Homilies on Philippians 4.1–4.5

“And what I shall choose I do not know. But I am hard pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. And being convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your boasting may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my coming to you again.” Nothing is more blessed than Paul's soul, since nothing is nobler. But now it is timely to say the opposite about all of us: nothing is weaker or more wretched than we are. That is why we all shudder at death: some because of the multitude of their sins, of whom I myself am one; others from love of life and wretchedness, of whom may I never be; for those who fear this fear are unspiritual. This, then, which we all shudder at, he prayed for, and pressed on toward it, saying, “to depart is very much better”, and, “what I shall choose I do not know.” What are you saying? When you are about to pass from here to heaven and to be with Christ, do you not know what you will choose? But these things were far from Paul's soul. For to whom, if someone said this and confirmed it, would he not seize it at once? Yes, he says; but just as departing and being with Christ is not in our power, so neither, when one can obtain this, is remaining here in our power; but both belonged to Paul and to his soul. What are you saying? You know and are convinced that you are going to be with Christ, and you hesitate, saying, “I do not know what I shall choose”? And you choose not that alone but also being here, I mean remaining in the flesh? What can this be? Did you not live a very bitter life? In vigils, in shipwrecks, in hunger and thirst and nakedness, in anxieties, in cares? You were weak with the weak, and for those who … “in afflictions,” he says, “in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults”, “… less one I received; three times I was beaten with rods; once …; dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers among false brothers.” When the whole nation of the Galatians went back to the observance of the law, did you not cry out, saying, “You who are justified by the law have fallen from grace”? How many things did you not mourn at one time or another; and do you still long more for this grievous life? Even if none of these things had happened to you, but you had achieved all that you achieved in security and luxury, should you not, fearing the uncertainty of the future, have hastened to some harbour? What merchant, tell me, with a ship full of countless treasures, when he could run into harbour and rest, would choose to stay at sea? What contestant, when he could be crowned, would choose to go on contending? What boxer, when he could put on the crown, would choose to go into the contest again and have his head battered? What general, when he could leave the war with glory and trophies and rest with the king in the palace, would consent still to sweat and fight battles? How, then, do you, living so very bitter a life, wish to remain here still? Did you not say, “I fear lest perhaps, having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified”? If for no other reason, for this at least you ought to have desired release. Even if the present were full of countless good things, at least for the sake of Christ, whom you long for, you ought to have longed for release from them. Ah, Paul's soul! There has been nothing equal to it, nor will there be. You fear the future, you are held fast by countless terrors, and you do not wish to be with Christ? No, he says; and this for Christ's sake, so that those whom I have made his servants I may make more devoted; so that the field I planted I may make bear fruit. Did you not hear me, that I seek not my own advantage but that of my neighbours? Did you not hear that I prayed to be accursed from Christ so that many might come to him? I who chose that, shall I not much more choose this, gladly suffering loss by the delay and postponement, so that some salvation may come to them? “Who shall tell your mighty acts, O Lord,” when you did not let Paul be hidden, when you showed the world such a man? All the angels praised you with one accord when you made the stars; and so too when you made the sun; but not as much as when you showed Paul to us and to the whole world. Because of this the earth became brighter than heaven; this man, more radiant than the light of the sun, sent forth brighter flashes and spread brilliant rays. What fruit he bore for us, not fattening ears of grain nor nourishing pomegranates, but bringing forth the fruit of godliness, bringing it to its prime, and continually restoring it when it fell. Rightly so: for this sun can do nothing for fruit once it has rotted, but Paul called back from sins those who had countless rottings. And this sun gives way to the night, but he did not give way to the devil; nothing overcame him, nothing prevailed over him. The sun, borne from on high, sends its rays downward; but he, rising from below, not only filled the space between heaven and earth with light, but as soon as he opened his mouth, filled the angels with great delight. How? For if there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, and he by his first address caught many, how will he not fill the powers above with joy?

And what am I saying? It is enough for Paul simply to speak, and the heavens leap and rejoice at it. For if, when the Israelites came out of Egypt, the mountains leapt like rams, when men passed from earth to heaven, how great do you think the joy was? For these reasons, “to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.” What defence shall we have from now on? For often a man is allotted a small, poor city and does not choose to go elsewhere, preferring his own ease; Paul could have gone to Christ, and did not wish for Christ, Christ whom he so longed for that he would even choose Gehenna for him, and he remained still contending for the sake of men. What defence shall we have? But must one simply remember Paul? See what he achieved. He showed that it was better to depart, persuading them not to grieve; he showed that if he remains, he remains for this reason, for their sake; that it does not happen through the wickedness of those plotting against him. So, to make them trustworthy, he also gave the reason. For if this is necessary, I shall certainly remain; and not simply remain, but with you; for this is “and continue”, that is, I shall see you. For what purpose? “For your progress and joy in the faith.” Here he also rouses them to take heed to themselves. For if I remain for your sake, he says, see that you do not shame my staying. When I was about to see Christ, I chose to remain for your progress. Since my presence contributes to your faith and to your joy, that is why I chose to remain. What then? Did he remain for the Philippians' sake alone? He did not remain for them alone; but he says this to win their hearts. And how was there progress in the faith? So that you may be more firmly established, like nestlings that need their mother until their wings grow firm. This is a proof of great love. So we too rouse some people, as when we say, “I remained for your sake, to make you good.” “So that your boasting,” he says, “may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my coming to you again.” Do you see that this is what “I shall continue with you” means? See the humility: since he said, “for your progress,” he shows that it is also for his own benefit. He does this also when writing to the Romans, saying, “that is, that I may be encouraged together with you,” having said first, “that I may impart some spiritual gift to you.” And what is “that your boasting may abound”? What was also boasting: to be established in the faith (for this is boasting in Christ), to live rightly. “Your boasting in me through my coming to you again”? Yes, he says. “For what is our hope or crown of boasting? Is it not you?” “For we are your boast, as you are ours.” That is, so that I may boast of you the more. How? “That your boasting may abound.” For I can boast more when you have made progress. “Through my coming to you again.” What then? Did he come to them? Look into whether he came. “Only conduct yourselves,” he says, “in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Do you see that he said everything for this, to urge them to advance in virtue? “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” What is “only”? This alone is what is sought, and nothing else; if this is so, nothing grievous will befall us. “So that whether I come and see you, or am absent, I may hear of your affairs.” He does not say this as having changed his mind, or as no longer coming; but if this happens, he says, I can rejoice even when absent. “That I may hear that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul.” This is what most of all binds the faithful together and holds love together; that is why Christ says, “that they may be one.” For “a kingdom divided against itself will not stand.” That is why Paul too everywhere gives much counsel about concord; that is why Christ also says, “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” That is: do not fix your eyes on my expected coming and go to sleep, as though expecting me to come, and then, when you see that I am not coming, grow slack; for I can rejoice just as well from hearing. What is “in one spirit”? That is, in the same gift, the gift of concord, of eagerness. For the Spirit is one, and its being said this way in many places shows it. For so one can also stand in one soul, when we all have one spirit. See, “one” is said of concord; see, many are called one. So it was of old: “The heart and the soul of all,” it says, “were one.” “Striving together for the faith of the gospel.” Does it mean as though … how would that make sense? Did they wrestle against one another? But what he means is this: help one another, he says, in the contest for the faith of the gospel. “And not frightened in anything by your opponents, which is to them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation.” “Frightened”, he said well; for such are the things that come from enemies: they only frighten. In nothing, then, he says, whatever happens, even dangers, even plots; for this belongs to those who stand rightly. For they can do nothing but frighten. Since it was likely that they were troubled, as Paul was suffering countless things, I do not say, he says, “do not be shaken,” but “do not be frightened”, and even despise them utterly. For if you are so disposed, from this already you will make plain both their destruction and your salvation. For when they see that they contrive countless things and cannot even frighten you, they will receive proofs of their own destruction. For when the persecutors do not get the better of the persecuted, or those who have power of those in their power, will it not be plain to them at once that they will perish, that they have no strength, that their cause is false and its weakness? “And this from God,” he says; “for to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.” Again he trains them to be modest in mind, referring everything to God and saying that suffering for Christ is a grace, a gift, a free present. So do not be ashamed of a gift; for it truly is much more wonderful than raising the dead and working signs. For there I am a debtor, but here I have Christ as my debtor. So you ought not only not to be ashamed, but even to exult, as having a gift. He calls the virtues gifts, not, however, in the same way as the other things: for those are wholly God's, but these are ours too. But since here too the greater part is God's, he says the whole is his, not overturning free will, but making them modest and grateful. “Having the same conflict which you saw in me.” That is, you have the example too. Here again he lifts them up; for he shows them everywhere contending in the same things as he, struggling in the same contests, both privately and by themselves, by sharing his trials with him. He did not say, “you have heard,” but, “you saw”; for he had struggled there, in Philippi. So this is a great virtue. That is why, writing to the Galatians too, he said, “Did you suffer so many things in vain, if indeed it was in vain?” And again, writing to the Hebrews, he said, “But recall the former days in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great conflict …, partly being made a public spectacle by reproaches and afflictions, and partly becoming partners of those …” Again, that is, writing to the Thessalonians he said, “For they themselves report about us what kind of entry we had to you”; and again, “For you yourselves know, brothers, our entry to you, that it was not in vain.” And he bears witness to the same in all alike, to contests and struggles. But you will not find this among us now; for now it is something to be glad of if anyone suffers even in money. Yet in money too he bears them great witness; for to some he says, “You accepted the plundering of your property with joy”; to others, “Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make some contribution for the poor”; and again, “He who …”

Do you see the praises of the men of that time? But we do not bear even slaps or a blow; we do not endure insult, nor loss of money. They were all already zealous and martyrs in their contending; but we have let our love for Christ grow cold. Again I am compelled to accuse the present state of things. And what am I to do? I did not wish to, but I am compelled. For if, by keeping silent and saying nothing, it were possible to make what is happening disappear through silence, one ought to keep silent; but if the opposite happens (for not only does it not disappear when we are silent, but it even grows worse), it is necessary to speak. For one who accuses those who sin, if nothing else, does not let them go further. For no soul is so shameless and bold that, continually hearing people reproach it, it is not abashed and does not relax its great wickedness. For there is, there is a little shame even in the shameless; for God sowed shame in our nature. For since fear was not enough to order us, he also made many other roads to not sinning: for example, being accused by people, fearing the laws that are laid down, loving glory, seeking friendship. All these are roads to not sinning. For often what was not done for God's sake was done out of shame; and what was not done for God's sake was done for fear of people. For what is sought is this: first, to learn not to sin; then afterwards we shall achieve doing it for God's sake. Otherwise why does Paul urge those who are going to overcome their enemies not from the fear of God, but even from expecting vengeance? “For in doing this,” he says, “you will heap coals of fire on his head.” For in the meantime he wants this: that virtue be achieved. So, as I was saying, there is something of shame in us; for we have many natural good things that aid virtue. For example, all people are moved by nature to show mercy, and there is nothing else so good in our nature as this. Hence one might reasonably ask why this especially has been sown in our nature: I mean being broken by tears, being bent, being ready for mercy. No one is by nature idle, no one is by nature free of vainglory, no one is by nature above envy; but mercy lies in all by nature, even if one is cruel, even if one is harsh. And what wonder if we show this toward human beings? We pity even wild beasts; so abundantly is mercy set in us. Even if we see a lion's cub we feel something; much more over one of our own kind. “See how many maimed people,” we often say, knowing that this too is enough to lead us to mercy. Nothing so delights God as mercy. That is why the priests were anointed with oil, and the kings, and the prophets; for they had the oil as a symbol of God's love for humankind. Again, they learned that the ruler must have more mercy; it showed that the Spirit would come upon man because of mercy, since God shows mercy to human beings and loves them: “For you have mercy on all,” it says, “because you can do all things.” That is why they were anointed with oil. For he also instituted the priesthood out of mercy, and the kings were anointed with oil. And if someone praises a ruler, he will say nothing so fitting for him as mercy; for showing mercy is the mark of rule. Consider that the world was made for mercy's sake, and imitate the Master. “The mercy of a man is upon his neighbour, but the mercy of the Lord is upon all flesh.” How “upon all flesh”? Whether you speak of sinners or of the righteous, we all need God's mercy, we all enjoy it, even if it is Paul himself, even if Peter, even if John. And hear them saying it; for there is no need of our words. “For what did I do …” What then? After these things did he not need mercy? Hear what he says again: “I laboured more abundantly than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” And about Epaphroditus he says: “For he was sick, near to death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, so that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.” And again: “We were burdened beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, so that we might not trust in ourselves but in God, who rescued us from such deaths, and will rescue us.” And again: “I was rescued from the mouth of the lion, and the Lord will rescue me.” And everywhere we shall find him boasting of this, that he was saved by mercy.

Peter too was what he was through receiving mercy. For hear Christ saying to him, “Peter, Peter, Satan desired to sift you like wheat, and I prayed for you, that your faith may not fail.” And John was what he was by mercy, and in short all the apostles. For hear Christ hinting at this and saying, “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” For we all need God's mercy: “the mercy of God,” it says, “is upon all flesh.” And if these needed God's mercy, what could one say of the rest? For why, tell me, does he make the sun rise on the evil and the good? What if he held back rain for only one year, would he not destroy everyone? What if he made a plague of rain? What if he rained fire? What if he sent flies? But why do I speak of these? If he made darkness, as he once did, would he not destroy everyone? If he shook the earth, would not everyone perish? “What is man, that you are mindful of him?” It is timely to say it now: if he only threatens the earth, all have become one grave. “As a drop from a bucket,” it says, “so are the nations before him; they will be counted as spittle, as the turn of a scale.” As easy as it is for us to move the balance, so easy is it for him to destroy everything and make it again. Then does not one who has such power over us, and sees us sinning every day and does not punish, bear us up by mercy? Even the beasts exist and are kept by mercy: “Man and beast you will save, O Lord.” He looked upon the earth and filled it with living creatures. Why? For your sake. And why did he make you? Was it not out of goodness? Nothing is better than oil: it is the cause of light both there and here. “And your light shall rise early,” says the prophet, “if you show mercy to your neighbour”; and rightly. Just as this oil gives light to those at sea, so almsgiving there gives us a great and wonderful light. And Paul gave much thought to this mercy. For hear him saying at one time, “Only that we should remember the poor”; at another, “If it is fitting that I go too.” And everywhere, up and down, you see him concerned about this. And again, “And let our people also learn to devote themselves to good works”; and again, “These things are good and profitable to people.” And hear another saying, “Almsgiving rescues from death”; and another, “If you, Lord, should take away mercy, O Lord, who will stand?” and, “If you enter,” he says, “into judgment with your servant …”; and another, “A man is a great thing, and a merciful man is precious.” For this is a man: merciful; or rather, this is God: to show mercy. Do you see how great is the power of God's mercy? This made everything, this created the world, this made angels, through goodness alone. That is why he even threatened Gehenna, so that we might obtain the kingdom; and we obtain the kingdom through mercy. For why, tell me, did God, being alone, make so many beings? Was it not through goodness? Was it not through love for humankind? If you ask why this and that, everywhere you will find goodness. So let us show mercy to our neighbours, so that we may receive mercy ourselves. We gather this mercy not for them more than for ourselves, for that day. When the flame of the fire is fierce, this mercy quenches the fire and gives us light. So we shall be rescued from the fire of Gehenna. For how else will he have pity and show mercy? Mercy comes from love. Nothing so provokes God as being unmerciful. A man who owed ten thousand talents was brought to him, and moved with compassion he forgave him; and that man was owed a hundred denarii by his fellow servant, and he choked him; that is why the master handed him over to the torturers until he paid what was owed. Hearing these things, let us be merciful toward those who are in debt to us, in money, in sins; let no one bear a grudge, if he does not wish to wrong himself. For by not forgiving you do not grieve that man so much as you wrong yourself. For when you take action against him, God does not take action against him; but when you leave it, either he himself takes action, or he forgives your sins. And how, if you do not forgive your neighbour, do you seek the kingdom? So that we may not suffer this, let us forgive everyone, for it is ourselves we forgive; and let us pardon, so that God may pardon us our sins, and so we may obtain the good things to come, and so on.