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49.197 That the fast of Lent is not sufficient for being able to receive communion, but there is need first of virtue according to the soul; and how it is possible not to bear a grudge, and that God holds this law in high regard, and that bearing a grudge punishes those who are caught in it even before Gehenna; and concerning abstinence from oaths, and concerning those who have not succeeded in not

swearing. Homily 20. 1. The time of the fast is now hastening toward its end for us; therefore also

let us give ourselves over to greater virtue. For just as there is no benefit from many courses for those who run, if they miss out on the prizes; so too for us there will be no gain from the many toils and sweats concerning the fast, if we are not able to partake of the holy table with a pure conscience. For this reason there is a fast and a forty-day period, and assemblies for so many days, and hearings, and prayers, and teachings, so that in every way, having wiped clean by this diligence in the divine commandments the sins that have clung to us throughout the whole year, we might partake reverently with spiritual boldness of that bloodless sacrifice, since, if this is not so, we have undergone such great labor in vain and to no purpose and for no good. Let each one therefore consider within himself what fault he has corrected, what good deed he has acquired, what sin he has cast away, what stain he has washed off, in what respect he has become better. And if he finds some gain has come to him from the fast for this good trade, and perceives that he has taken great care of his wounds, let him approach; but if he has remained neglectful, having only a fast to show, but having accomplished nothing else, let him remain outside, and let him enter then, when he has cleansed away all his sins. Let no one rely on the fast alone, if he has remained uncorrected in his evils. For it is likely that one who does 49.198 not fast may even obtain pardon, by pleading bodily weakness; but for one who has not corrected his transgressions, it is impossible to obtain an excuse. You did not fast because of the weakness of the flesh; for what reason were you not reconciled to your enemies, tell me? Can you plead bodily weakness here also? Again, if you remain possessed by malice and envy, what defense will you have, tell me? For in these faults it is nowhere possible to take refuge in bodily weakness. And this was a work of the philanthropy of Christ, that the most important of the commandments and those which hold our life together are in no way hindered by the weakness of the body. Since, then, we have need of all the sacred laws equally, but most of all of the one commanding to have no enemy, nor to remain angry continually, but to be reconciled immediately, come, let us discourse to you today about this commandment. For just as it is impossible for the one who fornicates and the one who blasphemes to partake of the holy table, so it is impossible for the one who has an enemy and bears a grudge to enjoy holy communion; and very rightly so. For the one who has fornicated and committed adultery has both fulfilled his desire and put an end to the sin, and if, having become sober, he should wish to recover from the fall, showing great repentance afterward, he has some consolation; but the one who bears a grudge works the sin every day, and never completes it. There the transgression happened, and the sin was fulfilled; but here the sin is committed every day. What pardon, then, will we have, tell me, for willingly giving ourselves over to such a wicked beast? And how do you 49.199 wish the Master to be gentle and mild to you, when you yourself have become harsh and unforgiving to your fellow servant? But did your fellow servant insult you? You too insult God often. But where is the equality between a fellow servant and a master? And he indeed some things

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49.197 Ὅτι οὐκ ἀρκεῖ ἡ νηστεία τῆς Τεσσαρακοστῆς πρὸς τὸ δύνασθαι κοινωνεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ δεῖ τῆς κατὰ ψυχὴν ἀρετῆς πρώτης· καὶ πῶς δυνατὸν μὴ μνησικακεῖν, καὶ ὅτι πολὺς τῷ Θεῷ τοῦ νόμου τούτου λόγος, καὶ ὅτι πρὸ τῆς γεέννης τὸ μνησικακεῖν κολάζει τοὺς ἁλόντας· καὶ περὶ τῆς τῶν ὅρκων ἀποχῆς, καὶ περὶ τῶν μὴ κατωρθωκότων τὸ μὴ

ὀμνύειν. Ὁμιλία κʹ. αʹ. Πρὸς τὸ τέλος ἡμῖν τῆς νηστείας λοιπὸν ὁ καιρὸς ἐπείγεται· οὐκοῦν καὶ

ἡμεῖς πρὸς πλείονα ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιδῶμεν ἀρετήν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οὐδὲν ὄφελος τῶν πολλῶν διαύλων τοῖς τρέχουσιν, ἂν τῶν βραβείων ἐκπέσωσιν· οὕτως οὐδὲ ἡμῖν ἔσται τι κέρδος ἀπὸ τῶν πολλῶν πόνων καὶ ἱδρώτων τῶν περὶ τὴν νηστείαν, ἐὰν μὴ μετὰ καθαροῦ συνειδότος δυνηθῶμεν τῆς ἱερᾶς ἀπολαῦσαι τραπέζης. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο νηστεία καὶ τεσσαρακοστὴ, καὶ τοσούτων ἡμερῶν συνάξεις καὶ ἀκροάσεις καὶ εὐχαὶ καὶ διδασκαλίαι, ἵνα παντὶ τρόπῳ τὰ παρὰ πάντα τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν ἡμῖν ἁμαρτήματα προστριβέντα διὰ τῆς σπουδῆς ταύτης τῶν θεϊκῶν ἐνταλμάτων ἀποσμηξάμενοι, μετὰ παῤῥησίας πνευματικῆς μετάσχωμεν εὐλαβῶς τῆς ἀναιμάκτου ἐκείνης θυσίας, ὡς, ἂν μὴ τοῦτο ᾖ, μάτην καὶ εἰκῆ καὶ ἐπ' οὐδενὶ χρησίμῳ τὸν τοσοῦτον ὑπέστημεν πόνον. Ἕκαστος τοίνυν ἀναλογιζέσθω παρ' ἑαυτῷ, ποῖον ἐλάττωμα διώρθωσε, ποῖον κατόρθωμα προσεκτήσατο, ποίαν ἁμαρτίαν ἀπεβάλετο, ποίαν κηλῖδα ἀπενίψατο, κατὰ τί βελτίων ἐγένετο· κἂν μὲν εὕρῃ πλέον τι γενόμενον ἀπὸ τῆς νηστείας ἑαυτῷ πρὸς τὴν καλὴν ταύτην ἐμπορίαν, καὶ συνίδῃ πολλὴν ἑαυτῷ πεποιημένῳ τῶν τραυμάτων τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν, προσερχέσθω· εἰ δὲ ἠμελημένος ἔμεινε, νηστείαν μόνον ἔχων ἐπιδείξασθαι, τῶν δὲ ἄλλων οὐδὲν κατωρθωκὼς, ἔξω μενέτω, καὶ τότε εἰσίτω, ὅταν ἅπαντα ἐκκαθάρῃ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα. Μηδεὶς μόνῃ τῇ νηστείᾳ ἐπιστηριζέσθω, ἐὰν τοῖς κακοῖς ἔμεινεν ἀδιόρθωτος. Τὸν μὲν γὰρ μὴ 49.198 νηστεύοντα εἰκὸς καὶ συγγνώμης τυχεῖν, σώματος ἀσθένειαν προβαλλόμενον· τὸν δὲ μὴ διορθώσαντα ἑαυτοῦ τὰ πλημμελήματα, ἀμήχανον ἀπολογίας τυχεῖν. Οὐκ ἐνήστευσας διὰ τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς ἀσθένειαν· τοῖς ἐχθροῖς σου τίνος ἕνεκεν οὐ κατηλλάγης, εἰπέ μοι; Μὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἀσθένειαν σώματος προβαλέσθαι ἔχεις; Πάλιν ἂν βασκανίαν καὶ φθόνον μένῃς ἔχων, ποίαν ἕξεις ἀπολογίαν, εἰπέ μοι; Οὐδαμοῦ γὰρ ἐν τούτοις τοῖς ἐλαττώμασιν ἐπὶ σώματος ἀσθένειαν ἔστι καταφυγεῖν. Καὶ τοῦτο τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ φιλανθρωπίας ἔργον ἐγένετο, τὸ τὰς κυριωτάτας τῶν ἐντολῶν καὶ συνεχούσας ἡμῶν τὴν ζωὴν μηδὲν ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ σώματος ἀσθενείας παραβλάπτεσθαι. Ἐπεὶ οὖν πάντων μὲν ὁμοίως δεόμεθα τῶν ἱερῶν νόμων, μάλιστα δὲ πάντων τοῦ κελεύοντος μηδένα ἔχειν ἐχθρὸν, μηδὲ μένειν ὀργιζόμενον διηνεκῶς, ἀλλὰ καταλλάττεσθαι εὐθέως, φέρε περὶ ταύτης ὑμῖν διαλεχθῶμεν σήμερον τῆς ἐντολῆς. Ὡς γὰρ τὸν πορνεύοντα καὶ τὸν βλασφημοῦντα ἀμήχανον μετασχεῖν τῆς ἱερᾶς τραπέζης· οὕτω τὸν ἐχθρὸν ἔχοντα καὶ μνησικακοῦντα, ἀδύνατον ἀπολαῦσαι κοινωνίας ἁγίας· καὶ μάλα εἰκότως. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πορνεύσας καὶ μοιχεύσας ὁμοῦ τε ἐπλήρωσε τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν, καὶ τέλος ἔδωκε τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, κἂν θελήσῃ νήψας ἀνενεγκεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ πτώματος πολλὴν μετὰ ταῦτα ἐπιδειξάμενος τὴν μετάνοιαν, ἔχει τινὰ παραμυθίαν· ὁ δὲ μνησικακῶν καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἐργάζεται τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ οὐδέποτε αὐτὴν ἀπαρτίζει. Ἐκεῖ γέγονε τὸ πλημμέλημα, καὶ ἐπληρώθη ἡ ἁμαρτία· ἐνταῦθα δὲ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν τολμᾶται ἡ ἁμαρτία· τίνα οὖν ἕξομεν, εἰπέ μοι, συγγνώμην τοιούτῳ πονηρῷ θηρίῳ παραδιδόντες ἑαυτοὺς ἑκόντες; Πῶς δὲ βού 49.199 λει τὸν ∆εσπότην ἥμερόν σοι γενέσθαι καὶ πρᾶον, τῷ συνδούλῳ γενόμενος αὐτὸς χαλεπὸς καὶ ἀσύγγνωστος; Ἀλλ' ὕβρισέ σε ὁ σύνδουλος; καὶ σὺ τὸν Θεὸν ὑβρίζεις πολλάκις. Ποῦ δὲ ἴσον σύνδουλος καὶ δεσπότης; Καὶ αὐτὸς μὲν ἔνια