drink and hasten to depart. The present life is an inn: we have entered it, and we bring
present life to a close: let us be eager to depart with a good hope, let us leave nothing here,
that we may not lose it there. When you enter the inn, what do you say to the servant? Take
care where you put away our things, that you do not leave anything behind here, that
nothing may be lost, not even what is small and trifling, in order that we may carry everything
back to our home. Thou art a wayfarer and traveller, and indeed more insignificant than
the wayfarer. How so? I will tell you. The wayfarer knows when he is going into the inn, and
when he is going out; for the egress as well as the regress is in his own power: but when I
enter the inn, that is to say this present life, I know not when I shall go out: and it may be
that I am providing myself with sustenance for a long time when the Master suddenly
summons me saying “Thou fool, for whom shall those things be which thou hast prepared?
for on this very night thy soul is being taken from thee.”826 The time of thy departure is
uncertain, the tenure of thy possessions insecure, there are innumerable precipices, and
billows on every side of thee. Why dost thou rave about shadows? why desert the reality and
run after shadows?
6. I say these things, and shall not cease saying them, causing continual pain, and
dressing the wounds; and this not for the sake of the fallen, but of those who are still standing.
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For they have departed, and their career is ended, but those who are yet standing have gained
a more secure position through their calamities. “What then,” you say, “shall we do?” Do
one thing only, hate riches, and love thy life—cast away thy goods; I do not say all of them,
but cut off the superfluities. Be not covetous of other men’s goods, strip not the widow,
plunder not the orphan, seize not his house: I do not address myself to persons but to facts.
But if any one’s conscience attacks him, he himself is responsible for it, not my words. Why
art thou grasping where thou bringest ill-will upon thyself? Grasp where there is a crown
to be gained. Strive to lay hold not of earth but of heaven. “The kingdom of Heaven belongs
to violent men and men of violence take it by force.”827 Why dost thou lay hold of the poor
man who reproaches thee? Lay hold of Christ who praises thee for it. Dost thou see thy
senselessness and madness? Dost thou lay hold of the poor man who has little? Christ says
“lay hold of me; I thank thee for it, lay hold of my kingdom and take it by violence.” If thou
art minded to lay hold of an earthly kingdom, or rather if thou art minded to have designs
upon it thou art punished; but in the case of the heavenly kingdom thou art punished if
thou dost not lay hold of it. Where worldly things are concerned there is ill-will, but where
spiritual there is love. Meditate daily on these things, and if two days hence thou seest an-
826 Luke xii. 20, a free quotation. Chrysostom transposes the clauses and substitutes λαμβ€νουσι “they are
taking,” for ‡παιτουσιν ‡πὸ σου, “they are demanding from thee.”
827 Matt. xi. 12, slightly altered by Chrysostom from the original ἡ βασιλ™ια τῶν ὀυρανῶν βι€ζεται, the
kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence.
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Homily II. After Eutropius having been found outside the Church had been…