Speech to the people about mortality

In the work of St. Gregory the Great (Double Words) “Speech to the People on Mortality” sounds a warning about the need for repentance in the face of God’s wrath. The author addresses the flock, reminding them of the suddenness of death and the inevitability of judgment, calling for immediate correction of life. Through biblical examples (the repentance of the Ninevites, the conversion of the thief on the cross), he emphasizes that even grave sins can be forgiven through sincere contrition and prayer. The saint calls on everyone to leave worldly affairs and unite in common prayer, making processions of the cross to beg God to avert punishment. While, beloved brethren, we should fear God’s future punishments, at least we should fear the present and tested ones. Illness should open the door to conversion, and the hardness of our hearts should be softened by the very punishment we endure. For, as according to the testimony of the Prophet, it was predicted: “the sword will pierce even the soul” (Jer. 4:10), so the whole people is struck by the sword of heavenly wrath, and everyone falls from sudden defeat. Death is not preceded by illness, but even the slowing down of illness is preceded by death itself. Each victim is kidnapped before he can turn to tears of repentance. So, think about how someone who has not had time to mourn what he has done will appear before the face of the righteous Judge. Because the residents are not breaking out piece by piece, but they are all falling. The houses remain desolate, parents watch the funerals of their children, and their heirs go ahead of them to destruction. So, each of us must resort to tears of repentance when we have time to cry before defeat. Let us remember what we have done out of error and what we have done out of wickedness, and we will punish it all by crying. Let us precede her face in confession and, as the Prophet exhorts: “let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God” (Lam. 3:41). Because to raise our hearts with our hands to God means to elevate the fervor of our prayer through the merit of good deeds. He who truly gives hope to our horror is He who cries through the Prophet: “I do not want the death of the sinner, but that the wicked should turn from his way, and live to be him” (Ezek. 33:11). However, no one should despair at the extraordinary nature of their wickedness. For the long-standing sins of the Ninevites were cleansed by three days of repentance (Jon. 3), and the repentant thief, in the very determination of his death, even deserved the reward of life (Luke 23). Therefore, let us change our hearts and decide to get what we want. The judge is more likely to bow to prayer if the one praying corrects his wickedness. So, with the hanging sword of such great wrath, we will stand in unceasing prayer. For that misfortune, which is usually unpleasant for people, is pleasing at the court of Truth; because the loving and merciful God wants us to demand forgiveness from Him through prayers, against whom He does not want to be angry as much as we deserve. That is why through the Psalmist he says: “Call upon Me in the day of your trouble, and I will destroy you, and glorify Me” (Ps. 49:15). Consequently, He testifies of Himself that He Himself desires to be merciful to those who call. Therefore, beloved brethren, tomorrow, with a contrite heart and determination for correction, we go at dawn with the fourth procession of the cross to the seven-shaped litany, according to the division indicated below, with reverence and with tears. None of you should go out into the fields for earthly affairs, no one should decide to correct any position, since, converging on the Church of the Holy Mother of the Lord, we, who have all sinned together, will all mourn the iniquities we have committed, so that the Righteous Judge, thinking about punishing us for our crimes, Himself will refrain from determining the intended punishment. The procession of the clergy will begin from the Church of St. John the Baptist; procession of men from the Church of St. Martyr Marcellus; the course of the monks - from the Church of the Martyrs John and Paul; the procession of the maidens - from the Church of the Holy Martyrs Cosmas and Damian; the passage of married women - from the Church of St. Stephen the First Martyr; the procession of widows - from the Church of St. Vitaly the Martyr; the procession of the poor and infants - from the Church of the Holy Martyr of Cicily. You might be interested in: