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Adversus eos qui per calumniam dicunt dici a nobis tres deos

HOMILY OF THE SAME. Against those who slander us, that we speak of three Gods.

It is a great comfort for souls afflicted by being hated, to be hated with the Lord. "For if the world hates you, know," he says, "that it has hated me before you." Therefore if the Beloved is hated, what great thing is it, if we are deemed worthy of hatred by men, in whom the possession of hatred abounds? The memory of sorrows, invading my heart, holds back my speech; and the falling tear cuts off my voice, when I reflect that, although love and peace were left to us by the Lord, we do not seek what was left. The gift is invisible, being found in no one. Love was left behind; and strife prevails. Unity was given; and hatred was kindled. We have kindled a great fire of hatred against each other; each of us laments by himself, but we are not reconciled to one another. Who will give me the whole world as a theater, and a voice more powerful than a trumpet, and the lamentations of Jeremiah, and an abundant tear to 31.1489 break a heart crushed with pains, to pour out the dust now poured over us from our dishonor, and to mourn the common calamity, that love, the root of the commandments, has failed? For this reason, with an insatiable embrace of the spirit I embrace those present, because they have shown a strange sight, being joined one to another. For each of us has become by himself like the sand, not joined to one another, but each divided by himself. For it is not possible for a building to stand, when the bonds have been removed; nor for the Church to grow in height, not being bound by the bond of peace and of love. Lend us your hearing patiently for a little while, as we speak not for display, but are eager to include you in the fellowship of sorrows; for the sharing of groans brings comfort to those who mourn. And perhaps also our grief, being united, might pass more forcefully to the Lord. Or will each of us be heard by himself because of the weakness of his works? This very sight is a remnant of the ancient love of the fathers. For on account of this they devised these festivals, so that the alienation that arises from time might be renewed through meeting at these appointed times; and so that those who live beyond the border, having come to this one place, might provide for themselves in this meeting a beginning of friendship and love. This is a spiritual festival, renewing ancient things; providing a beginning for things to come. For we did not come to make an exchange of goods, but to give to one another an exchange of love, to give in full, and to receive love in full. These things our fathers established. But as for us, having received them, what we have come down to, the things now seen will show. Most of those present are spies, rather spies of what is said than disciples of the teachings. And a word is sought not for the edification of those present, but for the insolent abuse of those who lie in wait. And if something is said that agrees with the desires of those who ostracize our opinion, he goes away having accepted it as if he had found his own among us. Let these things be written in your hearts. Bear witness to the truth and for us against those who chatter about such things, that indeed we have renewed the ancient gift. For these are the words of those not fearing the Lord, opening their mouth against us, as if we were proclaiming three gods. He who preaches three gods 31.1492 what does he seek in the Church of the Lord? Polytheism is one thing; and reverence for God is another. Let him who says three dare to say four also; let him extend the number to

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Adversus eos qui per calumniam dicunt dici a nobis tres deos

ΤΟΥ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΟΜΙΛΙΑ Πρὸς τοὺς συκοφαντοῦντας ἡμᾶς, ὅτι τρεῖς θεοὺς λέγομεν.

Μεγάλη παράκλησις ψυχαῖς, διὰ τὸ μισεῖσθαι κεκακωμέναις, τὸ μετὰ Κυρίου μισεῖσθαι. «Εἰ ὁ κόσμος γὰρ ὑμᾶς μισεῖ, γινώσκετε, φησὶν, ὅτι ἐμὲ πρῶτον ὑμῶν μεμίσηκε.» ∆ιὸ εἰ ὁ Ἀγαπητὸς μισεῖ ται, τί μέγα, εἰ ἡμεῖς τοῦ μίσους ἀξιούμεθα παρ' ἀν θρώποις, οἷς περισσεύει τὸ κτῆμα τοῦ μίσους; Ἐπ έχει μου τὸν λόγον ἡ μνήμη τῶν λυπηρῶν, ὑποτρέ χουσα τὴν καρδίαν· καὶ προπῖπτον τὸ δάκρυον τὴν φωνὴν ἐπικόπτει, ὅταν ἐνθυμηθῶ, ὅτι ἀγάπης καὶ εἰρήνης ἡμῖν παρὰ Κυρίου καταλειφθείσης, οὐ ζητοῦμεν τὸ καταλειφθέν. Ἀφανές ἐστι τὸ δῶρον ἐν οὐδενὶ εὑρισκόμενον. Ἀγάπη κατελείφθη· καὶ μάχη ἐμπολιτεύεται. Ἕνωσις ἐδόθη· καὶ μῖσος ἐξήφθη. Με γάλην κατ' ἀλλήλων τὴν πυρκαϊὰν τοῦ μίσους ἐξ ήψαμεν· ἕκαστος καθ' ἑαυτὸν ὀδυρόμεθα, εἰς ἀλλήλους δὲ οὐ συμβιβαζόμεθα. Τίς μοι δώσει θέατρον τὴν οἰκουμένην ἅπασαν, καὶ φωνὴν σάλπιγγος εὐτονωτέ ραν, καὶ θρήνους Ἱερεμίου, καὶ δάκρυον δαψιλὲς κα 31.1489 ταῤῥῆξαι καρδίαν ὀδύναις συντετριμμένην, κατα χέασθαι κόνιν τὴν νῦν ἐκ τῆς ἀτιμίας ἡμῖν κατακε χυμένην, πενθῆσαί τε τὴν κοινὴν συμφορὰν, ὅτι ἐπι λέλοιπεν ἡ ἀγάπη ἡ ῥίζα τῶν ἐντολῶν; ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἀκορέστῳ τῇ περιπλοκῇ τοῦ πνεύματος συμπερι πτύσσομαι τοὺς παρόντας, ὅτι θέαμα ξένον ἔδειξαν εἷς ἑνὶ συγκολλώμενοι. Γεγενήμεθα γὰρ καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἕκαστος ὥσπερ ἡ ψάμμος, οὐ συνημμένοι ἀλ λήλοις, ἀλλ' ἕκαστος καθ' ἑαυτὸν διῃρημένοι. Οὔτε γὰρ οἰκοδομὴν συστῆναι, συνδέσμων ὑφαιρεθέντων, δυνατόν· οὔτε Ἐκκλησίαν εἰς ὕψος αὐξηθῆναι, μὴ συνδεδεμένην τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς εἰρήνης καὶ τῆς ἀγά πης. Μικρὸν ἡμῖν μακροθύμως χρήσατε τὴν ἀκοὴν, οὐ πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν διαλεγομένοις, ἀλλ' εἰς κοινωνίαν τῶν λυπηρῶν συμπεριλαμβάνειν ἐπειγομένοις· φέρει γὰρ παραμυθίαν ὀδυρομένοις ἡ κοινωνία τῶν στεναγμῶν. Τάχα δὲ καὶ πρὸς Κύριον ἑνωθεῖσα ἡμῶν ἡ λύπη εὐτονώτερον ἂν διαβαίη. Ἢ ἕκαστος ἡμῶν καθ' ἑαυτὸν εἰσακουσθήσεται διὰ τὴν ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ἀτο νίαν; Αὐτὸ τὸ ὁρώμενον τῆς παλαιᾶς ἀγάπης τῶν πατέρων ἐστὶ λείψανον. Τούτου γὰρ ἕνεκα ἐκεῖ νοι τὰς πανηγύρεις ταύτας ἐμηχανήσαντο, ἵνα τὴν ἐκ τῶν χρόνων ἐγγινομένην ἀλλοτρίωσιν διὰ τῆς τῶν και ρῶν ἐπιμιξίας ἀνανεοῦσθαι· καὶ τοὺς τὴν ὑπερ ορίαν οἰκοῦντας, ἕνα τοῦτον καταλαβόντας τόπον, ἑαυτοῖς ἀρχὴν φιλίας καὶ ἀγάπης τὴν συντυχίαν παρ έχειν. Τοῦτο πνευματικὴ πανήγυρις τὰ ἀρχαῖα ἀνα νεουμένη· τοῖς μέλλουσιν ἀρχὴν παρεχομένη. Οὐ γὰρ ἤλθομεν ὠνίων ποιήσασθαι διάμειψιν, ἀλλ' ἀγάπης ἀλλήλοις δοῦναι ἀντάλλαγμα, πλήρη δοῦναι, καὶ πλή ρη λαβεῖν τὴν ἀγάπην. Ταῦτα οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν κατ εστήσαντο. Ἡμεῖς δὲ παραλαβόντες εἰς τί κατελή ξαμεν δείξει τὰ ὁρώμενα. Οἱ πλεῖστοι τῶν παρόν των κατάσκοποι μᾶλλόν εἰσι κατάσκοποι τῶν λεγο μένων ἢ μαθηταὶ τῶν διδαγμάτων. Καὶ λόγος ἐπιζητεῖται οὐ πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν τῶν παρόντων, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἐπήρειαν τῶν ἐφεδρευόντων. Κἂν μέν τι λεχθῇ συμβαῖνον ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τῶν ἐξοστρακιζόντων τὴν γνώμην, ἀπῆλθε καταδεξάμενος ὡς τὸ ἴδιον εὑρὼν παρ' ἡμῖν. Ταῦτα ἐγγραφέσθω ταῖς ὑμετέραις καρδίαις. Μαρτυρήσατε τῇ ἀληθείᾳ καὶ ἡμῖν πρὸς τοὺς ἐπιτρυλλοῦντας τὰ τοιαῦτα, ὅτι ἄρα ἡμεῖς τὴν πα λαιὰν δωρεὰν ἀνενεωσάμεθα. Ταῦτα γὰρ μὴ φοβουμένων τὸν Κύριον τὰ ῥή ματα, ἀνοιγόντων καθ' ἡμῶν στόμα, ὡς ἡμῶν τρεῖς θεοὺς καταγγελλόντων. Ὁ τρεῖς θεοὺς κηρύττων 31.1492 τί ζητεῖ ἐν Ἐκκλησίᾳ Κυρίου; Ἀλλαχοῦ πολυθεΐα· καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ θεοσέβεια. Ὁ τρεῖς λέγων κατατολμάτω καὶ τεσσάρων· ἐκτεινάτω τὸν ἀριθμὸν εἰς