Paschal Homilies 1 part 20/28

'and they were thrown into confusion, and fell before Israel.' That fasting, then, when it runs together with prayer, is a thing not without profit, and indeed admired by those sound of mind, has been shown clearly both by what has already been said, and not least by the narrative just now set before us.

For those who had long been victorious over Israel advanced, supposing that they would immediately, and without any effort at all, overcome those who wished to march out against them.

But they were defeated and fell, not because they encountered a multitude experienced in war and versed in tactics, not infantry heavy-armed for battle, not a battle-line of cavalry, but rather an irresistible resistance, God coming to their aid:

for the heaven thundered against them terribly and extraordinarily, and they, who but a moment before had breathed great things, were shattered in their boasts, and turned to flight.

But they proved better than their conquerors, through fasting and prayer.

Come then, if it seems good, let us at this point inquire carefully what, indeed, was the manner of their sacrifice.

For we shall find that they were saved and were victorious in Christ, even though what was done was still in types and riddles, elegantly intimating the power of the mystery according to Christ.

'The people were gathered, then,' it says, 'to Mizpah, and they drew water and poured it out before the Lord upon the ground.' Then what is this? one might reasonably ask, or what force of sacrifice could it have, or what have they done that is pleasing to God? For the law given through Moses commanded the sacrificing of oxen, and the consecrating to God of turtledoves and pigeons, but nowhere did it prescribe as a manner of sacrifice that water should be poured out upon the ground.

What then did the ancients do, and the prophet along with them, though he had gathered in himself a knowledge of the sacred and divine oracles well worth possessing? We say, then, that being a prophet, and having his mind filled with the Holy Spirit, he certainly knew, in some way, the awesome and great mystery of the Only-begotten's becoming man:

and he reasoned that even the type itself of the truth is able to save those in danger, inscribing, as it were, in his own person, the power of salvation through Christ.

How, then, was the truth enacted as in shadows? Come, let us say, as far as we are able.

The only-begotten Word of God, being life by nature, condescended to a voluntary self-emptying, and became like us, that is, man—not undergoing any change from his own nature into flesh from the earth:

for the nature of God is firmly established in its own goods:

but rather because he clothed himself with our earthly body, possessing a rational soul.

This is what the prophet Samuel, writing as it were in water for those of old, expressed by pouring water upon the ground.

And water is a symbol of life:

And the Word became flesh, according to the word of John, the God-inspired speaker, and they have run together unto union, ineffably and at the same time in a manner beyond comprehension—both the life-giving Godhead and the humanity from the earth:

and thus we understand Emmanuel to be, henceforth, one out of both, neither having departed from the bounds of the Godhead on account of the assumption of flesh, nor indeed having disdained to become as we are, on account of his innate gentleness and the most wise dispensation arising from the matter.

For since he was about to undergo death on behalf of the life of all—clearly death according to the flesh—so that, being raised from the dead, he might trample down the power of death, as being life and God, he made his own a body that knew how to die, that is, the human body, or rather the flesh, so that through it, having abolished that corruption which of old was so hard to withstand, he might restore the nature of man to life.

'For Samuel took,' it says, 'a single suckling lamb, and offered it up as a whole burnt offering to the Lord together with all the people.'

'And Samuel cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord heard him.' Do you hear how he sacrificed the lamb, as an image and type of the true God? whom also the blessed John, all but stretching out his hand, pointed out, saying:

'Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.' For Christ is the spotless victim, by whose precious blood we have been saved and sanctified.

Thus God the Father also commanded that the mystery concerning him be prefigured for us through the all-wise Moses.

For Israel was enslaved to the Egyptians:

and they were unrelenting, and greatly afflicted with harshness:

then afflicting their life with pain, as it is written, weighing them down with clay and brick-making, and with the abuses arising from toil.

But since they were suffering wretchedly, God had mercy on them:

then, wishing to free them from the greed of their oppressors, he commanded the all-wise Moses to speak to them, saying that they had been shown mercy, and that before long they would journey toward the land promised to their fathers, having shaken off the burden of their unbearable slavery.

But since it was likely that, having slipped away from any hope of better things, they would not readily accept the word of Moses:

God, the Lord of all, commanded him to work wonders.

For a wonder always somehow draws one toward faith, and is not powerless to lift up, into hope for good things, even a mind that has been utterly cast down into despondency.

'And if they do not believe you, nor heed the voice of the first sign, they will believe you at the voice of the second sign:'

'and if it comes to pass that they do not believe you at these two signs, nor heed your voice, you shall take from the water of the river, and pour it out upon the dry ground:'

'and the water which you take from the river shall become blood upon the dry ground.'

For the nature both of God the Father and of the Son is likened to a spring, while a river and water, at one time signify the Father, and at another time again the Son, or else the Holy Spirit.

'The heaven was astonished at this, and shuddered exceedingly more, says the Lord, because my people have done two evil things:'

'they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have hewn for themselves broken cisterns, which are not able to hold water.' And the Son himself, indeed, speaks concerning himself through the voice of the prophets:

'How you have multiplied your mercy, O God:'

'and the sons of men shall hope in the shelter of your wings.'

'They shall be made drunk with the abundance of your house, and you shall give them to drink of the torrent of your delights, for with you is the fountain of life.' And our Lord Jesus Christ himself indeed called the life-giving Spirit, poured forth from the Father through him, 'water,' when he held discourse with the woman in Samaria.

'Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again:'

'whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst forever.' Therefore, as from the fountain, or rather the river, of God the Father, the Son is the life-giving water:

'And you shall take water from the river, and pour it out upon the ground'; for, as I have said, the nature of the Father must very fittingly be likened to the river, while the Son, begotten of him by nature, must be likened to the water.

This water from the river has been mingled with the earth:

for the Word became flesh, according to the union of the dispensation.

And that, having once become man, he was in every way and altogether going to die for our sake in the flesh, he intimated by saying:

'And the water which you take from the river shall become blood upon the dry ground.' Now the blood signifies to us nothing else in these words, except death.

For as long as the Word was not yet flesh, it did not become blood:

for that nature which is living and life-giving is altogether beyond the reach of death.

But since he became as we are, then indeed, then he made his own the death of his own flesh, and he himself is said to have died on our behalf, and to have acquired by his own blood that which is under heaven—though it was always his own by right:

for indeed he himself is the creator of all things:

but which, in the meantime, had leapt away, because it had turned so greatly toward sins, and had chosen to worship the creation, and to kindle its reverence toward the elements of the world.

Such, then, are the matters concerning the Greeks.

'All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.' For this reason the only-begotten Word of God appeared with flesh, and lived among men, as it is written, and proclaimed to Israel, and before all others, the things pertaining to salvation and life:

but, as the blessed John says, 'He came unto his own, and his own received him not.' For they by no means welcomed the Savior of all, but persisted rather in raging drunkenly against him, and savagely pursuing every kind of impiety:

and they descended to such a pitch of madness that they even nailed to the cross the author of life, and imagined that they could conquer by death the one who is superior to death.

For he rose to life again on the third day, having emptied Hades, and having opened the gates of death to the spirits below, and having become for human nature the way and the door and the firstfruit unto incorruption, he ascended to the Father and God who is in the heavens, and he is enthroned together with him, and reigns jointly over all things:

But he will come in due season, to judge the world in righteousness, as it is written.

Therefore, since, as the most wise Paul says, we must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, that each may receive the things done through the body, whether good or bad, let us fast purely, thrusting away every kind of sin, and expelling every form of impurity from our own understanding.

And besides this, let us become kind, loving one another, compassionate, showing mercy to orphans, defending widows, standing by those who are sick, sympathizing with those in bonds, and, in short, being eager to accomplish every kind of gentleness.

For thus, thus, being distinguished by a life that is splendid and beloved of God, shall we keep the feast in purity;

beginning the holy Forty Days' Fast on the twenty-third of the month of Mechir;

and the week of the saving Pascha, from the twenty-eighth of the month of Pharmouthi;

loosing the fasts on the third of the month of Pharmouthi, at deep evening, according to the word of the Gospel;

and keeping the feast on the following Lord's Day as it dawns, the fourth of the same month of Pharmouthi, thereupon joining also the seven weeks of the holy Pentecost.

For thus shall we inherit the kingdom of heaven, in Christ Jesus our Lord, through whom and with whom, to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory and dominion, unto the ages.

Upon scanty fare I see many and great guests gathered together;

and indeed I am afraid, not having enough to satisfy them;

yet I admire your love of learning, and I have to praise you for being overcome by words, even if they should not turn out to be brilliant.

But since you have been invited in, do grant, do grant pardon, if the words are not, as befits you, closely tested.

Once again, in due season, that which was sung by the ancients through the lyre of the psalmist shall also be spoken by us to you yourselves:

'All you nations, clap your hands;'

'shout unto God with the voice of triumph' — that is, let us offer up songs of victory to Christ.

For he has conquered the world on our behalf, even as he himself indeed says, and has triumphed over principalities, powers, dominions, and the world-rulers of this darkness, the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Thus he delivered us all from their malice, and freed us from the ancient accusations, having nailed to the cross the handwriting that was against us; so that, rejoicing over this very thing, we may say:

'O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?' Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But we have been delivered through Christ also from the penalty that is in the law.

And the divinely-inspired Paul will bear witness, writing:

'For sin shall not have dominion over you;'

'for you are not under law, but under grace.' And the wise John also writes: 'For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.'

For one died for all, purchasing with his own blood all that is under heaven, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them. And we shall live for him, being most earnest to think and to do the things that please him, and having chosen to follow the ordinances of the Gospel.

Every season, then, as I suppose, would be fitting and suitable for those who devote themselves to the best pursuits, so that they might be able to fulfill the saving commandment — but especially the present one;

for it all but cries aloud that which was spoken through the voice of the prophet:

'Put in the sickles, for the harvest has come;'

The gloom of winter has been dissolved; the seasons of spring are now rising up; the choice fields wave luxuriant with their ears of grain, and countless dense multitudes surge like waves over the fields;

then indeed, then let none of those who know how to reap be idle.

And since the season is bringing in for those who are accustomed to love labor whatever they might wish to obtain, let sloth depart, and let sleeplessness and endurance be deemed worthy of all praise.

For it is thus, and not otherwise, that it shall accrue to them also to receive richly a share of all praise.

Therefore, since 'Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us,' as the most wise Paul himself testifies to us, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of flesh and spirit, and let us also perfect holiness in the fear of God, lest, touching the sacred things with unwashed hands, and negligently dishonoring his divine mystery, we should pour upon our own heads the punishment fitting for the unholy.

For the divinely-inspired Paul also writes such a thing to those who are accustomed to do this:

'For if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged;'

'but when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.' Therefore, gathering from the sacred Scriptures the things that bear upon this matter, so that in what manner we must keep the feast holily and most holily, and then go on to partake spiritually of Christ the Savior of us all, come now, let us say —

Those of the blood of Israel sacrificed the lamb in Egypt, under the tutelage of Moses,

eating unleavened bread with it, and indeed also bitter herbs.

'Unleavened bread with bitter herbs you shall eat for seven days.' Shall we then, tell me, still take our stand upon things that exist merely in type and shadow? Then how, I ask, would one who is truly learned in the law and most wise, Paul, be justified in saying, 'We know that the law is spiritual'? And that he who has Christ within himself could not become a speaker of falsehood is plain to say — how could anyone doubt it? How then shall we in fact fulfill that ancient law, seeing that Christ says plainly, 'Do not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets;'

'I have not come to destroy, but to fulfill;'

'for truly I say to you, not one iota, nor one stroke, shall pass from the law until all things come to pass;'

'heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away'? Therefore, for us also, who have been called through faith unto sanctification, the true Lamb has been sacrificed, who takes away the sin of the world.

And upon this we shall truly partake of food that is spiritual, altogether beautiful, and sacred;

food which is depicted, as it were, in unleavened bread according to the law, but is understood spiritually.

For leaven, throughout the divinely inspired Scriptures, is always taken as a type of wickedness and sin.

And indeed our Lord Jesus Christ commanded his holy disciples to take heed, saying thus:

'Take heed of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees.' And the most wise Paul also writes, setting those who are sanctified as far as possible from the leaven and impurity that pertain to the mind and heart:

'Purge out therefore the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened.' It is, then, not without contribution to our benefit, but indeed already necessary, since it has been set before us as a matter of the utmost pressing concern, that, in order to come to share in the spiritual mystery of Christ the Savior of us all, we should keep the mind undisturbed and clear, shake off defilements, depart from sins, and, in short, rise up away from everything that is accustomed to pollute.

For thus, and thus alone, shall we accomplish, blameless and wholly beyond reproach, our approach as those who partake.

And let one also eat bitter herbs — that is, let him come by way of bitter labors, and let him hold in high esteem the endurance shown therein.

For it is one of the most far-fetched things for the lovers of piety to suppose and think that they could grow rich in virtue by some other means, and pride themselves upon the highest glories, without having first contended, and without having thoroughly made a display of manly courage.

For rough and steep is the road that leads up to it, and it is not passable for the many;

but it would be easy to tread only for those who are eager to press through it, fearing no one, stripping themselves for the contest against toils, and rising up to meet the sweats of labor.

And to this very end Christ himself spurs us on, saying:

'Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter through it.'

'But narrow is the gate and constricted is the way that leads to life, and few are those who find it.' For the bright and exceptional deeds of manly virtue should indeed be chosen, and indeed be accomplished, not simply by whoever happens along, but only, as I have said, by those who are chosen, and who know how to wholly overpower the pleasure that calls toward baser things;

but that the path leading down to sins is broad and utterly smooth, one might perceive quite effortlessly, if one so wished, even from the facts themselves.

For the human mind is altogether very easily swayed and exceedingly pliable, when pleasure pushes it downward.

And it rushes most readily into luxuries, and being overcome, is taken captive by intemperance toward bodily appetites;

and I think it necessary, perhaps, to speak also on behalf of one who has thus fallen weak;

for the nature of the flesh often does violence even to one who is unwilling, and goads him with fearsome stings toward innate pleasures, all but seizing hold of him even while he is grieved and resisting, and carrying him off toward inclinations he did not choose.

But God and Lord of all builds up a rampart for him by the law, and graciously grants him self-control as a weapon.

For the prophet speaks truly concerning God the Savior of us all, saying:

'he has given as a help.' Now observe for me the man learned in the law and most sacred, Paul, applying his mind to a precise examination of such matters, and closely scrutinizing the boldness of the innate movements that are within us;

and, along with this, pointing out the law that comes sufficiently to our aid.

'For I know that the law is spiritual;'

'but I am carnal, sold under sin.'

'For what I work out, I do not understand;'

'for I do not do what I want;'

'but if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.'

'But now it is no longer I who work it out, but sin that dwells in me.' What are you saying, O blessed Paul? Being carnal and sold under sin, do you not know what you are working out? Do you then do what you hate? For does not each of us proceed to each of the things that must be done by the voluntary inclinations of his own mind, and is not the choosing of what seems good beyond reproach, and has he not received by lot the reins of his own will? 'Yes,' he says, 'but I know that pleasure sometimes bewitches even the well-approved mind, and easily brings it down to things that were not fitting.'

'I know too that it endures harm even unwillingly.'

'For it does not by any means always do what it wills;'

But he rather yields to the assaults of the passions, and being overpowered by the dominations that arise from them, he is defeated, and not willingly; and to one who has suffered this it would be fitting to say:

'But now it is no longer I who work it, but the sin that dwells in me.' Do you see how he accuses the passions innate and present in us, confesses the defeat, records the advantage gained against him, and fears, saying that the resistance is not bearable? And that what I say is true, the divinely-inspired Paul himself will again make clear, adding to what he said and joining what follows next:

'For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.'

'For to will is present with me;'

'but to work out the good, is not.'

'For the good that I would, I do not;'

'but the evil which I would not, that I do.'

'Now if I do that which I would not, it is no longer I who work it, but the sin that dwells in me.'

'I find then the law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me.' Do you understand, then, how the assault of vileness rises up fiercely against the soul of each person, and against our will brings down the mind that is in us to what seems good to it, and takes away, as it were, freedom itself in its inclinations, so that what is done appears to belong no longer to us, but perhaps to it alone?

For the law rebukes the inclinations toward this, and even if the passion gains the advantage, it wisely rises up in opposition and drives it back toward the better, displaying the beauty of self-control;

and causing one to rejoice exceedingly in the boasts of virtue.

Setting our mind, then, beyond profane and most abominable pleasure, and being little concerned for food and drink, 'let us perfect holiness in the fear of God,' as it is written:

'Let us put to death our members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness.' For thus the most wise Paul writes to us.

For the nature of the body has confessedly grown weak, being easily led into desire;

and so he gave his only-begotten Son, that, having become man like us, and having taken a body from the holy Mary the Theotokos, he might put sin to death in the flesh.

For the body, having become the very own body of the Word, was straightway freed from the passions that are ours, and the sting of the movements toward vileness was removed from it;

and it was transformed, as it were, into a purity befitting God and ineffable, since sin was being put to death in it, and pleasure was being shaken, as it were, from its very foundations.

For just as it was superior to death, because it became flesh possessing life according to nature, so also, I think, in this same manner it has trampled underfoot the power of sin.

For this was the very own property of him who knew no sin.

This is the doctrine that the divinely-inspired Paul sets forth for us in what he has written:

'For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.' And what, then, is this thing that the law could not do? someone might say, I think:

While the divine law calls us to self-control, the nature of the flesh carries us off to the opposite, constantly sharpening us toward the most abominable appetites.

But the God of all, sending his own Son—not naked and bodiless, flashing forth the awesome and unapproachable light of his own divine glory, but rather lowering himself in the economy into our condition, and making himself bearable through a body like ours—condemned sin in the flesh,

so that we ourselves too might seem to be outside the flesh, as sanctified, and enriched with the divine Spirit.

And the most wise Paul again writes thus:

'But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.'

'Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him.'

'But if Christ is in you, the body indeed is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness.' 3.

Since it is fitting that the lovers of the glory from above, and those who have chosen to live still more in a manner pleasing to God, should now be seen ready for piety, we shall necessarily add to the boasts of self-control also the ways of that other kindness—love for one another, brotherly affection, and the duty of readily showing mercy to those overpowered by unbearable poverty.

'Be merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful.' And the law given through Moses also charges us:

'You shall surely open wide your bowels of compassion to your brother who is in need among you.' For love of the poor is an excellent thing. But if anyone holds it in altogether little regard, and says it is worth nothing, he will surely be praising harshness and misanthropy;

and indeed the notion that one need not share the suffering of those in extreme misery;

is not, then, such a mind bestial and hateful to God, and at war with the compassionate nature? But no one would doubt this.

For it is written, 'Whoever stops his ears so as not to listen to the weak, he himself also shall call out, and there will be no one to hear him.' And it is necessary also, in another way, always to be mindful of the life that will be ours after this.

For it is fixed and certain, that in every way and altogether each person's life will come to an end.

But, as the sacred Scripture somewhere says, 'We brought nothing into this world, and we can carry nothing out.' And each person will depart, carrying away none of his earthly goods, but deprived, as it were, of all things, even of his own body.

But the workers of virtue possess spiritual wealth, and the light of love for the poor as their fellow-traveler.

For they will boast before the divine judgment seat, or rather, Christ himself will praise them, saying:

'for I was hungry, and you gave me food;'

'I was thirsty, and you gave me drink;'

'I was a stranger, and you took me in;'

'naked, and you clothed me;'

'sick, and you visited me;'

'I was in prison, and you came to me.'

'Truly I say to you,' he says, 'inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me.' Do you hear how the compassionate and most gentle nature accounts mercy shown to the poor as done to itself? But everyone, I suppose, will surely heed, as is fitting, that one ought to show due regard to those in poverty and hardship, and to distribute to those in need according to one's ability.

But he who has the opposite and unmerciful mind will be carried about, no doubt turning it over in his thoughts and saying something like this:

'If I should give my own goods to others, I shall wrong my own children.'

'Of what will they be masters? For I am not very wealthy.'

But, my good friend, I would say to him, you are carried far away from proper reasoning.

You are not being asked to give away everything, nor indeed are you being told to deprive them altogether of the means of rest and comfort;

It would therefore be the work of a truly excellent mind also to take thought for the life to come, and to choose to act with due measure in this;

since nothing in the present time prevents us from imitating the foresight of sailors, who cross so vast a sea, not neglecting provisions of food, or other preparations needed for it;

but sometimes even laying in supplies beyond what is needed.

Therefore, since each of us is about to depart from our present affairs, let there be forethought for spiritual provisions.

You will not wrong your own child by showing mercy to those who live together in need.

You will not grieve your heir, by freeing yourself from punishment and fire.

For we all stumble in many things;

but by acts of mercy and of faith sins are purged away, as it is written.

Causing us to rejoice with such teachings, the only-begotten Word of God became man.

For before the times of his sojourning among us, we continued in the world holding a mist upon our understanding, having settled in mind and heart neither knowledge of piety nor any other of the good things from above;

not seeing the way of righteousness, nor even recognizing him who by nature and in truth is God;

but going astray, and rendering worship to creation, and bereft of the understanding that befits human beings.