340
collecting with much toil he covers his walls; but seeing the bellies of the poor bare, he is not moved. And some devise garments upon their garments; while another does not have anything even to cover his bare body. In the law courts again, one has devoured another; another has spent his money on prostitutes and parasites; another on mimes and dancers; another on splendid buildings, on purchases of fields and houses. Again, one counts interest, another interest on interest, another composes documents full of many murders, and does not even enjoy rest from the night, staying awake over the evils of others. And when day comes, one runs to unjust gain, another to licentious spending, others to public robbery. And for superfluous and forbidden things there is much zeal; but for necessary things there is no thought. Those who judge have the name of judges, but the work of robbers and murderers. And if one examines the lawsuits, or the wills, he will find again countless evils here too: deceits, thefts, plots. And all leisure is spent on these things, but of spiritual matters there is no word; but all trouble the church just for the sake of seeing it. But what is sought is not this, but we need works and a pure mind. But if you spend the whole day in covetousness, then coming in you say a few words, not only have you not made God merciful, but you have provoked him even more. For if you wish to reconcile your Master, show forth works, learn the heap of misfortunes, see the naked, the hungry, the wronged; He has cut for you countless ways of philanthropy. Let us not then deceive ourselves, living randomly and in vain, nor let us be contemptuous because we are now healthy; but considering that often falling into sickness, and coming to the last stage of illness, we died with fear and expectation of the things to come, let us expect again to fall into the same things 59.447 and let us acquire the same fear, and let us become better; for the present things are worthy of countless accusations. For some in the law courts are like lions and dogs, and others in the marketplaces, like foxes; and those who live a quiet life, not even they use their quietness for what is needful, spending all their leisure in theaters and the evils from there. And there is no one rebuking the things that are done; but many are zealous and stung, because they do not do the same things as them; so that these too are punished again, even when not doing evil things. For not only do they do them, but they also approve of those who practice them. For their matters of zeal are likewise corrupted; whence 59.448 it is clear that one must also give an account for one's opinion. These things I say every day, and saying them I will not cease. For if some listen, it is a gain; but if there is no one who pays attention, then you will hear these things when it is no gain to you, and you will blame yourselves, and we will be clear of the charge. But may it not be that we have only this defense, but that you also become our boast before the judgment seat of Christ, that we may enjoy the good things in common, 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.
59.447 HOMILY 83. When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples
over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into which He entered, and His disciples.
1. Death is dreadful and full of much fear; but not to those who know the philosophy that is from above.
For he who knows nothing certain about the future, but considers the matter a certain dissolution and end of life, naturally shudders and is afraid, as one who is going into non-existence. But we, by the grace of God, having learned the unseen and hidden things of His wisdom, and considering the matter to be a journey abroad, would not be
340
συλλέγων μετὰ πολλῆς ταλαιπωρίας περιβάλλει τοὺς τοίχους· τὰς δὲ γαστέρας τῶν πενήτων γυμνὰς ὁρῶν, οὐκ ἐπικάμπτεται. Καὶ οἱ μὲν τοῖς ἱματίοις αὐτῶν ἱμάτια πάλιν ἐπινοοῦσιν· ἕτερος δὲ οὐδὲ αὐτὸ τὸ σῶμα γυμνὸν περιβάλλειν ἔχει. Ἐν δικαστηρίοις δὲ πάλιν ἄλλος ἄλλον κατέπιεν· ἄλλος εἰς πόρνας ἀνάλωσε καὶ εἰς παρασίτους· ἕτερος εἰς μίμους καὶ ὀρχήστρας· εἰς οἰκοδομὰς ἕτερος λαμπρὰς, εἰς ἀγορασίας ἀγρῶν καὶ οἰκιῶν. Πάλιν ὁ μὲν τόκους ἀριθμεῖ, ὁ δὲ τόκους τόκων, ὁ δὲ γραμματεῖα συντίθησι πολλῶν γέμοντα φόνων, καὶ οὐδὲ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς νυκτὸς ἀνάπαυσιν καρποῦται, ἐπὶ τοῖς ἑτέρων κακοῖς ἀγρυπνῶν. Ἡμέρας δὲ γενομένης, ὁ μὲν ἐπὶ κέρδος ἄδικον, ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ δαπάνην ἀσελγῆ, οἱ δὲ ἐπὶ κλοπὴν δεδημοσιευμένην τρέχουσι. Καὶ τῶν μὲν περιττῶν καὶ κεκωλυμένων πολλὴ ἡ σπουδή· τῶν δὲ ἀναγκαίων οὐδεὶς ὁ λόγος. Οἱ δὲ κρίνοντες, τὸ μὲν ὄνομα δικαστῶν ἔχουσι, τὸ δὲ ἔργον λῃστῶν καὶ ἀνδροφόνων. Κἂν τὰς δίκας τις ἐξετάσῃ, κἂν τὰς διαθήκας, μυρία πάλιν εὑρήσει καὶ ἐνταῦθα κακὰ, δόλους, κλοπὰς, ἐπιβουλάς. Καὶ περὶ ταῦτα ἅπασα ἡ σχολὴ, τῶν δὲ πνευματικῶν λόγος οὐδείς· ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ὑπὲρ τοῦ μόνον ἰδεῖν ἐνοχλοῦσιν ἅπαντες. Τὸ δὲ ζητούμενον οὐ τοῦτό ἐστιν, ἀλλ' ἔργων δεῖ ἡμῖν καὶ διανοίας καθαρᾶς. Ἂν δὲ τὴν πᾶσαν ἡμέραν ἀναλώσῃς εἰς πλεονεξίαν, εἶτα μικρὰ ῥήματα εἰσελθὼν εἴπῃς, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐποίησας ἵλεω τὸν Θεὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρώξυνας μειζόνως. Εἰ γὰρ βούλει καταλλάξαι σου τὸν ∆εσπότην, ἔργα ἐπίδειξαι, μάθε τὸν φορυτὸν τῶν συμφορῶν, βλέπε τοὺς γυμνοὺς, τοὺς πεινῶντας, τοὺς ἀδικουμένους· μυρίας σοι φιλανθρωπίας ἔτεμεν ὁδούς. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀπατῶμεν ἑαυτοὺς, εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην ζῶντες, μηδὲ, ὅτι νῦν ὑγιαίνομεν, καταφρονήσωμεν· ἀλλ' ἐννοήσαντες ὅτι πολλάκις εἰς νόσον καταπεσόντες, καὶ εἰς ἔσχατον ἀῤῥωστίας ἐλθόντες, ἀπεθάνομεν τῷ δέει καὶ τῇ προσδοκίᾳ τῶν μελλόντων, προσδοκήσωμεν πάλιν εἰς τὰ αὐτὰ καταπε 59.447 σεῖσθαι, καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν κτησώμεθα φόβον, καὶ γενώμεθα βελτίους· ὡς τά γε νῦν μυρίας κατηγορίας ἄξια. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐν τοῖς δικαστηρίοις λέουσιν ἐοίκασι καὶ κυσὶ, οἱ δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς, ἀλώπεξιν· οἱ δὲ τὸν ἀπράγμονα ζῶντες βίον, οὐδὲ οὗτοι εἰς δέον τῇ ἀπραγμοσύνῃ κέχρηνται, τὴν σχολὴν ἅπασαν εἰς θέατρα καὶ τὰ ἐκεῖθεν κακὰ ἀναλίσκοντες. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐπιτιμῶν τοῖς γινομένοις, οὐδείς· οἱ δὲ ζηλοῦντες καὶ δακνόμενοι, ὅτι μὴ ἴσα αὐτοῖς πράττουσι, πολλοί· ὥστε καὶ τούτους πάλιν κολάζεσθαι, καὶ μὴ ποιοῦντας τὰ πονηρά. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον αὐτὰ ποιοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ συνευδοκοῦσι τοῖς πράττουσι. Καὶ γὰρ τὰ τῆς προθυμίας αὐτοῖς ὁμοίως διέφθαρται· ὅθεν 59.448 δῆλον, ὅτι καὶ γνώμης ἔστι δοῦναι δίκην. Ταῦτα καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν λέγω, καὶ λέγων οὐ παύσομαι. Ἂν μὲν γάρ τινες ἀκούσωσιν, κέρδος· ἂν δὲ μηδεὶς ὁ προσέχων ᾖ, τότε ἀκούσεσθε ταῦτα, ὅτε κέρδος οὐδὲν ὑμῖν, καὶ μέμψεσθε ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ τῆς αἰτίας ἡμεῖς καθαροί. Ἀλλὰ μὴ γένοιτο ταύτην μόνον ἡμᾶς τὴν ἀπολογίαν ἔχειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ καύχημα ὑμᾶς γενέσθαι ἡμῶν παρὰ τῷ βήματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα κοινῇ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀπολαύσωμεν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα, ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.
59.447 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΠΓʹ. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐξῆλθε σὺν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ
πέραν τοῦ χειμάῤῥου τῶν Κέδρων, ὅπου ἦν κῆπος, εἰς ὃν εἰσῆλθεν αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ.
αʹ. Φρικτὸν ὁ θάνατος καὶ φόβου γέμον πολλοῦ· ἀλλ' οὐ παρὰ τοῖς τὴν ἄνω
φιλοσοφίαν εἰδόσιν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ μηδὲν περὶ τῶν μελλόντων σαφὲς ἐπιστάμενος, ἀλλὰ διάλυσίν τινα καὶ τελευτὴν ζωῆς τὸ πρᾶγμα νομίζων, εἰκότως φρίττει καὶ δέδοικεν ὡς εἰς τὸ μὴ εἶναι χωρῶν. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι τὰ ἄδηλα καὶ τὰ κρύφια τῆς σοφίας αὐτοῦ μαθόντες, καὶ ἀποδημίαν τὸ πρᾶγμα εἶναι νομίζοντες, οὐκ ἂν εἴημεν