Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Matthew
(5th Sunday of Pentecost)
By St. John of Kronstadt
(5th Sunday of Pentecost)
By St. John of Kronstadt
Today during the Liturgy, my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, the Gospel of Matthew was read about the Lord casting out very ferocious demons from two demons possessed men. What does it teach us?
First, the truth that the Lord Jesus Christ is the omnipotent Creator and Ruler of all creatures, visible and invisible, angels and men, every living creature and the demons themselves, who in the beginning were created good, but then themselves fell into malice and wickedness, fell away from God and were cast out of heaven into the underworld.
Second, it teaches the truth that without God’s permission demons cannot cause harm to any creature, and if they are allowed by God to torment people, then they are allowed to punish and admonish people who sin, for their various unrighteousness and sins and for their correction, which is clear from the instructions to the demon possessed from the Lord after their healing, according to the Evangelist Luke.
Third, it teaches the truth that there will be a resurrection of the dead and a dreadful judgment from the Lord to all people living and dead and to all evil spirits and a worthy recompence for all: for evil spirits - eternal fire, in accordance with their spiritual, incorporeal nature, as well as for all unrepentant sinners; and for people who are righteous and truly repentant - eternal life. The demons say to the Lord through the demon possessed: "What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" You see, the demons also believe in Him as the Son of God and as their future dreadful and righteous Judge, who has prepared eternal torment for them; but today's nihilists surpass demons in their madness, because they do not believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, nor in the Church, nor in the immortality of the human soul, they do not believe in the resurrection, nor in the future judgment, and do not recognize the existence of angels and evil spirits. That is why they are such desperate people, capable of all kinds of evil - murder, arson, kidnapping - do not recognize God-appointed earthly authorities and do only the devil's and their own destructive will.
Fourth, the Gospel teaches that the power of every breath, every life is in God's hands; and to whom the Lord wants, He gives life, and from whom He wants to take it, He takes it away. Thus, demon possessed people could have died from demonic malice in one minute, but the Lord did not allow demons to destroy them, but only to torment them for their admonition and correction; but He allowed pigs to be destroyed, perhaps as punishment for the unbelieving inhabitants of the Gadarene country, as now, for example, the Lord allows the death of livestock to punish and admonish people so that they would repent.
In order not to fall under the influence of demons, let us, brethren, flee from sin and strive diligently to acquire every virtue: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10). Not only should we not sin, but we should also try to be holy, as befits Christians, children of God, called to holiness and incorruptibility. "You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy" (Lev. 19:2), says the Lord; or: "Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48), says Jesus Christ. Let us remember, brethren, the lesson offered by today's Gospel, and let us apply it to life; for this is why the Gospel is read, so that we may learn and be corrected, while we have time to learn and be corrected. Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
First, the truth that the Lord Jesus Christ is the omnipotent Creator and Ruler of all creatures, visible and invisible, angels and men, every living creature and the demons themselves, who in the beginning were created good, but then themselves fell into malice and wickedness, fell away from God and were cast out of heaven into the underworld.
Second, it teaches the truth that without God’s permission demons cannot cause harm to any creature, and if they are allowed by God to torment people, then they are allowed to punish and admonish people who sin, for their various unrighteousness and sins and for their correction, which is clear from the instructions to the demon possessed from the Lord after their healing, according to the Evangelist Luke.
Third, it teaches the truth that there will be a resurrection of the dead and a dreadful judgment from the Lord to all people living and dead and to all evil spirits and a worthy recompence for all: for evil spirits - eternal fire, in accordance with their spiritual, incorporeal nature, as well as for all unrepentant sinners; and for people who are righteous and truly repentant - eternal life. The demons say to the Lord through the demon possessed: "What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" You see, the demons also believe in Him as the Son of God and as their future dreadful and righteous Judge, who has prepared eternal torment for them; but today's nihilists surpass demons in their madness, because they do not believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, nor in the Church, nor in the immortality of the human soul, they do not believe in the resurrection, nor in the future judgment, and do not recognize the existence of angels and evil spirits. That is why they are such desperate people, capable of all kinds of evil - murder, arson, kidnapping - do not recognize God-appointed earthly authorities and do only the devil's and their own destructive will.
Fourth, the Gospel teaches that the power of every breath, every life is in God's hands; and to whom the Lord wants, He gives life, and from whom He wants to take it, He takes it away. Thus, demon possessed people could have died from demonic malice in one minute, but the Lord did not allow demons to destroy them, but only to torment them for their admonition and correction; but He allowed pigs to be destroyed, perhaps as punishment for the unbelieving inhabitants of the Gadarene country, as now, for example, the Lord allows the death of livestock to punish and admonish people so that they would repent.
In order not to fall under the influence of demons, let us, brethren, flee from sin and strive diligently to acquire every virtue: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10). Not only should we not sin, but we should also try to be holy, as befits Christians, children of God, called to holiness and incorruptibility. "You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy" (Lev. 19:2), says the Lord; or: "Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48), says Jesus Christ. Let us remember, brethren, the lesson offered by today's Gospel, and let us apply it to life; for this is why the Gospel is read, so that we may learn and be corrected, while we have time to learn and be corrected. Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
