for when the whole people stands with uplifted hands, a priestly assembly, and that awful Sacrifice lies displayed, how shall we not prevail with God by our entreaties for them? And this we do for those who have departed in faith,560 whilst the catechumens are not thought worthy even of this consolation, but are deprived of all means of help save one. And what is this? We may give to the poor on their behalf. This deed in a certain way refreshes them. For God wills that we should be mutually assisted; else why hath He ordered us to pray for peace and the good estate of the world? why on behalf of all men? since in this number are included robbers, violaters of tombs, thieves, men laden with untold crimes; and yet we pray on behalf of all; perchance they may turn. As then we pray for those living, who differ not from the dead, so too we may pray for them. Job offered sacrifice for his children, and freed them from their sins. “It may be,” said he, “that they have renounced God in their hearts.” (Job i. 5.) Thus does one provide for one’s children! He said not, as many do nowadays, I will leave them property; he said not, I will procure them honor; he said not, I will purchase an office; he said not, I will buy them land; but, “it may be that they have renounced God in their hearts.” For what profit is there in those things? None at all, in those that remain here. I will make the King of all things favorable to them, and then they will no more want any thing. “The Lord,” saith one, “is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” (Ps. xxiii. 4.) This is great wealth, this is treasure. If we have the fear of God, we want nothing; if we have not this, though we have royalty itself, we are the poorest of all men. Nothing is like the man that feareth the Lord. For “the fear of the Lord,” it is said, “surpasseth all things.” (Ecclus. xxv. 11.) This let us procure; let us do all things for its sake. If need be that we lay down our lives, if our body must be mangled, let us not spare them; let us do all, to obtain this fear. For thus shall we abound above all men; and shall obtain those good things to come in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom, &c. 560 See Hom. vi. on the Statues, Tr. p. 387, note 6; also on 1 Cor. xv. 46. Hom. xli. [8]. On Stat. xxi. 15 Tr. p. 487. St. Chrys. makes Flavian speak to Theodosius of the prayers for him after death, that might be won by an act of mercy. Comp. S. Ambr. de ob. Theod. § 37. Tert. de Corona, c. iii. speaks of oblations for the deceased as a general tradition in his time. St. Cyprian, Ep. 66, forbids Eucharistic prayer for one who makes a clergyman his executor. Euseb. Vit. Const. iv. 71, speaks of Constantine sharing in the prayers of the faithful in connection with his burial near the relics of the Apostles. He does not directly mention this as depending on his “Baptism,” but the terms of the Eucharistic prayer seem to have marked this, and it is implied in the rule given by St. Cyp- rian, and the whole principle of that commemoration stated in the passage cited of St. Chrys. on 1 Cor. xv. 351 Philippians 1:18-20