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the consolation of words. For God rewards not only the one who feeds, but also the one who enters. For when you enter and rouse a trembling and fearful soul, consoling, helping, promising to defend, preparing it to be wise, you will receive no small reward from this as well. For while you are discoursing on such things outside, many, dissolved by much luxury, will even laugh; but those who are in misfortune, their minds being composed, will both attend to what is said with much gentleness, and will praise it, and will become better. Since, when Paul was speaking publicly, the Jews often derided him; but the prisoners listened with much quietness. For nothing so prepares the soul to be fit for philosophy as misfortune, and temptation, and affliction pressing upon it. Considering all these things, therefore, how many good things we shall work for those within, and for ourselves, by continually mingling with them, let us spend our time in the marketplace and our unseasonable occupations there, that we may both win them and gladden ourselves, and having caused God to be glorified, may obtain eternal good things, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom be glory to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.

59.335 HOMILY 61. Now the feast of the dedication was at Jerusalem, and it was winter.

was. And Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon’s portico. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him: “How long do you

keep us in suspense?”

1. All virtue is a good thing, but especially gentleness and meekness. This shows us to be men, this distinguishes us from the beasts, this prepares us to vie with the angels. For this reason Christ also continually expends many words on this virtue, commanding us to be meek and gentle. And He does not only expend words, but also teaches this through deeds; now being struck and bearing it, now being reviled and plotted against, and again standing by those who plot against him. For those who had called him demon-possessed, and a Samaritan, and had often wished to kill him, and had stoned him, these were the ones who, surrounding him, were asking, 59.336 Are you the Christ? And not even so did he reject them after so many and such plots, but he answered with much gentleness; but rather, it is necessary to examine the whole passage from the beginning. For it says, "the feast of the dedication was at Jerusalem, and it was winter." This was a great and public festival. For they celebrated with great earnestness the day on which the temple was rebuilt, when they returned from the long captivity in Persia. Christ was also present at this feast. For from then on he continually stayed in Judæa, since the passion was at the doors. So the Jews surrounded him and said, "How long do you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." And he did not say, What do you want with me? You have often called me demon-possessed and mad, and a Samaritan, and you have considered me to be an adversary of God and a deceiver; and formerly 59.337 you said, ‘You bear witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.’ How then do you question and wish to learn from me, whose testimony you reject? But he said none of these things, although he knew their intention in questioning him was wicked. For to surround him and say, "How long do you keep us in suspense?" seemed to be out of a certain longing and desire to learn; but the thought with which they asked was corrupt and treacherous. For since his works did not admit of slander and insult, they were able to assail his words,

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τῶν λόγων παράκλησιν. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ μόνον τὸν τρέφοντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν εἰσιόντα ὁ Θεὸς ἀμείβεται. Ὅταν γὰρ εἰσελθὼν τρέμουσαν καὶ δεδοικυῖαν τὴν ψυχὴν διαναστήσῃς, παρακαλῶν, βοηθῶν, ὑπισχνούμενος ἀμύνειν, φιλοσοφεῖν παρασκευάζων, οὐ μικρὸν καὶ ἐντεῦθεν λήψῃ τὸν μισθόν. Ἔξω μὲν γὰρ σοῦ τοιαῦτα διαλεγομένου, πολλοὶ καὶ γελάσονται ὑπὸ τῆς πολλῆς τρυφῆς διακεχυμένοι· οἱ δὲ ἐν συμφοραῖς ὄντες, κατεσταλμένης αὐτοῖς τῆς διανοίας, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἐπιεικείας καὶ προσέξουσι τοῖς λεγομένοις, καὶ ἐπαινέσονται, καὶ ἔσονται βελτίους. Ἐπεὶ καὶ Παύλου δημηγοροῦντος, Ἰουδαῖοι μὲν πολλάκις κατεγέλων· οἱ δὲ δεσμῶται μετὰ πολλῆς ἐπηκροῶντο τῆς ἡσυχίας. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως εἰς φιλοσοφίαν ἐπιτηδείαν κατασκευάζει τὴν ψυχὴν ὡς συμφορὰ, καὶ πειρασμὸς, καὶ θλίψις ἐπικειμένη. Ταῦτ' οὖν ἐννοήσαντες ἅπαντα, ὅσα μὲν τοὺς ἔνδον ἀγαθὰ, ὅσα δὲ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐργασόμεθα, συνεχῶς αὐτοῖς ἀναμιγνύμενοι, καὶ τὰς ἐν ἀγορᾷ διατριβὰς, καὶ τὰς ἀκαίρους ἀσχολίας ἐκεῖ καταναλώσωμεν, ἵνα κἀκείνους κερδάνωμεν, καὶ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς εὐφράνωμεν, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν δοξασθῆναι παρασκευάσαντες, τῶν αἰωνίων ἐπιτύχωμεν ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι' οὗ καὶ μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα σὺν τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

59.335 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΑʹ. Ἐγένετο δὲ τὰ ἐγκαίνια ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις, καὶ χειμὼν

ἦν. Καὶ περιεπάτει ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, ἐν τῇ στοᾷ Σολομῶντος. Ἐκύκλωσαν οὖν αὐ τὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, καὶ ἔλεγον αὐτῷ· «Ἕως πότε τὴν

ψυχὴν ἡμῶν αἴρεις;»

αʹ. Πᾶσα μὲν ἀρετὴ καλὸν, μάλιστα δὲ ἐπιείκεια καὶ πραότης. Τοῦτο ἀνθρώπους δείκνυσιν ἡμᾶς, τοῦτο τῶν θηρίων διίστησι, τοῦτο τοῖς ἀγγέλοις ἁμιλλᾶσθαι παρασκευάζει. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς συνεχῶς περὶ ταύτης πολλοὺς λόγους ἀναλίσκει τῆς ἀρετῆς, πράους εἶναι καὶ ἐπιεικεῖς κελεύων. Οὐ λόγους δὲ ἀναλίσκει μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ πραγμάτων τοῦτο παιδεύει· νῦν μὲν ῥαπιζόμενος καὶ φέρων, νῦν δὲ λοιδορούμενος καὶ ἐπιβουλευόμενος, καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐπιβουλεύουσι ἐφιστάμενος. Οἱ γὰρ καὶ δαιμονῶντα καλέσαντες, καὶ Σαμαρείτην, καὶ πολλάκις θελήσαντες ἀνελεῖν, καὶ λιθάσαντες, οὗτοι κυκλώσαντες αὐτὸν ἠρώτων, 59.336 Εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστός; Καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως αὐτοὺς διεκρούετο μετὰ τοσαύτας καὶ τοιαύτας ἐπιβουλὰς, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλῆς ἀπεκρίνατο τῆς ἐπιεικείας· μᾶλλον δὲ ἄνωθεν ἀναγκαῖον ἐξετάσαι τὸν λόγον ἅπαντα. Ἐγένετο γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰ ἐγκαίνια ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις, καὶ χειμὼν ἦν. Μεγάλη τις ἦν αὕτη ἡ ἑορτὴ καὶ δημοτελής. Τὴν γὰρ ἡμέραν καθ' ἣν ὁ ναὸς ᾠκοδομήθη, ἐπανελθόντων αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῆς μακρᾶς αἰχμαλωσίας, τῆς ἐν τῇ Περσίδι, ταύτην ἦγον μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς σπουδῆς. Ἐν ταύτῃ παρῆν καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς τῇ ἑορτῇ. Λοιπὸν γὰρ τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ συνεχῶς ἐπεχωρίαζεν, ἐπειδὴ τὸ πάθος ἦν ἐπὶ θύραις. Ἐκύκλωσαν οὖν αὐτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ ἔλεγον· Ἕως πότε τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν αἴρεις; Εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς, εἰπὲ ἡμῖν παῤῥησίᾳ. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπε, Τί ζητεῖτε πρός με; δαιμονῶντα ἐκαλέσατε πολλάκις καὶ μαινόμενον, καὶ Σαμαρείτην, καὶ ἀντίθεον εἶναι ἐνομίσατε καὶ πλάνον· καὶ πρώην 59.337 ἐλέγετε, Σὺ μαρτυρεῖς περὶ σεαυτοῦ· ἡ μαρτυρία σου οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθής· πῶς οὖν ἐξετάζετε καὶ παρ' ἐμοῦ βούλεσθε μαθεῖν, οὗ τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἐκβάλλετε; Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν τούτων εἶπε, καίτοι γε εἰδὼς τὴν γνώμην μεθ' ἧς ἐξήταζον πονηρὰν οὖσαν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ κυκλῶσαι αὐτὸν καὶ εἰπεῖν, Ἕως πότε τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν αἴρεις; ἐδόκει πόθου τινὸς εἶναι καὶ φιλομαθείας· ἡ δὲ διάνοια, μεθ' ἧς ἠρώτων, διεφθαρμένη τις ἦν καὶ ὕπουλος. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ τὰ μὲν ἔργα οὐκ ἀνεδέξαντο συκοφαντίαν τε καὶ ἐπήρειαν, τοῖς δὲ λόγοις ἐπισκήπτειν εἶχον,