78

faithful, composed, sober, being orderly, he will be amazed and will say: Truly great is the God of the Christians, what kind of men He has appointed, what He has made them out of what they were, He has wrought them into angels out of men. If someone insults them, they do not rail in return; if someone strikes them, they are not indignant; if someone wrongs them, they pray for the one who has grieved them; they have no enemy, they do not know how to bear a grudge, they know not how to talk nonsense, they have not learned to lie, they do not tolerate swearing falsely, or rather, not even swearing at all; but they would rather choose to have their tongue cut out than to utter any oath from their mouth. Let us grant them to say these things about us, and let us drive away the wicked habit of oaths, and let us give God as much honor as we do our more costly garments. For how is it not absurd, when we have a garment better than the rest, not to tolerate using it continually, but to drag about the name of God everywhere simply and at random? May we not, I beg and beseech, may we not so despise our salvation, but let us bring to completion the zeal which we have shown from the beginning concerning this commandment. For I too for this reason make my exhortation about oaths continuous, not because I have condemned you for sloth, but because I saw that the greater part has been accomplished by you, and I am eager and press on for the whole to be completed and to reach its end. So too do the spectators, they stir up all the more those who are near the prizes. Let us not then grow weary, for we stand near the entire achievement, and the difficulty was at the beginning. But now that the greater part of the habit has been cut away, and a little remains, there is no need of any labor, but we require a little observation and some brief exactness, so that having accomplished it ourselves we may also become teachers to others, and with confidence may see the holy Pascha, and with much pleasure may we reap double and triple the accustomed gladness. For it is not so much being freed from the toils and sweat of the fast that gladdens us, as to approach that sacred feast with achievement and a shining crown, a crown that never fades. So that the correction may happen more quickly, do what I say: Write upon the wall of your house, and upon the wall of your heart that flying sickle, and consider it to be flying upon the curse, and continuously reflect on it; and if you see another swearing, restrain him, prevent him, and take care of your servants. For if we aim not only to succeed ourselves, but also to bring others to this, we ourselves will quickly reach the end. For we who have undertaken to teach others, will blush and be ashamed to be found ourselves failing in those things which we command to others. There is no need for more words; for many things have been said before, and these have been said only for the sake of reminder. But God, who spares our souls more than we ourselves do, may he perfect us in this and in every good thing, so that, having fulfilled every fruit of righteousness, 49.111 we may be deemed worthy of the kingdom of heaven, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom 49.112 and with whom be glory to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, unto ages of ages. Amen.

49.111 Praise of those who after the meal have come to the

hearing; and a natural philosophy of the world; and against those who deify creation; and concerning not swearing. Homily 10.

1. I rejoice and rejoice with you all, because our exhortation, which on behalf of those not

fasting and for this reason being absent we made formerly, you have carried out into action. For I think many of those who have eaten breakfast are present today, and the

78

πιστὸν κατεσταλμένον, σωφρονοῦντα, κόσμιον ὄντα, ἐκπλαγήσεται καὶ ἐρεῖ· Ἀληθῶς μέγας ὁ τῶν Χριστιανῶν Θεὸς, οἵους κατέστησεν ἀνθρώπους, οἵους ἐξ οἵων ἐποίησεν, ἀγγέλους αὐτοὺς ἐξ ἀνθρώπων εἰργάσατο. Ἂν ὑβρίσῃ τις, οὐ λοιδοροῦνται· ἂν τυπτήσῃ τις, οὐκ ἀγανακτοῦσιν· ἂν ἀδικήσῃ τις, ὑπερεύχονται τοῦ λελυπηκότος· ἐχθρὸν οὐκ ἔχουσι, μνησικακεῖν οὐκ ἐπίστανται, φλυαρεῖν οὐκ ἴσασιν, οὐκ ἔμαθον ψεύδεσθαι, ἐπιορκεῖν οὐκ ἀνέχονται, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ὀμνύειν· ἀλλὰ τὴν γλῶτταν ἐκτμηθῆναι ἂν ἕλοιντο πρότερον, ἢ ὅρκον τινὰ ἀπὸ τοῦ στόματος προέσθαι. Ταῦτα δῶμεν αὐτοῖς περὶ ἡμῶν λέγειν, καὶ τὴν πονηρὰν τῶν ὅρκων συνήθειαν ἀπελάσωμεν, καὶ τοσαύτην δῶμεν τῷ Θεῷ τιμὴν, ὅσην τοῖς ἱματίοις ἡμῶν τοῖς πολυτελεστέροις. Πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἄτοπον ἱμάτιον μὲν ἔχοντας τῶν λοιπῶν βέλτιον μὴ ἀνέχεσθαι συνεχῶς αὐτῷ καταχρᾶσθαι, τὸ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὄνομα πανταχοῦ περισύρειν ἁπλῶς καὶ ὡς ἔτυχε; Μὴ, δέομαι καὶ ἀντιβολῶ, μὴ οὕτω καταφρονῶμεν ἡμῶν τῆς σωτηρίας ἀλλὰ τὴν σπουδὴν ἣν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐποιησάμεθα περὶ τὴν ἐντολὴν ταύτην, εἰς τέλος ἀγάγωμεν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ διὰ τοῦτο συνεχῆ ποιοῦμαι τὴν παράκλησιν τὴν περὶ τῶν ὅρκων, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ κατέγνων ὑμῶν ῥᾳθυμίαν, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τὸ πλέον κατορθωθὲν ὑμῖν εἶδον, καὶ σπεύδω καὶ ἐπείγομαι τὸ πᾶν ἀπαρτισθῆναι καὶ τέλος λαβεῖν. Οὕτω καὶ οἱ θεαταὶ ποιοῦσι, τοὺς ἐγγὺς ὄντας τῶν βραβείων διεγείρουσι μᾶλλον. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀποκάμωμεν μηδὲ ἡμεῖς, καὶ γὰρ ἐγγὺς ἑστήκαμεν τοῦ παντὸς κατορθώματος, καὶ ἡ δυσκολία παρὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἦν. Ὅτε δὲ τὸ πλέον τῆς συνηθείας ὑπετμήθη νῦν, καὶ μικρὸν ὑπολέλειπται λοιπὸν, οὐδὲ πόνου χρεία τινὸς, ἀλλὰ μικρᾶς παρατηρήσεως, καὶ βραχείας τινὸς ἀκριβείας δεόμεθα, ἵνα αὐτοὶ κατορθώσαντες καὶ ἑτέροις γενώμεθα διδάσκαλοι, καὶ μετὰ παῤῥησίας τὸ ἱερὸν ἴδωμεν Πάσχα, καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἡδονῆς διπλασίονα καὶ τριπλασίονα τῆς εἰωθυίας καρπωσώμεθα τὴν εὐφροσύνην. Οὐ γὰρ οὕτω τὸ τῶν πόνων ἡμᾶς ἀπαλλαγῆναι καὶ τῶν ἱδρώτων τῆς νηστείας εὐφραίνει, ὡς τὸ μετὰ κατορθώματος καὶ στεφάνου λαμπροῦ εἰς τὴν ἱερὰν ἐκείνην ἑορτὴν ἀπαντῆσαι, στεφάνου μηδέποτε μαραινομένου. Ὥστε δὲ ταχυτέραν γενέσθαι τὴν διόρθωσιν, τοῦτο ποίησον ὃ λέγω· Γράψον ἐπὶ τὸν τοῖχον τῆς οἰκίας σου, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν τοῖχον τῆς καρδίας σου τὴν δρεπάνην τὴν πετομένην ἐκείνην, καὶ ταύτην ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρᾶς πέτεσθαι νόμιζε, καὶ συνεχῶς αὐτὴν ἀναλογίζου· κἂν ἕτερον ὀμνύοντα ἴδῃς, ἐπίσχες, κώλυσον, καὶ τῶν οἰκετῶν ἐπιμελήθητι τῶν σῶν. Ἂν γὰρ τοῦτο σκοπήσωμεν, ὅπως μὴ μόνον αὐτοὶ κατορθώσαιμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέρους εἰς τοῦτο ἐναγάγοιμεν, ταχέως αὐτοὶ πρὸς τὸ πέρας ἥξομεν. Οἱ γὰρ ἑτέρους παιδεύειν καταδεξάμενοι, ἐρυθριάσομεν καὶ αἰσχυνούμεθα, ἃ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐπιτάττομεν, ταῦτα ἐλλιμπάνοντες αὐτοὶ φανῆναι. Οὐδὲ χρεία πλειόνων λόγων· πολλὰ γὰρ καὶ τὰ πρώην εἰρημένα, καὶ ταῦτα δὲ ὑπομνήσεως χάριν μόνης εἴρηται. Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς, ὁ μᾶλλον ἡμῶν τῶν ἡμετέρων φειδόμενος ψυχῶν, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ καὶ ἐν παντὶ καταρτίσειεν ἡμᾶς ἀγαθῷ, ἵνα πληρώσαντες πάντα καρπὸν δικαιοσύνης, 49.111 καταξιωθῶμεν τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι' οὗ 49.112 καὶ μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

49.111 Ἔπαινος τῶν μετὰ τὴν ἑστίασιν ἀπηντηκότων εἰς τὴν

ἀκρόασιν· καὶ φυσιολογία κόσμου· καὶ κατὰ τῶν θεοποιούντων τὴν κτίσιν· καὶ περὶ τοῦ μὴ ὀμνύειν. Ὁμιλία ιʹ.

αʹ. Χαίρω καὶ συγχαίρω πᾶσιν ὑμῖν, ὅτι τὴν παραίνεσιν ἡμῶν, ἣν ὑπὲρ τῶν μὴ

νηστευόντων καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀπολιμπανομένων ἐποιησάμεθα πρώην, εἰς ἔργον ὑμεῖς ἐξηνέγκατε. Καὶ γὰρ πολλοὺς οἶμαι τῶν ἠριστηκότων παρεῖναι τήμερον, καὶ τὸν