Servants watching
Servants watching
[Lk. 12:35.] Saint Kyril: “Our loins being girt signifies the readiness of the mind to
labor industriously in everything praiseworthy; for such as apply themselves to bodily
labors and strenuous toil have their loins girt. And the lamp apparently represents the
wakefulness of the mind and intellectual cheerfulness....Christ therefore commands us
to be awake [1 Pe. 5:8].” [Hom. 92, Commentary, Ch. 12, 370.]
Saint Gregory the Great: “Excess is given to the name ‘loins.’ We gird our loins when
we curb all physical excess through self-restraint. But since it is a small thing not to
commit evils if one is not also eager to labor at good works, He immediately added,
‘and let your lamps be kept burning.’ We hold in our hands burning lamps when we show
an example of light to our neighbors by good works. Purity is of no value without good
works, nor do good works avail us without purity.” [Hom. 20, Forty Gospel Homilies,
152; Hom. 13, P.L. 76 (col. 1123).]
[Lk. 12:36.] “From the wedding festivities” (ejk tw`n gavmwn). Saint Kyril of
Alexandria: “We ought to look for the coming of Christ again. For Christ will return as
from a feast, by which is plainly shown that God ever dwells in festivals, such as befit
Him. For above there is no sadness whatsoever, since nothing can grieve that nature
which is incapable both of passion and of being affected by anything whatsoever of this
kind.” [Ib., 371.]
[Lk. 12:37.] Saint Kyril: “When He comes and finds us girt and wakeful, and with our
heart enlightened, then forthwith He will make us blessed; for, ‘He shall gird himself
about,...and minister to them.’ By which we learn that He will requite us
proportionately. And because we are, as it were, weary with toil, He will comfort us,
setting before us spiritual banquets, and spreading the abundant table of gifts.” [Ib.,
372.]
Saint Gregory the Great: “He will make them recline at table and refresh them with
everlasting peace. For us to recline at table is to be at peace in the kingdom. And so
the Lord said, ‘They shall recline at table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob [Mt. 8:
11].’ The Lord will come and serve, because He satisfies us by the manifestation of His
light. His coming means His return from the judgment to His kingdom. The Lord comes
to us after the judgment, because He lifts us up from His human appearance in the
contemplation of His divinity. His coming means that He leads us to the vision of His
glory.” [Ib., 153.]
[Lk. 12:38.] Blessed Theophylact: “‘And if he should come in the second watch, and if
he come in the third watch.’ This should be understood to mean the different periods of
our life. Even as one who is awake at the second and third watch seems the most
vigilant—for during these hours of the night the first sleep occurs. In like manner you
understand that in various conditions of our life, if we are found vigilant, we are
blessed. Hath someone seized your money? Have thy children died? Hast thou been
slandered? If thou didst not fall, but thy God and Master found thee vigilant, and thou
hast practised nothing outside of His commandments, but wast found vigilant in the
second and third watch, then thou art blessed.” [P.G. 123:376C-377D (col. 897).]
Saint Kyril: “The night is divided by some into three or into four watches. Those who
sit on the city walls watching the advancing of the enemy, after being on guard for
three or four hours, deliver over the guard to others. Well then there are three age
groups for us: first when we are children, second when we are youths, and third when
we are old. When we are children, we are not responsible before God, and deserving of
pardon. But in the second and third periods, we owe God obedience and a pious conduct
of life, according to His purpose. Whosoever is found vigilant, that is, so to say, well
girt, while he is still young and even if he is old, is blessed.” [Commentary, P.G. 72:
303AB (col. 748).]
[Lk. 12:39.] Saint Gregory the Great: “While the householder is unaware, the thief
breaks into his house. When our spirit is asleep and has no concern for itself, death
comes unexpectedly, bursting into the dwelling of our body, and killing the master of
the house it finds sleeping. When the spirit does not foresee its coming losses, death
carries it off all unaware to punishment. If it were watching it would resist the thief.
Trying to guard against the coming of the Judge, Who carries off the soul in secret, the
soul would go out to meet Him by repenting, so as not to perish in a state of
unrepentance. But our Lord willed that our final hour be unknown to us so that our spirit
might always be in a state of uncertainty. Thus, since we cannot exactly foresee it, we
may continually make ready for it.” [Ib., 155.]
[Lk. 12:42.] Saint Kyril: “The Savior has ordained as stewards...men faithful and of
great understanding, and well instructed in the sacred doctrines. He has commanded
them to give their fellow servants their allowance of food, and that not simply and
without distinction, but rather at its proper season. Now what is meant is spiritual food,
as is sufficient and fitting for each individual....‘Solid food is for the mature [Heb. 5:
14].’” [Hom. 93, Commentary, Ch. 12, 374, 375.]
[Lk. 12:45.] Saint Kyril: “But if that servant neglects his duty of being vigilant and
faithful, and despises watchfulness in these things as superfluous, and lets his mind
grow intoxicated with worldly cares, and is seduced into improper courses, dragging by
force and oppressing those who are subject to him, and does not give them their
portion, in utter wretchedness shall he be. For this I think is the meaning of being cut
in twain.” [Ib., 375.]
[Lk. 12:46.] Saint Kyril: “Whosoever has done wrong to the glory of Christ, or ventured
to think slightingly of the flock entrusted to his charge, differs in no respect whatsoever
from those who know Him not; and all such persons will justly be counted among those
who have no love for Him.” [Ib.]
[Lk. 12:35.] Saint Kyril: “Our loins being girt signifies the readiness of the mind to
labor industriously in everything praiseworthy; for such as apply themselves to bodily
labors and strenuous toil have their loins girt. And the lamp apparently represents the
wakefulness of the mind and intellectual cheerfulness....Christ therefore commands us
to be awake [1 Pe. 5:8].” [Hom. 92, Commentary, Ch. 12, 370.]
Saint Gregory the Great: “Excess is given to the name ‘loins.’ We gird our loins when
we curb all physical excess through self-restraint. But since it is a small thing not to
commit evils if one is not also eager to labor at good works, He immediately added,
‘and let your lamps be kept burning.’ We hold in our hands burning lamps when we show
an example of light to our neighbors by good works. Purity is of no value without good
works, nor do good works avail us without purity.” [Hom. 20, Forty Gospel Homilies,
152; Hom. 13, P.L. 76 (col. 1123).]
[Lk. 12:36.] “From the wedding festivities” (ejk tw`n gavmwn). Saint Kyril of
Alexandria: “We ought to look for the coming of Christ again. For Christ will return as
from a feast, by which is plainly shown that God ever dwells in festivals, such as befit
Him. For above there is no sadness whatsoever, since nothing can grieve that nature
which is incapable both of passion and of being affected by anything whatsoever of this
kind.” [Ib., 371.]
[Lk. 12:37.] Saint Kyril: “When He comes and finds us girt and wakeful, and with our
heart enlightened, then forthwith He will make us blessed; for, ‘He shall gird himself
about,...and minister to them.’ By which we learn that He will requite us
proportionately. And because we are, as it were, weary with toil, He will comfort us,
setting before us spiritual banquets, and spreading the abundant table of gifts.” [Ib.,
372.]
Saint Gregory the Great: “He will make them recline at table and refresh them with
everlasting peace. For us to recline at table is to be at peace in the kingdom. And so
the Lord said, ‘They shall recline at table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob [Mt. 8:
11].’ The Lord will come and serve, because He satisfies us by the manifestation of His
light. His coming means His return from the judgment to His kingdom. The Lord comes
to us after the judgment, because He lifts us up from His human appearance in the
contemplation of His divinity. His coming means that He leads us to the vision of His
glory.” [Ib., 153.]
[Lk. 12:38.] Blessed Theophylact: “‘And if he should come in the second watch, and if
he come in the third watch.’ This should be understood to mean the different periods of
our life. Even as one who is awake at the second and third watch seems the most
vigilant—for during these hours of the night the first sleep occurs. In like manner you
understand that in various conditions of our life, if we are found vigilant, we are
blessed. Hath someone seized your money? Have thy children died? Hast thou been
slandered? If thou didst not fall, but thy God and Master found thee vigilant, and thou
hast practised nothing outside of His commandments, but wast found vigilant in the
second and third watch, then thou art blessed.” [P.G. 123:376C-377D (col. 897).]
Saint Kyril: “The night is divided by some into three or into four watches. Those who
sit on the city walls watching the advancing of the enemy, after being on guard for
three or four hours, deliver over the guard to others. Well then there are three age
groups for us: first when we are children, second when we are youths, and third when
we are old. When we are children, we are not responsible before God, and deserving of
pardon. But in the second and third periods, we owe God obedience and a pious conduct
of life, according to His purpose. Whosoever is found vigilant, that is, so to say, well
girt, while he is still young and even if he is old, is blessed.” [Commentary, P.G. 72:
303AB (col. 748).]
[Lk. 12:39.] Saint Gregory the Great: “While the householder is unaware, the thief
breaks into his house. When our spirit is asleep and has no concern for itself, death
comes unexpectedly, bursting into the dwelling of our body, and killing the master of
the house it finds sleeping. When the spirit does not foresee its coming losses, death
carries it off all unaware to punishment. If it were watching it would resist the thief.
Trying to guard against the coming of the Judge, Who carries off the soul in secret, the
soul would go out to meet Him by repenting, so as not to perish in a state of
unrepentance. But our Lord willed that our final hour be unknown to us so that our spirit
might always be in a state of uncertainty. Thus, since we cannot exactly foresee it, we
may continually make ready for it.” [Ib., 155.]
[Lk. 12:42.] Saint Kyril: “The Savior has ordained as stewards...men faithful and of
great understanding, and well instructed in the sacred doctrines. He has commanded
them to give their fellow servants their allowance of food, and that not simply and
without distinction, but rather at its proper season. Now what is meant is spiritual food,
as is sufficient and fitting for each individual....‘Solid food is for the mature [Heb. 5:
14].’” [Hom. 93, Commentary, Ch. 12, 374, 375.]
[Lk. 12:45.] Saint Kyril: “But if that servant neglects his duty of being vigilant and
faithful, and despises watchfulness in these things as superfluous, and lets his mind
grow intoxicated with worldly cares, and is seduced into improper courses, dragging by
force and oppressing those who are subject to him, and does not give them their
portion, in utter wretchedness shall he be. For this I think is the meaning of being cut
in twain.” [Ib., 375.]
[Lk. 12:46.] Saint Kyril: “Whosoever has done wrong to the glory of Christ, or ventured
to think slightingly of the flock entrusted to his charge, differs in no respect whatsoever
from those who know Him not; and all such persons will justly be counted among those
who have no love for Him.” [Ib.]
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