Death And Susanna

Ingemuit Susanna, et ait: Angustiae mihi sunt undique. Undique enim mors; hinc quidem corporea, inde spiritualis. Si hoc, inquit, egero, mors mihi est; si autem non egero, non effugiam manus vestras. Vestras, o Pharisaei, manus nec adultera effugit, nec pudica: vestras accusationes nec sanctus, nec peccator evadit. Dissimulatis peccata vestra, ubi inveneritis aliena: alioquin si quis forte suum non habet, vestrum ei impingitis crimen. Quid tamen Susanna facit, inter mortem et mortem, animae scilicet et corporis, undique angustata? Melius est mihi, inquit, absque opere incidere in manus hominum, quam derelinquere legem Dei mei. Nimirum sciebat ista, quam horrendum sit incidere in manus Dei viventis. Nam homines quidem, cum occiderint corpus, animae non habent ultra quid faciant: ille autem timendus est, qui potestatem habet et corpus et animam mittere in gehennam. Quid familia Joachim tardat? Irruat per posticum, nam in pomerio clamor auditur; clamor autem luporum gravium, et balantis oviculae inter eos. Sed non patitur ab eis innoxiam devorari, qui ab ipsis eorum faucibus tam dignanter eripuit etiam eripi non merentem. Merito proinde cum duceretur ad mortem, erat cor ejus fiduciam habens in Domino, quem usque adeo timuisset, ut timorem omnem postposuisset humanum, et ipsius legem et simul vitae praeposuisset, et famae. Non enim dictus fuerat sermo hujuscemodi aliquando de Susanna. Sed et parentes ejus justi erant, et vir ejus honoratior omnium Judaeorum. Merito igitur a justo Judice justam de injustis obtinuit ultionem, quae tam vehementer justitiam esurivit, ut propter eam contemneret mortem corporis, opprobrium generis, luctum inconsolabilem amicorum. Et nos, fratres, si a Christo audivimus: Nec ego te condemnabo, si peccare jam nolumus contra ipsum, si in Christo volumus pie vivere; necesse est sustineamus persecutionem, ne malum pro malo, aut maledictum pro maledicto reddamus. Alioquin qui patientiam non servaverit, perdet justitiam; hoc est, vitam perdet; hoc est, perdet animam suam. Mihi vindictam, et ego retribuam, dicit Dominus. Ita prorsus est. Ipse retribuet, sed si ei vindictam serves, si non tollas ab eo judicium, si non reddas retribuentibus tibi mala. Faciet judicium, sed injuriam patienti; in aequitate judicabit, sed pro mansuetis terrae. Sanctus Bernardus Clarae Vallensis, Sermones De Sanctis, In Festo Annuntiationis Beatae Mariae Virginis, Sermo III Source: Migne PL 183.395a-396a

Susanna groaned and said, 'There is anguish for me on all sides...' 1 For death is on all sides, here of the body, there of the spirit. 'If I shall do this it is death for me,' she says, 'but if I do not, I shall not escape your hands.' Your hands, O Pharisees, that do not turn away from an adulteress, 2 nor a modest woman. Neither a holy woman, nor a sinful one escaped your accusations. You disregard your sins where you come on those of another. Perhaps only if someone did not have yours, would you impute your crime to them. But what does Susanna do between death and death, the death of the body and the death of the soul, with anguish on all sides? 'Better it is for me,' she says, 'to fall into the hands of men, than to abandon the law of my God.' Certainly she knew that it is a terrible thing to fall into hands of the living God. For when men kill the body, beyond what they do, they do not take hold of the soul, but He is fearful who has the power to send both the body and the soul to hell. 3 Why did the family of Joachim delay? They slipped in through a side door. In the orchard a cry was heard, a cry of great wolves and the bleating of a little sheep among them. But it was not permitted they she who was harmless be devoured by them, she who was worthy to be seized from their throats did not deserve to be seized by them. With merit, then, when she was lead to death her heart had confidence in the Lord, who even then she feared, so that she set Him above every human fear, and at the same time set His law above her life and honour. For though not a word was said anywhere about this regarding Susanna, yet it was said that her parents were righteous, and her husband was a man who was most honoured among the Jews. With merit therefore, vengeance was obtained from the righteous judge against unjust men, since she so vehemently hungered for justice, and because of that cared not for this body of death, 5 and the opprobrium of the people, and the inconsolable grief of friends. And so it is with us, brothers, if we have been heard by Christ. I shall not condemn you if you have no wish to sin against Him, if you wish to live piously in Christ. It is necessary that we should endure persecution and not return evil for evil, nor a curse for a curse. 4 For he who does not cleave to patience ruins righteousness, and he ruins his life, that is, he ruins his soul. 'Vengeance is mine and I shall repay,' says the Lord. 6 So it will be. He shall repay if you guard His vengeance, if you do not take judgement away from Him, if you do not return evil to those who have given it to you. He shall give judgement, but for the one who endures wrongdoing. He shall judge fairly, but for the meek of the earth. 7 Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons On The Saints, On The Feast Of The Annunciation, from Sermon 3 1 Dan 13.22 2 Jn 8.3-11 3 Heb 10.31, Mt 10.28 4 Mt 5.6, Rom 7.24 5 1 Pet 3.9 6 Rom 12.19 7 Isaiah 11.4

Injustice and Aid

Περὶ ἀδικουμένων· ὅτι χρὴ βοηθεῖν αὐτοῖς.  Ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις μέγας γενόμενος ὁ Μωϋσῆς, ἐξῆλθε πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραήλ· κατανοήσας δὲ τὸν πόνον αὐτῶν, ὁρᾷ ἄνθρωπον Αἰγύπτιον τύπτοντα τινὰ Ἑβραῖον τῶν ἑαυτοῦ ἀδελφῶν τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ. Περιβλέψας δὲ ὧδε καὶ ὧδε, οὐχ ὁρᾷ οὐδένα· καὶ πατάξας τὸν Αἰγύπτιον, ἔκρυψεν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἄμμῳ. Ἐξελθὼν δὲ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ δευτέρᾳ, ὁρᾷ δύο ἄνδρας διαπληκτιζομένους, καὶ λέγει τῷ ἀδικοῦντι·  Διὰ τί τύπτεις τὸν πλησίον;  Ὁ δὲ εἶπε Τίς σε κατέστησε ἄρχοντα καὶ δικαστὴν ἐφ' ἡμᾶς; Ἢ ἀνελεῖν με θέλεις, ὃν τρόπον ἀνεῖλες χθὲς τὸν Αἰγύπτιον; ἐφοβήθη δὲ Μωϋσῆς, καὶ εἶπεν· Εἰ οὕτως ἐμφανὲς γέγονε τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο;   Διέσωσα πτωχὸν ἐκ χειρὸς δυνάστου. Συνέτριψα μυλὰς ἀδίκων, ἐκ δὲ μέσου τῶν ὀδόντων αὐτῶν ἅρπαγμα ἐξέσπασα.  Ῥῦσαι ἀπαγομένους εἰς θάνατον, καὶ ἐκπριοῦ κτεινομένους, μὴ φείσῃ. Ἐὰν δὲ εἴπης, Οὐκ οἶδα τοῦτον, γίνωσκε ὅτι Κύριος καρδίας πάντων γινώσκει, ὃς ἀποδίδωσιν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ.  Ἐξέλεσθε διηρπαγμένον ἐκ χειρὸς ἀδικοῦντος αὐτόν.  Ἀδικίαν καὶ ταλαιπωρίαν ἀφέλεσθε· ἐξάρατε καταδυναστείαν ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ μου, λέγει Κύριος.  Ἐξελοῦ ἀδικούμενον ἐκ χειρὸς ἀδικοῦντος αὐτόν.   Πᾶς ὁ πλέων ἐγγύς ἐστι τοῦ ναυαγίου, καὶ τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον, ὅσῳ σφοδρότερον πλέει· καὶ πᾶς ὁ σῶμα περικείμενος, ἐγγύς ἐστι τῶν τοῦ σώματος κακῶν, καὶ τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον, ὅσῳπερ ἂν ὀρθῶς βαδίζει, καὶ μὴ βλέπει τοὺς πρὸ αὐτοῦ κειμένους. Ἕως πλεῖς ἐξ οὐρίας, τῷ ναυαγοῦντι δὸς χεῖρα· ἕως εὐεκτεῖς, καὶ πλουτεῖς, τῷ κακοπαθοῦντι βοήθησον. Μὴ ἀναμείνῃς ἐπὶ σεαυτοῦ μαθεῖν, ὅσον κακόν ἐστιν ἀπανθρωπία, καὶ οἷον ἀγαθὸν σπλάγχνα τοῖς χρῄζουσιν ἀνοιγόμενα.  Χρηστοὺς εἶναι χρὴ τοῖς προεμπεσοῦσι, καὶ τῷ ἐλέῳ κτᾶσθαι τὸν ἔλεον.  Ἐν ταῖς ἀλλοτρίαις συμφοραῖς τὰ οἰκεῖα εὖ τίθεσθαι χρὴ, καὶ δανείζειν Θεῷ τὸν ἔλεον ἐλέους χρῄζοντας, καὶ μὴ καταφρονεῖν ἀνθρώπων ἄνθρωποι ὄντες. Μὴ γελάσῃς πτῶμα τοῦ πέλας·διάβαινε δὲ ἀσφαλῶς, ὅση σοι δύναμις, ἀλλὰ καὶ δίδου χεῖρα χαμαὶ κειμένῳ. Άγιος Ιωάννης ο Δαμασκηνός, Τὰ Ιἐρα Παραλληλα, Στοικειον Α' , Τιτλ  ΙΖʹ Source:Migne PG 95 1192c-1193b

Concerning those treated unjustly, that one must help them. In those days, when Moses was full grown, he went out to his brothers, the sons of Israel, and looking on their toil, he saw an Egyptian man beating a Hebrew, one of his brothers, one of the sons of Israel. And looking about here and there and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the earth. And going out a second day, he saw two Jews fighting and he said to him who did injury, 'Why do you strike your neighbour?' And he said, 'Who set you up as prince and judge over us? Do you wish to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday? And Moses was afraid and said, 'Report of this has become so well known?' 1 I shall free the poor man from the hand of the powerful. I shall crush the teeth of the unrighteous, from the midst of their teeth I shall deliver the prey. 2   Deliver those being lead to death, and free those who are about to be slain, do not refrain. For if you say, 'I do not know him,' know that the Lord knows the hearts of all, and He returns to each one according to his deeds 3 Seize him who is being dragged away from the hand of the unrighteous man. 4   Remove unrighteousness and wretchedness, and take oppression from my people, says the Lord. 5 Free him who suffers injustice from the hand of the unjust. 6 Whoever sails is near shipwreck and more so he who sails hard, and similarly someone who clothes the body is near to the bodies of the wicked, and more so he who goes to it with zeal, and does not notice those who lay before him. While you sail with a fair wind, give your hand to him who is shipwrecked. While your are healthy and rich, give your wealth to the afflicted. Do not expect to learn from yourself how much evil there is in inhumanity, and how much good in the opening of the heart to the needy. 7 Be benevolent to those those who have fallen into calamities, with mercy match mercy. 7 In the calamities of others we should consider what we have, and be merciful to match Gods mercy; we should not despise men when we ourselves are men. 8   Do not laugh at the fall of another man. But as far as you are able go aid him, and give your hand to him who is laying on the ground. 8 Saint John of Damascus, Sacred Parallels, Part 1, Chap 17 1 Exod 2.11 2 Job 29, 2,17 3 Prov 24.11 4 Jer 22.3 5 Ezek 45.9 6 Eccl 4.9 7 Greg Naz Or 15 8 Greg Naz Or 20

Prayer and Vengeance

Εἰπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Νεῖλος· Ὅσα ἄν ποιῇς εἰς ἅμυναν ἀδελφοῦ ἠδικηκότος σε, ἄπαντα εἰς καρδίαν σοι γενήσεται ἐν καιρῷ προσευχῆς Αποφθεγματα των ἀγιων γεροντων, Παλλαδιος

Father Neilos said, Whenever you would have vengeance upon a brother who has treated you unjustly, let the time for prayer rise into your whole heart. Sayings of the Desert Fathers, Palladius of Galatia

The Murder of Children

Convertar ad populum. Quot vultis ex his circumstantibus et in Christianorum sanguinem hiantibus, ex ipsis etiam vobis justissimis et severissimis in nos praesidibus apud conscientias pulsem, qui natos sibi liberos enecent? Siquidem et de genere necis differt utique crudelius in qua spiritum extorquetis, aut frigori et fami et canibus exponitis; ferro enim mori aetas quoque maior optaverit. Nobis vero, homicidio semel interdicto, etiam conceptum utero, dum adhuc sanguis in hominem delibatur, dissolvere non licet. Homicidii festinatio est prohibere nasci; nec refert natam quis eripiat animam, an nascentem disturbet: homo est, et qui est futurus; etiam fructus omnis jam in semine est. Tertullianus, Apologeticum

I shall turn to the people. How many do you think, of those crowding around and gaping for the blood of Christians, how many even of your rulers, most just to you and most severe to us, may I strike in their own consciences with the killing of their own children? As to any difference in the kind of killing, it is certainly the more cruel way to wrench out the spirit by either exposure to cold, or hunger, or dogs; a superior age has always preferred death by the blade. We in truth, murder being once forbidden, even that conceived in the womb, a man being fashioned in blood, we may not destroy. To prevent a birth is a swift murder. Nor does it matter whether the life born is snatched away, or that which is coming to the birth is undone, for a man it is which is going to be one; every fruit is already in the seed. Tertullian, The Apology

Fish And Men

Τροφὴ δὲ ἰχθύσιν ἄλλοις ἄλλη κατὰ γένος διωρισμένη. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἰλύϊ τρέφονται, οἱ δὲ τοίς φυκίοις· ἄλλοι ταίς βοτάναις ταίς ἐντρεφομέναις τᾥ ὔδατι ἀρκοῦνται. Ἀλληλοφάγοι δὲ τῶν ἰχθύων οἱ πλείστοι, καὶ ὁ μικρότερος παρ’ ἐκείνοις βρῶμά ἐστι τοῦ μείζονος. Κάν ποτε συμβῇ τὸν τοῦ ἐλάττονος κρατήσαντα ἑτέρου γενέσθαι θήραμα, ὑπὸ τὴν μίαν ἄγονται γαστέρα τοῦ τελευταίου. Τί οὖν ἡμείς οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἄλλο τι ποιοῦμεν ἐν τῇ καταδυναστείᾳ τῶν ὑποδεεστέρων; τί διαφέρει τοῦ τελευταίου ἰχθύος ὁ τῇ λαιμάργῳ φιλοπλουτίᾳ τοϊς ἀπληρώτοις τῆς πλεονεξίας αὐτοῦ κόλποις ἐναποκρύπτων τοὺς ἀσθενεὶς; Ἐκείνος εἶχε τὰ τοῦ πένητος σὺ τοῦτον λαβὼν μέρος ἐποιήσω τῆς περιουσίας σεαυτοῦ. Ἀδίκων ἀδικώτερος ἀνεφάνης, καὶ πλεονεκτικώτερος πλεονέκτου. Ὅρα μὴ τὸ αὐτό σε πέρας τῶν ἰχθύων ἐκδέξηται, ἄγκιστρόν τοι, ἢ κύρτος, ἢ δίκτυον. Πάντως γὰρ καὶ ἡμείς πολλὰ τῶν ἀδίκων διεξελθόντες, τὴν τελευταίαν τιμωρίαν οὐκ ἀποδρασόμεθα. Ἅγιος Βασιλειος Καισαρείας, Εις Την ῾Εξαημερον, Ὁμιλὶα Z' Source: Migne PG 29.152c-153a

The food of fish differs according to species. Some feed on sediment; others on sea weed; others prefer the herbs that grow in water. But most of them devour each other, and the smaller is food for the larger. And when one which has possessed itself of a fish weaker than itself becomes a prey to another, the conqueror and the conquered are both swallowed up in the one belly of the last. And we men, do we act otherwise when we oppress inferiors? What difference between the last fish and he who, driven by love of wealth, devours the weak in the folds of his overreaching avarice? That man took the goods of the poor; you caught him and made him a part of your abundance. More unrighteous than the unrighteous you show yourself, and more greedy than the greedy. Look to the end lest you be exhibited as a fish, by hook, by trap, or by net. For surely we too, having accomplished many deeds of the wicked, shall not escape a final punishment. Saint Basil of Caesarea, Hexameron, from Homily 7