Homily on the words: “And not only this, but we glory in our sorrows”

The homily on the words: “And not only this, but we glory in our sorrows” consists of 4 chapters. The year and place of the conversation are unknown. In it St. John Chrysostom speaks about the persecution of Christians and the feat of the Apostle Paul, teaching believers not only to endure sorrows with fortitude, but also to consider them their glory. Sorrows test us and strengthen us, giving us strength that protects us against all evil: “Even before the Kingdom and heavenly crowns, we receive from here the greatest reward, since from frequent sorrows our soul becomes stronger and our thoughts become firmer.” *The title of the work in Latin is De gloria in tribulationibus. The preacher in the introduction, where he shows that the Christian, who suffers in the hope of future bliss, has a great advantage over the farmer, sailor and warrior, declares that he intends to explain the words of the apostle: “And not only this, but we glory in our sorrows”; but, in order to throw more light on the place, he paints a picture of the violent persecution to which the leading Christians were subjected. - Ap. Paul, for the purpose of exhorting them, did not cease to nourish them with hope for future benefits and to remind them of the advantages that they enjoyed in this world. - Having explained to them in detail these benefits and these advantages, the apostle added that they not only should not have been upset by these sorrows, but even boasted about them. - Proof of the truth of these words is provided by the example of the apostle himself. Paul, the example of the other apostles and the courage of the martyrs who rejoiced in the midst of the most terrible torment. - Ap. Paul especially boasted about his sorrows, and this is precisely what he expressed in the words: “and not only in this, but we also glory in our sorrows.” - Why should we boast about our sorrows? But because they test us and strengthen us, they give us strength that protects us against all evil. – Several examples taken from nature show how important this advantage is. “Therefore, for our own benefit, we must courageously endure all the sorrows of this life. 1. It is difficult for a farmer to harness oxen, drag a plow, make a furrow, throw seeds, endure bad weather, endure cold, dig a ditch, remove excess water flowing onto the seeds, raise river banks and make the deepest furrows in the middle of the field; but these labors, which produce fatigue, are made easy and comfortable when the farmer imagines in the future a flourishing harvest, a sophisticated sickle, a threshing floor filled with sheaves, and ripe fruits brought home with great joy. So the helmsman boldly enters the fierce waves, often despises bad weather, the angry sea, and fickle winds, he decides to endure sea storms and long passages, when he imagines piles of goods and sailing piers and sees the incalculable wealth that results. So a warrior endures wounds, accepts clouds of arrows, endures hunger, cold, long journeys, and dangers in battle, imagining the trophies, victories and crowns thus acquired. But why did I mention this, or what do these examples mean? I want through this to offer you an exhortation to listen and encouragement to acts of virtue. If each of those mentioned considers the difficult to be easy in the hope of the future, and, moreover, for one that, even if any of them is able to achieve, ends with present life, then you should be much more diligent in listening to spiritual teaching and courageously endure struggles and exploits for eternal life. Moreover, they hope for temporary wrong blessings, and often, remaining with only the expectation of blessings, they end their lives, enjoying their hopes, but in fact not achieving what they expected, and meanwhile experiencing the most severe disasters for them. So, for example: a farmer, after many of his labors and efforts, often at the very time when he is sharpening the sickle and preparing for the harvest, from damage that has occurred in the grain, or from a multitude of locusts, or from excessive rains, or from some other disaster resulting from unfavorable weather, he goes home empty-handed, having endured all sorts of labor, but not receiving the expected fruits. In the same way, the helmsman, rejoicing in the abundance of goods, with great pleasure raised the sails and sailed through many seas, often at the very mouth of the pier, hitting an encountered rock or underwater stone and some cliff, or being exposed to some other similar unexpected circumstance, loses all the goods and barely manages to save his naked body after countless dangers. Likewise, a warrior who has been in many battles, repelled opponents and defeated enemies, sometimes, in the very expectation of victory, loses his life, having received absolutely no benefit from his labors and dangers. But our deeds are not like this: we have eternal hopes, unchanging, firm and not ending with this temporary life, but meaning incorruptible, blessed and eternal life, and not only not changing from unfavorable weather and unexpected circumstances, but not being destroyed by death itself. From these same hopes one can see fruits that shine even in the most random circumstances, and an abundant and great reward. Therefore, blessed Paul cried out: “And not only in this, but we glory in our sorrows” (Rom. 5:3). Let us not, I exhort you, ignore these words; but if the speech led us again, I don’t know how, to the pier of the wonderful helmsman Paul, then let us take up his saying, although brief, but teaching us great wisdom. What do these words mean, and what does he inspire us with when he says: “And not only this, but we boast in our sorrows”? If you like, let us turn the language of the teaching a little higher, and we will see very clearly the power of thoughts here communicated to us. Let no one become weary of the body, but instead of dew, let there be a desire for spiritual listening. So, we are talking about grief, the desire for eternal blessings, patience and reward for this for those who did not fall. What does it mean: “not just this”? Whoever said this expresses that he told us about many other previous blessings, to which he adds this one - the benefit of sorrow. That’s why he says: “And not only this, but we boast in our sorrows.” To make what has been said clearer, please bear with us for a short time while we talk about a distant subject. When the apostles proclaimed the Divine teaching and went throughout the entire universe, sowing the word of piety, uprooting error, destroying the ancestral institutions of the ungodly, destroying all iniquity, cleansing the earth, commanding that we abandon idols, their churches, altars, celebrations and rituals, and recognize the one and only God of all and cherish hopes for the future, they spoke about the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, they philosophized about the Resurrection and talked about the Kingdom of Heaven, then because of this a cruel and murderous war broke out, everything was filled with anxiety, confusion and anxiety, all cities, and every people, and houses, and inhabited and uninhabited countries, since ancient customs were shaken, so many prevailing prejudices were overthrown, and new dogmas were introduced that no one had ever heard of; The kings were angry against this, the leaders were indignant, the common people were indignant, the squares were agitated, the courts were raging, swords were drawn, weapons were prepared, laws were threatened. From this came punishment, torment, threats and everything that people consider terrible. As happens at sea when it rages and causes terrible shipwrecks, the state of the universe was no better then: the father abandoned his son for his piety, the daughter-in-law quarreled with her mother-in-law, the brothers separated from each other, the masters raged against the servants, as if nature itself rebelled against itself, and not only internecine, but also interblood war took place in every house. The Word, passing like a sword and separating the sick from the healthy, created great confusion and competition everywhere, and gave rise to enmity and attacks on believers everywhere. From here, some were taken to prison, others to judgment, and others to the path leading to death; Some had their property taken away from them, others were often deprived of their fatherland and life itself, and disasters fell on them from all sides like torrential rains: struggle within, danger without, from friends, from strangers, from those most united by nature. 2. Blessed Paul, the mentor of the universe, the teacher of heavenly dogmas, saw all this, and since disasters were at hand and committed before our eyes, and blessings were only in hopes and promises, i.e. The Kingdom of Heaven, the resurrection and the receipt of those blessings that exceed every mind and every word, but ovens, frying pans, swords, punishments and all kinds of torment and death were not in hopes, but in experience, and moreover, people who had to undertake such exploits had recently been converted to faith from altars, idols, luxury, intemperance and drunkenness, and were not yet accustomed to imagining anything lofty about eternal life, but were more inclined to real blessings, so that it was natural that many of them indulged in cowardice amid daily torments, weakened and fell away - then look at what the participant in the ineffable mysteries does, and heed the wisdom of Paul. He often talks with them about the future, presents them with rewards, shows them crowns, encouraging them and comforting them with hopes of eternal blessings. And what does he say? “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18). Why do you point out to me, he says, wounds, altars, executioners, punishments, torment from hunger, exile, poverty, bonds and shackles? Imagine whatever you want from what people regard as disasters, and you will not say anything that could compare with those rewards, crowns and rewards: this ceases with real life, and this has no end in the endless century; this passes away, as temporary, and this remains permanently, as immortal. He points to the same thing in another place when he says: “a short time of light suffering” (2 Cor. 4:17), through quantity showing the unimportance of quality and the short duration of time easing the burden. Since the circumstances of that time were disastrous and difficult, by their short duration he lightens this burden and says: “For our momentary light affliction produces eternal glory in an exceeding abundance, when we look not at what is seen, but at what is unseen: for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17-18). And also, leading them to the thought of the greatness of the blessings there, he imagines nature itself as sick and sighing from present disasters and strongly desiring future blessings as perfect, and says this: “The whole creation groans and suffers together until now” (Rom. 8:22). Why is she sighing? Why is he sick? Expecting future benefits and desiring a change for the better: “And the creation itself will be freed from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Rom. 8:21). However, when you hear that she sighs and is sick, do not think that she is gifted with reason, but remember the manner of speech characteristic of Scripture. When God, through the prophets, wants to announce something great and pleasant to people, he imagines even the most inanimate objects to feel the greatness of the miracles performed, not so that we call nature feeling, but so that we can imagine the greatness of miracles through what happens to people. So we, when something unexpected happens, are in the habit of saying that the city itself lamented, and the platform itself was deplorable; and when we talk about people who are terrible and have a brutal mood of spirit, they also say: he shook the very foundations, and the very stones trembled him, not because the stones really trembled him, but so that one could imagine the excessiveness of the brutal heart and its rage. Therefore, the wondrous prophet David, proclaiming the blessings given to the Jews and their joy upon liberation from Egypt, said: “When Israel came out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a foreign people, Judah became His shrine, Israel became His possession. The sea saw and ran; Jordan turned back. The mountains leaped like rams, and the hills like lambs” (Ps. 113:1-4). Meanwhile, no one had heard such an event anywhere. True, the sea and Jordan returned back at the command of God; but the mountains and hills did not jump, but only, as I said above, wanting to imagine the excessive pleasure and relief from Egyptian exhaustion granted to them, he said that the inanimate objects themselves jumped and galloped with the benefits they received. Likewise, when God wants to announce something regrettable that comes from our sins, he says: “The juice of the grape is weeping; the vine hurts” (Is. 24:7); and in another place: “the ways of Zion mourn” (Pl. 1:4), and even says that insensitive objects cry: “the wall of the daughter of Zion! pour tears in a stream” (Pl.2:18); it is also said that both the earth itself and Judea mourn and are drunk with sorrow, not because the elements feel it, but, as I said above, each of the prophets wanted through this to represent the excessiveness of the benefits given to us by God, and the punishments sent to us for our wickedness. Therefore, Blessed Paul also presents nature as sighing and sick in order to, if possible, show the greatness of God’s gifts that await us after this life. 3. But all this, they will say, is in hopes; but a cowardly and distressed person, who has recently turned from idolatry and does not know how to philosophize about the future, is not very edified by such words, but wants to receive some consolation at the present time. That is why this wise teacher, who knows everything, not only consoles with future blessings, but also encourages with present joys. And firstly, he calculates the blessings given to the universe, which are not in hopes and expectations, but have already been experienced and actually received - which serve as the greatest and clearest proof of both future and expected blessings - and then, offering a lengthy speech about faith and mentioning the forefather Abraham, who, despite the nature that refused him to be a father, hoped, expected and believed that he would become, and therefore became a father - and from here leading the listeners to to the fact that one should never fall into weakness of thoughts, but be edified and encouraged by the greatness of faith and philosophize highly, then speaks of the greatness of the benefits received. What is this? In this, he says, that God gave for us, the ungrateful, His Only Begotten Son, the true, beloved, and we, burdened with countless sins and exhausted by such a burden of crimes, not only delivered us from sins, but also made us righteous, without commanding us anything difficult, heavy or unbearable, but, demanding from us only faith, made us righteous and holy, declared us sons of God, and made us heirs. Kingdom and joint heirs of the Only Begotten, promised resurrection, incorruption of bodies, life with the Angels, surpassing all word and understanding, stay in heaven and conversation with Himself, and from there he poured out the grace of the Holy Spirit, freed us from the power of the devil and delivered us from demons, weakened sin, destroyed the curse, crushed the gates of hell, opened Paradise, sent not an Angel or an Archangel, but The Only Begotten Himself for our salvation, as He says through the prophet: “Not an intercessor, not an Angel, but the Lord Himself saved them” (Is. 63:9). Isn’t this more brilliant than countless crowns, that we are sanctified, justified, and, moreover, by faith and through the descent from heaven of the Only Begotten Son of God for us, that the Father gave up His beloved for us, that we received the Holy Spirit, and, moreover, with all ease were awarded ineffable grace and gift? So, having said this and explained everything in short words, the apostle again turned his speech to hope. Having said: “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom by faith we have access to that grace,” he added: “in which we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:1-2). Thus, he said both about what had happened and about the future: that we are justified, that the Son was slain for us, that through Him we were brought to the Father, received grace and gift, were delivered from sins, have peace with God and became partakers of the Holy Spirit, is already accomplished; and the future refers to that ineffable glory, about which he speaks in the added words: “in which we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” But since hope, as I said above, is not very capable of edifying and encouraging a faint-hearted listener, then notice what he still does, and look at the firmness and wise mind of Paul. From the very thing that apparently saddens, worries and confuses the listener, from this he weaves crowns of consolation and praise. Having counted all of the above, he finally adds: I will not only speak about what I said, that is, that we are sanctified and justified by the Only Begotten, that we have received grace, peace, the gift, remission of sins, the communion of the Holy Spirit, and moreover with all ease, without labor or effort, but by faith alone, that God sent the Only Begotten Son, and has already granted one thing, and promised another, namely, ineffable glory, immortality, resurrection of bodies, angelic life, conversion with Christ, being in heaven, because he depicted all this in the words: “we boast in the hope of the glory of God.” So, not only does he speak about what has been and will be, but also the very things that are considered deplorable among people, namely: judgments, imprisonment, death, threats, hunger, torture, frying pans, ovens, plunder, wars, sieges, battles, disturbances, competitions - and he lists this among gifts and benefits; because we should not rejoice and admire not only what was said above, but we should also boast about this, as he says: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you and fill up what is lacking in my flesh in the tribulations of Christ” (Col. 1:24). Do you see a strong soul, a high mind, an unshakable spirit, which admires not only crowns, but is consoled by deeds, rejoices not only in rewards, but also delights in labors, rejoices not only in rewards, but boasts in the struggle itself? Don’t talk to me about the Kingdom of Heaven, about those incorruptible crowns, about rewards, but also show me the real thing, filled with sorrow, labor and great suffering; and I can prove that this is even more to be boasted about. In external exploits, struggle brings labor, and crowns bring pleasure; but this is not the case here, and even before the crowns, the exploits themselves bring great joy. So that you can be convinced that this is really so, remember each of the saints, from each generation, as the apostle says: “Take, my brethren, the prophets as an example of suffering and long-suffering, who spoke in the name of the Lord” (James 5:10). And the same apostle who today offered us this feat and created a real spiritual spectacle, i.e. Paul, after he had enumerated the countless misfortunes of each of the saints, which it is inconvenient to recount now, adds: “They wandered about in mantles and goatskins, enduring disadvantages, sorrows, and bitterness; those of whom the whole world was not worthy,” and at the same time rejoicing (Heb. 11:37–38). The same can be seen when the apostles, after being imprisoned and slandered, having received scourgings, were expelled. Indeed, what is said about them? “And they went out from the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 5:41). 4. This happened to us too; if anyone wants to know what I’m talking about, then let him remember what happened during the persecution. A gentle maiden, who had never known marriage, appeared, having a body softer than wax; then, tied to a tree on all sides, she was tormented and tormented by scraping on her sides and bled, but as if a bride sitting in the bridal chamber, complacently endured what was being done to her, for the Kingdom of Heaven, receiving crowns in the exploits themselves. Imagine what it was like to see a ruler with troops, sophisticated swords and so many weapons, defeated by one maiden. Do you see that sorrow itself is accompanied by the greatest praise? Witnesses of what has been said are you yourself. In fact, while the martyrs have not yet received rewards, rewards, or crowns, but have been reduced to dust and ashes, we flock to honor them with all zeal, put together a spiritual spectacle, glorify them and crown them for their wounds and blood, for torture and torment, for their sorrows and sighs: so the sorrows themselves are accompanied by praise even before reward! Imagine what Paul was like when he lived in prison and was brought to the courts, how glorious, how brilliant and famous he appeared before everyone, especially before those who attacked and were at enmity against him. But what am I saying: he was glorious before people, if he was even more terrible for demons when he was a scourge? When he was in bonds, when he was shipwrecked, then he performed the greatest signs, then he especially defeated the opposing forces. Therefore, knowing well the benefit that comes from these sorrows for the soul, he said: “When I am weak, then I am strong”; and then added: “Therefore I am content with weaknesses, in insults, in needs, in persecutions, in oppressions... so that the power of Christ may rest on me” (2 Cor. 12:10, 9). Therefore, speaking to some who lived in Corinth, and reproaching those of them who were arrogant about themselves and condemned others, he, observing the nature of the epistle and being in the need to present to us an image of his exploits, composed it not from signs, not from wonders, not from honors, not from pleasures, but from imprisonments, trials, hunger, cold, struggle, intrigues, and spoke to them like this: “Servants of Christ? (I say in madness:),” and, explaining this expression: “I am greater” and my advantage, he continued: “I was much more in labor, immensely in wounds, more in prisons and many times at death”; etc.: “If I must boast, then I will boast in my weakness” (2 Cor. 11:23, 30). You see that he boasts of this much more than he admires brilliant crowns, and therefore he says: “And not only this, but we also boast in sorrows.” What does it mean: “and not just that”? Not only, he says, do we not lose heart when we experience sorrows and disasters, but as if we are more and more successful in honor and glory, we especially boast in the midst of adversities that happen. Further, having said that from sorrows comes the greatest glory, praise and joy - and it is known that glory also brings pleasure, because where there is pleasure, there is of course glory, and where there is such glory, there is of course pleasure - having shown that the patience of sorrows is accompanied by glory, fame and joy, he speaks of another greatest consequence of them, about some of their greatest and wondrous fruit. Let's see what kind of fruit this is. “Knowing that tribulation produces endurance, and endurance produces experience, and experience produces hope, and hope does not disappoint” (Rom. 5:3-5). What does it mean: “from sorrow comes patience”? From this comes the greatest fruit, that a person exposed to sorrow becomes stronger. As among the trees, those that stand in shady and windless places, although flowery in appearance, are pampered and weak, and are soon damaged by any pressure of the winds, and those that stand on high mountain peaks are shaken by many and great winds, endure frequent changes of air, are shaken by the most severe storms and are covered with abundant snow, are stronger than any iron; just as bodies brought up in many and varied pleasures, adorned with delicate clothes, often washed and anointed, and pampered to excess with various kinds of food, become completely unfit for deeds of piety and labor and are worthy of the greatest punishment, so too are souls: those who lead a life free from disasters, enjoy pleasures, are pleasantly occupied with real things, and prefer a carefree life to the patience of sorrows for the Kingdom (Heavenly), following the example of all the saints, are more tender and weaker than any wax and are prepared as food for the eternal fire; and those who are exposed to dangers, labors and calamities of sorrow for God, and are brought up in them, are stronger than iron itself or harder than adamant, from often enduring disasters becoming invincible to attackers and acquiring some invincible skill in patience and courage. And just as those who enter the ship for the first time feel nauseated and dizzy, embarrassed, experiencing an unpleasant sensation and undergoing dizziness; and those who have often and for a long time been on the seas, sailed on countless waves and experienced frequent shipwrecks, boldly decide on such a journey: similarly, a soul that has undergone many temptations and is exposed to great sorrows, having become accustomed to labor and having acquired the skill of patience, is not fearful, not timid and is not embarrassed by the sorrowful circumstances that befall, but from constant exercise in chance and frequent testing of various adventures it becomes able to endure with great ease all the disasters that happen. This is what the wise organizer of heavenly life expresses when he says: “And not only this, but we also boast in sorrows,” because even before the Kingdom and heavenly crowns we receive from here the greatest reward, since from frequent sorrows our soul becomes stronger and our thoughts become firmer. So, knowing all this, beloved, let us courageously endure the sad circumstances that befall us, as if they are happening according to the will of God and for our benefit, we will not become despondent and lose heart when meeting temptations, but, standing with all courage, let us constantly thank God for all the benefits shown to us, so that we can both enjoy the present blessings and be worthy of future gifts, the grace, bounty and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with To whom to the Father, with the Holy and Life-giving Spirit, be glory and dominion, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.