Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews

⁹ Prayer is a mighty weapon if it be made with suitable mind. And that you may learn its strength, continued entreaty has overcome shamelessness, and injustice, and savage cruelty, and overbearing rashness. For He says, “Hear what the unjust judge says.” Again it has overcome sloth also, and what friendship did not effect, this continued entreaty did: and “although he will not give him because he is his friend” (He says), “yet because of his importunity he will rise and give to him.” And continued assiduity made her worthy who was unworthy. “It is not meet” (He says) “to take the children's bread and to cast it to the dogs. Yea! Lord!” she says, “for even the dogs eat [the crumbs] from their master's table.” Let us apply ourselves to Prayer. It is a mighty weapon if it be offered with earnestness, if without vainglory, if with a sincere mind. It has turned back wars, it has benefited an entire nation though undeserving. “I have heard their groaning” (He says) “and have come down to deliver them.” It is itself a saving medicine, and has power to prevent sins, and to heal misdeeds. In this the desolate widow was assiduous.

If then we pray with humility, smiting our breast as the publican, if we utter what he did, if we say, “Be merciful to me a sinner”, we shall obtain all. For though we be not publicans, yet have we other sins not less than his.

For do not tell me, that you have gone wrong in some small matter [only], since the thing has the same nature. For as a man is equally called a homicide whether he has killed a child or a man, so also is he called overreaching whether he be overreaching in much or in little. Yea and to remember injuries too, is no small matter, but even a great sin. For it is said, “the ways of those who remember injuries [tend] to death.” And “He that is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of hell,” and he that “calls his brother a fool”, and senseless, and numberless such things.

But we partake even of the tremendous mysteries unworthily, and we envy, and we revile. And some of us have even oftentimes been drunk. But each one of these things, even itself by itself, is enough to cast us out of the kingdom, and when they even come all together, what comfort shall we have? We need much penitence, beloved, much prayer, much endurance, much perseverance, that we may be enabled to attain the good things which have been promised to us.

10. Let us then say, even we, “Be merciful to me a sinner,” nay rather, let us not say it only, but let us also be thus minded; and should another call us so, let us not be angry. He heard the words, “I am not as this Publican”, and was not provoked thereby, but filled with compunction. He accepted the reproach, and he put away the reproach. The other spoke of the wound, and he sought the medicine. Let us say then, “Be merciful to me a sinner”; but even if another should so call us, let us not be indignant.

But if we say ten thousand evil things of ourselves, and are vexed when we hear them from others, then there is no longer humility, nor confession, but ostentation and vainglory. Is it ostentation (you say) to call one's self a sinner? Yes; for we obtain the credit of humility, we are admired, we are commended; whereas if we say the contrary of ourselves, we are despised. So that we do this too for the sake of credit. But what is humility? It is when another reviles us, to bear it, to acknowledge our fault, to endure evil speakings. And yet even this would not be [a mark] of humility but of candor. But now we call ourselves sinners, unworthy, and ten thousand other such names, but if another apply one of them to us, we are vexed, we become savage. Do you see that this is not confession, nor even candor? You said of yourself that you are such an one: be not indignant if you hear it also said by others, and art reproved.

In this way your sins are made lighter for you, when others reproach you: for they lay a burden on themselves indeed, but you they lead onwards into philosophy. Hear what the blessed David says, when Shimei cursed him, “Let him alone” (he says) “the Lord has bidden him, that He might look on my humiliation” (he says): “And the Lord will requite me good for his cursing on this day.”

But thou while saying evil things of yourself, even in excess, if you hear not from others the commendations that are due to the most righteous, art enraged. Do you see that you are trifling with things that are no subjects for trifling? For we even repudiate praises in our desire for other praises, that we may obtain yet higher panegyrics, that we may be more admired. So that when we decline to accept commendations, we do it that we may augment them. And all things are done by us for credit, not for truth. Therefore all things are hollow, all impracticable. Wherefore I beseech you now at any rate to withdraw from this mother of evils, vainglory, and to live according to what is approved by God, that so you may attain to the good things to come, in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father be glory, together with His Holy and good Spirit, now and ever and world without end. Amen.