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Honor him, by doing alms, good deeds, services. What is the benefit of many lamentations? But I have heard another grievous thing: that many women even attract lovers through their wailing, creating for themselves a reputation for fondness of men by the heat of their beatings. O diabolical device! O satanic invention! How long shall we be earth and ashes, how long blood and flesh? Let us look up to the heavens, let us take thought of spiritual things. How shall we be able to rebuke the Greeks? How shall we comfort them, doing such things? How shall we discourse to them about the resurrection? How about the rest of philosophy? How shall we ourselves live with security? Do you not know that from grief comes death? For by darkening the discernment of the soul, it not only allows it to see none of the things it ought, but also works great harm. In that way, then, we both offend God, and benefit neither ourselves nor the one who has departed; but in this way we both please God and are well-reputed among men. For if we do not ourselves collapse, it quickly removes the remnant of despondency; but if we are vexed, it allows us to be given over to grief. If we give thanks, we shall not be despondent. And how, he says, can one who has lost a son or daughter or wife not be grieved? I do not say, not to be grieved, but not to do this immoderately. For if we consider that God has taken him, that we had a mortal husband and son, we shall quickly receive comfort. For to be vexed is the mark of those who seek something greater than nature. You were born a man, and mortal; why then do you grieve, that what is according to nature has happened? Do you not grieve that you are nourished by eating? Do you not seek to live without this? So do also in the case of death, and do not yet seek immortality, having been born mortal. This has been decreed once for all. Therefore do not grieve, nor beat yourself, but accept what has been legislated in common for all; but grieve over your sins. For this is a good mourning, this is the greatest philosophy. Therefore let us mourn this continually, that we may attain to the joy there, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

59.349 HOMILY 62. Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met him. Now the Jews who were

with her, and what follows. 1. A great good is philosophy; and by philosophy I mean ours. For the things of the

outsiders are only words and fables; and not even the fables themselves have anything philosophical. For all things with them are done for the sake of glory. A great good, therefore, is philosophy, and it gives us its rewards from here. For he who despises money, already from here reaps the benefit, being freed from superfluous and unprofitable cares; and he who tramples on glory, already from here receives his reward, being a slave to no one, but free with true freedom. He who desires heavenly things, from here receives the recompense, considering present things to be nothing, and easily mastering all grief. Behold, at any rate, this woman too, by being a philosopher, received her reward from here. For while all were sitting by her as she mourned and beat herself, she did not wait for the Teacher to come to her, nor did she maintain her dignity, nor was she overcome by grief. For besides their other misery, mourning women have this ailment too, that they wish to make a display in the presence of those who are there. But she suffered none of these things, but as soon as she heard, she comes quickly to him. But Jesus had not yet come into the town. For he walked more slowly, so that he might not seem to be thrusting himself upon the miracle, but to be requested by them. Or it was this at least that the Evangelist wished to hint at by the phrase, She rises quickly,

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τίμησον, ἐλεημοσύνας ποιῶν, εὐεργεσίας, λειτουργίας. Τί τὸ ὄφελος ἀπὸ τῶν πολλῶν ὀδυρμῶν; Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ ἕτερον ἤκουσα χαλεπόν· ὅτι δὴ πολλαὶ καὶ ἐραστὰς ἐπισπῶνται διὰ τῶν θρήνων, τῇ θερμότητι τῶν κοπετῶν φιλανδρίας δόξαν ἑαυταῖς κατασκευάζουσαι. Ὢ διαβολικῆς ἐπινοίας! ὢ σατανικῆς ἐφευρέσεως! μέχρι πότε γῆ καὶ σποδὸς ἡμεῖς, μέχρι πότε αἷμα καὶ σάρκες; Ἀναβλέψωμεν εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, λάβωμεν ἔννοιαν τῶν πνευματικῶν. Πῶς Ἕλλησιν ἐπιτιμῆσαι δυνησόμεθα; πῶς παραμυθήσασθαι τοιαῦτα ποιοῦντες; πῶς αὐτοῖς περὶ ἀναστάσεως διαλεξόμεθα; πῶς περὶ τῆς ἄλλης φιλοσοφίας; πῶς αὐτοὶ βιωσόμεθα μετ' ἀδείας; οὐκ οἶδας, ὅτι ἀπὸ λύπης ἐκβαίνει θάνατος; Σκοτίζουσα γὰρ τὸ διορατικὸν τῆς ψυχῆς, οὐ μόνον οὐδὲν ἀφίησιν ἰδεῖν τῶν δεόντων, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολὺ τὸ βλάβος ἐργάζεται. Ἐκείνως μὲν οὖν καὶ τῷ Θεῷ προσκρούομεν, καὶ οὔτε ἑαυτοὺς, οὔτε τὸν ἀπελθόντα ὠφελοῦμεν· οὕτω δὲ καὶ τῷ Θεῷ εὐαρεστοῦμεν, καὶ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκιμοῦμεν. Ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ καταπέσωμεν καὶ αὐτοὶ, ταχέως ἀναιρεῖ τὸ λείψανον τῆς ἀθυμίας· ἐὰν δὲ ἀγανακτῶμεν, ἀφίησιν ἡμᾶς ἐκδότους τῇ λύπη γενέσθαι. Ἐὰν εὐχαριστῶμεν, οὐκ ἀθυμήσομεν. Καὶ πῶς δύναται, φησὶ, μὴ λυπεῖσθαι ὁ υἱὸν ἢ θυγατέρα ἢ γυναῖκα ἀποβαλών; Οὐ λέγω, μὴ λυπεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἀμέτρως τοῦτο ποιεῖν. Ἐὰν γὰρ ἐννοήσωμεν ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ἀφείλετο, ὅτι θνητὸν ἔσχομεν ἄνδρα καὶ υἱὸν, ταχέως ληψόμεθα παραμυθίαν. Τὸ γὰρ ἀγανακτεῖν, μεῖζόν τι τῆς φύσεως ἐπιζητούντων ἐστίν. Ἄνθρωπος ἐγεννήθης, καὶ θνητός· τί οὖν ἀλγεῖς, ὅτι τὸ κατὰ φύσιν ἐγένετο; Μὴ ἀλγεῖς ὅτι ἐσθίων τρέφῃ; μὴ ζητεῖς χωρὶς τούτου ζῇν; Οὕτω ποίει καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ θανάτου, καὶ μὴ ζήτει τέως ἀθανασίαν θνητὸς γενόμενος. Ἅπαξ τοῦτο ὡρίσθη. Μὴ τοίνυν ἄλγει, μηδὲ κατακόπτου, ἀλλὰ στέργε τὰ κοινῇ πᾶσι νομοθετηθέντα· ἄλγει δὲ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων. Τοῦτο γὰρ πένθος καλὸν, τοῦτο φιλοσοφία μεγίστη. Οὐκοῦν τοῦτο πενθῶμεν διηνεκῶς, ἵνα τῆς ἐκεῖ χαρᾶς ἐπιτύχωμεν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

59.349 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΞΙʹ. Οὔπω δὲ ἐληλύθει ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν κώμην, ἀλλ' ἦν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, ὅπου ἀπήντησεν αὐτῷ ἡ Μάρθα. Οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι οἱ ὄντες

μετ' αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. αʹ. Μέγα ἀγαθὸν φιλοσοφία· φιλοσοφίαν δὲ λέγω τὴν παρ' ἡμῖν. Τὰ γὰρ τῶν

ἔξωθεν, ῥήματα καὶ μῦθοι μόνον εἰσί· καὶ οὐδὲ αὐτοὶ οἱ μῦθοι φιλόσοφόν τι ἔχοντες. ∆όξης γὰρ ἕνεκεν ἅπαντα γίνονται τὰ παρ' ἐκείνοις. Μέγα τοίνυν ἀγαθὸν ἡ φιλοσοφία, καὶ τὰς ἀμοιβὰς ἐντεῦθεν ἡμῖν ἀποδίδωσιν. Ὅ τε γὰρ χρημάτων καταφρονῶν, ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη καρποῦται τὸ ὄφελος, φροντίδων ἀπαλλαττόμενος περιττῶν καὶ ἀνονήτων· ὅ τε δόξαν καταπατῶν, ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη λαμβάνει τὸν μισθὸν, οὐδενὸς δοῦλος ὢν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ὄντως ἐλευθερίαν ἐλεύθερος. Ὁ τῶν οὐρανίων ἐπιθυμῶν, ἐντεῦθεν λαμβάνει τὴν ἀντίδοσιν, οὐδὲν τὰ παρόντα εἶναι νομίζων πράγματα, καὶ λύπης ἁπάσης κρατῶν ῥᾳδίως. Ἰδοὺ γοῦν καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὕτη φιλοσοφοῦσα τὸν μισθὸν ἐντεῦθεν ἀπέλαβε. Καὶ γὰρ πάντων παρακαθημένων πενθούσῃ καὶ κοπτομένῃ, οὐ περιέμενεν ἐλθεῖν πρὸς αὐτὴν τὸν διδάσκαλον, οὔτε τὴν ἀξίαν ἐτήρησεν, οὔτε ὑπὸ τοῦ πένθους κατεσχέθη. Καὶ γὰρ μετὰ τῆς ἄλλης ταλαιπωρίας αἱ πενθοῦσαι καὶ τοῦτο τὸ νόσημα ἔχουσι, φιλοτιμεῖσθαι ἐπὶ τῶν παρόντων βουλόμεναι. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν τούτων αὕτη ἔπαθεν, ἀλλ' ἅμα ἤκουσε, καὶ ἔρχεται ταχὺ πρὸς αὐτόν. Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς οὔπω ἐληλύθει εἰς τὴν κώμην. Σχολαιότερον γὰρ ἐβάδιζεν, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ ἐπιῤῥίπτειν ἑαυτὸν τῷ σημείῳ, ἀλλὰ ἀξιούμενος παρ' ἐκείνων. Ἢ τοῦτο γοῦν βουλόμενος αἰνίξασθαι ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς τὸ, Ἐγείρεται ταχὺ,