John Chrysostom, On Matthew

to be restrained?, he says. I do not command, but I counsel and I advise. But if this is not possible for you, let us at least show repentance while we are in the cities; for the tribunal is at the doors. And even if it were further off, not even so ought we to be confident; for the end of each person's life has the force of the consummation for the one who is called. And that it is at the doors, hear Paul saying: The night is far spent, the day is at hand; and again: For he who is to come will come, and will not delay. For the signs that call for that day are now complete. For, he says, this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 2. Pay close attention to what is being said. He did not say, When it has been believed by all men; but, When it has been preached to all. For this reason he said, For a witness to the nations, showing that He does not wait for all to believe, and then to come. For "for a witness" means this: for an accusation, for a conviction, for a condemnation of those who have not believed. But we, hearing and seeing these things, are sleeping and seeing dreams, as if stupefied in the deepest night. For present matters are no better than dreams, whether they be good or grievous. Therefore, I beseech you, finally to be awakened, and to look up to the sun of righteousness. For no one who is sleeping can see the sun, nor gladden his eyes with the beauty of its ray; but whatever he may see, he sees it all as in a dream. For this reason we have need of much confession and many tears, both because we are disposed insensibly when we sin, and because our sins are great and greater than pardon. And that I am not lying, most of you who hear are witnesses. But nevertheless, even if they are greater than pardon, let us repent, and we shall enjoy crowns. And by repentance I mean not only to desist from former evils, but also to show forth greater good things. For, he says, bring forth fruits worthy of repentance. And how shall we bring them forth? If we do the opposite things; for instance: Did you seize what belongs to others? Henceforth give also what is yours. Have you committed fornication for a long 57.191 time? Abstain even from your own wife for appointed days; practice continence. Did you insult and strike those passing by? Henceforth bless those who insult you, and do good to those who strike you. For it is not sufficient for our health merely to draw out the arrow, but also to apply remedies to the wound. Did you live luxuriously and get drunk in the time before? Fast and pay attention to water-drinking, that you may remove the ruin produced from that. Did you look with licentious eyes on another's beauty? Henceforth do not look at a woman at all, that you may stand in greater security. For, it says, turn from evil, and do good; and again: Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. But tell me the good also. Seek peace, and pursue it; I speak not only of that towards men, but also of that towards God. And well did he say, Pursue it; for it has been driven away and cast out, and leaving the earth it has departed to heaven. But we shall be able to bring it back again, if we are willing, by casting out desperation and arrogance and all its hindrances, to pursue this temperate and simple life. For nothing is more grievous than anger and audacity. This makes men both puffed up and servile, through the one making them ridiculous, through the other hateful, and introducing contrary vices, both desperation and flattery together. But if we cut off the excess of the passion, we shall be both humble with exactness, and lofty with security. For indeed even in our bodies distempers arise from excess; and when the elements, having left their own bounds, go forth into excess, then the countless diseases and grievous deaths are brought forth; which one may see happening also in the soul. 7. Let us therefore cut off excess, and drinking the saving medicine of moderation, let us remain in the proper good temperament, and let us attend to our prayers with exactness. Even if we do not receive, let us persist, that we may receive; and if we do receive, because we have received.

κατεστάλθαι; φησίν. Οὐ κελεύω, ἀλλὰ συμβουλεύω καὶ παραινῶ. Εἰ δὲ μὴ δυνατὸν ὑμῖν τοῦτο, κἂν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν ὄντες ἐπιδειξώμεθα τὴν μετάνοιαν· καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ θύραις τὸ δικαστήριον. Εἰ δὲ καὶ μακροτέρω ἦν, οὐδὲ οὕτω θαῤῥεῖν ἔδει· τὸ γὰρ ἑκάστου πέρας τῆς ζωῆς, τῆς συντελείας ἐπέχει δύναμιν τῷ καλουμένῳ. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ θύραις, ἄκουσον τοῦ Παύλου λέγοντος· Ἡ νὺξ προέκοψεν, ἡ δὲ ἡμέρα ἤγγικε· καὶ πάλιν· Ἥξει γὰρ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, καὶ οὐ χρονιεῖ. Καὶ γὰρ τὰ σημεῖα λοιπὸν ἀπήρτισται τὰ καλοῦντα τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην. Κηρυχθήσεται γὰρ, φησὶ, τοῦτο τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ εἰς μαρτύριον πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσι· καὶ τότε ἥξει τὸ τέλος. ʹ. Προσέχετε μετὰ ἀκριβείας τῷ λεγομένῳ. Οὐκ εἶπεν, Ὅταν πιστευθῇ παρὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων· ἀλλ', Ὅταν κηρυχθῇ παρὰ πᾶσι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἔλεγεν, Εἰς μαρτύριον τοῖς ἔθνεσι, δεικνὺς, ὅτι οὐκ ἀναμένει πάντας πιστεῦσαι, καὶ τότε παραγενέσθαι. Τὸ γὰρ, Εἰς μαρτύριον, τοῦτό ἐστιν, εἰς κατηγορίαν, εἰς ἔλεγχον, εἰς κατάκρισιν τῶν μὴ πιστευσάντων. Ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς ταῦτα ἀκούοντες καὶ ὁρῶντες, καθεύδομεν καὶ ὀνείρατα βλέπομεν, καθάπερ ἐν βαθυτάτῃ νυκτὶ κεκαρωμένοι. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ὀνειράτων ἄμεινον τὰ παρόντα πράγματα, κἂν χρηστὰ ᾖ, κἂν λυπηρά. ∆ιὸ δὴ παρακαλῶ λοιπὸν ἀφυπνισθῆναι, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἀπιδεῖν. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ καθεύδων ἥλιον ἰδεῖν δύναται, οὐδὲ εὐφρᾶναι τὰς ὄψεις τῷ κάλλει τῆς ἀκτῖνος· ἀλλ' ἅπερ ἂν ἴδῃ, πάντα ὡς ἐν ὀνείρῳ βλέπει. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο πολλῆς ἡμῖν δεῖ τῆς ἐξομολογήσεως καὶ πολλῶν τῶν δακρύων, καὶ ὅτι ἀναλγήτως διακείμεθα πλημμελοῦντες, καὶ ὅτι μεγάλα τὰ ἁμαρτήματα καὶ συγγνώμης μείζονα. Καὶ ὅτι οὐ ψεύδομαι, μάρτυρες οἱ πλείους τῶν ἀκουόντων. Ἀλλ' ὅμως εἰ καὶ συγγνώμης μείζονα, μετανοήσωμεν, καὶ στεφάνων ἀπολαυσόμεθα. Μετάνοιαν δὲ λέγω, οὐ τὸ τῶν προτέρων ἀποστῆναι κακῶν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ μείζονα ἐπιδείξασθαι καλά. Ποιήσατε γὰρ, φησὶ, καρποὺς ἀξίους τῆς μετανοίας. Πῶς δὲ ποιήσομεν; Ἂν τὰ ἐναντία πράττωμεν· οἷόν τι λέγω· ἥρπασας τὰ ἀλλότρια; ∆ὸς καὶ τὰ σὰ λοιπόν. Πολὺν ἐπόρνευσας 57.191 χρόνον; Ἀπόσχου καὶ τῆς γυναικὸς τῆς σῆς ὡρισμένας ἡμέρας· ἐγκράτειαν ἄσκησον. Ὕβρισας καὶ ἐτύπτησας παριόντας; Εὐλόγει λοιπὸν τοὺς ὑβρίζοντας, καὶ εὐεργέτει τοὺς πλήττοντας. Οὐ γὰρ ἀρκεῖ εἰς ὑγείαν ἡμῖν τὸ βέλος ἐξελεῖν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ τραύματι φάρμακα ἐπιθεῖναι. Ἐτρύφησας καὶ ἐμεθύσθης τὸν ἔμπροσθεν χρόνον; Νήστευε καὶ ὑδροποσίᾳ πρόσεχε, ἵνα τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἐγγενομένην λύμην ἀνέλῃς. Εἶδες ἀκολάστοις ὀφθαλμοῖς κάλλος ἀλλότριον; Μηδὲ ὅλως ἴδῃς γυναῖκα λοιπὸν, ἵν' ἐπὶ πλείονι καταστῇς ἀσφαλείᾳ. Ἔκκλινον γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀπὸ κακοῦ, καὶ ποίησον ἀγαθόν· καὶ πάλιν· Παῦσον τὴν γλῶσσάν σου ἀπὸ κακοῦ, καὶ χείλη σου τοῦ μὴ λαλῆσαι δόλον. Ἀλλ' εἰπέ μοι καὶ τὸ ἀγαθόν. Ζήτησον εἰρήνην, καὶ δίωξον αὐτήν· οὐ τὴν πρὸς ἀνθρώπους λέγω μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Καὶ καλῶς εἶπε, ∆ίωξον· ἀπελήλαται γὰρ καὶ ἐκβέβληται, καὶ τὴν γῆν ἀφεῖσα εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀπεδήμησεν. Ἀλλὰ δυνησόμεθα αὐτὴν πάλιν ἐπαναγαγεῖν, ἐὰν θέλωμεν, ἀπόνοιαν καὶ ἀλαζονείαν καὶ πάντα τὰ κωλύματα αὐτῆς ἐκβαλόντες, τὸν σώφρονα τοῦτον καὶ λιτὸν διώκειν βίον. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ὀργῆς χαλεπώτερον καὶ θρασύτητος. Αὕτη καὶ τετυφωμένους καὶ δουλοπρεπεῖς ἐργάζεται, δι' ἐκείνου μὲν καταγελάστους, διὰ τούτου δὲ μισητοὺς ποιοῦσα, καὶ ἐναντίας εἰσάγουσα κακίας, ἀπόνοιάν τε ὁμοῦ καὶ κολακείαν. Ἀλλ' ἐὰν τὴν πλεονεξίαν τοῦ πάθους περικόψωμεν, καὶ ταπεινοὶ μετὰ ἀκριβείας, καὶ ὑψηλοὶ μετὰ ἀσφαλείας ἐσόμεθα. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐν τοῖς σώμασι τοῖς ἡμετέροις ἀπὸ πλεονεξίας αἱ δυσκρασίαι γίνονται· καὶ ὅτε τοὺς οἰκείους ὅρους ἀφέντα τὰ στοιχεῖα εἰς ἀμετρίαν ἐξέλθῃ, τότε αἱ μυρίαι νόσοι καὶ οἱ χαλεποὶ τίκτονται θάνατοι· ὅπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ψυχῆς συμβαῖνον ἴδοι τις ἄν. ζʹ. Περικόψωμεν τοίνυν τὴν ἀμετρίαν, καὶ τὸ σωτήριον τῆς συμμετρίας πίνοντες φάρμακον, μένωμεν ἐπὶ τῆς εὐκρασίας τῆς προσηκούσης, καὶ ταῖς εὐχαῖς μετὰ ἀκριβείας προσέχωμεν. Κἂν μὴ λάβωμεν, παραμείνωμεν, ἵνα λάβωμεν· κἂν λάβωμεν, ἐπειδὴ ἐλάβομεν.