Homilies on First Thessalonians

For this reason He takes your husband, that you may not seek him. But do you still cling to him though departed, and forsakest God, when it was your duty to give thanks, to cast it all upon Him? For what is it that you have received from your husband? The pains of childbirth, and labors, and insults and reproaches often, and chidings, and bursts of anger. Are not these the things that come from husbands? But there are, you say, other things too that are good. Of what sort then are these? Did he set off your beauty with costly garments? Did he put gold ornaments about your face? Did he make you respected by all? But if you will, you shall adorn yourself with a much better ornament than the departed. For gravity makes its possessor much more admirable than golden ornaments. This King also has garments, not of this sort, but much better. With those, if you will, invest yourself. Of what sort then are they? There is a clothing which has fringes of gold; if you will, array the soul. But did he make you not to be despised by men? And what is there great in that? Your widowhood suffers you not to be despised by the demons. Then you ruled over your servants, if at least you at all ruled over them. But now, instead of your servants, you have mastery over unbodied powers, principalities, authorities, the ruler of this world. And thou dost not mention the troubles, in which you shared with him, sometimes the fear of magistrates, sometimes the preference given to neighbors. From all these things you are now delivered, from dread and fear. But are you solicitous who will support the children that are left you? The “Father of the fatherless.” For tell me, who gave them? Do you not hear Christ in the Gospels saying, “Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment?”

Do you see, that your lamentation is not from loss of his society, but from want of faith. But the children of a father that is dead are not equally illustrious. Wherefore? They have God for their Father, and are they not illustrious? How many can I show you brought up by widows, who have become famous, how many who have been under their fathers, and have been undone! For if you bring them up from their first youth, as they ought to be brought up, they will enjoy an advantage much greater than a father's protection. For that it is the business of widows— I speak of the bringing up of children— hear Paul saying, “If she has brought up children”; and again, “She shall be saved through the child-bearing,” (he has not said through her husband,) if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety. Instill into them the fear of God from their first youth, and He will protect them better than any father; this will be a wall not to be broken. For when there is a guard seated within, we have no need of contrivances without: but where he is not, all our outward contrivances are vain.

This will be to them wealth and glory too and ornament. This will make them illustrious, not upon earth, but even in heaven. For do not look to those who are begirt with the golden girdles, nor those who are borne on horses, nor those who shine in kings' palaces on account of their fathers, nor those who have footmen and tutors. For these things perhaps cause widows to bewail over their orphans, thinking that this my son also, if his father at least were living, would have enjoyed so much happiness; but now he is in a state of depression and dishonor, and worthy of no consideration. Think not of these things, O woman, but open to you in thought the gates of heaven, consider the palace there, behold the King who is there seated. Consider if those who are upon the earth can be more illustrious than your son there— and then groan. But if some are of good repute on earth, this is not worth any consideration. It is allowed him, if you will, to be a soldier in heaven, to enlist him in the ranks of that army. For those who are enlisted there are not borne on horses, but in the clouds. They walk not upon earth, but are caught up into heaven. They have not slaves to go before them, but the Angels themselves. They stand not in the presence of a mortal king, but of Him who is immortal, the King of kings and Lord of lords. They have not a leathern girdle about their loins, but that glory which is unspeakable, and they are more splendid than kings, or whoever have been most illustrious. For in those royal courts not wealth is required, nor noble birth, nothing else than virtue alone; and where that is present, nothing is wanting to their obtaining the chief place.

Nothing is painful to us, if we are willing to cultivate wisdom. Look up to heaven, and see how much more splendid it is than the roofs of palaces. And if the pavement of the palaces above is so much more grand than those below, that the one may be considered as dirt in comparison with the other; if any one should be thought worthy to see those palaces perfectly, what blessedness will not be his!

“But she,” he says, “that is a widow indeed, and desolate, has her hope set on God.” To whom is this said? To those who have no children, because they are more highly approved, and have a greater opportunity of pleasing God, because all their chains are loosened to them. There is no one to hold them fast, no one to compel them to drag their chains after them. You are separated from your husband, but art united to God. You have not a fellow-servant for your associate, but you have your Lord. When you pray, tell me, do you not converse with God? When you read, hear Him conversing with you. And what does He say to you? Much kinder words than your husband. For though indeed your husband should flatter you, the honor is not great, for he is your fellow-servant. But when the Lord flatters the slave, then is the courtship great. How then does He court us? Hear by what means he does it. “Come,” He says, “unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” And again through the Prophet He calls, saying, “Will a woman forget to have compassion on the offspring of her womb? But even if a woman should forget, yet will I not forget you, says the Lord.” Of how great a love are these words? And again, “Turn unto Me”; and again elsewhere, “Turn unto Me, and you shall be saved.” And if one was willing to select too from the Canticles, taking them in the more mystical way, he will hear Him conversing and saying to every soul that is fitted for Him, “My fair one, my dove.” What is sweeter than these words? Do you see the conversation of God with men? But what? Tell me, do you not see how many children of those blessed women are gone, and are in their tombs; how many have suffered more severely, and with their husbands have lost also their children? To these things let us attend; let us be anxious about these things, and nothing will be grievous to us, but we shall continue passing all our time in spiritual joy; and we shall enjoy the eternal blessings, of which may we all be partakers, by the grace and lovingkindness, etc.