June 27

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not. Behold your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.—Matthew 24:37-39.

Our Lord directs his speech unto the city, in this way too being minded to correct his hearers, and saith, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! What means the repetition? this is the manner of one pitying her, and bemoaning her, and greatly loving her. For, like as unto a woman beloved, herself indeed ever loved, but who had despised him that loved her, and, therefore, on the point of being punished, he pleads, being now about to inflict the punishment. Which he doth in the Prophets also, using these words, I said, Turn thou unto me, and she returned not.

Then having called her, he tells also her blood-stained deeds, Thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, and ye would not, in this way also pleading for his own dealings; not even with these things hast thou turned me aside, nor withdrawn me from my great affection toward thee, but it was my desire even so, and not once or twice, but often to draw thee unto me. For how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not. And this he saith, to show that they were ever scattering themselves by their sins. And his affection he indicates by the similitude; for indeed the creature is warm in its love towards its brood. And everywhere in the prophets is this same image of the wings, and in the song of Moses and in the Psalms, indicating his great protection and care.

But ye would not, be saith. Behold your house is left desolate, stripped of the succor which cometh from me. Surely it was the same, who also was before protecting them, and holding them together, and preserving them; surely it was he who was ever chastening them. And he appoints a punishment, which they had ever dreaded exceedingly; for it declared the entire overthrow of their polity. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. And this is the language of one that loves earnestly, earnestly drawing them unto him by the things to come, not merely warning them by the past; for of the future day of his second coming doth he here speak.

What then? Did they not see him from that time? But it is not that hour which he meaneth in saying, Henceforth, but the time up to his crucifixion.

For since they were for ever accusing him of this, that he was a kind of rival God, and a foe to God, he moves them to love him by this, namely, by showing himself to be of one accord with his Father; and he indicates himself to be the same that was in the Prophets. Wherefore also he uses the same words as did the Prophets. And by these he intimated both his resurrection, and his second coming, and made it plain even to the utterly unbelieving, that then most surely they should worship him. And how did he make this plain? By speaking of many things that were first to be, that he should send prophets, that they should kill them; that it should be in the synagogues; that they should suffer the utmost extremities; that their house should be left desolate; that they should undergo things more grievous than any, and such as never were undergone before. For all these things are enough to furnish even to the most senseless and contentious a clear proof of that which should come to pass at his coming.

For I will ask them, Did he not send the prophets and wise men? Did they slay them in their synagogues? Was their house left desolate? Did all the vengeance come upon that generation? It is quite plain that it was so, and no man gainsays it. As then all these things came to pass, so shall those also come to pass, and most surely they shall submit.

But they shall derive thence no advantage in the way of defence, as neither will they who repent of their course of life then.

Wherefore let us, while it is time, practice what is good. For like as they henceforth derived no advantage from their knowledge, even so neither shall we ourselves from our repentance for our wickedness. For neither to the pilot, when the bark is sunk in the sea from his remissness, will there remain any thing more; nor to the physician, when the sick man is gone; but each of these must before the end devise, and execute all things, so as to be involved in no danger, nor shame; but after this, all is unprofitable.

Let us also then, while in sickness, send for physicians, and lay out money, and exert unceasing diligence, that having risen up from our affliction, we may depart hence in health.