The parable of Lazarus is of great benefit to us, for both the poor and the rich, because it teaches the former to bear his poverty wisely and with equanimity, and does not allow the latter to brag about his wealth. Likewise, it teaches us that the most deplorable person is the one who lives comfortably and no one shares his good things with him.
So today we will touch on the same topic. When those who work in the mines see that there are veins of gold, they continue digging from the same place and do not stop until they extract everything they can find. Let us return to where we left off in our previous conversation in order to complete it. I could have explained this entire proverb in one time. But the important thing is not to say a lot and then leave you. What matters to me is that you can accept and adhere to my words precisely, and gain the ability to retain them in order to realize what brings you spiritual benefit. When a loving mother is about to wean her baby, it is wrong to pour concentrated juice into his mouth at once, as he will spit it out and wet his clothes.(1). But she gently pours the juice into his mouth a little, so that he can swallow what he took without difficulty, just as I do not make you pronounce what I give you. I did not fill you with commandments, but rather divided them for you several times, during which I gave you several days to rest from the burden of continuous listening, and so that what I delivered would be completely adhered to. Keep your mind in love, and accept what I am about to say with a relaxed and active soul.
For this reason also I often announce to you several times in advance the subject about which I am going to speak to you, so that during these days you may occupy yourselves with the book and the study of its passages and learn what has been said and what has not been said, and thus make your minds more ready to learn when you hear what I am then going to say. I never stop begging you not only to pay attention to what I am telling you here, but also to constantly read the Holy Bible in your homes.
When I am with any of you in confession, I never stop giving the same advice. I hope that no one will say to me these useless words that deserve great condemnation: I cannot leave, or I manage business in the city, or I am trained in a craft, or I have a wife, or I am raising children and responsible for a family, or I am a very experienced man. By living and reading the Bible, it is not for me but for those far away who have settled in the mountains and are constantly living this way of life.
what are you saying man? Having many interests makes you not pay enough attention to the Bible. On the contrary, it is more important to you than them. Those who are busy with their work are in greatest need of the Bible. The monks who left the hustle and bustle of life and inhabited the wilderness possessed nothing, but they exercised rule without omission in the stillness of their quiet lives, like someone resting in the harbor enjoying safety. But we are in the middle of the sea, tossed about by its waves, led by many sins, so we always need constant, non-stop help from the Holy Bible. Those who run away from the battle are not injured, but those who stand in the front lines always receive attacks, so they need medicine. For example, your wife provokes you, your son makes you sad, your servant makes you angry, your enemy conspires against you, your friend envies you, your neighbor insults you, your colleague catches you wrong. The ruler’s entourage threatens you, poverty worries you, the loss of your property brings you sadness, success tempts you, misfortune surrounds you, many reasons and pressures discourage you and make you sad, illusions and causes of despair surround you from all sides, many arrows fall on you from everywhere, so we are in... Always needing a protective shield is the Bible and to realize this it is written (Sir 9:13).
For example, the war of the body is more fierce on those who live in the middle of the world. A beautiful face or a wonderful body catches our eye, or shameful expressions penetrate our ears and disturb our thinking, and obscene songs weaken our spiritual interests. Why do I say that? Because there often seems to be indifference to these wars. The scents of perfume wafting from courtesans and seductresses when they pass by us captivate us and take us away as captives of just a passing coincidence. There are many things that besiege us. We need the divine medicine to heal the wounds that have befallen us and to protect us from what could happen to us. We must overcome Satan's attacks and attacks by constantly reading the Bible. It is impossible for any of us to be safe without always taking advantage of opportunities to read the Bible.
In fact, we must be convinced that even if we use this medicine, we will be saved with effort, but if we do not set out daily to use this healing medicine, what hope do we have of salvation? Pray for continued readings in the Bible. Reading the Bible is the greatest way to protect yourself against sins, and ignorance of it is like a great slope or a deep abyss. Not knowing the divine laws is a misguidance and straying from the path of salvation, giving an opportunity for the birth of heresies, and introducing corruption into our lives and establishing it. It is impossible for a person who reads constantly and with interest to come up empty-handed. Look how much one parable has helped us and how much it has benefited our souls. I am fully confident that you will leave here benefiting from what you hear that will remain with you. But if some do not reap these fruits, nevertheless, in one sermon they will become better. It is important that not a day goes by without regretting sin, looking towards heavenly things, and relieving our souls from the concerns of the world. If we do this without neglect in every prayer, then with our continuous listening to sermons, everything that is great and noble will be perfected in us.
Come then, let me explain to you the next part of the parable: What is the next part? When the rich man said, “Send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,” let us hear Abraham’s response: “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things. Now he is comforted, and you are in torment. And besides all this, between us and you a great gulf has been fixed, so that those who would pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there cross over to us.”(2).
This is a hard saying to bear and a great anguish, I know, but the more our consciences are hurt, the more it helps us to feel for those who are hurting. If Abraham had said to us what he said to the rich man while we were in the afterlife, we would honestly have cried and wailed and lamented because there was no more time left for repentance. But since we are hearing these words while we are still in this life, when we can come to our senses, wash away our sins, gain faith, and change ourselves for fear of the dire consequences that have befallen others, let us thank God who has alerted us to our negligence in punishing others and awakened us from our slumber. For this reason, the Lord Christ told us of this in advance so that he would not leave us to suffer the same punishment. If he had wanted to punish us, he would not have told us in advance, but because he did not want to expose us to the punishment of the afterlife, for this very reason he told us in advance of the punishment of the afterlife, so that we might learn the meaning of his words and escape the crimes of our actions. But why did Abraham not say, “You have received your goods,” but, “You have received your goods in full.” You remember that I told you how a vast sea of thought had opened up before us. The phrase, “You have received your goods,” signifies and illustrates a kind of indebtedness or obligation to pay, as if one had debts and claims to pay. So, since the rich man was so hateful, hateful, cruel, and inhuman, why did Abraham not say to him, “You have received your goods,” but said to him, “You have received your goods,” as if they were debts due to him? What do we learn from this?
Even if there are some people who are extremely evil, they sometimes do one or two or three good deeds. What I am saying is not just a guess on my part, but it is clear in the Holy Bible, because there is no cruelty greater than the injustice of an unjust judge, nor inhumanity and impiety. This man does not fear God and does not fear man, and despite the fact that he lives in these evils, he did a good thing when he had mercy on the widow who constantly bothered him, so he was fair to her, granted her request, and condemned her opponents.(3)Thus, it is possible for someone to be immoral but often merciful, or inhuman but able to restrain himself, or someone who is immoral and also cruel but still sometimes able to do something good in his life. And we should also expect the same for good people, for just as the worst people sometimes do something good, so also those who are good often have weaknesses, for it is written: “Whoever says, ‘I have made my heart pure,’ I am cleansed from my sin.”(4).
So if the rich man had reached the highest degree of evil, it is probable that he had done something good, and even Lazarus, though he had reached the pinnacle of goodness, had committed some small sins. Remember how the Father of the Fathers pointed to both of them, “My son, remember that you received your good things in your lifetime, and likewise Lazarus evil things.” For even if you had done something good, you received its reward and received these things in the world, a comfortable life, riches, enjoyment of luxury and great wealth. And if this man (Lazarus) had committed something, he received his reward of suffering poverty, hunger and evils. Each of you has arrived here completely stripped and naked, he of his sins, you of your good works. For this reason he is now being comforted, and you are receiving unbearable torment.
When our good deeds are simple and insignificant, and the volume of our sins is very large, and we enjoy prosperity and prosperity in this life and do not suffer from any troubles, then we will certainly leave this life naked and dispossessed, for we have taken in exchange for the good things and received our money in this life. Likewise, when our good deeds are many and numerous, and our sins are simple and small, and we suffer calamities, then we get rid of these small sins in this life and deserve the pure reward prepared for us for our good deeds in the afterlife. Therefore, if you see someone living in evil and at the same time not suffering from any troubles in his life, do not consider him lucky, but rather cry for him and mourn because he has to bear all the afflictions (judgment) in the afterlife, just like this rich man. Also, if you see someone devoting himself to the virtues and practicing them but suffering many tribulations, consider him lucky and envy him because all his sins have been dispelled in this life, and he has a great reward prepared for him in the afterlife for his endurance, just like what happened to Lazarus.
Some people are punished only in this life, others do not suffer any trouble here but receive their punishment in the afterlife, and there are also those who are punished here and in the afterlife. Which of these three do you consider lucky? I am quite confident that in first place are those who receive their punishment here and are cleansed of their sins. Who is next in second place? You may think that they are those who do not suffer from anything here but bear their punishment in the afterlife. But I say no, not these, but they are the ones who will be punished here and in the afterlife. Because whoever pays part of his punishment will receive a less severe punishment, but whoever is forced to bear all of his punishment in the afterlife will not receive any mercy just like this rich man, because he has not been cleansed of any of his sins here, so He was punished so severely that he could not get even a small drop of water. More than all of them are those who sin but do not suffer any trouble here. I am sad for those who are not punished here and also live in luxury and lack of need. Thus, failure to fulfill part of the punishment for sins here makes the judgment in the afterlife burdensome. Likewise, sinful pleasures, the pleasure of self-desires, luxury, and luxury become reasons for greater punishment for sinners.
When God gives us sinners honor here, it becomes a certain fact that we will be cast into a blazing fire in the afterlife. He who does not benefit from God’s vast mercies will be severely punished. He who has the highest honor and is bestowed with mercies and longsuffering from God, and yet continues in his evil deeds, who will save him from punishment for this? The proof that those who enjoy God’s mercies and longsuffering here will reap the dire consequences for themselves in the afterlife is that we do not repent here. Let us hear what Paul said: “Do you think, O man, that you judge those who practice such things, and you yourself do them, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His kindness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? But because of your hardness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of God’s righteous judgment.”(5).
Therefore, when you see people living in wealth and luxury, smelling of perfumes, spending their day drinking, and also having power, respect and great position, and yet they still sin despite not suffering any troubles, for this very reason we weep over them and grieve because they have not been punished for their sins. Similarly, if you see a person who is sick with dropsy, or a disease of the spleen, or has chronic ulcers, or many ulcers all over his body, and despite that he still drinks and indulges in his lusts and increases his illness, do not be affected by him and do not think that he is happy because of his luxurious life, but grieve over him for this same reason. And this view also applies to the soul. When you see an evil person living in great comfort and without suffering any tribulations, then weep over him for this same reason, because despite his being afflicted with a serious illness and ulcers, by indulging in lusts and pleasures he increases his illness and becomes worse. Punishment is not harmful, but sin is harmful. The latter separates us from God, but the former brings us closer to God and dispels His wrath against us. How do we know this? Let us hear what the prophet said: “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak softly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”(6)And in another place he says: “O Lord, grant us peace, for all our works you have done for us.”(7)And so that we may know that there are those who are punished here and others in the hereafter, and some are punished here and in the hereafter, let us listen to what the Apostle Paul said when he accused those who partake of the holy mysteries unworthily when he said: “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord,” and he immediately added: “For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and many sleep. For if we judged ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”(8).
Did you see that the punishment here will save us from the torment of the judgment of the hereafter? And the apostle also speaks about the sin of adultery, saying: “That such a one should be delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”(9)This is also evident in the parable of Lazarus. If he had committed any sin, he would have been cleansed of it in his life, and would depart this life to the afterlife completely pure. This is also evident in the story of the paralytic, who remained ill for thirty-eight years. The length of his illness had cleansed him of his sins. The evidence that he was in this state because of his sins is what the Lord Christ said: “Here you are made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”(10)From this phrase it is clear that some people are punished in this life and are saved from their sins, and some are punished here and in the hereafter if they did not receive sufficient punishment according to the magnitude of their sins. The evidence for this is what the Lord Christ said about the people of Sodom: “And whoever does not receive you, go out of that city, and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”(11)And he continued, saying: “And I say to you that it will be more tolerable for Sodom in that day than for that city.”(12)His statement that it is more likely indicates that they will be punished, but their punishment will be less severe because they have fulfilled their punishment in this life. Some people do not suffer any trouble here but will have to bear all their punishment during their judgment in the afterlife. We learn from the story of this rich man who endured endless torment in the afterlife and did not receive even forgiveness because all of his punishment was reserved for him for the afterlife.
Among the sinners there are some who do not suffer any trouble here, and they will be delivered up to great punishment in the afterlife. Also, there are some righteous ones who suffer trouble here, and they will enjoy great honor and glory in the afterlife. For example, if there are two sinners, one of whom is punished here and the other is not, the one who is punished here is happier than the one who is not. Likewise, if there are two righteous ones, one of whom has endured much trouble and the other less, the one who has endured much trouble is happier. “Then He will recompense each one according to his deeds.”(13). Then one of you may ask, is there no one who enjoys comfort here and in the hereafter? No, man… This is impossible. For it is absolutely impossible that there should be in this world one who enjoys a comfortable life and is free from need, and who constantly satisfies his desires in every way and lives a foolishly reckless life – it is impossible – that he should be honored in the hereafter. For he who is not afflicted with poverty, desires (lusts) worry him and become a source of fatigue and pain for him. He who is not threatened by illness, his temper increases and he needs an extraordinary struggle to overcome his anger. He who is not tested by temptations, evil thoughts attack him. It is no small task to curb foolish desires, to abolish false glory, to curb rashness, and to cease extravagance. He who does not do these and other things cannot be saved. And as the Scripture testifies that those who live a luxurious life cannot be saved, let us hear what Paul said about widows: “But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.”(14)If this saying was said about the widowed woman, it applies even more to the man. The Lord Christ made it clear that the one who lives a life of luxury is not able to reach heaven when he said: “For narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life.”(15)One of you may wonder how then he said, “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”(16)For if the gate is narrow and the way is strait, how can he also say that it is easy and light? He says that the nature of the trials themselves is one thing, but the will and desire of those who pass through them is another. It is possible that even things that are by nature unbearable become easy if we accept them with desire, just like the apostles who were flogged severely and returned rejoicing, “And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.”(17)Indeed, the nature of torture usually brings pain and distress, but the will of those who were flogged and tortured triumphed even over the nature of the pain of suffering, and that is why Paul says: “And all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”(18). So if people are persecuting us and the devil is declaring war on us, we need a lot of wisdom, perseverance, dignity and vigilance in prayer. Do not covet what others have, but distribute what we have to the needy, renounce and reject extravagance whether in clothing or food, avoid greed, drunkenness and malice, control our speech, and stay away from licentious and unbecoming love “let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice”(19)Let us refrain from jokes and shameful talk, and this requires no small effort. In order to avoid these things and learn how difficult it is to live wisely and balanced, and how easy it is to live a life of laxity, hear what Paul said: “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection.”(20)When he said this, he indicated the extent of the strength and struggle with which those who suppress their bodies in everything must behave. And the Lord Christ also said to his disciples: “In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”(21). He said that distress will lead to relief.
The present life is but a wrestling ring, in which wrestlers wrestle, and he who wants to be crowned with victory cannot enjoy relaxation, so he who wants to win the crown must choose the hard and struggling life. Thus, after struggling for a short time in this life, he will enjoy eternal glory in the life to come. How many punishments do we face every day? How much does the soul need to stop being impatient and dissatisfied… and to give thanks, glory, and praise to God who has allowed these trials to pass us by? How many unexpected hardships arise? We must resist evil thoughts, and not allow our tongue to utter a single wrong word, just like the righteous Job, who, while suffering many afflictions, continued to give thanks continually.
If some people stumble, are slandered, or fall ill with a chronic disease such as gout, headache, or any of these diseases, they immediately begin to complain, surrendering themselves to the pain of the disease, thus depriving themselves of the benefit of enduring the disease. What are you doing, human? Do you murmur against your Creator, who has been good to you, your Savior, your Preserver, and your Guardian? Don't you see that by doing this you are dropping yourself off a cliff and throwing yourself into the destruction of Hell?
Will this complaining ease your pain?! In fact, you are adding to your pain and making your distress heavier. Satan brings many calamities for this same goal until he drops you into this pit. If he sees you complaining, he will be pleased and increase your suffering. The more he pricks you with pain, the more you despair again, but if he sees you bearing courageously, and the more you suffer, the more you give thanks to God, then he lifts his siege of you immediately, realizing that his siege of you has become useless.
When a dog sits at the table, if he sees that the person he is eating is constantly throwing food scraps from the table at him, he will remain persistently, but if he comes to the table once or twice and does not receive anything, he will stay away after that and know that it is of no use. The same applies to Satan. He is constantly hovering around us, and if you say words of complaint to him (just as you say words of complaint to a dog), he will seize them and attack you again. However, if you use patience and continue thanking God, then you will drive him away and turn him away from you. But you may say that I cannot remain silent if misfortune befalls me. I certainly do not prevent you from shouting, but give thanks instead of complaining, praise instead of despair, confess to the Lord, cry out to Him in your prayers, cry out to Him aloud, glorifying the Lord, and in this way your ordeal will be lessened, and as a result of your thanks, the devil will turn back and you will receive help from God. However, if you complain, you will be kept away from any help from God, and His anger against you will increase, and you will involve yourself in more suffering. However, if you thank Him, you will expel all of Satan’s evil plots from you, and you will gain God’s care and protection for you.
However, the tongue, as a matter of habit, often begins to utter such wrong words. If it begins, and before it utters these words, bite it forcefully with your teeth, for it is better for your tongue to have blood flowing from it now than to crave a drop of water later to comfort it and not be able to do so. He obtains it, and it is better for the tongue to bear temporary pain than to suffer afterward the torment of eternal punishment, just as the rich man’s tongue was burned and he was unable to obtain anything that would alleviate his pain.
Do you disobey God who loves you? God commands you to love your enemies, and He commands you to do good to those who hate you, and to bless those who curse you(22). Would you blame your Maker and Preserver if you had no troubles? You say: Wasn't he able to spare me this experience? But he allowed it in order to polish your character and make it better, but you say: But look, you have fallen and perished. This is not because of the nature of the experience, but because of your negligence. Tell me, which is easier: complaining or thanking? Doesn't complaining bring you the hatred of your listeners because you push them into despair and frustration, and cause them a lot of anxiety and sadness? But thanksgiving gives you many crowns of wisdom, admiration from everyone, and a great reward from God. Why, then, do you neglect what is beneficial, easy, and joyful, and instead pursue what is harmful, painful, and destructive? Moreover, if the experience of need and poverty is the reason for complaining, then all those needy and poor people complain, but in reality, many of those who live in extreme poverty constantly give thanks, while others who enjoy wealth and prosperity do not stop complaining. So this is not due to the nature of our external circumstances, but it is our choice. Either we choose to complain, or we choose to be thankful. For this reason too, we must read this parable in order to learn that wealth does not benefit the negligent person, nor does poverty harm the striving person. But why do I only mention poverty? For even if all human evils were to gather, they would never destroy the soul of a wise person who loves God, nor would they convince him to desist from virtues, and Lazarus is the best example of that.
Moreover, a frivolous and immoral person will never be able to benefit from wealth, health, lasting prosperity, or anything else. Therefore, we say that poverty, illness, and the imminence of danger do not force us to complain. It is not poverty but foolishness, not illness but heedlessness, and not the imminence of danger but idleness that leads these heedless people to complaining and to all other evils.
One of you may ask, but why are some people punished here, while others are punished in the afterlife, and do not receive any punishment here at all? Because if everyone were punished here. We were all going to perish, because we were all deserving of punishment. On the other hand, if no one is punished here then all people will become indifferent, and many will say that there is no divine punishment. For though they now see many sinners being punished here, yet they speak such words of complaint: and if it were not so, why should they not speak thus, and how evil would they be? For this reason, God punishes some here and does not punish others. He punishes those who desist from evil, making their punishment in the afterlife lighter, or even pardoning them completely. By punishing these people, He also corrects those who live in evil. On the other hand, He does not punish others so that if they return to themselves and regret God’s kindness to them, they may be saved and exempt from punishment here and in the afterlife. But if they persist in their evil deeds and resist God’s forgiveness, they may endure greater torment because of their great contempt. One of those who claim knowledge may say that punishing these people is unfair because they may repent, but we say that if God knew foreknowledge that they would repent, He would not have punished them, because if He were to leave those whom He knew would continue in their mistakes and not punish them in this life, then all the rest who He will leave them to the punishment of the present life, knowing that they will work to benefit from His patience and kindness towards them. They may exploit this to postpone and postpone their repentance, but the reality of the matter is that He is punishing them in advance. This makes their punishment in the afterlife lighter, and also by punishing them, he improves the affairs of others.
But why does He not do this with all sinners? Because waiting in fear of impending evil and fear of the punishment that befell others, may make them become better, thank God for His patience with them, and appreciate His kindness to them, and stop their sins. One may say, but they may never do this. This does not mean that we blame God, but we blame their own negligence, for they were not prepared to avail themselves of this powerful remedy for their salvation. And that we may know that this is His wisdom, listen: When some came and told Christ about Pilate who had mixed the blood of the Galileans whom he had killed with the blood of their sacrifices, Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all the Galileans, because they suffered? No, I say to you. But except you repent, you will all likewise perish.” And on another occasion He said the same thing about the eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell. For he said: “Do you think that these were greater sinners than all who dwell in Jerusalem? No, I say to you. But unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”(23). Thus, he made it clear that the living also deserve the same punishment. But God allowed these people to suffer this so that when the living saw what happened to others, they would be terrified and repent, and they might become heirs to the kingdom of God.
What?! One of you is wondering: Should someone be punished to make me become better? No, not for this reason, because he is punished for his sins, but in addition, he becomes a means of salvation for those who are aware of him, and this makes them struggle more in fear of what happened to him.
Masters also do the same thing. Usually, when they beat one of the servants and make others behave well for fear of punishment, you may see people suffering from loss, or having their homes destroyed, or burning to death, or being swept away by the flood of the river, or losing their lives in any of these cruel ways, and then you see others committing the same sins. Perhaps more of them, but they do not suffer any problems.
Don't let this confuse your thoughts, saying: Why, when they commit the same sins, do they not suffer the same consequences? But take into consideration that God allows a person to wither to death, thus preparing for him a lighter punishment in the afterlife, or even pardoning him completely. But he does not allow another person to suffer from anything like this in order to restore his awareness by seeing the punishment that befell this person so that he has the opportunity to become for the better. But if he continues the same sins, he will incur endless punishment for his negligence, and we cannot blame God for punishing him with this unbearable punishment.
Also, you may see a righteous person suffering from adversity or even all the troubles we mentioned, and do not pity him, because his troubles will provide him with shining crowns.
In short, if punishment occurs to sinners, it reduces the burden of sins on them, and if it occurs to the righteous, it rejoices their souls. Therefore, enduring hardship is of great benefit to each of them, provided that they bear it with gratitude, and this is what is required. For this reason, history in the Bible is filled with many such examples, and we see that all of the righteous suffer hardships. Therefore, whether a person is righteous or evil, he must pay attention to these examples and bear his hardships with courage.
The Bible shows us evil people, some of whom were in extreme need, and others who were in prosperity, but do not be deceived by their wealth, since you know from what happened to the rich man, what fires await them in the afterlife if they do not change their path. One of you may wonder: Is it not possible to enjoy comfort neither here nor in the afterlife? No, this is not possible because the righteous lives the life of a struggler.
Someone says: What about Abraham? Haven't many suffered afflictions? Wasn't he far from his homeland? Wasn't he separated from his clan? Didn't he endure hunger in a strange land? Did he not wander and travel constantly from Babylon to Mesopotamia and from there to Palestine and from there to Egypt? What does a person say about his separation from his wife? And his war with the Berbers, and the killing and captivity of his relatives and family. And many other difficulties? And when he received his son, did he not endure the utmost of all the ordeals that he could bear when he was ordered to sacrifice his beloved son whom he had waited for so long with his own hands?
What about Isaac himself, the victim? Wasn’t he persecuted by his neighbors, didn’t he lose his wife, and wasn’t he deprived of children – like his father – for a long time?
And what about Jacob? He who was brought up in his father’s house, but did not he endure more burdensome troubles than his grandfather? We will not recount everything about him so as not to prolong the subject. Listen to what he said about his whole life: “The days of the years of my pilgrimage were a hundred and thirty years. Few and evil were the years of my life, and they did not attain to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage” (Gen. 47:9). Then, after seeing his son sitting on the royal throne enjoying glory, would he forget the troubles of the past? Although he was afflicted with many calamities, even in this prosperity he did not forget the troubles that he had gone through.
What about David? How many trials did he endure? Didn’t he sing like Jacob: “The days of our years are seventy years, and though they be for strength they are eighty years, yet their glory is labor and affliction” (Psalm 90:10).
What about Jeremiah? Didn’t he curse the day of his birth because of the succession of calamities, saying: “Cursed is the day on which I was born; may not the day on which my mother bore me be blessed” (Jeremiah 20:14)?
What about Moses himself? Didn’t he say in his displeasure: “If you treat me like this, then kill me.”(24).
What about Elijah? Who was taken up to heaven and the gates of heaven were opened for him, did he not continue to mourn and lament after many miracles, saying: “It is enough, now O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.”(25).
Why do I mention each of these stories? Paul gathered them all together, pondered them, and said: “They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, mistreated; of whom the world was not worthy.”(26).
In short, it is necessary for those who hope for the pleasure of God and to be purified to become acceptable, not to live a life of laxity, negligence, laxity, and indulgence in lusts, but to live a life of struggle, toil, and sweat, in order to obtain crowns, as Paul said: “And again, if anyone strives, he is not crowned unless he strives lawfully.”(27).
In another place he says: “And everyone who strives controls himself in everything.”(28)In speech and sight, refraining from shameful words, cursing, blasphemy and obscenities, we learn from Paul’s words that even if temptations do not come to us from outside, we must train ourselves every day in fasting, abstinence, simple food and frugality, avoiding extravagance, otherwise we will not please God. Oh, let no one tell me these words, “So-and-so has all things good in every way.”
This cannot be for those who have wealth and luxury along with sin. But if it is possible to say this about anyone, we say it about these afflicted and distressed people, for they are the ones who have all the good things in both this life and the next. They will have all the wonderful things in the next life when they enjoy their reward, and they will have all the wonderful things in this life, when they live with the hope of the wonderful things they will have in the afterlife.
They do not care about the present troubles and look forward to the wonderful things to come. But let us listen to what Abraham said: “Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed.”(29)And David said well: “A brother will not redeem a man, nor give God an atonement for him.”(30). For this is impossible whether you are a brother, a father, or a son. Look, Abraham called the rich man “my son” even though he was not yet able to fulfill the duties of a father, and the rich man called Abraham “my father” even though he was not yet able to enjoy the fatherly affection that a son expects.
This teaches us that neither kinship, nor love, nor kindness, nor anything else can help a person lost by life. I say this because when we advise many people to pay attention to themselves and be sober, they do not pay attention to the advice and ridicule it, saying: You will take care of me on this day. I am confident of this and not afraid. Others say that my father is a martyr, others say that my grandfather is a bishop, and others cite all their family members as martyrs, but all these claims are useless, as the righteousness of some cannot help us or represent us on that day. Remember those five virgins who did not share their oil with them with the other five. The first ones went in with the bridegroom, but the last ones remained outside.(31).
The greatest thing is to have hope of salvation through your own good works, because there will never be a friend who will bear with us in the afterlife, and that is why the Lord said to Jeremiah: “And you, do not pray for this people.”(32). Even here, they still have the possibility of changing their ways. Rather, he will say the same thing in the afterlife.
What do you say?! Your father is a martyr. This fact will condemn you even more, because even if there is an example of righteousness in your house, do you not consider yourself unworthy of your father’s righteousness? Do you have a loyal and honorable friend? He will not be able to bear or replace you on this day. What did God say, “Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when you fail, they may receive you into eternal dwellings.”(33). It is not friendship that will guarantee you and bear witness to you, but charity.
If friendship alone could bear witness for you, there would be no need for him to say simply, “Make yourselves friends.” But thus he makes it clear to us that friendship alone does not bear witness for us, and he adds with the money of unrighteousness, for perhaps someone will say, I can make friends without money, and a true friend is not really money. But in order to teach you that it is your almsgiving and your good works that bear witness for you, he urges you to have confidence not in the friendship of the saints, but in the friendship that you get with money.
Now, my beloved, since you have learned all these things, let us pay close attention to ourselves. If punishment befalls us, let us be thankful; if we live in prosperity and comfort, let us be careful, remembering in our souls the punishment that befell others, always giving thanks, with constant repentance, regret, and confession. If we have transgressed and violated everything in this present life, let us cast off sin and conquer Satan from our lives with all zeal, and let us ask God to make us worthy, if we leave this life, to go not where the rich man was, but where Lazarus was, so that we may enjoy the bosom of the Father of Fathers and be happy in eternal glories.
I wish we could all achieve this, with the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ. To Him be glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, Amen.
(1) Homer Iliad 9:491.
(2) Luke 16:24-26
(3) if. 2:18-5
(4) Proverbs 9:20
(5) Romans 3:2-5
(6) Isaiah 40:1,2
(7) Isaiah 12:26
(8) 1 Corinthians 11:27-32
(9) 1 Corinthians 5:5
(10) John 4:5
(11) Luke 5:9
(12) Luke 12:10
(13) Matthew 27:16
(14) 1 Timothy 6:5
(15) Matthew 14:7
(16) Matthew 3:11
(17) Acts 41:5
(18) 2 Timothy 3:12
(19) Ephesians 31:4
(20) 1 Corinthians 9:27
(21) John 33:16
(22) Luke 6:27,28
(23) Psalm 89:10
(24) Numbers 15:11
(25)1 Kings 4:19
(26) Hebrews 37:11
(27) 2 Timothy 2:5
(28) 1 Corinthians 9:25
(29) Luke 26:16
(30) Psalm 49:7
(31) Matthew 1:25-13
(32) Jer 16:7
(33) Luke 9:16