A by the abandonment of the faithful? What is the cause of this abandonment? Necessary business. And what is more necessary than this occupation with the divine, even for a short time? But a cowardice of sins. And what cleansed that blessed harlot, if not the fleeing to or the taking refuge in the Master’s flesh? Let us blush, therefore, to be inferior to that harlot in contrition; let us tremble at that voice of our Master testifying to us: Amen, amen I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have not life in you. Let us fear, lest from the heavens He also rebuke us saying: You did not have the strength to remain B with me for one hour; let us be afraid, in addition to this, of joining in the craftiness of heretics against Him; let us be sober regarding the words of Paul concerning the incarnation; let us not confuse the things of humanity with the incorporeal state of the Godhead, nor let us confuse the things of the Godhead with the sufferings of humanity, keeping the properties of the natures separate; let us join together the dignity of the union, and let us neither preach the God Word as a temple instead of the One indwelling, nor let us consider the temple to be the Indweller instead of Him Who is indwelt; let us remember the words of Him Who took up both natures: Destroy this temple—that is, that which is subject to death—and in three days I will raise it up—that is, He Who is joined to the mortal according to the hidden God—to Him be glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.
FRAGMENT OF A HOMILY
WHICH IS INSCRIBED:A homily of our Father among the saints John Chrysostom concerning those who approach the divine mysteries with attention, addressed to those who were left behind for the Dedication (27).
It begins: It is not sufficient for us Christians simply and haphazardly to listen, and if you wish I will produce the brother of God, James, as a trustworthy witness saying. It ends: that we may be delivered from the coming and unending punishment, and be deemed worthy of the kingdom of heaven; by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory and power always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
This homily is found neither among the genuine nor among the spurious works of St. John Chrysostom, if indeed trust is to be placed in the alphabetical Index of his works according to the first words of the Sermons and Homilies, among which are the spurious and also the omitted ones, which Father de Montfaucon exhibits in volume XIII, page 296, of his very rich edition. But truly, after very many manuscript catalogs and indices have been explored and examined in vain, mention of this homily at last occurs in the Greek manuscript Library of Antonius Augustinus, codex 44, in these express words: CHRYSOSTOM. Item, a sermon on the Eucharist at the Dedication, and that we ought to approach the divine mysteries with great fear. Since, however, the library of manuscripts of that most learned prelate has been brought to the Royal Library at the Escorial, we are in little doubt that this homily still exists there, unless it perished in the most disastrous fire of the year 1671. However that may be, it has not yet become known in print.