Commentary on Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist, Homilies 1–47

Homily 28

HOMILIES 267 But the soul's adornment belongs only to those who live in virtue. I say these things continually, and I will not cease from them, not so much from solicitude for the poor as for your souls. For the poor will have assistance-if not from us, then from another source. And if they do not have assistance, but perish with hunger, their loss is not great. Indeed, what harm did Lazarus suffer from poverty and wasting away with hunger? No one, in truth, will rescue you from hell except the assistance which you obtain from the poor. But we shall say the same words as those addressed to the rich man, who is forever consumed by fire and will obtain no assuagement.8 However, God grant that no one may ever hear these words, but that you may go to the bosom of Abraham, by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom glory be to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen. Homily 28 (John 3.17-21) 'For God did not send his Son into the world in order to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through hi '1 m. Many of those men who are somewhat inclined to heap up sin upon sin, and, abusing the mercy of God, to indulge in excessive negligence, utter such words as these: 'There is no hell; there is no judgment; God forgives all our sins.' To silence them a certain wise man has said: 'Say not: "The 8 'Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime hast received good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now here he is comforted whereas thou art tormented' (Luke 16.25). 1 John 3.17. 268 SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM mercy of the Lord is great, he will have mercy on the multitude of my sins." For mercy and wrath quickly come from him: and his wrath looketh upon sinners.'2 And again: 'According as his mercy is, so his correction'3 is abundant. 'And where,' you say, 'are the proofs of His mercy, if we receive the punishment of our sins according as they deserve?' In testimony that we shall receive punishment 'as they deserve,' listen to the words both of the Prophet and of Paul. The former declared: 'You render to everyone according to his deeds,'4 and the latter: 'Who will render to every man according to his works.'5 But it is also clear from this fact that the mercy of God is, nonetheless, great. God has shown great mercy to these men in apportioning our affairs into two divisions of lifethe present life and the future life-making the former occur amid a succession of trials; the latter, in a place of crowns. How, and in what way? Because, though we have committed many and grievous sins, and have not ceased, from youth to the last extremity of old age, to sully our souls with their incalculable evil, He has demanded of us the accounting for no one of these sins, but has granted pardon for them by the laver of regeneration, and ha~ endowed us with justice and holiness. 'Then,' you say, 'what if a man, deemed worthy of the mysteries from his earliest youth, should commit countless sins after this?' Such a man is certainly deserving of greater punishment. For we do not pay the same penalty for the same sins, but the penalty is much more severe when we offend after partaking of the mysteries. Paul made this clear, when he said: 'A man making void the Law of Moses dies without any mercy on the word of two or three witnesses; how much 2 Eccli. 5.6,7. 3 Ecdi. 16.13. 4 Ps. 61.13. 5 Rom. 2.6. HOMILIES 269 worse punishments do you think he deserves who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant through which he was sanctified, and has insulted the grace of the Spirit?'6 Such a one, therefore, will be deserving of greater punishment. He has, nonetheless, opened the portals of repentance even to this man and has granted him to wash away his offenses in many ways, if he desires. Therefore, consider how great proofs these are of His mercy: both to remit sin by grace...