114

Perhaps we will say again, so that you also may be more highly approved, and we may rejoice in you, in all things glorifying the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory, and the power, and the majesty, and the honor, with the eternal Father, and His Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

60.157.30 HOMILY 20. Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias, and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said to him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prays. And has seen in a vision a man named Ananias,

coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. a. Why then did He neither call, nor

send any of the chief Apostles for the instruction of Paul? Because it was not right that he should be brought in by men, but by Christ Himself; for indeed this man taught him nothing, but only baptized him. At any rate, as soon as he was baptized he drew upon himself much grace of the Spirit from his great zeal and earnestness. And that Ananias also was one of the very distinguished, is clear from the fact that He appears and speaks to him, and from the way he in turn answers, saying: Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how much evil he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. If then he contradicted the Lord, much more if He had sent an angel. For this reason, neither before this does Philip hear what is to happen, but only sees the angel; and so the Spirit bids him to go near, and join himself to the chariot. For the present, however, here He cuts short his fear, and as good as says this by saying, ‘Behold, he prays, he is blind, and are you afraid?’ So also Moses is afraid; so that the words are more those of one afraid, not of one disbelieving. And hear their words: ‘Lord, I have heard from many of this man.’ What do you say? God speaks, and you doubt? So 60.158 they did not yet know the power of Christ. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon Your name. Whence is this clear? It was likely that being in fear they would be inquisitive. He says these things, therefore, not as if Christ did not know, but as one at a loss, that these things being so, how it is possible for these things to happen. So also elsewhere the disciples say, ‘Who can be saved?’ But see how many things are arranged, that he might believe the one who comes. He saw in a dream, He foretold to him, ‘He is praying,’ He says; ‘therefore, do not be afraid.’ And why does He not tell him the good deed that has been done? Teaching us not to speak of our good deeds; or rather, even seeing him afraid. Neither did He say, ‘You will not be disbelieved,’ but what? ‘Arise, go.’ ‘For he has seen in a vision a man putting his hands on him.’ For this reason in a vision, because he was blind. And not even the greatness of the miracle convinced the disciple; so afraid was he. Nevertheless, through him God made Paul, being blind, to see. But the Lord said to him, ‘Go your way, for he is a chosen vessel to Me, to bear My name before Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name's sake.’ Not only will he be a believer, He says, but also a teacher, and will use great boldness. Before Gentiles and kings. Thus the teaching, He says, will advance, so as to prevail over all Gentiles and kings. And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord has sent me (Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came), that you might receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ He immediately makes him his own by the name.

114

ἴσως πάλιν ἐροῦμεν, ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐπὶ πλέον εὐδοκιμῆτε, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐφ' ὑμῖν εὐφραινώμεθα, ἐπὶ πᾶσι δοξάζοντες τὸν Θεὸν καὶ Πατέρα τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· ᾧ ἡ δόξα, καὶ τὸ κράτος, καὶ ἡ μεγαλωσύνη, καὶ ἡ τιμὴ, σὺν τῷ ἀνάρχῳ Πατρὶ, καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

60.157.30 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Κʹ. Ἦν δέ τις μαθητὴς ἐν ∆αμασκῷ ὀνόματι Ἀνανίας, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Κύριος ἐν ὁράματι· Ἀνανία. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ, Κύριε. Ὁ δὲ Κύριος πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶπεν· Ἀναστὰς πορεύθητι ἐπὶ τὴν ῥύμην τὴν καλουμένην Εὐθεῖαν, καὶ ζήτησον ἐν οἰκίᾳ Ἰούδα, Σαῦλον ὀνόματι, Ταρ σέα· ἰδοὺ γὰρ προσεύχεται. Καὶ εἶδεν ἐν ὁρά ματι ἄνδρα Ἀνανίαν,

εἰσελθόντα καὶ ἐπιθέντα αὐτῷ χεῖρα, ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃ. αʹ. Τί δήποτε οὐδένα τῶν κορυφαίων ἀποστόλων οὔτε ἐκάλεσεν, οὔτε

ἀπέστειλε πρὸς τὴν τοῦ Παύλου κατήχησιν; Ὅτι οὐκ ἐχρῆν δι' ἀνθρώπων ἐνάγεσθαι, ἀλλὰ δι' αὐτοῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ· ἐπεὶ καὶ οὗτος ἐδίδαξε μὲν αὐτὸν οὐδὲν, ἐβάπτισε δὲ μόνον. Ἅμα γοῦν τῷ βαπτισθῆναι ἐπεσπάσατο πολλὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος τὴν χάριν ἀπὸ τοῦ ζήλου καὶ τῆς προθυμίας τῆς πολλῆς. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἀνανίας τῶν σφόδρα ἐπισήμων ἦν, δῆλον ἐξ ὧν ἐμφανίζεται καὶ λέγει πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐξ ὧν πάλιν αὐτὸς ἀποκρίνεται, λέγων· Κύριε, ἀκήκοα ἀπὸ πολλῶν περὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τούτου, ὅσα κακὰ ἐποίησε τοῖς ἁγίοις σου ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ. Εἰ τοίνυν πρὸς Κύριον ἀντεῖπε, πολλῷ μᾶλλον, εἰ ἄγγελον ἔπεμψε. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ πρὸ τούτου Φίλιππος ἀκούει τὸ ἐσόμενον, ἀλλὰ μόνον ὁρᾷ τὸν ἄγγελον· καὶ οὕτω τὸ Πνεῦμα προστάττει προσελθεῖν, καὶ κολληθῆναι τῷ ἅρματι. Τέως δὲ ἐνταῦθα τὸν φόβον αὐτοῦ ὑποτέμνεται, καὶ μονονουχὶ τοῦτό φησι τῷ εἰπεῖν· Ἰδοὺ προσεύχεται, τυφλός ἐστι, καὶ σὺ δέδοικας; Οὕτω καὶ Μωϋσῆς φοβεῖται· ὥστε τὰ ῥήματα φοβουμένου μᾶλλόν ἐστιν, οὐκ ἀπιστοῦντος. Καὶ ἄκουε τῶν ῥημάτων αὐτῶν· Κύριε, ἀκήκοα ἀπὸ πολλῶν περὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τούτου. Τί λέγεις; ὁ Θεὸς λέγει, καὶ σὺ ἀμφιβάλλεις; Οὕτως 60.158 οὔπω ᾔδεσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Καὶ ὧδε ἔχει ἐξουσίαν παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων δῆσαι πάντας τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους τὸ ὄνομά σου. Πόθεν τοῦτο δῆλον; Εἰκὸς ἦν αὐτοὺς ἐν φόβῳ ὄντας περιεργάζεσθαι. Οὐχ ὡς οὐκ εἰδότος οὖν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ταῦτα λέγει, ἀλλ' ἀποροῦντος, ὅτι τούτων ὄντων, πῶς δυνατὸν ταῦτα γενέσθαι. Οὕτω καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ οἱ μαθηταὶ λέγουσι· Τίς δύναται σωθῆναι; Ἀλλ' ὅρα πόσα οἰκονομεῖται, ἵνα πιστεύσῃ τῷ ἐρχομένῳ. Ἐν ὀνείρῳ εἶδε, προεμήνυσεν αὐτῷ, Προσεύχεται, φησίν· οὐκοῦν μὴ φοβοῦ. Καὶ διὰ τί οὐ λέγει αὐτῷ τὸ κατόρθωμα τὸ γενόμενον; Παιδεύων ἡμᾶς μὴ λέγειν ἡμῶν τὰ κατορθώματα· μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ φοβούμενον ἰδών. Οὐδὲ οὕτως εἶπεν, Οὐκ ἀπιστηθήσῃ, ἀλλὰ τί; Ἀναστὰς πορεύθητι. Οἶδε γὰρ ἐν ὁράματι ἄνδρα ἐπιθέντα αὐτῷ χεῖρας. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἐν ὁράματι, ἐπειδὴ πηρὸς ἦν. Καὶ οὐδὲ τοῦ θαύματος ἡ ὑπερβολὴ εἷλε τὸν μαθητήν· οὕτως ἐφοβεῖτο. Ὅμως δι' αὐτοῦ Παῦλον τυφλὸν ὄντα ἀναβλέψαι ὁ Θεὸς ἐποίησεν. Εἶπε δὲ ὁ Κύριος πρὸς αὐτόν· Πορεύου, ὅτι σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς μοί ἐστιν οὗτος, τοῦ βαστάσαι τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐνώπιον ἐθνῶν καὶ βασιλέων, υἱῶν τε Ἰσραήλ. Ἐγὼ γὰρ ὑποδείξω αὐτῷ, ὅσα δεῖ αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματός μου παθεῖν. Οὐ μόνον πιστὸς ἔσται, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ διδάσκαλος, καὶ πολλῇ χρήσεται τῇ παῤῥησίᾳ. Ἐνώπιον ἐθνῶν καὶ βασιλέων. Οὕτως ἐπιδώσει ἡ διδασκαλία, φησὶ, ὡς καὶ ἐθνῶν καὶ βασιλέων ἁπάντων κρατῆσαι. Ἀπῆλθε δὲ Ἀνανίας καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, καὶ ἐπιθεὶς ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὰς χεῖρας εἶπε· Σαοὺλ ἀδελφὲ, ὁ Κύριος ἀπέσταλκέ με (Ἰησοῦς ὁ ὀφθείς σοι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, ᾗ ἤρχου), ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃς καὶ πλησθῇς Πνεύματος ἁγίου. Εὐθέως αὐτὸν οἰκειοῦται τῷ ὀνόματι.