The Fear of the Lord

Here are Readings 4 through 6 of the Office of Matins for the last Sunday after Pentecost in the old calendar.  

When I read this sort of thing, it does make me think of my sins, and it does make me think that I’d better mend my ways!!

Will we ever have homilies like this again?(my emphases)

From the Sermon of St Basil the Great (Archbishop of Caesarea-in-Pontus) upon the Thirty-third Psalm.

Whenever the desire to sin cometh over thee, I would that thou couldest think of the awful and overwhelming judgment-seat of Christ. There the Judge shall sit upon a throne high and lifted up. Every creature shall stand before Him, quaking because of the glory of His presence. There are we to be led up, one by one, to give account for those things which we have done in life. Presently there will be found, by the sides of those who have in life wrought much evil, dreadful and hideous angels with faces of fire, and burning breath, appointed thereto, and showing their evil will, in appearance like the night, in their despair and hatred of mankind.

Think again of the bottomless pit, the impenetrable darkness, the lightless fire, burning, but not glowing; the poisonous mass of worms, preying upon the flesh, ever feeding, and never filled, causing by their gnawing unbearable agony; and lastly, the greatest punishment of all, shame and confusion forever. Have a dread of these things, and let that dread correct thee, and be as a curb to thy mind to hold it in from the hankering after sin.

This fear of the Lord the Prophet hath promised to teach. But he hath not promised to teach it to all, but only to such as will hear him; not to such as have fallen far away, but to such as run to him, hungry for salvation; not to such as have no part in the promises, but to such as by baptism are born children of adoption, set at peace and oneness with the Word. Come, ye children, saith he; that is to say, Draw nigh unto me by good works, all ye who by the new birth have become the worthy children of light. Hearken unto me, all ye who have the ears of your heart opened. I will teach you the fear of the Lord, even the fear of that Being of Whom we have just been speaking.

I think a priest who would preach like this would gain the ear of quite a few of the faithful. Of course, a few faithful would give the priest an earful, too, and probably complain to the bishop. 

 

Of course, the "flip side" of the above is the abyss of God's merciful love - His unfathomable willingness to forgive the sins of the penitent. Perfect contrition, as I understand it, involves seeking to avoid sin and to do good for the love of God, rather than out of a fear of hell. But fear of hell is a good start! In the meantime, as true love of God grows in us, we can pray this prayer (from BlessedBe God):

O my Jesus, Thou knowest well that I love Thee; but I do not love Thee enough. Grant that I may love thee more. O love that burnest ever and never failest, my God, Thou Who art charity itself, enkindle in me that divine fire which consumes the saints and transforms them unto Thee.