Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew

For think not, He means, because you hear of the cross, that it is again anything mournful, for He shall come with power and great glory. But He brings it, that their sin may be self-condemned, as if any one who had been struck by a stone, were to show the stone itself, or his garments stained with blood. And He comes in a cloud as He was taken up, and the tribes seeing these things mourn. Not however that the terrors shall with them proceed no further than mournings; but the mourning shall be, that they may bring forth their sentence from within, and condemn themselves.

And then again, “He will send His angels with a great trumpet, and they shall gather the elect from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other.”

But when you have heard of this, consider the punishment of them that remain. For neither shall they suffer that former penalty only, but this too. And as above He said, that they should say, “Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord,” so here, that they shall mourn. For since He had spoken unto them of grievous wars, that they might learn, that together with the fearful things here, the torments there also await them, He brings them in mourning and separated from the elect, and consigned to hell; by this again rousing the disciples, and indicating from how many evils they should be delivered, and how many good things they shall enjoy.

4. And why now does He call them by angels, if He comes thus openly? To honor them in this way also. But Paul says, that they “shall be caught up in clouds.” And He said this also, when He was speaking concerning a resurrection. “For the Lord Himself,” it is said, “shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel.” So that when risen again, the angels shall gather them together, when gathered together the clouds shall catch them up; and all these things are done in a moment, in an instant. For it is not that He abiding above calls them, but He Himself comes with the sound of a trumpet. And what mean the trumpets and the sound? They are for arousing, for gladness, to set forth the amazing nature of the things then doing, for grief to them that are left.

Woe is me for that fearful day! For though we ought to rejoice when we hear these things, we feel pain, and are dejected, and our countenance is sad. Or is it I only that feel thus, and do ye rejoice at hearing of these things? For upon me at least there comes a kind of shudder when these things are said, and I lament bitterly, and groan from the very depth of my heart. For I have no part in these things, but in those that are spoken afterwards, that are said unto the virgins, unto him that buried the talents he had received, unto the wicked servant. For this cause I weep, to think from what glory we are to be cast out, from what hope of blessings, and this perpetually, and forever, to spare ourselves a little labor. For if indeed this were a great toil, and a grievous law, we ought even so to do all things; nevertheless many of the remiss would seem to have at least some pretext, a poor pretext indeed, yet would they seem to have some, that the toil was great, and the time endless, and the burden intolerable; but now we can put forward no such objection; which circumstance most of all will gnaw us no less than hell at that time, when for want of a slight endeavor, and a little toil, we shall have lost Heaven, and the unspeakable blessings. For both the time is short, and the labor small, and yet we faint and are supine. Thou strivest on earth, and the crown is in Heaven; you are punished of men, and art honored of God; the race is for two days, and the reward for endless ages; the struggle is a corruptible body, and the rewards in an incorruptible.

And apart from these things, we should consider another point also, that even if we do not choose to suffer any of the things that are painful for Christ's sake, we must in other ways most assuredly endure them. For neither, though you should not have died for Christ, will you be immortal; neither though you should not have cast away your riches for Christ, will you go away hence with them. These things He requires of you, which although He should not require them, you will have to give up, because you are mortal; He wills you to do these by your choice, which you must do by necessity. So much only He requires to be added, that it be done for His sake; since that these things befall men and pass away, comes to pass of natural necessity. Do you see how easy the conflict? What it is altogether necessary for you to suffer, that choose to suffer for my sake; let this only be added, and I have sufficient obedience. The gold which you intend to lend to another, this lend to me, both at more profit, and in greater security. Your body, wherewith you are going to warfare for another, make it to war for me, for indeed I surpass your toils with recompenses in the most abundant excess. Yet thou in all other matters preferrest him that gives you more as well in loans, as in marketing and in warfare; but Christ alone, when giving more, and infinitely more than all, thou dost not receive. And what is this so great hostility? What is this so great enmity? Where will there be any excuse or defense left for you, when the reasons for which you prefer man to man avail not to induce you to prefer God to man?

Why do you commit your treasure to the earth? “Give it into my hand,” He says. Does not the earth's Lord seem to you more worthy of trust than the earth? This indeed restores that which you laid in it, though oftentimes not even this, but He gives you also recompense for His keeping of it? For indeed He does exceedingly love us. Therefore if you should wish to lend, He stands ready; or to sow, He receives it; or if you should wish to build, He draws you unto Himself, saying, Build in my regions. Why do you run unto poor, unto beggarly men, who also for little gains occasion you great trouble? Nevertheless, not even on hearing these things, do we make up our minds to it, but where are fightings and wars, and wild struggles, and trials and suits of law, and false accusations, there do we hasten.