Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew
386–388
| Name and Summary | Pages |
|---|---|
This homily emphasizes that Christians should aspire to live lives so pure and filled with the Spirit that written Scripture becomes unnecessary, with God's grace guiding their hearts directly. | 19 |
This homily emphasizes the profound spiritual significance of approaching the divine mysteries with reverence, self-denial, and prepared hearts, highlighting the majestic beauty of Christ's incarnation and the heavenly kingdom. | 17 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of humility and the recognition that true righteousness comes from God's grace rather than lineage or personal merit. | 15 |
This homily emphasizes that true virtue and spiritual greatness are achieved through humility, self-control, and a focus on heavenly treasures rather than worldly possessions and honors. | 31 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of nurturing spiritual growth through continual remembrance and reflection on God's word, especially after receiving the Eucharist, to prevent spiritual decline. | 15 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of spiritual wakefulness, humility, and sincere repentance over external appearances or superficial religious acts. | 21 |
This homily emphasizes that the birth of Christ was divinely revealed through prophecy, miracles, and signs like the star, which guided the wise men to worship Him, showcasing God's providence and the fulfillment of prophecy. | 19 |
This homily emphasizes that the events surrounding Christ's birth, such as the Magi's worship and the flight into Egypt, reveal divine wisdom and purpose, highlighting that outward appearances often conceal divine power. | 13 |
This homily emphasizes that Herod's violence and the suffering of innocent children were caused by human cruelty, not divine intention, and underscores the importance of trusting divine providence in the face of unjust suffering. | 18 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of genuine repentance and spiritual preparation, using John the Baptist’s call to baptism as a model for inner humility and moral transformation. | 16 |
This homily emphasizes the necessity of genuine repentance, sincere faith, and righteous conduct as essential preparations for the coming judgment and the salvation offered through Christ. | 22 |
This homily emphasizes that Jesus’s baptism reveals His humility and fulfillment of divine righteousness, demonstrating that even the Son of God submits to the law to fulfill God's plan. | 14 |
This homily emphasizes that Christ's temptation in the wilderness serves as a model for believers to resist Satan's assaults through faith, fasting, and reliance on Scripture. | 20 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of faith, obedience, and repentance in following Christ, illustrating how Jesus calls individuals to leave their worldly attachments and trust in His power to heal and save their souls. | 12 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of humility, righteousness, and mercy in the Christian life, illustrating how virtues such as meekness, mourning for sins, and peacemaking lead to spiritual blessings and eternal rewards. | 35 |
This homily emphasizes that Christ's teachings do not abolish the Law or the Prophets but rather fulfill and deepen their precepts, demanding a higher righteousness from believers. | 36 |
This homily emphasizes the higher standard of righteousness that Christ sets beyond the old commandments, calling for inner purity and self-denial rather than mere external adherence. | 23 |
This homily teaches that true Christian virtue lies in practicing radical patience, self-restraint, and love, even in the face of injustice, insults, and wrongful loss. | 17 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of sincerity and humility in Christian practices such as almsgiving, prayer, and fasting, warning against seeking vainglory and public admiration. | 28 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of genuine humility and sincerity in spiritual practices such as fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, warning against the dangers of hypocrisy and outward displays of virtue for human praise. | 18 |
This homily emphasizes that serving wealth and serving God are mutually exclusive, urging believers to prioritize spiritual riches over material wealth. | 12 |
This homily emphasizes the divine care and providence of God, illustrating how He adorns even the simplest and vilest of things, thereby assuring believers of His abundant provision for their needs. | 18 |
This homily emphasizes that true judgment begins with self-examination and humility, urging believers to first remove their own faults before criticizing others. | 29 |
This homily emphasizes that genuine entrance into the kingdom of heaven depends on doing the will of God rather than merely professing faith or performing miracles. | 11 |
This homily emphasizes that Jesus Christ’s teachings and miracles reveal His divine authority and power, which inspire awe and admiration among true believers. | 13 |
This homily underscores the importance of genuine faith, humility, and repentance, illustrating how the centurion’s great faith and lowliness honored him before Christ. | 22 |
This homily emphasizes that Jesus’ miracles of healing demonstrate both His divine power and His compassion, encouraging believers to trust in His authority over both bodily and spiritual ailments. | 14 |
This homily emphasizes that Jesus' calming of the storm on the sea was a divine miracle meant to teach the disciples faith and resilience in trials. | 16 |
This homily emphasizes that Jesus demonstrates His divine authority by forgiving sins and healing the paralytic, revealing His equality with God. | 9 |
This homily emphasizes that Jesus Christ calls sinners and those deemed unworthy, demonstrating God's mercy and willingness to transform lives through humility and obedience. | 15 |
This homily emphasizes that believers should view death as a sleep and recognize the victory over death through Christ's resurrection, encouraging patience and faith in the face of loss. | 15 |
This homily emphasizes that true faith and virtue are evidenced through love, humility, and righteous conduct rather than miraculous signs or material possessions. | 24 |
This homily emphasizes that Christians must navigate a challenging spiritual warfare by embodying wisdom as serpents and harmlessness as doves, demonstrating strength through patience, meekness, and unwavering faith. | 21 |
This homily encourages believers to trust in God's providence and to confront persecution and danger with courage, knowing that spiritual rewards far outweigh earthly fears. | 15 |
This homily emphasizes that Christ's coming does not bring peace in the worldly sense but rather a division and conflict, especially among family members and between individuals and their own desires, as a means of spiritual purification. | 18 |
This homily emphasizes that John the Baptist's question about Jesus' identity was not born out of doubt but was a strategic act to strengthen the faith of his disciples and to prevent them from being misled by jealousy and misunderstanding. | 14 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of true spiritual integrity and warns against superficial appearances of righteousness, illustrating John the Baptist's steadfastness in contrast to worldly temptations. | 21 |
This homily emphasizes that God's way of revealing truth is through humility and childlike faith, and that spiritual victory and understanding come through divine grace rather than human wisdom. | 12 |
This homily emphasizes that Jesus intentionally challenged and transcended the traditional Sabbath laws to teach higher spiritual truths and demonstrate the necessity of mercy over strict legalism. | 11 |
This homily emphasizes that Jesus Christ's healing on the Sabbath showcases His meekness, divine authority, and unwavering focus on doing good, despite opposition and envy from the Pharisees. | 14 |
This homily emphasizes that divisions, whether within kingdoms, cities, houses, or spiritual realms, lead to destruction, illustrating this with Jesus' defense against accusations of casting out demons by Satan's power. | 13 |
This homily emphasizes that a person's true nature is revealed by their actions and words, asserting that good conduct stems from a pure heart. | 12 |
This homily emphasizes that an insincere desire for signs is a sign of spiritual blindness and unfaithfulness, urging believers to recognize God's signs through faith and repentance rather than superficial miracles. | 13 |
This homily emphasizes that true virtue and spiritual worth are not determined by external factors such as birth, status, or family relations, but by living according to God's will. | 17 |
This homily emphasizes that understanding spiritual truths and receiving God's grace are gifts that depend on our own willingness and effort, illustrating that salvation is accessible yet requires active participation. | 9 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of spiritual vigilance and discernment within the Christian life, illustrating how the devil cunningly sows error alongside truth and urging believers to be watchful to avoid spiritual deception. | 12 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of understanding and valuing the teachings of Christ through parables, encouraging believers to seek divine wisdom by studying Scripture and practicing humility, charity, and virtue. | 12 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of genuine faith and humility in recognizing God's power, especially in the context of Jesus' rejection in His hometown of Nazareth. | 15 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of spiritual sincerity and humility over superficial displays of worldly wealth and vanity, exemplified by the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. | 17 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of prayer and faith during times of spiritual testing and adversity, illustrating how Christ often allows trials to deepen our dependence on Him and strengthen our faith. | 13 |
This homily emphasizes that true religious purity is rooted in inner righteousness rather than external rituals, criticizing the Pharisees for enforcing traditions that neglect God's commandments. | 18 |
This homily emphasizes the power of persistent faith and humility, illustrating how a Canaanite woman’s unwavering plea and humble approach moved Christ to heal her daughter despite initial rejection. | 10 |
This homily emphasizes that Jesus, out of compassion, provided for the multitude's physical needs through miracles, while also teaching spiritual lessons about faith, understanding, and discernment. | 10 |
This homily emphasizes that confessing Jesus as the Christ and Son of God is a divine revelation that recognizes His true divine nature and authority. | 18 |
This homily emphasizes that true discipleship requires self-renunciation, bearing one's cross, and unwavering following of Christ, highlighting that these sacrifices lead to eternal rewards. | 19 |
This homily emphasizes that true spiritual greatness and salvation are easily attainable through virtues such as mercy, humility, and obedience, rather than through material wealth or worldly gains. | 19 |
This homily emphasizes the dual coming of Christ—His first coming fulfilled by John the Baptist and His second, prophetic advent signified by Elias, highlighting the importance of faith, fasting, and prayer in overcoming evil spirits. | 16 |
This homily emphasizes that true greatness in God's kingdom is found through humility, purity, and lowliness, exemplified by the humble child, rather than through worldly honors or arrogance. | 18 |
This homily emphasizes that offenses and evil arise from human free will and remissness, not from necessity or divine predestination, and condemns the idea that evil is unoriginated or unavoidable. | 24 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of private reconciliation and humility in forgiving and correcting offenses among believers to foster unity and spiritual growth. | 10 |
This homily emphasizes that Christians must forgive others infinitely, just as God forgives humanity without limit, exemplified through the parable of the unmerciful servant. | 16 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of humility, purity, and love for virtue, using Christ’s teachings and examples to illustrate the rejection of pride, divisiveness, and worldly passions. | 17 |
This homily emphasizes the spiritual danger of loving wealth and the difficulty for the rich to enter the kingdom of Heaven, illustrating that true goodness and salvation depend on seeking spiritual treasures rather than earthly riches. | 13 |
This homily emphasizes that God's grace and rewards are based on sincere faith and virtue rather than external appearance or pride, illustrating this through parables and examples from Scripture. | 18 |
This homily emphasizes that true greatness in the Christian life is achieved through humility and self-denial rather than seeking honor or status. | 19 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of earnest faith, humility, and self-denial in approaching Christ, exemplified by the blind men who, despite obstacles and rebukes, persistently seek His mercy. | 15 |
This homily emphasizes that acts of faith, repentance, and virtue can transform even the most sinful individuals, illustrating God's mercy and power to bring about change. | 15 |
This homily emphasizes that the rejection and murder of God's prophets and His Son by the people symbolized their unrepentant and idolatrous hearts, and predicts the eventual rejection of them in favor of the Gentiles. | 17 |
This homily explains that God's invitation to the kingdom of Heaven is like a royal wedding feast, which many are called to but few prepare themselves properly to attend. | 16 |
This homily emphasizes that Christ’s wisdom and divine insight expose the hypocrisy and craftiness of those who seek to entrap Him, showcasing His authority through clever responses to their traps. | 15 |
This homily emphasizes that the greatest commandments are to love God and one's neighbor, highlighting that true love reflects genuine virtue and faithfulness to God's law. | 12 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of genuine humility and integrity among teachers and disciples, warning against vainglory, hypocrisy, and seeking earthly honor. | 13 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of sincere inner virtue over outward appearances and superficial religious practices. | 13 |
This homily emphasizes that the people’s claims of not following their ancestors' murderous ways are false, as their actions reveal a deeper, shared wickedness committed with pretense and vainglory. | 15 |
This homily emphasizes the certainty of divine judgment and the importance of enduring tribulations with faith and virtue, highlighting that all worldly chaos and suffering are under God's providence and serve a divine purpose. | 17 |
This homily emphasizes the inevitability and severity of divine judgment and tribulation, urging believers to prepare spiritually by recognizing the fleeting nature of worldly possessions and pursuits. | 17 |
This homily emphasizes that Jesus Christ’s teachings about His second coming and the end times are certain and rooted in natural order, yet deliberately concealed to encourage perpetual vigilance and virtue. | 21 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of spiritual vigilance, diligence in good works, and mercy, illustrating these principles through the parables of the ten virgins and the talents. | 14 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of mercy and compassion, illustrating that true discipleship involves caring for others, especially those in need, as a reflection of Christ’s love. | 15 |
This homily emphasizes that true wealth and spiritual richness come from a generous and contrite heart, not material possessions. | 15 |
This homily reflects on the significance of the Passover and Christ’s actions during the last supper, emphasizing His humility and foreknowledge of His Passion, as well as His mercy toward Judas. | 17 |
This homily emphasizes the profound significance of the Eucharist, illustrating it as a sacred memorial of Christ's passion and a true communion with His body and blood, which believers must approach with reverence and faith. | 17 |
This homily emphasizes that true spiritual richness lies not in material wealth or outward appearances but in humility, self-denial, and virtuous living. | 13 |
This homily emphasizes that true victory lies in enduring suffering and does not require fighting or retaliation, reflecting Christ's voluntary surrender and fulfillment of Scripture. | 13 |
This homily emphasizes the profound suffering and mockery Jesus endured during His Passion, highlighting His meekness and the wickedness of His persecutors. | 14 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of resisting small sins early to prevent them from leading to greater evil and spiritual disaster. | 13 |
This homily emphasizes the importance of patience, humility, and self-control by reflecting on Christ’s suffering and insults during His Passion. | 13 |
This homily emphasizes that the darkness, earthquake, and other signs during Christ's crucifixion reveal his divine power and serve as signs of salvation and divine wrath, urging believers to recognize his authority and the significance of his sacrifice. | 14 |
This homily emphasizes that even the efforts of Jesus' enemies to secure His tomb inadvertently affirm His resurrection, illustrating how truth and deceit often support each other. | 14 |
This homily emphasizes that the resurrection of Christ is a divine truth that cannot be convincingly denied, despite efforts to conceal or distort it through false stories like theft. | 12 |