THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
The righteous man, observing the profound depth of God's compassion, did not relent but exclaimed once more, "May the Lord not be angry; what should I say again?" After witnessing the immeasurable patience of God, and fearing that he might provoke further wrath against himself, the patriarch asked, "May the Lord not be angry?" Am I not acting thoughtlessly? Am I not revealing a lack of decorum? Would I not be deserving of rebuke if I dared to plead one more time? Yet, in Your boundless kindness, I ask for another favor: "Might there be ten found there?" He responded, "I will not destroy it for the sake of ten." Do you perceive the great condescension of the Lord? Do you recognize the passionate love of this righteous man? Can you grasp the strength of those who earnestly strive for righteousness? "For if there are ten righteous men," says the Lord, "I will grant forgiveness to all." Isn’t it true that I’ve pointed out this narrative serves to eliminate any grounds for criticism from those who would reason without shame? There are indeed many who, with reckless tongues, criticize God's judgement, questioning: "Why was Sodom destroyed? The people of Sodom might have repented if they had received mercy." This leads to an increase in wickedness and a decline in virtue, necessitating a second deluge akin to the first. However, God, mindful of His promise that such a punishment would not be repeated, resorted to a different form of discipline, punishing the inhabitants of Sodom together, presenting a lesson enduring for future generations. They distorted nature's laws, creating a perverse and illicit amalgamation; thus, God visited upon them an unparalleled punishment for their sins, striking at the lifelessness of the land, evident today along the shores of the Dead Sea, where Sodom and Gomorrah were consumed by fire. This serves as an everlasting testament for those who follow, warning them against similar actions lest they suffer the same fate. Those who wish may visit these sites and observe a land that starkly bears the marks of divine judgement; the evidences of God's wrath, painfully apparent, seem as fresh as if the sentence had been carried out just yesterday. Therefore, I implore you to derive wisdom from the fates of others, reflecting on the consequences that befell them. Others might protest, "If they faced such punishment, why do many today, committing similar transgressions, remain unpunished?" Perhaps that is the case; nevertheless, a harsher punishment awaits such transgressors. If we are unaffected by the fate of Sodom, and do not utilize God's patience for our good, consider how much more we excite ourselves towards the unquenchable fire of the future and prepare a worm that shall not die! Yet, there are still many virtuous individuals today, endowed with God's grace, who, like the patriarchs of old, can intercede with the Lord. If we honestly assess ourselves and recognize our own spiritual negligence amidst a world filled with vice, we see that God exhibits patience with others for the sake of the virtues found in these few righteous individuals. That the boldness of such individuals brings about God's forbearance is evident in this very story; the Lord states, "If ten righteous men are found, I will not destroy it for their sake." And what of ten righteous? Not one was discovered in Sodom without sin, save for Lot the righteous and his two daughters. His wife may have escaped the city's destruction due to him, yet her lack of adherence led to her punishment. Today, through God's immeasurable mercy, acts of piety have multiplied, with numerous individuals in cities capable of appealing to God; others retreat to mountains and caves. The virtue of these few may cover the multitude of sins because God's goodness is vast, often granting deliverance to many for the sake of a few righteous. And what of the few just? Frequently, when His search finds no righteousness in the present day, God even undertakes to propitiate those living for the sake of the virtues of the deceased and declares, "I will protect this city for My own sake, and for the sake of David My servant." Though they are unworthy of salvation and undeserving of redemption from peril, it is characteristic of My grace to show kindness to humanity, and I delight in delivering them from distress—for My own sake and for My servant David's purpose, I shall provide salvation for them. Thus, the man David, long since departed from this life, becomes a source of salvation for those lost due to their own negligence. Do you see how merciful the Lord is? How He honors those who excel in virtue, conferring upon them a status in contrast to the multitude? Hence, Paul articulates, "They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, enduring trials, afflictions, and hardships; of whom the world was not worthy." The entirety of creation, he asserts, is not of equal merit to those who, for God's sake, endure sufferings, hardships, nakedness, wanderings, or live in caves. Therefore, beloved, when you encounter someone dressed in shabby garments externally, yet internally clothed in virtue, do not look down upon them because of their outer appearance; rather, appreciate their spiritual treasure and inner light, and you will perceive virtue radiating from them. Such was the blessed Elijah: he had but a single mercy, while Ahab, adorned in royal robes, required his mercy. Do you see Ahab's poverty juxtaposed with Elijah's wealth? Notice the disparity in their power: Elijah's favor caused the heavens to shut and the rain to cease, and with a single word, he bound the heavens so that for three years and six months there was no rain. Meanwhile, the king clad in purple sought out the prophet but found no relief from his vast authority. Observe how merciful the Lord is: when He saw that the prophet, filled with righteous zeal, had invoked such devastation upon the earth, sparing him from suffering alongside the wicked, He commanded, "Arise and go." The events from the story of the prophet Elijah may not follow the exact order presented in the Book of Kings, as some are paraphrased, yet the essence remains: "to Zarephath of Sidon, where I have commanded a widow to sustain you." And he arose and went. Pay attention, beloved, to the grace of the Spirit. Yesterday we discussed the extraordinary love demonstrated by this widow; behold, today she will complete our reflection. It is said, upon reaching her, he found her gathering sticks and requested, "Bring me a little water to drink." She complied. Again, he asked, "Prepare me a morsel of bread." She then revealed her dire poverty, which is better understood as her unspeakable wealth—her plight magnified her honor. She replied, "Your servant has nothing but a handful of flour in a bin and a little oil in a jar; I will prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die." These words evoke pity and could soften even the hardest heart. She stated there remained no hope of survival, as death was imminent; her supply comprised merely a handful of flour and a dash of oil, hardly enough for her and her children. "In what I can, I delivered water." Yet, to highlight both the widow's unusual compassion and the powerful faith of the righteous man, notice what occurs next. The prophet, upon learning this, aimed to unveil her virtue—because God, who commanded, "A widow woman there to sustain you," was acting through the prophet—said: "First make a small cake from it for me and bring it to me; afterward, make something for yourself and your son." Listen up, O wives, overwhelmed by riches: you expend your excess on numerous trivial things and, amid all your delights, you withhold from the less fortunate or those virtuous men enduring hardship for God's sake. This widow, possessing only a handful of flour, intuitively presumed she was on the brink of mourning her children’s deaths, yet upon hearing the prophet’s request—"first prepare for me, afterward for yourself and your son"—she did not falter or delay, but immediately carried out his command. This instructs us all to prioritize the servants of God above our own comfort and to seize such opportunities, knowing we shall receive a great reward for our efforts. Look at this widow: by sharing a handful of flour and a small amount of oil, she obtained for herself an inexhaustible supply. After feeding the prophet, neither her handful of flour nor her jar of oil ceased, all while the world suffered from famine. It is remarkable and astonishing to note that during this time, she had no need to toil, for her flour and oil sustained her effortlessly; she no longer labored, nor did she depend on animals for work, nor engaged in any other concerns; everything transpired for her in a clearly supernatural manner. In stark contrast, the king, adorned in a royal diadem, found himself in utter despair under the weight of famine, while the impoverished widow, devoid of any resources, began to live in continual abundance as a result of receiving the prophet. Consequently, Christ declared, "Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive the prophet's reward." You saw the blessings the patriarch was given through diligent hospitality. Also, consider this widow from Sidon who unexpectedly found immense wealth when the word of the prophet, who wielded heavenly authority, turned her handful of flour and jar of oil into an everlasting supply. Let us all, both husbands and wives, strive to emulate her! I wish I could inspire you to adopt the zeal and virtue of the prophet; yet, it may seem beyond your reach, despite him being a man of flesh like us, sharing our nature. He was distinguished by a grace from above, having fully embraced righteousness. Let us, therefore, initially imitate this woman from Zarephath, gradually progressing towards imitating the prophet. Let us reflect her extraordinary love without citing any claim to poverty. Regardless of one's financial state, no one can be poorer than this widow who possessed only enough food for a single day; yet despite her predicament, she did not hesitate to fulfill the request of the righteous man, demonstrating remarkable dedication, for which she received prompt rewards. Such are the works of God: He typically offers abundant returns for modest offerings. Consider this: did she sacrifice as much as she received? Yet our Lord values not the quantity of our gifts but the intent behind them, where even little can yield great outcomes, while much can diminish if not given willingly. Thus, in the Gospel, when many contributed generously to the treasury, one widow put in two small coins and surpassed them all—not because she gave more, but because her offering was a reflection of her heart's diligence. The others gave from their excess, whereas she offered all she possessed. Let us, husbands, replicate the example set by our wives and avoid appearing inferior; let us ensure we do not squander our resources solely on personal gratifications but instead, provide for the less fortunate, doing so with genuine care and joy. Just as a farmer sows seed with joy and confidence, trusting in a bountiful harvest, so should we, beloved. Do not focus on what the poor receive from you or the expense entailed; envision that your act of giving is taken by the Lord of all creation from your hands. Your expenditure results in profit; it not only preserves your possessions but even enhances them when done with heartfelt faith and joyful enthusiasm. I speak now of a higher good: apart from the blessings that accompany such acts, you are also granted forgiveness for your sins, and what can surpass that? Therefore, if we aspire to attain true wealth and the forgiveness of sins, let us place our treasures in the care of the needy, sending them to heaven, where they cannot be threatened by thieves, robbers, or any form of corruption. Above all, that realm is free from such evils. However, let us engage in these acts not out of vanity but in accordance with God's commandments, seeking not human praise but favor from the Lord, who is common to all.