|
|
|
CATECHESIS 20 That we must preserve the beauty and untarnished loveliness of the soul, and about repentance. Brethren and fathers, since we have been counted worthy to celebrate the forefeast of the divine Transfiguration, from this then let us compose an instruction, discharging our duty in a few words. On the one hand, all the feasts of the Lord expound the mysteries of his sojourn in the flesh, such as that he was born, that he was baptized, that he was crucified, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day, that he was taken up in glory; while the mystery of the Transfiguration hints at the restoration in the age to come. For in the same way that ‘his face blazed like the sun, while his garments became white as light’ [Matt. 17,2], in the same way he will come from heaven like lightning, with power and great glory to judge the universe. And as Peter, James and John were with him on the holy mountain, so the elect will be with him in the kingdom of heaven, enjoying his ineffable manifestation as God and inexpressible joy. And who is adequate for all this? Who is worthy to attain that joy? Who else but one whose way of life is pure and undefiled? For since our God is pure, or rather the highest light, he comes to the pure, and as he has placed a pure soul in us, he will also ask it from us pure. For since it has been made according to God’s image and likeness, that is to say as a figure1 of the divine beauty, it has also shared in that beauty. And knowing this the poet speaks thus, ‘Lord, by your will you granted power to my beauty’ [Psalm 29,8], that is to say to the beauty of the soul, lest, having turned away towards the ugly passions of sin and become disfigured, it fall from God and his divine rewards. Since therefore it is agreed that our soul should be like this, lovely and beautiful, and that we should give it back to God like a pledge on the last day, the day of resurrection, I beg and urge that we love this beauty and carefully guard this loveliness, not turning back to the fair things of the present age or to the beauties of flesh and blood. They are not beauties, but idols of beauty; they are rather corruption and change. And this we can learn from the end of things, for one who today is outstandingly beautiful and fair of face2 is tomorrow cast into a tomb, stinking and abhorrent. So there is nothing fair and loveable but exemplary virtue, which should be our chief pursuit, my brothers. But if admittedly it frequently happens that the soul grows slack and is defiled by unseemly thoughts -- for who will boast that they have a pure heart? -- let it be quickly made clean again and brought back to its former condition, lest by delaying in evil it gives birth to death. And let no one ever say that they cannot be made clean again, stained as they are by many sins, when they listen to the One who said, ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them white as snow. Though they are like crimson, I will make them white as wool’ [Isaias 1,18]. Do you see God’s ineffable love for humankind? Not only has he promised to purify, but to bring the one who repents to the pinnacle of loveliness. And examples are manifest. David was a prophet and, when he fell into the crime of adultery and murder, he did not give up, but after he had swiftly had recourse to repentance, he received the grace of prophecy once again. Manasse perverted Israel for fifty two years, but when he repented, he too found salvation. The prince of the Apostles, after his denial, by the medicine of tears took up again the burden of the apostolate. Mary of Egypt, to pass over the numberless others, had reached the uttermost limit of debauchery, but once she had come to a remarkable repentance, she attained the highest degree of virtue. So there is no excuse for claiming incapacity for someone who chooses to be saved, unless they are insensible or bent on death3. But we hear the words, ‘Why would you die, house of Israel?’ [Ezekiel 18,31], and why do we choose everlasting death rather than immortal life that is set before us? Our good Master cries out each day, ‘Come to me all you that toil and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ [Matthew 11,28]. And we are unwilling to get rid of the heavy load of our sins. The same Master cries, ‘I am the light of the world. One who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’ [John 8,12]. But we turn to the opposite, proclaiming by our actions, ‘We do not want to know your ways’ [Job 21,14]. All that remains is for us to hear, ‘Walk by the light of your fire and the flame you have kindled’ [Isaias 50,11]. And Scripture says, ‘Those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God’ [Galatians 5,21]. But God forbid that such things should be said of us. ‘For you are may friends, says the Lord, if you do all that I command you’ [John 15,14]. So then, let us do all that we have been commanded, that we may be worthy to be called friends, to inherit the kingdom of heaven, in Christ our Lord, to whom be glory and might, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. NOTES
|
|
All texts and
translations on this page are copyright to This page was last updated on 10 February 2001 |