Homilia in martyres

Homily on the Martyrs The feasts of the martyrs are judged not only by the cycle of days but also by the intention of those who celebrate them. What do I mean? Have you imitated a martyr? Have you emulated his virtue? Have you run in the footsteps of his philosophy? Then, even if it is not a day of a martyr, you have celebrated a feast of a martyr. For honor of a martyr is imitation of a martyr. Just as those who do base things are without feast even during feasts, so also those who pursue virtue celebrate a feast even when there is no festival; for the feast is characterized by the purity of conscience. Paul indicated this when he said: "Therefore let us feast not with the old leaven of vice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." So there is unleavened bread among the Jews, and there is also among us; but among them it is unleavened bread made from flour, while among us it is purity of life and a life free from all vice. Thus, whoever keeps his life clean of filth and stain celebrates a feast every day, always holding a festival, even if not on a day nor in the shrines of the martyrs, but even sitting at home. For it is possible to celebrate a feast of the martyrs even by oneself. And I say these things not so that we should not go to the tombs of the martyrs, but so that when we go we may meet them with the appropriate zeal, and that we may show the same reverence not only on their days but also apart from them. Who would not admire today our assembly, this splendid gathering, the fervent love, the warm disposition, the irrepressible desire?

Almost the whole city has now moored itself here, and neither the fear of a master has held back a slave, nor the compulsion of poverty a poor man, nor the weakness of age an old man, nor the delicacy of nature a woman, nor the pride of wealth a rich man, nor the arrogance of authority a ruler; but the longing for the martyrs, having cast out all this unevenness—both the weakness of nature and the compulsion of poverty—has drawn so great a multitude here with a single chain, and has winged them with desire for the martyrs, so that they now dwell as citizens in heaven, treading down every attachment to licentiousness and wantonness, and are inflamed with desire for the martyrs. For just as when the sun’s ray rises, the wild beasts flee and retreat into their own lairs, so when the light of the martyrs shines into your minds, all diseases are buried, and the bright flame of philosophy is kindled. But let us not only now, but also continually, even after this spiritual theater is dismissed, preserve this flame, and depart homeward with the same reverence, not abandoning ourselves to taverns and brothels, and drunkenness, and revels. You have made the night day through the sacred vigils; do not again make the day night through drunkenness and debauchery and licentious songs.

You have honored the martyrs by your presence, by your listening, by your zeal; honor them also by a seemly departure, lest someone seeing you behaving disgracefully in a tavern should say that you did not come for the martyrs, but to increase your passion, to gratify your evil desire. I say these things not forbidding enjoyment, but forbidding sin, not forbidding drinking, but forbidding drunkenness. For wine is not evil, but immoderation is wicked; wine is a gift of God, but immoderation is an invention of the devil. Therefore serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice in him with trembling. Do you wish to enjoy luxury? Enjoy it at home, where, even if drunkenness occurs, there are many to attend to you; not in a tavern, so that you may not be a common spectacle to those present and a scandal to others. And I say these things not commanding you to get drunk at home, but not to spend time in a tavern. Consider what a mockery it is, after such a gathering, after all-night vigils, after hearing the holy Scriptures, after partaking of the divine mysteries, and after spiritual provision, for a man or a woman to be seen spending the whole day in a tavern. Do you not know what punishment lies in store for those who get drunk? They are cast out of the kingdom of God, they fall from the ineffable blessings, and they are sent into the eternal fire. Who says these things? The blessed Paul: "Not the covetous," he says, "not the drunkards, not the revilers, not the plunderers will inherit the kingdom of God.

What could be more wretched than a drunkard, who for a small pleasure loses the enjoyment of such a kingdom? Indeed, the drunkard cannot even reap pleasure; for pleasure lies in moderation, while insensibility lies in excess. And one who does not perceive where he sits or lies down, how could he perceive the pleasure of the drink, when he cannot even see the sun itself because of the thick cloud of drunkenness? How could he enjoy delight? So great is his darkness that the sun's rays are insufficient to dissolve that gloom. Drunkenness is always an evil, beloved, but especially on a day of martyrs. For along with the sin, there is also great insult and madness, and contempt for divine teachings; hence the punishment would be double. If, then, after coming to the martyrs and departing from here, you intend to get drunk, it is better to stay at home, and not to behave disgracefully, nor to insult the feast of the martyrs, nor to scandalize your neighbor, nor to besiege your mind, nor to add sins. You came to see men who were scraped, drenched in blood, adorned with a chorus of wounds, who stripped off their present life and flew toward the future one; be worthy of the contestants. They despised life; you despise luxury. They stripped off their present life; you strip off the desire for drunkenness. But do you wish to revel? Remain at the martyr's tomb; pour forth streams of tears there; crush your mind; take a blessing from the tomb; having taken it as an advocate in your prayers, always dwell on the narratives of that one's struggles.

Embrace the coffin, cling to the reliquary; not only the bones of the martyrs, but also their tombs and their reliquaries pour forth abundant blessing. Take holy oil and anoint your entire body—your tongue, your lips, your neck, your eyes—and you will never fall into the shipwreck of drunkenness. For the oil, through its fragrance, reminds you of the contests of the martyrs, and it restrains every licentiousness, holds you in great endurance, and overcomes the maladies of the soul. But do you wish to spend time in gardens, meadows, and paradises? Not now, when such a crowd is present, but on another day; for today is a time for wrestling, today is a spectacle of contests, not of luxury nor of leisure. You came here not to give yourself over to ease, but to learn to contend, to wrestle, and, being human, to shatter the strength of invisible demons. For no one who comes to a wrestling school indulges in luxury, nor does one who arrives at a time of wrestling preen himself, nor does one in a time of battle seek banquets. Do not, therefore, you who have come to behold the courage of soul and the vigor of spirit, and a new and extraordinary trophy, and a strange battle, and wounds and wars, and a human wrestling match, introduce demonic actions by giving yourself over to drunkenness and luxury after this strange and awe-inspiring spectacle. Instead, gather the gains of the soul and then depart homeward, showing through your appearance to all that you have withdrawn after beholding martyrs. For just as those who come down from the theaters are evident to all—disturbed, confused—

languishing, bearing the images of all that has taken place there. So too, one who returns from the contemplation of the martyrs must be recognizable to all—by their gaze, their bearing, their gait, their compunction, the concentration of their mind: breathing fire, composed, crushed, sober, vigilant, proclaiming through the movements of the body the philosophy within. Let us therefore return to the city with the proper order, with orderly gait, with prudence and temperance, with a gentle and calm gaze. For a man's attire, the laughter of his teeth, and the step of his foot will declare what is within him. Thus let us always return from the martyrs, from spiritual ointments, from heavenly meadows, from new and wondrous spectacles, so that we ourselves may reap great ease, and become agents of freedom for others, and attain the future goods, 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.