No real delay, self-indulgence the cause of unpreparedness. 1029 XXIV. 50. 51. even though the Lord tarry, O wretched man, surely thou MATT. lookest that He will come. Why then dost thou not take care? Hence then we learn, that He doth not so much as tarry. For this judgment is not the Lord's, but that of the evil servant's mind, wherefore also he is blamed for this. For in proof that He doth not tarry, hear Paul saying, 'The Lord1 Phil. is at hand, be careful for nothing; and, He that cometh will 'Heb. come, and will not tarry. But do thou hear also what followeth, and learn how continually He reminds them of their ignorance of the Day, shewing that this is profitable to the servants, and fitted to waken and thoroughly to rouse them. For what though some gained nothing hereby? For neither by other things profitable for them were some profited, but nevertheless He ceaseth not to do His part. 4, 5. 6. 10, 37. What then is the purport of that which followeth ? For v.50.51. He shall come in a day when he looketh not for Him, and in an hour that he is not aware of; and shall inflict upon him extreme punishment. Seest thou how even every where He puts this, the fact of their ignorance, indicating that it was profitable, and by this making them always earnest minded? For this is the point at which He labours, that we should be always on the watch; and since it is always in luxury that we are supine, but in afflictions we are braced up, therefore every where He saith this, that when there is relaxation, then come the terrors. And as further back He shewed this by the example of Noah, even so here He saith it is, when that servant is drunken, when he is beating, and that his punishment shall be intolerable. For But let us not regard only the punishment appointed for him, but let us look to this other point too, lest we ourselves also be unawares to ourselves doing the same things. to this servant are they like, who have money, and give not to the needy. For thou too art steward of thine own possessions, not less than he who dispenses the alms of the Church. As then he has not a right to squander at random and at hazard the things given by you for the poor, since they were given for the maintenance of the poor; even so neither mayest thou squander thine own. For even though thou hast received au inheritance from thy father, and hast in this way LXXVII. 1030 What we earn or inherit is yet God's trust for HOMIL. all thou possessest: even thus all are God's. And then thou for thy part desirest that what thou hast given should be thus carefully dispensed, and thinkest thou not that God will require His own of us with greater strictness, or that He suffers them to be wasted at random? These things are not, they are not so. Because for this end, He left these things in thine hand, in order to give them their meat in due season. But what meaneth, in due season? To the needy, the hungry. For like as thou gavest to thy fellow-servant to dispense, even so doth the Lord will thee too to spend these things on what is needful. Therefore though He was able to take them away from thee, He left them, that thou mightest have opportunity to shew forth virtue; that bringing us into need one of another, He might make our love for one another more fervent. to But thou, when thou hast received, so far from giving, dost even beat. And yet if not to give be blame, what excuse is there for beating? But this, it seems to me, He speaks, hinting at the insolent, and the covetous, and indicating the charge to be heavy, when they beat them, whom they were commanded to feed. [5] But He seemeth to be here hinting also at those that live in luxury, since for luxury too there is laid up a great punishment. For He eateth and drinketh, it is said, with the drunken, pointing at gluttony. For not for this purpose didst thou receive, that thou should spend it on luxury, but that thou shouldest lay it out on alms. What! are they thine own things which thou hast? With the goods of the poor hast thou been entrusted, though thou be possessed of them by honest labour, or though it be by inheritance from thy father. What, could not God have taken away these things from thee? But He doth not this, to give thee power to be liberal to the poor. But mark thou, I pray thee, how throughout all the parables He punishes them that lay not out their money upon the needy. For neither had the virgins robbed other men's goods, but they had not given their own; neither had he that buried the one talent embezzled, but he had not doubled; neither are they that overlooked the hungry punished, because they seized the possessions of others, but because they did not lay out their own, like as also this servant. Sin of vain and selfish expenditure. 1031 XXIV. Let us hearken, as many as please the belly, as many as MATT. lay out on costly banquets the riches that pertain not at all 50. 51. to us, but belong to the needy. For do not, because out of great love to man thou art commanded to give as of thine, therefore suppose these things to be indeed thine own. He lent them to thee, that thou mightest be able to approve thyself. Do not then suppose them to be thine, when giving Him His own. For neither, if thou hadst lent to any one, that he might go and be able to find means of gain, wouldest thou say the money was his. To thee then also hath God given, that thou mightest traffic for Heaven. Make not then the exceeding greatness of His love to man a cause of ingratitude. Consider of what prayer it were a worthy object, to be able to find after Baptism a way to do away one's sins. If He had not said this, Give alms, how many would have said, Would it were possible to give money, and so be freed from the ills to come! But since this hath become possible, again are they become supine. "But I give," thou sayest. And what is this? Thou hast not yet given as much as she, who cast in the two mites; or rather not so much as the half, nor a very small part of what she gave, but thou layest out the greater part on useless expenses, on banquets, and drunkenness, and extreme extravagance; now bidding, now bidden; now spending, now constraining others to spend; so that the punishment is even rendered twofold for thee, both from what thyself doest, and what thou movest others to do. See at any rate how He Himself blames His servant for this. For he eateth, He saith, and drinketh with the drunken. For not the drunken only, but those that are with them, doth He punish, and very fitly, because (together with corrupting their own selves) they make light also of the salvation of others. But nothing does so much provoke God, as for us to be inclined to overlook the things that concern our neighbour. Wherefore shewing His anger, He commands him to be cut asunder. Therefore He also affirmed love to be a distinguishing mark of His disciples, since it is altogether necessary, that he who loveth should take thought for the things of his beloved. HOMIL. LXXVII. 1032 Good works that do good to others are the best. To this way then let us hold, for this is especially the way that leads up to Heaven, which renders men followers of Christ, which makes them, as far as possible, like God. See at any rate how these virtues are more needful, which have their dwelling by this way. And, if ye will, let us make an enquiry into them, and let us bring forth the sentences from the judgment of God. Let there be then two ways of most holy life, and let the one secure the goodness of him that practises it, but the other of his neighbour also. Let us see whether is the more approved and leads us to the summit of virtue. Surely he, who seeks his own things only, will receive even from Paul endless blame, and when I say from Paul, I mean from Christ, but the other commendations and crowns. Whence is this evident? Hear what His language is to one, what 11 Cor. to the other. Let no man seek his own, but every man 10, 24. another's wealth. Seest thou he rejects the one, and brings in the other? Again, Let every one of you please his neighbour for good to edification. Then comes also the praise 2 Rom. beyond words with an admonition, For even Christ pleased 15, 2. 3. not Himself. Even these judgments then are sufficient to shew the victory; but that this may be done even superabundantly, let us see amongst good works, which are confined to ourselves, and which pass over from us to others also. Fasting then, and lying on the bare ground, and keeping virginity, and a self-denying life, these things bring their advantage to the persons themselves who do them; but those that pass from ourselves to our neighbours are almsgiving, teaching, 31 Cor. charity. Hear then Paul in this matter also saying, Though3 13, 3. I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, I am nothing [6.] profited. Seest thou it in itself gloriously celebrated, and crowned ? But if ye be willing, from a third point also let us compare them; and let the one fast, and deny himself, and be a martyr, and be burnt to death, but let another delay his martyrdom for his neighbour's edification; and let him not only delay it, but let him even depart without martyrdom; who will be the more approved after his removal hence? How our Lord bids us shew love to them. 1033 XXIV. We need not have many words, nor a long circumlocution. Matt. For the blessed Paul is at hand, giving his judgment, and 50. 51. saying, To' depart and to be with Christ is better, neverthe- 1 Philip. less to abide in the flesh is more needful for you; even to 1,23.24. his removal unto Christ did he prefer his neighbour's edification. For this is in the highest sense to be with Christ, even to be doing His will, but nothing is so much His will, as that which is for one's neighbour's good. 2 21, 15 17. Wilt thou that I tell thee a fourth proof also of these things? Peter, lovest thou Me, saith He; Feed My sheep: and having John asked him a third time, declared this to be an infallible proof of love. But not to priests only is this said, but to every one of us also, who are also entrusted with a little flock. For do not despise it, because it is a little flock: For My33 Luke 12, 32. Father, He saith, hath pleasure in them. Each of us hath a sheep, let him lead that to the proper pastures. And let the man, as soon as he has risen from his bed, seek after nothing else, but how He may do and say something whereby he may render his whole house more reverent. The woman again, let her be indeed a good housekeeper; but before attending to this, let her have another more needful care, that the whole household may work the works of Heaven. For if in worldly matters, before attending to the affairs of our household, we labour diligently to pay public dues, that we may not for our undutifulness in these matters be beaten and dragged to the market places, and suffer ten thousand unseemly things; much more ought we to do this in things spiritual, and to render what is due to God the King of all, first, that we may not come to that place, where is gnashing of teeth. And after these virtues let us seek, which together with our own salvation will be able in the greatest degree to profit our neighbour. Such is almsgiving, such is prayer, or rather even this latter is by the former made efficacious, and furnished with wings. For thy prayers, it is said, and* Acts 10, 4. thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. But not prayers only, but fasting also hath its strength from hence. Shouldest thou fast without almsgiving; the act is not so much as counted for fasting; but such a one is worse than a gluttonous man and a drunkard; and so much worse, as |