affliction, he says, that is against the enemy, I stood by you on their behalf. And who is the enemy but our adversary the devil, who affli

 to a land which he did not know. For a fire is kindled from my wrath, it will be burned against you. After this, <ὁ> he who prayed above completes t

 In the present case, it was necessary † for such a thing to happen in the church of God. The one who was condemned has been condemned, so-and-so † whi

 becomes inimitable, so that I become so great that no one is like me in character, in speech, in deeds, in wisdom, then I am able to say, because I al

 a limb, the physician tries to make a restoration of the dislocated part. When someone is outside his fatherland, whether justly or unjustly, and rece

 my Savior and Lord is about to stand before the Father, being judged with all of us men. And he is judged with all men. I say: he is judged, he himsel

 my dispensation did this and that, and for your salvation I endured. When the Savior says these things, what shall we do? For he is about to be judged

 uncleanness.” Having put these things to death, “he does not rely on the flesh of his own arm.” “Cursed is he who has his hope in man.” And at the sam

 to take the souls that are on the hills, those not lying below? And see if the prophet did not cry out mystically saying these things and presenting t

 my ‘Soul, you have good things laid up for many years rest, eat, drink, be merry.’” You see the one below the mountains, the one below the hills, th

 what awaits us, must be understood. If, then, we depart this life having sins, but also having virtues, will we be saved on account of the virtues, bu

 that the gentiles who sin receive their sins simply, but we receive our offenses doubly. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge

 it is written with an iron pen, with a diamond point, engraved upon the breast of the heart ” but again, the word 'their' does not follow in that case

 simpler than the believers. “The partridge called,” therefore, “it gathered what it did not hatch, making its wealth not with judgment.” The partridge

 your names are written in the heavens”. Therefore one must rejoice, if one becomes such a person, so that his name may be inscribed in the heavens. Bu

 for “there shall be trouble in Jacob, nor shall toil be seen in Israel.” There is no labor for one following Jesus the very act of following removes

 has ascended far above the earthen vessels. Below are the earthen vessels, and the nature that administers the earthen vessels, condescending to the t

 into the potter's house and he recounts what he saw, saying: and behold, he was doing a work with his hands, and the vessel which he was making in th

 to be planted,” a whole nation and since this <the> nation being built up and planted has a good promise, but is able to sin, he says after speaking

 Christ, the mystery of the church, the one who comes to the synagogue and does not bear fruit. 18.6 At last I will speak against a nation or even aga

 speaking to the child in a childish way, or that I may speak more emphatically, in an infantile way, that you have borne with the manners of your son

 of the Lord saying through the prophet: And the Lord spoke to them. And to <us> now the Lord says through the scriptures, Let each one turn from hi

 Jews but since they did not thirst for Christ and the Holy Spirit, they cannot drink even from God. Those from the heresies seemed to have thirsted f

 Immer, and that he was a priest, and what rank he held among the people, that he was appointed leader of the house of the Lord at the time when Jeremi

 God will do it». And such a high priest is superficially beautiful and a whitewashed wall, full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness on the ins

 of the disciples, as they were asking him, Where do you want us to prepare the Passover for you?, he said, As you are going, a man will meet you ca

 the sons of Jerusalem have departed and the city has been destroyed. But if you examine the matter and see the city not as stones, but as people, you

 burning in my bones, and I am weary on all sides and cannot bear it, because I heard the reproach of many gathering together round about,” and “saying

 For not only the adulterer is liable to the gehenna of fire, but also the one who says to his brother, fool. But if the one who says to his brothe

 you should think that his repentance has some kinship with the repentance of those who repent. For just as his word was something exceptional, his ang

 to the people, he hears God saying according to the scriptures: Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people? And he, it says, answered: Behol

 And I have insults as wood, I have drunkennesses as wood, thefts as wood, and I have built upon my structure ten thousand other pieces of wood. Do you

 to despise», see if it is not truly for this reason, since they did not think they were deceived, they stored up for themselves «wrath in the day of w

 a laughingstock, all the day I was derided”? What am I saying, Jeremiah? and my Jesus was mocked for it says, “the Pharisees, who were lovers of mone

 the unrighteous man “for it will be,” he says, “when you call upon me, I will not listen to you.” There, then, the unrighteous and it is clear that

 to discipline the body with fasts and to enslave it» «by abstaining from such foods,» and in every way «by the spirit to put to death the deeds of the

 in my bones, and I am exhausted on all sides and cannot bear it.” I fear lest such a thing is what is reserved for us, becoming a fire, as happened in

 let us all, his friends, conspire against him watch his intention, and he will be deceived.” They wanted to deceive him with another deadly deception

 let him examine. Nevertheless, what awaits us are tormentors and one who examines hearts and reins for our sins from which sins if we are not quickly

to discipline the body with fasts and to enslave it» «by abstaining from such foods,» and in every way «by the spirit to put to death the deeds of the body.» Did not such a one therefore call misery upon himself, when it was possible to give himself over to luxury and pleasure and not call misery upon himself? If anyone therefore can imitate the prophet, let him call upon himself invalidation, as we have related, and let him call misery upon himself in his ascetic practices. And the story happened to be true, also [the one] concerning Jeremiah, that he also lived in purity; for the Lord said to him: «You shall not take a wife, nor shall you beget children.» And he lived in purity; for he called invalidation and misery upon himself. 20.8 «Because the word of the Lord became a reproach to me.» Blessed is Jeremiah for having no other reproach than the word of the Lord. But we wretched ones have reproaches not because of the word of the Lord, but because of our own sins, and we are reproached for the things in which we stumble and have stumbled, and we are reviled for our evils. But the Savior does not wish us to be reproached with such reproaches, saying: «Blessed are you when they reproach you and persecute you and say every evil word against you for my sake.» «Rejoice in that day and leap for joy.» «The word,» he says therefore, «of the Lord became a reproach to me and a derision all day long.» Then consider how the prophets are fair-minded men, not hiding their own sins as we do, and speaking not only for those of that time, but for all generations if they have sinned. And I for my part hesitate to confess my sins before the few here, since those who hear are about to condemn me. But Jeremiah, having experienced something sinful, was not ashamed, but wrote down his sin; for what follows was a sin, in the words «And I said: I will not name the name of the Lord, and I will no longer speak in his name.» You were taught «to do all things in the name of the Lord,» to act in the name of God; but you say: «Let me not name the name of the Lord»? But what name are you going to name? «You shall not remember the name of other gods in your hearts,» and you say: «I will not name the name of the Lord, and I will no longer speak in his name»? He says this, then, having experienced something human, which we too are often in danger of experiencing. And especially if someone is conscious of having at some time suffered misery and endured and been hated on account of his teaching and the word, he often says: I will withdraw, what are these matters to me? If because of this I am also <in> troubles, from teaching, from putting forth the word, why do I not rather withdraw to the desert and to quiet? The prophet also experienced something of this sort, saying: «And I said: I will not name the name of the Lord, and I will not speak <any longer> in his name.» But in this the Lord is good, who prevents such sins in such great men. He did not permit the prophet to speak truly when he said the aforementioned things, but made Jeremiah call upon invalidation even in this and to invalidate what had been said. For he said: «I will not name [any longer in the name] the name of the Lord, and I will no longer speak in his name.» «But,» he says, «it became in my heart as a burning fire, inflamed in my bones, and I am weary on every side and cannot bear it.» The word of the Lord became a fire burning his heart. «And it became <in> my heart as a fire inflamed, burning in my bones.» He cast off the sin which he had committed by saying: «I will not name the name of the Lord, and I will no longer speak in his name,» and Jeremiah cast off the sin as soon as he said it. Would that I too, as soon as I sinned and spoke a sinful word, had perceived that «a fire has become in my heart, burning and inflamed, so that I cannot bear it.» The discourse is about to venture something, but I do not know if it is beneficial for such an audience and of such a kind; it has spoken of there being a kind of fire, a fire not perceptible to the senses, which punishes the one being punished with pain to the point of him not being able to bear it. For he said: «it became in my heart as a fire inflamed» and «burning» not only in my heart but also «in the

πιάζειν τὸ σῶμα νηστείαις καὶ δουλαγωγεῖν αὐτὸ» «ἀποχαῖς τοιῶνδε βρωμάτων», καὶ παντὶ τρόπῳ «τῷ πνεύματι τὰς πράξεις τοῦ σώματος θανατοῦν». ἆρ' οὖν ὁ τοιοῦτος οὐ τὴν ταλαιπωρίαν ἐπεκαλέσατο, παρὸν ἐπιδοῦναι ἑαυτὸν τρυφῇ καὶ ἡδονῇ καὶ μὴ ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὴν ταλαιπωρίαν; εἴ τις οὖν δύναται μιμεῖσθαι τὸν προφήτην, καὶ ἀθεσίαν, ὡς διηγησάμεθα, ἐπικαλείσθω, καὶ ταλαιπωρίαν δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἀσκήσεσιν ἐπικαλείσθω. ἔτυχε δὲ ἡ ἱστορία εἶναι ἀληθὴς καὶ [ἡ] περὶ τοῦ Ἱερεμίου, ὅτι καὶ ἐν ἁγνείᾳ ἔζησεν· εἶπε γὰρ αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος· «οὐ μὴ λάβῃς γυναῖκα, οὐδ' οὐ μὴ ποιήσῃς τέκνα». καὶ ἐν ἁγνείᾳ ἔζησεν· ἀθεσίαν γὰρ καὶ ταλαιπωρίαν ἐπεκαλέσατο. 20.8 «Ὅτι ἐγενήθη λόγος κυρίου ἐμοὶ εἰς ὀνειδισμόν». μακάριος Ἱερεμίας μὴ ἔχων ἄλλον ὀνειδισμὸν ἢ τὸν λόγον τοῦ κυρίου. ἡμεῖς δὲ οἱ τάλανες ἔχομεν ὀνειδισμοὺς οὐ διὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ κυρίου, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὰ ἡμέτερα ἁμαρτήματα, καὶ ὀνειδιζόμεθα ἐφ' οἷς πταίομεν καὶ ἐπταίσαμεν, καὶ λοιδορούμεθα ἐπὶ ταῖς κακίαις ἡμῶν. ὁ δὲ σωτὴρ οὐ τοιούτους ἡμᾶς ὀνειδισμοὺς θέλει ὀνειδίζεσθαι λέγων· «μακάριοί ἐστε ὅταν ὀνειδίσωσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ διώξωσι καὶ εἴπωσι πᾶν πονηρὸν ῥῆμα καθ' ὑμῶν ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ». «χάρητε ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ σκιρτήσατε». «ὁ λόγος» οὖν φησι «τοῦ κυρίου ἐγενήθη ἐμοὶ εἰς ὀνειδισμὸν καὶ εἰς χλευασμὸν πᾶσαν ἡμέραν». Εἶτα κατανόησον ὥς εἰσιν οἱ προφῆται εὐγνώμονες ἄνθρωποι, καὶ οὐκ ἀποκρυπτόμενοι τὰ ἴδια ἁμαρτήματα ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς, καὶ λέγοντες οὐκ ἐπὶ τῶν τότε μόνον, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ πασῶν τῶν γενεῶν εἰ ἡμαρτήκασι. κἀγὼ μὲν ὀκνῶ ἐξομολογήσασθαί μου τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ἐπὶ τῶν ὀλίγων ἐνταῦθα, ἐπεὶ μέλλουσί μου καταγινώσκειν οἱ ἀκούοντες. ὁ δὲ Ἱερεμίας τι παθὼν ἁμαρτητικὸν οὐκ ᾐδέσθη, ἀλλὰ ἀνέγραψεν αὑτοῦ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν· ἁμαρτία γὰρ ἦν τὸ ἐπιφερόμενον ἐν τῷ «καὶ εἶπα· οὐ μὴ ὀνομάσω τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου, καὶ οὐ μὴ λαλήσω ἔτι ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ». ἐδιδάχθης «πάντα ἐν ὀνόματι ποιεῖν κυρίου», ἐν ὀνόματι θεοῦ πράττειν· σὺ δὲ λέγεις· «μὴ ὀνομάσω τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου»; ἀλλὰ ποῖον ὄνομα μέλλεις ὀνομάζειν; «ὄνομα θεῶν ἑτέρων οὐκ ἀναμνήσεσθε ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν», καὶ λέγεις· «οὐ μὴ ὀνομάσω τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου, καὶ οὐ μὴ λαλήσω ἔτι ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ»; λέγει οὖν πεπονθώς τι ἀνθρώπινον, ὃ καὶ ἡμεῖς κινδυνεύομεν πολλάκις πεπονθέναι. καὶ μάλιστα εἴ τις σύνοιδεν ἑαυτῷ διὰ τὴν διδασκαλίαν ποτὲ καὶ τὸν λόγον ταλαιπωρήσαντι καὶ παθόντι καὶ μισηθέντι, πολλάκις λέγει· ἀναχωρῶ, τί μοι καὶ πράγμασιν; εἰ ἐκ τούτου καὶ <ἐν> πράγμασίν εἰμι, ἐκ τοῦ διδάσκειν, ἐκ τοῦ προΐεσθαι τὸν λόγον, διὰ τί οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ἀναχωρῶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐρημίαν καὶ ἡσυχίαν; τοιοῦτόν τι πέπονθε καὶ ὁ προφήτης λέγων· «καὶ εἶπα· οὐ μὴ ὀνομάσω τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου, καὶ οὐ μὴ λαλήσω <ἔτι> ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ». Ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἀγαθὸς κύριος ὁ κωλύων τὰς τοιαύτας ἁμαρτίας τῶν τηλικούτων. οὐκ ἀφῆκε τὸν προφήτην ἀληθεῦσαι εἰπόντα τὰ προκείμενα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἀθεσίαν ἐπικαλέσασθαι καὶ ἀθετῆσαι τὸ εἰρημένον πεποίηκεν Ἱερεμίαν. εἶπε μὲν γάρ· «οὐ μὴ ὀνομάσω [ἔτι ἐπὶ τῶι ὀνόματι] <τὸ ὄνομα> κυρίου, καὶ οὐ μὴ λαλήσω ἔτι ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ». «ἐγένετο» δέ φησιν «ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου ὡς πῦρ καιόμενον, φλεγόμενον ἐν τοῖς ὀστέοις μου, καὶ παρεῖμαι πάντοθεν καὶ οὐ δύναμαι φέρειν». ὁ λόγος ὁ τοῦ κυρίου γέγονε καίων αὐτοῦ τὴν καρδίαν. «καὶ ἐγένετο <ἐν> τῇ καρδίᾳ μου ὡς πῦρ φλεγόμενον, καιόμενον ἐν τοῖς ὀστέοις μου». ἀπέβαλε τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἣν πεποίηκεν εἰπών· «οὐ μὴ ὀνομάσω τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου, καὶ οὐ μὴ λαλήσω ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ἔτι», καὶ ἀπέβαλε τὴν ἁμαρτίαν Ἱερεμίας ἅμα τῷ εἰπεῖν. εἴθε κἀγώ, ἅμα τῷ ἁμαρτῆσαι καὶ εἰπεῖν λόγον ἁμαρτητικόν, ᾐσθανόμην ὅτι «γέγονε πῦρ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου καιόμενον καὶ φλεγόμενον ὥστε με μὴ δύνασθαι φέρειν». Μέλλει τι ὁ λόγος τολμᾶν, οὐκ οἶδα δὲ εἰ συμφέρον τῷ τοιούτῳ ἀκροατηρίῳ καὶ τοιούτωι· εἴρηκέ τι εἶναι εἶδος πυρός, πυρὸς οὐκ αἰσθητοῦ, κολάζοντος τὸν κολαζόμενον τῷ πόνῳ εἰς τὸ μὴ φέρειν αὐτόν. εἶπε γάρ· «ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου ὡς πῦρ φλεγόμενον» καὶ «καιόμενον» οὐκ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ «ἐν τοῖς