Homilies on the Gospel of St. John and the Epistle to the Hebrews

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom442“Ye cannot serve two masters”? ( Matt. vi. 24 .) And dost thou set at nought 3068 the threat? Doesnot Paul say that it is Idolatry, and does he not call “the covetous man an Idolater”? ( Eph. v. 5 .)[8.] And thou standest laughing, raising a laugh after the manner of women of the world whoare on the stage. This has overthrown, this has cast down everything. Our affairs, 3069 both ourbusiness 3070 and our politeness, are turned into laughing; there is nothing steady, nothing grave. Isay not these things to men of the world only; but I know those whom I am hinting at. For theChurch has been filled with laughter. Whatever clever thing one may say, immediately there islaughter among those present: and the marvelous thing is that many do not leave off laughing evenduring the very time of the prayer.Everywhere the devil leads the dance, 3071 he has entered into all, is master of all. Christ isdishonored, is thrust aside; the Church is made no account of. Do ye not hear Paul saying, Let“filthiness and foolish talking and jesting” ( Eph. v. 4 ) be put away from you? He places “jesting”along with “filthiness,” and dost thou laugh? What is “foolish talking”? that which has nothingprofitable. And dost thou, a solitary, laugh at all and relax thy countenance? thou that art crucified?thou that art a mourner? tell me, dost thou laugh? Where dost thou hear of Christ doing this?Nowhere: but that He was sad indeed oftentimes. For even when He looked on Jerusalem, He wept;and when He thought on the Traitor He was troubled; and when He was about to raise Lazarus, Hewept; and dost thou laugh? If he who grieves not over the sins of others deserves to be accused, ofwhat consideration will he be worthy, who is without sorrow for his own sins, yea laughs at them?This is the season of grief and tribulation, of bruising and bringing matter [the body], of conflictsand sweatings, and dost thou laugh? Dost not thou see how Sarah was rebuked? dost thou not hearChrist saying, “Woe to them that laugh, for they shall weep”? ( Luke vi. 25 .) Thou chantest thesethings every day, for, tell me, what dost thou say? “I have laughed?” By no means; but what? “Ilabored in my groaning.” ( Ps. vi. 6 .)But perchance there are some persons so dissolute and silly as even during this very rebuke tolaugh, because forsooth we thus discourse about laughter. For indeed such is their derangement,such their madness, that it does not feel the rebuke.The Priest of God is Standing, offering up the prayer of all: and art thou laughing, having nofears? And while he is offering up the prayers in trembling for thee, dost thou despise all? Hearestthou not the Scripture saying, “Woe, ye despisers!” (cf. Acts xiii. 41 from Hab. i. 5 ); dost thounot shudder? dost thou not humble thyself? Even when thou enterest a royal palace, thou orderestthyself in dress, and look, and gait, and all other respects: and here where there is the true Palace,and things like those of heaven, dost thou laugh? Thou indeed, I know, seest [them] not, but hearthou that there are angels present everywhere, and in the house of God especially they stand by theKing, and all is filled by those incorporeal Powers.This my discourse is addressed to women also, who in the presence of their husbands indeeddo not dare readily to do this, and even if they do it, it is not at all times, but during a season ofrelaxation, but here they do it always. Tell me, O woman, dost thou cover thine head and laugh,sitting in the Church? Didst thou come in here to make confession of sins, to fall down before God,3068ἐ κλύεις3069τὰ ἡμέτερα3070πολιτισμὸς3071χορεύει639