1

In Lazarum et in ramos palmarum (homilia 18) (olim sub nomine Titi Bostrensis) [Sp.]

Of Hesychius, presbyter of Jerusalem, a discourse on Lazarus and on the palm branches.

1 Just as the immeasurable abyss abundantly pours forth the springs of the waters, and the springs in turn release unrestrainable rivers, and the rivers visit the earth and make it drunk, so that it bears fruit, bread for food and wine for the gladness of men, and men, enjoying these, fulfill what is written: “The poor shall eat and be filled, and those who seek the Lord will praise him”; so also the ineffable love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, from the immeasurable abyss of his goodness and love for mankind, causes his holy feasts to spring forth for us, in which he wrought our salvation. And he indeed causes a feast to spring forth, but the grace of the Holy Spirit working in the feast fills “the streams of the river,” I mean the God-bearing men, those possessing “teaching within the teaching”; and they visit the spiritual and rational land of humanity, gladdening the holy church, which is “the city of the great king” Jesus Christ, according to what is written: “The streams of the river gladden the city of God.” And the church, being gladdened and delighted from the fullness of heart, praises and glorifies the Lord who reigns in her. Come then, let us also say today what he himself proclaimed beforehand about himself through his holy prophets; let us investigate according to our ability the salvation which our king has accomplished for us in this feast; come, let us understand for what reason not only men, but also the angelic powers, hymned him as king.

2 The reason, therefore, for the hymn-singing was the raising of Lazarus, according to what was apparent, as the Gospel says: “So they made plans to kill Lazarus as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.” And this is the reason for the glorification by the faithful, according to what was apparent, but secretly and hiddenly it was the raising of the whole of human nature. And just as the sign of Lazarus and that raising made the people hymn Jesus, so also the sign of the raising of the whole of human nature prepared the holy angels to glorify him; and as much as the raising of all is greater than the raising of Lazarus, so much greater then was the glory. And the conscience of those shouting, being astounded at the miracle, moved them to give glory; but the divine economy, because of the raising of the whole of human nature, secretly moved not only men but also the holy angels to marvel at and glorify Jesus. For they saw, truly they saw and learned and were made wise in a wisdom which they had not known, the angelic powers, through the church of the faithful, made manifest by the God who created all things, which was hidden in him before the ages, I mean, that of the teachings and promises and miracles of the Lord Jesus, as the divine Paul says somewhere: “so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities through the church.” For the powers above learn things which they had not yet seen, nor heard; for they are created things, and a created thing is not without need to learn, nor do they know things that are to come, unless they are initiated by the holy and revered and worshipful Trinity.

1

In Lazarum et in ramos palmarum (homilia 18) (olim sub nomine Titi Bostrensis) [Sp.]

Ησυχίου, πρεσβυτέρου Ἱεροσολύμων, λόγος εἰς τὸν Λάζαρον καὶ εἰς τὰ

βάϊα.

1 Ὥσπερ ἡ ἀμέτρητος ἄβυσσος βρύει ἀφθόνως τὰς πηγὰς τῶν ὑδάτων καὶ αἱ πηγαὶ πάλιν ἀπολύουσιν ἀκρατήτους ποτα μούς, οἱ δὲ ποταμοὶ ἐπισκέπτουσι τὴν γῆν καὶ μεθύσκουσιν αὐ τήν, τοῦ καρποφορῆσαι ἄρτον εἰς βρῶσιν καὶ οἶνον εἰς εὐφρο σύνην τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οἱ δὲ ἄνθρωποι ἀπολαύοντες πληροῦσι τὸ γεγραμμένον· «Φάγονται πένητες καὶ ἐμπλησθήσονται, καὶ αἰνέ σουσι κύριον οἱ ἐκζητοῦντες αὐτόν»· οὕτως καὶ ἡ ἄφατος φιλαν θρωπία τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐκ τῆς ἀμετρήτου ἀβύσσου τῆς ἀγαθότητος καὶ φιλανθρωπίας αὐτοῦ, πηγάζει ἡμῖν τὰς ἁγίας αὐτοῦ ἑορτὰς ἐν αἷς τὴν σωτηρίαν ἡμῶν εἰργάσατο. Καὶ αὐτὸς μὲν ἑορτὴν πηγάζει, ἡ δὲ χάρις τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἡ ἐνεργοῦσα ἐν τῇ ἑορτῇ «τὰ ὁρμήματα τοῦ ποταμοῦ» πληροῖ, λέγω δὴ τοὺς θεοφόρους ἄνδρας, τοὺς «διδασκαλίαν ἐν τῇ διδα σκαλίᾳ» κεκτημένους· καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐπισκέπτονται τὴν νοητὴν καὶ λογικὴν γῆν τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, εὐφραίνοντες τὴν ἁγίαν ἐκκλησίαν, ἥτις ἐστὶ «πόλις τοῦ μεγάλου βασιλέως» Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον· «Τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὰ ὁρμήματα εὐφραίνουσι τὴν πόλιν τοῦ θεοῦ.» Ἡ δὲ ἐκκλησία, εὐφραινομένη καὶ ἡδυνομένη ἀπὸ πιότητος καρδίας, αἰνεῖ καὶ δοξολογεῖ κύριον τὸν ἐν αὐτῇ βασιλεύοντα. Φέρε δὴ καὶ σήμερον εἴπωμεν ὃ προανεφώνησεν αὐ τὸς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ διὰ τῶν ἁγίων αὐτοῦ προφητῶν· ἑρευνήσωμεν πρὸς τὴν δύναμιν ἡμῶν τὴν σωτηρίαν, ἣν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἡμῶν ἐπραγ ματεύσατο ἡμῖν ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ ἑορτῇ· φέρε κατανοήσωμεν ἕνεκεν τίνος βασιλέα αὐτὸν ὕμνησαν οὐ μόνον οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ἀλλὰ καὶ αἱ ἀγγελικαὶ δυνάμεις.

2 Ἡ αἰτία οὖν τῆς ὑμνῳδίας ἡ ἔγερσις Λαζάρου ἦν κατὰ τὸ φαινόμενον, καθώς φησι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον· «Ἐβουλεύσαντο δὲ ἵνα καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον ἀποκτείνωσιν, ὅτι πολλοὶ δι' αὐτὸν ὑπῆγον τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ ἐπίστευον εἰς τὸν Ἰησοῦν.» Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ αἰτία τῆς δοξολογίας τῶν πιστῶν κατὰ τὸ φαινόμενον, λελη θότως δὲ καὶ κρυπτῶς ἡ ἔγερσις πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως. Καὶ ὥσπερ τὸ τοῦ Λαζάρου σημεῖον καὶ ἡ ἔγερσις ἐκείνη ὑμνο λογεῖν ἐποίησε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τὸν Ἰησοῦν, οὕτως καὶ τοὺς ἁγίους ἀγγέλους δοξολογεῖν παρεσκεύασε τὸ σημεῖον τῆς ἐγέρ σεως πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως· καὶ ὅσον μείζων ἡ τῶν πάντων ἔγερσις τῆς ἐγέρσεως Λαζάρου, τοσοῦτον καὶ ἡ δόξα τότε μειζοτέρα. Καὶ ἡ μὲν συνείδησις τῶν βοώντων, ἐξισταμένη τῷ θαύματι, ἐκίνει αὐτοὺς δοξάζειν· ἡ δὲ θεία οἰκονομία διὰ τὴν ἔγερσιν πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως λεληθότως ἐκίνει οὐ μόνον τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἁγίους ἀγγέλους θαυμά ζειν καὶ δοξάζειν τὸν Ἰησοῦν. Εἶδον γάρ, ἀληθῶς εἶδον καὶ ἔμαθον καὶ κατεσοφίσθησαν σοφίαν, ἣν οὐκ ᾔδεισαν, αἱ ἀγγελικαὶ δυνά μεις διὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῶν πιστῶν ἐκφαινομένην ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ τὰ πάντα κτίσαντος, τὴν πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων ἐν αὐτῷ κεκρυμμέ νην, λέγω δὴ τῶν διδαχῶν καὶ ἐπαγγελιῶν καὶ θαυματουργιῶν τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, καθώς που ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλός φησιν· «Ἵνα γνωρισθῇ νῦν ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ταῖς ἐξουσίαις διὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἡ πολυποίκιλος σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ.» Μανθάνουσι γὰρ αἱ ἄνω δυνά μεις, ἅπερ οὐδέπω εἶδον, οὐδὲ ἤκουσαν· κτίσματα γάρ εἰσι, καὶ τὸ κτίσμα οὐκ ἔστιν μὴ χρείαν ἔχον μαθεῖν, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τὰ μέλλοντα γενέσθαι γινώσκουσιν, εἰ μή τι δἂν ὑπὸ τῆς ἁγίας καὶ σεπτῆς καὶ προσκυνητῆς τριάδος μυηθῶσιν.