Homilies on the Kalends

testate. And concerning that which is hidden, and reserved for the judgment of the ages, it is dangerous to pass sentence; since He alone knows it, and the measure of knowledge, and the standard of faith. Whence, I pray you, do we know with what words he will accuse himself, or what defense he will offer, on that day when God is to judge the hidden things of men? Truly His judgments are unsearchable, and His ^A ways past finding out. For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor? (Isa. 40:13). Perhaps none of us thinks himself worthy of baptism, or knows that any judgment is ever to come. Why do I speak of judgment? We have forgotten even death itself and the departure from the body, from the frenzy of worldly affairs that has invaded us. Depart from such evil, I beseech you. Behold, I say and testify before God and the elect angels, that it will be a cause of great evil and inextinguishable fire for us on the day of judgment. For if in the likeness ^B of the virgins (Matt. 25:11), He made those who lived with bright faith and the radiance of a life, as the Master of all who beholds their works, strangers to the bridal chamber because of a lack of compassion, how can we, who live with every license and behave mercilessly toward our own kin, be deemed worthy of salvation? Wherefore I beseech you, do not listen to these words heedlessly. For while it is necessary to anathematize heretical dogmas, the ones we have received, and to refute impious doctrines, we must show every sparingness to men, and pray for their salvation. And may it be that we all, holding fast to the love of God and neighbor, and fulfilling the works of the Master's ^C commandments, may meet with mercy and bright lamps on the day of the resurrection, that heavenly Bridegroom, offering to Him many who have been helped in glory by our compassion, by the grace and loving-kindness of His only-begotten Son, God, with whom to the Father is glory together with the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages. Amen.

AD HOMILIAM IN KALENDAS

^D These Kalends of the month of January are remembered, those namely which begin the year among the Romans, on which day it was the custom to offer *xenia* or small gifts to friends and relatives, to hold banquets, and to engage in other public celebrations, where for the most part the dissolved behavior of the people and superstitious observances and the like were to be seen, against which the holy doctor inveighs in this sermon. Libanius also composed a small work inscribed *On the Kalends*, where he describes the way the Kalends were kept, and says that the same celebration is observed by the Roman Empire, and "I know one common celebration for all who live under the rule of the Romans, the year of the one that is finished and of the one that is beginning." Therefore, as to the day and the month, no question seems to be raised: but as to the year, we do not even think it can be determined with any probability. Hermantius surmises that this homily should be assigned to the first day of the year 387, because it contains some panegyric of Saint Paul. But he says that this very panegyric seems to be what we read above, the homily *On the Petition of the Sons of Zebedee*, no. 3, which was delivered shortly after Christmas of the year 386 or December 25th. But Tillemont rightly rejects this conjecture of Hermantius. For, he says, nothing is more frequent among Chrysostom than praises and panegyrics of Paul; and in that homily Chrysostom only incidentally celebrates the virtue of Paul; but this homily in question was spoken about the sons of Zebedee after the homily on the *Consubstantial* given at the Circus games in the year 387, namely the third or fourth of January: for on these days the Circus games were held; and thus it could not have been delivered for the first time as if in the same year as already spoken. Tillemont preferred that it be a panegyric of Paul in the homily entitled *What sort of wives are to be taken*, where the doctor of the nations is repeatedly praised. But since this homily bears no note of time, he says that no note can be gathered from it, by which the time and year of the homily on the Kalends might be assigned. We agree with Tillemont saying that no note of any year can be borrowed from those mentioned panegyrics of Paul, and so we cannot agree with the one who thinks those panegyrics are in the homily entitled *What sort of wives are to be taken*, where another argument than the panegyric of Paul, indeed that which is set forth in the title, is proposed: Paul is indeed praised from here and there only incidentally. But the panegyrics of Paul which Chrysostom commemorates in this homily seem to have looked solely or uniquely to Paul. And in Chrysostom's words: "Wherefore, having already praised the blessed Paul, do you thus shout, as if seeing him present... And I wished to descend to the same topic even today, but to other matters..."

the discourse has been impelled, matters concerning the sins committed this day by the whole city. For those who hear the praises of Paul ought first to be imitators of the virtue of Paul, and worthy of such a hearing. Since, therefore, our father is not present with us, come, let us take confidence in his prayers and lay hold of the instruction for you. For indeed, Moses, though not present in body with those battling, contributed no less than the combatants—nay, even much more—to that battle, by the stretching forth of his hands raising the affairs of his own people, and making them terrible to the enemies. For just as the power of love is not separated by distance of place, so neither is the energy of prayer; but just as the former binds together those who are apart from one another, so also the latter can benefit those who are far away. ^A Let us therefore proceed to the battle with confidence. For we too are now beset by a war—not of Amalekites attacking, as then, nor of other barbarians making a raid, but by demons parading about in the marketplace.

For the devilish all-night vigils which are occurring today, the mockery, the insults, the nightly dances, and this ridiculous comedy, have taken our city captive more severely than any enemy. And though one ought, because of these things, to be humbled, to mourn, to hide oneself—both those who have sinned and those who have not, the former for what they have transgressed, the latter for those brothers they saw behaving unseemly—the city has become for us exceedingly joyful and bright; it has been crowned; and just as a woman fond of ornaments and extravagant, so the marketplace has adorned itself lavishly today, having put on gold, and costly garments, and footwear, and other such things, with each person in the workshops striving to outdo his fellow craftsman in displaying his own works. But this display of vanity, even if it is of a childish mind and of a soul imagining nothing great or lofty, nevertheless does not bring as much damage; rather, it is merely a foolish zeal, pouring laughter upon those who have busied themselves with such things. For if you wish to adorn, do not adorn the workshop, but your own soul; not the marketplace, but your mind, so that angels may marvel, and archangels may welcome what is happening, and the Master of the angels may reward you with the gifts from His own hand. Whereas this display as it is now happening brings both laughter and envy—laughter from those who are higher in mind, and from those who suffer from the same [699] maladies, envy and much jealousy.

^B But, as I said, this display of vanity is not worthy of such accusations; but the contests taking place in the taverns today, these, indeed, especially cause pain, and are filled with much debauchery and impiety: impiety, because those who do these things observe days, and practice augury, and think that if they complete the new moon of this month with pleasure and cheerfulness, they will have the whole year likewise; and debauchery, because at dawn men and women, having filled vials and cups, drink strong wine with much debauchery. These things are unworthy of our...

^A philosophy, even if you do them, and even if you see others doing them, even if you see servants, friends, or neighbors. Have you not heard Paul saying: "You observe days and months and seasons and years; I am afraid of you, lest I have labored for you in vain"?

Otherwise, even at the very end of folly, if from a single day, or rather, if from the whole year one expects this out of such a beginning, it is not merely folly, but also a devilish operation; and it is not this that is the intention of the season, nor is it the intent of one's own zeal and eagerness, but rather to use the passage of days in accordance with the time which is not our own. The year will be yours not by whether you drink in the new moon, but by what you do each day in accordance with your deeds for God. A day becomes evil or good, not by its own nature—for one day does not differ from another day, but by your own zeal and slothfulness. If you practice righteousness, the day has become good; but if you sin, it is evil and full of punishment. "And so," you say, "if one is disposed in this way, one will have all the year," offering prayers and alms each day, accomplishing the day. But if you have neglected yourself, a novice at the beginning of months, entrusting the joy of your soul to the count of days, you are entirely destitute of good things in yourself. This ^B even the devil, having discerned, and eager to dissolve the labors for virtue, has taught us to inscribe good deeds and evil deeds on those days. For the one who has persuaded himself that this day is good, and that he will not succeed in good works on the evil day, as if doing everything in vain and drawing no benefit from the necessity of the day, or that he will do this on the good day, as if in no way harmed by his own slothfulness, but that he is blessed by the day itself—and so from both sides he betrays his own salvation; and sometimes working at this out of folly, at other times sitting in idleness and wickedness. This, as he knows, he flees the devil's schemes, and to cast it out of one's mind, one must not observe days, nor hate them, nor love them. For the day does not merely cast one into slothfulness, but also that he might slander the works of God, this is what that evil demon plots, seeking to bring down into impiety and also into slothfulness those of us who wish to listen.

But we must recoil, and clearly know ^C [700] that nothing is evil, only sin, and that nothing is good, only virtue, and that this is the duty of all who serve God. For he who does this is not joy, but prayer is spiritual, not word (only) which is didactic. The word introduces winter, but the word produces calm; the one brings in turmoil, the other drives away disturbance; the one darkens the mind, the other illuminates those who are darkened; the one brings in sadness where there is none, the other drives away the sadness that exists. For there is nothing which is wont to make for joy in accordance with the doctrines of philosophy, as to despise present matters, to look toward what is to come, and not to deem anything human to be certain, neither wealth, nor power, nor reputation, nor comforts. If you know how to philosophize on such things, even if you see someone flourishing in wealth, even if he falls into poverty, you will not be humbled ^D by poverty; thus you can always celebrate. For a Christian ought not to celebrate months, nor new moons, nor Sundays, but the whole of his life keeping a feast appropriate to himself. And to him, what feast is appropriate? Let us hear Paul saying: "Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." If, therefore, you have a clean conscience, you have a feast at all times, being nourished by the expectation of future good things; just as if one were burdened with many sins, even if there were ten thousand feasts and assemblies, he is no better off than those who mourn. For what is the benefit of a bright day, if my conscience is still darkened? But if you wish to reap any benefit from the new moons, do that. When you see the year completed, give thanks to the Master, that He brought you into the turn of the years; examine your heart, count the time of your life, and say to yourself: "The days are running and passing by, the years are being completed, we have progressed far on the journey. Have we done anything good? Are we empty and stripped of righteousness? From here we shall depart to the judgment seat, and old age is already pressing upon our life."

3. Philosophize from the new moon, call to mind these things from the period of the years; let us contemplate the future day, and speak to ourselves what was said by the prophet to the Jews: "Their days were consumed in vanity, and their years with haste." This feast which I mentioned, the continuous one, and the one expecting periods of years, is not measured by days, and the rich and the poor will be able to do it alike; for there is no need of money here, nor of prosperity, but of virtue alone. There is nothing in wealth, but the fear of God is a treasure more precious than all wealth, not consumed, nor changed, nor exhausted. "See the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, the earth, the sea, the air, the birth of living things, all-varied plants, the nature of all men—understand angels, archangels, [701] the powers above; remember that all these are the possessions of the Master. There is no such thing for a servant of the Master to be poor, if he has his own Lord as favorable. To observe days is not Christian philosophy, but of Hellenic error. Wherever you go into a city, wherever you fulfill your life, transform yourself into an angel, where there is no light, but darkness, which does not end in night, but is day at all times, light at all times. Look toward those things at all times. For seek the things above, He says, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. You have nothing in common with the earth, where there are paths and periods—but if you live aright, the night becomes day for you. Just as those who are in debauchery and drunkenness and lasciviousness turn their day into the darkness of night, not because the sun is extinguished, but because their own mind is darkened by drunkenness. Toward

^A such days to be frantic, and to receive in them more pleasure, and to light lamps in the marketplace, and to weave garlands, is a matter of childish folly. But you have been delivered from this infirmity, and you are entering into manhood, and you have been enrolled in the commonwealth of the heavens. Do not, then, kindle a sensible fire in the marketplace, but kindle in your mind a spiritual light. For let your light, he says, so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. This light brings you a great reward. Do not deck the door of your house with garlands, but display such a way of life that you may receive the crown of righteousness upon your head from the hand of Christ. Let nothing be done in vain, nor simply; thus did Paul command to do all things to the glory of God. For whether you eat, he says, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God. And how is it possible, you ask, to eat and to do things to the glory of God? Summon a beggar, make Christ a partaker of your table, and you have eaten and drunk to the glory of God. But He did not command that only this be done to the glory of God, but also all the rest, such as entering the marketplace and remaining at home; both these things let be done for the sake of God. And how is it possible for both of these things to be done for the sake of God? When you walk to church, when you partake of prayer, when [you partake of] spiritual instruction, the proceeding has become for the glory of God. ^B Again, it is possible to remain at home for the sake of God. How and in what manner? When you hear of tumults, disorders, and diabolical processions, the marketplace filled with wicked and licentious men, stay at home, and be delivered from this turbulence; and you have remained to the glory of God. And just as it is permitted to conduct both your staying at home and your going out for the sake of God, so also with praises and censures.

And how is it possible, you ask, to praise and to blame someone to the glory of God? You often sit in the workshops; you see wicked and base men passing by, raising their eyebrows, puffed up, dragging many parasites and flatterers along with them, wearing expensive garments, covered with great ostentation, snatching at everything, overreaching. If you hear someone saying, "Is this man not to be envied? Is he not blessed?" rebuke, accuse, silence, lament, weep; this is to blame for the sake of God. Such a censure is a lesson in philosophy and virtue to those sitting together, that they should no longer gape after worldly things. Say to him who has said these things: "Why is this man blessed? Because he has an admirable horse and a golden bridle, and possesses many servants, and is clothed in a bright robe, and is tearing himself apart with drunkenness and luxury every single day?" But for this very reason he would be wretched and miserable, and worthy of ten thousand tears. I see you, therefore, unable to praise any of his own [qualities], but only all things external to him: the horse, the bridle, the garments, none of which belong to him. What, then, could be more wretched than this, tell me, when his horse, and the bridle of the horse, and the beauty of his garments, and the bodily well-being of his servants are admired, while he himself passes by without praise? What, then, could be poorer than this man, who has nothing of his own that is good, nor anything that he will be able to carry away from here, but who is adorned with the things of others in every respect? For our own proper ornament and wealth are not servants and garments and horses, but the virtue of the soul, and the wealth of good works, and boldness before God.

^C Again, if you see another who is poor, and cast aside, and despised for his poverty, yet living in virtue and lamented by those sitting with him, praise him; and the praise of the one who has passed by becomes an exhortation and counsel for a worthy and good way of life. If they say, "He is wretched and miserable," say that this man is, on the contrary, most blessed of all, having God as his friend, living in virtue, possessing wealth that never fails, having a pure conscience. For what harm is there to him from the lack of money, when he is about to inherit the heavens and the goods in the heavens? If you yourself live philosophically like this, and instruct others, you will receive a great recompense both for the censure and for the praises, having done both to the glory of God. And that I do not lead you astray in saying these things in vain, but that there lies for those who are disposed in their mind in this way a great reward from the God of all, and that the matter is considered a certain virtue, [namely] to judge such things regarding those living in this way, hear what the prophet says, and how he places in the order of achievements the despising of those who do wickedly, and the glorifying of them that fear God. For after listing the other virtue of the one who is to be honored by God, and saying what kind of person he who dwells in the holy tabernacle ought to be—that he is blameless, and working righteousness, and free of malice—he added this [too]; for after saying, "He that has not used deceit with his tongue, and has not done evil to his neighbor," he added, "In whose sight a wicked-doer is despised, but he honors them that fear the Lord," showing that this too is one of the achievements, [that is to say], to despise the wicked, and to praise and bless the good. And again elsewhere, signifying this very thing, he said, "But to me, O God, thy friends have been greatly honored; their beginnings have been greatly strengthened." Whom God praises, do not blame; and He praises him who lives in righteousness, even if he be poor. Whom God turns away from, do not praise; and He turns away from him who lives in wickedness, even if he be clothed in much wealth. But whether you praise or blame, do both as God wills. It is also possible to rebuke to the glory of God. How? We are often indignant at our servants. How, then, is it possible to rebuke for the sake of God? If you see a servant, or a friend, or any other of your kin, getting drunk, or stealing, or running to the theater, or neglecting his own soul, if he is swearing, or perjuring himself, or lying, be indignant, punish, turn him back, correct him; and you have done all these things for the sake of God. If you see him sinning against you, and lacking in the service owed to you, forgive ^D

implacable judges; but when they commit insolence against God, and destroy their own souls, they make no account of it. Again, must you make friends? Do it for the sake of God. Must you make enemies? Do it for the sake of God. And how is it possible to make friends and enemies for the sake of God? Unless we draw to ourselves those friendships from which it is possible to gain wealth, from which it is possible to share a table, from which it is possible to obtain human protection; but rather that we hunt out and make our friends those who are able to constantly guide our soul, to advise what is necessary, to rebuke those who sin, to correct those who do wrong, to raise up those who have stumbled, and with advice and prayers, helping them, to bring them to God. ^B Again, it is possible to make enemies for the sake of God. If you see someone licentious, defiled, full of wickedness, filled with impure doctrines, tripping you up and harming you, stand apart and leap away, just as Christ also commanded, saying: "If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and cast it from you;" commanding to cut off and cast away those friends who hold the rank of eyes, being desirable and necessary in worldly affairs, if they should harm us regarding the salvation of the soul. If you engage in gatherings, and you extend a long speech, do this for the sake of God; and if you are silent, be silent for the sake of God. And how is it possible to participate in a gathering for the sake of God? If, when sitting with some people, you are not discussing worldly matters, nor discussing things that are trivial and senseless and of no concern to us, but rather are discussing our philosophy, discussing Gehenna, discussing the kingdom of heaven, and not the superfluous and fruitless things, such as: "Who assumed power?" "Who was deposed from power?" "For what reason has such-and-such person been fined?" "From where has such-and-such person gained and become more prosperous?" "What did such-and-such person leave to such-and-such person upon dying?" "And how did such-and-such person fail, expecting to be enrolled among the first of the heirs?" And many other such things. Let us not discuss such things, nor let us endure others when they are discussing them; but let us observe what we are doing, or what we are saying, so that we may please God. Again, it is possible to be silent for the sake of God, when being insulted, abused, and suffering ten thousand evils, if you bear it nobly and utter no blasphemous word against the one who does these things. And it is for the glory of God not only to praise and to blame, nor only to remain inside or to go outside, nor only to speak and to be silent, but also to weep and to be sorrowful, and to feel pleasure and to rejoice. For when you see either a brother sinning, or yourself having fallen into a transgression, and then you groan and are sorrowful, you have gained from the sorrow an unrepentant salvation, just as Paul says: "For sorrow according to God works out salvation without repentance." If you see another excelling, then do not envy him, but as if it were your own good fortune, give thanks to God, who has made your brother luminous, and you have received from this joy a great reward.

5.

assemblies, and comings and goings, and jests and praises, and censures and panegyrics, and friendships and enmities, can be done for the sake of God, what is there, then, that cannot be done for the sake of God, if we be willing? What is worse than a jailer? Does not his life seem to be the most wicked of all? Yet it is possible for anyone who wishes to gain profit even from that, when he spares the prisoners, when he treats those who have been unjustly cast [into prison] with kindness, when he does not profit from the distress of others, when he stands as a common harbor for all who are in need. Thus, that jailer ^A of Paul was saved; whence it is clear that from every situation, if we be willing, we can conduct business [for God].

6. What is more grievous than murder, tell me? But murder was once able to produce righteousness for the one who committed this bold act; so great a thing is it to do anything for the sake of God. And how could murder work righteousness? The Midianites once wishing to wage war against the Jews for God, and hoping by this means to overcome them, if they could strip them of the favor of the Master, adorned maidens and set them in front of the camp; they enticed them and led them into fornication, and then from there into impiety. Seeing this, Phinehas, having taken up a sword, and having found two committing fornication, pierced both of them in the very act of sin, and stayed the wrath of God from the assembly. And that which occurred was indeed murder, but the result produced from it was the salvation of all who were perishing, whence it also brought righteousness to the one who did it. And not only did he not defile his hands, but he even made them cleaner, and that most reasonably; for he did not do this out of hatred for those who were slain, but sparing the rest; he killed two and saved countless myriads. For just as physicians, when they cut off decaying limbs, keep the whole body saved [and healthy], so too did he. Therefore says the psalmist: "Phinehas stood and made atonement, and the plague was stayed, and it was accounted to him for righteousness unto generation and generation, forevermore." The memory of this righteous deed remains immortal, at any rate. Again, another prayed ^B and offended God; so great a thing is it not to do something for the sake of God; I mean the Pharisee. But just as Phinehas, having committed murder, was approved, so too this one, not through his prayer, but through the intention with which he prayed, fell and offended. Thus, when anything is not done for the sake of God, even if the thing being done be spiritual, it will cause the greatest harm; just as, therefore, when it is done for the sake of God, even if the thing being done be worldly, it brings the greatest benefit to the one doing it with a God-loving intention. For what is worse and more grievous than murder? Yet it worked righteousness for the one who dared it. What apology, then, shall we have, we who say that it is not possible to gain profit from everything, and to do all things for the sake of God, when someone is found who even gained profit from a murder? If we be willing to pay attention, we shall conduct this spiritual business throughout our whole life, even if we must buy something, or sell something; for instance, when we do not demand more than the established price, when we do not take advantage of the times of scarcity, and then share with those in need. For "he who hoards grain is cursed by the people," he says. And what need is there to speak in detail, when it is necessary to encompass the whole by one example? For just as ^C builders, when they are about to raise a wall, by stretching a line from corner to corner, thus weave the building, so that its surface does not become uneven; so, too, should we, instead of a line, stretch this word which says: "Whether you eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God." Whether we pray, or fast, or accuse, or pardon, or praise, or censure, or enter, or go out, or sell, or buy, or keep silent, or speak, or do anything else whatsoever, let us do everything for the glory of God; and if any action does not tend to the glory of God, let it neither be done, nor even mentioned by us; but instead of a great staff, instead of armor and security, instead of vast treasures, wherever we may be, let us carry this word around with us, having inscribed it in our mind, so that by having done, said, and conducted everything for the glory of God, we may attain the glory from Him both here and after our departure from hence. "For those who glorify me," He says ^D, "I will glorify." Let us not, therefore, glorify Him only with words, but also through our deeds continuously together with Christ our God, for to Him belongs all glory, honor, and worship, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

AD HOMILIAS DE LAZARO

Regarding the time of year and the day on which Chrysostom delivered the first homily on Lazarus, the title itself declares: *A sermon delivered at Antioch the day after the Calends*; and then also the exordium of this address: *Yesterday, when it was the feast of Satan, you made it a feast of the Spirit, because you received with much zeal of soul the things that were spoken by us,* etc. From this you may infer that that first homily on Lazarus was delivered on the second day of January, after the festival of the Saturnalia, which was truly a festival of Satan, where a great part of the city gave themselves over to drunkenness, dancing, revelry, gluttony, and other things resulting from that Bacchic frenzy. And it seems to have been delivered in the same year as the homily on the Calends, when, in order to restrain dissolute morals by force, the holy doctor preached strenuously against this satanic custom; for he declares the very same thing in the exordium of this first homily on Lazarus. But about the year we can determine nothing, not even by a probable conjecture. For the things which Hermantius and Tillemont say, in order to assign these homilies to the year,