Омилия X 18 .

In the second week of the Holy Pentecost, which concludes with a presentation of the Gospel story about the Lord’s healing of the paralytic in Capernaum; it also says about those who talk to each other at the wrong time in church during sacred services Beginning the word, I will pronounce to your love the most Masterly words, or better yet, to say the very beginning of the Gospel sermon: “Repent, for fear the kingdom of heaven will draw near” (Matthew 3: 2); and not only has it come closer, but it is already in us. “Behold, the kingdom of God is within you,” says the Lord again (Luke 17:21). And not only is it within us, but for this reason it comes more clearly, destroying every principle, power and strength (of the enemy); but this applies only to those who live according to God and spend their lives pleasing to God. So, since the kingdom of God has approached and is in us, for which it comes, then by works of repentance, we will make ourselves worthy of it; let us make an effort on ourselves, rejecting evil wills and habits; for the kingdom of heaven is taken by force, and those who make the effort take it away. Let us be jealous of the patience, humility and very faith of our God-bearing Fathers; for, as (the Apostle) says: “Those who look to the end of their lives, imitate their faith” (Heb. 13:7). Let us put to death our evils that exist on earth: fornication, uncleanness, passions, evil lusts and greed, especially during these sacred days of Lent. For for this purpose, the Grace of the Spirit, having begun, informed us of the future Last Judgment of God, and then reminded us of the expulsion of Adam, and, finally, after this, presented to our eyes what the most unshakable faith consists of; so that, driven by fear of the coming Judgment and crying about expulsion from Paradise, and unshakably holding on to faith, we would constrain ourselves and not fall into intemperance, and due to an insatiable belly, we would not open the gates to all passions and surrender to them, and finding ourselves entirely on the long and wide path, we would not perish along with the so-called pleasure. But, having loved the strait and narrow path leading to eternal life, the beginning and first journey of which is fasting, let us walk with zeal this forty days of fasting. For if, as Solomon says, there is a time for every thing, and for everything there is an hour, then for those who seek a favorable time for the practice of virtue, this is the time: this forty days. If a person’s entire life is a favorable time for acquiring salvation, then how much more so is this time of Lent; for the Head and Leader of our salvation, Christ, began with fasting, and being in his field, he overthrew and put to shame the devil, the instigator of passions, who attacked Him in every possible way. Just as incontinence of the belly, being the destroyer of virtues, is the parent of passion, so, on the contrary, abstinence, destroying the defilements that have come to us as a result of intemperance, is the mother of dispassion. If even then, when there are no passions in us, intemperance introduces and has introduced them, then how can it not multiply and strengthen them when they are already visible, while fasting reduces them and destroys them? Fasting and (general) abstinence go hand in hand, although in time, those who intelligently observe them, now give preference to one or the other. Strictly speaking, we will not separate them from each other; but during the honest five weekday days of the week we will adhere more to fasting (in all its severity), and on Saturdays and Sundays we will pay more attention to abstinence (i.e., general moderation in food), so that it is prudent for us to hear the words of the Gospel, which today proclaim to us the miraculous healing performed by the Lord not in Jerusalem, but in Capernaum. For - “At the time,” says the divine Mark, “Jesus came again to Capernaum one day at a time” (Mark 2:1). Matthew calls the same city of Capernaum the city of the Lord (Jesus); because he, too, speaking about the same paralytic, says: “Jesus has come to His city” (Matthew 9:1). Because after (Christ) was baptized in the Jordan by John and the Spirit descended on Him from heaven, and after He was led out into the desert to be subjected to the temptations of the devil, and after He defeated the tempter, He again returned to the borders of the Jordan, went around the neighboring regions and repeatedly received testimonies from the Baptist, until Herod put John in prison; After this, Christ, as Matthew says: “He departed for Galilee; and left Nazareth, and came to live in Capernaum in the seaside” (Matthew 4:12-13). And from this city He went out into the desert to pray or to neighboring cities for the sake of preaching and returned to it again. Therefore, the Evangelist Matthew calls this city: “His city.” Mark says: “They went back to Capernaum one day at a time: and it was heard that there was food in the house; and many gathered together; as if no one could be accommodated at the door" (Mark 2:1-2). Since Christ spent most of his time in this city, then, due to many great miracles and teachings, he was more known here (than in any other place) and especially known to the local population. Therefore, when they heard that He was here again, all the people gathered to Him. And, as Luke says, those who came were from all cities, among them were scribes and Pharisees and lawyers, and He, as the Evangelist says, “spoke the word to them” (Mark 2:2). For He Himself was of the most excellent degree the One whom He presented in His parable, saying: “He went out, sowed his seed” (Luke 8:5), i.e. - the word of teaching, - and Who says: “I came to call sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13, Mark 2:17); calling is accomplished through the word of teaching. Revealing this, Paul says: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). The Lord, truly, to everyone in general and without addressing anyone in particular, spoke the word of repentance, the Gospel of salvation, the words of eternal life - and, indeed, everyone listened, but not everyone obeyed. For we are all lovers of listening and watching, but not all are lovers of virtue. We have a feeling of desire to know, among other things, what is necessary for salvation; therefore, many not only listen with pleasure to the sacred teaching, but also carefully study the provisions (tis Logis), so that no one has any confusion regarding understanding in the field of thinking. But in order to put these provisions into action or, on the basis of them, to make perfect faith fruitful, this requires prudence and good will, which are not easy to find, and especially among those who justify themselves and appear wise in their own eyes; The scribes and Pharisees of the Jews were this kind of people. Therefore, they constantly listened to the word and, seeing the signs being performed, blasphemed rather than praised the One who did good both in deeds and in words. So, when the Lord taught, and everyone, or the majority, concentratedly listened to the words of grace emanating from His lips, “there came no one,” says the Evangelist, “to Him, wearing loose (tendons), carried by four. And those who were not able to draw near to Him for the sake of the people, having opened the cover where they were, and having dug a bed, lay weakened on it” (Mark 2:3-4). Perhaps it seems to you that all this was a manifestation of faith on the part of those who brought the paralytic, and, satisfied with their faith, the Lord then granted health to the paralytic. But I think that the situation is different. – Indeed, when healing the youth who was the leader of the synagogue, the Lord did not demand faith from this youth, any more than from the daughter of a Canaanite or the daughter of Jairus; but the first was dead, while the second - the daughter of a Canaanite - was insane, and the youth of the ruler of the synagogue was not in this place. Therefore, the Lord could not expect them to have faith, and the faith of their loved ones was sufficient for their salvation. But this paralytic was present here and was the master of his mind, although his body was a paralytic. Therefore, it seems to me that it was more on the basis of his good hope and his faith that faith took root among those who brought him and encouraged them to come, and those convinced by this paralytic, to bring him and carry him to the roof and from there lower him before the Lord. Because they did it not against his will, and the paralytic’s relaxation was not the relaxation of his mind, but he, to be fair, was obviously above that which darkens and hinders faith. While the love of human glory led the Pharisees away from faith in the Lord; why did He say to them: “How can you believe, you accept glory from one another, and do not seek the glory that comes from the One God?” (John 5:44). And for others, estates and marriages and worries about everyday affairs served as an obstacle to their coming (to faith in the Lord); all this was pushed aside and, as it were, cut off from the thoughts of the paralytic by his inherent relaxation. And therefore, sometimes it is better for sinners to be sick than to be healthy, when illness contributes to their salvation. For illness dulls a person’s innate impulses towards evil, and by the fact that a person endures the suffering associated with illness, it, as if paying a debt for sins committed, makes a person capable of accepting first the health of the soul, and then, now, bodily health. This especially happens when the patient, realizing that health depends on God, valiantly endures misfortune and falls to God with faith and deeds, as far as his strength allows, begs for mercy. The paralytic showed this as well as he could, and the Lord showed it both in deed and in real words, although the Pharisees, not being able to understand, blasphemed and grumbled. For seeing, it is said, “Jesus saw their faith, both of the paralytic who was chained with illness to the bed, and of those who were lowering him from the roof, he said to the paralytic: child, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5). Oh, blessed words! - “Child,” he hears the address to him, and (by this) he is adopted by the Heavenly Father and enters into a close relationship with the Sinless God, immediately becoming sinless himself, as a result of the remission of sins; and in order for the renewal of the body to follow, he first perceives the soul, rising above sinfulness, from the Leader, that due to the fact that the soul first fell in the net of sin, illnesses for the body and death followed, according to His righteous judgment. But the scribes, having heard these words, “thought,” they say, “in their hearts: Why is this one speaking blasphemous words? Who can forgive sins except God alone? (Mark 2:6–7). The Lord, as the Creator of hearts and the One who understands the hidden thoughts of the hearts of the scribes, says to them: “Why are you thinking this in your hearts? What is more convenient? Say to the paralytic: are your sins forgiven? or say: Arise, and take up your bed and walk?” (Mark 2:8–9). It seemed to the scribes that the Lord, being unable to heal the paralytic, resorted to something that is not revealed explicitly, namely, to the remission of sins, which in a single word, and then in an authoritative and commanding tone, is not only blasphemy, but also completely easy to do to anyone who wants it. Therefore, the Lord says to them: if I wanted to utter only strange words that had no actual result, then with equal success I could not connect one with the other, namely, the healing of the paralytic with the remission of his sins; but I do this intentionally, so that you know that my word is not ineffective, and not because I am unable to grant healing from illness, I resorted to granting remission of sins, but I have divine power on earth, as the Son of the same essence with the Heavenly Father, although in the flesh I have become consubstantial with you, the ungrateful. Then he says to the paralytic: “I say to you, get up, take up your bed, and go to your house. And he arose, and took his bed, and went forth before all" (Mark 2:11-12). These words and the miracle were a refuting answer to the thoughts of the scribes, but, on the other hand, they somehow harmonize with them: for it is true that none of the people can forgive sins with their power. But this is the error and madness of the Pharisees, that they considered Christ to be a simple man, and did not see Almighty God in Him. For something happened that no one had ever seen or heard before, namely: now God and Man has appeared, having a special nature and possessing a special action (“energy”): speaking in reality, as this is characteristic of us, people, but creating as much as He wants - in word and with a single command, like God, and by His deeds assuring that He is the One who created everything in the beginning, as the psalm says: “He commanded the speech and was created” (Ps. 32:9). Therefore, in this case, His word was immediately followed by action. - “And I took up my bed and went out before everyone, as if I were amazed at everyone” (Mark 2:12). For even among people, forgiveness of offenses, if someone has offended someone, is often accomplished by word, but for a disease, and even such a disease, to be put to flight by the power of a single command and word, this is possible only to God. Therefore, the Evangelist says, narrating that all who saw (the healing of the paralytic performed by the Lord) were amazed and glorified God, i.e. Him, of course, the Creator of this indescribable miracle, or better yet, the Creator of glorious and terrible deeds, which are without number, saying: “As I have never seen before” (Mark 2:12). But those people, in fact, thus giving glory in words and proclaiming a miracle greater than all previous miracles, said: “Nikolizhe has seen this.” We cannot now say so: because we see many and much greater deeds than this, accomplished not only by Christ, but also by His Disciples and successors who came after them, and then accomplished by a single invocation of the name of Christ. Therefore, brothers, now we will glorify Him with our deeds, perceiving this miracle with an exalted mind as an example for virtue: for everyone who indulges in pleasures, relaxed in soul, lies on the bed of voluptuousness with a corresponding relaxed unbridledness of the body. But when, convinced by the gospel admonitions, having repented, he triumphs over his sins and over the relaxation of the soul generated by them, then he is brought to the Lord by these four: self-contempt, confession of sins, a promise for the future to abstain from evil and prayer to God. But they cannot approach God unless they open the roof, scattering tiles, clay and other materials. The roof in us is the thinking part of the soul, as it covers everything in us; It contains, as it were, numerous, heaped-up material related to passions and earthly things. And so, when this state becomes uncoupled and destroyed by these above-mentioned four, then we can really be lowered, i.e. truly humble yourself and fall down and approach the Lord, and ask and receive healing from Him. But when are these works of repentance performed? – When Jesus came “to His city”, i.e. came in the flesh into the world, which is His property, as His creation, just as the Evangelist says about Him: “He came into His own, and did not receive His own. And the little ones received Him, and gave them the realm to become children of God, who believe in His name” (John 1:11-12). Therefore, the one who is weakened in spirit, falling down in faith in this way, immediately hears from Him: “Child,” and perceives both remission of sins and healing, and not only this, but also receives the strength to take up his bed, on which he lay chained to it, and carry it. By “bed” you mean the body in which the mind rests, following carnal aspirations, and which, suppressed by the body, adheres to the deeds of sinfulness. But after recovery, our mind is now leading and carrying the body as subject to it, and showing them the fruits and works of repentance, so that those who see glorify God, seeing today the Evangelist who was yesterday a publican, the Apostle a persecutor, the Theologian a thief, the son of the Heavenly Father - the one who shortly before lived with pigs - if you want - and (not just the son of the Heavenly Father, but also) the ascension in the heart of one who sets and goes from glory to glory and stretches day by day to more. Therefore, the Lord says to His: “Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). This is not said in the sense that He commands us to show ourselves; but He commands to live in a manner pleasing to God; but just as light, having no relationship with the outside world, nevertheless attracts the eyes of those who see it, so a godly life attracts human souls along with the eyes. And one more thing: as in the light of the sun, we praise not the air, which participates in the radiance, but the sun, which possesses the light and gives its illumination; and even if we praise the ether as luminous, how much more do we praise the sun? So it is in relation to a person who demonstrates by virtuous deeds the radiance of the Sun of Truth: for such a person, as soon as he becomes noticed, elevates people to the praise of the Heavenly Father, the Sun of Truth - Christ. And not to mention the great virtues, I will say that when, together with you, standing before God in the sacred Church, I turn around and look at those who with understanding and contrition send up hymns and prayers to God, or I see someone standing and listening in silence and absorption, then this single sight inspires me and I am filled with contentment and glorify the Father who is in Heaven - Christ, without Whom no one can do anything noble and through Whom every successful action is produced in men. But what can we say about those who do not stand in silence, do not participate in the singing of hymns, but talk to each other, and confuse our verbal service to God with some idle talk, and do not themselves listen to sacred and divinely inspired words, and hinder those who want to listen? How long, oh, you are such people! - you will limp on both knees, as Elijah the Tishbite would say, - wanting to simultaneously participate in prayers and in untimely, earthly conversations, and not correcting each other, as it should be, but mutually destroying each other in every possible way, or better yet - being destroyed by each other? How long will you not refrain from vain words, but will you make the House of Prayer a house of trade or conduct passionate conversations, a House in which the words of eternal life are spoken and perceived by the ear? We, on our part, ask God for this eternal life with unashamed hope; and, from the side of God, it is given to those who pray for it with all their soul and with all their thoughts, but not to those who, so to speak, even move their tongue to prayer. Nowadays, brothers, sacrifice is not made through fire, as in the time of Moses, but is accomplished through the word. Therefore, while the sacrifice offered to God by fire was accepted, those who offered alien fire outside, who, together with Korah, rebelled against Moses, were burned by the sacred fire that kindled against them. Let us also be afraid, lest, by introducing external alien words on this sacred Divine Altar, I am speaking about the Church, we become completely condemned by the divine words existing in it, hence making ourselves worthy of the utterance of curse and condemnation. Oh, let us be afraid, I pray, and as long as we remain here, standing before God with fear, we will offer prayers; leaving here, let us show from now on a change in our lifestyle for the better; without being tempted by benefits and especially unjust ones; fleeing from oaths, and especially when lying; refraining from shameful words, and even more so, from the actions corresponding to them: slander, deceit, boasting; subordinating every member, every sense to the guidance of a pious mind; bearing the body with prudence and with the fear of God, or, better said, not wearing, but lifting up, but not submitting to the body, lowering itself to its base and disgusting instincts and allowing ourselves to be possessed by them, having been taught by Paul and knowing that if we live according to the flesh, we must die; But if we put to death in the spirit the deeds of the body, we will live forever. И ныне к славе Божией подвигнем всех зрящих нас, знающих, что Сей Дом носит в себе Христа, укрепляющего расслабленных душою и заповедующего телесные чувства и ощущения приносить к Нему и возносить, но не быть безрассудно носимым и понижаемым ими, – и таким образом взойти в истинный наш Дом, я имею ввиду – небесную и сверхнебесную Область, где ныне – Христос, Наследник и Наследия-податель наш, Которому подобает слава, держава, честь и поклонение, со Безначальным Его Отцем и Пресвятым и Благим и Животворящим Духом, ныне и присно, и во веки веков. Amen. PG.151:112–124. Homilia X. Secunda sanctae quadragessimae Dominica habita, materiam habens Paralyticum a Domino in Capharnaum sanatum, et contra eos qui indecen ter secum invicem confabulantur in sacris ad ecclesiam convenribus. You might be interested in: