insomuch that the helmsman himself, having become trembling from fear, can no longer use his hand to steer the ship; and all of them, crying out, despair of being able to save their lives among men. Such a thing also happened to the disciples; for B do you transfer yourself with me to the Gospel. Jesus ascended with his disciples into a boat (Luke VIII, 22), and easily crossed the sea. As long as the Lord Christ was awake, every contrary wind was repressed; the sea was flat for them, as if it were solid ground, nor did a wave rise up against the ship carrying Christ. But when Jesus, according to his providence, was sleeping in the boat, in accordance with the nature of the body, and not according to the dignity of the Godhead (for the eye of the Godhead is immune to sleep); then the winds, seeing their Master and Prefect sleeping—just as horses despise a charioteer held by sleep—exhaling a fierce tempest with an impetuous blast, were borne against the apostolic boat; and, a gale having arisen, which threatened an unexpected death with such a blast, with the sea surging and casting its fierce waves with a roar onto the bank—the shaper of the sands—the disciples, seeing the raging tempest, invoked Christ the most celebrated defender; saying what? Lord, save us, we perish (Matt. VIII, 25). By Economy the Lord was sleeping in the boat, not unaware of what was about to happen, nor lacking the power to induce serenity; but knowing that the sea was about to be troubled, he was sleeping for two reasons: that he might by the tempest rebuke the wavering and weak faith of the disciples, and might liquidly demonstrate to them the power of his divinity. It was possible to see, therefore, O beloved, the Lord, awake in body, becoming more vehement than himself, and the wind fleeing stealthily into its own cave, and the sea no longer intent on threats against the apostolic boat, but the waves converting themselves to adoration. Such is the course of this life, so that things never remain in the same state, but are sometimes tranquil in peace and abound in an abundance of provisions; at other times, however, they are moved and tossed by waves, like the sea, partly by the incursions of barbarians, partly by the machinations of tyrants and the perplexities of affairs, and by many other disturbances C and agitations. For the aforementioned history concerning the apostolic boat has this meaning; nothing indeed was done by the Lord that did not have a mystery. This life is like the sea; human nature is like the boat, carrying thoughts and mind like passengers and a helmsman. This boat, therefore, that is to say human nature, is tossed in this life by the wickedness of the devil, by the hostile demons who excite the waves of the passions; they cast the false foam of pleasures into the internal mind, and move the mind, the helmsman, with passions and submerge it into sin. But whatever human being, moved by the flame of pleasures, may be submerged into sin—that, asserting my discourse, the prophet David testifies. For when he had made shipwreck concerning continence, he was crying out, saying: "I came into the depth of the sea, and a tempest submerged me" (Ps. LXVIII, 3). For we nowhere find this in history concerning David: when did David sail? Or in what sea traveling was he submerged? Nowhere indeed. What then does it mean? Being in this life as if in a sea, and tossed by pleasures as if by waves, and with the structure of his thoughts loosened, having admitted within the wave of cupidity, and having been despoiled of the strength of a man through the wife of Uriah, he suffered a shipwreck of continence. Therefore he was saying: "I came into the depth of the sea, and a tempest submerged me." Then again repenting, and again recovering the tiller of continence from the depth of sin, and tempering his life with chastity, he was praying to God saying: "Let not the tempest of water submerge me, nor the deep D swallow me" (Ps. LXVIII, 16). Such a thing the Apostle also mentions, mystically indicating human nature: "Thrice I made shipwreck." For what does he say? "Thrice I made shipwreck; a night and a day I was in the depth of the sea" (II Cor. XI, 25). For human nature made shipwreck thrice: once, in paradise through the transgression; secondly, in the flood of Noah; thirdly, after the law was received, the people fell into the worship of idols, until Christ, the helmsman of our souls, coming and planting the veil of the cross in the middle of the earth, provided for us a navigation free from tempests unto the heavenly city. "A night and a day I was in the depth of the sea." He calls "night" that delay in murky error, which preceded the advent of Christ; and "day," that state in the lucid baptism, which followed the advent of Christ. Since, therefore, the whole of human nature was being tossed through the wickedness of the devil, as we have said: seeing this, the Word of God, coming into this life, enters into the hollow of the boat of the virgin Mary: the type of which we find expressed in the prophet Jonah. For Jonah is sent to Nineveh; Christ comes into this life: Jonah departs into the boat, and sleeps in the hollow of the boat; the Word also of God for nine months was sleeping, so to speak, in the womb of the virgin Mary, silent to men. Then the gale of devilish wickedness was more excited, just as against Jonah. But when Jonah was thrown into the sea, that is, when Jesus came forth from the womb of the Virgin into this life, and every wind against him also grew silent, until he should arrive at the underworld, he brought forth many signs and wonders while sailing in this life. Jonah entered into the whale, and he entered into the underworld: three days and three nights, as many as Jonah, he spent in the underworld. Jonah is cast out from the whale into Nineveh; Christ rises from the dead, and comes into this world... preaching repentance; the Ninevites repent, and the inhabitants of this world: for three days they fast, and numerous multitudes are saved; just as also in Nineveh twelve myriads of men and very many cattle. For the Lord preaching repentance and faith to this world, the twelve tribes of Israel are saved. "When the fullness of the nations shall have entered, then all Israel shall be saved" (Rom. XI, 25). That Jonah was a type of Christ, the Lord himself says in the Gospel: "As Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so shall the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights" (Matt. XII, 40). To him be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.
VII. OF THE SAME, ON THAT: THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE A GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED (Matt. XIII, 31).
What is greater than the kingdom of heaven, and what is less than a grain of mustard seed? How did he assimilate the immense kingdom of heaven to a grain so easily measured and tiny? But if we ponder what a grain of mustard seed is, we shall find how beautifully and according to nature one is compared to the other. What is the kingdom of heaven, if not plainly Christ? For he says of himself: "Behold, the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke XVII, 21). But what is greater than Christ according to the Godhead, as it is to hear the prophet saying: "This is our God, and no other shall be reckoned against him. He has found out all the way of discipline, and has delivered it to Jacob his servant, and to Israel his beloved. After these things he was seen on earth, and conversed with men" (Baruch III, 36-38). Isaiah also concerning him...A makes mention of his illustrious end, saying: "And your remnant shall be a worm" (Isai. XIV, 11). For it was necessary for him, like a wise fisherman, to clothe the worm of the flesh with the flashing hook of divinity and to lower it into the abyss of this life, and thus to hook the dragon, so that indeed what is written in Job may be fulfilled: "Will you draw out the dragon with a hook?" (Job XL, 20). B "The kingdom of heaven is therefore like a grain of mustard seed." Some of those hearing this will then say: "How can the same thing be the kingdom of heaven and a grain, and both great and small in relation to it?" Because through the excess of his compassion for his own creation he has become all things to all, that he might win all. He was God, as indeed he is and shall be by his own nature, and he became man for our salvation. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" (Rom. XI, 33). O grain, by which the world was created, by which darkness has been scattered and the Church renewed! This grain, suspended upon C the cross, possessed such greatness of power that even being bound, by a word alone he snatched the thief from the tree and rolled him into the delight of paradise; this grain, being pierced in the side with a spear, caused a draught of immortality to spring forth for those who thirst. This grain of mustard seed, brought down from the tree and placed in a garden, covered the whole heavenly realm with its branches; this grain of mustard seed, placed in a garden, and having sent its roots into Hades, and having gathered the souls there, in three days raised them into heaven; this grain of mustard seed, crushed upon the tree, struck and darkened our adversary the serpent, and having awakened Hades, turned it back to the place from whence it was left. "The kingdom of heaven is therefore like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his own garden." Sow this grain of mustard seed in D the garden of your soul, so that you too may say: "Awake, O north wind, and come, O south, blow upon my garden, and let my spices flow" (Cant. IV, 16). If you have this grain of mustard seed in the garden of your soul, the prophet will say to you as well: "And it shall be as a garden drunken, and as a fountain whose water shall not fail" (Isai. LVIII, 11). If you have this grain in the garden of your soul, and partake of its myrrh, it is said to you also: "The smell of your garments is like the smell of frankincense" (Cant. IV, 11, 12, 15); that is, the smell of your fleshly things is like the smell of frankincense. "A garden enclosed, a fountain sealed" are your missions. This grain of mustard seed, crushed upon the tree, and having become leaven through the all-artful and immortal wisdom, mixed into three measures of meal—that is, into soul and body and spirit—leavened the whole of humanity into one faith.
The imagery of this mystery was depicted by Abraham and his consort Sarah with their own hands
while dwelling in the tent under the oak of Mamre. For we are compelled, beloved, to digress from our discourse; who is Abraham, who is Sarah, what is the tent, or who are the hidden cakes, and why three measures of fine flour there, and here of meal—it is necessary to examine the discourse with accuracy. Who would Abraham be? It is interpreted as "elect father of a multitude." And who would be the elect father, if not God? Concerning whom it is said: "Into all the earth their sound has gone out, and their words to the ends of the world" (Rom. X, 18). And what is Sarah? It is interpreted as "ruling and leading." And who would be the one ruling and leading us, if not entirely the wisdom of the Father? Or what is the tent under the oak of Mamre? It is certainly the Church sheltered by the cross. The cross is likened to the oak because the wood is strong and unyielding. What are the three measures of fine flour? They are certainly, as I said before, humanity, which is composed of soul and spirit and body. For so the Apostle taught us, saying: "May God preserve your body and soul and spirit" (1 Thess. V, 23). The wisdom of God, then, takes Sarah—the leader or ruler—takes body, soul, and spirit, and hides them in the fire, that is, lighting them up with the unquenchable divinity, and makes three hidden cakes, that is, in the hidden part of our flesh, the confession of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Appropriately for you, beloved, was the Gospel read. A grain of mustard seed, and leaven; the leaven is transformed into bread, the grain into vegetables; but bread and vegetables are the provisions of fasts, to which may Jesus the Lord lead us blamelessly, as we fulfill the race of fasting. "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed." We shall not be able in any other way to understand the power of the parable, if we do not first recognize the substance, the color, and the size. For mustard is small in size, but when sown and growing, it surpasses all development of vegetables, and in height it rises above, and in the multitude of branches it conquers others, and in the multiplicity of leaves; for it is conductive to shade, so that birds flying over can alight upon it and rest. It is also very good in taste, and heating in quality, and healing of internal ailments. It becomes the food of no other animal, but only of man. And on the outside it is reddish, but on the inside it appears white. This is the nature of the vegetable, and the praise of the seed. But if we desire to examine it with accuracy, we would find the parable fitting to the Savior himself. For this is he who is small in appearance; this is he who is lowly in the world, and great in heaven; this is both son of man and God, indeed Son of God; this is the innumerable, the eternal; this is the invisible, the heavenly, the one eaten only by faithful men; this is the one who was crushed, and after the passion became white as milk; this is the one greater than all other vegetables; this is the indivisible Word of the Father; this is he in whom the birds of the heaven lodge, that is, prophets and apostles and all the called; this is he who purifies the passions of the soul through his own heat, under whom we are bedewed, under whom we are sheltered from the worldly heat; this is the one who through death was sown into the earth, and there bore fruit, having raised the saints from the tomb of the dead in three days; this is the one who appeared greater than every prophet through the resurrection; this is the one who saves all things by the emanation of the Father; this is the one who blossomed from the earth into the heavens, who was sown in his own field, who in the world also brings those who believe in him to the Father. O seed of life sown by God the Father into the earth! O plant of immortality reconciling those nourished by you to God! O tree high and exalted, cultivated by the Father alone! This tree sprang from the paternal heart; this plant has its roots in heaven, but once appeared in the world it is harvested by men. O plantation seen to fall into the earth, and to blossom into the heavens! O seed small indeed to be seen, but with the Father greater than all things! This plant also sprang up for the dead in Hades; its fruit became the resurrection of men; this brought a deadly arrow to death; to this the walls of Tartarus bowed and worshipped, bending their stiff knee; its branches covered the whole world; this is [alt-version omitted]A the Spirit’s movement; it is touched by this light; be delighted in this plant and dance with the angels, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and for ages of ages. Amen.
VIII. BY THE SAME, ON THE TEXT, "IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, THERE IS A NEW CREATION; THE OLD THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY; BEHOLD, ALL THINGS HAVE BECOME NEW." (II Cor. V, 17)
Great truly is the eagerness with which a farmer casts his seeds, once he sees that the field has been cleared, nor is there a multitude of thorns to hinder the growth of the shoots, nor a stone to strike against the plow. But there is a greater ease for him who is about to bring forth the sermon when he sees a prepared auditor. For I see a field cleared, and nowhere is there a thorn sprouting; and the thorn is the anxiety of wealth, which chokes the word. I say these things, not because there are no rich people present, but because I am manifesting the philosophy of the poor in the hearing of the sermon. For there is need not only of the speaker, but also of a prudent auditor; for Scripture requires both—the wise teacher and the prudent auditor—so that our labor may not turn out useless through the idleness of the hearers. B For the anxiety of wealth does not allow what is said to fall into the mind, but snatches away the understanding of the hearers. Since, therefore, I see all of you prepared—for I do not know the secrets of the mind, but I examine the eyes of each of you curiously, and I see eyelids standing like horns and eyes not wavering, indicating the stillness of the mind, and each one exempt from the cares of this life, observing only this, thinking only of this, how he may receive what is said—apply your mind with greater care; open the lap of your soul, so that the seeds may be sown more easily. C For a long time now I have wanted to let my tongue loose upon Paul’s table, and I shall not stop calling him an idiot, an obscure and ignoble man, a tentmaker. These are my prerogatives, these my praises, that I have such masters, shining not with the riches of this life, but with spiritual virtues. If someone of the Greeks says to me, "Whom do you have as a master?" I answer, "The tentmaker." "And whom else?" "The fishmonger." "And whom else?" "The tax collector." "And whom else?" "The magi and the harlot." "And whom else?" "The thief." And I am not ashamed of these, but I glory in them. "Do you glory in having a street-peddler as a master?" Assuredly. Why? Because if the lowliness of the disciple shows the power of the master, the lowliness of the master shows that the preaching is divine. For even if men preached it, still men did not invent it; if men preached it, still men did not produce it. Men are the instruments, God is the artisan; they are the D lyre, this mighty hand has moved the string. Therefore, the prophet, even though he was a king and clad in purple and adorned with a diadem, and addressing the world, having left behind that worldly pomp—so that no one might think he was speaking royal words—said: "My heart has erupted a good word, I speak my works to the King. My tongue is the pen of a scribe" (Ps. XLIV, 2). Why do you call it a pen? So that you might learn that what is written is not mine, but the right hand’s that holds it. For a pen does not write by itself, but [writes] whatever the hand holding it wills. And "my tongue is the pen of a scribe"—for the Holy Spirit holds it. When, therefore, the Greek says to you: "Who is your master?" do not be ashamed, do not blush, but say: "The street-peddler, the tentmaker, who stood in the forum, who stitched hides." "But who is your master?" "Plato, Pythagoras; not a street-peddler, but a philosopher." But if I say, "Who is your master?" "A philosopher; your master is from a noble fatherland; your master is rich; your master has a sharp tongue, more fluent than the rivers themselves, enjoying honor, rejoicing in the splendor of his ancestors, honored everywhere." My master, on the contrary, has: this is the victory, so that the trophy might be more brilliant. He solecizes, so that yours might Atticize; but the one who solecizes has defeated the one who Atticizes. He solecizes in language, but he philosophizes in mind; I have no need of words, but of thoughts. Mine has defeated yours: how? The idiot the wise man, the rustic the orator. "And from where," he says, "is it clear that he has won?" Impudent man, do you not see the very facts crying out? Where is Plato? Nowhere. Where is Paul? *In everyone’s mouth.* Where is Plato? There is silence about him, he is consigned to oblivion. Where, however, is Paul? He took the regal Rome, which he not only possessed while living, but even dead he conquered. He died in the body so that he might live in the spirit; the parchment was torn, yet the letters remain—for it was not written with ink, but confirmed by the Spirit. It is easier to pass by the sun than Paul’s words. 222 For what does He who granted him the words say? "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" (Matth. XXIV, 35). If they are mere words, refute them; if they are *things*, adore them. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. It is easier for the sun to be extinguished and the heaven to be taken from sight than for the words of my Lord to be dissolved. And the experience of things bears witness to these, and the length of time, and the incursions of enemies; for this is worthy of admiration, not only that they have not been dissolved, but that they have even overcome when besieged in war. Attend carefully to my words. Paul cried out, the fisherman and evangelist John cried out, he who cast the net and caught the Gospel, who let go the fishing-pole and took up the Word of the Master. What did he cry out, and what did the fisherman say? Let us see if I can fish out the words of the fisherman and not of the fisherman: of the fisherman, indeed, because he cried it out; not of the fisherman, however, because the words were of the Spirit. For what does he say? "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (Joan. I, 1). What does the Jew say? He thinks great things of Moses, because he split the sea and divided the deep and made it stand, and changed the air, and split the rock, and brought down manna, and cut down cities along with their inhabitants, and was a victor in wars without arms. Are you thus haughty? Hear what Moses said, what the fisherman [said], so that you may see what the poverty of the old Law is, and what the abundance of grace. What, then, did Moses say? "In the beginning God made heaven and earth" (Gen. I, 1). What, however, the fisherman? He nowhere puts that word, "He made," but what? "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God." The one starts from created things, this one from the Creator. Do you see how he ascends higher than Moses? He heard Moses saying that God made heaven; he dismissed the heaven and ascended higher. Angels met him and he passed them by; archangels, and he went past them; Cherubim, and he did not stop there. Where are you running? "I seek something else: if the Cherubim shine, still they are works; if the Seraphim sing, they are still fellow-servants just as I am. What do you seek? If Principalities and Dominations, these also are servants and creatures; if Powers, your things also are created." "Where are you going?" "I seek the Creator Himself, I seek Him who is of the same substance as the Father; and I will not desist until I find Him, as a man can find Him." Moses spoke of the heaven, and stopped; for he did not receive the spirit that I have (Rom. VIII, 15); for he did not receive the spirit of bondage in fear, but he received the spirit of adoption of sons unto the obedience of faith. Greater things have been entrusted to me. Therefore my Lord descended from on high below, so that I, placed below, might ascend on high. "What do you seek?" "The Creator Himself; when I find Him, then I shall stand." He found, and what does he say? "In the beginning was the Word." Nowhere, "He was made"; for there is no beginning for the Creator, nor in the teaching. "In the beginning was the Word." How many tyrants have wanted to abolish this word of the fisherman, and could not; but, wherever you go, you hear that "In the beginning was the Word"—whether in the country or in the city, [this] prevailed, "In the beginning was"