All the Limbs Begin to Tremble
To fear God is not simply to say: ‘I fear God,’ as some who seem to fear God suggest. It is a fear that arises naturally in the soul and causes it to tremble, to such an extent that it makes the body tremble too.
The body is afraid of what can make it suffer; the soul is afraid of what can cause its death.
The body is afraid of wild beasts, of fire and sword, of drowning, of falling from a height; it is afraid of the law, handcuffs, torture, prison.
In the same way the soul is naturally afraid of the unseen judge and the punishments God has reserved for those who provoke his anger. The soul takes fright when it thinks about these.
It is not a reasoning fear that afflicts the body when it sees something that may make it suffer. The mere sight of it, or even the thought, makes it tremble instinctively.
The soul similarly when it looks with the eye of faith at the perils that may come to it and sees the terrible punishments that the word of the Judge has revealed, is immediately filled with fear and all its spiritual members, that is its thoughts, begin to tremble.
Philoxenus of Mabbug
Homily 6, 162ff. (SC44, pp.167ff.)
The Power of Faith
The power of faith is enormous. It is so great that it not only saves the believer: thanks to one person’s faith others are saved also.
The paralytic at Capernaum did not have faith. But the men who brought him to Jesus and let him down through the roof had it. The soul of the sick man was ill as well as his body. That is made clear in the Gospel: ‘And when Jesus saw their faith he said…, “Rise, take up your pallet and go home.” ‘ The Gospel does not speak of ‘his’ faith but of ‘their’ faith. The stretcher-bearers believed and the paralytic had the benefit of being healed because of it. [Mark 2:1-11]
Then there is the death of Lazarus. Four days had passed. His dead body was already decomposing. How could one who had been dead for so many days believe and himself ask for the Deliverer? He could not possibly do so, but his sisters provided the faith for him. When they met the Lord, one sister fell down at his feet. He asked, ‘Where have you laid him?’ The other sister said, ‘Lord, by this time there will be a bad smell.’ Then the Lord said, ‘If you believe you will see the glory of God.’ As if to say, ‘As regards faith, you must take the place of the dead man.’ And the faith of the sisters succeeded in calling Lazarus back from the hereafter. [John 11:1-44]
So if these two women by believing in place of the other were able to secure his resurrection, how much more certainly will you be able to secure it for yourself by your own faith?
Perhaps your own faith is feeble. Nevertheless, the Lord who is love will stoop down to you, provided only you are penitent and can say sincerely from the depths of your soul: ‘Lord, I believe. Help thou mine unbelief.’ [Mark 9:23]
Cyril of Jerusalem
Catecheses, 5, 8ff. (PG33,516)
~ Thomas Spidlik, Drinking from the Hidden Fountain, A Patristic Breviary: Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World
