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Let him call us babblers, tiresome, burdensome; we will not cease from continually exhorting on their behalf, and continually crying that saying of the Prophet to all of you: Ransom your sins by alms, and your iniquities by compassion for the poor, and bind them upon your neck. Do not do it today, and desist tomorrow. For this body needs daily food. So too the soul, and that much more so; and if it does not lay down something, it becomes weaker 59.442 and more shameful. Let us not then overlook it being destroyed, being strangled. Every day it receives many wounds, through desiring, being angry, being slothful, reviling, defending itself, envying. Therefore, we must prepare medicines for it. And the medicine of almsgiving is not a small one, being able to be applied to all wounds. For give alms, He says, and all things shall be clean for you; alms, not covetousness; for things from covetousness do not remain, even if you give to the needy. For almsgiving is that which is free from all injustice; this makes all things clean. This is better than both fasting and sleeping on the ground. And yet those things are more toilsome and laborious, but this is more profitable; it enlightens the soul, anoints it, makes it fair and beautiful. The fruit of the olive does not so refresh athletes, as this oil restores the combatants of piety. Let us anoint our hands, therefore, that we may lift them up well against our adversary. He who practices pitying the one in need will quickly also desist from covetousness. He who continues in giving to the poor will quickly also desist from anger, and will never be proud. For just as a physician who continually treats the wounded is easily humbled, seeing human nature in the misfortunes of others; so too we, if we enter into the assistance of the poor, will philosophize easily, and we will not admire wealth, nor will we consider present things to be of any great importance, but we will despise all things, and being lifted up to heaven, we will easily obtain eternal good things, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father be glory, together with the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.

59.441 HOMILY 82. I have given them your word, and the world

has hated them, because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 1. When, having become virtuous, we are persecuted by the wicked, and striving for virtue

we are mocked by them, let us not be distressed, nor vexed. For the matter has this nature, and everywhere virtue is accustomed to beget hatred from the wicked. For envying those who wish to live uprightly, and thinking to prepare a defense for themselves if they can cast down the reputation of others, they both hate them as pursuing the opposite things, and do everything to disgrace their life. But let us not grieve; for this is a sign of virtue. For this reason Christ also says: If you were of the world, the world would love its own; and again elsewhere, Woe to you, when all men shall speak well of you. For this reason He also says here: I have given them your word, and the world has hated them. Again He states the reason why they are worthy to receive much care from the Father. For on your account they were hated, He says, and for your word; so that they would be worthy to enjoy all providence. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. Again He clarifies the statement, again He makes it clearer; which is nothing other than showing that He exercises great care for them, by making the 59.442 intercession for them with exactness. And yet He Himself had said that the Father will do whatever they ask. How then does He Himself entreat on their behalf here? Nothing else, as I have said, but showing His love. They are not of the world,

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φλυάρους καλείτω, προσκορεῖς, ἐπαχθεῖς· οὐκ ἀποστησόμεθα συνεχῶς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν παραινοῦντες, καὶ συνεχῶς ἐκεῖνο τὸ τοῦ προφήτου πᾶσιν ὑποφωνοῦντες ὑμῖν· Τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου ἐν ἐλεημοσύναις λύτρωσαι, καὶ τὰς ἀνομίας σου ἐν οἰκτιρμοῖς πενήτων, καὶ ἄφαψαι αὐτὰς ἐπὶ σῷ τραχήλῳ. Μὴ σήμερον μὲν ποιήσῃς, αὔριον δὲ ἀποστῇς. Καὶ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα τοῦτο καθημερινῆς δεῖται τροφῆς. Οὕτω καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ, καὶ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐκείνη· κἂν μὴ καταβάλῃ, ἀσθενεστέρα 59.442 γίνεται καὶ αἰσχροτέρα. Μὴ δὴ περιίδωμεν ἀπολλυμένην, ἀγχομένην. Πολλὰ λαμβάνει καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν τραύματα, ἐπιθυμοῦσα, ὀργιζομένη, ῥᾳθυμοῦσα, λοιδορουμένη, ἀμυνομένη, βασκαίνουσα. ∆εῖ τοίνυν αὐτῇ καὶ φάρμακα κατασκευάζειν. Οὐ μικρὸν δὲ τὸ τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης φάρμακον, πᾶσι τοῖς τραύμασιν ἐπιτεθῆναι δυνάμενον. ∆ότε γὰρ ἐλεημοσύνην, φησὶ, καὶ πάντα ὑμῖν ἔσται καθαρά· ἐλεημοσύνην, μὴ πλεονεξίαν· τὰ γὰρ ἐκ πλεονεξίας οὐ μένει, κἂν τοῖς δεομένοις δῷς. Ἐλεημοσύνη γὰρ, ἡ πάσης ἀπηλλαγμένη ἀδικίας ἐστίν· αὕτη πάντα ποιεῖ καθαρά. Τοῦτο καὶ νηστείας βέλτιον καὶ χαμευνίας. Καίτοι γε ἐκεῖνα μοχθηρότερα καὶ ἐπιπονώτερα, ἀλλ' αὕτη κερδαλεωτέρα· φωτίζει ψυχὴν, λιπαίνει, καλὴν καὶ ὡραίαν ποιεῖ. Οὐχ οὕτω τοὺς ἀθλητὰς ὁ τῆς ἐλαίας καρπὸς ἀνέχει, ὡς τοὺς ἀγωνιστὰς τῆς εὐσεβείας τουτὶ τὸ ἔλαιον ἀνακτᾶται. Ἀλείφωμεν τοίνυν τὰς χεῖρας, ἵνα πρὸς τὸν ἀντίπαλον ἀντάρωμεν καλῶς. Ὁ μελετῶν ἐλεεῖν τὸν δεόμενον, ταχέως καὶ τοῦ πλεονεκτεῖν ἀποστήσεται Ὁ διατελῶν ἐν τῷ διδόναι πένησι, ταχέως καὶ ὀργῆς ἀποστήσεται, καὶ οὐδὲ μέγα φρονήσει ποτέ. Καθάπερ γὰρ τοὺς τετραυματισμένους συνεχῶς θεραπεύων ἰατρὸς, συστέλλεται ῥᾳδίως, ἐν ταῖς ἑτέρων συμφοραῖς τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην καθορῶν φύσιν· οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐὰν ταῖς τῶν πενήτων συνεισέλθωμεν ἐπικουρίαις, φιλοσοφήσομεν εὐκόλως, καὶ οὐ θαυμασόμεθα πλοῦτον, οὐδὲ μέγα τι τὰ παρόντα ἡγησόμεθα, ἀλλὰ καταφρονήσομεν πάντων, καὶ μετάρσιοι γενόμενοι πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν, εὐκόλως ἐπιτευξόμεθα τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα, ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

59.441 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΒʹ. Ἐγὼ δέδωκα αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον σου, καὶ ὁ κόσμος

ἐμίσησεν αὐτοὺς, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, καθὼς ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου. αʹ. Ὅταν ἐνάρετοι γενόμενοι διωκώμεθα παρὰ τῶν πονηρῶν, καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς

ἐφιέμενοι χλευαζώμεθα παρ' ἐκείνων, μὴ ἀλύωμεν, μηδὲ δυσχεραίνωμεν. Τοιαύτην γὰρ τὸ πρᾶγμα τὴν φύσιν ἔχει, καὶ πανταχοῦ μῖσος εἴωθε τίκτειν ἡ ἀρετὴ παρὰ τοῖς πονηροῖς. Φθονοῦντες γὰρ τοῖς ἐπιεικῶς βιοῦν βουλομένοις, καὶ οἰόμενοι παρασκευάζειν ἑαυτοῖς ἀπολογίαν, ἐὰν τὴν ἑτέρων δόξαν καταβάλωσι, μισοῦσί τε ὡς τὰ ἐναντία μετιόντας, καὶ πάντα πράττουσιν ὑπὲρ τοῦ καταισχύνειν τὸν βίον τὸν ἐκείνων. Ἀλλὰ μὴ ἀλγῶμεν· τοῦτο γὰρ ἀρετῆς σημεῖον. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Χριστός φησιν· Εἰ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου ἦτε, ὁ κόσμος ἂν τὸ ἴδιον ἐφίλει· καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ πάλιν, Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, ὅταν καλῶς ὑμᾶς εἴπωσι πάντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθά φησι· Τὸν λόγον σου δέδωκα αὐτοῖς, καὶ ὁ κόσμος ἐμίσησεν αὐτούς. Πάλιν λέγει τὴν αἰτίαν, δι' ἣν ἄξιοί εἰσι πολλῆς παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐπιμελείας τυχεῖν. ∆ιὰ γὰρ σὲ ἐμισήθησαν, φησὶ, καὶ τὸν λόγον τὸν σόν· ὥστε δίκαιοι πάσης ἂν εἶεν ἀπολαῦσαι προνοίας. Οὐκ ἐρωτῶ ἵνα ἄρῃς αὐτοὺς ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, ἀλλ' ἵνα τηρήσῃς αὐτοὺς ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ. Πάλιν σαφηνίζει τὸν λόγον, πάλιν τρανότερον ἐργάζεται· ὅπερ οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἐστὶν ἐνδεικνυμένου, ἣ ὅτι πολλὴν αὐτῶν ποιεῖται κηδεμονίαν, τῷ μετὰ ἀκριβείας ποιεῖσθαι τὴν 59.442 ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν παράκλησιν. Καὶ μὴν αὐτὸς ἔλεγεν, ὅτι πάντα ποιήσει ὁ Πατὴρ, ὅσα ἂν αἰτήσωσι. Πῶς οὖν ἐνταῦθα αὐτὸς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν παρακαλεῖ; Οὐδὲν ἄλλο, ὅπερ ἔφην, ἢ τὴν ἀγάπην ἐνδεικνύμενος. Ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου οὐκ εἰσὶ,