Homilies on Genesis 46–67 (The Fathers of the Church, Volume 87)

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Title Page, Copyright

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Contents

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pp. v-vi

Homily 46

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pp. 3-13

Home now [422] today too, dearly beloved, let us take up the thread of yesterday's remarks and thus set before you this spiritual meal so that we may once more come to learn, as you heard yesterday, the good God's ineffable care and considerateness and the patriarch's remarkable obedience and gratitude. ...

Homily 47

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pp. 14-24

Great [428] is the benefit in our reading today, and beyond telling the treasure concealed in these brief words. This, you see, is what the divine sayings are like: the great wealth they have contained in them is not in the number of the words but in the conciseness of the expression. ...

Homily 48

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pp. 25-41

Yesterday [434] dearly beloved, you saw the patriarch's valor; you saw a soul stronger than iron in so far as, to the extent of his volition, he turned sacrificer of his son for the love of God; he stained his right hand with blood in intention and offered sacrifice. ...

Homily 49

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pp. 42-49

Once [443] again I would like to bring you to the customary table and spread before you the banquet from the words of Moses, or rather from the Spirit. [444] You see, it was not of himself that Moses proposed these matters to us, but under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.² ...

Homily 50

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pp. 50-55

Would [448] you be happy to have us set before you today, dearly beloved, our leftovers from yesterday's sermon? After all, we did not succeed in bringing the whole theme to a conclusion. The fact that Isaac managed by his own prayer and ardent entreaty to awaken Rebecca's womb to childbearing ...

Homily 51

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pp. 56-65

Once again [451] I would like to resume your instruction by taking up the theme of the sermon of the day before yesterday. So that you may be quite clear where we broke off the sermon then and where we should take it up today, it is necessary for us to provide reminders for you, dearly beloved. ...

Homily 52

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pp. 66-78

Today [456] we need to pass on to you, dearly beloved, the remnants of yesterday's remarks, and, by taking up the sequence of our sermon, look once again at the good man Isaac and see how much care he enjoys from on high. You see, the one who had prevented his going down to Egypt ...

Homily 53

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pp. 79-91

Home now [463] today we will take up the sequel to what was said yesterday, if you don't mind, and expound each phrase in the text to the extent of our ability so that we may gain some [464] benefit from it and thus go off home. So let us look at the beginning of what was read.² ...

Homily 54

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pp. 92-106

Did you see [471] yesterday the deep gratitude of the tax collector; the Lord's ineffable love, and the extraordinary stupidity of the Jews?² Did you see how blessed Matthew instructed us all, by the way he responded promptly, by the way he gave evidence of such a remarkable transformation, ...

Homily 55

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pp. 107-118

Yesterday [479] the beginning of the good man's journey instructed us sufficiently on the extent of his sound values, on account of which God judged him worthy of such a wonderful promise. Buoyed up further by his request and the prayer he offered to the God of all, he provided us all with adequate instruction, ...

Homily 56

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pp. 119-132

Yesterday [486] we digressed from the love Jacob showed for Rachel to the love of Paul, and, after learning the extent of his desire for Christ, we were unable to return to the theme of our sermon, as though swept away by some extremely powerful torrent. ...

Homily 57

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pp. 133-153

Today [494] we must give you, dearly beloved, what was left over yesterday so that you may come to discover both the care God showed to Jacob and the godly attitude of the good man, and so imitate the man's virtue.² I mean, it was not without purpose that the grace of the Spirit caused these stories to be recorded; ...

Homily 58

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pp. 154-165

I realize [506] that you were wearied yesterday by the sermon's being taken to great length. Cheer up, though; your labor was not in vain: it was done in the Lord, and even the slightest exertion on his account brings great rewards. You see, even if the body is weary, still the soul is further strengthened. ...

Homily 59

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pp. 166-176

Yesterday [513] you saw the extraordinary love of the common Lord of all, the disciples' common sense, and the unresponsiveness of the Jews.² You saw with how much forbearance he checked their shameful endeavor, making excuses for the disciples and demonstrating that those who wished to exert the full force of the Law ...

Homily 60

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pp. 177-185

Home now, [520] today too, if you don't mind, let us pick up the theme of our words of the day before yesterday, and thus once more propose to you the instruction from the sequel. Even yesterday as well, in fact, Jacob's story was sufficient to provide us with instruction about God's intense care for him ...

Homily 61

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pp. 186-197

Once more [525] I want to bring you to the customary table, and by picking up the sequence of what was said the day before yesterday lay before you this spiritual banquet from what was read just now. You see, what was read today is sufficient to teach us how great the harm of envy, ...

Homily 62

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pp. 198-211

The day [532] before yesterday the story about Joseph gave us adequate instruction on the harm caused by envy and how this deadly passion first destroys the soul nourishing it. You saw how Joseph's brothers, constrained by the impulse of this passion, forgot even the bonds of kinship ...

Homily 63

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pp. 212-223

We [540] want today to present to you, dearly beloved, the remainder of what was said to you yesterday and resume the story of Joseph. You realize, of course, that since the sermon yesterday went beyond proper limits we were unable to go on further, but, rather, called a halt at the point where he was cast into prison by the chief cook ...

Homily 64

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pp. 224-242

Are [547] you ready today, too, for us to deal with the story of Joseph and see how this remarkable man, after being given charge of the whole of Egypt, brought comfort to everyone from the intelligence with which he was endowed? "He left Pharaoh's presence;' the text says, remember, "and travelled throughout the entire land of Egypt. ...

Homily 65

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pp. 243-254

You [558] saw from what was told you yesterday Joseph's sound values and the unspeakable long-suffering he demonstrated in regard to his brothers, not only by recalling nothing of what had been done to him but also by urging and advising them as they were on the point of returning to their father not to blame one another ...

Homily 66

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pp. 255-264

Home now [566] today let us bring to a close the story about Jacob and see what the arrangements were that he made at the point of dying. Let no one, however, have regard to the present situation in requiring of good people of that time the attitude thought proper for believers today; ...

Homily 67

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pp. 265-278

The [571] day before yesterday I promised to bring to a close Jacob's story, but although our sermon had become protracted, we were not able to put the promise completely into effect. Hence, I intend today to draw to your attention what we left uncompleted on that occasion the other day so as now to bring it to a close this way, God willing. ...

Indices