Fifty spiritual homilies of St. Macarius the Egyptian/Homily 36

1. THE resurrection of dead souls is even now. The resurrection of bodies is in that day. But as the stars, though fixed in heaven, are not all equal, but one differs from another in brightness and magnitude, so in spiritual things there are advances, according to the measure of faith, in the Spirit Himself, one man richer than another. The scripture says, He that speaketh in a tongue speaketh by the Spirit of God, He is a spiritual man, speaking to God. But he that prophesieth, edifieth the church. The latter had the greater abundance of grace. The one edifies himself only; the other his neighbour also.

This is like a grain of corn sown in the earth; the same grain out of the same heart produces many grains differing from each other. And again the ears, some are larger, some smaller, but all are gathered into one threshing-floor, one barn; though they differ, one bread is made of them. 2. Or as in a city there are multitudes of people, and some are infant children, some men, or young men; but all drink water of one well, and all eat of one bread, and have one air to breathe; or as lamps are, one with two wicks and one with seven, but where the greater abundance of light is, the illumination is greater. So as many as are in fire and light cannot be in darkness; but there is much difference. If a father has two sons, one a child, the Other a young man, he sends the one abroad to foreign cities and countries, but the little one he keeps continually under guard, because he can do nothing. Glory be to God. Amen.