Portion of Homily LXXXV
"The first day of the week" (that is, the Lord's day) "cometh Mary
Magdalene, very early in the morning, and seeth the stone taken away from
the sepulcher." (Ch. xx. ver. 1.)
For He arose while both stone and seals lay over Him; but because it
was necessary that others should be fully satisfied, the tomb was opened
after the Resurrection, and thus what had come to pass was confirmed. This
then was what moved Mary. For being entirely full of loving affection towards
her Master, when the Sabbath was past, she could not bear to rest, but
came very early in the morning, desiring to find some consolation from
the place. But when she saw the place, and the stone taken away, she neither
entered in nor stooped down, but ran to the disciples, in the greatness
of her longing; for this was what she earnestly desired, she wished very
speedily to learn what had become of the body. This was the meaning of
her running, and her words declare it.
Ver. 2. "They have taken away," she saith, "my Lord, and I know not
where they have laid Him."
Seest thou how she knew not as yet anything clearly concerning the Resurrection,
but thought there had been a removal of the body, and tells all simply
to the disciples? And the Evangelist hath not deprived the woman of such
a praise, nor thought it shame that they should have learnt these things
first from her who had passed the night in watching. Thus everywhere doth
the truth-loving nature of his disposition shine forth. When then she came
and said these things, they hearing them, draw near with great eagerness
to the sepulcher, and see the linen clothes lying, which was a sign of
the Resurrection. For neither, if any persons had removed the body, would
they before doing so have stripped it; nor if any had stolen it, would
they have taken the trouble to remove the napkin, and roll it up, and lay
it in a place by itself; but how? they would have taken the body as it
was. On this account John tells us by anticipation that it was buried with
much myrrh, which glues linen to the body not less firmly than lead; in
order that when thou hearest that the napkins lay apart, thou mayest not
endure those who say that He was stolen. For a thief would not have been
so foolish as to spend so much trouble on a superfluous matter. For why
should he undo the clothes? and how could he have escaped detection if
he had done so? since he would probably have spent much time in so doing,
and be found out by delaying and loitering. But why do the clothes lie
apart, while the napkin was wrapped together by itself? That thou mayest
learn that it was not the action of men in confusion or haste, the placing
some in one place, some in another, and the wrapping them together. From
this they believed in the Resurrection. On this account Christ afterwards
appeared to them, when they were convinced by what they had seen. Observe
too here again the absence of boastfulness in the Evangelist, how he witnesses
to the exactness of Peter's search. For he himself having gotten before
Peter, and having seen the linen clothes, enquired not farther, but withdrew;
but that fervent one passing farther in, looked at everything carefully,
and saw somewhat more, and then the other too was summoned to the sight.
For he entering after Peter, saw the grave-clothes lying, and separate.
Now to separate, and to place one thing by itself, and another, after rolling
it up, by itself, was the act of some one doing things carefully, and not
in a chance way, as if disturbed.
[5.] But do thou, when thou hearest that thy Lord arose naked, cease
from thy madness about funerals; for what is the meaning of that superfluous
and unprofitable expense, which brings much loss to the mourners, and no
gain to the departed, or (if we must say that it brings anything) rather
harm? For the costliness of burial hath often caused the breaking open
of tombs, and hath caused him to be cast out naked and unburied, who had
been buried with much care. But alas for vainglory! How great the tyranny
which it exhibits even in sorrow! how great the folly! Many, that this
may not happen, having cut in pieces those fine clothes, and filled them
with many spices, so that they may be doubly useless to those who would
insult the dead, then commit them to the earth. Are not these the acts
of madmen? of men beside themselves? to make a show of their ambition,
and then to destroy it? "Yea," saith some one, "it is in order that they
may lie safely with the dead that we use all these contrivances." Well
then, if the robbers do not get them, will not the moths get them, and
the worms? Or if the moths and worms get them not, will not time and the
moisture of putrefaction destroy them? But let us suppose that neither
tomb-breakers, nor moths, nor worms, nor time, nor anything else, destroy
what lies in the tomb, but that the body itself remains untouched until
the Resurrection, and these things are preserved new and fresh and fine;
what advantage is there from this to the departed, when the body is raised
naked, while these remain here, and profit us nothing for those accounts
which must be given? "Wherefore then," saith some one, "was it done in
the case of Christ" First of all, do not compare these with human matters,
since the harlot poured even ointment upon His holy feet. But if we must
speak on these things, we say, that they were done when the doers knew
not the word of the Resurrection; therefore it saith, "As was the manner
of the Jews." For they who honored Christ were not of the twelve, but were
those who did not honor Him greatly. The twelve honored Him not in this
way, but by death and massacre and dangers for His sake. That other indeed
was honor, but far inferior to this of which I have spoken. Besides, as
I began by saying, we are now speaking of men, but at that time these things
were done with relation to the Lord. And that thou mayest learn that Christ
made no account of these things, He said, "Ye saw Me an hungered, and ye
fed Me; thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; naked, and ye clothed Me" (Matt.
xxv. 35); but nowhere did He say, "dead, and ye buried Me." And this I
say not as taking away the custom of burial, (that be far from me,) but
as cutting short its extravagance and unseasonable vanity. "But," saith
some one, "feeling and grief and sympathy for the departed persuade to
this practice." The practice doth not proceed from sympathy for the departed,
but from vainglory. Since if thou desirest to sympathize with the dead,
I will show thee another way of mourning, and will teach thee to put on
him garments which shall rise again with him, and make him glorious. For
these garments are not consumed by worms, nor wasted by time, nor stolen
by tomb-breakers. Of what sort then are these? The clothing of alms-doing;
for this is a robe that shall rise again with him, because the seal of
alms-doing is with him. With these garments shine they who then hear, "Hungering
ye fed Me." These make men distinguished, these make them glorious, these
place them in safety; but those used now are only something for moths to
consume, and a table for worms. And this I say, not forbidding to use funeral
observance, but bidding you to do it with moderation, so as to cover the
body, and not commit it naked to the earth. For if living He biddeth us
have no more than enough to cover us, much more when dead; since the dead
body hath not so much need of garments as when it is living and breathing.
For when alive, on account of the cold, and for decency's sake, we need
the covering of garments, but when dead we require grave-clothes for none
of these reasons, but that the body may not lie naked; and better than
grave-clothes we have the earth, fairest of coverings, and more suited
for the nature of such bodies as ours. If then where there are so many
needs we must not search for anything superfluous, much more where there
is no such necessity, is the ostentation unseasonable.
[6.] "But the lookers-on will laugh," saith some one. Most certainly
if there be any laughter, we need not care much for one so exceedingly
foolish; but at present there are many who rather admire and accept our
true wisdom. For these are not the things which deserve laughter, but those
which we do at present, weeping, and wailing, and burying ourselves with
the departed; these things deserve ridicule and punishment. But to show
true wisdom, both in these respects and in the modesty of the attire used,
prepares crowns and praises for us, and all will applaud us, and will admire
the power of Christ, and will say, "Amazing! How great is the power of
the Crucified One! He hath persuaded those who are perishing and wasting,
that death is not death; they therefore do not act as perishing men, but
as men who send the dead before them to a distant and better dwelling-place.
He hath persuaded them that this corruptible and earthy body shall put
on a garment more glorious than silk or cloth of gold, the garment of immortality;
therefore they are not very anxious about their burial, but deem a virtuous
life to be an admirable winding-sheet." These things they will say, if
they see us showing true wisdom; but if they behold us bent down with grief,
playing the woman, placing around troops of female mourners, they will
laugh, and mock, and find fault in ten thousand ways, pulling to pieces
our foolish expense, our vain labor. With these things we hear all finding
fault; and very reasonably. For what excuse can we have, when we adorn
a body, which is consumed by corruption and worms, and neglect Christ when
thirsting, going about naked, and a stranger? Cease we then from this vain
trouble. Let us perform the obsequies of the departed, as is good both
for us and them, to the glory of God: let us do much alms for their sake,
let us send with them the best provision for the way. For if the memory
of admirable men, though dead, hath protected the living, (for, "I will
defend," it saith, "this city for Mine Own. sake, and for My servant David's
sake"-2 Kings xix. 34,) much more will alms-doing effect this; for this
hath raised even the dead, as when the widows stood round showing what
things Dorcas had made, while she was with them. (Acts ix. 39.) When therefore
one is about to die, let the friend of that dying person prepare the obsequies,
and persuade the departing one to leave somewhat to the needy. With these
garments let him send him to the grave, leaving Christ his heir. For if
they who write kings among their heirs, leave a safe portion to their relations,
when one leaves Christ heir with his children, consider how great good
he will draw down upon himself and all his. These are the right sort of
funerals, these profit both those who remain and those who depart. If we
be so buried, we shall be glorious at the Resurrection-time. But if caring
for the body we neglect the soul, we then shall suffer many terrible things,
and incur much ridicule. For neither is it a common unseemliness to depart
without being clothed with virtue, nor is the body, though cast out without
a tomb, so disgraced, as a soul appearing bare of virtue in that day. This
let us put on, this let us wrap around us; it is best to do so during all
our lifetime; but if we have in this life been negligent, let us at least
in our end be sober, and charge our relations to help us when we depart
by alms-doing; that being thus assisted by each other, we may attain to
much confidence, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus
Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy Ghost be glory, dominion,
and honor, now and ever and world without end. Amen.
