Creations, Volume 7, Book 2
DISCOURSE FORTY-SEVEN. Explanation 13:34-52. Why did Christ teach in parables? - It should not be understood by a parable literally. - The importance and value of preaching. - Renunciation of all worldly things is not a loss, but a gain. - Faith alone is not enough for salvation. - The harm of negligence about reading the Scriptures. - The Head and Members of Virtue. -Ev. Matthew, as an example of virtue. - Without alms, salvation is impossible. - The superiority of the soul of the arbitrarily poor over the soul of the rich.
DISCOURSE FORTY-EIGHT. Explanation 13:53 - 14:11. The ignorance of Christ's origin should have caused greater surprise at His teaching. - Why did Christ perform few miracles in His homeland? Herod's opinion of Christ. - The Crime of Herodias and Herod. - What was the law broken by Herod. - The harm of dancing and feasting. - The suffering inflicted on the righteous increases his reward. - Debauchery is the cause of many crimes. - Sin is covered not by the addition of sin, but by repentance. - One should not ridicule, but cover up the sins of one's neighbors. - The criminality of feasts arranged for parasites. - It is necessary to correct parasites, using them to serve good deeds.
DISCOURSE FORTY-NINE. Explanation 14:13-32. Why does Christ, after the news of John's death, retire into the wilderness? - The people's attachment to Christ. - The imperfection of the faith of the disciples. - Why did Christ perform some miracles by His own authority, others in the name of the Father? - The multiplication of the loaves testifies that Christ is the Creator of all visible things. - The method of performing a miracle and its purpose. "One should not seek human glory. - Spiritual goods should be preferred to sensual ones. "Mercy is more excellent than all the arts. - Every art is worthy of its name, as long as it serves to satisfy what is necessary. - Against luxury in shoes and clothing.
DISCOURSE FIFTIETH. Explanation 14:23-36. Why does Christ allow His disciples to be overwhelmed by waves and fear? - God sends a powerful test when He wants to deliver from dangers. - The power of Peter's love for Christ; his lack of faith. - The effect of the miracle on the disciples and the people. - Christ even now offers Himself to all in the Eucharist. - The Eucharist is no different from the supper celebrated by Christ Himself. - The Eucharist requires perfect purity from the one who approaches it. - Alms are more pleasing to God than rich offerings to the temple.
DISCOURSE FIFTY-ONE. Explanation 15:1-20. The Jewish priests were guilty of introducing new ordinances and of preferring them to the commandments of God. - Why Christ's disciples ate with unwashed hands. - The Pharisees taught under the guise of piety to despise the commandments of the law. - Christ rejects the decrees about food and, covertly, all other ceremonial precepts. - Christ does not blame the law. - A person is defiled by the impurity of the heart. - One should approach prayer with pure lips and a heart free from anger. - One should not pray against enemies. - The offender harms only himself.
DISCOURSE FIFTY-TWO. Explanation 15:21-31. Christ opens the door to the Gentiles. - The power of faith and humility of the Canaanite woman. - Why did Christ delay in fulfilling her request? - Alms are valued not by the amount of what is given, but by the strength of the disposition. - The superiority of alms over all other arts. - The inclination to mercy is in nature itself. - Mercy is a distinctive feature of a person. - A predator cannot receive the fruit of almsgiving.
DISCOURSE FIFTY-THREE. Explanation 15:32 - 16:12. The certainty of miraculous satiety. - The imperfection of the faith of the disciples. - Their wisdom. - Why did Christ not give a sign to the Jews who asked? - The seemingly small miracles of Christ surpassed the great ones in their power. "Severity can be as useful as leniency. - Real life is a change of joys and sorrows. - Nothing gives greater joy than virtue. - The memory of good deeds serves as a great consolation at the hour of death.
DISCOURSE FIFTY-FOUR. Explanation 16:13-23. Why does Christ ask the disciples beforehand about the opinion of the people about Him? - In what sense did Peter confess Christ to be the Son of God? - Consubstantiality of Christ with the Father. - Why did the Saviour forbid divulging that He is Christ before His sufferings? - The mystery of the cross and resurrection was unknown even to the apostles. - One should not be ashamed of the cross of Christ. - With what thoughts and dispositions one should make the sign of the cross. - The power of the cross. - A Christian should have nothing to do with the earth. - Easy fulfillment of commandments.
DISCOURSE FIFTY-FIVE. Explanation 16:24-27. Following the example of Christ, one must always be ready to die. - Why Christ does not force, but invites to follow Him. - What does it mean to deny oneself? - To what extent self-denial must extend. - Not all suffering is following Christ. - What is the true salvation and the true destruction of the soul? - Equality and consubstantiality of the Son with the Father. - Praise of the life of monks. - Explanation of the prayer they use after eating. - Exhortation to imitate the way of life of monks.
DISCOURSE FIFTY-SIX. Explanation 16:28 - 17:9. Why does Christ speak more about rewards than threatens with punishments? - Why Moses and Elijah appear at the transfiguration. - Greater perfection is required of Christ's disciples than Moses and Elijah showed. - Peter's love for Christ. - Equality of the Son with the Father. - Why did Christ forbid divulging about His transfiguration before suffering? - The glory of the future coming of Christ. - Virtue is easy, vice is burdensome. - Against usury.
DISCOURSE FIFTY-SEVEN. Explanation 17:10-21. The twofold coming of Christ. - Elijah is the forerunner of the Second Coming. - Why is John called Elijah? - A miracle can be performed both by the faith of the mediator and by the power of the miracle-worker alone. - Lack of faith of the father of the demon-possessed youth. - Why are the possessed called lunatics? - The apostles were not always equally perfect. - To cast out demons, fasting is necessary, combined with prayer. - Luxury and drunkenness are the source of all evil. - It is not wine that should be condemned, but drunkenness. - The pernicious consequences of drunkenness.
DISCOURSE FIFTY-EIGHT. Explanation 17:22-18:6. The meaning of Christ's death and resurrection were incomprehensible to the disciples. - What is the didrachm that was asked of Christ. - Christ is the true Son of God and the sovereign of the universe. - The passion of vanity was not alien to the disciples. - By the example of a child, Christ teaches humility and simplicity of heart. - Greatness of reward and punishment for those who despise humble people. - Arrogance makes a person insane. - Nobility of origin does not confer any real advantage. - Wealth deprives you of nobility and freedom. - Honors do not benefit the body and harm the soul.
DISCOURSE FIFTY-NINE. Explanation 18:7-14. Why does Christ speak about the coming of temptations? - The immutability of prophecy does not destroy free will. - Perdition does not depend on temptations. - The benefits of temptations. - Everyone is virtuous or vicious in his own will. - Evil is not a co-eternal principle with God. - Evil is disobedience to God, which comes from carelessness. - The way to avoid temptations, indicated by Christ. - We must take care of the salvation of our neighbors. - Piety alone must affirm the bonds of friendship. - In caring for the salvation of one's neighbors, one must be patient. - For salvation, one's own virtue alone is not enough. - Exhortation to take care of the proper education of young men.
DISCOURSE SIXTIETH. Explanation 18:15-20. How one should rebuke sinners. - Why the Saviour sends the offended to the offender and commands him to rebuke him, and not anyone else. - The purpose of denunciation. - Why the prayer of those who live according to it is not always heard. - Love for one's neighbor must have Christ as its foundation. - The inconstancy of love, which stems from worldly gains, and the firmness of love for Christ's sake.