Homily 20 #

On Wednesday of the Second Week of the Fast: A Teaching of the Holy Fathers on How an Orthodox Christian Should Live

Brothers and sisters, hear the teachings of the holy fathers. Among Christians, there are some who bear only the name of Christian, yet do not follow God’s will nor keep His commandments. They live constantly in drunkenness, fornication, and other sins, blinded by the devil. They live in swearing, in wrongdoing, in bodily impurity, envying and harming one another, committing many other shameful deeds that are unspeakable. They act as if they are immortal and thus bring greater condemnation upon themselves, leading to the torments prepared for sinners—torments so dreadful that even Satan himself trembles at them. Yet they, having hardened their hearts, do not feel it, nor do they regard these things as anything, as if there were no God and no judgment.

But we, brethren, remind you of these things so that you may fear God’s righteous judgment and His terrible punishment. Let us awaken, brethren, as if from sleep, and turn away from evil deeds. Above all, let us utterly despise the accursed sin of fornication. Because of this sin, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them were burned with fire, and to this day, their ruins still smolder as a warning to all. If those people, who neither knew the Law nor the Prophets, perished because of their fornication—and if their destruction remains a sign even now—how much worse will it be for us Christians if we commit adultery with others besides our wives or, remaining unmarried, engage in fornication with many? For such as these, the judgment on the last day will be more severe than that of the Sodomites.

The prophet Isaiah speaks of them, saying: “They shall be cast into a flame of fire which they themselves have kindled.” And again, the same prophet says: “Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched.” This applies to those who defile their bodies with fornication, for this sin is grievous indeed. Therefore, it is commanded that each should have his own wife.

And what shall we say of those who swear by God, who kiss the cross falsely, and who pollute the Church and the altars with their oaths, bringing ruin to their own souls? The heavens and the earth tremble at this. Because of such things, God sends punishments upon us—at times, flooding the earth with excessive rain, at other times drying it up with scorching heat, sending fires and various calamities. For men swear by God and His saints, polluting His Church with their lies. All the heavenly powers grieve when they see the wickedness of men.

There are other sins like these, equally lawless: some seek healing for bodily sickness through sorcery, offering sacrifices to demons in secret rites; others cast spells upon trembling sickness, calling upon demons to drive it away; some write pagan words upon apples and place them on the altar before the Divine Service, which is a practice cursed by the holy fathers. Because of such abominations, many punishments come upon us from God.

The Lord did not command us to seek healing through magic, nor to consult sorcerers, nor to believe in omens, superstitions, or the cries of birds—for all these are the practices of pagan nations. If a Christian does these things, he will be judged more severely than the pagans unless he repents.

Therefore, all who are Christians must cease from such works, for these sins are grievous: swearing falsely, cursing, deceit, slander, envy, theft, anger, drunkenness, fornication, greed, oppression, covetousness, adultery, sodomy with young boys, bestiality, incest, and other such abominations. Those who do these things as Christians are worse than the pagans.

If any among the faithful do not rebuke or correct those who commit such sins, they too shall share in their condemnation. Even more so, priests—if they do not teach, correct, and admonish sinners, zealously upholding the truth of God—woe to such teachers! They shall be cast down and oppressed by others in the unquenchable fire. For they bear the priestly rank and receive honor from it, yet they do not perform spiritual works for the benefit of souls. They do not preach true doctrine, by which salvation is made possible. Instead, through flattery and indulgence, they fail to impose penance, granting forgiveness for bribes, lest they lose worldly honor and temporary gain.

Such men are not teachers but destroyers, and they shall be condemned even more severely as stumbling blocks to others. Because of such negligence and wickedness, barrenness comes upon the land, wars break out, plagues arise, cattle perish, people suffer grievous diseases, and after death, they face eternal torment. If someone refuses to heed spiritual instruction and does not repent, he shall be justly tormented.

Many are deceivers and blasphemers—oath-breakers, sodomites, murderers, thieves, sorcerers, those who violate virgins, and adulterers who defile themselves with married women. Even in this life, such people are punished by civil law so that others, seeing their punishment, may take warning and cease from evil. For rulers are appointed by God for the sake of those who do wickedness, that through fear and chastisement, they may come to fear God. Therefore, let them not spare evildoers, nor unjust judges.

As for other men, when they see such wickedness and lawlessness, let them not remain silent, lest they be condemned along with them. The Fourth Book of Kings says that King Ahab sinned by sparing the King of Assyria, and God spoke to him through the prophet: “Because thou hast let go a man whom I had appointed for destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life.” Likewise, King Saul, when he spared Agag, lost his kingdom. Many others, having shown mercy to the wicked, perished themselves.

Therefore, rulers, do not spare evildoers, but punish them without mercy, and do not release them for the sake of bribes, lest you suffer the judgment of God along with the workers of iniquity. For if rulers fail to execute lawful justice upon the wicked, they shall be accountable before God’s judgment and shall bring upon themselves the curse of the holy fathers. It is not right to spare the wicked, but rather to chastise them so that they do not continue in their evil deeds.

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