Sermon 31

The psalm that is sung to the Lord seems fitting for the holy martyrs, but if we are members of Christ, as we ought to be, let us understand that it pertains to all of us: Those who sow in tears will reap in joy. They went forth and wept, casting their seeds. But coming, they shall come in exultation, bearing their sheaves. Where are they going forth from and where are they coming to? What are they sowing in tears? What are the seeds? What are the sheaves? They go forth to death, they come from death. They go forth by being born, they come by rising again. Sowing good deeds, they reap an eternal reward. Therefore, the seeds are ours, whatever good we have done; our sheaves are what we will receive at the end. If, therefore, the seeds are good, good deeds, why with tears, when God loves a cheerful giver?

The martyrs gave themselves up by confessing Christ.

First, see here, beloved, how these words most pertain to the blessed martyrs. For none have expended themselves as much as those who have given themselves, as the Apostle Paul says: "And I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls." For they have given themselves, confessing Christ, and fulfilling with His help what is said: "When you sit at a great table, know that such things are necessary for you to prepare." What is the great table if not where we receive the body and blood of Christ? What does it mean: "Know that such things are necessary for you to prepare," if not what the blessed John explains: "As Christ laid down His life for us, so we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren"? See how greatly they expended themselves. But did they perish when they received security from the Lord even regarding a hair? Does a hand perish, where a hair does not perish? Does a head perish, where a hair does not perish? Where an eyelash does not perish, does an eye perish? Therefore, with this great received security, they gave themselves. Therefore, let us sow good works while it is time, as the Apostle says: "He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly." Tirelessly, he says, let us do good to all as we have the opportunity, especially to those who are of the household of faith. And again: "Let us not grow weary in doing good; for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." He who fails in sowing will not rejoice at the harvest.

Our head sympathizes with the weaker members.

Why then in tears, when all our good works ought to be in cheerfulness? Indeed, it can be said about the martyrs because they have sown with tears. For they fought bravely and were in great tribulations. For in order that Christ might console their tears, He translated them and transfigured them into Himself and said: "My soul is sorrowful unto death." Nevertheless, my brothers, it seems to me that our head has compassion on its weaker members, lest perhaps the weak members despair of themselves, as human frailty, perturbed by the approach of death, would say they do not belong to God, for if they did belong, they would be joyful. Therefore Christ first said: "My soul is sorrowful unto death. Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me." Who says this? What power, what weakness? Hear who says it: "I have the power to lay down my life and the power to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord and take it up again." This power was sorrowful when it was doing what it would not do unless it willed. He did it with power, not out of necessity, because He willed, not because the Jew could. Therefore, He transfigured the weak members of His body into Himself. And perhaps it was said of them: "Those who sow in tears will reap in joy," that is, of the weaker ones. For that great herald of Christ did not sow in tears when he said: "For I am already being poured out and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, the crown of the harvest." He says, "Henceforth, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day." It is as if he had said: "The Lord will give me the harvest, for which I sow myself." These words, as far as we understand, brothers, are of someone exulting, not weeping. Was he in tears when he said these things? Was he not similar to a cheerful giver, whom God loves? Let us therefore refer these words to the infirm, so that they do not despair, who have sown in tears, for even if they have sown in tears, sorrow and sighing will pass away. Sorrow ends with time, and endless joy comes.

In this life, we all weep for evils.

Nevertheless, dearest ones, see how it seems to me that what was said pertains to all: Those who sow in tears will reap with joy. They go forth weeping, bearing their seeds. But coming, they will come with exultation, carrying their sheaves. Listen, if, with the Lord’s help, I am able to explain how it pertains to all: They go forth weeping. From the time we are born, we proceed. For who stands still? Who is not compelled to walk from the moment they enter life? The infant is born, and by growing, it progresses. Death is the end. In the end, indeed, we shall come, but with exultation. For who does not weep here on this troublesome path, when even the infant begins from there? Indeed, when the infant is born, it is cast out from the narrowness of the womb into the breadth of this world, proceeding from the darkness into the light. And yet, coming from darkness to light, it can cry but not laugh. For this life is such that when joy is felt here, beware lest it deceive. When there is weeping here, pray to escape. And tribulation passes, and tribulation comes. And men laugh, and men weep. And what men laugh at should be wept about. But one weeps for his loss, another weeps for his suffering because he is in prison, another weeps because he lost one of his dearest. This one from here, that one from there. Where from the just one? First from all these things. For the just one truly weeps for those who weep in vain. He weeps for those weeping, he weeps for those laughing, because those who weep over vain things weep in vain, and those who laugh at vain things laugh to their own harm. He weeps everywhere, therefore he weeps more abundantly.

He who does not shed tears does not grieve that he is a stranger.

But they shall come with exultation, carrying their sheaves. Therefore, you see that a righteous man, when he performs a good work, is cheerful. Thus he indeed becomes cheerful. For God loves a cheerful giver. So when does he weep? When he commends his good works through prayer. The Psalm wanted to commend the prayers: the prayers of the saints, the prayers of travelers, the prayers of those laboring on this path, the prayers of lovers, the prayers of those groaning, the prayers of those longing for the eternal homeland until those who are now in sorrow are satisfied by seeing it. Indeed, my Brothers, as long as we are in the body, we are away from the Lord. No pilgrimage desires the homeland without tears. If you desire what you do not have, shed tears. For how else will you say to God: You have put my tears in your sight? How else will you say to God: My tears have been my bread day and night? They have become my bread: they have consoled the one who groans, fed the one who is hungry. My tears have become my bread day and night. How? While it is said to me daily: Where is your God? Which righteous person has not had these tears? Whoever has not had them has not felt the pain of being away. With what face does one come to the homeland who has not sighed in absence? Is it not said to us daily: Where is your God? Learn, my Brothers, learn to be among the few. Live well, walk the path of God, and see that you hear: Where is your God? You will be happy when you hear this, unhappy if you say it. For when we defend the Christian faith and it is answered to us: "Behold, the name of Christ is preached everywhere; why do evils abound?", what else is being said but: Where is your God? He who hears it groans, because he who says it perishes.

On the tears of the good and the wicked.

There are tears of the pious, there are tears of the saints, which their prayers indicate. He does good, and he is cheerful. And he weeps to do good, he weeps because he has done good. By weeping, he demands a good work, by weeping, he commends the good work he has done. Therefore, the tears of the righteous are frequent, but in this way. Will tears be in the homeland? Why not in the homeland? Because they will come in exultation, carrying their sheaves. Happiness comes, will tears return? Moreover, those who weep in vain here, laugh in vain, dissipated by their desires, when they are defrauded, they groan, when they defraud, they exult. They also weep in this way, they also weep, but not in exultation. But coming, they will come in exultation, carrying their sheaves. What do they gather who have sown nothing? Rather they gather, but what they have sown. Because they have sown thorns, they gather fire, and they go not from weeping to laughter like the saints: Going, they went and wept, sending their seeds, but coming, they will come in exultation, from weeping to weeping, from weeping with laughter to weeping without laughter. What will happen to them? Where will they go when they are resurrected? What if not what the Lord said: Bind their hands and feet, and cast them into outer darkness? Come, what then? Will there be darkness and no pain? Perhaps they will grope, but not feel pain? They will not see, but they will not be tormented? Far from it. There will not only be darkness, not only will their appearance, which they enjoyed, be taken away, but what makes them groan forever is also given. Do not underestimate the darkness, O whoever you are, wicked person, who, because of your evil deeds and lascivious adulteries, not only do not shun the darkness but seek it, who used to rejoice more when the candle goes out, you will not have such darkness where you rejoice, where you are glad, where you delight in the pleasures of the flesh; such the darkness will not be. But how will it be? There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. A torturer without ceasing, a tortured without ceasing. Neither is the torturer weary, nor does the tortured die. Therefore there will be eternal tears for those who lived so. There will be eternal joys of the saints, when coming, they will come in exultation, carrying their sheaves. For they will say to their Lord at harvest time: "Lord, with your help we did what you commanded, give what you promised."