Sketch of the Life and Works of Saint Basil the Great

St Basil the Great Resources Online and in Print

Icon of the Christ and New Testament Reader

130 Pages

Page 101

The conclusion is a warning against mere carnal abstinence. [625] "Beware of limiting the good of fasting to mere abstinence from meats. Real fasting is alienation from evil. Loose the bands of wickedness.' [626] Forgive your neighbour the mischief he has done you. Forgive him his trespasses against you. Do not fast for strife and debate.' [627] You do not devour flesh, but you devour your brother. You abstain from wine, but you indulge in outrages. You wait for evening before you take food, but you spend the day in the law courts. Wo to those who are drunken, but not with wine.' [628] Anger is the intoxication of the soul, and makes it out of its wits like wine. Drunkenness, too, is sorrow, and drowns our intelligence. Another drunkenness is needless fear. In a word, whatever passion makes the soul beside herself may be called drunkenness....Dost thou know Whom thou art ordained to receive as thy guest? He Who has promised that He and His Father will come and make their abode with thee. [629] Why do you allow drunkenness to enter in, and shut the door on the Lord? Why allow the foe to come in and occupy your strongholds? Drunkenness dare not receive the Lord; it drives away the Spirit. Smoke drives away bees, and debauch drives away the gifts of the Spirit.

Wilt thou see the nobility of fasting? Compare this evening with to-morrow evening: thou wilt see the town turned from riot and disturbance to profound calm. Would that to-day might be like to-morrow in solemnity, and the morrow no less cheerful than to-day. May the Lord Who has brought us to this period of time grant to us, as to gladiators and wrestlers, that we may shew firmness and constancy in the beginning of contests, and may reach that day which is the Queen of Crowns; that we may remember now the passion of salvation, and in the age to come enjoy the requital of our deeds in this life, in the just judgment of Christ." [630]

[625] S: 10.

[626] Is. lviii. 6.

[627] Is. lviii. 4.

[628] Is. li. 21.

[629] cf. John xiv. 23.

[630] The sermon seems to have been preached at the beginning of Lent, when Caesarea was still suffering from Carnival indulgences. Homily II. may be placed at a similar season in another year.

Previous Page / First / Next Page of St Basil - Life and Works

St Basil the Great Home Page St Basil the Great in Print

Learned Freeware