Christ carrying His Cross towards Golgotha (source)
Homily III on Repentance, by St. John Chrysostom (amateur translation)
We have written, O beloved, of the
medicines of repentance, that we might hasten to the harbor of
salvation. We have been pierced by sin, let us be healed by
repentance. Through sin the devil pierces, through repentance Christ
heals. He, through sin, is overpowered by the roots of sin, while the
Lord, foreseeing the sin, uprooted it with the axe of repentance.
“Behold” as is written, therefore, “the axe is laid at every
tree. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down, and cast
into the fire.” The devil sowed sin as weeds, Christ, with the
sickle of repentance, did cut the weeds of sin. Sin is an evil thing,
but repentance is a good thing. Let us therefore flee from that to be
feared, and hasten towards that to be desired. Through sin the devil
leads to Gehenna, through repentance Christ leads towards the
Kingdom. Have you sinned? Be silent (hesychason), for it is
not as dangerous to sin, but to remain in sin is evil, for to have an
apology is to be delivered from unforgivable torture.
For as Peter sinned through denial, and
Paul transgressed by persecuting Christ, and David worked adultery
and murder, they became worthy of death. But though as men they
sinned, they repented as saints. Though they were ensnared by the
nets of sin, they shook off the outrage of impiety in the blink of an
eye, and hastened towards repentance, that they might granted the
remission of their offenses. Come, therefore, let us also hasten
towards repentance. And though the devil has burdened us with sin,
the Lord Jesus Christ, Who was born of the holy Virgin Mary, through
repentance lightens the burden of sin by taking it upon Himself.
“Behold,” as it is written, “the lamb of God, Who takes away
the sin of the world.” For the devil placed sin within men, while
the Lord took away sin from men. He gave sin, that men might be lost
on behalf of sin. The Lord took on sin, that He might free human
nature from impropriety. Before the coming of Christ, the devil was
terrible. Before the Cross, sin was unbearable. But the Cross has
ever removed the thorns of sin. The Lord Jesus appears on earth, and
the devil is cast down like lightning from the earth. Behold, as it
is written, “Satan falls from heaven like lightning.”
The death of Christ overpowered the
kingdom of death. For death reigned from Adam until Moses, and upon
those who had not sinned had come the likeness of Adam's
transgression, as a type of things to come. However, after the death
of the Lord, death has become a plaything and a child. Therefore,
after the resurrection of Christ, we who withstood the typhoon of
death say: “O death, where is your sting? O hades, where is your
victory?” Before the Cross, the counsel of the evil one breathed
forth death. After the Cross, after the passion of Christ, behold
priests and women, young people and adolescents, as if trampling upon
grapes, trample upon snakes and scorpions, and upon every power of
the enemy. This I mention, that I might show the fall of sin, and the
power of repentance. Do not become bitter at the thorns of sin
within, nor that your sloth has given birth to sin. Do not condemn
yourself that you have sinned, but punish yourself that you have not
repented. Because of the infirmity of the body that the Lord knows,
He permitted the medical science among men, and made herbs upon the
earth for healing. In like manner, beholding the unsteadiness of the
soul and the wounds of sin, as a defense for souls, granted
repentance, and granted the divine and spiritual books of the ways of
repentance as healing herbs, that each of us might straightaway have
the bandage of healing, fleeing from passion, coming to one's self
through faith. But let our repentance not remain as words alone in
us, for it is improper that repentance appear through words, that the
Church of our Lord Jesus Christ not be formed in reality. Confess
your offenses, O man, redeem yourself from sin, that you might
receive the remission of sin. Be redeemed, accept the free gift of
remission of offenses...
(source)
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
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