ACC ~ Matthew 24 v44

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INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: Does the soul not know when the thief has gained access through one of these entrances? Indeed, it does not know until it has been led into sin. [1] The soul must be vigilant, therefore, and close all its ports of entry. The mouth should be occupied with holy speech, the ears with pious sounds; the eyes with a vision of the wondrous works of God; and the mind with heavenly thoughts. It is not sufficient merely to refrain from speaking, hearing, seeing or thinking evil things. For to do that is only to block the access of good spirits along with the bad. Whoever renounces evil but fails to take up the good is said to have left the gates to his soul open. The enemy enters easily when he finds them vacant. It is necessary therefore that the portals to the soul of the just not only be free of evil but also be fully occupied with the good, lest evil find a way to gain access. HOMILY 51. [2]

[1] The careless soul becomes aware of the condition of sin when it is already deeply entangled in it, because it did not notice the insidious beginning of the actions of the thief (the devil) against it.

[2] PG 56:925.

LIVING IN EXPECTATION

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: Why is the date of an individual’s death hidden from him? Clearly it is so that he might always do good, since he can expect to die at any moment. The date of Christ’s second advent is withheld from the world for the same reason, namely, so that every generation might live in the expectation of Christ’s return. This is why when his disciples asked him, “Lord, will you restore the kingdom to Israel at this time?” Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know the times and the seasons which the Father has established by his authority.” [1]

“But know this, that if the head of the household had known the hour at which the thief would arrive, he would have been vigilant and would never have allowed his house to be burglarized.” The head of the household represents the human soul, the thief is the devil, the house is the body, the doors are the mouth and ears and the windows are the eyes. Like the thief who gains access through the doors and windows to despoil the householder, the devil also finds easy access to the soul of a man through his mouth, ears and eyes to take him captive. This is why Jeremiah wrote, “For death entered through our windows.” [2] If you wish to be secure, install a bolt on your door, which is to say, put the law of the fear of God in your mouth so that you can say with the psalmist, “I will guard my ways that I might not sin with my tongue. I will put a guard at my mouth.” [3] HOMILY 51. [4]

[1] Acts 1:6-7.

[2] Jer 9:21.

[3] Ps 39:1 (38:1 LXX).

[4] PG 56:924.