When therefore he has placed his hearers above, near the throne, he then says, “Mortify your members which are upon the earth.” For it is not possible to stand above with these members; for there is nothing there for them to work upon. And this clay is worse than that, for that clay indeed becomes gold, “for this corruptible,” he says, “must put on incorruption”, but this clay can never be retempered more. So that these members are rather “upon the earth” than those. Therefore he said not, “of the earth,” but, “which are upon the earth,” for it is possible that these should not be upon the earth. For it is necessary that these should be “upon the earth,” but that those should, is not necessary. For when the ear hears nothing of what is here uttered, but only in the heavens, when the eye sees nothing of what is here, but only what is above, it is not “upon the earth”; when the mouth speaks nothing of the things here, it is not “upon the earth”; when the hand does no evil thing— these are not of things “upon the earth,” but of those in the heavens.
So Christ also says, “If your right eye causes you to stumble,” that is, if you look unchastely, “cut it out”, that is, your evil thought. And he (Paul) seems to me to speak of “fornication, uncleanness, passion, desire” as the same, namely fornication: by means of all these expressions drawing us away from that thing. For in truth this is “a passion”; and like as the body is subject to any affection, either to fever or to wounds, so also is it with this. And he said not Restrain, but “Mortify” (put to death), so that they never rise up more, and “put them away.” That which is dead, we put away; for instance, if there be callosities in the body, their body is dead, and we put it away. Now, if you cut into that which is quick, it produces pain, but if into that which is dead, we are not even sensible of it. So, in truth, is it with the passions; they make the soul unclean; they make the soul, which is immortal, passible.
How covetousness is said to be idolatry, we have oftentimes explained. For the things which do most of all lord it over the human race, are these, covetousness, and unchasteness, and evil desire. “For which things' sake comes,” he says, “the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience.” Sons of disobedience, he calls them, to deprive them of excuse, and to show that it was because they would not be obedient, that they were in that condition. “In the which you also,” he says, “walked aforetime,” and (afterward) became obedient. He points them out as still in them, and praises them, saying, “But now do ye also put away all these, anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking.” But against others he advances his discourse. Under the head of “passion and railing” he means revilings, just as under “wrath” he means wickedness. And in another place, to shame them, he says, “for we are members one of another.” He makes them out to be as it were manufacturers of men; casting away this one, and receiving that. He spoke of a man's “members”; here he says, “all.” He spoke of his heart, wrath, mouth, blasphemy, eyes, fornication, covetousness, hands and feet, lying, the understanding itself, and the old mind. One royal form it has, that, namely, of Christ. They whom he has in view, appear to me rather to be of the Gentiles. For like as earth, being but sand, even though one part be greater, another less, losing its own previous form, does afterwards become gold; and like as wool, of whatever kind it be, receives another aspect, and hides its former one: so truly is it also with the faithful. “Forbearing,” he says, “one another”; he shows what is just. Thou forbearest him, and he you; and so he says in the Epistle to the Galatians, “Bear one another's burdens.” “And be thankful,” he says. For this is what he everywhere especially seeks; the chiefest of good things.
Give we thanks then in all things; whatever may have happened; for this is thankfulness. For to do so in prosperity indeed, is no great thing, for the nature of the circumstances of itself impels one thereto; but when being in extremities we give thanks, then it is admirable. For when, in circumstances under which others blaspheme, and exclaim discontentedly, we give thanks, see how great philosophy is here. First, you have rejoiced God; next, you have shamed the devil; thirdly, you have even made that which has happened to be nothing; for all at once, thou both givest thanks, and God cuts short the pain, and the devil departs. For if you have exclaimed discontentedly, he, as having succeeded to his wish, stands close by you, and God, as being blasphemed, leaves you, and your calamity is heightened; but if you have given thanks, he, as gaining nought, departs; and God, as being honored, requites you with greater honor. And it is not possible, that a man, who gives thanks for his evils should be sensible of them. For his soul rejoices, as doing what is right; immediately his conscience is bright, it exults in its own commendation; and that soul which is bright, cannot possibly be sad of countenance. But in the other case, along with the misfortune, conscience also assails him with her lash; while in this she crowns, and proclaims him.
Nothing is holier than that tongue, which in evils gives thanks to God; truly in no respect does it fall short of that of martyrs; both are alike crowned, both this, and they. For over this one also stands the executioner to force it to deny God, by blasphemy; the devil stands over it, torturing it with executioner thoughts, darkening it with despondencies. If then one bear his griefs, and give thanks, he has gained a crown of martyrdom. For instance, is her little child sick, and does she give God thanks? This is a crown to her. What torture so bad that despondency is not worse? Still it does not force her to vent forth a bitter word. It dies: again she has given thanks. She has become the daughter of Abraham. For if she sacrificed not with her own hand, yet was she pleased with the sacrifice, which is the same; she felt no indignation when the gift was taken away.
Again, is her child sick? She has made no amulets. It is counted to her as martyrdom, for she sacrificed her son in her resolve. For what, even though those things are unavailing, and a mere cheat and mockery, still there were nevertheless those who persuaded her that they do avail: and she chose rather to see her child dead, than to put up with idolatry. As then she is a martyr, whether it be in her own case, or in her son's, that she has thus acted; or in her husband's, or in any other's of her dearest; so is that other one an idolatress. For it is evident that she would have done sacrifice, had it been allowed her to do sacrifice; yea, rather, she has even now performed the act of sacrifice. For these amulets, though they who make money by them are forever rationalizing about them, and saying, “we call upon God, and do nothing extraordinary,” and the like; and “the old woman is a Christian,” says he, “and one of the faithful”; the thing is idolatry. Are you one of the faithful? Sign the Cross; say, this I have for my only weapon; this for my remedy; and other I know none. Tell me, if a physician should come to one, and, neglecting the remedies belonging to his art, should use incantation, should we call that man a physician? By no means: for we see not the medicines of the healing art; so neither, in this case, do we see those of Christianity.
Source: Homilies on Colossians (New Advent)