does not compel, nor does He demand taxes, but He accepts those who are willing, that by giving they may receive, and by honoring they may be honored, and by sharing the things that are transitory, they may be called to a share in those that are eternal. Let these things be always in our memory and before the eyes of our soul, so that we may not neglect the opportunity that has come to us, nor, putting off the present moment, wait for another, lest by tarrying and delaying we be caught by the end. May the Lord grant that we be found fruitful, watchful, and mindful of His commandments, prepared and unhindered for His glorious meeting, in Christ Himself, our God, with whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor, now and forever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
BY THE SAME: CONSOLATORY HOMILY TO ONE WHO IS SICK
Bless me, Father.
B The life of men is short, and the splendor of this laborious life is of brief duration. It is a spider's web, C glory is easily dissolved, the fantasy of life is a dream, but the rest of the just is most blessed. D The rest in the heavens is endless, the gifts of the incorruptible and bountiful One are, naturally, unfading. For with Him whose nature is unchangeable, the giving is also unceasing. Therefore, the struggle for us here is temporal, but the victory there, with its rewards, is eternal. For we toil as in a wrestling school throughout this life, wrestling with afflictions, and nature has many antagonists. Pleasures dissolve the strength of the soul, luxuries render the manly spirit effeminate, sloth breaks the nerves, calumniators sow insults, flatterers weave traps, and fear strikes in the struggle.
A into despair, and in such a tempest nature is incessantly tossed. For it is not only the painful things of life that are burdensome, but even things that seem pleasant cause distress through their changeableness; and we pass through a life almost entirely full of trials and tears. And if you wish to know this, learn the miseries of life. Man is sown in the womb, but trial B preceded the sowing. The seed was cast into the furrow of nature; if we only consider this, we blush at the beginnings of generation. The cast seed was changed into blood, the blood was thickened into flesh, the flesh was formed in time, the thing formed was quickened beyond speech, the quickened one was nourished according to nature, the embryo leaps, being cramped, and is vexed at the prison of its nature; but at last the day of birth arrives, the bolts of the womb are unloosed, the exit lies open, the womb dismisses whom it had held. The athlete of trials has slipped into life, he draws the breath of the newborn—but what comes after this? The first voice is C tears. From these beginnings, you may judge the whole of life. The infant fell upon the earth, and it did not laugh; but immediately upon falling, it apprehended pains and weeps. For it knew that it had shipwrecked into the sea of trials. It was brought up with tears, weaned against its will, it reaches childhood, and fears parents or servants. It became a boy, and was handed over to teachers for instruction. Behold, there is no end to the fear. It indulged in sloth, was beaten with stripes, underwent vigils; but it acquired learning, progressed marvelously, exhausted the disciplines, earned fame, shines with every kind of eloquence, possesses full knowledge of the laws; as the years slipped by, it reached the rank of men, and gave itself over to military service. D Here begins a cycle of greater trials. It fears magistrates, suspects traps, is enslaved to gain, seeks it, rages for the sake of gain, keeps watch, lives involved in lawsuits, travels about through account ledgers, not dragged by force, but willingly enslaved, labors beyond its strength, is consumed by cares at night, works long at the task like a slave. For love of utility has betrayed freedom. Then, after having endured and suffered much, it has attained honors, has been promoted to the highest authority, rules over nations, is set over armies, flourishes with the greatest praise, abounds in riches; but while it labors, time has slipped away, old age has met its honors; before it could enjoy its wealth, it departs, snatched away by fate, and in the very harbor
A its ship is overturned. Death follows vain hopes, mocking mortals. Such is the life of men: an unstable sea, a shifting air, an uncertain dream, a passing stream, vanishing smoke, a receding shadow, a deep lashed by waves; the storm is fearful, the voyage perilous, and we, the passengers, are drowsy. For the sea of life is fearful and wild; hopes are vain, like storms that break upon the rocks. Tribulations roar like waves, plots lie hidden like sunken rocks, enemies stand agape like dogs B, plunderers lie in wait like pirates, old age approaches like winter, death stands ready like a shipwreck. You see the storm; govern your winter; watch how you sail; do not make your ship overladen with wealth from injustice or with a cargo of passions. For this reason the blessed Paul rightly cries out: "Godliness is a great gain." C Heavenly wealth, treasure of mysteries, ocean of wisdom, knowledge of truth, worship of the unbegotten Trinity, mirror of the virginal mystery, faith that eschews over-curious questioning, confession that flees investigation, holy preaching brought through the tongue, entering through the ears, taking root in the soul, and granting the illumination of the Trinity. "Godliness with contentment is a great gain." For there is nothing richer than contentment: a life without excess, a rest free from care, wealth unassailed, need with ease, a burden without affliction, a life free from want, enjoyment without insult. Those who practice contentment flee the storm of riches. For the rich man fears everything: the days, as times for lawsuits; the evenings, as opportunities for robbers; the nights, as the lash of anxieties; the mornings, as the arrivals of flatterers. And he fears not only the time, but also the place. He shudders at the break-ins of robbers, the plots of thieves, the calumnies of the violent, the accusations of those who have been wronged D, the seizures of the powerful, the mischief of servants, the inquisitiveness of informers, the mercilessness of tax-collectors, the thoughts of neighbors, the structural decay of walls, the collapse of houses, the incursions of barbarians, the deceit of citizens, the verdicts of judges. O man, tell me, if the winter of riches is so great, where is the spring of joy? "Godliness with contentment is a great gain." It is not circumscribed by the present life, he says. For it is an eternal possession, which is not compared by expenditure of wealth. Tell me, Paul, "We brought nothing into this world." This universal nakedness of those being born suffices to reprove him who arises from the unequal conditions of life; we have come out of our mother's womb. You have entered life having nothing, O greedy one: not gold, for it is dug from the earth; not silver, which was not sown with you; not garments, for these pertain to the weaver's art.
A nor possessions, which wealth has diligently produced and hands have built; nor rank, unless only that which is according to the image; nor power, which time destroys and death reaps. You entered the world naked; would that you might also depart from life naked of sins! We brought nothing into the world, and it is certain that we can take nothing out. B And what, Paul, shall we take away from life? Nothing, truly, except the virtues which we have practiced. We shall take away wisdom, if we have flourished in it. We shall take away alms, if we have abounded in them. These commend the soul; they catch life as with a hook. Here riches remain; gold is snatched away, silver is partitioned, property is sold, glory falls into oblivion, power ceases, fear is extinguished. For with the stage of life, its scenery is dissolved. What then? Having food and clothing, let us be content. I flee what is superfluous as useless, and I seek what is necessary as blameless. The rich man stands there naked; if he has virtues, he is rich even there, but if he is naked of these, he is eternally poor. For nothing is richer than approved poverty. Peter was poor; but he snatched his prey from death. John was poor; but he restored the feet of the lame. Philip was poor; yet he beheld the Father in the Son. Matthew was poor; for with his plunder he had cast off his riches. C Thomas was poor; but he thrust his hand into the highest treasure, the side of the Master. Paul was poor; but he was caught up into paradise. The Lord was poor according to the flesh, but most rich in divinity. For behold, today He poured forth the riches of healing, He delivered Peter's mother-in-law from sickness, He put the fever to flight with a touch. He raised up the one who was suffering, with no examination made, with no evident remedy. She had suffered much, and no one had pitied her. Here stands the sole Governor of all things, and the storm of the body is calmed. Observe the wonder. He cured three in the same manner, two men and a woman: Lazarus, the widow's son, and the daughter of Jairus; and why, hear this. This discourse is marvelous, in order to prove that He is the Lord of both the Law and grace; for this reason He observes a similar image in both cases. For so, too, had He there established three leaders for the people: Moses, and Aaron, and Miriam. Hear Him through the prophets cry out.