Second Sermon

that wicked woman, naked of her garments, yet having wrapped herself in the garment of chastity? It was possible to see something new and wondrous: a lamb fallen into the hands of a wolf, or rather of a lioness, yet able to be saved; and just as a dove escaping the harm of a hawk, so was the just man snatched from her hands. It does not seem to me as wondrous that those three children in the midst of the Babylonian furnace became superior to that fire, and that their bodies suffered no harm, as it is wondrous and prodigious that this just man, having fallen into this furnace, more grievous than the Babylonian one—I mean the sensuality of the Egyptian woman—remained untouched, and having kept the garment of chastity pure, so departed. And do not marvel, beloved; for because he brought his own part, he had also the assistance from above accompanying him, and quenching that pyre, and in the midst of the furnace providing the dew of the Spirit. Do you see how the virtuous, both present here and after their departure from hence, become for us a subject of benefit? For this reason we have now brought this just man into our midst, that we might all follow him. Let us all, therefore, emulate him, and become superior to the pleasures, and knowing that *our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness* (Eph. 6:12), let us so arm ourselves; and considering that, being clothed in a body, we are compelled to box against incorporeal powers, let us fortify ourselves with the weapons of the Spirit. For this reason the philanthropic Master, since we are clothed in flesh and have the struggle against the invisible powers, has prepared for us also invisible weapons, that by the power of our weapons we might overcome the nature of our opponents. Trusting, therefore, in the power of the weapons, let us contribute our own part, and we shall be able, being fortified with this spiritual panoply, to bruise the very face of the devil. For he cannot endure the lightning from thence, but even if he attempts to stand over against it, he is immediately blinded in his eyes. For wherever there is chastity and gravity, and a frequent gathering of other virtues, ^B there the grace of the Spirit also flies down in abundance. For this reason also Paul said: *Pursue peace with all, and the sanctification* (Hebr. 12:14). Let us purify, therefore, I beseech you, our conscience, and let us wipe clean our mind, that having been delivered from every sordid thought, we may draw to ourselves the grace of the Spirit, and may overcome the machinations of the devil, and be accounted worthy to enjoy those ineffable goods, which may we all attain, by the grace and philanthropy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father be the glory, together with the holy Spirit, now and always, and for ever and ever. Amen.

HOMILY XLV

*And Abraham journeyed from thence into the land toward the south, and dwelt between Kadesh and between Shur, and sojourned in Gerar* (Gen. 20:1).

1. I rejoice to see you running to the hearing, and receiving the instruction from us with much pleasure; for this reason I myself also, with greater eagerness, study each day to set before you this poor and lowly table. For your intense appetite hides the meanness of the table, and makes the small appear great. This is also the case with sensible foods: just as he who takes in those who are satiated, even if he sets before them great and sumptuous dishes, the satiety of those feasted diminishes the luxury, and the great things often appear of no account, because they are not consumed by the feasted with pleasure; so he who receives those who are hungry and ready to feast, even if he sets before them a meager table, makes it great through the eagerness of the guests who consume with much pleasure what is set before them. Relying on this, your spiritual appetite, we do not hesitate, even if we set before you this poor and meager table, to set it before you constantly in your love. This is also what a certain wise man said: *Better is a dinner of herbs with love, than a stalled ox with hatred* (Prov. 15:17); showing that love sees the things set before it differently, and to its eyes even the meager appear sumptuous, and the small, great. What then is more to be envied than us, with such hearers, possessing such a warm and stirred-up love? For the speaker needs nothing so much as a kindly hearer. For when he sees the eagerness of the hearers, he is himself strengthened, and gains the power to say many things, knowing that the more he sets before them this spiritual table, by so much do the things of his abundance increase. For spiritual things are contrary to sensible things. There, the abundance of the table creates expense and diminishes the substance of the host; here, it is quite the opposite, as the more participants there are, so much the more does our wealth increase. For we do not bring our own things, but whatever the grace of God may provide for your building up, through His philanthropy. Come then, since you approach the hearing with such pleasure and eagerness, let us again make an investigation of what was just read, and harvest the gain resulting therefrom. Since, according to the great exhortation of Christ saying: *Search the Scriptures* (Joan. 5:39), the great treasure is stored up in the Scriptures, and lies hidden in the deep, for this reason there is need of searching, that when we have discovered the power hidden in the deep, we may be able to reap great benefit from thence. For this reason the grace of the Spirit ordained that the virtues of the just be handed down to the Scripture, that we might have constant instruction, and for our emulation and imitation, might order our own life according to the life of the just. The divine Scripture wishes to tell us about the patriarch. Let us listen, therefore, to what it says: *And Abraham journeyed from thence into the land toward the south, and dwelt between Kadesh, and between Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.* ^C *And journeyed from thence.* From whence did he journey? From the place where he was encamped, where he was also accounted worthy to receive the Master of all with the angels. Having journeyed, it says, he *sojourned in Gerar.* Behold the way of life of the just, how it was restrained and free from superfluity, how with ease he made his migrations, and just as foreigners and sojourners, they ordered their own life, and at one time here, and—

at another time there, and thus they lived, possessing nothing of their own, and at no time standing still. But at one time you see him pitching his tent in Bethel, and at another time by the Oak of Mamre, and at another time descending into Egypt, and now pitching his tent in Gerar; and he endures all things with ease, and clearly demonstrates his grateful mind toward his own Master in all things. And after so many promises that had been made to him by God, seeing himself surrounded by such great straits and falling into various and diverse temptations, he stood unwavering like a diamond, showing his pious purpose, and becoming for no reason among those obstacles more negligent. For see now, beloved, what kind of temptation seizes him in Gerar, and marvel at the fortitude and virtue of the just man, how he endured that which was intolerable to all, and which no one would even bear to hear, neither fretting, nor demanding from the Master an accounting for what was happening, as most people do, who are weighed down by infinite burdens of sins. For when they fall into straits, they immediately murmur and inquisitively inquire, saying: "Why did this or that happen? And why was this permitted?" But this just man is not so; and hence for him the heavenly help is granted in greater measure. For this truly would be the mark of a grateful servant, never to be over-curious in exploring those things which are done by the Master, but to accept all things in silence and with thanksgiving.

^B B'. And note how, through these very temptations that followed, the virtue of the just man shone forth all the more, since God was showing him to be clear in all things. For just as when he descended into Egypt, as one unknown and a stranger, and acknowledged by no one, he returned from there suddenly with great honor: so also now, when he was a sojourner in Gerar, in the beginnings themselves he performed what was his part; but afterwards, he was reinforced by such great assistance from God, that both the king and all who dwelt in that place studied with all zeal to minister to the just man. "And he said," it says, "Abraham concerning Sarah his wife, She is my sister." For he feared to say, "She is my wife," lest perhaps the men of the city might kill him because of her. See how the soul of the just man is besieged by the most tyrannical affections, and fear presses upon him. And although the former fear, that he might lose his wife, was grave, yet the fear of death drove it out. For to escape this, he endured before his own eyes to see his partner in life fall into the hands of the king. But how difficult this is to endure, those who have wives know. Whence also a certain wise man said: "Full of jealousy is the fury of her husband; he will not spare in the day of vengeance, he will not exchange the enmity for any price" (Prov. VI, 34, 35). But truly, this is grave and intolerable to all; see how he bore it on account of the fear of death. This truly tends to happen even in bodily affections; for when two diseases simultaneously infest our body, the increase of one covers the other, and that heavier pain claims the whole of us for itself, so that often, distracted by the greater, we do not feel the lesser pain. In the same way, that just man also now, seeing the pain of death pressing upon him, deemed all other things tolerable. For death is nothing else than sleep and sojourn, and a transition from worse things to better. For the death of the Master bestowed upon us immortality, and when He descended into Hades, He unloosed its sinews and destroyed its strength; and that which was before terrible and implacable, He now rendered contemptible, to such a degree that some even leap for joy and hasten when it is time to migrate from here. And therefore Paul also shouts, saying: "To be dissolved and to be with Christ is much better" (Philipp. I, 23). But these things, indeed, are now after the coming of Christ, after the brazen gates of Hades were broken, after the Sun of Justice shone upon all parts of the earth. But at that time it still had a terrible countenance, and it kept shaking the minds of those just men; and therefore they also bore easily all other things, even those which seemed to be intolerable. ^C Hence it is that this just man also, fearing the snares of those who dwelt in Gerar, had his dwelling there, having her with him not as a wife but as a sister; so now he lives a sojourner in this region. And just as when He permitted him to descend into Egypt, wishing to teach those wicked and slothful men the virtue of the just man; so also here the Master exhibits His own longsuffering, so that the patience of the just man may shine forth in all things, and the benevolence of God toward him may become manifest to all. "And Abimelech, King of Gerar, sent to take Sarah." Think here, I pray, of the storm of thoughts which the just man endured, seeing his wife being carried away, and realizing he could not help her. For he was bearing all things in silence, knowing that the Master would not overlook him, but would apply swift assistance. Admirable also is the love of Sarah, who wished to snatch the just man from the danger of death. For she herself could have escaped certain insult by revealing the act; but she endured all things courageously, that she might procure salvation for her husband. And that saying was fulfilled, "They shall be two into one flesh" (Gen. II, 24). For as though they were one flesh, just so they were in turn taking thought for their mutual salvation, and were declaring so much concord, as if they were one body and one soul. Let men hear these things, let women also hear; and the latter, that they may declare the same love toward their own husbands, and prefer nothing else to their salvation; while the men, that they may have benevolence toward their wives, and as if they had one soul and were one body, may do all things. This is marriage, when there is such concord between them, when they are so concatenated by the bond of charity. For just as a body never dissents from itself, nor a soul against itself; so it is not fitting for a husband and a wife to dissent, but to be united. For then [416 D] good things... ^D

will be able to flow in upon them. For where there is such concord, there is a gathering of all goods, there is peace, there is love, there is spiritual joy: nowhere is there war, nowhere strife, nowhere enmity and contention; but all these things are set aside, with the root of all goods—concord, I mean—obliterating all these things.

Then Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. And God came to Abimelech in sleep by night, and said: Behold, you are dying because of the woman whom you have taken; and she is one who has been united to a husband.

And God came to Abimelech in sleep by night.

For you are dying, he says, because of the woman whom you have taken; and she is one who has been united to a husband. And Abimelech had not touched her.

Lord, will you destroy a righteous and ignorant nation?

Will you then destroy an ignorant and righteous nation? Will you destroy me, he says, who have done the business with a righteous man?

Did he not tell me himself that she is my sister, and did she not tell me that he is my brother?

In a pure heart, and in righteousness of hands I have done this, he says; not as if I were about to commit some lawless act, but I have done this as something normal and consistent, and having no blame.

And God said to him in sleep.

And I knew, He says, that you have done this in a pure heart.

For immediately Abimelech rising, he says, called his servants, and spoke all these words into their ears.

And all the men were greatly afraid.

And all the men were greatly afraid.

Abimelech called, he says, Abraham.

^A Abimelech says: "What have I sinned against you, that you have brought upon me and my kingdom a great sin? Was I to suffer the punishment alone? Was my whole kingdom to be destroyed along with me because of the deception you have practiced?" Consider here, beloved, the prudence of the just man, how he introduces those people into the knowledge of God in place of a justification. For, he says, "I said, perhaps there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife." As if to say: I was greatly anxious with myself, lest perhaps, because you are still held by errors, you might have no care for righteousness; for this reason I feigned it, sparing you, so that if you knew her to have been my wife, you might be captivated by her love and attempt to kill me. See how through those few words he rebukes them, and at the same time teaches that a man who has God in his mind ought to do nothing iniquitous, but fear that sleepless eye, and on account of the punishment which looms from Him, have great care for righteousness. Afterwards, wishing to bring forward a defense for himself: "Do not," he says, "think that I lied even in this way. ^B 12. For she is my sister, from the same father, but not from the same mother; and she was given to me as a wife." Because he calls her the same father, he says, whom I also call; and therefore I called her my sister. Do not therefore condemn me. For although the fear of death compelled me to this necessity, and because I feared that perhaps you would kill me on her account, but would preserve her alive: yet neither even so is it a lie which was spoken by me. See how diligently the just man acts to show that he did not lie even in this. And, he says, "So that you may know all things diligently from me, hear also the counsel which we entered into between us." Consider, I pray, here the great wisdom of the just man, how in the series of his narration he teaches them that he had been particularly devoted to God from the beginning, and that God had called him out of his house and led him into this place; so that the king may know that Abraham is one of those who have great trust in God. "When," he says, "God led me forth from the house of my father, I was saying to her: This righteousness you shall do for me, in every place where we shall have come, say: He is my brother." Because he had said above: "For I said, perhaps there is no fear of God in this place," and he appeared to reproach them too much, wishing to mitigate the harshness of the word, he says here, "Do not think that I did this only for your sake." For immediately: "When God led me forth from the house of my father, I was saying to her: This righteousness you shall perform for me in every place where we are about to come." Regarding all, he says, who inhabit this land, I gave a commandment to her, and he taught that even so a simulation is without a lie. For the fear of death compelled us to this. As the just man said these things, ^C he softened their anger, and uncovered his own virtue, and delivered to them a sufficient doctrine of true religion. The king, therefore, revering the great gentleness of the just man, remunerates the patriarch with great liberality. For it is said: 14. "Abimelech took a thousand didrachmas, and sheep, and calves, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and returned to him Sarah his wife." Have you seen, beloved, the omnipotent and varied wisdom of God? For he who was placed in danger of death, and was doing everything so that he might be able to escape death, not only escaped death, but also obtained great trust, and suddenly became glorious. He not only frees those who act bravely in the temptations into which they fall from their sorrows; but He also provides so much joy in adversities, that they happen to come altogether into the oblivion of them, and are in a great abundance of goods. And see besides the king's duty towards that just man. For not only does he honor him with such great gifts, but he also gives him power to dwell in his land. 15. "For behold," he says, "my land is before you; wherever it shall have pleased you, dwell." For because he learned that life had been given to him because of him, and because of his prayers, he was therefore dutiful to a stranger, a wanderer, and previously known to no one, as if to some benefactor and guardian. 16. "To Sarah, however," he says, "he said: Behold I have given a thousand didrachmas to your brother." See how, having received doctrine from the just man, he believed his words, and he himself calls this man her brother. "Those things which I have given," he says, "to your brother, shall be for the honor of your countenance, and say everything truthfully." What is, "In honor of your countenance, and say everything truthfully"? For those things which I attempted through ignorance, by introducing you, who are the wife of the just man, into my house: for this only, because I was the cause of reproach to you, I have given a thousand didrachmas, intending to restore those things which were admitted by me against you. Truly, "Say everything truthfully." What does it mean, "Say everything truthfully"? "Let all," he says, "learn from you that nothing iniquitous was done by me, because you went out from my house untouched." Teach, he says, your husband that I am innocent of sin: let him learn from you that nothing was done by me. But why does he say these things? So that when the just man has learned from her, and has been taught by many reasons, he may offer prayers to the Lord for him. For after he said, "Say everything truthfully": that is: Teach your husband the things which were done, immediately Scripture subjoined: 17. "And Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants, and they gave birth: 18. because the Lord concluding had concluded outwardly every womb in the house of Abimelech on account of Sarah the wife of Abraham." See how the Lord, wishing to render the just man more illustrious through all things, grants by the prayers of the patriarch health to the king and to all things which were in his house. "Abraham prayed," he says, "to God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants, and they gave birth: because the Lord concluding had concluded outwardly every womb in the house of Abimelech." For this reason, although the king was a stranger to sin, the good Lord brought this plague upon him, so that by assenting to the prayers of the just man He might dissolve it, and render the just man more clear and more illustrious. For He always does and handles all things, and dispenses single things, so that those who serve Him may shine forth as luminaries, and their virtue may be celebrated everywhere. And see, I pray, beloved, after He had thus freed the just man from troubles, how again the height of goods is handed over to the just man, the effects of the promise, and now there happen the things which

themselves to Him, and the difficult things become easy, and the impossible things possible, if only we maintain firm faith in Him and, gazing upon the magnitude of His power, become superior to all things human. For He who promised those future and ineffable good things to those who spend their life here with virtue—will He not much more provide those things here too, especially if we, longing for those, despise the things present? For then we shall most fully enjoy them with abundance, when we wish to despise them. Knowing these things, then, let us yearn for those lasting and immovable good things that know no end, so that we may pass through the present life without grief, and be able to attain those things of which may it be granted to us all to partake, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father be glory, together with the Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY XLVI

^AAnd Sarah said: Who will announce to Abraham that Sarah suckles a child? Because I have borne a son in my old age. (Gen. 21. 7)

1. Come, beloved, let us today also take up the thread of what was said yesterday, and so serve you this spiritual feast, that we may learn again, just as you heard yesterday, the ineffable providence and condescension of the good God, and the great obedience and gratitude of the patriarch. See you how the birth of Isaac made Sarah full of joy? For she said, she says, God has made laughter for me; whoever hears, will rejoice with me. I shall draw, she says, each of those who hear into a fellowship of joy. For great is the gift provided to me by God, and it transcends human infirmity. For who, she says, would not be struck with wonder seeing me nursing and suckling, I who was in extreme old age and up to the present had been childless? And as if marvelling and astonished at what had occurred, she added: Who will announce to Abraham that Sarah suckles a child? Because I have borne a son in my old age? Since the event is beyond nature, that is why she says, Who will announce? meaning, Who will reckon it? Who could conceive of it? What mind will be able to grasp it? What reasoning is sufficient to find the accuracy of what has occurred? It was not so wondrous for the fountains of waters to gush from the rock in the desert, when Moses struck it with his staff (Exod. 17), as it is for a child to be born from a womb already dead (Num. 20), and for fountains of milk to gush forth. For in order that the birth might be manifest to all, and that she might bring all, both those present at the time and those who would hear of it after, to faith in the miracle, for this reason she herself nurses the child and puts up with the nursing. And she says, Who will announce to Abraham that Sarah suckles a child? This novel, paradoxical thing, provided to me beyond hope, Because I have borne a son in my old age. What is it, Because I have borne a son in my old age? Because, she says, even without the barrenness, the time of life was sufficient to preclude the birth. But the Master removed all these obstacles and granted me the birth of the child. We, therefore, beloved, let us also show the same patience as the just man, and never grow weary, but be nourished by good hopes, knowing that neither the difficulty of circumstances, nor any other human thing is sufficient to become an obstacle to us, when the grace of God wishes to demonstrate its own generosity. For when He inclines, all things yield and obey, and the difficult things become easy, and the impossible possible, and the fountains of milk ^B. But let us see the rest. For since the time of nursing was completed, Sarah, he says, saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, who was born to Abraham, playing with Isaac his son.