Беседа XXXIV

“The Lord said 285 to Abram, that Lot should always be separated from him: look 286 with your eyes and see from the place where you now are, to the north and to the south, and to the east and to the sea: for all the land that you see, I will give it to you” (Gen. 13:14-15). 1. Yesterday, beloved, you learned about the amazing humility of the patriarch, you saw his extreme meekness. In fact, it was not unimportant that the elder, who had done so many good deeds, and had received such favor from the Lord of all, showed such honor to the young nephew that he even gave him the first places (when choosing land), and he himself took the worst, and did everything just to stop the quarrel and eliminate the reason for the discord. We will all try to imitate him, and we will never exalt ourselves above our neighbors, nor think too much (about ourselves), but with great humility we will yield (to others) and hasten to humiliate ourselves both in actions and in words; Let us not be hostile even against those who insult us, even if they are those who have benefited us (this is the highest wisdom); Let us also not be irritated by insults, even if those who annoy us were worse than us, but let us begin to tame the anger (of others) with our meekness and quietness. Truly there is nothing stronger than her, nothing more powerful. It introduces our soul into a constant world, forcing it to strive towards it, as if to a harbour, and thus serves as a source of all peace for us. That is why Christ, offering His Divine teaching, said: “Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). Indeed, nothing brings peace and quiet to the soul more than meekness and humbleness of mind; and for the one who has acquired this benefit, it is more valuable than any diadem, more useful than any splendor and glory. What, in fact, could be more blessed than a person free from internal warfare? Let us make full use of the outside world and the helpfulness (of our neighbors); but if inside us, from the disturbance of thoughts, noise and storm arise, then there is no benefit from external calm, just as there is nothing more pitiful than that city, which, although fenced with countless walls and trenches, suffers treason from those living inside it. So, I ask you to take care of this first of all, how we can make our soul serene, bring it into a peaceful state and be free from every unpleasant feeling, so that we ourselves can enjoy complete peace of mind and be in harmony with our neighbors. This is precisely the distinctive characteristic of a reasonable person: to be modest, meek, condescending, submissive, quiet, not to be carried away and not slavishly carried away by anger or other passions, but to overcome internal disorderly movements with reason, to protect one’s high dignity and not to humiliate, through carelessness, to the brutal state of the dumb. And in order to know you how great the power of meekness and humbleness of mind is, and how this one virtue could make someone who succeeded completely in it worthy of unspeakable praise, listen to the glorification of blessed Moses, and about the crown that was woven for him for this virtue. “And Moses,” it is said, “was more meek than all men that were on earth” (Numbers 12:3). You see what a great praise: it put him on an equal footing with the entire human race, or - better said - above the entire human race. The Scripture says the same about David: “Remember, O Lord, David and all his meekness” (Ps. 132:1). By this virtue the patriarch (Abraham) acquired even greater (compared to the previous) favor from above and, having done for his part what he could, was rewarded for this with greater (benefits) from the man-loving God. You will see this when we offer you a continuation of yesterday’s word and explain to your love what has already been read (from Scripture). When (the patriarch) with great meekness gave up the best places to Lot and, giving him the right to choose, willingly took the worst part, just to end the strife, look what reward he immediately receives from God; and how God, in His great generosity, honors him with even greater reward. This is our Lord: as soon as He sees that we sacrifice something small, He already gives us a rich reward on His part, and shows such generosity that immeasurably exceeds our (merits). 2. And He does this with all our offerings. What, tell me, is more insignificant than two mites? However, (God) did this, so that the widow who gave two mites is still glorified for this throughout the entire universe (Luke 21:3). And what am I saying about two mites? If someone gives (a thirsty person) a glass of cold water, then (God) intends great rewards for this, since He always gives crowns to those who do virtue, judging by the disposition of (their) heart (Matthew 10:42). As everyone knows, He does the same in relation to the feat of prayer. If He sees that someone is approaching (Him) with zeal, He will immediately say to him: “Even as I say to you, behold I am” (Is. 65:24). And if (a person) shows continued insistence, then (God) fulfills his petitions with great love and ardent jealousy, and even before (fulfilling) the petitions he praises and crowns him. This is exactly what he did with the Canaanite woman. When He saw her zeal and great constancy (in prayer), He first approved of her and crowned her, so to speak, with praise and made her known to the whole universe, and then he fulfilled her request with great goodness. Having said: “O woman, great is your faith,” He then added: “Give it to you as you wish” (Matthew 15:28). And if we wanted to review all such examples in the Divine Scripture, we would see everywhere the great generosity of the Lord. Completely confident of this and knowing that whoever gives up the lesser will receive more, the patriarch, as you heard yesterday, gave in to Lot (the best part), and took the worst for himself, in order to eliminate the reason for strife, and to show his own virtue, and to establish peace throughout his entire house. But let’s see from the current reading what rewards he receives from the Lord for such meekness. “And God spoke,” it is said, “to Abram, until Lot was separated from him: “Looking with your eyes, see from the place where you now are, to the north and south, and to the east and to the sea: for all the land that you see, I will give to you and to your seed forever.” See how (close) God’s providence is, and how quickly (the Lord) rewards the righteous. Since the Divine Scripture wants to show us what reward the patriarch received from the man-loving God for such great humility, having said that Lot separated (from Abraham) and went to the land that he chose for himself as the best, it immediately added: “And the Lord God spoke to Abram.” Further, so that we can make sure that (the Lord) accurately says this (Abraham) as a reward for his act with Lot, (Scripture) added: “And God said to Abram, “Lot will always be separated from him,” as if telling him directly in these words: you, out of great meekness, ceded the best land to your nephew, thereby showing extreme humility, and cared so much about the world that you decided on everything, only there would be no quarrel between you: accept a generous reward from Me for this, - looking up, he says, “with your eyes, see from the place where you are now, to the north and south, and to the east and to the sea: for all the land that you see, I will give to you and to your seed forever.” Do you see that the reward is much greater than his (Abraham’s) merit? And the philanthropic Lord begins with the same words in which the patriarch made a concession (to Lot). As he said: “Is not all the earth before you? Separate yourself from Me, whether you are on the right hand or on the left; If you’re on the left, you’re on the right”; So the Lord says: “having looked with your eyes, see from the place where you now are: for all the earth that you see, I will give to you and to your seed forever.” Look here how unusually great is the generosity of God: you, says (God to Abraham), having given freedom of choice (to his nephew), gave up (to him) the land that he decided to choose, and he took the rest; I show such generosity that I will give you all the land to which your gaze extends in all directions, north and south, east and west, all this land that you see; and not only to you, but - “and to your seed forever.” Do you see generosity worthy of God's goodness? Do you see how much (the patriarch) conceded, and what was he rewarded for? Let us learn from here to show great generosity in alms, so that, having given a little, we may be rewarded with great rewards. In fact, tell me, what is the equality here - to give a little money and receive remission of sins? To feed the hungry - and to be rewarded with boldness on that terrible day (of judgment) and to hear the words worthy of the Kingdom: “You are hungry... and give Me food” (Matthew 25:35)? Couldn't He who showed you such generosity Himself satisfy the demands of this hungry one? But He leaves him to suffer in poverty so that he, too, may gain a great reward for patience, and you, through alms, may gain boldness for yourself. 3. Do you see the Lord’s love for mankind, how He arranges everything for our salvation? So, when you think that (the poor), struggling with poverty, is dying of hunger for your sake and your benefit, do not pass (by him) without compassion, but be a faithful steward of what has been entrusted to you from the Lord, so that by satisfying the need of the poor, you yourself will gain great favor from above. Glorify your Lord for the fact that for the sake of you and your salvation He allowed this man to live in poverty, so that you could find for yourself a way to cleanse your sins, and by the good use of what was entrusted to you from the Lord, earn those praises that surpass every word and concept - after all, you will hear: “Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful for a little, I will set you over many; enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matthew 25:23). Thinking about this, let us look at the poor as benefactors, as people who can provide us with a means of salvation; Let us give them (alms) with generosity and ardent zeal, never making an unpleasant appearance when giving, but speaking to them very meekly and showing great condescension (towards them). “Incline,” it is said, “your ear to the beggar, and answer him peacefully in meekness” (Sir. 4:8), so that even before alms, with kind words, you can encourage his soul, crushed by great poverty. “Better,” it is said, “is a word than giving” (Sir.18:17). This is how a word can encourage the soul and give it great consolation. So, let us give generous alms, looking not only at the recipient, but thinking about Him Who takes to Himself everything that is done for the poor, Who promises a reward for alms: raising our minds to Him, let us try to give (alms) with all zeal and sow generously while there is time to receive a generous harvest: sow, it is said, “with poverty, poverty and will reap” (2 Cor. 9:6). So, let us not scatter these good seeds with a stingy hand, so that in due time we may reap in abundance. Now is the time of sowing: let us not miss it, so that on the day of reward for what we sow here we may reap the fruits and be rewarded with God’s love for mankind. No other virtue can extinguish our sinful flame as much as generous alms. She destroys our sins, gives us boldness (before God), and prepares for the enjoyment of unspeakable blessings. But enough has already been said for your edification and to explain that by giving a little, we are rewarded with more from the Lord. Our word veered towards an exhortation about alms on the occasion that we said that the patriarch, having ceded a part of the land to Lot and even given him the best land, and taking the worst for himself, for this he was awarded such a generous reward from God that God gave him a promise that exceeds any mind and concept. Having looked, it is said, “with your eyes, see from the place where you now are, to the north and south: for all the land that you see, I will give it to you, and to your seed forever.” You, he says, gave up part of the land to your nephew: so I promise you the whole land; This is not enough, I promise to give it to your seed, and that forever, that is. forever. Do you see how generous the Lord is in good deeds? Since (the Lord) knew that this was what the patriarch especially desired and that nothing would strengthen his zeal 287, he says: I will do this for you too, that is. and your descendants will use this land and own it forever. Then, so that (Abraham), looking only at his nature and old age, also at the barrenness of Sarah, would not doubt the promise, but would rely on the power of the Promised One, (God) says: “And I will make your seed like the sand of the earth. If anyone can count the sand of the earth, he will also count your seed.” Truly, the promise was beyond human nature! The Lord promised not only to make the patriarch a father, while there were so many obstacles to this, but also to give (him a seed) so numerous that it would be equal to (the amount of) the sand of the earth and would even be innumerable - with this comparison He wanted to show the extraordinary greatness (of the promises). See how the Humane-loving Lord little by little exercises the virtue of the righteous. Having said before: “And to your seed I will give this land,” He now says again: “And to your seed I will give it forever, and I will make it like the sand of the earth.” Meanwhile, the promise is still limited only to words, and a lot of time passes between the promise and its fulfillment, so that we recognize both the God-loving soul of the patriarch and the boundless power of God. (God) deliberately delays and postpones (the fulfillment of the promises), so that those who received the promise, having reached a very old age, and, so to speak, despairing (of fulfillment), according to the order of human affairs, then learned through experience their own weakness, and the unspeakably great power of God. 4. Judge, by the length of time that elapsed between the promise and its fulfillment, about the firmness of the patriarch’s soul, how, bypassing everything human, he turned his thought to the power of the Promised One, and was not embarrassed, did not hesitate. You know that if someone, having promised once or twice, does not fulfill his promise, we somehow no longer easily believe his promises. This is how it should be in relation to a person. But as for God, who with great wisdom arranges our affairs, then when He once gives us a promise, even if countless obstacles arise later, we, looking at the greatness of His power, must be confident, have a firm conviction and remember that His word will certainly come to fruition. There is nothing that can ever stop (the fulfillment of) His promise. He is God, for whom all things are possible, and therefore directs circumstances where He wants, being able to find a way both in impassable places and after we have already despaired, giving us good hopes, so that we thus more clearly recognize the immeasurable greatness of His benevolent wisdom. “Rising,” it is said, “go through the land into its length and breadth, for I will give it to you” (Gen. 13:17). See how (God) tries in every possible way to arouse living hope in the righteous. “When you get up,” he says, go around, examine both the length and breadth (of the land), so that you can find out the vastness of the land that you will use and, before you even possess (it), be comforted by hope. No matter how much you go around the land, (all) I will give it to you, so that you know that you did not give up (to your nephew) as much as you now have to receive. Do not think that you received the worst part when he (Lot) apparently took possession of the best places. You will soon see in fact that choosing the best places brought him little benefit, and he himself will learn what an evil it is to look for the best places. And now, receive the reward for the humility and meekness that you showed in relation to your nephew, accept the promise and recognize the whole land of which you are the master and which you and your seed will soon take possession of forever: “and to your seed,” it is said, forever. Great is the promise of God! Great is the abundance of bounties from the Lord of us all! What an extraordinary reward that the philanthropic and compassionate (God) bestowed on this blessed one and the descendants who would come from him! Hearing this, amazed at the unspeakable goodness of God, the patriarch, “having moved away,” it is said, “came to live by the oak of Mamre... in Hebron” (Gen. 13:18). That is, having received the promise and parted with Lot, he moved his booth under the oak of Mamre. Look at the wise disposition of the soul, look at the height of the spirit, how he (the patriarch) easily moves and does not grieve when moving from place to place. You will not see him possessed or bound by his habit, which is often the case even for those who, apparently, are already wise and have become free from worldly turmoil. When the time comes to move and move to a foreign land, often for the sake of spiritual need, you will see how they grieve, grieve and are burdened by the move, because they are bound by habit. But this is not what the righteous man did; no, from the very beginning, from his earliest years, he acted wisely and, like a wanderer and stranger, moved from here to here, from here to there, and everywhere he tried to show in practice his God-loving disposition. So, as soon as he settled under the oak tree of Mamre, he immediately built an altar to the Lord there. Do you see a grateful soul? As soon as he set up the booth, he immediately offered thanks to the Lord for the promise given to him. And in every place where he settled, he took care of this first of all - he built an altar, offered prayers and fulfilled the apostolic commandment, commanding in every place to “pray, lifting up your holy hands” (1 Tim. 2:8). You see a soul inspired by love for God and giving thanks for everything. He did not wait for the promise to be fulfilled; but he gives thanks for the promise and does everything on his part so that, by expressing gratitude for the past, he will dispose his Lord to fulfill the promise. 5. Let us also imitate this (righteous man), let us firmly rely on the promises of God, and let neither the length of time weaken our zeal, nor let any obstacles encountered shake our thoughts. On the contrary, trusting in the power of God, let us demonstrate such sincere faith as if we already had the fulfillment of the promises before our eyes. After all, the Lord promised us great, extraordinary and beyond our concepts (gifts): I mean the inheritance of the (Heavenly) Kingdom, participation in unspeakable blessings, living with the Angels, liberation from Gehenna. However, let us not disbelieve (these promises) simply because we do not see (the promised) with our bodily eyes; but, thinking about the truthfulness of the Promised One and about His great power, let us contemplate these blessings with the eyes of faith and, judging by what has already been given to us, we will cherish good hopes in relation to the future. This is why He gave us many things here, so that, being enlightened by the blessings here, we would firmly hope in those there. He who, out of love for us, gave up His Son, will not also give us everything else, just as Paul said: “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, as He does not also with Him give us all things” (Rom. 8:32)? If (God) gave up His Son for us sinners, if He honored us with the gift of baptism, if He granted us remission of past sins, if He opened the path of repentance, if He performed countless other things for our salvation, then it is clear that He will also give us the blessings prepared for us in the future (age). In His goodness, having prepared these blessings before we came into the world, will He not also allow us to enjoy them? And (to assure you) that He has already prepared these blessings for us in advance, listen to what He Himself will say to those standing on His right hand (at His final judgment): “Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). Do you see the immeasurable goodness by which He showed such love for our race that even before the foundation of the world He prepared for us the enjoyment of the Kingdom? Let us not, I ask, be unappreciative, let us not make ourselves unworthy of so many gifts, but let us love our Lord as it should be and let us not do anything that could stop His favor towards us. Have we anticipated this matter? He, having warned us, showed great and ineffable love for us. Isn’t it strange for us not to love as much as we can, the One who loved (us) so much? He (the Lord Jesus Christ), out of love for us, endured everything with joy: coming from the very, so to speak, depths of his fathers, he deigned to take on the form of a slave, experience all human (needs), endure bitterness and dishonor from the Jews, and finally accepted the Cross and blasphemous death, so that through faith in Him he could deliver us, crawling on the earth and burdened with countless grave sins. Thinking about all this, blessed Paul, who passionately loved Christ, who flowed around the whole universe as if on wings, who tried to show in his body (the perfections of) incorporeal beings, exclaimed: “The love of Christ will sustain us” (2 Cor. 5:14). Look at the gratitude; look how high virtue is; look how hot the love is! “Love,” he says, “Christ will support us,” i.e. excites, irritates, captivates. Then, wanting to explain his words, he says: “who have judged this, that if one die for all, then shall we all die;... and for all shall we die, so that those who live live not for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again” (2 Cor. 5:14-15). Do you see how rightly he said that “the love” of Christ will sustain us? If, he says, (Christ) died for us all, then he died so that we who live would no longer live for ourselves, but for Him, who died for us and rose again. Let us accept the apostolic exhortation and live not for ourselves, but for him who died for us and rose again. But how, you say, can we live not for ourselves? Listen, again, to the same blessed one (Paul), who says: “I live as no one, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). See how he, walking on earth and being covered with flesh, lived as if he lived in heaven and dealt with incorporeal forces. That is why in another place he said: “And those who are Christ’s (essence) have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts” (Gal. 5:24). This is what life consists of, not for oneself, but for the One who died for us and rose again, when we are as if dead in relation to real life and are not attached to anything visible. This is why our Lord suffered crucifixion, so that we would exchange this (earthly) life for that (heavenly), or better said, through this we would acquire that one for ourselves. After all, real life, if we are vigilant and attentive, leads us to the enjoyment of eternal life. And if we want to perk up even a little and open the eye of the mind, we can always nourish in ourselves the thought of that rest, and thus pass through and ignore what is visible, and direct our thoughts to the future and eternally abiding, as blessed Paul, for our instruction, says: “And as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith the Son of God, who loved me and gave unto himself after me” ( Gal.2:20). 6. Here is a flaming soul, here is an invigorated mind, here is a heart warmed by love for God! “Even now,” he says, “I live now, I live by faith.” Do not think, that is, that I do anything for the sake of real life: although I am clothed in flesh and subject to bodily needs, I live by faith in Christ; despising everything present, ignoring everything out of hope in Him, I directed my soul towards Him. Then, so that you know the greatness of his love, he says: “By faith I live the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself to himself after me.” Look how immensely great his gratitude is! What are you saying, blessed Paul? A little earlier you said: “He did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to eat for us all”; and now you say: “who loved me,” and you appropriate the universal benefit to yourself alone? Yes, he says. Although He made a sacrifice for the entire human race, yet, out of my love for Him, I appropriate to myself everything that He has done. This is what the prophets usually did; and they said: “O God, my God” (Ps. 21:2, 117:28, 142:10); although (God) is the God of the entire universe, it is characteristic of love to attribute to itself that which is common property. “The Son,” he says, “who loved me.” What are you saying? Did He really love you alone? No, he says; He loved the entire human race, but I owe Him such gratitude as if I were the only one loved by Him. “And the one who betrayed himself for me.” Well, was He crucified for you alone? Doesn’t He himself say: “When I am lifted up (from the earth), I will draw all things to myself” (John 12:32)? And didn’t you yourself say that He gave Himself for us all (1 Tim. 2:6)? Exactly so, he says; By saying this, I do not contradict myself, but satisfy my love. But look, he teaches us something else with his words. Above, he said that the Father “gave Him up to eat for us all” (His Son); and here he says: (the Son) “gave Himself food.” There (he said this) to show the unanimity 288 and equality 289 of the Father and the Son, and to make an indication of the economy (of our salvation), which is why in another place he says: “having become obedient even to death” (Phil. 2:8), in all such places preaching about the economy (salvation) 290. And here he used the expression: “gave himself” in order to show that (the Son) accepted suffering voluntarily, and not out of necessity and not under compulsion; that He endured the Cross according to His will and desire to arrange the salvation of the entire human race. So, can we show commensurate love to Him who has shown such rich love for us? If we decide to lay down our very lives for His law and to keep the commandments given from Him, then we will not be able to achieve the measure of love that He declared in relation to our race. He, being God, suffered all this for people, and, being Lord, for slaves, and not just for slaves, but also for the ungrateful, who showed great and stubborn enmity (against Him). Moreover, He Himself preceded to provide such a benefit to the unworthy and guilty of countless sins. And no matter what we manage to do, we will not accomplish anything great, despite all our efforts to thank the One who warned us with so many good deeds. Our (deeds of love for God), if only they follow His benefits, already constitute a kind of payment and debt, and what He does for us is a gift and a benefit, and great mercy. Reflecting on all this, let us love Christ as Paul loved Him, and, without worrying about the present, let us forever root love for Him in our souls. Then we will begin to laugh at everything in this life and on earth we will live as in heaven, neither relaxed by the happiness here, nor embarrassed by sorrows, but, bypassing everything, we will hasten from here to our beloved Lord; Let us not grumble at the slowness (of achieving heavenly blessings), but with blessed Paul we too will begin to say: “Even though we now live in the flesh, by faith we live the Son of God, who loved” us “and gave Himself” for us. (In this way) we will spend our present life carefree, and we will be worthy of enjoying the future blessings, grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. Use of god The name in this place in Chrysostom, according to Min’s text, is not stable: the title of the conversation reads Κύριος according to the Bodleian. and other sp., and then - in 2 departments. demon ὁ Θεὸς - God (Slavic B.) according to Lucian. and other sp. and, next to this, Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς - “Lord God”, in Heb. t. Jehovah - “Lord”. Zlat.: ᾿Αναβλέψας according to Cotton., Bodleian., Koislian. and Lucian. sp., and contrary to Alex., where in accordance with Heb. t. ἀναβλέψον - “look.” As a promise that his descendants will also possess the land that was given to him. In which both the Father and the Son participated - the Father who betrayed the Son, and the Son who accepted death. 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