Vigils Reading – Monday of Holy Week

The Vice of Covetousness 2
From a homily on the Gospel of John by St John Chrysostom

Six days before the Passover, [Jesus] came to Bethany where Lazarus was; and he shared a meal with them, and Martha served… However, Mary was not serving at table, for she was His disciple. In this case once again she was more deeply spiritual than Martha. For she was not lending her services as if called on to do so, nor did she minister to all the guests in common, but she paid honor to Him alone, and she approached Him, not as man, but as God. Indeed, that is why she poured out the ointment and wiped it dry with her hair, because she did not have the kind of opinion of Him which most people had.

Yet Judas rebuked her, with a pretense of piety in what he said. Therefore, what did Christ say? ‘She has done a good turn for my burial.’… Once again He was admonishing the traitor by speaking of His burial. However the warning did not give [Judas] pause, nor did the words soften him, even though they wereenough to plunge him into grief… Nothing of this caused the bestial and crazed man to yield, even though [Jesus]… both washed his feet on the night of the betrayal and shared with him His table and hospitality…

A terrible vice is covetousness, a terrible vice. It disables both eyes and ears, and makes men fiercer than wild beasts, not permitting them to consider conscience, or friendship, or association, or the salvation of their own soul… This vice made Giezi a leper instead of a disciple and prophet; it destroyed Ananias and his followers; it made Judas a traitor… It has brought on innumerable wars, and filled the roads with bloodshed, and the cities with mourning and weeping… For, when men saw beautiful homes, and extensive fields… and silver vessels, and a great accumulation of garments, they made every effort to get better ones… Let us think about our ancestors. Is not their property still standing, preserving only their names: the bath of this one, the suburban house and dwelling of that one? On seeing them do we not at once groan, thinking of how much toil he expended, how many frauds he perpetrated. Yet he is nowhere in sight, but others enjoy the fruits of his toil, people whom he never intended to enjoy them – perhaps even his enemies – while he suffers the extreme penalty…

However, this is not the case in the everlasting mansions, in the dwellings of the next life… Let us, then, strive for that type of possessions. Let us prepare dwellings for ourselves there, that we may find rest in Christ Jesus our Lord..