St John Chrysostom, third sermon on
St. John Chrysostom. third sermon on Lazarus and the rich man The parable of Lazarus was of extraordinary benefit to us, both rich and poor, teaching the latter to bear their poverty with equanimity, and not allowing the former to be proud of their wealth. It taught us by example that the most pitiable person of all is the one who lives in luxury and shares his goods with nobody. So then today let us take hold again of the same subject. Those who work metals, when they see that there are many veins of gold, keep digging in the same place, and do not give up until they have brought out all that they can find. Let us go back, then, to the place where we left our discourse earlier, in order to take it up from the same place. I could have explained this whole parable to you in one day; but my concern was not that I should say a lot and then leave you, but that you might receive and hold on to my words accurately, and gain from this effort of retention some perception to bring you spiritual benefit. A loving mother who is about to introduce her nursing baby to solid food, if she pours undiluted wine into his mouth all at once, does him no good. The baby spits out what is given, and soaks all the front of his shirt." But if she pours the wine in gently, little by little, he swallows what is given without difficulty. Likewise, to keep you from spitting up what you are given, I have not tipped the cup of instruction for you all at once, but I have chopped it up for you over many
4Homer, Iliad 9:491.
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days, providing you a rest on these intervening days from the labor of listening, in order that what is laid down may stick firmly in the understanding of your love, and that you may receive what I am going to say next with a relaxed and vigorous soul. For this reason also I often tell you many days in advance the subject of what I am going to say, in order that you may take up the book in the intervening days, go over the whole passage, learn both what is said and what is left out, and so make your understanding more ready to learn when you hear what I will say afterwards.
I also always entreat you, and do not cease entreating you, not only to pay attention here to what I say, but also when you are at home, to persevere continually in reading the divine Scriptures. When I have been with each of you in private, I have not stopped giving you the same advice.
Do not let anyone say to me those vain words, worthy of a heavy condemnation, "I cannot leave the courthouse, I administer the business of the city, I practice a craft, I have a wife, I am raising children, I am in charge of a household,
I am a man of the world; reading the Scriptures is not for me, but for those who have been set apart, who have settled on the mountaintops, who keep this way of life continuously." What are you saying, man? That attending to the Scriptures is not for you, since you are surrounded by a multitude of cares? Rather it is for you more than for them. They do not need the help of the divine Scriptures as much as those do who are involved in many occupations. The monks, who are released from the clamor of the marketplace and have fixed their huts in the wilderness, who own nothing in common with anyone, but practice wisdom without fear in the calm of that quiet life, as if resting in a harbor, enjoy great security; but we, as if tossing in the midst of the sea, driven by a multitude of sins, always need the continuous and ceaseless aid of the Scriptures. They rest far from the battle, and so they do not
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receive many wounds; but you stand continuously in the front rank, and you receive continual blows. So you need more remedies. Your wife provokes you, for example, your son grieves you, your servant angers you, your enemy plots against you, your friend envies you, your neighbor curses you, your fellow soldier trips you up, often a law suit threatens you, poverty troubles you, loss of your property gives you grief, prosperity puffs you up, misfortune depresses you, and many causes and compulsions to discouragement and grief, to conceit and desperation surround us on all sides, and a multitude of missiles falls from everywhere. Therefore we have a continuous need for the full armor of the Scriptures. For recognize, it is written, that you go through the midst of snares and walk on the ramparts of the city.* For example, the designs of the flesh attack more fiercely those who live in the midst of the world. A handsome face, a splendid body strikes us in the eyes; a shameful phrase piercing our ears troubles our mind; and often an effeminate song weakens the tension of our soul. But why am I saying this? That which often seems the slightest of all these attacks, the scent of perfume falling from courtesans as they pass somewhere nearby has captured and taken us away as prisoners by a mere accident. And there are many things like these which beseige our souls: we need the divine medicines to heal the wounds which we have received and to protect us from those which we have not yet received but will receive.
We must thoroughly quench the darts of the devil and beat them off by continual reading of the divine Scriptures.
For it is not possible, not possible for anyone to be saved without continually taking advantage of spiritual reading.
Actually, we must be content, if even with continual use of this therapy, we are barely able to be saved. But when
§Sir. 9:13.
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we are struck every day, if we do not use any medical care, what hope do we have of salvation?
* = s Praise of Scripture reading continues. bd s s Reading the Scriptures is a great means of security against sinning. The ignorance of Scripture is a great cliff and a deep abyss; to know nothing of the divine laws is a great betrayal of salvation.
This has given birth to heresies, this has introduced a corrupt way of life, this has put down the things above. For it is impossible, impossible for anyone to depart without benefit if he reads continually with attention. Look: how much one parable has helped us! How much better it has made our souls!
Many people, I am sure, have departed taking a lasting benefit from listening; but if there are some who have not gathered such fruit, nevertheless for the one day on which they listened, they have certainly become better. It is no little matter to pass one day in contrition for sin, to look towards the heavenly philosophy, and to provide for one's soul at least a little rest from the concerns of the world. If we do this at each service and do not miss any, the continuity of listening will accomplish some great and noble good in us, Come then, let me explain to you the next part of the parable. What is the next part? When the rich man says,
"Send Lazarus to let a drop fall from the end of his finger and cool my tongue," let us hear what Abraham says, "Son, remember that you have received the good things due to you in your life, and Lazarus the evil due to him; now he is comforted and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order
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that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to here."® This saying is hard to bear, and brings us great anguish. I know this myself; but the more our conscience hurts, the more it helps the understanding of those who are hurt. For if Abraham were saying this to us in that life, as he says it to the rich man, truly we would have to weep and groan and mourn, because we would have not time left for repentance. But since we hear his words while we are still in this life, where it is possible to recover sobriety, to wash away our sins, to obtain confidence, and to change ourselves for fear of the evils which have happened to others, let us give thanks to God who loves mankind, who awakens our sluggishness by the punishment of others and arouses us from sleep. Christ tells us this in advance for this reason, to keep us from suffering the same punishment. For if He wished to punish us, He would not have told us in advance; but since He does not wish to subject us to retribution, for this very reason He tells us the retribution in advance, in order that we may learn sense from His words and escape the trial in deeds.
But why did Abraham say not, "You have received your good things," but "You have received the good things due to you"? You remember, J know, that I said a vast great sea of ideas was opening for us. The phrase "receive as due" indicates and reveals some kind of obligation, for one receives as due that which is owed. So if this rich man was foul and repulsive, cruel and inhuman, why did
Abraham not say to him, "You have received your good things," but, "You have received the good things due to you," as if they were debts owed to him? What do we learn from this? That even if some people are foul and have reached the extremes of evil, often they have done one or two or three good things. It is clear from Scripture sLuke 16:24-26.
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that I am not merely guessing when I say this. For what is more foul than the injustice of that unjust judge? What is more inhuman? What is more impious? This man felt neither fear of God nor shame before men; nevertheless, although he lived in such wickedness, he did a noble deed, when he showed mercy to the widow who continually troubled him, granted the favor, gave what she asked, and prosecuted those who were wronging her.' Thus it can happen that someone is licentious but often merciful, or inhuman but self-controlled; or if one is both licentious and cruel, still it often happens that he has done some one good thing in his life. We ought to suspect the same also in the case of good people. Just as the most worthless people often do something good, so those who are earnest and virtuous often fail completely in some respect. "Who will boast," it is written, "that he has a pure heart, or who will say confidently that he is clean from sin?'*
Since, then, it is probable that even if the rich man had reached the extremes of wickedness, he had done something good, and that even if Lazarus had arrived at the height of virtue, he had committed some small sin, see how the patriarch hinted at both, when he said, "You have received the good things due to you in your life, and Lazarus likewise the evil due to him." What he means is this: if even you have done something good, and the reward for this is owed to you, you received all these things due to you in that world, living in luxury and wealth, enjoying great prosperity and good fortune; and if this man has done something bad, he received everything due to him, suffering poverty, hunger, and the extremes of misfortune. Each of you has arrived here stripped naked, he of sins, but you of the virtuous actions of righteousness.
For this reason he has pure consolation, and you endure "Luke 88:2-5.
5Prov. 20:9.
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unrelieved retribution. For when our good actions are small and slight, but the weight of our sins is unspeakably great, if in this life we enjoy prosperity and do not suffer any misfortune, we will certainly depart bare and naked from the exchange of good things, since we will have received all our due in this life. Likewise when our good actions are many and great, but our sins small and slight, if we suffer any misfortune, we put away even those small sins in this life, and in the next life we receive as our due a pure reward made ready for our good deeds. Therefore when you see anyone living in wickedness but suffering no misfortune in this life, do not call him lucky, but weep and mourn for him, because he will have to endure all the misfortunes in the next life, just like this rich man. Again, when you see anyone cultivating virtue, but enduring a multitude of trials, call him lucky, envy him, because all his sins are being dissolved in this life, and a great reward for his endurance is being prepared in the next life; just as it happened for this man Lazarus.
Some people are punished only in this life; others suffer no misfortune here, but receive all their due retribution in the next life; still others are punished both here and hereafter. Which of these three do you consider lucky?
In the first place, I am sure, those who are punished here and put away their sins. In the second place after them, which? Perhaps you think those who suffer nothing here, but endure all their punishment hereafter—but I say not these, but those who are punished both here and hereafter.
For he who pays some penalty here will experience a lighter punishment hereafter; but he who is forced to endure all his punishment hereafter will have an unmerciful judgment, just as this rich man, because he had not washed away any of his sins here, was so severely punished that he could not get even the smallest drop of water. Even more than those who sin but suffer no misfortune here, I am sorry for those who besides not being punished here also
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enjoy luxury and freedom from need. For just as not paying the penalty for sins here makes the retribution more grievous hereafter, so also sinners' enjoyment of selfindulgence, luxury, and affluence becomes a source and occasion of greater punishment for them. When we sinners receive honor from God, this very fact will be able to cast us deeper into the fire. If one who enjoys only God's forbearance does not make good use of it, he will have a more severe retribution; if he has the highest honors along with forbearance, then continues in wickedness, who will rescue him from the punishment for this? As testimony that those who enjoy God's borbearance here are gathering the fullness of evil for themselves hereafter, if we do not repent, hear what Paul says: "Do you suppose, O man, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume upon the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not know that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed."* So when we see people living in wealth and luxury, scented with perfumes, passing the day in drunkenness, having great power and honor, great prestige and celebrity, yet sinning, and suffering no misfortune, for this very reason we weep and mourn especially for them, because they are not punished for their sin. Just as if you saw someone ill with dropsy or in the spleen, or having a putrid ulcer and a multitude of sores all over his body, yet in spite of all these drinking, indulging himself, and aggravating his illness, not only are you not impressed, nor think him fortunate for his luxurious life, but particularly for this very reason you are sorry for him. You should also think in this way about the soul. When you see
*Rom. 2:3-5.
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a person living in wickedness and enjoying great prosperity, without suffering any misfortune, you should mourn particularly for this reason, because although he is afflicted with a very serious disease and ulcer, he aggravates his illness, making himself worse by his luxury and self-indulgence. For punishment is not evil, but sin is evil. The latter separates us from God, but the former leads us towards God, and dissolves His anger. How do we know this? Hear what the prophet says: "Comfort, comfort my people, O priests, speak tenderly to Jerusalem ..
. that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins."'" And elsewhere he says, "O Lord our God, give us peace; for Thou hast given us all our due.'* And to learn that some are punished here, others hereafter, and still others both here and hereafter, listen to what Paul says, accusing those who partake unworthily of the Mysteries; for when he said, "Whoever eats and drinks the Body and Blood of the Lord unworthily will be guilty of profaning the Body and Blood of Christ," he added immediately, "That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we should not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are chastened so that we may not be condemned along with the world.'"® Do you see how the punishment here snatches us out of the retribution hereafter? He also says about the fornicator, "Deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."** From the parable of Lazarus also this is clear, that if he had done any evil, he had washed it away in this life, and so had departed clean to the other life.
From the story of the paralytic this is clear, that when he had been weak for thirty-eight years, by the length of his
Isaiah 40:1-2.
SIsaiah 26:12.
I Cor. 11:27-32.
XT Cor. 5:5.
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illness he had also put away his sins. As evidence that he was in this condition because of his sins, hear what Christ says: "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you.'"' So from these passages it is clear that some people are punished in this life and put away their sins.
As evidence that some are punished both here and hereafter, if they do not receive an adequate retribution for the magnitude of their sins, hear what Christ says about the Sodomites: for when He said, "Whoever does not receive you, shake off the dust from your feet,"" He went on to say, "It shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town." In saying "more tolerable," He revealed that they also will be punished, but more lightly, because they have also paid a penalty in this life. That some people here suffer no misfortune, but endure their whole punishment hereafter, we learn from the story of this rich man who endures an unrelieved punishment in the other life, and does not enjoy even the least remission, because his whole retribution has been kept for the other life. Just as among sinners, therefore, those who suffer no misfortune here submit to a greater retribution hereafter, so among the righteous those who suffer any misfortunes here will enjoy great honor hereafter. And just as, if there are two sinners, of whom one has been punished here, but the other has not been punished, he who has been punished is more fortunate than he who has not; so also if there are two righteous men, of whom one has endured greater tribulation, the other less, he who endures the greater tribulation is more fortunate, since "He will reward each one according to his works,'
What then? "Is there nobody," someone asks, "who John 5:14.
Luke 9:5.
1837 uke 10:12.
"Matthew 16:27.
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enjoys comfort both here and hereafter?" This cannot be, O man, it is impossible. It is not possible, not possible at all for one who enjoys an easy life and freedom from want in this world, who continually indulges himself in every way, who lives randomly and foolishly, to enjoy honor in the other world. For if poverty does not trouble him, still desire troubles him, and he is afflicted because of this, which brings more than a little pain. If disease does not threaten him, still his temper grows hot, and it requires more than ordinary struggle to overcome anger. If trials do not come to test him, still evil thoughts continually attack. It is no common task to bridle foolish desire, to stop vain glory, to restrain presumption, to refrain from luxury, to persevere in austerity. A person who does not do these things and others like them cannot ever be saved.
As testimony that those who live luxuriously cannot be saved, hear what Paul says about the widow: "she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives."* If this is said about a woman, it applies even more to a man. And Christ also made it clear that one who lives a relaxed life cannot reach the heavens, when He said, "The gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few."** "How then does He say," someone asks, " 'My yoke is easy, and my burden is light'?" For if the road is narrow and difficult, how can He also call it light and easy?" He says one thing because of the nature of the trials, but the other because of the willingness of the travelers. It is possible for even what is unendurable by nature to become light when we accept it with eagerness; just as the apostles who had been scourged returned rejoicing that they had been found worthy to be dishonored for the name of the 1] Tim. 5:6.
1°Matthew 7:14.
Matthew 11:30.
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Lord."* The nature of the torments indeed ordinarily brings tribulation and distress, but the willingness of those who were scourged conquered even the nature of their sufferings. For this reason Paul says, "All who desire to live a godly life in Christ will be persecuted." So if human beings do not persecute us, yet the devil makes war on us.
We need great wisdom and perseverance, to keep sober and watchful in prayer, not to desire others' property, but to distribute our goods to the needy, to reject and repudiate all luxury, whether of clothing or table, to avoid avarice, drunkenness, and slander, to control our tongue and keep from disorderly clamor ("Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you'), to abstain from shameful or witty talk. It requires not a little effort to keep all these things carefully. If you want to learn how difficult it is to live wisely, and how little the task allows relaxation, hear what Paul says: "I pommel my body and subdue it." When he said this, he hinted at the force and effort which those must use who wish to teach their bodies obedience in everything. Christ also said to His disciples, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."™
This tribulation, He says, will bring you relief. The present life is an arena: in the arena and in athletic contests the man who expects to be crowned cannot enjoy relaxation.
So if anyone wishes to win a crown, let him choose the hard and laborious life, in order that after he has striven a short time here he may enjoy lasting honor hereafter.
How many discouragements come to us every day?
How great a soul is needed not to desist through impatience or disgust, but to give thanks, to glorify and worship Him
Acts 5:41.
41] Tim. 3:12.
*°Eph. 4:31.
*1T Cor. 9:27.
John 16:33.
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who permits these trials to assault us? How many unexpected difficulties arise? We must also fight back our evil thoughts and not permit our tongue to utter anything foul, just as the blessed Job, while he suffered a multitude of misfortunes, continued to give thanks to God.
Some people, if they stumble at all, or are slandered by anyone, or fall ill with a chronic disease, gout or headache or any such ailment, at once begin to blaspheme.
They submit to the pain of the disease, but deprive themselves of its benefit. What are you doing, man, blaspheming your benefactor, savior, protector, and guardian? Or do you not see that you are falling down a cliff and casting yourself into the pit of the final destruction? You do not make your suffering lighter, do you, if you blaspheme?
Indeed you aggravate it, and make your distress more grievous. For the devil brings a multitude of misfortunes for this purpose, to lead you down into that pit. If he sees you blaspheming he will readily increase the suffering and make it greater, so that when you are pricked you may give up once again; but if he sees you enduring bravely, and giving thanks the more to God, the more the suffering grows worse, he raises the siege at once, knowing that it will be useless to besiege you any more. A dog sitting by the table, if it sees the person who is eating continually throwing it scraps of food from the table, stays persistently; but if stopping at the table once or twice it goes away without getting anything, it stays away thereafter, thinking that the siege is useless. In the same way the devil continually gapes at us; if you throw to him, as to a dog, some blasphemous word, he will take it and attack you again; but if you persevere in thanksgiving, you have choked him with hunger, you have chased him away and thrown him back from you. But, you say, you cannot keep silent when you are pricked by distress. I certainly do not forbid you to make a sound, but give thanks instead of blasphemy, worship instead of despair. Confess to the Lord, cry out
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loudly in prayer, cry out loudly glorifying God. In this way your suffering will be lightened, because the devil will pull back from your thanksgiving and God's help will be at your side. If you blaspheme, you have driven away
God's assistance, made the devil more vehement against you, and involved yourself even more in suffering; but if you give thanks, you have driven away the plots of the evil demon, and you have drawn the care of God your protector to yourself.
Out of habit, however, the tongue often starts to utter that evil word. When it starts, before it brings forth the word, bite it hard with your teeth. It is better for the tongue to flow with blood now, than later to desire a drop of water and not be able to obtain this relief. It is better for the tongue to endure a temporary pain than to suffer the retribution later of a lasting punishment, as the tongue of the rich man burned and obtained no relief. God commanded you to love your enemies; do you turn away from God who loves you? He commanded you to speak good of those who curse you, to bless those who slander you;" do you speak ill of your benefactor and protector when you have suffered no wrong? He was not unable, was He
(you say), to release you from the trial? But He permitted it, to improve your character. But look (you say), I am falling and perishing. Not by the nature of the trial, but by your own laziness. Which is easier, tell me, blasphemy or thanksgiving? Does not the one make your hearers hate you and cast them into despair, and afterwards cause great distress; but the other brings you many crowns for wisdom, much admiration from everyone, and a great reward from God? Why then do you neglect what is helpful, easy, and pleasant, but pursue instead what is harmful, painful, and wasteful?
Besides, if the tribulation and trial of poverty were the 3] uke 6:27-28.
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Tt cause of blasphemies, all those in poverty would have to blaspheme; but in fact many of those who live in extreme poverty give thanks continually, while others who enjoy wealth and luxury do not cease blaspheming. So it is not the nature of our external circumstances but our own choice which causes one and the other. For this reason also we have read this parable, to teach you that wealth does not help the lazy man nor poverty harm the diligent man. And why do I say "poverty"? Even if all the evils of mankind come together, they will never condemn the soul of the wise man who loves God, nor persuade him to desist from virtue (and Lazarus is a witness of this). Likewise, the frivolous and dissolute man will never be able to benefit from wealth, health, continuous prosperity, or anything else. Therefore let us not say that poverty, disease, or the approach of dangers forces us to blaspheme. Not poverty but folly, not disease but heedlessness, not the approach of dangers but the absence of discretion leads both into blasphemy and into all evil those who are not attentive.
"But why," someone asks, "are some punished here, but others only hereafter and not at all here?" Why? Because if all were punished here, we would all have perished, for we all are subject to penalties. On the other hand, if no one were punished here, most people would become too careless, and many would say that there is no providence. For, if now, although they see many of the wicked being punished, they utter many blasphemies of this kind, if this were not so, what would they not say? How far would they not go in evil? For this reason God punishes some here, but does not punish others. He punishes some, cutting short their evil ways, and making their retribution hereafter the lighter, or even completely releasing them, and making those who live in wickedness better by the punishment of these people. Others, however, He does not punish, so that if they attend to themselves, repent, and
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respect God's forbearance, they may be freed from both the punishment here and the retribution hereafter; but if they persist, without benefiting from God's tolerance of evil, they may undergo a greater retribution because of their great contempt. But if someone of those who profess knowledge should say that those who are punished are treated unfairly, for they could have repented, we would say this, that if God had foreknown that they would repent,
He would not have punished them. For if He lets off those who He knows are remaining uncorrected, all the more
He would have left alone for the present life those who He knew would benefit from His forbearance, so that they might use the respite for repentance. But as it is, catching them in advance, He both makes their penalty lighter hereafter and improves others by their punishment. And why does He not do this for all the wicked? In order that waiting in apprehension brought on by fear at the punishment of others they may become better, and praising God's forbearance and respecting His gentleness they may desist from wickedness. "But they do nothing of the kind," someone says. But God is not to blame for the rest, but their own heedlessness, because they are not willing to use such powerful medicine for their own salvation. To learn that this is His reason, attend: Pilate once mixed the blood of the Galileans with the sacrifices, and some people came and reported this to Christ. He said, "Do you think that only those Galileans were sinners? I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will likewise perish." Another time eighteen people fell down in the collapse of a tower, and He said the same thing about them; for in saying, "Do you think that only those were sinners? I tell you, No,"
He showed that the living also deserved the same punishment; and in saying, "Unless you repent you will likewise perish," He showed that God had allowed them to suffer
*Luke 13:2-5.
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for this purpose, in order that the living might be frightened by what happened to others, and might repent and become inheritors of the kingdom. "What? Is that man punished," someone asks, "to make me better?" Not for this reason, but he is punished for his own sin. But in addition he becomes a means of salvation for those who pay attention to him, making them more diligent for fear of what happened to him. Masters also do the same; often by beating one servant they have made the rest behave better out of fear. When you see people either suffering from shipwreck or crushed by a house or burned to death in a fire or swept away by rivers or losing their lives by any other such violent means, then when you see others committing the same sin or even worse than theirs, and suffering no misfortune, do not be confused, saying, "Why, when they commit the same sins, do they not suffer the same consequences?" But consider this, that He has allowed one person to be taken away and put to death, preparing for him a lighter retribution hereafter, or even completely releasing him; but He has not permitted another to suffer anything like this, in order that he may be brought to his senses by this man's punishment and may become better.
But if he remains in the same sins, he will gather for himself an unrelieved retribution by his own heedlessness.
And God is not to blame for his unendurable punishment.
Again, if you see a righteous person suffering tribulation or all the misfortunes which we have mentioned, do not lose heart: his misfortunes are preparing more brilliant crowns for him. In summary, every punishment, if it happens to sinners, reduces the burden of sin, but if it happens to the righteous, makes their souls more splendid.
A great benefit comes to each of them from tribulation, provided that they bear it with thanksgiving; for this is what is required.
For this reason the history of divine Scripture is filled with a multitude of such examples, and shows us both
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tighteous and wicked people suffering misfortunes, in order that whether a person is righteous or sinful, he may heed the examples and endure bravely. Scripture shows you wicked people, some badly off but others prosperous, to keep you from being shaken by their prosperity, since you know from what happened to this rich man what kind of fire awaits them hereafter, if they do not change their ways. And someone asks, "It is not possible to enjoy relaxation both here and hereafter?" It is not possible.
Because it is impossible, the righteous have lived a laborious life. "What about Abraham?" someone says. Who has suffered as many misfortunes as he? Was he not exiled from his country? Was he not separated from all his household? Did he not endure hunger in a foreign land?
Did he not, like a wanderer, move continually, from Babylon to Mesopotamia, from there to Palestine, and from there to Egypt? What should one say about the disputes over his wife, the wars with barbarians and the slaughter, the captivity of his relatives' household, and many other such troubles? When he had received his son, did he not endure the most unbearable of all misfortunes, when he was commanded to sacrifice with his own hands his beloved son for whom he had longed? What about Issac himself the victim? Was he not continually driven by his neighbors? Did he not lose his wife, like his father, and continue a long time childless? What about Jacob, who was nourished in his household? Did he not endure more grievous sufferings than his grandfather? And not to make the narration long by telling everything, hear what he says about his whole life: "Few and evil have been the days of my life, and they have not attained to the days of my fathers." And yet, who, seeing his son sitting on a royal throne and enjoying such glory, would not forget his past misfortunes? Nevertheless he was so much worn down by *®Gen. 47:9,
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suffering that even in such prosperity he did not forget the troubles which had been. What about David? How many misfortunes did he endure? Does he not sing the same song as Jacob, when he says, "The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength cighty, yet their span is but toil and trouble" What about Jeremiah?
Does he not curse the day of his birth because of the succession of disasters?" What about Moses himself? Does he not say in his discouragement, "If Thou wilt deal thus with me, kill me at once" And as for Elijah, whose soul is as high as heaven, who unlocked the door of heaven, did he not continue to lament to God after many miracles, saying, "Take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers"7" Why should I mention each of these stories?
Paul gathers them all together and goes through them, saying, "They went about in skins of sheep and goats,
, aicted, ill-treated—of whom the world was not worthy" In a word, it is absolutely necessary for one who hopes to please God and to be acceptable and pure, not to pursue a relaxed and slippery and dissolute life, but a laborious life, groaning with much toil and sweat; for no one is crowned, Paul says, "unless he competes according to the rules." And elsewhere he says, "Every athlete exercises velf-control in all things,"" in speech and in sight, avoiding shameful words, abuse, blasphemy, and obscenity. From Paul's words we learn that even if trials are not brought to us from somewhere outside, we must exercise ourselves every day with fasting, austerity, cheap nourishment, and a frugal table, always avoiding sumptu-
ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
ousness; otherwise we cannot please God. Let no one say this vain word to me, that so and so has the good things both of this life and of the next: this cannot happen to those who have wealth and luxury with sin; but, if we must say this about somebody, we can say it about those who are in tribulation and distress, that they have the good things both of this life and of the next. For they have the good things of the next life, when they will enjoy their reward; and they have the good things of this life, when they are nourished by the hope of the good things hereafter, and do not take notice of the present misfortunes in their expectation of the good things to come.
But let us hear what follows. "And besides all this,"
Abraham says, "between us and you a great chasm has been fixed."** Well did David say, "No man can ransom his brother, or give to God the price of his life."™ For it is not possible, whether you are a brother, or a father, or a son. See: Abraham called the rich man "son," yet he was not able to do the duty of a father; the rich man addressed
Abraham as "father," yet he could not enjoy what a son may expect from his father's good will. This was done to teach you that neither family relationship nor love nor sympathy nor anything else can help the one who has been betrayed by his own life.
I say this because many people often, when we advise them to attend to themselves and to be sober, pay no heed and cast the advice to derision, saying, "You will vouch for me in that day; I am confident, I am not afraid."
Another says, "I have a martyr for my father;" and another, "I have a bishop for my grandfather;" others still bring forward on their behalf all the members of their household. But all those claims are vain; for the virtue of others will not be able to help us in that day. Remember
7 uke 16:26.
"Psalm 48 (49) :8.
ON WEALTH AND POVERTY
i those virgins, who did not share their oil with the other five; the former entered the bridal chamber, but the latter were shut outside.** It is a great good to have your hope of salvation in your own righteous acts; no friend will ever stand for us hereafter. For if God said to Jeremiah, 'Do not pray for this people,'°* even here where they had the power to change their ways, how much more He would say the same hereafter. What do you say? You have a martyr for your father? This very fact will condemn you even more, if you had the example of virtue at home, yet present yourself unworthy of your father's virtue. But you have a friend who is noble and admirable? He will not be able to stand for you in that day. How does the Lord say,
"Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when you die they may receive you into the eternal habitations."" It is not friendship in this which will vouch for you, but almsgiving. If friendship by itself could vouch for you, He would have needed to say simply, "Make friends for yourselves;' but as it is, showing that friendship alone does not vouch for us, he has added, "by means of unrighteous mammon." Perhaps someone may say, "I can make a friend without mammon, and a better friend indeed than with mammon." But to teach you that it is almsgiving which vouches for you, and your righteous action, He urged you to have confidence not simply in the friendship of the saints, but in the friendship gained by mammon. Knowing all these things, my beloved, let us attend to ourselves with all care. If we are punished, let us give thanks. If we live in prosperity, let us make ourselves secure; brought to our senses by others' punishment, let us give thanks with repentance and compunction and continual confession. If we have transgressed
Matthew 25:1-13.
*Jer. 7:16.
*Luke 16:9.
ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
at all in the present life, let us put the sin away, and with great zeal washing away all the stain of our life, let us call upon God to count us all worthy when we are released from this life to go there, where not with the rich man but with Lazarus we may enjoy the bosom of the patriarch and feast on the immortal good things. May all of us attain to these, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory to the Father, together with the Holy
Spirit, unto ages of ages. Amen.