"The tree of life in the
middle of the garden," the text goes on to say, "and the tree
for knowing good and evil." After teaching us that, according to the
Lord's command, the earth produced every tree, lovely to behold and good to
taste, it says next: "The tree of life in the middle of the garden and
the tree for knowing good and evil."
The good Lord, you see, knowing
as creator the harm that would in due time be likely to arise from this
condition of great freedom, brought forth the tree of life in the middle of the
garden, and the tree for knowing good and evil, since before long he would be
imposing on him abstinence from the tree so that man might realize that he owed
enjoyment of them to divine love and goodness, and that God was Lord and creator
of his nature as of all visible things. Beforehand, therefore, he made mention
of the tree, and next he tells us the names of the rivers and their division,
so to say, and that from that source, which irrigated the garden, others led
off in four directions and thus marked out the regions of the earth. Perhaps,
however, those people who like to talk from their own wisdom do not concede
again that these rivers are rivers, or these waters really waters, but propound
some different interpretation to people ready to lend them their ears.
Let
us, however, I beg you, not be convinced by them, but block our ears against
them; let us instead place our cre- dence
in Sacred Scripture and heed what is told us there; let it be our concern to
lay its sound teachings in our soul and be scrupulously careful about them and
about our life, so that our life may witness to the teachings and the teachings
may declare the integrity of our life. After all, it will be of no avail for us
to get teachings right if we neglect life; nor will we be able to gain any
value for our salvation if we have life but neglect right teachings. It is
necessary, you see, if we would wish to avoid hell and reach heaven, to be
distinguished for both correctness of doctrine and attention to life. What
good, after all, tell me, is a tree reaching to the sky and bearing leaves
aplenty if it is devoid of fruit? So, too, with the Christian: correct doctrine
is of no benefit unless one attends to the business of living. Accordingly
Christ declared such people blessed: "Blessed is the one who does and
teaches." [ Matt 5:19 ] I mean, far more dependable and trustworthy
than the teaching of words is teaching in action.
Such persons, in fact, even without uttering a word, or else
without being seen, can teach others, in the one case by the silent witness of
their appearance and in the other through the sense of hearing; they will enjoy
God's goodwill in great measure, promoting as they do the glory of their Lord,
not only through their own efforts but also through those who notice them. Such
persons raise thanks and praise to the God of all on a thousand tongues and in
many mouths; for it is not only those who know them, the witnesses of their
life, that will admire them and their Lord, but strangers who hear about it
from others, people living far away and distant foreigners, not only friends
but foes as well, who will respect the eminence of their virtue. Such is its
efficacy, you see, that it stops the mouths of adversaries and bridles their
tongue. And just as people with poor sight flinch from looking at the sun's
rays, likewise evil will never be able to confront virtue, but will yield
ground, turn away, and admit defeat.
Convinced then of this, let us hold
fast to virtue, and pass our lives safely, taking care to avoid the slightest
appearance of sin in word or deed. In this way, you see, we will never fall
into the worst of sins if we avoid small ones; and with the passage of time we
will be able under the influence of help from on high to attain the pinnacle of
virtue, escape any future punishment, and gain eternal reward, through the
grace and loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and
the Holy Spirit be glory, power and honor, now and forever, for ages of ages.
Amen.
St.
John Chrysostom
No comments:
Post a Comment