Homily 26 #
On Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent: A Teaching of a Certain Holy Elder to His Spiritual Children
The elder said: If one eye is lost, the other remains to serve the body. But God has given only one soul, and if we destroy it, with what shall we live? Therefore, let us care for our souls, for by them we shall be judged, while the body is but dust. If you resist the cunning devil, he will flee from you, and with the angels, we shall give praise to Christ our God.
The soul and the body are like brother and sister. The body cannot live without the soul, nor can the soul exist without the body. It is good and right when a person divides his possessions between the needs of both his body and his soul. The sins of mankind are like a garment that has been worn for a long time without being washed—once it becomes darkened, it is not easily made clean again. Likewise, when a sinner does not repent for a long time, his soul is darkened.
I have examined much and pondered deeply, and I have barely been able to understand that the life of this world is like a wheel that turns. And in wonder, I said: “O foolish man, why do you toil in vain?” It is better, brothers, to turn away from this deceitful life and flee to the Lord and God, asking for the forgiveness of our sins. Each of us must, according to his ability and strength, give alms, and the Lord will reward us sevenfold. For the Holy Gospel says: “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord” (Proverbs 19:17). But give in secret, as it is written: “Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth” (Matthew 6:3), and God will reward you openly. The Lord does not love vanity and pride but humility and righteousness. He says: “When ye pray, ye shall be acceptable to your Father; when ye fast, ye shall draw near to your Father which is in heaven” (cf. Matthew 6:6,18). And again: “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:36), so be like Him in mercy.
If you decide to give alms, do not delay until tomorrow; but when you think of doing good, do it at once, for you do not know what tomorrow will bring. If you have faith, guard yourself against drunkenness, and keep love pure. For it is written: “Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3). If you do not have love, you destroy the law and make all your efforts worthless. Consider this, repent, cease from evil, and strive for good. “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee” (Psalm 54:22).
Look at the birds of heaven—the eagles, the ravens, and others like them—though they are many, they cry out to the Heavenly Father, and He provides them with food. Fasting is not merely abstaining from food but turning away from all evil. True fasting is when you do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not slander, do not commit fornication, do not envy, and do not harm anyone. Above all, flee from fornication, for as the Apostle says: “Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18). Fornication does not only defile the body but also darkens the soul through its deeds.
Concerning this, the Lord gave a parable: “A certain man had two sons: and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him” (Luke 15:11-16).
Interpretation: The man in the parable is Christ. The two sons are the righteous and the sinner. The inheritance represents worldly life and its temptations. The far country symbolizes indulgence in bodily pleasures, wealth, and fine clothing. The swine represent the demons, and the husks are the fleeting pleasures of this world. The famine is the deprivation of the Holy Communion.
And the son said to himself: “How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants” (Luke 15:17-19). He did not only say this in words but also acted upon it.
And the merciful father received him in repentance, slew the fatted calf, placed a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
Interpretation: The fatted calf is the Body and Blood of Christ. The ring is the gift of the Holy Spirit. The shoes represent baptism, the commandments, and the path of righteousness.
To our God be glory, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.