The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (http://images.icon-art.info/main/01300-01399/01318_hires.jpg)
Excerpt from Homily I on Pentecost by St. John Chrysostom (amateur translation)
Earth has become heaven for us today,
not that the stars have descended to earth, but the apostles have
ascended above the heavens, as the grace of the Spirit is poured
forth. He made the world heaven, not by changing nature, but through
correcting the choice. He found a publican, and prepared him to be an
evangelist. He found a blasphemer, and made him an apostle. He found
a thief, and brought him to Paradise. He found a harlot, and made her
more chaste than a virgin. He found magi, and made them into
evangelists. He cast out evil, and brought in virtue, which was
provided for by the grace of God. Earth has become heaven. How is it,
therefore, that I behold the apostles like stars? Stars in heaven,
apostles above heaven. Think on things above, therefore, where Christ
is seated on the right hand of God. Stars from sensible fire,
apostles from spiritual fire. Stars appear at night, but hide during
the day; the apostles, however, night and day shine with their rays.
Stars do not appear when the sun is shining; the apostles, however,
at the shining of the Sun of righteousness, shine with their own
lamps as a result. The stars will fall like leaves at the
resurrection [at the Second Coming of Christ]; the apostles will be
seized by the clouds in the resurrection. Among the stars there are
some dimmer, others brighter; with the apostles, however, none is
dimmer, but all are bright.
By seeing that these apostles are
brighter than the stars, and lights of the world, as we said, we see
that this is not just when they lived, but ever after they have died.
For the grace of the saints is not cut short by death, nor is it
lessened by one's end, nor is it dissolved in the earth, but bears
witness to the reality. They were fishermen, and died fishermen. They
worked with their nets, and the multitude that were saved by them
bear witness. They were workers in the vineyard, and they left it,
and the vine brought forth its leaves, and made fruit. For they were
vine-workers, and fishermen, and pillars, and physicians, and
soldiers, and teachers. They are pillars, for they held up the floor
of the faith. They are harbors, for they drove back the waves of
impiety. They are guides, for they lead the world from earth to
heaven. They are shepherds, for they drove back the wolves, and saved
the cattle. They were vine-workers, for they uprooted the thorns, and
sowed the seeds of piety. They are physicians, for they cured our
wounds. And that you might learn that these words are not folly, I
offer all that Paul has done. Do you wish to see him as a planter? “I
planted, Apollos watered”. (1 Corinthians 3:6) Do you wish to see a
builder? “As a wise architect, I laid a foundation.” (1
Corinthians 3:10) Do you wish to see him as a wrestler? “Therefore
I fight, not as one beating the air.” (1 Corinthians 9:26) Do you
wish to see him as an athlete? “For we are not fighting against
blood and flesh.” (Ephesians 6:12) Do you wish to see him as a
traveler? “Proceeding from Jerusalem all the way around to
Illyricum did I preach the Gospel of God. (Romans 15:19) We were
girded with the breastplate of the faith. Do you wish to see him as a
struggler? “I fought the good fight.” (2 Timothy 4:7) Do you wish
to see him as one who gains a crown? “Therefore is laid for me the
crown of righteousness.” (2 Timothy 4:8) In all things, he truly
made himself an imitator of his Master. And his Master, in essence,
planned all things thus.
Why is this so? For our salvation.
“Become a vine, and there was made a root. I am the vine, you are
the branches. (John 15:5) You wished to walk, and I became for you
the road. (John 14:6) You may enter and exit through me, and find
pasture. Become a sheep, for I became the shepherd for you. I am the
good shepherd, the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. (John
10:9-11) Become a sinner, and I become for you the Lamb of God who
takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29) Do you wish to eat? I
become a table for you. Do you wish to drink? I become a cup for you.
He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and I in him.
(John 6:56) Do you wish to be clothed? I become a garment for you.
All those who have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.
(Galatians 3:27) Do you desire a bride born to you? I become your
Bridegroom. He who has the bride, is the bridegroom. You desired, and
I became man for you." For the pure virgin was betrothed to a man,
while Christ stood by. The harlot was, and became a virgin. O new and
strange things! From outside marriage virginity is dissolved, but
spiritually the harlot received, and was made more chaste than a
virgin. Study, O heretic, how the harlot is a virgin. I am unable to
explain it, but I hold to the faith. All this has been worked by the
grace of the Spirit. The grace was poured out, and appeared to them
divided as tongues as of fire...
Greatly sought after therefore is the
Church of Christ, not made safe with walls, but with walls of the
faith. Through the Church the heaven is made to stand, and the sea is
poured forth, and the air is extended, and the earth is founded,
paradise is planted, the law is given, the prophets were sent forth,
miracles are worked, the abyss is rent and afflicted, the rocks are
separated, and again come together, manna is granted, and they plan
to prepare a table. Through the Church the prophets, through the
Church the apostles. And what more can I say? Through the Church the
only-begotten Son of God became man, as Paul said: “He Who did not
spare His own Son.” (Romans 8:32) The Son is not spared, that the
Church might be spared. The blood of the Son is poured forth through
the Church. It is watered through this blood. Therefore, it is
impossible for the plants to wither, but to give forth leaves. It
does not depend upon the needs of the seasons, nor is it a servant of
the times, in summer bringing forth leaves, and in winter being
naked. It does not have need of seasons, but it is planted by the
Spirit...
Why, therefore, do temptations that
approach the Church not hinder her? Is it not that her power might be
shown? If none warred against her, some could say: “If she were
warred against, she would be defeated.” Because of this she is left
to be warred against, that she might not be deserted of battles and
be ascribed victory. And the gates of hades, as He said, will not
prevail of her, will not overtake her. (Matthew 16:18) They will
fight her, but will not conquer her. The Church is battered by
storms, but does not drown. She faces storms, but does not sink. She
receives arrows, but does not receive wounds. She receives
machinations, but does not catch fire. What therefore can I call the
Church? One word transformed the fisherman, and made him as
unquenchable fire. How many tyrants wished to conquer and make this
word disappear, but were unable? For she is founded upon a rock.
Think of how many tyrants, kings, rulers, drawn swords, teeth of
beasts, dangerous deaths, cauldrons, furnaces [the Church endured].
And though the devil emptied his quiver, the Church was not hurt.
Why? Because the Gates of hades will not overtake her. How many
rulers fought the Church? Where are those who fought her? They have
become silent and forgotten. The Church blossoms. Where is Claudius?
Where is Augustus? Where is Nero? Where is Tiberius? Their names are
small. And none of these is commemorated. Because they fought the
Church, their memory is lost. The Church, however, shines brighter
than the sun. Wherever she proceeds, to the Indians, to the Africans,
to the Britains, to the world, you find “In the beginning was the
Word” (John 1:1), and a virtuous life. Before this, however, cities
were filled with impiety, and now the desert is filled with piety.
Before this princesses danced, as the daughter of Herodias danced for
Herod. Today, handmaidens do not shame themselves through doing this.
Before this, mothers would dissolve their marriage at the throw of a
dice. Today, virginity is worked ascetically. Before this, the
fathers of the Goths shed blood; today they desire to shed their
blood for the faith. Before this were the impious idiots. Today,
pious kings and people. The king to be receives a crown, and receives
a cross, in a timeless age, arrayed with the signs of wisdom, while
inside the church one's kingdom is not recognized. Outside are
spears, and inside are mysteries. Outside are shields, and inside
mystagogies, Theodosios is the son, and the father is Theodosios.
Above these, however, we thank God, to Whom belong the glory and the
kingdom unto the ages of ages. Amen.
For another homily of St. John Chrysostom on Pentecost, see: http://preachersinstitute.com/2010/05/20/sermon-on-the-feast-of-pentecost/.
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
1 comment:
Is this an original translation?
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