ACC ~ Matthew 20 v6

THE THIRD, NINTH AND ELEVENTH HOURS

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: And just as the hired hand spends the whole day in his lord’s work and only one hour feeding himself, so we too ought to spend every hour of our life in the work of God’s glory and only a fraction in our own earthly interests. And just as the hired hand is ashamed to enter the house and ask for bread on a day when he has not worked, how will you not be ashamed to enter church and stand before God’s gaze when you have done nothing good in God’s sight? He went out “early” and summoned Adam and those who were with him; “at the third hour” Noah and those who were with him; “at the sixth hour” Abraham and those who were with him; “at the ninth hour” Moses and those who were with him, or David and those who were with him, [1] for to these he gave the testaments. “At the eleventh hour” understand the Gentiles, because now we stand on the very edge of the world, as John testifies in his letter, saying: “Children, it is the last hour.” [2] According to the apostle some part of the twelfth hour has now passed, for he says, “Salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.” [3] That was the eleventh hour. Now, in our time, the twelfth hour is not yet complete, but without a doubt little time remains. We are in the twelfth hour. HOMILY 34. [4]

[1] HE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST | MATTHEW 14:1-12

[2] 1 Jn 2:18.

[3] Rom 13:11.

[4] PG 56:818.

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