Whitsun homily

The Lesson from the Holy Gospel according to John
AT that time: Jesus said unto his disciples: If ye love me, keep my commandments. And so on, and that which followeth.

A Homily by St. Gregory
IT would be well, dearly beloved brethren, to make our comments brief as may be, so that we may di at greater length on the meaning whereon suddenly there came a t this great festival. For this is the d from heaven, and the Holy descended upon the disciples thereby changed the carnal mind men, filling them with love for hi self. Thus, whilst there appeared outwardly cloven tongues like as of fire, inwardly their hearts began to burn. At the same time that they perceived God in this fiery manifestation, they were all set on fire of love in its sweetness. The Holy Ghost himself is love. Whence it is than John saith: God is love. Whosoever then, desireth God with all his soul, the same hath already entered in possession of him whom he loveth. And except he possess him that he loveth, he cannot love God.

BUT here consider this. It we to ask anyone of you whether he loveth God, he might perchance answer with all boldness and quietness of spirit: I do love him. But in this day’s Lesson, ye have heard what the Truth saith: If a man love me, he will keep my words. proof of love, therefore, is its manifestation in practice. Hence the same John hath said in his Epistle: The man that saith, I love God, and keepeth not his commandments, the same is a liar. For we do truly love God, and keep his commandments, if we deny ourselves the gratification of our appetites. Whoever abandoneth himself unlawfully desires, such an one plainly loveth not God, for thereby he setteth himself against God’s good pleasure.

NOTE the words: And my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Think, dearly beloved brethren, what a dignity it is, to have God abiding as a guest in our hearts. Surely if some rich man, or some powerful friend, were to come into our house, we would hasten to have the whole house cleaned, lest perchance when he came in, he should see aught to displease his eye. So let him that would make ready his soul as an abode for God, cleanse it from all the filth of evil works. But consider once more what the Truth saith: We will come unto him, and make our abode with him. There a some hearts whereunto God cometh, but maketh not his abode therein. This is because they feel reverence for God when their conscience doth prick them; but in time a temptation they forget their conscience, and turn again to their sins, as though they bad never repented.