Self-imposed penalties and the start of the second instruction
John Chrysostom is finishing his first instruction to the catechumens by urging them to set their own punishments for breaking their resolutions, and then he begins the second instruction by asking them to show the fruits of what they heard.
But if after these ten days we are seen swearing oaths, let us impose a penalty on ourselves, and let us fix the greatest punishment and condemnation for the transgression. What then is the condemnation? I no longer fix it myself, but I leave you to be masters of your own verdict. Let us manage our own affairs in this way, not only with oaths but also with our other failings, setting a time for ourselves and the harshest punishments if we ever fall into them, so that we may depart clean to our Master, be delivered from the Gehenna of fire, and stand with boldness before the judgment seat of Christ. May we all attain that boldness, by the grace and love for humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father be glory together with the Holy Spirit, to the ages of ages. Amen.
SECOND INSTRUCTION. To those about to be baptized; and concerning women who adorn themselves with braided hair and gold; and concerning those who use omens, or amulets, or incantations, all of which are foreign to Christianity.
1. I have come to demand from your love the fruits of what was said before. For we do not speak merely so that you may hear, but so that you may remember what was said and give us the demonstration through your deeds—or rather, not to us, but to God, who knows the secrets of the mind. For this reason it is called instruction, so that even when we are absent the word may sound in your minds. And do not be surprised that after only ten days have passed we have come to demand the fruits of the seeds. For in a single day it is possible both to cast down seeds and to make a harvest. For we are called to the contests not by our own power alone, but strengthened also by the help of God.
Let those, then, who have accepted what was said and fulfilled it through their deeds remain stretching forward to what lies ahead. But those who have not yet touched this good work, let them touch it from now on, so that they may drive away the condemnation that comes from negligence by their zeal from this point forward. For it is possible—it is possible—for one who has been extremely negligent, if he afterward uses zeal, to recover all the loss of the time that has passed. Therefore it says, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion" (Psalm 95:7-8). It says this to exhort and counsel us never to despair, but as long as we are here, to have good hopes, to press on toward what lies ahead, and to pursue the prize of the upward call of God (Philippians 3:13-14).
Let us do this, then, and let us examine the names of this great gift. For just as the greatness of an honor that is unknown makes those who are honored more negligent, so when it is known it makes them grateful and more diligent. And besides, it would be shameful and ridiculous for those who enjoy such glory and honor from God not even to know what its names are meant to signify. And why do I speak about this gift? If you consider the common name of our race, you will receive the greatest teaching and encouragement toward virtue. For we do not define the name "human being" as those outside do, but as the divine Scripture has commanded.
Greek
Εἰ δὲ μετὰ τὰς δέκα ἡμέρας ὀφθείημεν ὀμνύντες, δίκην ἑαυτοῖς ἐπιθῶμεν, καὶ τιμωρίαν μεγίστην καὶ καταδίκην ὁρίσωμεν τῆς παραβάσεως. Τίς οὖν ἐστιν ἡ κα49.232 ταδίκη; Οὐκ ἔτι τοῦτο ὁρίζω ἐγὼ, ἀλλ' ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἀφίημι κυρίους τῆς ψήφου εἶναι. Οὕτω τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς οἰκονομῶμεν, μὴ μόνον ἐπὶ τῶν ὅρκων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐλαττωμάτων, καὶ χρόνον ὁρίζοντες ἑαυτοῖς τιμωρίαις χαλεπωτάταις, εἴ ποτε περιπέσωμεν τούτοις, καθαροὶ πρὸς τὸν ἡμέτερον ἀπελευσόμεθα Δεσπότην, καὶ τῆς τοῦ πυρὸς γεέννης ἀπαλλαγησόμεθα, καὶ μετὰ παῤῥησίας στησόμεθα ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ· ἧς γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα σὺν τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. ΚΑΤΗΧΗΣΙΣ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΑ. Πρὸς τοὺς μέλλοντας φωτίζεσθαι· καὶ περὶ γυναικῶν τῶν ἐν πλέγμασι καὶ χρυσῷ κατακοσμουσῶν ἑαυτάς· καὶ περὶ τῶν κληδονισμοῖς, ἢ περιάπτοις, ἢ ἐπῳδαῖς κεχρημένων, ἅπερ ἅπαντα ἀλλότρια Χριστιανισμοῦ. αʹ. Τῶν πρώην εἰρημένων πρὸς τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀγάπην πρότερον τοὺς καρποὺς παρεγενόμην ἀπαιτήσων ὑμᾶς· οὐδὲ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο λέγομεν, ἵνα ἀκούσητε μόνον, ἀλλ' ἵνα καὶ μνημονεύητε τῶν εἰρημένων καὶ τὴν διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐπίδειξιν ἡμῖν παράσχητε· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐχ ἡμῖν, ἀλλὰ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα τῆς διανοίας εἰδότι. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ κατήχησις λέγεται, ἵνα καὶ ἀπόντων ἡμῶν ὁ λόγος ὑμῶν ἐνηχῇ ταῖς διανοίαις. Καὶ μὴ θαυμάσητε, εἰ δέκα ἡμερῶν διαγενομένων μόνον τοὺς καρποὺς ἤλθομεν ἀπαιτήσοντες τῶν σπερμάτων· καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ δυνατὸν ὁμοῦ καὶ σπέρματα καταβαλεῖν καὶ ἀμητὸν ποιήσασθαι· οὐ γὰρ οἰκείᾳ δυνάμει μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ῥοπῇ δυναμούμενοι, οὕτω πρὸς τοὺς ἀγῶνας καλούμεθα. Ὅσοι μὲν οὖν κατεδέξαντο τὰ εἰρημένα, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐπλήρωσαν, μενέτωσαν ἐπεκτεινόμενοι πρὸς τὰ ἔμπροσθεν· ὅσοι δὲ οὐδέπω τῆς ἀγαθῆς ταύτης ἐργασίας ἥψαντο, ἐντεῦθεν ἁψάσθωσαν, ἵνα καὶ τὴν ἐκ τῆς ῥᾳθυμίας καταδίκην τῇ μετὰ ταῦτα προθυμίᾳ ἀποκρούσωνται. Ἔνι γὰρ, ἔνι καὶ τὸν ἐῤῥᾳθυμηκότα σφόδρα μετὰ ταῦτα χρησάμενον τῇ προθυμίᾳ τοῦ παρελθόντος χρόνου πᾶσαν ἀνασῶσαι τὴν ζημίαν. Διό φησι, Σήμερον ἐὰν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε, μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ὡς ἐν τῷ παραπικρασμῷ. Τοῦτο δὲ λέγει παραινῶν καὶ συμβουλεύων, μηδέποτε ἀπογινώσκειν, ἀλλ' ἕως ἂν ἐνταῦθα ὦμεν, χρηστὰς ἔχειν τὰς ἐλπίδας, καὶ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν ἐπιλαμβάνεσθαι, καὶ πρὸς τὸ βραβεῖον διώκειν τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τοῦτο τοίνυν ποιήσωμεν, καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα τῆς μεγάλης ταύτης ἐξετάσωμεν δωρεᾶς. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἀγνοούμενον ἀξιώματος μέγεθος ῥᾳθυμοτέρους ποιεῖ τοὺς τιμωμένους, οὕτω γνωριζόμενον εὐχαρίστους καθίστησι καὶ σπουδαιοτέρους ἐργάζεται. Καὶ ἄλλως δὲ αἰσχρὸν ἂν εἴη καὶ καταγέλαστον τοσαύτης ἀπολαύοντας δόξης παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τιμῆς, μηδὲ τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῆς εἰδέναι τί ποτε ἐνδείξασθαι βούλεται. Καὶ τί λέγω περὶ τῆς δωρεᾶς ταύτης; ἂν γὰρ τὸ κοινὸν τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν ἐννοήσῃς ὄνομα, μεγίστην πρὸς ἀρετὴν λήψῃ διδασκαλίαν καὶ παράκλησιν. Τὸ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος τοῦτο ὄνομα οὐ κατὰ τοὺς ἔξωθεν ἡμεῖς ὁριζόμεθα, ἀλλ' ὡς ἡ θεία Γραφὴ ἐκέλευσεν.