Homilies on First Corinthians

Can it be that I have touched you to the quick? I for my part think not. For while you continue in the same practices, how am I to know that you are touched by what has been said? Therefore I must needs handle the same topics again.

Are these things then to be endured? Are these things to be borne? We weary and distract ourselves every day that you may not depart without having learned something useful: and none of you go away at all the better, but rather injured the more. Yea, and “ye come together unto judgment,” having no longer any cloak for your sin, and you thrust out the more modest, disturbing them with your fooleries on every side.

But what do the multitude say? “I do not hear what is read,” says one, “nor do I know what the words are which are spoken.” Because you make a tumult and confusion, because you come not with a reverent soul. What do you say? “I know not what things are said.” Well then, for this very reason ought thou to give heed. But if not even the obscurity stir up your soul, much more if things were clear would you hurry them by. Yea, this is the reason why neither all things are clear, lest you should indulge indolence; nor obscure, lest you should be in despair.

And whereas that eunuch and barbarian said none of these things, but surrounded as he was with a crowd of so important affairs and on his journey, had a book in his hands and was reading: do you, both abounding in teachers, and having others to read to you privately, allege to me your excuses and pretexts? Do you not know what is said? Why then pray that you may learn: but sure it is impossible to be ignorant of all things. For many things are of themselves evident and clear. And further, even if you be ignorant of all, even so ought thou to be quiet, not to put out them that are attentive; that God, accepting your quietness and your reverence, may make the obscure things also plain. But can you not be silent? Well then, go out, not to become a mischief to others also.

For in truth there ought to be but one voice in the church always, even as there is but one body. Therefore both he that reads utters his voice alone, and the Bishop himself is content to sit in silence; and he who chants chants alone; and though all utter the response, the voice is wafted as from one mouth. And he that pronounces a homily pronounces it alone. But when there are many conversing on many and diverse subjects, why do we disturb you for no good? Since surely unless ye thought that we are but disturbing you for no good, you would not in the midst of our speech on such high matters, discourse on things of no consequence.

10. Therefore not in your conduct only, but in your very estimation of things, there is great perversion. And ye gape after superfluities, and leaving the truth pursue all sorts of shadows and dreams. Are not all present things a shadow and dreams, and worse than a shadow? For both before they appear, they fly away; and before they are flown, the trouble they give is much, and more than the pleasure. Let one acquire in this world and bury in the earth ever such abundance of wealth, yet when the night is past, naked he shall depart hence, and no wonder. Since they too who are rich but in a dream, on rising from their couch have nothing of what they seemed to have while sleeping. So also are the greedy of gain: or rather not so, but in a much worse condition. For he that dreams of being rich, neither has the money which he fancied he had, nor is any other mischief found to have accrued to him from this phantasy when he arises, but this man is both deprived of his riches, and has also to depart, filled with the sins which arise out of them; and in his wealth having but enjoyed a phantasy, the evils resulting from his wealth he sees not in fancy any more, but in the very truth of things; and his pleasure was in dreams, but the punishment ensuing on his pleasure turns out no more a dream, but is matter of actual experience. Yea rather, even before that punishment, even here he pays the heaviest penalty, in the very collecting of his wealth wearing into himself innumerable sadnesses, anxieties, accusations, calumnies, tumults, perturbations.

In order therefore that we may be delivered both from the dreams and from the evils that are not in dreams, instead of covetousness let us choose almsgiving, instead of rapine, mercy to mankind. For thus we shall obtain the good things both present and to come, through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom, to the Father, with the Holy Ghost, be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.