John Chrysostom, On Matthew

the whole world being present will hear us, and there will be for us no hope of pardon remaining. For no one who has not put away his sins here, will be able, when he has departed there, to escape the reckoning for them; but just as those from these prisons are brought with their chains to the court, so all souls, when they depart from here, clad in the various chains of their sins, are led to the fearful judgment seat. For the present life is arranged no better than a prison; but just as when we enter that dwelling, we see all wearing chains; so also now, if we turn ourselves away from the outward show, and enter into each man's life, into each man's soul, we shall see it wearing bonds more cruel than iron; and especially if you should enter into the souls of the rich; for the more things they are clothed with, the more tightly they are bound. Just as, then, when you see a prisoner bound in irons on his back, and on his hands, and often also on his feet, for this reason you especially count him wretched; so also the rich man, when you see him surrounded by countless things, do not for this reason think him rich, but rather on account of these very things think him miserable; for with these bonds he also has a harsh jailer, the evil love of money; who does not permit him to go beyond this prison, but prepares for him countless fetters and guards and doors and bars, and casting him into the innermost ward, persuades him even to take pleasure in these bonds, so that he may not even find any hope of deliverance from the evils that beset him. And if you uncover his soul with your reason, you will see it not only bound, but also squalid and filthy and full of vermin. For the pleasures of luxury are no better than those things, but even more loathsome, and they ravage their body even more, along with the soul, and inflict on this and that countless plagues of diseases. On account of all these things, therefore, let us call upon the Redeemer of our souls, that he may both break our bonds, and take away this our harsh guard, and having freed us from the burden of those iron chains, may make our mind lighter than a wing. And calling upon him, let us also contribute what is from ourselves: diligence and purpose and good will. For so we shall be able in a short time both to be delivered from the evils that hold us, and to learn in what state we were before, and to lay hold of the fitting freedom; which may we all be counted worthy to obtain, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

57.223 HOMILY 15. And seeing the multitudes, Jesus went up into a mountain; and when he was seated, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying; ‘Blessed are the poor in

spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ 1. See his freedom from love of honor and from boasting. For he did not lead them about with him,

but when it was necessary to heal, he himself went about everywhere, visiting both cities and countries; but when a great crowd had gathered, he sits in one place; and not in a city and the middle of the marketplace, but on a mountain and in a deserted place, teaching us to do nothing for show, and to separate ourselves from the tumults in the midst, and especially when it is necessary to philosophize, and to discourse on necessary matters. And when he had gone up and sat down, his disciples came to him. Do you see their progress in virtue, and how they suddenly became better? For the many were spectators of the miracles; but these now desired to hear something great and lofty; which therefore brought him to the teaching, and caused him to begin these words. For not bodies

οἰκουμένης παρούσης ἡμῶν ἀκούσεται, καὶ οὐδεμία ἡμῖν ἔσται λοιπὸν συγγνώμης ἐλπίς. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ τῶν ἐνταῦθα μὴ διαλυσαμένων τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, ἀπελθὼν ἐκεῖ δυνήσεται τὰς ἐπὶ τούτοις εὐθύνας διαφυγεῖν· ἀλλ' ὥσπερ οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν δεσμωτηρίων τούτων μετὰ τῶν ἁλύσεων προσάγονται εἰς τὸ δικαστήριον, οὕτως αἱ ψυχαὶ πᾶσαι, ὅταν ἐντεῦθεν ἀπέλθωσι, τὰς ποικίλας περικείμενοι σειρὰς τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, ἐπὶ τὸ βῆμα ἄγονται τὸ φοβερόν. Καὶ γὰρ δεσμωτηρίου οὐδὲν ἄμεινον ὁ παρὼν βίος διάκειται· ἀλλ' ὥσπερ εἰς τὸ οἴκημα εἰσελθόντες ἐκεῖνο, πάντας ὁρῶμεν ἁλύσεις περικειμένους· οὕτω καὶ νῦν, ἂν τῆς φαντασίας τῆς ἔξωθεν ἑαυτοὺς ἀποστήσαντες, εἰς τὸ ἑκάστου βίον εἰσέλθωμεν, εἰς τὴν ἑκάστου ψυχὴν, ὀψόμεθα σιδήρου χαλεπώτερα δεσμὰ περικειμένην· καὶ μάλιστα ἂν εἰς τὰς τῶν πλουτούντων εἰσέλθῃς ψυχάς· ὅσῳ γὰρ ἂν πλείονα ὦσι περιβεβλημένοι, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλόν εἰσι δεδεμένοι. Ὥσπερ οὖν τὸν δεσμώτην ἐπειδὰν ἴδῃς καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ νώτου, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν χειρῶν, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ποδῶν σεσιδηρωμένον, διὰ τοῦτο μάλιστα ταλανίζεις· οὕτω καὶ τὸν πλούσιον, ὅταν θεάσῃ μυρία περιβεβλημένον πράγματα, μὴ διὰ ταῦτα πλούσιον, ἀλλὰ δι' αὐτὰ μὲν οὖν ταῦτα ἄθλιον εἶναι νόμιζε· μετὰ γὰρ τῶν δεσμῶν τούτων καὶ δεσμοφύλακα ἔχει χαλεπὸν, τὸν πονηρὸν ἔρωτα τῶν χρημάτων· ὃς οὐκ ἀφίησιν ὑπερβῆναι τοῦτο τὸ δεσμωτήριον, ἀλλὰ μυρίας αὐτῷ κατασκευάζει πέδας καὶ φύλακας καὶ θύρας καὶ μοχλοὺς, καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐνδοτέραν αὐτὸν ἐμβαλὼν φυλακὴν, πείθει καὶ ἥδεσθαι τοῖς δεσμοῖς τούτοις, ἵνα μηδὲ ἐλπίδα τινὰ ἀπαλλαγῆς εὕρῃ τῶν ἐπικειμένων κακῶν. Κἂν ἀποκαλύψῃς τῷ λογισμῷ τὴν ψυχὴν ἐκείνου, οὐ δεδεμένην μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐχμῶσαν καὶ ῥυπῶσαν καὶ φθειρῶν γέμουσαν ὄψει. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐκείνων ἀμείνους αἱ τῆς τρυφῆς ἡδοναὶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ βδελυρώτεραι, καὶ μᾶλλον τὸ σῶμα αὐτῶν λυμαίνονται μετὰ καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ τούτῳ κἀκείνῃ μυρίας ἐπιφέρουσι νοσημάτων πληγάς. ∆ιὰ δὴ ταῦτα πάντα τὸν Λυτρωτὴν τῶν ψυχῶν τῶν ἡμετέρων παρακαλέσωμεν, ἵνα καὶ τὰ δεσμὰ διαῤῥήξῃ, καὶ τὸν χαλεπὸν ἡμῶν τοῦτον ἀποστήσῃ φύλακα, καὶ τοῦ φορτίου τῶν σιδηρῶν ἐκείνων ἁλύσεων ἀπαλλάξας, πτεροῦ κουφότερον ἡμῖν ποιήσῃ τὸ φρόνημα. Παρακαλοῦντες δὲ αὐτὸν, καὶ τὰ παρ' ἑαυτῶν εἰσενέγκωμεν, σπουδὴν καὶ γνώμην καὶ προθυμίαν ἀγαθήν. Οὕτω γὰρ δυνησόμεθα καὶ ἐν βραχεῖ καιρῷ τῶν κατεχόντων ἡμᾶς ἀπαλλαγῆναι κακῶν, καὶ μαθεῖν ἐν οἷς ἧμεν τὸ πρότερον, καὶ τῆς προσηκούσης ἀντιλαβέσθαι ἐλευθερίας· ἧς γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

57.223 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΙΕʹ. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς ὄχλους, ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὄρος· καὶ καθίσαντος αὐτοῦ, προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ μα θηταὶ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, ἐδί δασκεν αὐτοὺς, λέγων· «Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ

πνεύματι, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.» αʹ. Ὅρα τὸ ἀφιλότιμον καὶ ἀκόμπαστον. Οὐ γὰρ περιῆγεν αὐτοὺς μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ,

ἀλλ' ὅτε μὲν θεραπεῦσαι ἔδει, αὐτὸς περιῄει πανταχοῦ, καὶ πόλεις καὶ χώρας ἐπισκοπούμενος· ὅτε δὲ πολὺς ὄχλος γέγονεν, ἐν ἑνὶ καθέζεται χωρίῳ· καὶ οὐκ ἐν πόλει καὶ ἀγορᾷ μέσῃ, ἀλλ' ἐν ὄρει καὶ ἐρημίᾳ, παιδεύων ἡμᾶς μηδὲν πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν ποιεῖν, καὶ τῶν ἐν μέσῳ θορύβων ἀπαλλάττεσθαι, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν φιλοσοφεῖν δέῃ, καὶ περὶ ἀναγκαίων διαλέγεσθαι πραγμάτων. Ἀναβάντος δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ καθίσαντος, προσῆλθον οἱ μαθηταί. Εἶδες αὐτῶν τὴν ἐπίδοσιν τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ πῶς ἀθρόον βελτίους ἐγένοντο; Οἱ μὲν γὰρ πολλοὶ, τῶν θαυμάτων ἦσαν θεαταί· οὗτοι δὲ καὶ ἀκοῦσαί τι λοιπὸν ἐπεθύμουν μέγα καὶ ὑψηλόν· ὅπερ οὖν αὐτὸν καὶ εἰς τὴν διδασκαλίαν ἐνέβαλε, καὶ τῶν λόγων ἄρξασθαι τούτων ἐποίησεν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ σώματα