De cruce et latrone ii

On the Cross, delivered on the Holy and Great Friday, and on the confession of the thief, and that we must pray for our enemies. Homily 2. 1. We celebrate a feast and a festival today, beloved; for our Lord is upon the cross, pierced with nails. And do not be surprised if, although the event is sorrowful, we celebrate; for all such spiritual things are contrary to human custom. And that you may learn this precisely, the cross was formerly a name of condemnation and punishment, but now it has become a precious and desirable thing; the cross was formerly a matter of shame and a basis for chastisement, but now it has become a source of glory and honor. And that the cross is glory, hear Christ saying: Father, glorify me with the glory which I had before the world existed with you, calling the cross glory. The cross is the sum of our salvation; the cross is the foundation of countless good things. Because of it, we who were formerly dishonored and outcasts have now been received into the order of sons; because of it, we no longer wander, but have come to know the truth; because of it, we who formerly worshipped wood and stones have now come to know the creator of all things; because of it, we who were slaves of sin have been led up into the freedom of righteousness; because of it, earth has now become heaven.

He freed us from error, he led us by the hand to the truth, he made reconciliation between God and humanity, he drew us up from the depth of wickedness and led us to the very summit of virtue, he extinguished the deception of the demons, he destroyed falsehood. Because of him there is no longer smoke and savor of burnt offerings and the pouring out of the blood of irrational animals, but everywhere spiritual services, hymns and prayers; because of him demons flee, because of him the devil is put to flight, because of him human nature vies with the angelic way of life, because of him virginity dwells on earth. For from the time when he who was born of a Virgin came forth, human nature came to know the path of this virtue. He enlightened us sitting in darkness, he reconciled us who had been at war, he made us who were far off to be near, he made us who were estranged to be at home, he made us who had become strangers to be citizens of heaven, he became for us the destruction of enemies, he established for us the security of peace. Because of him we no longer fear the fiery darts of the devil; for we have found the fountain of life; because of him we are not in widowhood; for we have received back the bridegroom; because of him we no longer dread the wolf; for we have recognized the good shepherd: "For I am," he says, "the good shepherd." Because of him we no longer shudder at the tyrant; for we have run to the king. Do you see how many good things the cross is the foundation for us? Rightly, then, we keep a feast. Thus also Paul exhorts us to feast, saying:

Therefore let us celebrate not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of vice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. And why do you bid us to celebrate, O blessed Paul? Tell us the reason. "Because our Passover," he says, "Christ the God, was sacrificed for us." Do you see how the cross is a feast? Have you learned that it is on account of the cross that he bids us to celebrate? For he was sacrificed on the cross; and where there is a sacrifice, there is the abolition of sins, there is the reconciliation of the Master, there is feast and joy. "Our Passover," he says, "Christ was sacrificed for us." Where was he sacrificed, tell me? On a high cross. The altar is new and strange, because the sacrifice is strange and altered. For he himself is both sacrifice and priest: sacrifice according to the flesh, and priest according to the spirit; he himself both offered and was offered. Listen again to Paul saying: "For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in matters concerning God." Hence it is necessary that he too have something to offer. Behold, he offers for the time being. Elsewhere again he says: "Thus Christ, once offered, to bear away the sins of many." Behold, here he was offered, there he offered himself. Do you see how he became both sacrifice and priest, and the cross was the altar? But it is necessary to learn why the sacrifice is not offered in the temple—I mean the Jewish temple—but outside the city, outside the walls. For he was crucified outside the city, like a condemned criminal, so that the saying of the prophet might be fulfilled: "And he was counted among the lawless." Why then was it outside the city, on a high place, and not under some roof? This too is not without purpose, but in order to purify the nature of the air.

This is why it is also on a high place, and not under a roof, but with the sky instead of a roof, so that the sky might be purified once and for all, with the sheep being sacrificed on a high place. So the sky was purified, and the earth was also purified. For the blood dripped from the side onto the earth, and it cleansed all its defilement. But the sacrifice is not offered under a roof for this reason; and why is it not offered in the Jewish temple itself? This again is not without purpose, but so that the Jews might not appropriate the sacrifice, so that you might not think the sacrifice is offered for that nation alone; for this reason it is outside the city, outside the walls, so that you may learn that the sacrifice is universal, so that you may learn that the offering is for the whole earth, and that the purification is common to our entire nature. For to the Jews, for this reason God commanded them to leave the whole earth and to offer in one place, to pray in one place, because the whole earth was then unclean from the smoke, and the savor, and the idolatrous blood, and the other defilements of the Greeks. For this reason he appointed one place for them. But when Christ came and suffered outside the city, he purified the whole earth, making every place a place of prayer. Do you wish to learn how the whole earth thereafter became a temple, and how every place became a place of prayer? Listen again to the blessed Paul saying: "In every place raising holy hands without anger and disputation." Do you see how he purified the inhabited world? Do you see how we are able to raise holy hands everywhere?

For the whole earth has become holy, indeed even holier than the holy places among the Jews. How? Because there an irrational sheep was led, but here a rational sheep. Therefore, as much as the rational is superior to the irrational, so much greater is the sanctification here. So truly the cross is a feast. Do you wish to learn also another of its greatest achievements, surpassing every human understanding? The paradise, which was closed, today it opened; for today it brought the thief into it. Two greatest achievements: it opened paradise and brought in the thief; it gave him back his ancient homeland, it led him back to his ancestral city. Today you will be with me, it says, in paradise. What are you saying? You are crucified and nailed to the cross with nails, and you promise paradise? How then do you bestow such things? And indeed Paul says, He was crucified from weakness; but listen to what follows: But he lives, it says, by the power of God. And again elsewhere: For my power is perfected in weakness. For this reason, it says, I now promise on the cross, so that through this you may learn my power.

Since the event is gloomy, so that you may not become downcast by attending to the nature of the cross, but looking to the power of the one crucified, you may be cheerful and radiant, for this reason he there displays his own strength. For not by raising a dead man, not by commanding the sea, not by rebuking demons, but crucified, nailed, insulted, spat upon, reviled, mocked, and ridiculed by all, he prevailed in drawing the wicked mind of the thief to himself. See his power shining forth on both sides. He shook creation, he rent rocks, he made the soul of the thief, more insensible than rocks, softer than wax. Today you will be with me in paradise. What are you saying? The cherubim guard paradise and the flaming sword, and you promise the thief entry there? Yes, he says. For I am master even of the cherubim, and I have authority over flame, Gehenna, life, and death; therefore he says: Today you will be with me in paradise. If those powers see the Master, they immediately give way and withdraw. Yet no king would ever tolerate a thief, or any other fellow slave, sitting with him and thus entering the city; but the philanthropic Master did this. For entering the holy fatherland, he brings the thief in with him, not dishonoring paradise, heaven forbid, by the thief's feet, but rather honoring it by this.

For it is an honor to paradise to have such a master, so powerful and philanthropic, that he can make even a thief worthy of the luxury in paradise. For when he called tax collectors and prostitutes into the kingdom, he did not do this to shame the kingdom, but rather to honor it most of all, and to show that the Lord of the kingdom of the heavens is such that he can make even prostitutes and tax collectors so approved as to appear worthy of that honor and gift. Just as we then admire a physician when we see that he has freed people suffering from incurable diseases and restored them to pure health, so also admire Christ, beloved, and be amazed, that taking people who had incurable diseases of the soul, he was able both to free them from wickedness and to declare worthy of the kingdom of the heavens those who had advanced to the utmost depravity. Today you will be with me in paradise. Great honor, great is the magnitude of the philanthropy, ineffable the excess of goodness; for greater honor than entering paradise is entering with the master. What has happened, tell me? What such thing did the thief display, that he suddenly appears worthy of paradise from the cross? Do you want me to speak briefly and show the thief's gratitude? When Peter below, the chief of the disciples, was denying, then that one above on the cross was confessing. And I said this not to accuse Peter—far from it—but wishing to show the thief's magnanimity and his surpassing philosophy. That one could not bear the threat of a lowly girl.

But this man, seeing a whole crowd raging and standing around and shouting and hurling countless insults at the crucified one, did not look at the insult to the crucified one, but with the eyes of faith, passing by all these things, and leaving below both the lowly and the obstacles, he recognized the Master of the heavens, uttering those brief words that declared him worthy of paradise: "Remember me in your kingdom." Let us not simply pass over what was said, nor be ashamed to take the thief as a teacher, whom our Master was not ashamed to bring first into paradise; let us not be ashamed to take as teacher a man who, before the whole human race, appeared worthy of the citizenship in paradise. Let us examine each of the words in turn, so that we may learn from this as well the power of the cross. For he did not say to him, as to Peter and Andrew, "Come, and I will make you fishers of men"; nor did he say to him, as to the twelve disciples, "You will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." He did not even deem him worthy of a word. He saw no miracles, no dead man rising, no demons being driven out, no sea yielding to his command; he did not discuss the kingdom with him. How then did he even know the name of the kingdom? Let us observe his great understanding. The other thief, it is said, was reviling him; for there was another thief crucified with him, so that what was said by the prophet might be fulfilled: "And he was counted among the lawless.

For the ungrateful Jews wanted to slander his glory as well, and they harassed the events from every side; but through all this the truth increased, and through the very obstacles it became more brilliant. So then, the other robber was reviling him; one of the evangelists says that both were reviling Jesus; and this too is true, which especially heightens this man's gratitude. For it is likely that he reviled him at the beginning, but then suddenly displayed so great a change. So then, the other robber was reviling him, it says. Do you see robber and robber? Both were on the cross, both from wickedness, both from a life of robbery, but not both in the same state; but one inherited a kingdom, the other was sent to Gehenna. So also yesterday, a disciple and disciples; but one was preparing for betrayal, the others were preparing for service; and that one said to the Pharisees, "What do you want to give me, and I will hand him over to you?" while these approached Jesus saying, "Where do you want us to prepare to eat the Passover for you?" So also here, robber and robber; but one was reviling, the other silences him; one blasphemes, the other rebukes, and this while seeing him crucified, condemned, the crowd below reviling him, shouting loudly; but nevertheless none of this distracted him, nor led him away from the proper reverence, but he even attacks the other robber vehemently, and says to him, "Do you not fear God?" 3. Do you see the boldness of a robber?

You saw how even on the cross he does not forget his own craft, but through its very confession he plunders the kingdom? "Do you not fear God?" he says. Did you see the boldness on the cross? Did you see the philosophy, did you see the reverence? For that he was in himself, that he had his wits entirely transfixed by the nails, and while enduring the unbearable pains from the nails, is he not worthy of admiration for his noble spirit? For my part, I would say he is not only worthy of admiration, but also rightly to be called blessed. For not only did he not turn away from the pains, but leaving aside his own concerns, he cared for another's, and he strove how to snatch that one from error, and to become a teacher on the cross. "Do you not fear God?" he says. He almost says to him: Do not attend to the lower court, do not judge from what is seen, do not look only at what is happening; there is another judge, invisible, that court is incorruptible, unable to be deceived. Do not, then, see that he was condemned below; but the things above are not such. For here, in the lower court, the innocent are often condemned, and the guilty are acquitted, and the just are condemned, and the unjust escape. For some of those being judged willingly, others unwillingly, most men corrupt the judgment; for either through ignorance of what is right and being deceived, or seeing it but corrupted by money, they betray the truth and condemn the innocent. But above there is nothing of the sort. For God is a just judge, and the judgment

of his will shine forth like light; it has no darkness, no concealment, it admits no perversion. For lest that one say, "He was condemned below, why do you plead for him?" he brought him up to the higher court, to the fearful tribunal, to the impartial judgment seat, to the judge who cannot be deceived, and reminded him of that dread court. "Look there," he says, "and you will not cast the condemning vote, nor will you stand with the men below, but you will marvel and accept the judgment from above." "Do you not fear God?" he says. Did you see the philosophy of the thief, did you see his understanding, did you see his teaching? Suddenly from the cross he flew up to heaven. And see him already fulfilling the apostolic law, not only looking to his own concerns, but doing and managing everything so as to free that one from error and lead him back to the truth. For having said, "Do you not fear God?" he added, "For we are under the same sentence." Observe the complete confession. What is "We are under the same sentence"? "We are under the same punishment," he says, "for we too are on the cross." So in reproaching that one, you cast yourself before him with the insults. Just as one who is in sins and condemns another condemns himself before that other, so too one who is in misfortune and reproaches another's misfortune reproaches himself before that other. "We are under the same sentence," he says. He reads the apostolic law to him, which speaks evangelical words: "Judge not, that you be not judged." "For we are under the same sentence." What are you doing, O thief? Do you make him your partner by saying, "We are under the same sentence"? No, he says.

I bring the correction through the following: "And we," he says, "justly; for we receive what is worthy of what we have done." For lest, having heard that he said, "We are in the same judgment," you think that he made him a partner in the sin, for this reason he added the correction, and says: "We justly; for we receive what is worthy of what we have done." Do you see a perfect confession on the cross? Do you see how he washed away the sins through his words? Do you see how he fulfilled that prophetic command: "Speak your transgressions first, that you may be justified"? No one compelled him, no one accused him, no one attacked him; he becomes his own accuser; for this reason he had no other accuser left. For having anticipated, he seized the role of the accuser, and pilloried himself, saying: "We justly; for we receive what is worthy of what we have done; but this one did nothing wrong." Do you see intense piety? When he accused himself, when he paraded his own affairs, when he made a defense on behalf of the Lord, saying, "We justly, but this one did nothing wrong," then he also dared to bring forward the supplication, saying: "Remember me, Lord, when you come into your kingdom." He did not dare to say earlier, "Remember me," until through confession he cleansed himself of the filth of sins, until by condemning himself he rendered himself blameless, until through accusation he laid aside the transgressions. Do you see how powerful confession is, even on the cross itself?

Hearing these things, beloved, never despair of yourself, but considering the ineffable magnitude of God's philanthropy, hasten to the correction of your sins. For if he deemed the thief on the cross worthy of such honor, much more will he deem us worthy of his own philanthropy, if we are willing to make confession of our transgressions. Therefore, that we too may enjoy his philanthropy, let us not be ashamed to confess our own sins; for great is the power of confession, and great is its strength. For behold, this man also confessed, and found paradise opened; he confessed, and received boldness, he who was in thievery, to ask for a kingdom. Until that time he had not asked for the kingdom of heaven. Whence, tell me, O thief, do you remember a kingdom? For what such thing have you seen now? Nails and a cross are what is seen, and accusation and mockery and insults. Yes, he says; for the cross itself seems to me to be a symbol of a kingdom. And I call him king for this reason, because I see him crucified; for it is the mark of a king to die for his subjects. He himself said: The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep; therefore also the good king lays down his life for his subjects. Since he has laid down his life, for this reason I call him king. Remember me, Lord, when you come into your kingdom. Do you wish to learn how the cross is also a symbol of a kingdom, and how the matter is a noble one? He did not leave him on the earth, but drew him up and led him into heaven.

How is this clear? He is to come with him at the second coming. But let us also see how he is to come with him. Listen to Christ himself saying: If they tell you, Behold, Christ is in the chambers, behold, in the desert, do not go out—speaking about his second coming, because of the false christs, because of the false prophets, because of the Antichrist, so that no one, being deceived, may fall in with him. For since the Antichrist comes before Christ, so that, he says, seeking the shepherd, you may not fall in with the wolf, for this reason I tell you signs of the shepherd's coming. For since his first coming happened in secret, do not think, he says, that the second will be such. For that one naturally happened in secret; he came to seek the lost; but this one is not so, but how? Speak and teach. Just as lightning goes out from the east and appears as far as the west, he says, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. It will appear suddenly to all; no one will need to ask. For just as when lightning appears, we do not need to inquire whether lightning has occurred, so when his coming occurs, we will not need to inquire whether Christ has arrived. But we have not yet said what is sought, even now, whether he comes with the cross. Listen, then, to him clearly revealing this as well. Then, he says, that is, when I come, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light. For such will be the excess of light then that even the brightest stars will be hidden.

And the stars, he says, will fall, and thus the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Do you see the magnitude of the sign, the brilliance, the radiance? The sun is darkened, the moon does not shine, the stars fall; but that alone appears, so that you may learn that it is brighter than the moon and more radiant than the sun. For just as when a king enters, the armies, going before him, carry the standards on their shoulders and announce the king's entry, so when the Master of creation descends from the heavens, the armies of angels and archangels go before him, bearing that sign and announcing to us the royal entry. Then, he says, the powers of the heavens will be shaken, speaking of the angels and archangels and all the invisible powers; for terror will seize them, and great fear and anguish. And why, tell me, are those powers also in fear? Reasonably so. For the judgment will be terrible then; the whole nature of mankind is about to be judged, to give account, and to stand before a fearful tribunal. Why then do the angels also tremble then, and those incorporeal powers fear? For they are not about to be judged. Just as when a judge condemns the guilty, seated on a high tribunal, not only the guilty, but also those standing by in the same order, who are conscious of nothing in themselves, nevertheless fear and shudder because of the

fear of the judge. So also then, when our nature is being judged and the penalties for transgressions are being demanded, even the angels who are conscious of no wrong in themselves, and the remaining powers, are afraid and tremble because of the threat of the judge. But this we have understood. For what reason and why does he come bearing the cross? Learn also the cause of this. For in order that those who crucified him might learn their own ingratitude through the very deeds themselves, for this reason he shows them the very proof of their madness. And that you may learn that he bears it for this purpose, to reproach them, listen again to the evangelist himself saying: Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear, and all the tribes of the earth will lament, seeing the accuser and recognizing the sin. And why are you amazed if he comes bearing the cross? He comes bearing the very wounds themselves with him. How is it clear that he bears the very wounds with him? Listen to the prophet saying: They will look upon the one whom they pierced. For just as he did in the case of Thomas, wishing to correct the disciple’s disbelief, and he showed him the marks of the nails and the very wounds, and says, Put your finger, and bring your hand, and see that a spirit has no flesh and bones, in order to show him that he truly rose; so also then he bears the wounds and the cross, in order to show them that he is that same one who was crucified. Therefore it is a great good and a saving one, and a clear proof of God’s love for humanity.

5. But it is not only the cross, but also the very words spoken on the cross that show his ineffable love for humanity. And listen to those words. For while those who crucified him were standing by, boiling with rage, he says, "Father, forgive them this sin; for they do not know what they are doing." Do you see the love of the Master for humanity? While being crucified, he interceded for those crucifying him; yet they were mocking and deriding him, saying, "If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross." And indeed, he does not come down from the cross for this very reason, because he is the Son of God; for this is why he came, to be crucified for us. "Let him come down from the cross," they say, "so that we may see and believe in him." Behold words of shamelessness and pretexts of unbelief. He did something greater than coming down from the cross, and they did not believe; and now they say, "Come down from the cross, and we will believe you." For it was far greater to rise from the dead, with the stone placed on the tomb, than to come down from the cross; it was far greater to bring forth Lazarus, who was four days dead and wrapped in bandages, from the tomb with these things, than to come down from the cross. Do you see words of folly? Do you see the extremity of madness? But pay close attention, I beg you, so that you may know the surpassing love of God for humanity, and how Christ uses even their folly as an occasion for forgiveness. "Father," he says, "forgive them the sin; for they do not know what they are doing." For he almost makes this clear by what he says: "They are foolish, and they do not know what they are doing." And they were saying, "If you are the Son of God, save yourself.

he himself was eager to save those who were reproaching him, mocking him, and reviling him. "Forgive them," he says, "this sin; for they do not know what they are doing." What then? Did he forgive them their sin? He forgave those who were willing to show repentance. And if he had not forgiven them their sin, Paul would not have become an apostle; if he had not forgiven them their sin, immediately three thousand and five thousand, and the many tens of thousands of Jews would not have believed later. For listen to what James says to Paul in Jerusalem: "Do you see, brother, how many tens of thousands of Jews have believed?" Let us therefore, I beseech you, also imitate the Master, and pray for our enemies. What I urged yesterday, I urge again now: knowing the greatness of the achievement, imitate your Master; he was being crucified, and he pleaded for those who were crucifying him. And how can I, he says, imitate the Master? If you wish, you can; if it were not possible, he would not have said, "Learn from me that I am meek and humble in heart"; if it were not possible for a human to imitate, Paul would not have said, "Become imitators of me, just as I am of Christ." But if you do not wish to imitate the Master, imitate your fellow servant, I mean Stephen, who first opened the doors of martyrdom; he imitated the Master.

Just as the Master, while hanging among those who were crucifying him, interceded on behalf of those crucifying him, so also the slave, while being among those stoning him, pelted by all, receiving the showers of stones, disregarding the pains arising from these, said: "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." Do you see how the Son speaks, and how the slave prays? The one says: "Father, forgive them this sin; for they do not know what they are doing"; the other says: "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And so that you may learn that he does this deliberately, he did not simply pray, nor perfunctorily, nor while standing, but on his knees, with compunction, with great compassion. Do you wish me to show you another fellow slave, a greater one, praying a prayer on behalf of enemies? Listen to the blessed Paul saying: after recounting how much he had suffered, that "Five times forty lashes, less one, I received from the Jews, I was three times beaten with rods, once stoned, three times shipwrecked," and after enumerating the string of plots which he endured from them day by day, he himself also says: "I prayed that I myself might be anathema from Christ on behalf of my brothers, my kinsmen by blood, who are Israelites." Do you wish to see others, not from the New, but also from the Old Testament, doing the same thing? For this is especially remarkable, when those who were not commanded to love their enemies, but to give an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, and to defend themselves with like for like, these reach the apostolic summit.

Listen, then, to what Moses says, he who was often stoned by the Jews: "If you forgive them their sin, forgive; but if not, then erase me from the book which you have written." Do you see how each of the righteous places the safety of others before their own salvation? "You have committed no sin; why do you wish to share in their punishment?" "I am not aware of my own well-being," he says, "when others are suffering badly." There is also another to be seen making such a prayer. For I deliberately adduce many examples, so that even in this way we may correct ourselves and banish this grievous disease from our own soul—I mean the cursing of enemies. Listen also to the blessed David, when God was provoked and sent an angel to punish the multitude, what he says, seeing the angel already baring the sword and about to inflict the blow: "I, the shepherd, have done wrong, and what have these, the flock, done? Let your hand be upon me and upon my father's house." Do you see again the kindred achievements? Do you wish me to show you another who does this? The prophet Samuel was insulted by the Jews, despised, dishonored, so much so that God wished to console him. Pay attention, I beg you, with precision. For God said to him: "They have not despised you, but me." What then did that despised, dishonored, scorned, insulted man do? Listen to what he says: "May it never be that I sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you." He considered it a sin not to pray for his enemies.

May it never be that I should sin so as not to pray for you." Do you see how each of the righteous made such care of this good work, following the Master? Let us then review from the beginning what has been said. The Master says: "Father, forgive them their sin, for they do not know what they do." Stephen said: "Lord, do not set this sin against them." Paul says: "I prayed that I myself might be anathema from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen by blood." Moses likewise: "If you forgive them their sin, forgive; but if not, then erase me also from the book which you have written." David says: "Let your hand be upon me, and upon my father's house." Samuel likewise: "But may it never be that I should sin by ceasing to pray for you." What pardon, then, should we obtain, we who are from the New Testament and from the Old, when all are urging us, as it were, toward prayer for enemies, if we do not strive to accomplish this with all zeal? Let us not, therefore, be negligent, I beg you. For the more numerous the examples, the greater the punishment if we do not imitate them. For it is much greater to pray for enemies than for friends; praying for friends does not benefit us as much as praying for enemies. Listen to Christ saying: "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?" Therefore, when we pray for friends, we are not yet better than the tax collectors; but if we love enemies and pray for enemies, we become like God, as far as human power allows.

For you will be, he says, like your Father in heaven, because he makes his sun rise upon the wicked and the good, and rains upon the just and the unjust. Since, then, we have examples both from the Master and from the servants, let us emulate and achieve virtue, so that we may be deemed worthy to obtain the kingdom of heaven, and at this awe-inspiring table with greater confidence, having cleansed our own conscience, we may obtain the promised blessings, by the grace and love for humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.