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you push away, like those who are mad and raving, and cast yourself out from the life to come, when you ought to do everything to attain it? For if the present life is so desirable, what might one say about that one, from which pain and grief and groaning have fled? There it is not possible to fear death, nor to suspect an end to those good things. Blessed and thrice-blessed and many times so, are those who enjoy that blessed portion; just as wretched and thrice-wretched and ten thousand times so, are those who cast themselves out from that blessedness. And what is it, he says, that makes us enjoy that life? Hear the Judge himself, conversing with a certain young man about these things. For when that man asked, What shall I do to inherit eternal 59.228 life? Christ, after telling him the other commandments, concluded with the love of neighbor. And perhaps one of the hearers will say, like that rich man, that "We too have kept these things; for we have not stolen, we have not murdered, we have not committed adultery." But surely you will not also be able to say this, that you have loved your neighbor as you ought to love him. For either someone was envious, or spoke evil, or did not defend one who was wronged, or did not share his possessions, nor did he love. But now Christ has commanded not only this, but another thing as well. What then is this? "Sell your possessions," he says, "and give to the poor, and come, follow me"; calling the imitation through works, following. What then do we learn from this? First, that it is not possible for the one who does not have all these things to attain the first honors in that portion. For after he said, "I have done all things," as if something great were lacking for perfect approval, He says: "If you want to be perfect, sell your possessions, and give to the poor, and come, follow Me." So this is the first thing to learn; and the second, that He also convicted that man of boasting in vain. For one living in so much abundance, and overlooking others in poverty, how could he have loved his neighbor? Therefore he did not even say that truthfully. But let us do both that and these things, and let us be eager to empty our possessions, and to purchase heaven. For if for the sake of a worldly dignity someone has often given his whole substance, a dignity destined to remain here, not even remaining for a long time (for many have been stripped of this office long before their end, while others for its sake have been penalized and often even life itself; but nevertheless, knowing these things, they empty everything for its sake); if then for this they do so much, for that which abides, and cannot be taken away, what could be more wretched than us, not giving up even a few things, nor providing those things which a little later, being here, we will leave behind? Of what madness, then, would this not be, the things which are taken from us unwillingly, not to be willing to give these things willingly and take them with us? But if someone were being led to death, and then it were proposed to be released by giving up all his possessions, we would have considered the matter a favor; but now, when it is possible, while being led on the road to Gehenna, to be set free by giving half, we choose both to be punished and to hold on in vain to what is not ours, so as to give up what is ours. What defense, then, shall we have? what pardon, when so easy a road to life has been cut for us, while we are carried down cliffs, and walk the fruitless path, and deprive ourselves of all things both here and there, when it is possible to enjoy both with security? But if not before, let us at least now recover ourselves, and coming to our senses, let us dispose of our present things as is needful, so that we may also receive the things to come with ease, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen. 59.227 HOMILY 40. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. 59.228 There is another who bears witness of me, and I know that his witness is true. 1. If someone should attempt to dig up a land containing metals, 59.229 being inexperienced in this art, he will not produce gold, but by simply confounding everything together, toil

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ὠθεῖς, ὡς οἱ μαινόμενοι καὶ παραπαίοντες, καὶ τῆς μελλούσης σεαυτὸν ἐκβάλλεις ζωῆς, δέον πάντα πράττειν, ὥστε αὐτῆς ἐπιτυχεῖν; Εἰ γὰρ ἡ παροῦσα οὕτω ποθεινὴ, τί ἂν εἴποι τις περὶ ἐκείνης, ἔνθα ἀπέδρα ὀδύνη καὶ λύπη καὶ στεναγμός; Ἐκεῖ δεῖσαι θάνατον οὐκ ἔστιν, οὐδὲ πέρας ἐκείνων ὑποπτεῦσαι τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Μακάριοι καὶ τρισμακάριοι καὶ πολλάκις τοῦτο, οἱ τῆς μακαρίας ἐκείνης ἀπολαύοντες λήξεως· ὥσπερ οὖν ἄθλιοι καὶ τρισάθλιοι καὶ μυριάκις τοῦτο, οἱ τῆς μακαριότητος ἐκείνης ἑαυτοὺς ἐκβάλλοντες. Καὶ τί ποτέ ἐστι, φησὶ, τὸ ποιοῦν ἡμᾶς ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς ζωῆς ἐκείνης; Ἄκουσον αὐτοῦ τοῦ δικάζοντος, νεανίσκῳ τινὶ διαλεγομένου περὶ τούτων. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἠρώτησεν ἐκεῖνος, Τί ποιήσας ζωὴν 59.228 αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω; εἰπὼν ὁ Χριστὸς αὐτῷ τὰς ἄλλας ἐντολὰς, κατέληξεν εἰς τὴν τοῦ πλησίον ἀγάπην. Καὶ τάχα ἐρεῖ τις τῶν ἀκουόντων, κατὰ τὸν πλούσιον ἐκεῖνον, ὅτι Καὶ ἡμεῖς ταῦτα ἐφυλαξάμεθα· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκλέψαμεν, οὐκ ἐφονεύσαμεν, οὐκ ἐμοιχεύσαμεν. Ἀλλ' οὐ δήπου καὶ τοῦτο εἰπεῖν δυνήσῃ, ὅτι ἠγάπησας τὸν πλησίον, ὡς ἀγαπῆσαι ἔδει. Ἢ γὰρ ἐβάσκηνέ τις, ἢ ἐκακηγόρησεν, ἢ οὐκ ἤμυνεν ἀδικουμένῳ, ἢ οὐ μετέδωκε τῶν ὄντων, οὐδ' ἠγάπησε. Νῦν δὲ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον ἐπέταξεν ὁ Χριστὸς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτερον. Ποῖον δὴ τοῦτο; Πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα, φησὶ, καὶ δὸς πτωχοῖς, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι· τὴν διὰ τῶν ἔργων μίμησιν λέγων ἀκολούθησιν. Τί τοίνυν ἐντεῦθεν μανθάνομεν; Πρῶτον μὲν, ὅτι τὸν μὴ πάντα ἔχοντα ταῦτα οὐκ ἔνι τῶν πρωτείων ἐπιτυχεῖν τῶν ἐν τῇ λήξει ἐκείνῃ. Μετὰ γὰρ τὸ εἰπεῖν αὐτὸν, ὅτι Πάντα ἐποίησα, ὡς καταλελειμμένου μεγάλου τινὸς εἰς τελείαν εὐδοκίμησιν, λέγει· Εἰ θέλεις τέλειος εἶναι, πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα, καὶ δὸς πτωχοῖς, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι. Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν τοῦτο ἔστι μαθεῖν· δεύτερον δὲ, ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον διήλεγξεν εἰκῆ κομπάζοντα. Ὁ γὰρ ἐν περιουσίᾳ τοσαύτῃ ζῶν, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους περιορῶν ἐν πενίᾳ, πῶς ἂν τὸν πλησίον ἠγάπησεν; Οὐ τοίνυν οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνο ἀληθῶς εἶπεν. Ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς κἀκεῖνο καὶ ταῦτα ποιῶμεν, καὶ σπουδάζωμεν τὰ ὄντα κενῶσαι, καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν πρίασθαι. Εἰ γὰρ ὑπὲρ ἀξιώματός τις βιωτικοῦ ὅλην πολλάκις τὴν οὐσίαν ἐπέδωκεν, ἀξιώματος τοῦ μέλλοντος ἐνταῦθα μένειν. οὐδὲ πολὺν παραμένοντος χρόνον (πολλοὶ γὰρ καὶ πρὸ πολλοῦ τῆς τελευτῆς ταύτην ἀπεδύσαντο τὴν ἀρχὴν, ἕτεροι δὲ διὰ ταύτην ἐζημιώθησαν καὶ τὴν ζωὴν αὐτὴν πολλάκις· ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ ταῦτα εἰδότες, πάντα κενοῦσιν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς)· εἰ τοίνυν ὑπὲρ ταύτης τοσαῦτα ποιοῦσιν, ὑπὲρ τῆς μενούσης ἐκείνης, καὶ ἀναφαιρέτου, τί γένοιτ' ἂν ἡμῶν ἀθλιώτερον, μηδὲ ὀλίγα προϊεμένων, μηδὲ ταῦτα παρεχόντων ἃ καὶ μικρὸν ὕστερον ὄντες ἐνταῦθα ἀφήσομεν; Ποίας οὖν ταῦτα οὐκ ἂν εἴη μανίας, ἅπερ ἄκοντες ἀφαιρούμεθα, ταῦτα παρὸν ἑκόντας δοῦναι καὶ μεθ' ἑαυτῶν λαβεῖν μὴ βουληθῆναι; Ἀλλ' εἰ μὲν ἐπὶ θάνατόν τις ἤγετο, εἶτα προὔκειτο πάντα τὰ ὄντα προέμενον ἀπαλλαγῆναι, καὶ χάριν ἂν τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐνομίσαμεν· νῦν δὲ παρὸν τὴν ἐπὶ γέενναν ἀγομένους ὁδὸν, τὰ ἡμίση δόντας ἐλευθερωθῆναι, αἱρούμεθα καὶ κολάζεσθαι καὶ κατέχειν εἰκῆ τὰ μὴ ἡμέτερα, ὥστε τὰ ἡμέτερα προέσθαι. Τίνα οὖν ἕξομεν ἀπολογίαν; ποίαν συγγνώμην, οὕτως εὐκόλου τετμημένης ἡμῖν ὁδοῦ πρὸς ζωὴν, κατὰ κρημνῶν φερόμενοι, καὶ τὴν ἄκαρπον βαδίζοντες ὁδὸν, καὶ τῶν ἐνταῦθα καὶ τῶν ἐκεῖ πάντων ἑαυτοὺς ἀποστεροῦντες, παρὸν ἀμφότερα καρπώσασθαι μετὰ ἀδείας; Ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ μὴ πρότερον, κἂν νῦν γοῦν ἀνενέγκωμεν, καὶ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν γενόμενοι τὰ παρόντα διαθῶμεν εἰς δέον, ἵνα καὶ τὰ μέλλοντα μετ' εὐκολίας λάβωμεν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα, ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. 59.227 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Μʹ. Ἐὰν ἐγὼ μαρτυρῶ περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ, ἡ μαρτυρία μου οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθής. Ἄλλος ἐστὶν ὁ μαρτυ 59.228 ρῶν περὶ ἐμοῦ, καὶ οἶδα ὅτι ἀληθής ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία αὐτοῦ. αʹ. Εἴ τις χώραν μεταλλικὴν ἀνορύττειν ἐπιχειροίη, 59.229 τῆς τέχνης ταύτης ἄπειρος ὢν, χρυσίον μὲν οὐκ ἐργάσεται, πάντα δὲ ἁπλῶς καὶ ὁμοῦ συγχέων, πόνον