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

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostomleft the earth destitute of His presence, but by His relation to and intimacy with 3095 the Angels. Ifthen we also are near to God, we are in Heaven. For what care I about Heaven when I see the Lordof Heaven, when I myself am become a Heaven? “For,” He says, “We will come,” I and the Father,“and will make our abode with him.” ( John xiv. 23 .)Let us then make our soul a Heaven. The heaven is naturally bright; for not even in a stormdoes it become black, for it does not itself change its appearance, but the clouds run together andcover it. Heaven has the Sun; we also have the Sun of Righteousness. I said it is possible to becomea Heaven; and I see that it is possible to become even better than Heaven. How? when we have theLord of the Sun. Heaven is throughout pure and without spot; it changes not either in a storm or inthe night. Neither let us then be so influenced either by tribulations or by “the wiles of the devil”( Eph. vi. 11 ), but let us continue spotless and pure. Heaven is high and far from the earth. Letus also effect this [as regards ourselves]; let us withdraw ourselves from the earth, and exalt ourselvesto that height, and remove ourselves far from the earth. Heaven is higher than the rains and thestorms, and is reached by none of them. This we also can do, if we will.It does appear to be, but is not really so affected. Neither then let us be affected, even if weappear to be so. For as in a storm, most men know not the beauty of [heaven,] but think that it ischanged, while philosophers know that it is not affected at all, so with regard to ourselves also inafflictions; most men think that we are changed with them, and that affliction has touched our veryheart, but philosophers know that it has not touched us.[8.] Let us then become heaven, let us mount up to that height, and so we shall see men differingnothing from ants. I do not speak of the poor only, nor the many, but even if there be a generalthere, even if the emperor be there, we shall not distinguish the emperor, nor the private person.We shall not know what is gold, or what is silver, or what is silken or purple raiment: we shall seeall things as if they were flies, if we be seated in that height. There is no tumult there, no disturbance,nor clamor.And how is it possible (one says) for him who walks on the earth, to be raised up to that height?I do not tell it thee in words, but I show thee in fact those who have attained to that height. Whothen are they?I mean such as Paul, who being on earth, spent their lives in heaven. But why do I say “inheaven”? They were higher than the Heaven, yea than the other heaven, and mounted up to GodHimself. For, “who” (he says) “shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress,or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” ( Rom. viii. 35 .) And again, “whilewe look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.” ( 2 Cor. iv. 18 .)Seest thou that he did not even see the things here? But to show thee that he was higher than theheavens, hear him saying himself, “For I am persuaded that neither death, or life, nor things present,nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us fromthe love of Christ.” ( Rom. viii. 38, 39 .)Seest thou how thought, hurrying past all things, made him higher not than this creation only,not than these heavens, but even [than any other also] if any other there were? Hast thou seen theelevation of his mind? Hast thou seen what the tent-maker became, because he had the will, he whohad spent his whole life in the market-place?3095σχέσει καὶ οἰκειώσει644