On Repentance, Judgment, and the Separation of the Soul from the Body
Homily of St. Ephraim the Syrian
What benefit, beloved, do we find in this vain life? Woe to me! Blessed is the one who finds boldness in the hour of separation, when the soul departs from its body. For the Angels come to take the soul from the body and present it before the dreadful throne and the terrifying judgment seat. Great, brethren, is the fear at the hour of death when the soul departs from the body in fear and torment. For at this hour of separation, the soul is confronted by its deeds, both good and evil, which it committed by day and by night. The Angels hasten to wrench it from the body; the soul, seeing its deeds, fears to depart. The soul of the sinner separates from the body in fear and trembles as it goes to stand before the Immortal King. Compelled to leave the body, looking upon its deeds, it cries out in fear: "Give me one more hour to depart!" But the deeds answer it: "You performed us; we go with you to God."
Let us hate, brethren, this vain life and love the one Holy Christ. We do not know, brethren, in what hour our departure will be: no one among us knows the hour or day of our separation. But suddenly, while we walk carelessly on the earth and rejoice, the command comes to take the soul from the body—and it departs, sinful, “in a day when it expected not,” filled with sins and having no boldness. Therefore, I beseech you, brethren, let us free ourselves, cast off the labors of this vain life, and lift up our souls, so that every day we may rise from the snares and temptations to God. The Evil One continually lays hidden snares for our souls, that by tempting them he might capture them in eternal torment. We walk, beloved, among temptations and snares, and we must pray that we do not fall into them. The snares of death are filled with sweetness; let not the pleasantness of the snares of death deceive us—I mean, the care for earthly things, for possessions, and for wicked thoughts and deeds. Do not delight, brother, in the snare of death, do not grow weak and perish by occupying yourself with wicked thoughts. If an impure thought finds an entrance into your soul, it appears sweet to it and occupies it, that it may slay it; and the wicked thought becomes like a snare in the soul unless it is driven out by prayer, tears, fasting, and vigilance. Always be free from all earthly concerns, that you may escape the snares, wicked thoughts, and deeds; do not grow slack, even for a moment, by indulging in wicked thoughts, lest they remain long in your soul, brother. Flee always to God in prayer, fasting, and tears, that you may escape from all snares, temptations, and passions. Do not think, brother, that you will live long on the earth; suddenly the Lord’s command will come and find you abiding in sin, with no time left for repentance, nor for receiving forgiveness. And what will you say, brother, in the hour of separation? It may happen that this command will not even give you a moment of time on earth. Many think they will live long, but suddenly death comes and finds the sinner and the rich man, who had calculated to live many years on the earth in peace, holding in their hands the account of their possessions, calculating how they will increase, and mentally laying out their wealth for many years to come. Death comes suddenly—and in one moment it destroys all: both the account and the wealth, and the care of the vain thought. But death also comes and finds the righteous and holy man, who by fasting and prayer has gathered heavenly treasures. Always have death before your eyes, my brother, and do not fear the separation from your body; every day, like a wise and spiritual man, await death and the presentation before the Lord’s throne; every day prepare your lamp, like a wise man, diligently trimming it every hour with tears and prayers. Even when you, brother, see no danger for yourself, remain vigilant, for the time is coming, filled with fear, terror, and confusion, and because of its confusion, it does not even allow you to think of anything better.
Take heed, my beloved, to how all wickedness increases, how evil prospers daily, and wickedness advances. All of this compels us to expect future turmoil and the great tribulation that will come upon all the ends of the earth. Because of our sins, because of our slackness, wickedness prospers. Therefore, let us be vigilant every day, God-loving warriors; let us prove victorious in the battle with the enemy, Christ-lovers; let us learn the laws of this battle; it is fought invisibly, and the law of this battle is the constant shedding of earthly cares. If you have death before your eyes every day, you will not sin. If you cast off earthly cares, you will not turn back in battle. If you hate the earthly, disregarding the temporal, you will be able, like a valiant soldier, to receive the victor's crown, for the earthly pulls one down, and during battle, passions darken the eyes of the heart; that is why the Evil One fights with us and defeats us, who are full of earthly things and enslaved by attachment to earthly cares.
We all, brethren, love the earthly, and because of our slackness, our minds have weakened on earth. The day has declined, and our time is already evening, but we, O friends, in our unbelief, think that it is still morning. Behold, the Kingdom of Heaven is already at the doors and ready to shine, but we do not even want to hear of this. At times there are signs and wonders, as the Lord said, famines and plagues, earthquakes and terrors, and the movements of nations, but it seems to us that all this is a dream, being told from one to another; neither the reports of these things nor the very sight of them terrify us. The elect are taken from us before the tribulation, so that they may not see the confusion and the great tribulation that will come upon the unrighteous world. The field is already ready for harvest, and this age is drawing to an end. The Angels hold their ready sickles and await the signal. Let us fear, beloved: it is already the eleventh hour of the day, and the distance of the journey is still great; let us strive to reach the dwelling place; let us be vigilant, shake off the sleep, as those who do not sleep. We do not know in which hour the Master will come; let us lighten ourselves of the burden of earthly cares. "Take no thought for your life," said the Lord (Matthew 6:25-34). God commands us to love all, but we have cast out love, and it has fled from the earth. You will not find perfect love for God on earth. Love has been driven out by all, hated by all. But instead, envy reigns, strife and confusion multiply on earth, and wrongs have covered all. Everyone desires what is temporary, and no one loves what is eternal. Do you wish to become heavenly? Do not seek what is on earth, but disregard it and strive, like one perfect, and love the Kingdom of Heaven. Do not reason thus: "The time of striving is long and difficult, but I am faint-hearted and weak, and I cannot strive." Take heed to the words of excellent and good counsel; understand what I shall say to you, Christ-loving brother. If you intend to go to another distant country, you cannot cover the whole journey in one hour, but you will go, daily calculating the remaining length of the way, and in time, after much labor, you will reach the country to which you are going or hope to come. Such is the Kingdom of Heaven and the joys of paradise: by fasting, abstinence, vigilance, and love, everyone attains there; these are the paths leading to heaven, to God. Do not be afraid to begin the good path that leads to life; only desire to walk that path—and if you are prepared, the way will immediately be laid out before you, and, walking joyfully, you will take your rests and spend them with delight, for the steps of your soul will be strengthened after each rest. So that you may not encounter difficulties on the way leading to life, the Lord for your sake Himself became the way of life for those who desire to walk with joy to the Father of lights.
Be for me, O Christ, the way of life leading to Thy Father; this one way is joy, and its end is the Kingdom of Heaven. Be for me, O Master, Son of God, the way of life and illumination. Filled with desire, I have drawn from the fountain of gifts, and grace has become light and joy in the heart of Thy servant, and it is sweeter than honey and the honeycomb in the mouth of Thy servant; grace has become treasure in the soul of Thy servant, enriching my poverty, driving away my wretchedness and decay. Thy grace has become for Thy servant refuge, strength, praise, defense, exaltation, and food of life. Thy servant will not remain silent, O Master, from the great sweetness of Thy love and grace. Thou hast opened the mouth of me, unworthy; how then shall my tongue be restrained from singing and praising daily the Giver of blessings? How then shall I dare to stop the waves of grace flowing into the heart of me, the sinner? Fill it with sweetness in the multitude of Thy gifts, that I may sing praises to the Creator of the heavens, who has given heavenly gifts to His servant. For the multitude of gifts I magnify Thy grace, O Christ, Savior. In the church, I magnify Thee, in the church my tongue will not cease to confess Thy grace, O Master. My harp will not cease to sound forth sweet spiritual songs. Thy love draws me to Thee, O Savior, the praise of my life; Thy grace makes it sweet for my mind to follow after Thee. Let my heart be good ground for Thee, receiving the good seed, and Thy grace shall water it with the dew of eternal life; let Thy grace gather a beautiful harvest from the ground of my heart—humility, worship, sanctification, and constant work pleasing to Thee! Turn my soul into the sheepfold of paradise, together with the found sheep; let my soul be found in the light! Thou didst carry that found sheep on Thy shoulders (Luke 15:4-7); draw this unworthy soul of mine by Thy grace, and present both to Thy Pure and Immortal Father, before the Angels and Archangels, so that in the joy of paradise I may hear, together with all the saints: "Glory to the Immortal Father, and to the Immortal Son, and to the Immortal Holy Spirit, the Invisible Father, the Son who became visible in the flesh, and the Holy Spirit, who spoke in the prophets and apostles! Glory to the Most Holy and Consubstantial Trinity, worshipped and glorified by all the heavenly hosts, by all earthly and lower things; for Thou hast given heavenly gifts to Thy servant, that he may bring a harvest of glory to the King of ages and to the God of all, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and unto ages of ages. Amen."