Conversations about the cross and the thief

“Conversations about the Cross and the Thief” (2 conversations) delivered by St. John Chrysostom, presumably in Antioch on Good Friday 388. In them, the saint returns to the theme of the Cross of Christ, which opened paradise for people and brought them salvation. The second conversation is, in all likelihood, an edition of the first. The conversations consist of 5 chapters. St. John glorifies the Cross of Christ: he calls it a holiday and spiritual triumph, the head of our salvation, the cause of countless blessings. The Cross opens Heaven to us. This is the altar on which our Lord Jesus Christ made His Sacrifice. The conversation contains the answer to the question why this Sacrifice is sacrificed outside the walls of Jerusalem. On the last day, the Son of God will appear with His Cross, which will be carried by angels and archangels. The Lord, being crucified, prayed for His tormentors. We must pray for our enemies in imitation of Christ and the saints, examples of which are found in both the New and Old Testaments: “Prayer for enemies is greater than prayer for friends, and the latter does not bring us as much benefit as the former.” *The title of the work in Greek is Εἰς τὸν σταυρὸν κα εἰς τὸν λῃστήν. *The title of the essay in Latin is De cruce et latrone homiliae 1-2. Contents Conversation one * Conversation two Glorification of St. Cross. – He is the altar on which the Lord Jesus Christ made his sacrifice, and opens Heaven to us. – All our happiness comes from the Cross. “He is the key that opens the doors of Paradise for us.” “The first to enter these doors was the good robber. - The example of this robber is an encouragement to the boldness of faith. – The cross that will appear on the last day carried by Angels and Archangels. – The need to pray for enemies in imitation of Christ the Savior and in obedience to the teachings of the holy Apostle Paul, especially since in the Old Testament, where grace was less abundant, Moses, David and Samuel prayed for enemies. “We must follow in their footsteps.” 1. Today our Lord Jesus Christ is on the Cross, and we celebrate so that you know that the Cross is a holiday and a spiritual triumph. Previously, the Cross served as a name for punishment, but now it has become an honorable thing, before it was a symbol of condemnation, and now it is a sign of salvation. In fact, he became the cause of countless blessings for us: he freed us from error, he enlightened those sitting in darkness, he reconciled us who were at enmity with God, he made friends of those who were alienated, he made those who were far away close. The cross is the destruction of hostility, it is the protection of peace, it has become for us a treasure of countless blessings. Thanks to the Cross, we no longer wander in the deserts, because we have learned the true path, we no longer live outside the Kingdom, because we have found the door, we are not afraid of the fiery arrows of the devil, because we have seen the source. Thanks to the Cross, we are no longer widows, because we have received a groom; we are not afraid of the wolf, because we have a good shepherd. “I am,” he says, “the good shepherd” (John 10:11). Thanks to the Cross, we do not tremble before the tyrant, because we are near the King. That is why we celebrate by commemorating the Cross. This is how Paul commanded to celebrate for the sake of the Cross. “Let us celebrate,” he says, “not with unleavened leaven, ... but without leaven of purity and truth” (1 Cor. 5:8). Then, indicating the reason, he added that “our Passover was devoured for us” (1 Cor. 5:7). Do you see how he commands us to celebrate for the sake of the Cross? On the Cross “Christ was devoured,” and where there is sacrifice, there is the destruction of sins, there is reconciliation with the Lord, there is celebration and joy. “Our Easter, Christ was devoured for us.” Where, tell me, was “devoured quickly”? At the height of the platform. The altar of this sacrifice is unusual, because the sacrifice is extraordinary and unprecedented. In fact, one and the same was both the victim and the priest: the victim was the flesh, and the priest was the spirit. The same one offered and was offered in the flesh. Listen to how Paul explained both. “Every... high priest,” he says, “is acceptable from a man, ... a man is appointed to him” (Heb. 5:1). “It is also necessary for Him to have what He will bring” (Heb. 8:3); here He Himself brings Himself; and in another place he says that “Christ was brought alone to bear the sins of many, ... will appear to those who wait for Him for salvation” (Heb. 9:28). Here He was brought, there He brought Himself. Do you see how He became both a victim and a priest, and the altar was the Cross? Why, you say, is the sacrifice made not in the church, but outside the city and walls? To fulfill the prophecy that “I will be reckoned with the wicked” (Is. 53:12). Why is He slain at the height of the platform, and not under the roof? To purify the airy nature; therefore on high, not under an extended roof, but under the roof of the sky. The air was purified when the Lamb was sacrificed on high, but the earth was also purified because blood from the rib dripped onto it. For this reason - not under the roof, for this reason - not in the Jewish church, so that the Jews do not hide the sacrifice, and you do not think that it is being offered only for this one people. For this purpose - outside the city and the walls, so that you know that the sacrifice is universal, that the offering is for the whole earth, so that you know that the cleansing is universal, not private, like among the Jews. God commanded the Jews to leave the whole earth and make sacrifices and pray in one place because the whole earth was unclean, as it carried smoke, fumes and all sorts of other stench from pagan sacrifices. And now for us, since the coming of Christ has cleansed the entire universe, every place has become a place of prayer. Therefore, Paul boldly exhorted to pray fearlessly everywhere, saying: “I want... that men may pray in every place, lifting up their holy hands” (1 Tim. 2:8). Do you see how the universe has been cleansed? In every place we can raise holy hands, because the whole earth has become holier than the inner sanctuary (church): there a dumb sheep was sacrificed, here a spiritual one, and the greater the sacrifice, the greater the sanctification. That is why the Cross is a festival. 2. Do you want to know another thing he (the Cross) accomplished? He opened to us today Paradise, which remained closed for more than five thousand years, because on this day, at this hour, God brought in a thief, meaning (by this) two things He accomplished: one, that He opened Paradise, the other, that He brought in the thief. Today He returned to us the ancient fatherland, today He again brought us to our native city and gave an abode to all human nature. “Today,” he says, “you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). What are you saying? Are you crucified and nailed and are you promising Paradise? Yes, he says that you should know My power on the Cross. Since the sight was sad, so that you pay attention not to the nature of the Cross, but to recognize the power of the Crucified One, He performs this miracle on the Cross, especially revealing His power. Not raising the dead, not commanding the sea or the winds, not driving out demons, but being crucified, insulted, spat on, reviled, dishonored, He could change the vicious soul of the robber, so that you could see His power in both cases. He threw all creation into confusion, shook the rocks, attracted and honored the soul of the robber, which was more insensitive than a stone: “Today,” he says, “you will be with me in paradise.” The Cherubim, of course, guarded Paradise, but Christ is the Lord of the Cherubim; the flaming sword was in their hands, but Christ has power over fire and hell, and over life and death. Of course, no king would ever agree to seat a robber or some other slave with him and bring him into the city in this way, but Christ did this, and, entering the sacred fatherland, brings the robber with Him, not trampling or dishonoring Paradise with the feet of the robber, but, on the contrary, glorifying Paradise, because it is an honor for Paradise to have such a Lord, Who makes even the robber worthy of paradise bliss. When He brought publicans and harlots into the Kingdom of Heaven, He did this not to dishonor it, but, on the contrary, to honor it, showing that the Lord of the Kingdom of Heaven is so powerful that He makes both harlots and publicans so glorious that they are worthy of the honor and reward there. Just as we are especially amazed at a doctor when we see that he frees people with incurable diseases from illness and restores them to health, so we should also be amazed at Christ when He heals incurable wounds, when He brings a publican and a harlot to such a state of health that they turn out to be worthy of heaven. But what did the robber discover, you say, so that after the Cross he could receive Paradise? Do you want me to briefly show you his valor? When Peter denied the debt, then the thief confessed grief. I say this, not blaming Peter - let it not be! - but wanting to show the greatness of the robber’s soul. The disciple could not bear the threat of the insignificant girl, and the robber, seeing how all the approaching people were shouting, raging and throwing blasphemies and ridicule, did not pay attention to them, did not look at the visible insignificance of the Crucified One, but, passing all this by the eyes of faith and leaving insignificant obstacles, he recognized the Lord of heaven, and, falling to Him, said: “Remember me, Lord, when you come to Your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). Let us not ignore this robber and let us not be ashamed to take as a teacher the one whom our Lord was not ashamed to introduce first into Paradise. Let us not be ashamed to take as a teacher a man who, above all creation, was found worthy of living in heaven, but we carefully examine individually (all his actions) so that we may know the power of the Cross. Christ did not say to him as he did to Peter: “Come... according to Me, and I will make you a fisher of man” (Matthew 4:19); He did not say to him, as to the twelve (disciples): “You will sit... on the double throne, judging the deceived ten tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28). On the contrary, He did not even deign to speak to him at all. He didn't show him a miracle; the robber did not see the dead being resurrected, nor the demons being expelled, nor did he see the submitting sea; Christ did not tell him anything either about the Kingdom or about Gehenna, and yet the thief confessed Him before everyone else, moreover, when another one reviled Him, because the other thief reviled Him. Another thief was also crucified with Christ, so that the prophecy would be fulfilled: “Be counted with the wicked” (Is. 53:12), because the Jews wanted to eclipse His glory, and everywhere they did, they insulted (Him), but the truth shone everywhere and grew through the very obstacles. So the other thief reviled Him. Do you see that robber and that robber? Both are on the Cross, both are for a life of robbery, both are for wickedness, but the fate of both is not the same. One inherited the Kingdom of Heaven, the other was sent to Gehenna. So it was yesterday. Disciples and disciple, Judas and eleven. They said: “Where do you want, we will prepare for You to eat the Passover” (Matthew 26:17), and this one was preparing betrayal and said: “Whatever you want to give to me, and I will betray Him to you” (Matthew 26:15)? They were preparing for service and for Divine secret teaching, but this one hastened to betrayal. So here too, there is a robber and a robber, but one reviles, and the other worships, one blasphemes, and the other glorifies and appeases the blasphemer, saying: “Are you not afraid of God? ... she who is worthy is accepted by her deeds” (Luke 23:40–41). 3. Do you see the boldness of the robber? Do you see his boldness on the cross? Do you see wisdom during torment and piety during punishment? Who will not be amazed (seeing) that he retained his presence of mind, that he remained in his mind, being pierced with nails. But he not only retained his presence of mind, but also, forgetting himself, cared about the salvation of others, becoming a teacher on the cross, when he said with reproach: “Are you not afraid of God?” Pay no attention, he says, to earthly judgment; there is another invisible Judge, there is an incorruptible court; Therefore, do not see that He is condemned on earth. The heavenly court is not like that. Here, at the earthly court, the righteous are condemned, and the unrighteous escape punishment, and the guilty are released, and the innocent are punished, because judges, willy-nilly, sin a lot, either not knowing the truth and succumbing to deception, or, although they know, they often pronounce judgment, being bribed with money. There is nothing like that in the Heavenly Court. God is a righteous Judge, and His judgment will come out as light, not obscured by darkness or ignorance. So (out of fear) so that he would not tell him that Christ was condemned by the earthly court, he took him to the Heavenly court, reminded (him) of that Terrible Judgment Seat, saying as it were: look there, and you will not pronounce a condemning sentence, you will not take the side of the corrupt earthly judges, but with faith you will accept the judgment in Heaven. Do you see the philosophy of the robber? Do you see his prudence and wisdom? He immediately moved from the cross to Heaven. Then, strongly reproaching the other robber, he says: “Aren’t you afraid that we are condemned to the same thing.” What does it mean: “condemned to the same thing”? Same punishment. Aren't you also on the cross? So, when you reproach another, you reproach yourself before him, because just as someone who is in sin, reproaching another, reproaches himself first, so someone who is in misfortune and reproaches another’s misfortune reproaches himself before the other. “Sentenced to the same thing.” He reads to him the Apostolic Law, the Gospel words that read: “Judge not, lest ye be judged” (Matthew 7:1). “Sentenced to the same thing.” What are you doing, robber? By trying to protect Him, are you making Him an associate of the thief? No, he says. I destroy such a thought with the following words. So that you would not think that through fellowship in torment he made Him a sharer in sin, he added an amendment, saying: “And we are in righteousness: for we have suffered through deeds that are worthy” (Luke 23:41). Do you see the perfect confession? Do you see how he was freed from his sins on the cross? “Verbs,” it is said, “thou hast thy iniquities, that thou mayest be justified” (Is. 43:26). No one forced him, no one forced him, but he exposed himself to reproach, saying: “And we are in truth: we have suffered worthy deeds. This one will not do a single evil.” And after this he says: “Remember me, O Lord, ... in Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). He did not dare to say before: “Remember me... in Your Kingdom,” than he laid down the weight of sins through confession. Do you see what confession means? Confessed - and opened (to himself) Paradise; confessed - and received such great boldness that he asks for the Kingdom after the robbery. Do you see how many blessings the Cross is the cause of for us? Do you remember the Kingdom? What do you see (that would remind you of him), tell me? Nails and the Cross are visible. But this very Cross, he says, is a symbol of the Kingdom. That’s why I call Him King because I see Him crucified on the Cross, since the duty of a king is to die for his subjects. He Himself said: “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). - just like that, a good king lays down his soul for his subjects. Therefore, since He laid down His soul, I call Him King for this. “Remember me, Lord, in Your Kingdom.” 4. Do you see how the Cross is a symbol of the Kingdom (of Heaven)? Do you want to know other evidence of this? Christ did not leave him on earth, picked him up (with Him) and ascended to Heaven. Where can you see this? From there, that He has to come with him at His second and glorious coming. So that you know what honor is due to the Cross, for this reason He called it glory. But let's see how He comes with the Cross. It is necessary to provide proof of this. “If... they say,” he says, “behold, Christ is in treasure, behold, you are in the wilderness, you will not come out” (Matthew 24:26), he speaks this way about His second glorious coming, in view of false Christs, false prophets and the Antichrist, so that someone, having gone astray, would not be caught by the latter. Since the Antichrist will come before Christ, so that someone, looking for the Shepherd, does not fall into the wolf, for this I am showing you a sign of the coming of the Shepherd. Since His first coming was secret, so that you would not think that the second would be the same, He gave this sign. That coming would naturally be secret, because He came to seek the lost, but it will not be like that. How then, tell me? “As lightning comes from the east and appears to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:27). He will appear to everyone at once, and no one will have to ask: is Christ here or there? Just as, when lightning appears, we have no need to ask whether it has appeared, so when the coming of Christ takes place, there will be no need for us to investigate whether Christ has come. But the question is, will He come with the Cross? We have not forgotten our promises, so listen to the following. “Then,” he says (Matthew 25:34). When is “then”? “When... the Son of Man comes” (Matthew 25:31). Then “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light” (Matthew 24:29). Such will be the abundance of light then that even the most brilliant stars will become invisible. Then “the stars will fall... then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven” (Matthew 24:29–30). Do you see how great the power of the sign of the Cross is? The sun will be darkened and the moon will not be visible, but it appears and shines, so that you know that it is brighter than the sun and the moon. And just as, when the king enters the city, the soldiers, taking the so-called banners, carry them on their shoulders, heralding the king’s entry, so when the Lord descends from heaven, the armies of Angels and Archangels precede, carrying the sign of the Cross on their shoulders and announcing to us His royal coming. Then “the powers of heaven will move” (Matthew 24:29), he says about the Angels, then trembling and great fear will seize them. Why, tell me? That judgment will be terrible, because our entire nature will have to be judged and stand before the terrible Judge. But why do Angels fear and tremble? Surely they won't be suing? Just as when a leader judges, not only is he subject to accountability, but also those standing nearby (warriors), not recognizing any guilt, fear and tremble because of fear of the judge, so then, although our nature will be judged, even the Angels, who are not aware of any crime, will be afraid due to the extreme fear inspired by the Judge. But why will the Cross appear then and why will the Savior come with it? In order for those who crucified Him to recognize their own ingratitude, it is for this reason that He shows them this very symbol of their shamelessness. And that He will bring it for this purpose, listen to the prophet, who says: “Then the tribes of the earth will weep, seeing the Accuser and realizing their sin.” And why are you surprised that He will come with the Cross, if He then shows even the wounds? “They will look,” says (the prophet), “Nan, His blood has broken” (Zechariah 12:10). Just as He did with Thomas, wanting to destroy the disciple’s unbelief, and after the resurrection showed him the signs of nails and wounds, saying: “Place your hand and see” (John 20:27), “for a spirit does not have flesh and bone” (Luke 24:39), so exactly then He will show the wounds and the Cross in order to prove that He is the One who was crucified. 5. But not only the Cross, and the very words spoken on the Cross reveal His inexpressible love for mankind. Crucified on the Cross, subjected to ridicule, abuse and spitting, He said: “Father, forgive them their sin; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). And the Crucified One prays for the crucifiers, although they, on the contrary, said: “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross; ...and we believe in You” (Matthew 27:40, 42). But precisely because He is the Son of God, He does not descend from the Cross, since for this purpose He came, to be crucified for us. “Come down,” they say, “from the cross... and we believe in You.” These are words and an excuse of unbelief, because to rise from the tomb, to which the stone was rolled, was a much greater thing than to descend from the Cross; bringing the four-day-old Lazarus, wrapped in swaddling clothes, out of the tomb was a much greater thing than coming down from the Cross. So, they said: “If you are the Son of God, save yourself.” He did everything to save those who reviled Him, saying: “Forgive them their sin, ... for they do not know what they are doing.” So what? Did you forgive them their sin? He forgave them if they wanted to repent, and if He had not forgiven them their sin, then Paul would not have become an apostle; If he had not forgiven them their sin, neither three thousand, nor five thousand, nor countless multitudes would have believed immediately. And that countless numbers of Jews believed, listen to what the apostles say to Paul: “You see, brother, how many Jews there are who believed” (Acts 21:20). So, let us imitate the Lord and pray for our enemies. Again I address this admonition: today (already) the fifth day I have been talking with you about this subject, not because I noticed inattention on your part - yes, there will be no - but mainly in the hope that you will be convinced (by my advice). And if there are (among you) hard-hearted, angry, vindictive people who do not heed what is said about prayer (for enemies), then perhaps they, ashamed of the number of days, will somehow put aside their enmity and malice. Imitate your Master. He was crucified and prayed to the Father for the crucifiers. How, you say, can I imitate the Lord? You can, if you wish, because if you were not able to imitate, then how would (the Savior) say: “Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29)? If it were not possible to imitate, then Paul would not have said: “Be imitators of me, even as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). If, however, you do not want to imitate the Lord, then imitate your fellow servant, I mean the Apostle Stephen, since he also imitated the Lord. And just as Christ among the crucifiers, leaving the Cross, leaving everything concerning Himself, begs the Father for the crucifiers, so this servant among the beatings, struck by everyone, under the blows of stones, not paying attention to the suffering that occurred from this, said: “Lord, do not put this sin on them” (Acts 7:60). Do you see how the Son speaks? Do you see how the slave prays? He says: “Father, forgive them this sin; for they do not know what they are doing,” and this one says: “Lord, do not put this sin on them.” And so that you know that he prays with zeal (pay attention to the fact that) he prays not just standing, being stoned, but said his prayer, kneeling, with heartfelt contrition and with great compassion. Do you want me to show you another fellow servant who suffered much more than this one? Paul says: “From the Jews... they struck with clubs, lashed with a single stone,... made night and day in the depths” (2 Cor 11:24-25). What then? “I prayed,” he says, “that I myself... should be excommunicated... according to my brethren, my relatives in the flesh” (Rom. 9:3). Don't you want to see something else, not in the New Testament, but in the Old? This is what is most surprising, that where there was no command to love enemies, but (it was prescribed) to tear out “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” (Ex. 21:24) and (for evil) to repay with equal evil, they reached the apostolic wisdom. Listen to what Moses says, who was stoned many times by the Jews and despised by them. “Even if you forgive them sin..., forgive them; otherwise, blot me out of Your book, where You have written it” (Ex. 32:32). Do you see how each of them prefers the salvation of others to their own salvation? You have not sinned in anything; so why do you want to be a participant in the punishment with him? Because, he says, I don’t feel happy enough when others suffer. Enough for us with these examples. And in order for us to completely correct ourselves, I will try to introduce another (saint) who philosophizes about this. Blessed meek David, when his entire army rebelled against him and, having armed his son Absalom, entrusted the latter with power and wanted to kill him, then when God was angry with this (for what is it that (God) gave another pretext for beating?) and sent an Angel with a sword to strike the people from heaven, then, seeing how everyone perishes, what does he say? I, the shepherd, have sinned, and I, the shepherd, have done evil: “Let your hand be on me and on my father’s house” (2 Samuel 24:17). Do you see how similar the virtues are (in the Old and New Testaments)? Would you like me to show you more? I won’t find it difficult to (imagine) another one who philosophizes in the same way. The Prophet Samuel was so offended, rejected, and neglected by the Jews that God, wanting to console him, said: “I did not disgrace you, but Me” (1 Samuel 8:7). What is this humiliated, neglected, insulted one? “Let me not,” he says, “sin such as to forsake... praying for you to the Lord” (1 Samuel 12:23). He considered it a sin not to pray for his enemies. Let it not be my sin that I should not pray for you. Christ says: “Father, forgive them their sin; for they know not what they do”; Stephen says: “Lord, do not put this sin on them”; Paul says: “I prayed... that I might be excommunicated... according to my brethren, my relatives... according to the flesh”; Moses says: “Even if you forgive them their sin..., leave it: otherwise, blot me out of the book..., you wrote it in it”; David says: “Let your hand be on me and on my father’s house”; Samuel says: “Let me not sin... let me... pray for you to the Lord.” So, tell me, will we have any excuse when the Master, and the servants, and the saints of the Old and New Testaments all encourage us to pray for our enemies, if we begin to do the opposite and pray against our enemies? We will not do this, brethren, I exhort you, we will not, because the more examples there are, the greater the punishment if we do not imitate them. Prayer for enemies is greater than prayer for friends, and the latter does not benefit us as much as the former. “Even if you love those who love you, you do nothing great,” says Christ, “for even publicans... do the same thing” (Matthew 5:46). So if we pray for friends, then we are no better than pagans and tax collectors, and if we love our enemies, then, to the extent of human strength, we become like God, who “His sun shines on the evil and on the good, and rains on the righteous and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). So let us be like the Father. Be, says Christ, like your Father who is in heaven, so that we may be worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven by the grace and love of mankind of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Glorification of St. Cross. - The benefits flowing from it. – Why was Jesus Christ, the sacrifice of the New Testament, slain outside the walls of Jerusalem? - Good robber. - Explanation of the words he spoke on the Cross. – A great reward for a glorious profession of faith. – Jesus Christ will appear on the last day with His Cross. – An exhortation to believers to forgive their enemies. – An indication of the example of the Lord Christ and the holy righteous in both the Old and New Testaments. 1. We celebrate today, beloved, a holiday and triumph, since our Lord was nailed to the Cross. Don’t be surprised that we celebrate when this event is deplorable; such is everything spiritual; it happens to be contrary to human custom. So that you know this for sure, the Cross was formerly the name of condemnation and punishment, but now it has become a revered and desired object; Previously, the Cross was an instrument of shame and execution, but now it has become a source of glory and honor. And that the Cross really is glory, listen to Christ, Who says: “Father, glorify Me ... with glory, since before you had no peace” (John 17:5), calling the Cross glory. The cross is the head of our salvation; The cross is the cause of countless blessings. Through him we, who were formerly inglorious and rejected, are now accepted among the sons; through him we no longer remain in error, but have come to know the truth; through him we, who formerly worshiped trees and stones, now came to know the Creator of all; through him we, who were slaves of sin, are brought into the freedom of righteousness; through him the earth finally became heaven. He freed us from error, he led us to the truth, he arranged reconciliation between God and people, he, having removed us from the depths of vice, elevated us to the very pinnacle of virtue, he destroyed demonic error, he destroyed seduction. Through it there was no more smoke, stench and shedding of blood of dumb animals, but everywhere there were spiritual services, chants and prayers; through him the demons were put to flight, through him the devil was expelled, through him human nature began to compete with the life of angels, through him virginity was established on earth, because from the time the One Born of the Virgin came, human nature recognized this path to virtue. He enlightened us who were sitting in darkness, he reconciled us who were at enmity (with God), he made us close who were far away, he made us who were strangers his own, he made us who were strangers citizens of Heaven, he became the end of wars for us, he became the support of peace for us. Through him we are no longer afraid of the devil’s flaming arrows, since we have found the source of life; through him we ceased to be widowed, since we acquired a groom; through him we are no longer afraid of the wolf, since we have recognized the good shepherd. “I am,” says [the Lord], “the good shepherd” (John 10:11). Through him we no longer fear the tyrant, since we have resorted to the King. Do you see how many blessings the Cross brings to us? Therefore, it is right that we celebrate the holiday. So Paul exhorts to celebrate when he says: “Let us celebrate not with leavened leaven, nor with leaven of malice and wickedness, but with unleavened purity and truth” (1 Cor. 5:8). Why do you, blessed Paul, command us to celebrate? Tell me the reason. “For our Passover,” he says, “for us Christ God was devoured” (1 Cor. 5:7). Do you see how the Cross is a subject of celebration? Did you find out that he commands us to celebrate for the sake of the Cross? A sacrifice was made on the Cross; and where there is sacrifice, there is remission of sins, there is reconciliation with the Lord, there is celebration and joy. “Our Easter,” he says, “Christ was devoured for us.” Where, tell me, was He devoured? On the high cross. A new and wondrous altar, because the sacrifice is wondrous and extraordinary. He Himself is both victim and priest, sacrifice in the flesh, and priest in the spirit; He Himself both brought and was brought. Listen again to Paul, who says: “For every high priest is acceptable from men, and is appointed for men in the service of God; ...it is also necessary for Him to have what He will bring” (Heb. 5:1, 8:3). Until now He brings. And in another place the apostle says: “Even so Christ was offered as one, to bear the sins of many” (Heb. 9:28). Here He was “brought”, and there He “brought” Himself. You see how He became both a victim and a priest, and the altar was the Cross. However, you need to know why this sacrifice was made not in the church - I mean the Jewish church - but outside the city, outside its walls. Outside the city, He was crucified like some criminal, so that what was said by the prophet would be fulfilled: “And with the wicked you are counted” (Is. 53:12). Why, outside the city, was He crucified on a high place, and not under some roof? And this is not without reason, but in order to purify the nature of the air. Therefore, in a high place, not under the eaves of the roof, but, instead of the roof, under the vault of heaven, so that the whole sky might be purified, while this Lamb was slain on high. The sky was cleared, and the earth was cleared. Blood dripped from His side onto the ground and cleansed all its defilement. For this reason, the sacrifice was not made under a roof. But why not in the Jewish church itself? And this again is not without reason, but so that the Jews do not make this sacrifice their property, so that you do not think that this sacrifice was made for this people alone; Therefore, it was brought outside the city, outside its walls, so that you would know that this is a universal sacrifice, so that you would know that this is an offering for the whole earth, and that this is the general cleansing of our entire nature. God commanded the Jews to leave the whole earth and make sacrifices in one place, pray in one place, because the whole earth was then unclean from smoke, stench, idol blood and other pagan impurities; therefore He appointed them one place. But when Christ came and suffered outside the city, he cleansed the whole earth and made every place convenient for prayer. Do you want to know how the whole earth finally became a church, and how every place became convenient for prayer? Listen again to blessed Paul, who says: “In every place, lifting up holy hands without anger or reflection” (1 Tim. 2:8). Do you see how He cleansed the universe? Do you see how we can raise our clean hands everywhere? The whole earth finally became holy, even holier than the Jewish shrines. Why? Because there a wordless sheep was brought, and here a verbal sheep was brought. Therefore, as much as the verbal is higher than the wordless, so superior is the illumination here. So, truly the Cross is a holiday. 2. Do you want to know another greatest effect of the Cross, surpassing any human mind? Today he opened the enclosed Paradise; Today he brought a robber into it, accomplished two greatest deeds - he opened Paradise and brought in the robber, returned him to his ancient fatherland, and brought him to his native city. “Today,” said [the Lord], “you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). What are you saying? You yourself are crucified and nailed to the Cross, but you promise Paradise? How will you deliver it? And Paul says: “They were crucified through weakness” (2 Cor. 13:4). But listen to what he adds: “But he lives by the power of God.” And in another place: “For my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Therefore, he says, I promise now on the Cross, so that from this you will know My power. Since the event was sad, so that you, paying attention to the property of the Cross, do not give in to despondency, but looking at the power of the Crucified One, be cheerful and cheerful, for this purpose He shows you His power here too. Not raising the dead, not commanding the sea, not forbidding demons, but having been crucified, nailed, being insulted, spat upon, slandered, ridiculed and reproached by everyone, He had the power to attract to Himself the vicious soul of the robber. See how His power shines from two sides: He shook the foundation (of the earth), tore apart the stones, and made the soul of the robber, which was more insensitive than stone, softer than wax. “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.” What are you saying? A cherub and a flaming sword guard Paradise, and you promise entry there to a robber? Yes, he says, because I am the Lord of the Cherubim and have power over fire and hell, over life and death. That’s why He says: “Today you will be with Me in paradise.” When these forces see the Lord, they immediately retreat and are eliminated. No king would ever dare to place with him a robber, or any other such slave, and thus enter the city; and the philanthropic Master did this. Entering the sacred fatherland, He brings with Him the thief, not dishonoring Paradise with the feet of a thief - let it not be - but even more so showing honor to Paradise, because it is an honor for Paradise to have such a Lord, so powerful and philanthropic, that He can make even a thief worthy of heavenly pleasures. And when He called publicans and harlots into the Kingdom, He did this without disgracing the Kingdom, but giving it even more honor and showing that such is the Lord of the Heavenly Kingdom, that He made both harlots and publicans so impeccable that they turned out to be worthy of the honor and reward there. Just as we are surprised at a doctor when we see that he, having delivered from the infirmity of people possessed by incurable diseases, restored them to full health, so be amazed at Christ, beloved, and be amazed that He, having taken people possessed by incurable mental illnesses, could save them from vice and show those who had reached the extreme of wickedness worthy of the Heavenly Kingdom. “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Great is the honor, boundless love for mankind, indescribable abundance of goodness: to enter with the Lord is a greater honor than to enter Paradise. But what is this, tell me? What did the thief do to suddenly find himself worthy of Paradise from the Cross? Do you want me to briefly talk about this and show the valor of the robber? When Peter, the chief of the disciples, denied below, then he, being above - on the Cross, confessed (Christ). I say this not to condemn Peter - let it not be - but wanting to show the greatness of the soul of the thief and his excellent wisdom. He could not resist the threat of a simple servant; and this one, seeing how the whole people went wild, stood around, shouted and uttered thousands of slander to the Crucified One, did not look at the humiliation of the Crucified One, but, looking through all this with the eyes of faith and leaving all the humiliations and obstacles below, recognized the Heavenly Lord, saying those brief words, but showing him worthy of Paradise: “Remember me, Lord, ... in this Kingdom” (Luke 23:42 ). Let us not ignore these words, let us not be ashamed to take as our teacher the robber whom our Lord was not ashamed to introduce into Paradise first of all; Let us not be ashamed to take as our teacher a man who was the first of the entire human race to prove worthy of life in Paradise. Let us examine each of his words, so that from here we may know the power of the Cross. The Lord did not say to him, as to Peter and Andrew: “He is coming... and I will make you a fisher of man” (Matthew 4:19); He did not say to him, as to the twelve disciples: “You will sit...on a double throne, judging the deceived ten tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28); didn't even spare him a word. He did not see miracles - neither the dead rising, nor demons cast out, nor the sea obeying the command of the Lord, nor talked with Him about the Kingdom; How did he know the name of the Kingdom? Let's look at his great prudence. Another thief, the Gospel says, “blasphemed Him” (Luke 23:39), because the other thief was crucified with Him, so that what was said by the prophet would be fulfilled: “And be counted with the wicked” (Is. 53:12). The crazy Jews wanted to darken His glory and distorted what had happened from all sides; but the truth grew from everything and from the very obstacles became clearer. So another thief blasphemed Him; one of the evangelists says that both of them reviled Jesus (Mark 15:32). And rightly so; but this further exalts the valor of that robber. Probably, at first he too slandered, but then suddenly he showed such a great change. So, another robber, it is said, “blasphemed Him.” Do you see the robber and the bandit? Both of them are on the Cross, both for vices, both for a robber life; but not the same fate befell both: one inherited the Kingdom, and the other was cast into Gehenna. So yesterday there was a student and disciples; but one was preparing for betrayal, and the others were offering services. He said to the Pharisees: “What do you want to give me, and I will deliver Him to you” (Matthew 26:15)? And these, coming to Jesus, said: “Where do you want will we prepare the Passover meal for you” (Matthew 26:17)? So here is the robber and the brigand; but one slanders, and the other stops his mouth; one blasphemes, and the other reproaches him - and this is when he sees that Christ is crucified and condemned, and the people below are slandering and shouting loudly; however, none of this turned him away or deviated him from proper glorification, but he also strongly attacks the other thief and says to him: “Do you not fear God” (Luke 23:40)? 3. Do you see the boldness of the robber? Do you see how even on the cross he does not forget his own craft, but by his very confession he steals the Kingdom? “Are you not afraid of God?” , he says. Do you see his boldness towards the Cross? Do you see wisdom, do you see reverence? He was conscious, retained his sanity, although he was nailed and suffered unbearable suffering from the nails; is he not worthy of admiration for such noble courage? I would say that he is not only worthy of surprise, but also rightly should be pleased, since he not only did not pay attention to his suffering, but, abandoning himself, cared about another, tried to save him from error and become a teacher on the cross. “Aren’t you,” he says, “fearing God?” He seems to be telling him this: don’t look at the judgment seat that is here below, don’t judge by appearance, don’t just look at what’s happening; there is another Judge - an invisible and incorruptible judgment seat that cannot make mistakes. So, do not look at the fact that He is condemned below, it is not so above. Here, in the lower court, the innocent are often condemned, and the guilty are released, the righteous are sentenced to punishment, and the unrighteous escape them, because many people, partly voluntarily, partly involuntarily, pervert the affairs of those judged - either, not knowing the truth and being deceived, or knowing, but being bribed with money, they betray the truth and condemn the innocent. But there is nothing like that up there, because God is a righteous Judge, and His judgment will come out like light: it has no darkness, has no concealment, does not allow any distortion. So that (this robber) does not say: “He is condemned here below, why are you defending Him?” - took him to the heavenly judgment seat, to the Terrible Throne, to the incorruptible court, to the infallible Judge, reminded him of the Last Judgment. Look there, he says, and you will not pronounce a condemning sentence, you will not stand with the people below, but you will marvel and accept the highest judgment. “Aren’t you,” he says, “fearing God?” Do you see the wisdom of the thief, do you see prudence, do you see the teaching? Suddenly from the cross he soared into Heaven. Look how he is already fulfilling the apostolic law, not only taking into account himself, but doing everything and using all measures to save others from error and lead to the truth - having said: “Do you not fear God,” he added: “For you are condemned to the same thing” (Luke 23:40). Look at the perfect confession. What does it mean: “You are also condemned”? The same thing, he says, is punishment, since we too are on the cross. Therefore, by reviling Him, you, before Him, expose yourself to slander. Just as he who is in sin, condemning another, condemns himself before him, so he who is in misfortune and reviles the misfortune of another, before him, reviles himself. “You are condemned to the same thing,” he says; reads to him the apostolic law, uttering the words of the gospel: “Judge not, lest ye be judged” (Matthew 7:1). “For you are also condemned.” What are you doing, robber? Do you not make Christ your accomplice when you say: “You are condemned to the same thing”? No, he says, I am adding the following to correct my words: “And we are righteous: for we have received what is worthy by deed” (Luke 23:41). So that when you hear his words: “You are condemned to the same thing,” you do not think that he represents Christ as an accomplice of sin, for this he adds an amendment and says: “We are in truth: we have received what is worthy by our deeds.” Do you see the perfect confession on the Cross? Do you see how he washed away his sins with these words? Do you see how he fulfilled the prophetic instruction: “You spoke your iniquities first, that you might be justified” (Is. 43:26). No one forced him, no one accused him, no one attacked him, he himself becomes the accuser of himself; therefore, he has no one else as an accuser. He anticipated the case of the accuser, and he himself put his name on the pillory, saying: “We are in truth: we accept what is worthy by our deeds: This one has not done a single evil.” Do you see the deepest reverence? When in this way he accused himself, when he discovered his deeds, when he spoke in defense of the Lord, saying: “We are in truth: this one has not done a single evil,” then he dared to offer a request: “Remember me, Lord,” he says, “when you come into this kingdom” (Luke 23:42). He did not dare to say before: “Remember me,” until by confession he had cleansed himself from the impurity of sins, until by his condemnation he had made himself innocent, until by blaming himself he had laid down his sins. Do you see how much power confession has on the Cross itself? Hearing this, beloved, never despair, but, imagining the ineffable greatness of God’s love for mankind, hasten to correct from sins. If He honored the thief who was on the cross with such great honor, then all the more will He honor us with His love for mankind if we want to confess our sins. So, in order for us to take advantage of His love for mankind, let us not be ashamed to confess our sins, because the power of confession is great and it can do a lot. So the robber confessed - and found an open Paradise; confessed - and received boldness, being a thief, to ask for the Kingdom. Until that time, he had not asked for the Kingdom of Heaven. How, tell me, thief, did you remember the Kingdom? What did you see now? Nails and the Cross before your eyes, accusations, ridicule and slander. Yes, he says, but the Cross itself seems to me a sign of the Kingdom; That’s why I call Him King, because I see Him crucified; it is typical for a king to die for his subjects. He himself said: “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11): so the good king lays down his life for his subjects. Therefore, since He laid down His soul, I call Him King. “Remember me, Lord, when you come to this kingdom.” 4. Do you want to know how the Cross serves as a sign of the Kingdom, and how this object is worthy of reverence? The Lord did not allow him to remain on earth, but took him out and ascended to Heaven. How is this known? He will come with him at His second coming. Let's see how He has to come with him. Listen to how Christ Himself speaks about this: “When they say to you, Behold, you are in the wilderness; behold, you do not come out in treasures; He speaks this way about His second coming, regarding false Christs, false prophets, the Antichrist, so that someone, deceived, would not fall under his power. Since the Antichrist will come before Christ, so that those who seek the Shepherd do not fall into the wolf, I declare to you, he says, the signs of the coming of the Shepherd. If His first coming was hidden, then do not think, He says that the second will be the same. That was rightfully hidden, because He came to find what was lost; but this will not be the case. How? Tell and teach. “As...lightning,” he says, “comes from the east and appears to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:27). He will appear to everyone suddenly; no one will need to ask. Just as when lightning appears, we do not need to investigate whether there was lightning, so when He appears, we will not need to investigate whether Christ has come. However, we have not yet spoken about the proposed question, whether He will come with the Cross. Listen to how He clearly declares this too. “Then,” he says (i.e., when I come), “the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light” (Matthew 24:29). Then there will be such an excess of light that even the brightest stars will disappear. “And the stars,” he says, “will fall; ...and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven” (Matthew 24:29–30). Do you see how great is the superiority of this sign, what is the luminosity, what is the brilliance? The sun is darkened, the moon does not appear, the stars are falling, but it alone appears, so that you know that it is brighter than the moon and more brilliant than the sun. Just as when a king enters, the troops preceding him carry banners on their shoulders and herald the arrival of the king, so when the Lord of creation descends from heaven, the armies of Angels and Archangels will precede him, carrying this sign and heralding to us the coming of the King. “Then,” He says, “the powers of heaven will move” (Matthew 24:29), meaning Angels and Archangels, and all invisible powers, because trembling, great fear and horror will embrace them. Why, tell me, do those forces come into fear? For a good reason: then there will be a terrible judgment, all human nature will be judged, will give an account and stand before the Terrible Throne. Why, however, will the Angels then tremble, and the ethereal forces be horrified, while it is not they who will be judged? Just as when the judge calls the guilty to trial and sits on a high place, not only the guilty, but also those standing with them who are equal in rank, although they are not aware of anything behind them, are afraid and tremble with fear of the judge - so when our nature will be judged and they will begin to demand an account of their sins from it, and the Angels, who are not aware of anything behind them, and other forces will fear and tremble before the formidable Judge. So we found out this. But for what and why will He come with the Cross? Find out the reason for this too. So that those who crucified Him would understand their own madness from their very deeds, for this purpose He will show them the very revelation of their madness. But so that you know that He will bring the Cross precisely in order to accuse them, listen to how the evangelist says about him: “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear... and... all the tribes of the earth will mourn,” seeing the Accuser and realizing their sin (Matthew 24:30). And why are you surprised that He will come bearing the Cross? He will come bearing even His wounds. How is it known that He will come bearing plagues on Himself? Listen to the prophet who says: “They will look upon Him, His bloodshed” (Zechariah 12:10). As he did with Thomas - wanting to correct the unbelief of this student, he showed him the nail ulcers and the very wounds and said: “Bring your finger... and bring your hand,... and see; for a spirit does not have flesh and bones” (John 20:27; Luke 24:39), in order to show him that He has truly risen, so then He will bring His plagues and the Cross in order to show them that He is the One who was crucified. This is a great and saving blessing and a clear evidence of God’s love for mankind! 5. However, not only the Cross, but also the very words He spoke on the Cross show His inexpressible love for mankind. Listen to these words. When those who were crucified stood around Him and burned with rage, then He said: “Father, forgive them this sin; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Do you see the Lord’s love for mankind? Being crucified, He asked for those crucifying, although they mocked and reviled Him, saying: “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matthew 27:40). But that is why He did not come down from the Cross, because He is the Son of God, since that is why He came, to be crucified for us. “Let him come down... from the cross,” they said, “that we may see and believe in Him” (Matthew 27:42). Look at the words of shamelessness and pretexts of unbelief: He made things more important than descending from the Cross, and they did not believe, but now they say: “Come down... from the cross,” and we will believe You. Much more important than descending from the Cross is to resurrect the dead, to whose tomb a stone is rolled; much more important than descending from the Cross is to bring four-day-old Lazarus out of the tomb with the shrouds with which he was wrapped. Do you see the words of madness? Do you see the excessive frenzy? But listen with attention, I ask you, so that you can see God’s excessive love for mankind, and how Christ took advantage of their very madness as a reason for forgiveness. “Father,” He said, “forgive them this sin; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). He seems to express the following with these words: they are out of their minds and do not know what they are doing. They said: “If you are the Son of God, save yourself” (Matthew 27:40); and He tried to save them, who reviled Him, mocked and slandered Him. “Forgive them,” he says, “this sin; They don’t know what they’re doing.” So what? Did [God] forgive them this sin? He released them to those who wanted to repent. If He had not forgiven them this sin, then Paul would not have been an apostle; If He had not forgiven them this sin, three thousand and five thousand, and then many many Jews, would not have suddenly believed in Him. Listen to what James says to Paul in Jerusalem: “You see, brother, how many Jews there are who have believed” (Acts 21:20). Let us also, I exhort you, imitate the Master and pray for our enemies. Why yesterday I convinced you, and now I convince you again: seeing the greatness of the wonderful deed, imitate your Master - He was crucified and prayed for those crucifying. But how can I, you say, imitate the Lord? If you want, you can; if this were impossible, then He would not have said: “Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29); If it were impossible for a person to imitate Him, then Paul would not have said: “Be an imitator of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). However, if you do not want to imitate the Master, then imitate a slave like you, - I’m talking about Stephen, who was the first to open the doors of martyrdom: he imitated the Master, because just as the Master, hanging (on the Cross) among those who crucified Him, prayed for the crucifiers, so this slave, being among those stoning him, when everyone threw and he took on clouds of stones, then, not paying attention to the damage they caused suffering, said: “Lord, do not put this sin on them” (Acts 7:60). You see how the Son talks (with the Father) and how the servant prays. He says: “Father, forgive them this sin; for they know not what they do”; and this one says: “Lord, do not put this sin on them.” And so that you know that he does this with diligence, he did not just pray, not casually and not standing, but on bended knee, with contrition, with great compassion. Do you want me to show you another slave like you, even greater, who also said a prayer for his enemies? Listen to what Blessed Paul says. Having said how much he suffered, namely: “From the Jews, five times forty times only one received: three times they struck with clubs, they struck with a single stone, three times the ship was overthrown with me” (2 Cor. 11:24-25); Having enumerated the series of (disasters) and intrigues that he suffered from them daily, he said: “I prayed that... I myself was cut off from Christ according to my brethren, my kinsmen in the flesh, who are Israelites” (Rom. 9: 3-4). Do you want to see others, not only in the New, but also in the Old Testament, who did the same? This is especially surprising when those who were not commanded to love their enemies, but to extirpate “an eye for an eye” and “a tooth for a tooth” and to take revenge on equals for equals, reached apostolic heights. Listen to what Moses, at whom the Jews often threw stones, says: “Even if you forgive them their sin, forgive them; otherwise, blot me out of Your book, You have written it in the book” (Ex. 32:32). Do you see how each of the righteous people preferred the safety of others to their own salvation? You have not sinned in anything: why do you want to participate in their punishment? I, he says, don’t feel happy when others suffer. You can point to another who said the same prayer. I deliberately give many examples so that at least in this way we can correct ourselves and purge this serious illness from our souls, i.e. ill will towards enemies. Listen to blessed David, what he says when God was angry and sent an Angel to punish the people, when he sees an Angel showing a naked sword, ready to strike: “I am a shepherd who has done evil, but what have you done to these sheep? Let your hand be upon me and upon my father’s house” (2 Samuel 24:17). Do you see similar wonderful deeds again? Do you want me to point you to another one who did the same? Samuel the prophet was so offended, despised and humiliated by the Jews that God wanted to console him. Listen carefully, I exhort you. God told him: “I will not despise you, but Me” (1 Samuel 8:7). What about the one who was humiliated, humiliated, despised, insulted? Listen to what he says: “In no way should I sin against the Lord if I forsake praying for you” (1 Samuel 12:23). He considered it a sin not to pray for enemies. Let there not be such a sin with me, he says, as not to pray for you. Do you see how each of the righteous tried to follow the Lord in this wonderful deed? So, let's review the above again. The Lord says: “Father, forgive them this sin: they don’t know what they are doing.” Stephen said: “Lord, do not put this sin on them.” Paul says: “I prayed... I myself was excommunicated from Christ according to my brethren, my relatives in the flesh.” Moses in the same way: “If... forgive them their sin..., leave it: otherwise, blot me out of the book..., you have written it in the record.” David says: “Let your hand be on me and on my father’s house.” Samuel also: “Yes, I can’t sin in any way.. let me stop praying for you.” What excuse will we have when everyone who lived in both the New and Old Testaments encourages us to pray for our enemies, and we do not try to fulfill this with all diligence? So, let us not be careless, I exhort you. The more examples there are, the greater the punishment will be if we do not imitate them. It is much more important to pray for enemies than for friends; Praying for our friends does not benefit us as much as praying for our enemies. Listen to Christ, Who says: “If... you love those who love you, what reward will you take? Don’t tax collectors do the same?” (Matthew 5:46) Therefore, when we pray for friends, we are still no better than publicans; and if we love our enemies and pray for our enemies, then we will be like God in human strength. “That you may be,” He says, “like your Father who is in heaven: as His sun shines on the evil and on the good, and rains on the righteous and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). So, if we have examples from both the Master and the slaves, let us show zeal and begin to fulfill this virtue, so that we may be worthy to receive the Kingdom of Heaven and with great boldness approach this Terrible Table, having cleared our conscience, and achieve the promised benefits, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and ever and ever. Amen. The timing of both discourses is unknown. Said on Holy and Great Friday. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: