Valerian of Cimiez — Commentary on Scripture

1 Timothy 6:9

Therefore, dearly beloved, the rust is that worm which alone possesses the recesses of the human heart: the worm of envy and of avarice. But the thief is the devil. Believe this. To lay his plots against good deeds, he flatters us with the pomp of the world. To keep a man from sharing in the heavenly kingdom, he puts gold in his hands, silver before his eyes, gems about his neck. In this way he nourishes pride and by the goad of covetousness enkindles the desires of the flesh.

HOMILIES 7.3

Ecclesiastes 1:2

What is that vanity, if not devotion to riches and the pursuit of worldly pleasures? This is confirmed through Solomon, who says, “Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.” Therefore, dearly beloved, let no one put his confidence in the vanity of this world. That vanity, as you see, is something standing with insecure footing. Devotion to it is short-lived and empty, and its beauty is like smoke in a wind. The comeliness of its countenance is like that which you see when you look on the beauty of that vine which had its early summer blossoms in well-constituted abundance yet cannot bring forth the actual fruit of the promised grape harvest. While it brings forth too much, it incurs the reproach of perpetual sterility.

HOMILY 6:7

Ezekiel 18:9

Therefore, dearly beloved, let us shed our tears every day and ask this teacher of virtues to teach us to be devout to these profitable wounds. May he show us how to expose our breast in this warfare and sustain every onset of injury. It is not hard to enter a fight where you see that a victory has already been won. That which is taught by example quickly lodges in our minds.

HOMILY 17:4

Isaiah 1:3

I am often astonished at human conduct. Humans are endowed with wisdom and prudence, yet at whim they lightly reject the precepts of discipline. How different is the conduct which we see in the beasts! They avoid vices, carry out commands, submit to control and mold their spirits to perfect obedience. As a result, when need arises, they run against armed legions and charge head downward against the javelins of the foe.…The person who is not aware of the obligation flowing from his condition of being a creature simply does not know God.

HOMILY 1

James 2:16

Who does not hate this kind of [merely verbal] “mercy”? In it an idle piety flatters the sick with elegant language. Fruitless tears are offered to heaven. What does it profit to bewail another man’s shipwreck if you take no care of his body, which is suffering from exposure? What good does it do to torture your soul with grief over another’s wound if you refuse him a health-giving cup?

SERMONS 7.5

James 4:6

One man is invited to grace in proportion to his love of humility. Another is consigned to punishment in proportion to his sin of pride. So if the swelling of pride is taking place in anyone, let him combat it, lest he draw the arms of heavenly justice against himself.

SERMONS 14.2

Proverbs 3:12

Many persons opposed to sound doctrine find fault with justice. They regard disciplinary control as haughtiness and attribute a just punishment to an overbearing nature. However, there is no haughtiness unless something unjust is ordered; and there is no overbearance except in the one who spurns discipline. Discipline, therefore, is a teacher of religion and of true piety; she does not threaten in order to inflict pain or chastise in order to work injury.In fact, when discipline is angered she corrects the habits of people, and when she is aroused she keeps them under control, as Solomon tells us.… Indeed, there is nothing which correction fails to remedy or save. If anyone is wise enough to accept correction, he neither loses the pleasantness of friendship [with his corrector] nor runs the risk of condemnation.

HOMILY 1:1

Proverbs 15:32

If the prophet deems those guilty whom discipline has never reached, what should we think of those whom it has abandoned? Discerning between the acts of these two classes of people, the prophet authoritatively regards the fault of never having come to discipline as one less serious than that of having rejected her law. Notice his words: “He that rejects instruction despises his own soul.” The case truly is just what he says. For the person who has spurned the warnings of discipline in order to occupy himself with the devil’s business is indeed the foe of his own soul.

HOMILY 1:4

Proverbs 18:21

A wound arising from words is unbearable.… Truly, dearly beloved, if you look deeply, and diligently investigate the swelling tumor of an exasperated heart, you will discover that the wounds produced by words cause deaths.

HOMILY 5:4

Proverbs 28:27

The cry of the hungry person is a challenge in your ears, and the sound of a failing voice from a hungry throat is striking at your door. Why do you not think of that phrase, “Blessed is he that understands concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day.” The businessman who keeps stored away in a sack the money with which he could carry on gainful trading is recognized as being quite a fool.

HOMILY 9:2

Psalms 12:2

We shall take care to have nothing base spring from our hearts, nothing blasphemous fly from our lips, nothing harmful harbored in our thought. The prophet condemns not only what offends the ears but also the attitude that some people cherish in their minds. “With deceitful lips and with a double heart they have spoken evil things.” Deliberations, too, then should be listed among the faults of an insolent tongue. Whatever you speak in your heart you are confessing to the Lord, because God is the Searcher of hearts. Since you cannot hide even your thought from him, can that which you shout aloud remain hidden from him or excused? Reflect on this.

HOMILY 5:7

Psalms 12:3

We find many who occasionally mix poison with sweet words in one and the same conversation and enter into conflicts by feigned persuasions to peace. What can be more unfortunate or dangerous than the case of those people who with all the ardor of their deceitful tongues plot against someone’s life? Why do they fail to consider the prophet’s psalm, which states, “May the Lord destroy sinful lips.” Do you perceive under what a curse one lives who is contriving one plan in his heart and placing another on his tongue

HOMILIES 5:5

Psalms 41:1

Clearly, as often as we succor the wretched, we give to ourselves. The dispensing of our resources is our gain. For if you consider again the hope of future reward, whatever is given to the poor is reckoned as a profit. That is what the prophet states: “Blessed is he who understands concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day.”

HOMILY 8:2

Psalms 54:6

Listen to the prophet’s voice: “I will freely sacrifice to you, O Lord.” Learn how different an imposed servitude is from a voluntary one. A person who finds his own negligence accusing himself of suffering self-imposed servitude can never pass a day without regret. A person who obeys his Lord because of some solemn promise and thus reluctantly gains grace has stored up an injury for himself, since the prophet says, “Cursed is he who does the works of the Lord negligently.” If each one of you reflects on the wonderful gift of the acquired liberty that our Christ has granted to his faithful people through the regeneration of the life-giving bath [baptism] and through the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, he understands that God should not be served halfheartedly. Even though we daily give God whatever honor or gift we can, we never pay him all we owe.

HOMILY 3:3

Psalms 133:1

The prophet said in praise of fraternal charity: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” What good is there in the life of people except peace, in which upright pursuits make progress and religious activities are fostered? What is more joyful than all nations serving the one God in peace and the prayers of all people converging to the praise of the one Lord?To dwell together in unity is this: to believe in God and faithfully to remain in the one Son of God. This is the one profitable and joyful union for mortals: our not dividing, as the heretics do, the Father from the Son, or the Son from the Father or the Holy Spirit from both, but, rather, our believing that these three names are distributed among the persons and that the persons rejoice in the participation of the one godhead. Thus it comes to pass that, when there is agreement to unity, there will be no shattering of charity in the church.

HOMILY 12:6

Psalms 141:3-4

But the blow inflicted by the tongue is incurable. The tongue strikes lightly, but it always stirs up deep sighs in the chest through the sorrow it causes. The prophet no doubt knew how great was the evil of the tongue when he cried out, “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and a door about my lips, that my heart may not turn to evil words.” Therefore, if anyone is wise, let him set a guard before his mouth, and let him put the bond of silence on his lips.

HOMILY 5:2