Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew

⁸ This then let us also do, and let us weep for Herodias, and for them that imitate her. For many such revels now also take place, and though John be not slain, yet the members of Christ are, and in a far more grievous way. For it is not a head in a charger that the dancers of our time ask, but the souls of them that sit at the feast. For in making them slaves, and leading them to unlawful loves, and besetting them with harlots, they do not take off the head, but slay the soul, making them adulterers, and effeminate, and whoremongers.

For you will not surely tell me, that when full of wine, and drunken, and looking at a woman who is dancing and uttering base words, thou dost not feel anything towards her, neither art hurried on to profligacy, overcome by your lust. Nay, that awful thing befalls you, that you “makest the members of Christ members of an harlot.”

For though the daughter of Herodias be not present, yet the devil, who then danced in her person, in theirs also holds his choirs now, and departs with the souls of those guests taken captive.

But if you are able to keep clear of drunkenness, yet are you partakers of another most grievous sin; such revels being also full of much rapine. For look not, I pray you, on the meats that are set before them, nor on the cakes; but consider whence they are gathered, and you will see that it is of vexation, and covetousness, and violence, and rapine.

“Nay, ours are not from such sources,” one may say. God forbid they should be: for neither do I desire it. Nevertheless, although they be clear of these, not even so are our costly feasts freed from blame. Hear, at all events, how even apart from these things the prophet finds fault with them, thus speaking, “Woe to them that drink wine racked off, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments.” Do you see how He censures luxury too? For it is not covetousness which He here lays to their charge, but prodigality only.

And you eat to excess, Christ not even for need; thou various cakes, He not so much as dry bread; you drink Thasian wine, but on Him you have not bestowed so much as a cup of cold water in His thirst. You are on a soft and embroidered bed, but He is perishing with the cold.

Wherefore, though the banquets be clear from covetousness, yet even so are they accursed, because, while for your part you do all in excess, to Him you give not even His need; and that, living in luxury upon things that belong to Him. Why, if you were guardian to a child, and having taken possession of his goods, were to neglect him in extremities, you would have ten thousand accusers, and wouldest suffer the punishment appointed by the laws; and now having taken possession of the goods of Christ, and thus consuming them for no purpose, do you not think you will have to give account?