Homilies on First Corinthians

⁵ “And whether one member suffers all the members suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

“Yea, with no other view,” says he, “did He make the care He requires common, establishing unity in so great diversity, but that of all events there might be complete communion. Because, if our care for our neighbor be the common safety, it follows also that our glory and our sadness must be common.” Three things therefore he here demands: the not being divided but united in perfection: the having like care for another: and the considering all that happens common. And as above he says, “He has given more abundant honor to that part which lacked,” because it needs it; signifying that the very inferiority was become an introduction to greater honor; so here he equalizes them in respect of the care also which takes place mutually among them. For “therefore did he cause them to partake of greater honor,” says he, “that they might not meet with less care.” And not from hence only, but also by all that befalls them, good and painful, are the members bound to one another. Thus often when a thorn is fixed in the heel, the whole body feels it and cares for it: both the back is bent and the belly and thighs are contracted, and the hands coming forth as guards and servants draw out what was so fixed, and the head stoops over it, and the eyes observe it with much care. So that even if the foot has inferiority from its inability to ascend, yet by its bringing down the head it has an equality, and is favored with the same honor; and especially whenever the feet are the cause of the head's coming down, not by favor but by their claim on it. And thus, if by being the more honorable it has an advantage; yet in that, being so it owes such honor and care to the lesser and likewise equal sympathy: by this it indicates great equality. Since what is meaner than the heel? What more honorable than the head? Yet this member reaches to that, and moves them all together with itself. Again if anything is the matter with the eyes, all complain and all are idle: and neither do the feet walk nor the hands work, nor does the stomach enjoy its accustomed food; and yet the affection is of the eyes. Why do you cause the stomach to pine? Why keep your feet still? Why bind your hands? Because they are tied to the feet, and in an unspeakable manner the whole body suffers. For if it shared not in the suffering, it would not endure to partake of the care. Wherefore having said, “that the members may have the same care one for another,” he added, “whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” “And how do they rejoice with it?” say you. The head is crowned, and the whole man is honored. The mouth speaks, and the eyes laugh and are delighted. Yet the credit belongs not to the beauty of the eyes, but to the tongue. Again if the eyes appear beautiful, the whole woman is embellished: as indeed these also, when a straight nose and upright neck and other members are praised, rejoice and appear cheerful: and again they shed tears in great abundance over their griefs and misfortunes, though themselves continue uninjured.

6. Let us all then, considering these things, imitate the love of these members; let us not in any wise do the contrary, trampling on the miseries of our neighbor and envying his good things. For this is the part of madmen and persons beside themselves. Just as he that digs out his own eye has displayed a very great proof of senselessness; and he that devours his own hand exhibits a clear evidence of downright madness.

Now if this be the case with regard to the members, so likewise, when it happens among the brethren, it fastens on us the reputation of folly and brings on no common mischief. For as long as he shines, your comeliness also is apparent and the whole body is beautified. For not at all does he confine the beauty to himself alone, but permits you also to glory. But if you extinguish him, you bring a common darkness upon the whole body, and the misfortune you cause is common to all the members: as indeed if you preserve him in brightness, you preserve the bloom of the entire body. For no man says, “the eye is beautiful:” but what? “such a woman is beautiful.” And if it also be praised, it comes after the common encomium. So likewise it happens in the Church. I mean, if there be any celebrated persons, the community reaps the good report of it. For the enemies are not apt to divide the praises, but connect them together. And if any be brilliant in speech, they do not praise him alone but likewise the whole Church. For they do not say only, “such a one is a wonderful man,” but what? “the Christians have a wonderful teacher:” and so they make the possession common.

7. And now let me ask, do heathens bind together, and do you divide and war with your own body, and withstand your own members? Do you not know that this overturns all? For even a “kingdom,” says he, “divided against itself shall not stand.”

But nothing so divides and separates as envy and jealousy, that grievous disease, and exempt from all pardon, and in some respect worse than “the root of all evils.” For the covetous is then pleased when himself has received: but the envious is then pleased, when another has failed to receive, not when himself has received. For he thinks the misfortunes of others a benefit to himself, rather than prosperity; going about a common enemy of mankind, and smiting the members of Christ, than which what can be more akin to madness? A demon is envious, but of men, not of any demon: but thou being a man enviest men, and withstandest what is of your own tribe and family, which not even a demon does. And what pardon shall you obtain, what excuse? Trembling and turning pale at sight of a brother in prosperity, when you ought to crown yourself and to rejoice and exult.

If indeed you wish to emulate him, I forbid not that: emulate, but with a view to be like him who is approved: not in order to depress him but that you may reach the same lofty point, that you may display the same excellence. This is wholesome rivalry, imitation without contention: not to grieve at the good things of others but to be vexed at our own evils: the contrary to which is the result of envy. For neglecting its own evils, it pines away at the good fortune of other men. And thus the poor is not so vexed by his own poverty as by the plenty of his neighbor; than which what can be more grievous? Yea, in this respect the envious, as I before said, is worse than the covetous; the one rejoicing at some acquisition of his own, while the other finds his delight in some one else failing to receive.