Homily One on the Thirteenth Sunday of Luke
(30th Sunday After Pentecost)
By St. John of Kronstadt
(30th Sunday After Pentecost)
By St. John of Kronstadt
“Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, 'Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?'” (Luke 18:18).
This very important, vital question, proposed to Jesus Christ by one of the leaders of the Jews, was later resolved, in the space of centuries, by the holy saints of God in the most positive, decisive and generally exemplary way: by zealous fulfillment of Christ's commandments, contempt for this vain life and for the many-passioned flesh, extreme diligence for the soul, an immortal being, and an irrevocable striving for eternal life. There are countless examples of this in ancient, medieval, and modern times. But let us listen to what answer Jesus Christ gave to the prince or ruler of the Jews to his question:
"Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, 'Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?' So Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and your mother.' And he said, 'All these things I have kept from my youth.' So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, 'You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.' But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich" (Luke 18:20–27).
With these words the present Gospel ends. From what has been said, it is evident that everyone who wants to inherit eternal life must keep the commandments, the essence of which is love for God and neighbor. The Jewish ruler apparently kept them and was not far from the kingdom of God, but in reality it turned out that he lacked one and very important feat, namely, to abandon his passion for wealth, which was the idol of his heart, alienated him from God and made him hard-hearted towards the poor, and because of which he could not sincerely love either God or his neighbor. This is what the passion for wealth means! It is deeply rooted in the heart of man and imperceptibly undermines his spiritual life, like a worm undermines a tree.
A person who is devoted to the passion of covetousness is, apparently, also pious, always prays to God, although superficially, observes outward chastity, honesty in relations and affairs with neighbors and fellow citizens, abhors lies and calumnies – he is not averse to almsgiving, although according to his view of it, according to his concept and taste, or out of vanity. But when a great sacrifice is required of him, which requires his self-denial and the deprivation of some, when the heavenly truth demands of him that he crush the idol to which he served diligently and which he always cherished, perhaps without noticing it, then it turns out that he is completely in the power of this idol, i.e. covetousness. Then he suddenly grows cold to God and his neighbors; then eternal life, which he had previously thought of and desired, is not so dear to him; then his passion for wealth turns out to be like a cancer, a certain disease in the body, which has deeply engraved its deadly roots in his heart and destroys it. All the virtues that he did before are stifled and as if they die, like grain-seeds choked by bad grass. This is what is called, according to a well-known folk proverb, "a barrel of honey, and a fly in the ointment" - how one passion infects all good deeds and destroys them! And when such danger to the immortal soul is from covetousness, then it is obvious that it must be eradicated by zealous almsgiving, contempt for luxury, moderation in everything, fasting and prayer – by convincing oneself of the vanity and perishability of all earthly things, of the incomparable superiority of eternal, imperishable blessings – before perishable, coarse goods, vanishing like smoke. Therefore, my brethren, we must not fulfill one, not two, or three virtues only, but all as far as possible, so that we may be perfect and lack no virtue. "That you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:4), says the Holy Apostle James. "Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt. 5:48), says the Lord in the Gospel.
When the rich young ruler departed from the Lord in sorrow, and the Lord said that it was difficult for those who trust in riches to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, then the disciples of the Lord asked their Teacher in amazement: "Who then can be saved?" He said, "What is impossible for men is possible for God." This means that God by His grace can soften and heal the heart of the covetous rich, enlighten the eyes of the heart, blinded by self-interest, convincingly present to his mind and heart the perishability and insignificance of earthly wealth and eternity, as well as the incomparable beauty and sweetness of the blessings of the heavenly kingdom, which he can receive in exchange for earthly goods, and the impossible will become possible for him – he will generously give alms to the poor, whom he previously despised, will increase in every virtue, ascend from strength to strength, and thus will be counted worthy of eternal life.
The Apostolic reading of the present day serves as a continuation and explanation, a development of the Gospel, it sets before us a whole series of Christian virtues: mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, peace, longsuffering, condescension and forgiveness, and the head and root of all virtues – love. It reads as follows:
"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Col. 3:12–16).
If then we desire eternal life, let us renounce attachment to this present life and to temporal goods, before the time comes when we must necessarily leave them, and let us clothe ourselves with love for God and neighbor, which is the bond of perfection; let us pursue peace with everyone, without which no one will see God (Heb. 12:14), and let us continually dwell in praise in the temple and at home. Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
