3. But if any curious person wants to inquire why it is called the tree of life, let him know that man, following his own reasoning, cannot clearly understand all the works of God. In order that the man created by Him, living in Paradise, would have an exercise in obedience or disobedience, it pleased the Lord to plant these two trees there as well: one tree of life, and the other, so to speak, of death, because eating of the latter and transgressing the commandment brought death upon man. Since man, having eaten of this tree, became mortal and was already subject to bodily needs, since sin appeared for the first time, for which death was beneficially established by the Lord, He does not leave Adam in paradise, but commands him to come out of it, showing that He does this for no other reason than love for him. In order to understand this accurately, it is necessary to read again the words of the Divine Scripture: "And now," he says, "lest he stretch out his hands, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever." Since, he says, man has shown great intemperance in relation to this commandment and has become mortal, so that he does not dare to touch this tree, which constantly sustains life, and does not sin indefinitely, it is better for him to be expelled from here. Thus, expulsion from paradise is rather a matter of God's care for man than of wrath. Such is our Lord: and by punishments no less than by good deeds, He shows His providence for us; and He sends us punishment for our own admonition. Thus, if He knows that we do not become worse by sinning with impunity, He does not punish us; in order to prevent our progress towards the worse and to stop the further spread of sin, He, in His love for mankind, punishes. And so He did now: taking care of the first-created, He commanded him to depart from paradise. "The Lord God drove him out," it is said, "out of the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken." Again, here, too, pay attention to the thoroughness (in words) of the divine Scriptures. "The Lord God drove him out," he says, "out of the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken." Behold, He executes His judgment, and having brought (man) out of the paradise of sweetness, He makes him cultivate the earth from which he was taken. And these words, "from which he was taken," are not spoken without purpose, but so that (man) in his work may have a constant reminder of his humility, and know that from whence his composition, that the essence of his body in the beginning came from the earth: "to cultivate," he says, "the earth" of which he is composed. What God expressed in His judgment: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread" (Gen. 3:19), the same is now expressed in the words: "to cultivate the ground from which it was taken." Further, in order for us to know how far God removed man from paradise, the Divine Scripture teaches us this, saying: "And the Lord God cast out Adam, "and the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden" (Gen. 3:24,23). See how in every circumstance the love of humanity of the universal Lord is expressed, and how each form of punishment testifies to great goodness. Not only was the exile an act of love for mankind and goodness, but (God) placed him against paradise, so that he would constantly grieve, contemplating daily what he had lost and to what state he had brought himself. But the sight (of paradise), even if it aroused in Adam an unbearable sorrow, at the same time brought no small benefit: the constant contemplation (of paradise) served as a warning for the sorrowful in the future, so that he would not fall into the same (crime) again. This is how it is for the most part with men: as long as we possess goods, we do not know how to use them properly; but having lost them, we become wiser, and then, having been taught by experience, we begin to realize our carelessness, and thus the change of circumstances makes us understand what we have lost and to what evil we have exposed ourselves. In the same way, the command of the expelled from paradise to dwell near and against him was a sign of the greatest solicitude (of God for man), so that this view would remind him and he would benefit from it, and, having a strong desire to live, he would not dare to eat of the tree, as he was outside of paradise. The Divine Scripture expounds everything to us, condescending to human weakness. "And he set up a cherubim, and a flaming sword turning, to guard the way to the tree of life" (Gen. 3:24). The carelessness which they (the first people) showed in relation to this commandment was the reason why the entrance to paradise was so firmly barred to them. Think about it, the Lover of Mankind was not content with settling against Paradise, but commanded those forces – the cherubim and the flaming "turning sword" – to guard the path leading there. It was not without purpose that (Moses) added: "he who converts," but in order to teach us that the entrance to paradise was completely barred to him, since that weapon, turning, blocked all the paths leading there, and constantly aroused fear and remembrance in him.

4. "Adam knew Eve his wife" (Gen. 4:1). Notice when this happens. After disobedience, after expulsion from paradise, then married life begins. Before disobedience, (the first people) lived like angels, and there was no (talk of) cohabitation. And how could this be, when they were free from bodily needs? Thus, in the beginning, life was virginal; but when, through the carelessness (of the first people), disobedience appeared and sin entered (into the world), virginity flew away from them, since they became unworthy of so great a blessing, and instead the law of marriage came into force. Consider, beloved, how great is the dignity of virginity, how lofty and important this state is, how it transcends human nature and requires help from above. That those who have decided to choose virginity, and being in the body, live like incorporeal powers, listen to the words of Christ spoken to the Sadducees. Having raised the question of the resurrection and desiring to know (the opinion of Jesus Christ), they said: "Teacher! We had seven brothers: the first, having married, died childless, and left his wife to his brother; and the second died, and having no seed, he left his wife to his brother; so are the third, and the fourth, and the fifth, and the sixth, and the seventh. In the resurrection, then, which of the seven will she be the wife? For all had it" (Matthew 22:24-28, Mark 12:19-23, Luke 20:28-33)? What did Christ answer them? Jesus answered and said to them, "You are in error, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God, for in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but abide as the angels of God in heaven." Do you see how those who have chosen, out of love for Christ, the lot of virginity, and, living on earth, and being clothed with a body, imitate the angelic life? Therefore, as great and lofty as this podvig is, so great and even greater are the crowns and rewards, and blessings promised to those who, together with virginity, strive in other virtues. "Adam," it is said, "knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bore Cain" (Gen. 4:1). Since sin entered through disobedience and sentence made the first people mortal, then Almighty God, arranging in His wisdom the continuation of the human race, deigned to multiply it through marriage. "And she said, I have gained a man from the Lord." See how chastisement has made the wife more reasonable: she attributes the birth of the child not to nature, but to God, and (by this) she reveals in herself a feeling of gratitude. Do you see how the punishment served as an incentive for them to reform? "She has gained," says Eve, "a man from the Lord"; it was not nature that gave me a child; He was granted by the highest grace. "And she bore again his brother Abel" (Gen. 4:2). Since she was grateful for the birth (of the first son) and grateful for the first beneficence, she also received the second. Such is our Lord: if we show our gratitude for the gifts we have received and confess the Benefactor, He will be generous with His mercies to us. In the same way, Eve, because she ascribed the birth (of Cain) to God, also receives another child. The birth of children has already become the greatest consolation for people when they have become mortal. That is why the humane God, in order to immediately, at the very beginning, mitigate the severity of punishment and take away from death the terrible appearance, granted the birth of children, manifesting in it, so to speak, the image of the resurrection and arranging so that others would rise up in place of those who fell (dying). "And Abel was," it is said, "a shepherd of sheep, and Cain was a farmer" (Gen. 4:2). The Divine Scriptures tell us about the occupations of each of those who were born, (namely) that one of them led a pastoral life, and the other tilled the land. "And it came to pass, after a while, that Cain brought a gift of the fruit of the earth" to the Lord. See how the Creator of nature put knowledge into the conscience. Who, tell me, led him (Cain) to this idea (of offering sacrifice to God)? None else but knowledge placed in conscience. "He brought," he says, "of the fruits of the earth a gift to the Lord." He knew and understood that it was incumbent upon him to bring forth some fruit from his possessions (to God), as to the Lord; not because God needs it, but in order to show his gratitude by enjoying so great a blessing (of God). God has no need of anything and does not require anything from us; but, condescending to us, in His ineffable love for mankind, He permits this (offering sacrifices to Him) for the sake of our salvation, so that the knowledge of the Lord may serve as a school of virtue for human nature. "And Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock" (Gen. 4:4). It was not without purpose and not in vain that I told your love at the very beginning of our discourse that our Lord does not look at the difference of persons, but rewards the intention by testing the disposition of the soul. So, look, it was now.

Therefore, beloved, let us listen carefully to what has been said, and see what the Scriptures tell us about Cain, and what about Abel; let us not pass this story without attention, because the divine Scripture does not say anything simply and as it happens; every syllable, even every feature, contains a hidden treasure; Such is the quality of everything spiritual. Now, what does the Scripture say? "After a while, Cain brought a gift to the Lord of the fruit of the land, and Abel also offered of the firstlings of his flock, and of their fat" (Gen. 4:3-4).

5. Those who are more perceptive understand what has been said from the very reading. But since we have to take care of everyone in general, because spiritual teaching knows no difference, let us reveal these words to you more clearly, and for this purpose we will repeat them again. "Cain," it is said, "offered a gift to the Lord of the fruit of the earth," then, wishing to inform us about Abel, the divine Scripture says that he also offered a sacrifice from his shepherd's occupation: "He also offered of the firstlings of his flock, and of their fat." See how the Scriptures show us his God-loving intention, and what he brought not merely from the sheep, but from the "firstborn," that is, the costly, the choicest, and furthermore, what from these firstborn (brought) the most precious: "and from their fats," it is said, of the most pleasant, the best. The Scriptures do not notice anything of the kind about Cain, but only say that he brought "a gift from the fruits of the earth," which, so to speak, came across, without any diligence or discrimination. Again I say, and I will not cease, He says: God accepts our offerings, not because He needs them, but because He wants our gratitude to be expressed through them. He who brings to God and moreover what belongs to Him, who understands the difference between nature (divine and human) and that man is honored with such an honor, ought to fulfill his duty as far as possible, and to offer to God what is most precious. But behold, beloved: whoever had the means to know his duty from here is justly punished, losing his salvation through carelessness. For this one did not have any teacher, and this one had no guide or counselor, but each one approached such a sacrifice under the inspiration of conscience and wisdom given to the human race from above; but the difference of intentions and carelessness of the will were the reason why the offering of the one was accepted, and the other rejected by God. "And the Lord looked upon Abel, and upon his gift" (Gen. 4:4). See how it is fulfilled here that is said in the Gospel, that "the first shall be last, and the last first" (Matt. 19:30). So he who has the advantage of primogeniture and who previously offered (the sacrifice) turned out to be worse than his brother, because he did not offer as he ought to. When both of them offered sacrifice, "and looked," says the divine Scriptures, "God upon Abel and upon his gift." What does it mean, "and behold"? It means: he accepted, praised the intention, crowned the disposition, was, so to speak, pleased with what had been done. We, if we speak of God and dare to open our mouths about that immortal Nature, then, as men, we can only imagine it with the help of language. But this is what is surprising: "God looked," he says, "upon Abel and upon his gift." The Scriptures called the offering of sheep gifts, because they brought precious, choice, and blameless. So God looked upon Abel because he made the offering with a pure disposition; He also looked upon the gifts that were brought, not only because they were pure, but because in all respects they proved to be precious, both because of the disposition of the offerer, and because (the sheep) were firstborn, and moreover, chosen, "and of their fats," and of these the best. "And God looked upon Abel and his offering, but did not look upon Cain and his offering" (Gen. 4:4-5). Since Abel offered with due disposition and from a sincere heart, he "looked," it is said, "God" – that is, received, approved, praised; and he called what he brought gifts, in order to honor the favor of the one who brought it. "And he did not look upon Cain and his gift." Notice the accuracy (in the words) of the Scriptures. By the word, "not ripened," it showed the rejection of what was offered, and by the name of the fruits of the earth brought by sacrifice it inspires us with something else. See, indeed, how the Scriptures, both by events and words, make it known that the Lord desires all these things from us [sacrifices and offerings] so that our inner dispositions may be revealed in our deeds and we may know that we are under the dominion of the Lord and Creator, Who brought us from non-existence into existence. By calling the sheep gifts, and the fruits of the earth sacrifice, the Divine Scripture thereby teaches us that the Lord does not seek the bringing of the dumb and not the offering of the fruits of the earth, but only the disposition of the soul. Wherefore even now, according to his disposition, the one was received with a gift, and the other was rejected with a sacrifice for the same reason. And the words: "He looked upon Abel and his gift, but did not look upon Cain and his gift" – let us understand it in a manner befitting God. By these words the Scriptures mean that God imparted to them the knowledge that He was pleased with the disposition of the one, and rejected the folly of the other. This was done on the part of God; Let us see what follows. "And Cain was grieved," it is said, "and his face was drooping" (Gen. 4:5). What does it mean, "Cain was greatly grieved"? His sorrow arose from two causes: not only from the fact that he himself had been rejected, but also from the fact that his brother's gift had been accepted. "And he was grieved," it is said, "Cain was great, and his face drooped." What made him sad? These two circumstances saddened him: the fact that the Lord did not accept his sacrifice, and the fact that his brother's gift was acceptable to Him. It was necessary, having learned the reason from what had happened, to correct the error, because our humane Lord does not so much turn away from us when we sin, as in such a case when we stagnate in sin; but he (Cain) did not care at all about this (correction).

6. And in order that you may be fully convinced of this and see the ineffable greatness of God's love for mankind, notice in the present events the abundance of goodness and the greatness of God's mercy. When He saw that Cain was exceedingly grieved and ready, so to speak, to drown in the waves of sorrow, He did not despise him, but the same love for mankind that He showed to his father, after his grievous sin, when He gave him an opportunity for justification and opened the door to boldness, saying: "Where"? – such philanthropy is manifested even now towards (Cain), who turned out to be so foolish and ready, as it were, to fall into the abyss; Stretching out his hand, and wishing to give him an opportunity to correct his transgression, he said to him: "Why are you grieved? And why is thy face drooping? if you do good, do you not lift up your face? but if you do not do good, then sin lies at the door; he draws thee unto him, but thou shalt rule over him" (Gen. 4:6-7). Behold, beloved, what an unspeakable condescension of care! God saw that Cain was overwhelmed, so to speak, by the passion of envy: see how He, in His goodness, applied the medicine appropriate to him, in order to raise him up immediately and prevent him from drowning. "Why are you upset? And why is your face drooping?" – Why, that is, are you possessed by such sorrow that even on your face you show the depth of sorrow? "Why is thy face drooping?" Why have you not fulfilled your duty? You did not offer sacrifice to a person who could be deceived. Do you not know that I do not desire the offerings, but the sincere favor of those who bring them? "Why are you upset? And why is thy face drooping? if you do good, do you not lift up your face? and if you do not do good, then sin lies at the door"? That it occurred to you to make an offering is praiseworthy; and the fact that you unjustly divided (chose the fruit for the sacrifice) is the reason why what you offered was rejected. He who brings to God must be very careful when dividing; and as great as the difference between the Receiver and the Offerer, so much must be made in the election (of the sacrifice). But you did not think about it at all, and brought just what happened: therefore what was brought could not be accepted. But just as your disposition with which you made the offering, without the slightest consideration of the difference (between the Receiver and the Offerer), was the cause of the rejection of the sacrifice you offered, so the proper disposition of the brother, who showed great diligence in choosing (the sacrifice), made his gifts acceptable. However, even so, I do not want to punish you for your transgression, but only point out your sin and give you advice, which, if you wish to accept, you will correct your sin and will not fall into a worse evil. What then? You have committed a sin, and a great sin, but I do not punish for it, because I am a lover of mankind and "I do not desire the death of the wicked, but that he turn from his ways and live" (Ezekiel 18:23). Since you have sinned, then "be silent", calm your thoughts, free yourself from the pressure of the waves that besiege your soul, tame your agitation, so that you do not add another more grievous sin to your former sin, so that you do not decide on some incorrigible evil. Do not give yourself up to the evil demon. "If you have sinned, be silent." God already knew in advance that (Cain) would rise up against his brother, and with these words He warns him. As God, who knows the secrets of the soul, He knew the movements of Cain's heart: therefore, in lengthy exhortation and merciful words, He offers him proper medicine and does everything on His part, although (Cain) rejected the remedy and plunged into the abyss of fratricide. "If you have sinned, be silent." Do not think, says God, that I, by rejecting your sacrifice for undue disposition, and accepting your brother's gift for his true affection, deprive you of your primacy and deprive you of the birthright. "Be silent": although he has been honored by Me and his gift has been accepted, yet "he draws you to himself, but you have dominion over him," so that even after this sin, I leave for you the privileges of the birthright, and command him to be under your authority and rulership. Look at the Lord's love for mankind, how He wishes with these words to tame the rage and fury of Cain, and to restrain him from rebelling against his brother. Seeing the movements of his thoughts, and knowing the cruelty of his murderous intention, God wants beforehand to soften his heart and calm his mind, and for this purpose He subdues his brother to him and does not take away his power over him. But even after such care and after such healing, Cain did not receive any benefit. Such is the difference in the inner disposition (of Cain and Abel), such is the power of evil!

7. But in order that we may not be a burden to your love, and that our discourse, striking your ears, may not seem dull, we will stop here and ask you, zealous listeners, to hate the actions like (Cain's) and, turning completely away from sin, turn with great zeal and with all your heart to the commandments of the Lord, especially after so many such examples. None of us can (in our own justification) have recourse to ignorance.

Do we not all know what to do and what not to do, that those who do the former (good) will receive crowns of victory, and those who have fallen into the latter (sin)

Amen.

CONVERSATION 19

"And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go into the field" (Gen. 4:8).

1. As incurable wounds do not yield to either sharp or emollient medicines, so the soul, once it has become a prisoner and given over to some sin, if it does not want to think about its own benefit, does not improve, no matter how much someone inspires it; it, as if it had no hearing at all, does not receive any benefit from admonition, not because it cannot, but because it does not want to. However, the will (of man) is not the same as bodily wounds. In the bodily nature, ailments are often incurable, but not so with the will: on the contrary, often an evil person, if he wishes, can change and become good, and a good person, if he is not vigilant, can become corrupt. The Lord of all, having created our nature free, although He does everything on His part, and following His love for mankind, and knowing the secrets hidden in the depths of the soul, exhorts, advises and warns against evil deeds, but does not coerce, but by offering appropriate actions, leaves everything to the will of the sick person. So it happened now with Cain. After such (God's) solicitude for him, see into what a frenzy he has fallen. Recognizing his sin, he had to take care of his correction; but he, like a drunken man, adds another ulcer to the first illness and earlier, and, not taking the medicine offered to him with such zeal, on the contrary, hastening to carry out the planned murder, begins the matter with cunning and cunning, and deceives his brother with flattering words. Thus is a beast-like man who has given himself over to evil. As great and venerable (by nature) this rational being is, especially when it strives to do good, so much does it resemble the fierce beasts in cruelty when it deviates to evil. Having fallen into their savagery, this meek and reasonable creature is far even superior to them in ferocity. Let us see what happened in the present case. "And Cain said," he said, "to Abel his brother, Let us go into the field." The words of the brother, but the intention of the murderer. What are you doing, Cain? Don't you know who you're talking to? Don't you think you're talking to your brother? Don't you think he was born of the same mother as you? Don't you understand the vileness of your enterprise? Do you not fear the Judge, Who cannot be deceived? Do you not tremble at the thought of an evil deed? Why do you drag your brother into the field and lead him away from his father's embrace? Why do you deprive him of paternal help? What kind of strangeness is it that you now drag your brother into the field, that you are now trying to do what you have not done before, and, substituting the mask of friendship for brotherly love, you want to deal with him as an enemy? What a frenzy! What ferocity! Let us suppose that you, in the blindness of the mind; you do not pay any attention to fraternal disposition, you do not know nature itself; but why hast thou so armed thyself against him who has done thee no wrong? For what fault do you want to cause them such grief on the part of your parents, and to be the first perpetrator of this terrible deed, do you want to be the first to show them this violent death? Is this how you pay them for their upbringing? What diabolical cunning has stirred you up to this matter? Can you say that the good will towards him (Abel) of the Lord, common to all, made him proud before you? Is it not to turn you away from this murderous intent that God has subdued your brother and placed you under your power, saying, "He draws you to himself, but you must rule over him"? Indeed, these words must be understood about the subjection of a brother (to Cain). And some say that God said this to him about the sacrifice he offered: "He draws you to himself," i.e., the gift, "but thou shalt rule over him," i.e., thou shalt use it thyself. And it seems to me that this is said about my brother. "And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him" (Gen. 4:8). A horrible act, a pernicious audacity, a hateful deed, an unpardonable sin, the plot of a brutal soul! "He rose up," he said, "against Abel his brother, and killed him." Oh, vile hand! Oh, miserable right hand! However, it is not the hand that should be called vile and pitiful, but the intention that this member served. Therefore let us put it this way: Oh, the audacious, vile, and miserable intention! And whatever we say, we will not say everything it deserves. How his hand was not numb! How could she raise her sword and strike a blow? How did his soul not fly out of his body? How was she able to carry out this lawless enterprise? How did she not hesitate and change her intention? Why didn't you think about nature? How did she not think, before doing the deed, about its end? How could he, after committing a murder, look at his brother's body trembling on the ground? How could he see a corpse prostrate on the ground and not immediately fall into exhaustion from this sight? If, after the lapse of so many years, every day we see the dying, dying of natural causes, and those who are not in the least close to you, we are crushed, and even though the dead is our enemy, we cease enmity, how much more should Cain shudder and immediately give up his spirit, when he saw that the one with whom he had recently conversed was a brother from the same mother and from the same father, born from the same womb with him, having attracted God's favor upon himself, suddenly lies, breathless and motionless, and trembles on the ground.

2. But let us see what it is like after this ungodly act and after such a crime, which does not deserve any excuse; – let us see what kind of condescension and love of mankind God of all things shows. "And the Lord spake unto Cain" (Gen. 4:9). Is it alone that He vouchsafed His discourse to one who committed such a crime as goodness shows? If we often despise people like us, when we see them committing such a crime, then how much more should we be amazed at the good God, Who showed so much patience, and quite rightly. He is a doctor and a loving father. As a physician, He uses all measures and means to restore health to those suffering from severe illnesses; and as a loving father, He desires, by the power of fatherly love, to bring to their former prosperous state (children) who have lost their nobility through carelessness. Since His goodness is immeasurably great, He wants to show His great love for mankind to him who dares to commit such iniquity, He says to him: "Where is Abel your brother" (Gen. 4:9)? Great and immeasurable is the condescension of God? He does not ask because He does not know; no, He did to him (Cain) as He did to his father: nothing prevents us from telling about it again. For how did God see him (Adam) hiding from the shame of nakedness, and ask, "Where?" (Gen. 4:9), not out of ignorance, but wishing to encourage him, so that through the confession of his fall he would wash away his sin (it is customary for Him from ancient times and from the beginning to demand of us to confess our sins and grant forgiveness), so now He asks Cain and says: "Where is Abel thy brother"? The philanthropic Lord assumes the appearance of ignorance in order to induce the one who committed such a crime to confess his sin by a question, and so that he may receive some forgiveness and (take advantage of) philanthropy. "Where is Abel thy brother"? What then is reckless, insensitive, stubborn, and shameless? He ought to have thought that (God) is inquiring, not out of ignorance, but in order to hear from him a confession, and to admonish us not to pronounce sentence on our brethren before the case is heard; it would be necessary to think about the Lord's care – how He, wishing to restrain him from undertaking, and knowing the plan of his soul even before putting it into action, used protective means; he ought to have pondered all this, stopped his fury, told what had happened, showed the ulcer to the doctor, and took medicine for him; and it also enlarges the wound, intensifies the hardening of the ulcer. "And he said," it said, "I don't know." Look, what a shameless answer! Are you talking to a man who can be deceived? Or do you not know, miserable and wretched one, who is conversing with you? Do you not understand that He inquires out of His great goodness, desiring only to find an excuse to show His love for mankind, and that you, after He has done everything on His part, no longer deserve any excuse, since you have brought yourself under punishment?

"He said, I do not know; Am I my brother's keeper"? Notice here how conscience convicts, how he (Cain), compelled, so to speak, by conscience, did not stop at this word: "I do not know," but added: "Am I my brother's keeper"? He just didn't denounce himself. And if everything were done according to the (natural) order and according to the law of nature, then you should also be the guardian of brotherly happiness, because nature inspired (you) to do so, and those born of the same mother should be the guardians of each other. And if you did not want this, and refused to be your brother's guardian, why did you become a murderer, and killed him who had done you no wrong, and thought that there was no one to rebuke you? But wait, and you will see that the one who is slain himself will be your accuser, and the one lying dead will loudly accuse you, who are alive and walking. "And God said, What hast thou done" (Gen. 4:10)? These words are also significant. Why, he says, did you do this? Why did you commit this godless audacity, this abominable act, this unforgivable deed, this intolerable madness, this new and unprecedented murder, which was introduced into human society for the first time by your hand? Why did He perform this great and terrible deed, which is heavier than that among sins? "The voice of thy brother's blood cries out to Me from the earth." Am I a man, and hear only the voice that comes out of the mouth? I am God, and I can hear him that cries by the blood, and that which lies on the ground. This is how far the voice of this blood goes, which ascends from earth to heaven and, passing through the heaven of heavens and the higher powers, reaches the very throne of the King, and complains of your murder, denouncing your impious deed. "The voice of thy brother's blood cries out to Me from the earth." Have you done such an offense to a stranger and a stranger? No, to his own brother, who has not offended you in any way. But could it be that My favor brought this murder upon him, and you, not having the strength to oppose Me, poured out your uncontrollable fury on him? Therefore I will inflict such a punishment on you that both your transgression and the punishment inflicted on you for it may not be forgotten, but that what has happened to you may be a lesson to all who follow. And because you did this and carried out your evil plan, and out of great envy decided to kill, "cursed art thou from the earth" (Gen. 4:11).

3. Do you notice, beloved, the difference in the curse? Do not ignore this, but judge the severity of the crime by the severity of the curse. How much greater this sin (Cain's) than the transgression of the first-created (Adam's) can be seen by the difference in the curse. There (the Lord) said: "Cursed is the earth for thy sake" (Gen. 3:17), and poured out a curse on the earth, taking care of man; but here, since the deed is disastrous, the insolence is blatant, the crime is unforgivable, he himself (the perpetrator of it) is cursed: "Cursed art thou," he says, "from the earth." He did much the same thing as the serpent that served as the instrument of the devil's plan; As he by means of deception brought about death, so this one, having deceived his brother and led him out into the field, armed his hand against him and committed murder. Therefore, just as the Lord said to the serpent: "Cursed art thou before all cattle and before all the beasts of the field" (Gen. 3:14), so also this one, because he did likewise. As the devil, moved by envy and malice, and unable to endure the unspeakable blessings bestowed upon man from the very beginning, in consequence of this envy decided to deceive him, which brought about death, so this one, seeing that the Lord was pleased with his brother, moved to murder out of envy. Therefore God said to him, "Cursed art thou from the earth." Cursed, that is, you will be from the very ground "which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand" (Gen. 4:11). You will be cursed by the very land that is stained with the blood shed so wickedly and by such an impious hand. Then the divine Scripture, defining the curse more clearly, says: "When thou till the earth, it shall no more give its power to thee" (Gen. 4:12). Great is the punishment, heavy is the burden of indignation. Thou shalt labor, saith he, and thou shalt exert thy utmost to cultivate the soil soaked with such blood, but thou shalt not receive the fruits of these great labors; whatever efforts you make, they will all be fruitless for you. And the punishment will not stop there, but "you will be an exile and a wanderer on earth." This is another great punishment – to groan and tremble incessantly.