Омилия XXII 90 .

On the same Feast 91; it also talks about passions and virtues Do you see this common triumph and joy that our Lord Jesus Christ in the Resurrection and Ascension bestowed on those who believe in Him? “It came through grief.” – Do you see Life, or is it better – this is Immortality? - Through death it appeared to us. – Do you see the heavenly heights into which Christ ascended, and the glorious glory with which He was glorified in the flesh? – Through His humility and dishonor she appeared, just as the Apostle says about her: “He humbled himself, being obedient even to the point of death, death on the cross. Therefore God also highly exalted Him, and gave Him a name that is above every name: that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth: and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:8-11). So, if God exalted Him because He humbled Himself, because He was subjected to dishonor, because He was tempted, because He endured the cross and dishonorable death, then how will He save and glorify and exalt us if we do not accept humility? What if we don't show love to our brothers? If we do not gain our souls through enduring temptations? If through the narrow gate and the path leading to eternal life we ​​do not follow the Leader to it in salvation? “Because we are called to this,” says the Corypheus of the Apostles Peter: “Because Christ also suffered for us, leave us an image, that we may follow His footsteps” (1 Pet. 2:21). But why did the Christ of God go through such suffering, and God exalted Him through this, and calls us to communion in the passions of His Son? - He, the One God, is always the same before the ages and forever and ever, remaining unchanged, not beginning, not ceasing, not being created, not being destroyed, not increasing, not decreasing, not changing in any way or place, without beginning, not created, unchangeable, unmixed; Himself changing everything for the better, as He Himself desires, Himself allowing those who suffer from it to change for the worse; everything that has a beginning and change He supports (for the beginning already, as it were, marks a change). So, all creation is subject to change, both visible and invisible, both sensible and insensible, both rational and irrational; but only a rational nature, possessing freedom, is capable of change, both for the better and for the worse, of its own free will and of its own accord. If one adheres to the will of God, then, thanks to it, one constantly makes progress, change and extension for the better; if it resists the will of God, then it rightly falls to the fact that He leaves it 92, and it miserably falls into a worse state. From the world of both rational beings created by God, first from spiritual Angels, and then from material people, not one of them retained obedience in relation to the Creator and Master of nature, but the very heavenly leadership of disembodied Angels, which was the first to be created, was the first to suffer the disease of apostasy from God. But those of the Angels who were above this illness are light, and are always filled with light, and themselves become more and more luminous all the time, blissfully taking advantage of the innate change 93, and rejoicing in joy near the First Light, looking at It, directly enlightened by Him, chanting the unceasing Source of Light, and sending down, as servants of Light, the light-giving grace for those who are less perfect in illumination of light. But Satan, rebelling and rejecting obedience to God, falling away from the light, fell into darkness and became the ruler and servant of darkness, first in relation to himself and the angels who fell away with him, then - oh, disaster! - and for us, in God’s Paradise, who did not believe God, but believed him. And all the angels of wickedness, like him, are self-darkened, for they have not partially become so, but are the beginning and fulfillment of disobedience to God, and the bitter root and source of all iniquity, especially in the sense that for us they are the culprits of this; they have no forgiveness in sin, and uncontrollably always extend to even greater darkness, doing it themselves, and not having recourse to the Enlightenment of any rational nature. For us, who were not self-motivated towards evil, God mercifully accomplishes the construction 94; for even if we are condemned to death, it is for the sake of the perception of repentance, and it comes after many years of designated time, which Adam lived after disobedience, and which everyone goes through. From here it also clearly follows that we should not despair of salvation, and there is absolutely no reason for despair: because all life for us is a time of repentance, since God does not want the sinner to die, as Scripture says, but for him to turn and live. Why didn’t death immediately follow disobedience, or why don’t we, when we sin, lose our lives, unless it’s because there is hope for conversion? And where there is hope for conversion, there is no place for despair. For, behold, Adam’s son Abel from the very beginning receives testimony from God that he appeared pleasing and pleasing to Him. And a little time after our fall, Enoch began to hope to call on the Lord. Enoch not only pleased God, but was also transferred (alive in the body) to heaven, becoming an obvious manifestation of mercy (of God towards people). But, behold, again - a manifestation of sin - and again God’s aversion from our race, and we were rightly betrayed to the global Flood; and again the wrath (of God) was not implacable, and the sentence was not merciless. Righteous Noah, who pleased God in his race, God miraculously preserved like a certain second root of our race, as if in His Providence, pruning, but, out of mercy, without cutting down or uprooting, the badly grown human race. After him, Abraham appeared to God faithful and pleasing to God, and as such was witnessed by Him; and his son Isaac, and Isaac’s son Jacob, and from him the Patriarchs, to whom was given a promise and prediction of even greater mercy and love for mankind; that promise which has powerfully prevailed above our sinfulness, namely, that He, the Great Shepherd, will come down from holy heaven to seek the lost sheep. Then came the Lawmakers, the Judges, the Royal Family, from whom it was clearly promised that Christ would come in the flesh. Now Christ has come and appeared, the Eternal Word of God, who created us in the beginning, who became man like us, for our sake, in order to renew and recreate those who have become old and broken by sin; since the destruction in us occurred as a result of our voluntary yielding to sin, then our renewal, as if originating from ourselves, is wisely and philanthropically accomplished in us in the person of Man, who from the Virgin’s Womb took on flesh for our sake, building the entire mystery of salvation, and giving us the strength to return by His own descent with us, by His life creating for us the path to heaven, proclaiming to us sublime path by His teaching. Since the opposite is healed by the opposite, just as we fell into death thanks to the evil advice of the evil one, so through the good advice of the Good One we were revived again; and since the advice that led to death offered pleasure, glory and freedom, those (things) that deceive and bring our race down from the heights, therefore the Counselor of true life Himself passes, guiding and showing the narrow gate and the narrow path leading to the higher life: “Enter,” he says, “by the narrow gate,” and “Enter the narrow (gate) and the narrow path into the belly. Like a wide (gate) and a broad way, lead us into destruction” (Matthew 7:13). In another place He teaches even more clearly to avoid that path of destruction; for he says: “Woe to the rich, woe to you when you are satisfied, woe to you when men speak good things to you” (Luke 6:24–26); with these words calling the love-loving, passion-loving and money-loving people unhappy. And again: “Do not hide for yourselves treasures on earth” (Matthew 6:19). And: “Take heed, lest your hearts be burdened with gluttony and drunkenness and the sorrows of this life” (Luke 21:24). And: “How can you believe that you accept glory from one another, and glory that you do not seek from the one God?” (John 5:44). With these words He turns away from the path leading to death; and He reveals the way of life in another place; for example, in the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor, Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake” (Matthew 5:3 et seq.); and: - “Sell what you have and give to the poor: and have treasure in heaven” (Matthew 19:21). And: “Whoever leaves a house, or a village, or any other earthly thing for the sake of Me and the Gospel, will receive it a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:29). And He pacified the soul to such an extent that He declared anger to be similar to murder and subject to the same condemnation; and the one who, out of anger, was moved to offend someone is guilty of fiery hell. He not only pleases meekness, but also grants it the greatest rewards. He restrains intemperance to such an extent that he calls even a passionate and curious glance at another man’s wife adultery. He designated the lover of virginity among the blessed and called him a viewer of God. And to such an extent He did not want a false oath to be taken that He forbade even binding oneself with an oath, declaring that everything except “yes” and “no” comes from the evil one, saying: “Be your word: to her, to her; neither, nor; But if I sow too much, I eat out of hostility” (Matthew 5:37). Why this repetition (the words “yes” and “no”)? – So that in relation to what we say “yes” or “no” there is a correspondence of deeds, because when this correspondence is obvious, then, indeed, “yes” is “yes”, and “no” is “no”, i.e. “yes, yes” and “no, no.” If this is not the case, then “yes” will become “no”, and “no” will become “yes”; that it is clear that it comes from the devil, for when he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own, and does not stand in the truth. But in this way, Christ moderated and restrained everything that is said and done by us, limiting our life with moderation for the sake of truth, righteousness, chastity and goodness. How does He exhort us to treat those who are angry against us, and attack and insult us in word and deed? – “Conquer,” he says, “with good things” (Rom. 12:21); and: – “give place to anger” (Rom.12:19); and: “do not resist evil” (Matthew 5:39); in no way “do not repay evil for evil” (1 Thess. 5:15), insult for insult, but “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who attack you and drive you out” (Matthew 5:44). What is the end of this violent life and what is the reward for exploits? - “That you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:45) and heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, and you will have immortal life, and you will receive an ineffable, quiet, eternal Kingdom, living and reigning with God for endless ages. You see; What are the narrow gates and the strait path, and why is it required of us, and to what glory and joy and benefit does it lead to those who wish to walk along it? If someone promised to make you many years old if only you obeyed him, would you not willingly fulfill obedience if none of what was commanded to you were impossible? If, in addition, he promised that along with a long life would come health, fame and pleasure, then what would you not endure for this? If you had added the kingdom, and that kingdom undefeated and without disturbances, combined with a long and healthy life, - oh, would you not have been lifted up and considered completely light in comparison with this, the burden you carry, strengthened by hopes, enjoying the expected kingdom, as if already existing in your hands, if you believed that what was promised to you is true? So, we wish for many years of life, but do we really not attach any importance to eternal life? And the kingdom, although long, still has an end, and glory and joy, although great, but still fades, and wealth, which disappears with this life, we desire to such an extent and for this we work so hard, but will we not seek those blessings that are infinitely above all and are incorruptible and endless, and will not make the slightest effort to inherit them? – Let’s imagine an undefeatable kingdom? - but there is no such thing on earth; a carefree life? - but you will find it only in heaven. If anyone desires them, let him rush to heaven, and whether it is an easy or difficult path leading to heaven, let him follow them, rejoicing in hope and enduring in sorrow. Find out everything: for the sake of which people give themselves up to suffering and death. Isn’t a warrior ready to face mortal dangers and wounds for a small price? Is it not for a small profit that a merchant despises the possibility of drowning and endures the hardships of the winds and cruel people encountered on land and sea? Is it not for a little black bread that many often become servants of inhuman masters? And shall we not serve the Lord who is humane by nature?! Are we putting our lives in danger? Shall we endure the excess of wealth in order to acquire heavenly treasure for us? Shall we not endure dishonor from people, and then mostly insignificant things, in order to achieve divine glory, receiving immortal instead of perishable? Shall we not endure hunger or thirst in moderation, so that we may taste from the Bread of Life that comes down from heaven, and drink from, truly, the Living Water, of which he who is worthy to taste and drink will not hunger or thirst forever? Shall we not cleanse the eye of the soul, moving away from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, in order to see a Light more brilliant than the sun, or better to say, so that we become children of That Light, ourselves becoming other lights, through participation in It, standing before the Word of Life? No, I pray, brethren, let us not prefer darkness to light, to God - the devil, to divine and eternal joy - the service of lust, death and hell, enriching Love - the rich possession of vice, matter for the ever-scorching fire of those who ill-acquired it, as the Lord revealed to us through the parable of the Rich Man; but we will live according to the image of His life, and as He Himself revealed and taught, becoming what we are, and bearing our cross, we will follow Him, crucifying the flesh with passions and lusts, so that we may glorify with Him and be co-resurrected, and after the resurrection, ascend to Him, just as He ascended today to the Father; for “standing in the midst of the Disciples,” as Luke says, or better yet, “appearing,” as Mark writes: for not only did He appear to them when He appeared to them, but He was always with them, appearing to them in a visible image when He desired. So, standing today in the midst of His Disciples, He gave them the commandment to preach, and made them glad with the promise of the Spirit and with them to remain with them until the end of the age, and after these words, lifting up His hands, He blessed them; and while they watched, He ascended, revealing that those who obey Him, after the resurrection, will ascend to God. Having departed from them in body - for he was with them in Divinity, as He promised them - He ascended and sat at the right hand of the Father, being in our nature. Just as He lived and died, and rose again and ascended, so we live and die, and will all rise again; the ascension will not be for all of us, but for those for whom life is Christ, and death for His sake 95 is gain, who have crucified sin to death through repentance and living according to the Gospel: for only these, after the general resurrection, will be taken up on the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, for He Himself, being ascended, took on the cloud, as Luke relates in the Acts of the Apostles. But, just as the Disciples once did after the Ascension, so we, looking, although not with sensory eyes, but with spiritual ones, and also having worshiped Him, we will also end up in peace, being in peace - both in the inner soul and with each other, for “Jerusalem” - translated means “peace”; and being in the highest part of our spirit and abiding and praying in it, let us cleanse ourselves of passionate and base thoughts. For in this way we too will receive the coming to us of the Comforter, and in spirit and truth we will worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. PG.151:285–296. Homilia XXII. In eamdem festivitatem; in qua etiam de vitijs et vjrtutibus. Those. on the feast of the Ascension of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. Those. their inherent ability to change. In orig. “and pedia” meaning: “training, upbringing, caring for children.” Although the latter primarily applies to Martyrs who give their lives for Christ, it also applies to all who live and die in Christ. You might be interested in: