could [Meletius] have looked upon it and not fainted from the magnitude of the calamity? God provided, therefore, that this should not happen, so that he might breathe his last in a foreign land, in order that, during the intervening time, we might have premeditated this great calamity, so that when we saw the body coming in, we would not be dismayed in spirit, since the mind had already become accustomed to mourning: which is indeed what happened. For when the city received that venerable body, it did indeed lament and wail greatly; but it quickly repressed its mourning, as much for the reason we have already stated as for the one which is yet to be told. B Praise of Bishop Flavian. For the kind and merciful God, taking pity on our sorrow, quickly gave us another shepherd who might accurately reflect his virtues. When he had ascended his chair, he immediately stripped us of our humble and mournful garments and extinguished our grief, but he renewed the memory of the blessed Meletius even more. Though the pain was fading, love was being kindled more vehemently, and the sickness of our spirit was entirely removed—although this does not usually happen in the loss of those who are most dear; for when one has lost a most beloved son, or a woman her honorable husband, as long as she preserves a fervent memory of him, a more vehement mourning occupies the mind; but when the passage of time has settled the mourning, the memory that once flourished is extinguished along with the vehemence of the pain. In the case of this blessed man, however, the opposite occurred: for while the sickness C of the spirit was entirely cast out, the recollection did not depart along with the pain, but instead was augmented more vehemently. You are witnesses to this, who, after so much time, like bees around a honeycomb, swarm around the body of the blessed Meletius; for the cause was not an affection for him born of nature, but the reasoning of sound judgment. Therefore, the memory of Saint Meletius was not extinguished by death, nor did it fade with time; rather, it is increased and receives greater growth, not only in those who saw him, but also in those who did not see him. For this is also wonderful: that those who were younger at the time of his life are also kindled toward the same longing. And you old men indeed surpass those who did not see him in this, that you associated with him and partook of the fruit of his holy fellowship; but those who did not see him surpass you in that, since they never set eyes upon the man, they demonstrate no less longing for him. D Intercession of the Saints. Therefore, let us all pray together, magistrates and private citizens, women and men, old and young, servants and free, taking the blessed Meletius himself as a partner in these prayers. For he has now greater confidence with God, and his love for us is more fervent, so that this charity may be increased for us, and that we all may attain this: that just as we stand here near this ark, so there too we may be near his blessed and eternal tabernacle, and may be able to obtain the eternal goods laid up for us: which may it be granted to us all to obtain, by the grace and clemency of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom to the Father be glory and power, together with the Holy Spirit, for ages of ages. Amen.
ADMONITION
That this sermon was delivered on the seventh day of January of the year 587, following the feast of Epiphany, on which he recited the homily *On the Baptism of Christ*, the very beginning of this sermon openly demonstrates: "What I feared yesterday," he says, "has come to pass, and has now been brought to its effect; namely, as the festival has passed, the multitude has departed from us at the same time, and our assembly has become smaller." Compare this furthermore with the beginning of that homily *On the Baptism of Christ*, where Chrysostom begins as follows: "You are all in joy today, but I am alone in sorrow. For when I turn my eyes to this spiritual sea, and contemplate the immense riches of the Church, and then consider that as soon as this solemnity has passed, this multitude will leap back and depart, I am tormented and vexed with sorrow of heart: because although the Church has brought forth so many children, she cannot enjoy them in equal numbers at individual assemblies, but only at the festival." From this it is seen to be clearer than light that Chrysostom held this panegyric concerning Saint Lucian the day after the one he delivered on the baptism of Christ at Epiphany.PANEGYRICAL HOMILY ON THE HOLY MARTYR LUCIAN
1. He inveighs against the sloth of some; he demonstrates the fleeting nature of riches.
has departed, and our gathering has become smaller. And though I knew that this would certainly come to pass, I have not for that reason desisted from my exhortation; for if not all who heard yesterday were persuaded, yet neither were all disobedient; and this is no small matter for our comfort. Wherefore, not even today will I desist from this counsel; for if not through me, yet surely through you, the things said will be heard. For who could bear in silence such sloth on their part, or offer them any pardon or excuse, seeing that they beheld the Mother A after such a length of time, and enjoyed the good things in her, yet departed, and did not endure to return a second time, nor did they imitate the dove of Noah, but rather the raven? And this, while that surge of waves still remained, and that winter, and a tempest being stirred up more grievous with each passing day, while this holy Ark lay in the midst, calling all, inviting them to itself, and offering great safety to those who take refuge in it? B For it wards off not the onsets of waters nor of waves, but the continuous uprisings of the most irrational passions, and it eradicates envy, and suppresses arrogance. Neither will the rich man here be able to despise the poor, hearing from the divine Scriptures that "all flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass" (Isa. 40:6); nor will the poor man, seeing another growing rich, be seized by envy, hearing himself also from another prophet saying: "Be not afraid when a man has become rich, or when the glory of his house is multiplied; for when he dies he shall take nothing, nor shall his glory descend with him" (Psalm 48:17, 18). For such is the nature of this wealth; it does not pass along with those who have it, it does not depart with its possessors, it does not stand by them when they are judged there and rendering account, but it is cut off entirely by death; and many it has abandoned even before death: uncertain is its use, unstable its enjoyment, dangerous its possession. But the things of virtue are not of this kind, nor those of almsgiving; but this treasure is inviolable. Whence is this evident? He who philosophized concerning this wealth, and said that "his glory shall not descend with him," he also instructed us concerning the treasures of almsgiving, which abide forever and are never plundered, by saying thus: "He dispersed, he gave to the poor; his righteousness abides forever" (Psalm 111:9). What could be more paradoxical than this? The things collected are destroyed, and the things scattered remain, and with good reason. For God receives the one, and from the hand of God no one can snatch; but the other is deposited in human C treasuries, where it is exposed to many plots, where there is much envy and malice. Therefore, my beloved, do not neglect your time spent here; for even if some despondency troubles you, here it is put to flight; if worldly cares, they flee away; if irrational passions, they are extinguished; but from the marketplace, and from the theaters, and from the other assemblies outside, we return home dragging along many cares, and despondencies, and diseases of the soul. If you spend time here continuously, and if you store up the blessings you received from the divine Scriptures, you will surely lay aside those evils from without; but if you leap away and flee, you will surely lose the good things you acquired from the divine Scriptures, as your wealth is gradually siphoned off by your outside meetings and discussions. And that these things are true, as you depart from here, strive to see those who were left behind today, and you will see how great is the distance between your serenity and their despondency. There is not so beautiful and charming a bride sitting in the bridal chamber, as is a wonderful and glorious soul appearing in the Church, breathing forth spiritual perfumes. For he who arrives here with faith and diligence departs having received ten thousand treasures; and if he opens his mouth merely, he has at once filled those who are with him with all fragrance and spiritual wealth. And even if ten thousand terrible things befall him, he will bear them all easily, having received from the divine Scriptures sufficient starting-points for patience and philosophy from this place. And just as he who stands continuously upon the rock mocks the waves, so he who enjoys constant gathering, and is irrigated by the divine words, just as if he had placed himself upon a rock of the sound judgment of affairs, will be captured by none of the things of men, having raised himself above the incursion of worldly affairs; and not from counsel alone, but also from prayer, and from a fatherly blessing, and from the common assembly, and from the love of brothers, and from ten thousand other things, having reaped much benefit and consolation, he thus departed, carrying home ten thousand good things. See, therefore, of how much blessing you will partake today, and how great the loss those others will undergo! For you will depart having received the reward of martyrs; but they, in addition to being deprived of this profit, will suffer another loss, dragging along much refuse of cares from their unprofitable pastimes. For just as he who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward (Matt. 10:41); so he who receives a martyr in the name of a martyr will receive a martyr's reward; and the reception of a martyr is to assemble for his memorial, to share in the narrative of his struggles, to admire what came to pass, to emulate his virtue, to herald his noble deeds to others; these are the gifts for the martyrs; thus does one receive these holy men, just as you have done today.
2. Martyrdom is Baptism. — Yesterday, therefore, our Master was baptized with water, but today the servant is baptized with blood; yesterday the gates of heaven were opened, today the gates of Hades were trampled down. And do not marvel if I called martyrdom a baptism; for here too the Spirit descends with great abundance, and there comes about a destruction of sins and a purification of the soul—a thing wonderful and paradoxical; and just as those who are baptized with waters are washed, so those who bear witness are washed by their own blood.
Chapter 2. Martyrdom is baptism
they suffer, they are washed by their own blood; which indeed happened also in this case. But before A speaking of the slaughter, it is worthwhile to discuss the craftiness of the devil. For when he perceived that he was being mocked by every kind of torture and punishment, and that he had been unable to overcome the saint’s philosophy—neither by setting up a furnace, nor by digging a chasm, nor by preparing a wheel, nor by hoisting him upon the rack, nor by casting him into a precipice, nor by exposing him to the jaws of wild beasts—he devised another, more bitter method. Seeking and roaming about, he tried to find a punishment that would be at once both most bitter and most long-lasting. For just as some punishments, being intolerable, are B such that we are released from them most speedily, while others are more prolonged and take something away from the pain, he strove to find a punishment in which there would be both together: a longevity and an excess of intolerable pain, so that both the vehemence and the length of time might break down his constant spirit.
Lucian is tormented by hunger; he rejects the idol-offerings. What, then, does he do? He exposes this holy man to famine. But when you hear of famine, do not pass by what is said carelessly; for it is the most bitter death of all, as those who have experienced it testify—may it be far from us to experience it; for we have been rightly taught to pray, "Do not lead us into temptation" (Matt. 6:41). For, like some executioner sitting within our very vitals, it tears all the limbs apart, consumes the body from every side more cruelly than any fire or wild beast, and inflicts a continuous and inexplicable pain. And that you may understand how great a thing famine is, mothers have oftentimes devoured their own children, not being able to bear the violence of this evil. And the prophet, lamenting this calamity, said: "The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children" (Lam. 4:10). They were eating those whom they had borne, and the womb of the mother, which had given birth, became the tomb, C and famine overcame nature; or rather, not nature only, but also the will: yet it did not overcome the nobility of this saint. Who, then, upon hearing these things, would not be confounded? Yet what is more powerful than nature? What is more changeable than the will? But that you may know that nothing is more valid than the fear of God, it was revealed that the will is something more vehement than nature, so that it conquered mothers and made them forget their offspring; yet it could not supplant this holy man, nor did the torture overcome his philosophy, nor did the punishment overcome his fortitude: but he remained firmer than any adamant, and solaced himself with good hopes; he boasted that he had obtained the material for his struggles, and from the opportunity offered by the contests he found consolation, especially hearing Paul say daily: "In hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness" (2 Cor. 11:27); and again, "To this very hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted" (1 Cor. 4:11). For he knew, he knew well that saying: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:3).
But when the wicked demon saw that he was not broken by such need, he rendered the torture D more severe; for having taken idol-sacrifices, and having a table filled with them, he caused it to be placed before his sight, that the opportunity of using them might infringe upon the strength of his mind. For we are not so wont to be ensnared when the things by which we are allured do not appear, as when they are set before our eyes; since one would more easily overcome the desire for women while not seeing a beautiful woman, than if he were often to fix his eyes upon her. Nevertheless, the just man overcame these snares as well, and what the devil thought would break his fortitude, this the more corroborated and instructed him for the contests: for not only was he not harmed by the sight of the idol-sacrifices, but for this reason he was the more opposed and hateful toward them. And just as we are affected toward enemies, whom, because we see them, we pursue and avert ourselves from with so much the greater hatred: so also was he affected at that time toward that impure victim; he detested and fled from it the more, because he saw it, and the appearance of the food set before him excited in him greater hatred and aversion: and while famine clamored loudly within, and urged him to taste the things spread before him, the fear of God checked his hands, and caused him to forget his very nature; and while he looked at the polluted and execrable table, he remembered another table, the dreadful one and filled with the Spirit, and he was so inflamed that he decided he would rather endure and suffer anything than taste those impure foods. He remembered also the table of the three children (Dan. 1:8), who, taken as youths and destitute of all patronage, showed such philosophy in a foreign land and a barbarian region that to this very day their fortitude is celebrated. And the Jews indeed, while they possessed their own land, were impious toward God, and while they moved about in the temple, they worshipped idols: but those youths, translated to a barbarian land, where there were idols and every occasion for impiety, perpetually retained their paternal rites. If therefore captives, slaves, and youths before the law of grace brought forth such philosophy, he says, what excuse shall we be worthy of, if we are not able to arrive at the same virtue as they?
He laughed at the devil’s malice; he despised his craftiness; he was not entangled by any of the things he saw. But after that wicked one saw that he was accomplishing nothing, he led him back again to the tribunal, and with tortures applied, he questioned him frequently: but he answered to every interrogation only, "I am a Christian," and to the torturer saying, "From what country have you sprung?" he said, "I am a Christian"; "What craft do you profess?" "I am a Christian"; "Of what parents were you born?" But he said to everything, "I am a Christian," striking the head of the devil with this one and simple word, and inflicting upon him continuous and successive wounds. Although he indeed had been imbued with external disciplines, yet he well knew that in contests of this kind there is no need of eloquence, but of faith; not of a faculty of speaking, but of a soul inflamed with the love of God. One word, he says, is sufficient to put all the devil’s troop to flight. And it seems indeed to those who do not examine the matter accurately that the answer is inconsistent—if anyone…
however, should consider it more attentively, he will perceive from this also the wisdom of the martyr. For he who said, "I am a Christian," therein declared both his native land, and his race, and his profession, and everything. How, I say? A Christian has no city on earth, but the Jerusalem above; for "the Jerusalem above," he says, "is free, which is our mother" (Gal. IV, 26). A Christian has no earthly profession, but belongs to the polity above; for "our citizenship," he says, "is in heaven" (Phil. III, 20). A Christian has as his kin and fellow-citizens all the holy ones; for "we are fellow-citizens of the saints," he says, "and members of the household of God" (Ephes. II, 19). So, in one word, he taught with precision who he was, and whence, and of whom, and what was his manner of life. And with this voice he ended his life, and departed, bearing the deposit safe to Christ, and leaving behind exhortation to those who came after, through what he suffered, to stand firm, and to fear nothing, save only sin and denial.
Moral exhortation.—Knowing these things, then, let us also, in the time of peace, practice the things of war, so that when the time of battle arrives, we too may set up a brilliant B trophy. He despised hunger: let us also despise luxury, and pull down the tyranny of the belly, so that if the time should come that demands from us such bravery, being pre-exercised in smaller things, we may appear brilliant in the contest. He spoke with boldness before rulers and kings: let us do this now also, and if we are sitting in the assemblies of wealthy and illustrious pagans, let us confess the faith with boldness, and mock their error. And even if they attempt to glorify their own [ways] and tear down ours, let us not be silent, nor bear it mildly, but uncovering their indecency, let us sing the praises of Christian things with much wisdom and boldness; C and just as a king [wears] the diadem upon his head, so let us carry the confession of faith everywhere about us. For the crown does not so adorn him as the faith and the confession of it is accustomed to adorn us; and let us do this not only by words, but by the deeds themselves, and by displaying through everything a life worthy of that confession, so that we may not put the doctrines to shame by the vileness of our works, but by everything glorifying our Master, may we enjoy honor both here and there; which may it be granted to us all to attain, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom to the Father be glory, D power, and honor, together with the holy and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.