Homilies on Genesis 18–45

Homily 34

HOMILY 34 "The Lord said to Abram after Lot's parting from him, 'Lift up your eyes, and from where you now are look north and south, east and west: all the land you see I will give you.' "I ESTERDA Y, [312] DEARLY BELOVED, you learnt of the patriarch's extraordinary humility, you saw the remarkable degree [313] of his restraint. It was no slight thing for the old man, who had performed so many good deeds and enjoyed so much favor from the Lord of all, to display towards the younger man, his nephew, such equality of esteem as to cede to him pride of place and take second best, and put up with everything for the sake of heading off conflict and eliminating the grounds of rivalry. Let us all be anxious to emulate this conduct, never threatening our relatives nor entertaining grandiose notions; let us give evidence of deep humility by deferring to them, let us rather make it our concern to take second place in behavior and speech, not even reacting against those who do us wrong, even if they happen to be beneficiaries of ours (this, after all, is the most excellent philosophy), nor even being provoked by their arrogance , even if those feuding with us are our inferiorsrather , let us allay their ill feeling by restraint and meekness. (2) Nothing, you see, is more efficacious than this, nothing is more potent. This brings our soul into lasting tranquility, as if causing it to find haven in port, and proving to be for us the basis of complete repose. Hence Christ too delivered that divine instruction in the words, "Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls."2 Nothing, you see, brings the soul into repose and great peace to such an extent as meekness and humility. This 2. Matt 11.29. 289 290 ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM would prove to be for its possessor more valuable than any diadem, this would be more to one's credit than any notoriety or glory. I mean, what could be more desirable than being freed from the threat of conflict arising within one's own person ? I mean, even if we enjoy peace and respect many times over outwardly while alarm and disturbance arise within us from the tumult of our thinking, no benefit comes to us from peace on the outside-just as nothing would be more pitiable than a city suffering the treason of the citizens within its walls, no matter if you fortified it with countless ramparts and fortifications. (3) Accordingly, I beseech you, let us make this our special concern, to keep our soul undisturbed, to bring it to a state of peace, to free it from all alarm so that we ourselves may enjoy complete repose and may be gentle with our acquaintances . This, in fact, is a particular mark of the person endowed with reason: mildness, restraint, gentleness, humility, tranquillity, not being pulled and tugged like a slave either by anger or by the other passions, but through the use of reason prevailing over interior impulses, preserving our natural nobility and not falling victim to the frenzy of brute beasts through indifference. To learn the power of gentleness and restraint, and how virtue alone suffices to render the person who practices it devotedly worthy of those ineffable encomiums , listen to the eulogy bestowed to blessed Moses on that account, and the crown awarded him for that reason: "Moses was the mildest of all people on the earth,"3 Scripture says. Do you see the greatness of the encomium, which conferred on him equality of esteem with the whole human race-or, rather, gave him precedence over all mankind? Again, Scripture says about David, "Be mindful, Lord, of David and all his meekness."4 On that score, too, the patriarch won much greater favor from on high, and by exerting himself from his own resources he was accorded greater blessings from the loving Lord. You will come to realize this when we propose to you the sequel [314] to yesterday's words and unfold for 3. Num 12·3· 4. Ps 132.1. HOMILY 34 291 your good selves the passage read at the outset. You see, when Abram gave evidence of great restraint in giving pride of place to Lot and yielded to him the right of choice...