XXXI. 2, 3. 452 Our Lord would have Calmness before His mighty Works. HOMIL. Synagogue? She detained Him not, she took no hold of Him, but touched Him only with the end of her fingers, and though she came later, she first went away healed. And he indeed was bringing the Physician altogether to his house, but for her a mere touch sufficed. For though she was bound by her affliction, yet her faith had given her wings. And mark how He comforts her, saying, Thy faith hath saved thee. Now surely, had He drawn her forward for display, He would not have added this; but He saith this, partly teaching the ruler of the synagogue to believe, partly proclaiming the woman's praise, and affording her by these words delight and advantage equal to her bodily health. For that He did this as minded to glorify her, and to amend others, and not to shew Himself glorious, is manifest from hence; that He indeed would have been equally an object of admiration even without this, (for the miracles were pouring around Him faster than the snow-flakes, and He both had done and was to do far greater things than these :) but the woman, had this not happened, would have gone away hid, deprived of those great praises. For this cause He brought her forward, and proclaimed her praise, and 1 Luke cast out her fear, (for she came, it is said, even trembling1); and He caused her to be of good courage, and together with health of body, He gave her also other provisions for her Bib.v.48. journey, in that He said, Go in peace2. 8, 47. v.23,24. [3.] And when He came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, He saith unto them, Give place, for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed Him to scorn. Noble tokens, surely, these, of the rulers of synagogues; in the moment of her death pipes and cymbals raising a dirge! What then doth Christ? All the rest He cast out, but the parents He brought in; to leave no room for saying that He healed her in any other way. And before her resurrection too, He raises her in His word; saying, The maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And in many instances besides He doeth this. As then on the sea He first rebukes His Disciples, even so in this case also He expels tumult from the mind of the by-standers, at the same time both signifying that it is easy for Him to raise the dead, (which same thing He did with His Manner of raising Jairus' Daughter, 453 IX. respect to Lazarus also, saying, Our friend Lazarus MATT. sleepeth;) and also teaching us not to fear death; for that it 22, 23. is not death, but is henceforth become a sleep. Thus, since John He Himself was to die, He doth in the persons of others 11, 11. prepare His disciples beforehand to be of good courage, and to bear the end meekly. Since in truth, when He had come, death was from that time forward a sleep. But yet they laughed Him to scorn: He however was not indignant at being disbelieved by those for whom He was a little afterwards to work miracles; neither did He rebuke their laughter, in order that both it and the pipes, and the cymbals, and all the other things, might be a sure proof of her death. For since for the most part, after the miracles are done, men disbelieve, He takes them beforehand by their own answers; which was done in the case both of Lazarus and of Moses. For to Moses first He saith, What is that in thine hand? in order that when he saw it? Ex. 4, become a serpent, He should not forget that it was a rod 2. before, but being reminded of his own saying, might be amazed at what was done. And with regard to Lazarus He saith, Where have ye laid him? that they who had said, 3 John 11, 34. Come and see, and he stinketh, for he hath been dead four 39. days, might no longer be able to disbelieve His having raised a dead man. Seeing then the cymbals and the multitude, He put them all out, and in the presence of the parents works the miracle; not introducing another soul, but recalling the same that had gone out, and awakening her as it were out of a sleep. And He holds her by the hand, assuring the beholders; so as by that sight to make a way for the belief of her resurrection. For whereas the father said, Lay thy hand upon v. 18. her; He on His part doth somewhat more, for He lays no hand on her, but rather takes hold of her, and raises her, implying that to Him all things are ready. And He not only raises her up, but also commands to give her meat, that the event might not seem to be an illusion. And He doth not give it Himself, but commands them; as also with regard to Lazarus He said, Loose him, and let him go, and John afterwards makes him partaker of His table". For so is Hes John wont always to establish both points, making out with all 12, 2. 454 Excessive Wailing a Reproach even to the Heathen: HOMIL. Completeness the demonstration alike of the death and of the XXXI. resurrection. 35. But do thou mark, I pray thee, not her resurrection only, but also His commanding to tell no man; and by all learn thou this especially, His freedom from haughtiness and vainglory. And withal learn this other thing also, that He cast them that were beating themselves out of the house, and declared them unworthy of such a sight; and do not thou go out with the minstrels, but remain with Peter, and John, and James. For if He cast them out then, much more now. For then it was not yet manifest that death was become a sleep, but now this is clearer than the very sun itself. But is it that He hath not raised thy daughter now? But surely He will raise her, and with more abundant glory. For that damsel, when she had risen, died again; but thy child, if she rise again, abides thenceforth in immortal being. [4.] Let no man therefore beat himself any more, nor wail, neither disparage Christ's achievement. For indeed He overcame death. Why then dost thou wail for nought? The thing is become a sleep. Why lament and weep? Why, even if Greeks did this, they should be laughed to scorn; but when the believer behaves himself unseemly in these things, what plea hath he? What excuse will there be for them that are guilty of such folly, and this, after so long a time, and so clear proof of the resurrection? But thou, as though labouring to add to the charge against thee, dost also bring us in heathen women singing dirges, to kindle thy feelings, and to stir up the furnace thoroughly and thou hearkenest not to Paul, saying, What concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that 1 2 Cor. believeth with an infidel1? 6, 15. And while the children of heathens, who know nothing of resurrection, do yet find words of consolation, saying, "Bear it manfully, for it is not possible to undo what hath taken place, nor to amend it by lamentations;" art not thou, who hearest sayings wiser and better than these, ashamed to behave thyself more unseemly than they? For we say not at all, “ Bear it manfully, because it is not possible to undo what hath taken place," but, "bear it manfully, because he 66 inconsistent with Faith, and Christian Rules. 455 22, 23. will surely rise again;" the child sleeps and is not dead; he MATT. is at rest and hath not perished. For resurrection will be IX. his final lot, and eternal life, and immortality, and an angel's portion. Hearest thou not the Psalm that saith, Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee1? God calleth it "bountiful dealing," and dost 1Ps.116, thou make lamentation? And what more couldest thou have done, if thou wert a foe and an enemy of the dead? Why, if there must be mourning, it is the Devil that ought to mourn. He may beat himself, he may wail, at our journeying to greater blessings. This lamentation becomes his wickedness, not thee, who art going to be crowned and to rest. Yea, for death is a fair haven. Consider, at any rate, with how many evils our present life is filled; reflect how often thou thyself hast cursed our present life. For indeed things go on to worse, and from the very beginning thou wert involved in no For, saith He, In sorrow thou shalt small condemnation. 7. bring forth children; and, In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread2; and, In the world ye shall have 2 Gen.3, tribulation3. 16, 19. 3 John But of our state there, no such word at all is spoken, but 16, 33. all the contrary; that grief and sorrow and sighing have fled away. And that men shall come from the east and Is. 35, from the west, and shall recline in the bosoms of Abraham 10. and Isaac and Jacob5. And that the region there is a 5 Matt. spiritual Bridechamber, and bright lamps, and a translation 8, 11. to Heaven. [5.] Why then disgrace the departed? Why dispose the rest to fear and tremble at death? Why cause many to accuse God, as though He had done very dreadful things? Or rather, why after this invite poor persons, and entreat priests to pray?"In order," saith he, " that the dead may depart into rest; that he may find the Judge propitious." For these things then art thou mourning and wailing? Thou art therefore fighting and warring with thyself: exciting a b Because the feasts and prayers for the dead being supposed to benefit those only who had fallen asleep in the Lord, and whose final happiness was therefore sure, it was an inconsistency in those 456 Arguments against indulging Grief for the Dead. HOMIL. Storm against thyself on account of his having entered into XXXI. harbour. 5, 6. "But what can I do?" saith he: "such a thing is nature." The blame is not nature's, neither doth it belong to the necessary consequence of the thing; but it is we that are turning all things upside down, are overcome with softness, are giving up our proper nobility, and are making the unbelievers worse. For how shall we reason with another concerning immortality? how shall we persuade the heathen, when we fear death, and shudder at it more than he? Many, for instance, among the Greeks, although they knew nothing of course about immortality, have crowned themselves at the decease of their children, and appeared in white garments, that they might reap the present glory; but thou not even for the future glory's sake ceasest thy woman's behaviour and wailing. But hast thou no heirs, nor any to succeed to thy goods? And which wouldest thou rather, that he should be heir of thy possessions, or of Heaven? And which didst thou desire, that he should succeed to the things that perish, which he must have let go soon after, or to things that remain, and are immoveable? Thou hadst him not for heir, but God had him instead of thee; he became not joint-heir with his own brethren, but he became joint-heir with Christ. 66 "But to whom," saith he," are we to leave our garments, to whom our houses, to whom our slaves and our lands?" To him again, and more securely than if he lived; for there is nothing to hinder. For if barbarians burn the goods of the departed together with them, much more were it a righteous thing for thee to send away with the dead what things he hath not to be turned to ashes, like those, but to invest him with more glory; and that if he departed a sinner, it may do away his sins; but if righteous, that it may become an increase of reward and recompense. But dost thou long to see him? Then live the same life with him, and thou wilt soon obtain that sacred vision. Not that St. Chrysostom imagined that any thing could be done to change the relative condition of those who have died in the favour or displeasure of God: see e. g. Hom, xxxvi. p. 506. ed. Field. Indeed the same is implied in the words which immediately follow. "Dost thou long to see him? Then live the same life with him," &c. |