Homily 18 #

On Tuesday of the Second Week of the Fast: A Teaching of the Holy Fathers on the Heavenly Creation

Thus says the Lord through the prophet: “How long, O men, will ye continue in sin, adding iniquity unto iniquity, and provoking the Most High, Who hath created you? But cease from unrighteousness and learn to do good; be merciful, that ye may be saved.” For all of creation obeys God’s command, but only humans transgress His commandments.

Many times, the sun has prayed to the Lord, saying: “O Lord, who sustains all things, how long will You endure the lawlessness and many sins of humanity? If You command me, O Lord, I will burn them so that they will no longer do evil.” And a voice came to it, saying: “I see all things, and My eye beholds all, yet I endure them, giving them time for repentance; but if they do not repent, I will judge them.”

Then, the moon and the stars also prayed to God, saying: “You have given us, O Lord, the power to shine at night, but how long, O Lord, must we look upon their lawlessness—their fornication, infanticide, robbery, and theft? Command us, O Lord, to destroy the evildoers.” And a voice came to them, saying: “My eye sees all things, and I wait for their repentance; but if they do not repent, I will judge them.”

Then, the sea and the rivers cried out, praying to God: “O Lord, command us to destroy the wicked people who sail upon us, who cause shipwrecks and commit evil deeds.” And a voice came to them, saying: “I know all things; but if they do not repent, I will judge them.”

Then the earth also cried out, lamenting over mankind: “O Lord, I am more condemned than all creation, and I can no longer bear the fornication, robbery, theft, sorcery, slander, and all the other evils. Sons dishonor their fathers, daughters their mothers, and brothers betray their brethren, committing countless iniquities. Command me, O Lord, to cease bringing forth the seed that is sown because of their wickedness, so that they may perish through famine.” And a voice came to it, saying: “I see all things, and nothing is hidden from Me, for all things are laid bare before My eyes; but if they do not repent, then I will judge them in that day.”

Hear this, O people, how all of creation obeys God, yet why do we not fulfill His will, depriving ourselves of His glory through our own willfulness? Let us turn away from evil, brothers and sisters, and give thanks to the Lord at all times. When the sun sets, all the angels assigned to people come to bow before God, bringing before Him the deeds of men, whether good or evil. The angel of a God-fearing person approaches with joy to present their deeds before the Lord. But the angel of a wicked person comes in sorrow, saying: “O Lord Almighty, command me to no longer be with this godless sinner, for he calls upon Your name in words only, while serving his flesh. He constantly adds sin upon sin, never offering a single sincere prayer from his heart, neither by day nor by night. His hands are stretched out only to receive, never to give.”

And the Lord says: “No, do not abandon them, for some may yet repent; but if they do not, when they come before Me, I will judge them.” In the same way, at the first hour of the morning, the angels of men come again before God in worship, giving an account of all that people have done through the night—revealing all our thoughts, deeds, and actions before the Lord.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, let us give thanks to God at all times, for at the end of the day and at the end of the night, at every appointed hour, the angels of each of us come before God in worship. Let none of us, brothers and sisters, pass even a single night without prayer to God, lest we grieve our guardian angel. For the night is divided into two: one part for the body’s rest, and the other for the soul’s salvation.

To our God be glory, now and forever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.