1

In Lazarum ii

On Lazarus the four-days-dead. 2.

62.775 Beloved, just as a mother who loves her children, having offered her breast to the infant, is delighted,

as the child draws out the tender nourishment of the milk; but when a curd of milk, having hardened, blocks the ducts of the breast, then indeed the little child whimpers, and the mother is in pain, having the will to feed outstretched, but seeing the nourishment not being given. In the same way we also on the previous day, having offered you the breast of our understanding, were delighted, as you drew out the milk of the word; but when the cloud of forgetfulness crept over our understanding, it cut off the word, then indeed you were annoyed, as if being deprived of the thoughts of the evangelical teachings, and we were distressed, having the eagerness to speak extended, but seeing our mind hindered by forgetfulness. But perhaps this has happened to us, so that we may know, that *It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, nor of him that pursueth, but of God that sheweth mercy.*

Come, therefore, since God gives grace to those who speak, not on account of the worth of the speakers, but on account of the need of the hearers, having called upon Him, let us draw, according to our ability, the drinkable stream of teaching from the evangelical readings just now read to you. *There was a certain man sick,* it says, *Lazarus of Bethany, of the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, whose brother Lazarus was sick. And Jesus said: This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that God might be glorified through it.* Raising an objection, I say, *this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God*; it is not sickness, but good tidings, it is not sickness, but security. O sickness, physician of the ailing, guide of faith, opponent of death, adversary of the devil, author of salvation! O sickness, unbreakable foundation of virtue, teacher of faith, steward of piety! O 62.776.40 sickness, that drives away fevers of souls, and cools the sweats of baptism, and weaves the bright robes of the soul! O sickness, provider of heavenly bread, best torchbearer of faith, snare of the devil and seal of man! *When Jesus heard,* it says, *he abode two days in the same place where he was.*

But what was the necessity for the Lord to remain after hearing, and not go immediately to the one who was sick? But he certainly awaited the death of Lazarus, so that in death he might show to those who saw a greater faith in the miracles. *After that, therefore, Jesus says to his disciples: Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awake him.* For truly the death of men is reckoned as sleep with the Lord. *I go, that I may awake him.* What then? Being here, are you unable to make the dead man live? But the Jews do not receive grace in this way in my absence; for perhaps when he is raised they will think that Lazarus revived by some chance. Therefore I myself am coming, so that being present they may become eyewitnesses of the miracles performed by me, and having received grace from me, may be brought to a firm faith. *Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go that I may awake him. And the disciples, hearing this, said: Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be saved.* They did not respond so much piously as medically. For sleep, when prolonged, harms the lethargic, but it breaks fevers rather than sweats. Since, therefore, the disciples thought the Lord was speaking about the

1

In Lazarum ii

Εἰς τὸν τετραήμερον Λάζαρον. βʹ.

62.775 Ἀγαπητοὶ, ὥσπερ μήτηρ φιλότεκνος ἐπιδοῦσα τὴν θηλὴν τῷ νηπίῳ τέρπεται,

τοῦ παιδὸς ἐφέλκοντος τὴν ἁπαλὴν τροφὴν τοῦ γάλακτος· ἐπειδὰν δὲ ὁ θρόμβος τοῦ γάλακτος τυρωθεὶς ἐμφράξῃ τοὺς ὀχετοὺς τοῦ μαζοῦ, τότε δὴ καὶ τὸ παιδίον κλαυθμυρίζει, καὶ ἡ μήτηρ ὀδυνᾶται, τὴν μὲν προαίρεσιν τοῦ τρέφειν ἡπλωμένην ἔχουσα, τὴν δὲ τροφὴν μὴ ἐπιδιδομένην ὁρῶσα· ὡσαύτως καὶ ἡμεῖς τῇ προτεραίᾳ τὴν θηλὴν τῆς διανοίας ὑμῖν ὑποβαλόντες, ἐτερπόμεθα, ὑμῶν ἐφελκόντων τὸ γάλα τοῦ λόγου· ὅτε δὲ τὸ τῆς λήθης νέφος ὑπέδραμον τῇ διανοίᾳ, τὸν λόγον ἀνέκοψε, τότε δὴ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἠγανακτήσατε ὡς ἀποστερούμενοι τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν διδαγμάτων τὰ νοήματα, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐδυσφοροῦμεν, τὴν μὲν προθυμίαν τοῦ λέγειν ἐκτεταμένην ἔχοντες, τὸν δὲ νοῦν κωλυόμενον ὑπὸ τῆς λήθης ὁρῶντες. Ἀλλ' ἴσως τοῦτο συμβέβηκεν ἡμῖν, ἵνα γνῶμεν, ὅτι Οὔτε τοῦ θέλοντος, οὐδὲ τοῦ τρέχοντος, οὐδὲ τοῦ διώκοντος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐλεοῦντος Θεοῦ.

∆εῦρο τοιγαροῦν, ἐπειδήπερ Θεὸς δίδωσι τοῖς λέγουσι χάριν, οὐ διὰ τὴν ἀξίαν τῶν λεγόντων, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν χρείαν τῶν ἀκουόντων, αὐτὸν παρακαλέσαντες, ἀπὸ τῶν ἀρτίως ὑμῖν ὑπαναγνωσθέντων εὐαγγελικῶν ἀναγνωσμάτων κατὰ δύναμιν τὸ πότιμον τῆς διδασκαλίας ἀρυσώμεθα νᾶμα. Ἦν τις ἀσθενῶν, φησὶ, Λάζαρος ἀπὸ Βηθανίας ἐκ τῆς κώμης Μαρίας καὶ Μάρθας τῆς ἀδελφῆς αὐτῆς. Ἦν δὲ Μαρία ἡ ἀλείψασα τὸν Κύριον μύρῳ, ἧς ὁ ἀδελφὸς Λάζαρος ἠσθένει. Εἶπε δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἀσθένεια αὕτη πρὸς θάνατον, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα δοξασθῇ ὁ Θεὸς δι' αὐτῆς. Ἀνθυποφέρων λέγω, ἡ ἀσθένεια αὕτη οὐκ ἔστι πρὸς θάνατον, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ· οὐκ ἔστιν ἀσθένεια, ἀλλ' εὐαγγέλια, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀσθένεια, ἀλλ' ἀσφάλεια. Ὦ ἀσθένεια ἀῤῥωστούντων ἰατρὲ, πίστεως ὁδηγὲ, θανάτου ἀντίπαλε, διαβόλου ἀντίδικε, σωτηρίας ἀρχηγέ! ὦ ἀσθένεια, ἀρετῆς θεμέλιε ἄῤῥηκτε, πίστεως διδάσκαλε, εὐσεβείας οἰκονόμε! ὦ 62.776.40 ἀσθένεια πυρετοὺς ψυχῶν ἀποσοβοῦσα, καὶ ἱδρῶτας βαπτίσματος δροσίζουσα, καὶ λαμπρὰς στολὰς ψυχῆς ἐξυφαίνουσα! ὦ ἀσθένεια, οὐρανίου ἄρτου πάροχε, πίστεως λαμπαδοῦχε ἄριστε, διαβόλου παγὶς καὶ ἀνθρώπου σφραγίς! Ὅτε δὲ ἤκουσε, φησὶν, ὁ Ἰησοῦς, τότε μὲν ἔμεινεν ἐν ᾧ ἦν τόπῳ δύο ἡμέρας.

Τί δὲ τὸ ἀναγκαῖον τοῦ ἐπιμεῖναι τὸν Κύριον ἀκούσαντα, καὶ μὴ εὐθὺς ἀπελθεῖν πρὸς τὸν ἀσθενοῦντα; Ἀλλὰ πάντως ἐξεδέχετο τὸν θάνατον τοῦ Λαζάρου, ὅπως ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ μείζονα τῶν θαυματουργημάτων τὴν πίστιν τοῖς ὁρῶσιν ἐνδείξηται. Μετὰ ταῦτα οὖν λέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Λάζαρος ὁ φίλος ἡμῶν κεκοίμηται· ἀλλὰ πορεύομαι ἵνα ἐξυπνίσω αὐτόν. Ἀληθῶς γὰρ ὁ τῶν ἀνθρώπων θάνατος ὕπνος παρὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ λελόγισται. Πορεύομαι, ἵνα ἐξυπνίσω αὐτόν. Τί γάρ; καὶ ἐνταῦθα ὢν ἀδυνατεῖς ζωοποιῆσαι τὸν νεκρόν; Ἀλλ' οὐχ οὕτω δέχονται τὴν χάριν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐμοῦ ἀπόντος· ἴσως γὰρ ἀναστάντος αὐτοῦ νομίσουσιν ἐκ συντυχίας τινὸς ἀναβιῶσαι τὸν Λάζαρον. Αὐτὸς οὖν ἐγὼ παραγίνομαι, ὅπως παρόντος μου αὐτόπται γενόμενοι τῶν παρ' ἐμοῦ γενομένων θαυματουργημάτων, καὶ τὴν χάριν παρ' ἐμοῦ δεξάμενοι, εἰς πίστιν βεβαίαν ἐνεχθῶσι. Λάζαρος ὁ φίλος ἡμῶν κεκοίμηται· ἀλλὰ πορεύομαι ἐξυπνίσαι αὐτόν. Οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ ἀκούσαντες, εἶπον· Κύριε, εἰ κεκοίμηται, σωθήσεται. Οὐ τοσοῦτον δὲ θεοσεβῶς ἀπεκρίναντο, ὅσον ἰατρικῶς. Ὕπνος γὰρ ληθαργικοὺς μὲν βλάπτει ἐπεκτεινόμενος, πυρετοὺς δὲ λύει μᾶλλον ἱδρώτων. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἔδοξαν οἱ μαθηταὶ λέγειν τὸν Κύριον περὶ τῆς