Homilies on Luke

Homily 36. Luke 17.20-21, 33

HOMILY 36 Luke I7· 20- 2I, 33 On the passagefrom, "Mlhoever wishes to save his life will lose it, " up to the point where it says, "The Kingdom ofGod is within you. " ESUS SAYS, "Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it. And, whoever loses it will save it."1The martyrs seek "to save their souls.'" They lose their lives to save their souls. But those who wish to save their soulswithoutlosing their lives lose "both their bodies and their souls in Gehenna."3 Hence,jesus says, "Do notfear those who can kill the body, but fear rather him who can destroy soul and body in Gehenna."4 We can say something on this topic, according to the ability of our intelligence. "But the animal man does not receive things that are spiritual,"5 and hence cannot be saved. "The animal body is sown; the spiritual body rises."6Moreover, "one who clings to the Lord" is made "one spirit.'" Hence, if "one who is joined to the Lord"8when he was animal, is turned thereby into a spiritual being and "is one spirit,,,gwe too should lose our lives, to adhere to the Lord and be transformed into one spirit. 2. But the Pharisees also asked the Saviorabout the Kingdom ofGod, "when it would come. "10 He answered, "The Kingdom ofGod does notcome through watching. And they do not say, 'See, here! ' or 'See, there!' For the Kingdom of God is within yoU."l1 The Savior does not say to everyone, "The Kingdom of 1. Lk1 7·33· 2. The meaning ofthe word Origen uses shifts between "soul" in the philosophical sense (i.e., as distinct from "body") and "life," a more Biblical sense. 3. Mt 10.28. 4. Mt 10.28. 5. 1 Cor 2.14. 6.1 Cor 15.44. 7.1Cor6.17· 8.1Cor6.17· 9· 1 Cor 6.17. 10. Lk 17.20. 11. Lk 17.20-21. 151 152 ORIGEN God is within you." For, in sinners, the kingdom of sin exists. Without any ambiguity, either the Kingdom of God reigns in our hearts, or the kingdom of sin. For this reason, we should attentively ponder what we do and speak and think. Then we shall see whether the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of sin reigns in us. The Apostle knew that this difference existed. He warns some people and says, "Let sin not reign in your mortal bodies.'>12 3. Ifany ofus longs for the Kingdom ofGod, God reigns over him. If anyone is tortured by the passion of avarice, avarice reigns over him. One who is just has justice as his ruler. One who is carried along by desire for empty glory has the fickle breeze of popularity reigning over him. Grief, fear, passion, and desirel3each reign over him, as he is in the gripsofdifferent agitations of the mind. Knowing those things, and knowing how many sorts ofkingdoms there are, let us rise Upl4and pray to God that he might take from us the kingdom of the enemy. May we be able to live under the reign ofAlmighty God-that is, under the reign ofwisdom, peace,justice, and truth. IS All of these are comprehended in the Only-Begotten Son ofGod, to whom is glory and power for ages ofages. Amen. ] 2. Rom 6.] 2. 13. Plato's four affections. 14. Cf. Homs. 12.6 and 39.7. ]5. See Hom. 8.3. These are four titles (EnLvOLm) of Christ. ...