Homilies on Second Corinthians 23 part 2/2

but the desire of bodies overcame even the great prophet David.

And I say these things not to grant pardon to those who are captured by such desire, but rather to make them sober and watchful.

For when I show that the passion is great, then most of all I show them to be bereft of all excuse.

For if you were ignorant of the beast, you might have taken refuge in that very plea;

but as it is, knowing it and yet falling into it, you can have no defense whatever.

And after him, it laid hold of his son with even greater excess;

and yet none became wiser than that man, and he attained to all other virtue besides;

but nevertheless he was so violently taken captive by this, that he received the blow even in his vital parts.

And the father rose up and renewed the struggle, and was crowned again;

but this one showed forth nothing of the kind.

For this reason Paul also said:

'It is better to marry than to burn;'

and Christ said, 'He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.'

But concerning money it is not so, but rather, 'Whosoever has forsaken his possessions shall receive a hundredfold.'

How then, one asks, did He say concerning the rich, that

they shall hardly attain to the kingdom? Again He was hinting at their softness, not at the tyranny of riches, but at their intense slavery to them.

And this is plain also from what Paul counseled.

For from that desire he leads them away, saying, 'But they that will be rich fall into temptation;'

but concerning this other desire he does so no longer, but having dissolved it only for a season, and this by consent, he counsels them again to come together.

For he dreads the waves of desire, lest they should work some grievous shipwreck.

This is a passion more vehement even than anger;

for anger cannot arise when there is nothing to provoke it;

but there is a necessity to desire, even when the sight that stirs one to it does not appear.

Therefore this passion He did not cut out utterly, but added the word 'without cause;'

nor did He take away desire itself, but the unjust desire.

'For because of desires,' he says, 'let each man have his own wife.'

But to lay up treasure He allowed neither with cause nor without cause.

For these passions were implanted in us for the sake of need;

desire for the begetting of children, and anger for the aid of those who are wronged;

but the desire of money in no way at all.

Therefore neither is this passion natural.

So that when you are taken captive by it, by so much the more will you suffer the most shameful things.

For this very reason Paul also, while permitting a second marriage, requires great strictness in the matter of money, saying, 'Why do you not rather suffer wrong? why do you not rather allow yourselves to be defrauded?' And discoursing about virginity, he says:

and, 'I speak this for your own profit, not that I may cast a snare upon you;'

but when his discourse is about money, he says, 'Having food and covering, with these we shall be content.'

How then, one asks, are many taken captive by this rather? Because they are not so drawn up in battle array against it, as they are against wantonness and fornication;

for if it seemed to be equally dreadful, they would not so quickly have been taken.

So also those wretched virgins were cast out of the bridal chamber, because, having overthrown the greater adversary, they were laid low by the weaker one that was nothing at all.

Together with this it may also be said, that if anyone, while mastering desire, is overcome by money, he does not often even master desire, but has obtained from nature that he is not greatly troubled from that quarter;

for not all men are alike prone to it.

Knowing these things, therefore, and continually turning over among ourselves the example of the virgins, let us flee this wicked beast.

For if virginity profited them nothing, but they perished after countless labors and sweats because of the love of money;

who shall deliver us, if we fall into this passion? Wherefore I exhort you to do everything, neither to be taken captive, nor, if taken, to remain in captivity, but to burst asunder these grievous bonds.

For thus shall we be able to stand toward heaven, and to attain the countless good things;

which may it be granted us all to attain, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, to the Father together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.