Homily XLVI. That although we are liable for all sins, we can be saved through confession; and that each of us among the faithful has a guardian angel; and concerning priests. A
The human race, beloved, is such that some are punished both here and there, others only here, others only there, and others neither here nor there. They are punished both here and there as the crucifiers of Christ; for they paid the penalty here when they suffered those unspeakable things at the capture of the city, and they shall undergo a most grievous one there, just like the citizens of Sodom and many others. B They are punished only there, as the rich man who is being roasted and who is not master of even a drop of water. They are punished here only, as the man who committed fornication among the Corinthians. But they are punished neither here nor there, as the apostles, as the prophets, as blessed Job; for what they suffered was not punishment, but a struggle and a contest. Let us therefore strive to be of their number, or if not of them, at least of those who cast off their sins here. For that judgment seat is terrible, the punishment is inexorable, and the torment is irremediable. But if you wish not to pay the penalty here, judge yourself, demand your own accounts; C hear Paul saying: *For if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged (1 Cor. 11:31).* If you do this, proceeding on your way, you will also attain the crown. And how, you say, shall we demand an account of ourselves? Mourn, groan bitterly, humble yourself, afflict yourself, call your sins to mind by type; this is no small torment for the soul. If anyone has been in compunction, he knows that the soul is chastised chiefly by this; if anyone has been in the remembrance of sin, he knows the pain that comes from it. Therefore, God sets justice as a reward for such repentance, saying: *Tell your sins first, that you may be justified (Is. 43:26).* For it is no small task for correction to gather together all one's sins and D revolve and analyze them constantly by type. For he who does this will be so struck with compunction that he will think himself unworthy even to live; and he who thinks this will be softer than any wax. Do not speak to me only of fornication, nor only of these manifest evils, but you must gather together the secret plots, the calumnies, the slanders, the vainglory, the envy, and all such things; for these too will bring no slight punishment. For the slanderer shall fall into hell, and he who is drunk has nothing in common with the kingdom, and he who does not love his neighbor so provokes God that he is not helped even while he is a martyr, and he who does not care for his own household has denied the faith, and he who disregards the poor is sent into the fire. Do not, therefore, think these things are small, but gather them all up, and write them down as in a book.
Homily XLVI.
For if you write them, God will blot them out, just as, if you do not write them, God will both enroll them and demand the penalty. It is therefore much better that they be written by us and blotted out from above, than the reverse, that we should forget them and God should bring them before our eyes on that day. Lest this happen, let us analyze everything with precision, and we shall find ourselves liable for many things. For who is clean of greed? Do not tell me of the measure, for even in a small amount we shall pay the same penalty. Think of this and repent. Who is free from insolence? This casts one into hell. Who has not secretly slandered his neighbor? Who has not become senseless? And this man is the most unclean of all. Who has not looked at a woman with unchaste eyes? This man is a fully-fledged adulterer. Who has not been angry with his brother without cause? This man is answerable to the council. Who has not sworn? This man is of the wicked one. Who has not perjured himself? This man is more than of the wicked one. Who has not served mammon? This man has fallen from the genuine servitude of Christ. I could mention many other things besides these; but these are sufficient to bring those who are not stone and not utterly insensitive to compunction. For if each one of them casts [a person] into hell, what will they not accomplish when they all come together? *See,* he says, *that you do not despise one of these little ones; for their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven (Matt. 18:10).* For each of the faithful has an angel. Since from the beginning every man of those who are approved had an angel, as Jacob says: *The angel who feeds me, and rescues me from my youth (Gen. 48:16).* If, therefore, we have angels, let us be sober, as though some teachers were present with us. For a demon is also present: therefore we pray and say, asking for the angel of peace, and we ask for peace everywhere (for there is nothing equal to this), peace in the churches, in prayers, in litanies, in predictions; and the one presiding over the Church gives it again and twice and thrice and many times: Peace be to you. Why? Because this is the mother of all good things, this is the cause of joy. Therefore Christ commanded the apostles, upon entering houses, to say this at once, as a sort of symbol of good things. For *entering,* he says, *into houses, say, Peace be to you (Matt. 10:12).* For when this is not present, everything is superfluous. And Christ said to the disciples: *Peace I leave you; my peace I give to you (John 14:27).* This paves the way for love. And the one presiding over the Church does not say, Peace be to you, simply, but, Peace to all. For what if we have peace with this person, but war and fighting with another? What is the gain? For neither in the body, if some of the limbs are at rest and others are in conflict, is it possible for health to survive, but it consists through the good order and harmony and peace of all; and if not everything is at rest and remains within its proper boundaries, everything will be overturned. And in our mind, if all thoughts are not at rest, there will be no peace. Such a good is peace, that it makes its makers and creators sons of God. Rightly; since the Son of God also came to earth for this, to reconcile those on earth and those in heaven. If, therefore, those who are peacemakers are sons of God, those who are makers of new troubles are sons of the devil. What are you saying? You are bringing in contentions and fights? And who is so miserable, he says? For there are many who rejoice in evils, and who tear apart the body of Christ more than the soldiers tore it with the spear, or the Jews pierced it with the nails. That evil is less than this; those members that were pierced were joined again; but these, if they are not joined here, will no longer be joined, but will remain outside the fullness. When you wish to fight with your brother,HOMILY XLVII. Quod non indigne accedendum sit ad divina mysteria.
AConsider that you are warring against the members of Christ, and put an end to this madness. For what if he is cast aside? What if he is vile? What if he is to be despised? "There is not, He says, "a will before my Father who is in heaven, so that one of these little ones should perish" (Matth. XVIII, 14); and again, "Their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven" (Matth. XVIII, 10). God became a servant and was slain for his sake and yours; yet you think he is nothing? Are you not, therefore, fighting against God in this, by bringing calculations contrary to His? When the president of the Church enters, he straightway says, "Peace be to you"; when he converses, "Peace to all"; when the sacrifice is accomplished, "Peace to all"; and in the meantime, again, "Grace to you and peace." How then would it not be absurd, if, hearing so often that we must have peace, we fight against one another? When we have received and given peace, are we warring with Him who gave peace? You say, "And with your spirit," and yet you slander him on the outside? Woe is me, that the things which are more honorable in the Church are things that are merely external, not the truth! Woe is me, that the symbols of this army stand in words only! Whence you are ignorant even why it is said, "Peace to all." But listen to the things that follow. What says Christ? "Into whatever city or town you shall enter, entering into the house, salute it; and if indeed that house be worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you" (Matth. X, 12, 13). We do not know this because we think this is but a form of words, and we do not store it away in our minds. Do I give peace? Christ deigns to speak through us. Even if we were empty of grace for all other time, yet we are not now, for your sake. For B if grace operated through the donkey and the prophet for the utility of the Israelites, it is clear that it does not refuse to operate in us, but will grant it for your sake. Let no one therefore say that I am vile and humble and worthy of no esteem, and thus attend to me: I am indeed such as that; but yet God is accustomed to attend to those who are such for the sake of the many. And that you may learn this, He deigned to speak to Cain for the sake of Abel, to the devil for the sake of Job, to Pharaoh for the sake of Joseph, to Nebuchadnezzar for the sake of Daniel, to Belshazzar for the sake of the same. And the Magi were deemed worthy of revelation, and Caiaphas, a Christ-killer and unworthy, prophesied on account of the dignity of the priesthood. It is said also that Aaron for this reason was not struck with leprosy. For why, I ask, when both had spoken evil, did the sister alone suffer punishment? Do not wonder. For if in external dignities, even if someone is accused of countless things, he is not led to the tribunal before he has put aside his magistracy, so that the magistracy is not insulted together with the accused: much more in a spiritual magistracy, whoever he may be, the grace of God works in him; otherwise all would perish: but when he has put it aside, whether departing or here remaining, then he will give more severe punishments. But do not think these things are said by me: it is the grace of God which works in the unworthy, not for our sake, but for your sake. Hear therefore what Christ says: "If the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it." How then does it become worthy? "If they receive you," He says. "If however they do not receive you, nor hear your words, amen I say to you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city" (Matth. X, 13-15). What use is it therefore that you receive us if you do not hear the things we say? What is the profit if you serve and do not attend to what is said? That is honor to us; that is the wonderful ministry, which should be useful both to you and to us, if you hear us. Hear Paul saying, "I knew not, brethren, that he was the high priest" (Act. XXIII, 5). Hear also Christ saying, "All things whatsoever they shall say to you to keep, keep and do" (Matth. XXIII, 5). You do not despise me, but the priesthood: C if you see me stripped of that, then despise me; then I myself would not wish to command: but as long as we sit on this throne, as long as we have this manner of presiding, we have both dignity and power, even if we are unworthy. If the throne of Moses was so venerable that it was heard on account of it, much more the throne of Christ. We have received it, from Him we speak, from whom Christ has imposed upon us the ministry of reconciliation. Ambassadors, whoever they may be, enjoy much honor on account of the dignity of the embassy. For see; they come alone into the middle of the land of the barbarians among so many enemies; and because the law of the embassy has much power, all honor them, all look upon them, all send them forth with safety. And we therefore have received the office of the embassy, and we have come from God; for this is the dignity of the episcopate; we have come to you fulfilling an embassy, asking to dissolve the war, and we say under what conditions; not promising cities, not measures of grain, so many or so many, not slaves, not gold, but the kingdom of heaven, eternal life, consortium with Christ, other goods, which we cannot even tell, as long as we are in the flesh and in the present life. We fulfill an embassy therefore, and we wish to enjoy honor; not for our sake, let it be far from us; for we know our own vileness; but for your sake, that you may attentively hear the things we say, that you may procure utility, that you may not with sloth and without attention retain what is spoken. Do you not see how ambassadors are honored by all? We are ambassadors from God to men. But if this seems hard and difficult to you, it is not we, but the episcopate; not this or that one, but the bishop. Let no one look at me, but at the dignity itself. Let us therefore do all things according to the pleasure of God, that we may live to the glory of God, and be deemed worthy of the goods promised to those who love Him, by the grace and kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and empire into the ages of ages. Amen.
Since we have made mention of this sacrifice, I wish to say a few things to you who are initiated; they are indeed a small measure, but they have great power and utility; D not to you, O initiated, I wish to say small things, (but) to those having the small measure, but possessing great power
A of the divine Spirit. What then is this? Many partake of this sacrifice once in the [present] year, others twice, others many times. To all, therefore, does our word apply, even to those sitting in the desert; for they partake once a year, and often even once in two years. What then? Whom shall we approve? Not those who partake once, nor those who partake many times, but those who partake with a pure conscience, with a pure heart, with an unblemished life. Let such always approach; but those who are not such, not even once. For he who eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself, as the Apostle says. B These things are given to the saints; this the deacon also proclaims, calling the holy ones through that fearful voice. For since it is not possible for a man to know the things of his neighbor, except for the Spirit that is in him, he lets out that very voice, "The holy things for the holy." If anyone is not holy, let him not approach. He does not simply say, "pure from sins," but "holy"; for it is not only the removal of sins that makes one holy, but also the presence of the Spirit, and the wealth of good works. What is the sin? Not to approach with fear, but to strike the breast, and to make a clamor, and the rest. I have often said these things, and I will not cease saying them. C Do you not see in the Olympic games, when the judge is present, how the good order of the herald crying out produces silence? How is it not absurd, that where the devil is parading, there is much silence, but where Christ invites to Himself, there is much clamor? Rather, in the sea there is calm, and in the harbor there are waves. Why are you troubled, tell me? The necessity of affairs calls you completely. For do you know at all that you have affairs at that hour? And do you remember at all that you are on earth? And how is it not the mark of a stony mind to think that at that time one is on earth, and not dancing with the angels, with whom you have sent up that mystical hymn to God, the victory song, "Holy, holy, holy"? D For this reason Christ called us eagles, saying, "Where the corpse is, there are also the eagles," (Luc. 17:37), so that we might sky-walk, that we might fly on high, being lightened by the wings of the Spirit; but we, like serpents, crawl on the ground and eat earth. Do you wish me to say whence the tumult arises? Because we do not close the doors to you throughout the whole time, but allow you to depart before the final thanksgiving: this is a sign of great disdain. What are you doing, O man? With Christ present, with the angels standing nearby, with the table set before you, do you yourself abandon it and depart? And if you were invited to a banquet, do you not dare to depart before your friends? Do you wish me to say whose work they are doing who depart before the thanksgiving? When Judas partook of the final supper on that last night, while all the others were reclining, he himself ran out and departed. Such as these imitate him. For if he had not gone out, he would not have become a traitor, he would not have perished; if he had not separated himself from the shepherd, he would not have become prey to beasts. Do you see that the final prayer after the sacrifice is made according to that pattern? For he went out with the Jews; these went out with the Master after having sung a hymn. I say these things not that you may be in a tumult and cry out, but that with much silence and good order we may perform this sacred [sacrifice], that we may both purify the soul and attain to eternal goods. Do not heed that it is bread and wine that is present; for it is the Body and Blood according to the Master's decree; do not judge the matter by the taste, but be persuaded by faith without doubt. Drawing near, do not make your hands extended, but make the left a throne for the right, and hollowing the palm, as one about to receive a King, receive the Body of Christ with much fear, so that no pearl may fall from your hand, and you be damaged in one of your members. A Likewise approach also the holy Blood, not extending your hands, saying "Amen." And while the moisture is still on your lips, touch your eyes and forehead with your hands; and the rest of the senses are sanctified; and give thanks to God who has deemed you worthy of such a mystery. And how, he says, is it possible to be saved in the midst of the world? What are you saying? Do you wish me to show you briefly that it is not the place that saves, but the manner and the disposition towards God? Adam being in paradise, as in a harbor, suffered shipwreck; but Lot in Sodom, as it were in the open sea, was saved. Job was justified on the dunghill; but Saul, being in the chambers of the palace, fell from the glory and honor here and yonder. This is no defense, but we suffer these things from not having leisure in prayers and divine assemblies. Or do you not see those who wish to receive honors from the earthly king, how they wait, and move others to intercession, so that they may not fall short of what they seek? These things I have said to those who absent themselves from the holy assemblies, and to those who occupy themselves with conversation and vain words during the fearful hour of the mystical act. What are you doing, O man? Did you not promise the priest when he said, "Lift up the mind and the hearts," and you said, "We have them unto the Lord"? Do you not feel shame and blush to be found a liar at these words and this hour? Alas, with the royal table prepared, with the Lamb of God being slaughtered for you, with the priest struggling for you, with the Seraphim standing by, with the six-winged ones covering their faces, with all of the bodiless powers interceding with the priest for you, with the spiritual fire descending, with the blood being poured into the chalice from the immaculate side, does not even your conscience condemn you, O man? With the week having one hundred and sixty-eight hours, God has set apart one and only one hour; and if you consume even that in worldly affairs and conversations and ridiculous things, with what boldness then do you approach the divine mysteries, with what conscience? If you had filth in your hands, would you dare to draw near to the hem of the king? By no means. Do not look upon it as if it were bread, nor as if it were wine; for it does not go into the drain like other common foods; perish the thought, do not think anything of the kind. Therefore, even when approaching, let us think not as from men, but as from the Seraphim themselves with the tongs of fire, which Isaiah saw, we are partaking of the divine body. I beg and exhort that we be not absent from the churches; but when assembled, let us not occupy ourselves with conversations in the church, but let us stand fearful and trembling, casting the eye downward, having the soul upward, and let us groan with the heart. Or do you not see those who attend upon a corruptible and temporal king, how they are motionless, and not talking, nor do they look around, but are downcast, modest, and fearful? From yourself, O man, receive correction,