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third, but as time goes on, it remains a pleasure, but not so great; for it always ceases by custom, whatever it may be; but there it not only does not diminish, but even increases. Consider how great it is for a soul that has departed there to expect no longer an end to those good things, nor a change, but an increase, and a life that has no end, and a life free from all danger, from all despondency and care, full of cheerfulness and countless good things. For if we go out into a field where we see the tents of soldiers pitched from curtains, and spears and helmets and the bosses of shields shining, we are uplifted with wonder; and if we should happen to see the king running in the midst, or driving a horse with golden weapons, we think we have it all; what do you think, when 63.868 you see the eternal tents of the saints pitched in heaven? For they will receive you, he says, into their eternal tents; when you see each of them shining brighter than the rays of the sun, not from bronze and iron, but from that glory, whose flashes the human eye cannot see? And these things are about men. But what could one say of the thousands of angels, archangels, Cherubim, Seraphim, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, whose beauty is indescribable, surpassing all understanding? But for how long shall I not cease pursuing the unattainable? For eye has not seen, it says, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love him. Therefore, there is nothing more pitiful than those who fail, nor more blessed than those who succeed. Let us also be among the blessed, that we may attain the eternal good things in Christ Jesus our Lord; with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, honor, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY 42. That we ought not be disturbed seeing some

who are good suffer adversity, while the wicked are in abundance; and that one living in sin is no different than a stinking corpse.

Let no one, beloved, be disturbed seeing the wicked faring well; for it is not

here that the retribution is, neither for wickedness, nor for virtue; and if somewhere there is for both wickedness and virtue, it is not according to merit, but simply, as a taste of the judgment, so that those who disbelieve in the resurrection may at least be chastened by the things here. Therefore, when we see a wicked man growing rich, let us not be downcast; when we see a good man suffering evil, let us not be disturbed; for there are the crowns, there the punishments. And in another way, it is not possible for an evil man to be entirely evil, but it is possible for him to have some good things; nor for a good man to be entirely good, but to have some sins. Therefore, when the wicked man fares well, it is to the harm of his own head; for so that he may receive the recompense for those few good things here, and then be completely punished there, for this reason he receives it here. And that man is most blessed who is punished here, so that having put away all his sins, he may depart approved and pure and without accountability. And Paul, teaching us this, says: For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep; and again, I have delivered such a one to Satan. And the prophet says, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for her sins; and again David, Behold my enemies, for they are multiplied above the hairs of my head, and they have hated me with an unjust hatred; and, Forgive all my sins; and again another, Lord, give us peace; for you have rendered to us all things. But these things show the good receiving here the penalties for their sins; but where are the wicked, who receive their good things here, completely punished there? Listen to Abraham saying to the rich man: You have received your good things, and Lazarus his evil things.

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τρίτην, χρόνου δὲ προϊόντος, μένει μὲν ἐν ἡδονῇ, οὐ τοσαύτῃ δέ· λήγει γὰρ ὑπὸ τῆς συνηθείας ἀεὶ, οἵα ἂν ᾖ· ἐκεῖ δὲ οὐ μόνον οὐ μειοῦται, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπιδίδωσιν. Ἐννόησον ὅσον ἐστὶ ψυχὴν ἀπελθοῦσαν ἐκεῖ μηκέτι τέλος προσδοκᾷν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐκείνων, μηδὲ μεταβολὴν, ἀλλ' ἐπίδοσιν, καὶ ζωὴν τέλος οὐκ ἔχουσαν, καὶ ζωὴν παντὸς μὲν κινδύνου, πάσης δὲ ἀθυμίας καὶ φροντίδος ἀπηλλαγμένην, μεστὴν εὐθυμίας καὶ μυρίων ἀγαθῶν. Εἰ γὰρ εἰς πεδίον ἐξιόντες, ἔνθα σκηνὰς ὁρῶμεν στρατιωτῶν ἐκ παραπετασμάτων πηγνυμένας, καὶ δόρατα καὶ κράνη καὶ ὀμφαλοὺς ἀσπίδων λάμποντας, μετέωροι γινόμεθα τῷ θαύματι· εἰ δὲ καὶ τὸν βασιλέα συμβαίη μέσον ἰδεῖν τρέχοντα, ἢ καὶ ἵππον ἐλαύνοντα μετὰ ὅπλων χρυσῶν, τὸ πᾶν ἔχειν νομίζομεν· τί οἴει, ὅταν 63.868 τῶν ἁγίων ἴδῃς τὰς σκηνὰς τὰς αἰωνίους τῷ οὐρανῷ πεπηγυίας; ∆έξονται γὰρ ὑμᾶς, φησὶν, εἰς τὰς αἰωνίους αὐτῶν σκηνάς· ὅταν αὐτῶν ἕκαστον ὑπὲρ τὰς ἀκτῖνας τὰς ἡλιακὰς ἴδῃς ἀπολάμποντα, οὐκ ἀπὸ χαλκοῦ καὶ σιδήρου, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης ἐκείνης, ἧς τὰς μαρμαρυγὰς ἀνθρώπινος ὀφθαλμὸς οὐ δύναται ἰδεῖν; Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Τί δ' ἄν τις εἴποι τὰς χιλιάδας τῶν ἀγγέλων, τῶν ἀρχαγγέλων, τῶν Χερουβὶμ, τῶν Σεραφὶμ, τῶν Θρόνων, τῶν Κυριοτήτων, τῶν Ἀρχῶν, τῶν Ἐξουσιῶν, ὧν τὸ κάλλος ἀμήχανον, πάντα νοῦν ὑπερβαῖνον; Ἀλλὰ γὰρ μέχρι τίνος οὐ στήσομαι διώκων ἀκίχητα; Οὔτε γὰρ ὀφθαλμὸς εἶδε, φησὶν, οὔτε οὖς ἤκουσεν, οὔτε ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου ἀνέβη, ἃ ἡτοίμασεν ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν. Οὐκοῦν οὐδὲν οὔτε ἐλεεινότερον τῶν ἀποτυγχανόντων, οὔτε μακαριώτερον τῶν ἐπιτυγχανόντων. Γενώμεθα δὲ τῶν μακαρίων καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἵνα ἐπιτύχωμεν τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν· μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

ΛΟΓΟΣ ΜΒʹ. Περὶ τοῦ, ὅτι οὐ χρὴ θορυβεῖσθαι ὁρῶντας ἡμᾶς τοὺς μὲν

ἀγαθοὺς δυσπραγοῦντας, τοὺς δὲ πονηροὺς ἐν ἀφθονίᾳ τυγχάνοντας· καὶ ὅτι οὐδὲν διαφέρει ὀδωδότος νεκροῦ ὁ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις ζῶν.

Μηδεὶς ὁρῶν πονηροὺς εὐπραγοῦντας, ἀγαπητοὶ, θορυβείσθω· οὐκ ἔστι γὰρ

ἐνταῦθα ἡ ἀνταπόδοσις, οὔτε τῆς πονηρίας, οὔτε τῆς ἀρετῆς· εἰ δέ που γίνεται καὶ τῆς πονηρίας καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἀλλ' οὐχὶ κατ' ἀξίαν, ἀλλ' ἁπλῶς, ὡσανεὶ γεῦμα τῆς κρίσεως, ἵνα οἱ τῇ ἀναστάσει διαπιστοῦντες, κἂν τοῖς ἐνταῦθα σωφρονίζωνται. Ὅταν οὖν ἴδωμεν πονηρὸν πλουτοῦντα, μὴ καταπίπτωμεν· ὅταν ἴδωμεν ἀγαθὸν κακῶς πάσχοντα, μὴ θορυβώμεθα· ἐκεῖ γὰρ οἱ στέφανοι, ἐκεῖ αἱ κολάσεις. Καὶ ἄλλως δὲ, οὐκ ἔστιν οὔτε κακὸν πάντη εἶναι κακὸν, ἀλλ' ἔστι τινὰ ἔχειν αὐτὸν καὶ ἀγαθά· οὔτε ἀγαθὸν πάντη εἶναι ἀγαθὸν, ἀλλ' ἔχειν τινὰ καὶ ἁμαρτήματα. Ὅταν οὖν εὐπραγῇ ὁ πονηρὸς, ἐπὶ κακῷ τῆς αὐτοῦ κεφαλῆς· ἵνα γὰρ ἐκείνων τῶν ὀλίγων ἀγαθῶν τὴν ἀντίδοσιν ἐνταῦθα λαβὼν, ἐκεῖ λοιπὸν τέλεον κολάζηται, τούτου χάριν ἐνταῦθα ἀπολαμβάνει. Καὶ μακάριος ἐκεῖνος μάλιστά ἐστιν, ὁ ἐνταῦθα κολαζόμενος, ἵνα πάντα ἀποθέμενος τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, εὐδόκιμος καὶ καθαρὸς ἀπίῃ καὶ ἀνεύθυνος. Καὶ τοῦτο διδάσκων ὁ Παῦλος ἡμᾶς, φησί· ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἐν ὑμῖν πολλοὶ ἄῤῥωστοι καὶ ἀσθενεῖς, καὶ κοιμῶνται ἱκανοί· καὶ πάλιν, Παρέδωκα τὸν τοιοῦτον τῷ σατανᾷ. Καὶ ὁ προφήτης φησὶν, ὅτι Ἐδέξατο ἐκ χειρὸς Κυρίου διπλᾶ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα· καὶ πάλιν ὁ ∆αυῒδ, Ἴδε τοὺς ἐχθρούς μου, ὅτι ἐπληθύνθησαν ὑπὲρ τὰς τρίχας τῆς κεφαλῆς μου, καὶ μῖσος ἄδικον ἐμίσησάν με· καὶ, Ἄφες πάσας τὰς ἁμαρτίας μου· καὶ πάλιν ἕτερος, Κύριε, εἰρήνην δὸς ἡμῖν· πάντα γὰρ ἀπέδωκας ἡμῖν. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν δεικνύντος ἐστὶ τοὺς καλοὺς τὰς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων δίκας ἐνταῦθα ἀπολαμβάνοντας· ποῦ δὲ τὰ ἀγαθὰ πονηροὶ ἀπολαμβάνοντες ἐνταῦθα, ἐκεῖ τέλεον κολάζονται; Ἄκουε τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ λέγοντος πρὸς τὸν πλούσιον· Ἀπέλαβες τὰ ἀγαθά σου, καὶ Λάζαρος τὰ κακά.