Sermon 70A

SERMON 70/A

Similarly, from the same chapter of the Gospel.
ON HUMILITY

All here labor and are burdened.

The Word of the Lord, the trumpet of justice and truth, as if standing in the assembly of the human race, calls and says: Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Whoever does not labor, let him not hear; but whoever labors, let him hear: Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened. Whoever is not burdened, let him not hear; but whoever is burdened, let him hear: Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened. For what reason? And I will refresh you. Everyone who labors and is burdened seeks refreshment, desires rest. And who does not labor in this world? Let it be told to me, who does not labor either by working or by thinking? The poor labor in works, the rich labor in thoughts; the poor wish to have what they do not possess, and they labor; the rich, fearing to lose what they have and wishing to increase what they do not have, labor even more. Everyone bears their burdens, which are the sins that weigh down their proud necks; and yet under such a weight they lift themselves up; and when they are pressed down by sins, pride swells. Therefore, what does the Lord say? I, he says, will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me. What, Lord, do we learn from you? We know in the beginning you are the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; we know all things were made through you, visible and invisible. What do we learn from you? To hang the sky, to solidify the earth, to spread out the sea, to expand the air, to fill all elements with suitable creatures, to order the ages, to rotate the times? What do we learn from you? Or perhaps, do you want us to learn what you did on earth? Do you want to teach these things? So, do we learn from you to cleanse lepers, to cast out demons, to chase away fevers, to command the sea and waves, to raise the dead? Not these things, he says. Then tell us, what? For I am meek and humble of heart. Blush before God, human pride. The Word of God says, God says, the Only Begotten says, the Most High says: Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart. Such height descends to humility, and does man stretch himself forth? Gather yourself, and return yourself, man, to the humble Christ, lest in your stretching you be torn apart.

God is humble and you are proud?

Now a psalm was sung, now Alleluia was said: Who is like the Lord our God, who dwells on high and looks upon the lowly? Looking upon you, may he find you humble, lest he condemn you. He himself spoke, he himself preached, he himself called the human race to this salvation: Learn from me, he says, not to create a creature; learn that I am gentle and humble in heart. In the beginning he was: what is higher? The Word was made flesh: what is more humble? He commands the world: what is higher? He hangs on a tree: what is more humble? When he did these things for you, why do you still lift yourself up, still swell, an inflated bubble? God is humble, and you are proud? Perhaps, because he said: The Lord is high and looks upon the lowly, you say: "He does not look upon me." What is more miserable for you, if he does not look upon you, but despises you? To look upon has mercy, to despise has contempt. But perhaps, because the Lord looks upon the lowly, you think you are hidden, because you are not humble, you are high, you are proud. You are not hidden here from the eyes of God. See indeed what he says there. The Lord is high. Certainly high. How will you reach him, do you seek ladders? Seek the wood of humility, and you have reached. The Lord is high, he looks upon the lowly: but the high (lest you think you are hidden, who are proud) but the high he knows from afar. He knows, but from afar. Salvation is far from sinners. What about the lowly? from near. Wondrous device of the Almighty! He is high, and he looks upon the lowly from near; the proud are high, he knows them from afar. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and he will save the humble in spirit. Therefore, brothers, let not pride swell in you, but let it rot: shun it, cast it away. Christ seeks the humble Christian. Christ in heaven, Christ with us, Christ in the underworld, not to be held, but to be freed. We have such a leader. He sits at the right hand of the Father, but he gathers us from the earth; this one in this way, that one in that way: bestowing upon him, chastising this one; making that one joyful, troubling this one. He gathers, who gathers; he gathers us, lest we perish; he gathers us there, where we do not perish: into that region of the living, where merits are recognized, and justice is crowned.