Corn in a Sieve: St. Macarius on What Separates Christians from the Men of This World

What the video says

The homily contrasts true Christians with the men of this world. The children of this age are like corn in a sieve: since Adam's fall, the prince of wickedness sifts and agitates the whole sinful race with restless thoughts, earthly desires and fears, as the Lord forewarned, 'Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat.' True Christians, born from above and partakers of the Holy Spirit, have their minds in the peace of Christ and are no longer tossed by vain thoughts.

The difference lies not in outward form but in the renewing of the mind, and it is won through conflicts, labors and trials by the grace of God.

Those smitten with divine passion for Christ the heavenly King detach themselves from every worldly affection, for no other love may be mixed with the love of God. Most people wish to inherit eternal life without denying themselves, and this is impossible. The homily shows how one worldly affection, such as love of glory, turns the scale of the heart and produces judgment of a brother, unseemly words, blows and even murder, and how every passion a man does not war against weighs his mind down and hinders it from rising to God.

Illustrations of a burning house, a shipwreck and an enemy raid show that those who cling to temporal things perish or are taken captive, while those who flee with nothing but themselves are saved. Job and Abraham are given as examples of perfected love that kept nothing besides God. Few come through to the end, because most want the kingdom without trouble or sweat, though Scripture says, 'Through much tribulation we may enter into the kingdom of heaven.' The homily ends with the hope of the resurrection: those who here receive the power of the Spirit as the earnest of the kingdom will not be found naked when the body is dissolved.

As trees put forth leaves in spring, so at the resurrection the glory hidden in the souls of the saints will clothe and glorify their bodies, and Christ will set those bearing the seal of the Spirit on his right hand, that they may be with the Lord forever.

Key moments

1. 0:00 The men of this world are bound in earthly bonds, while Christians long after the love of the heavenly Father, having him only before their eyes.
2. 1:03 Since Adam fell, the prince of wickedness sifts the whole sinful race like corn in a sieve, shaking men through earthly businesses, vain thoughts and base desires.
3. 2:07 The sentence on Cain, 'groaning and trembling and tossed shalt thou be upon the earth,' is a type of what all sinners undergo in secret after falling from the commandment.
4. 5:14 True Christians, born of God and partakers of the Holy Ghost, arrive through many conflicts at rest and freedom from disturbance, their mind in the peace of Christ.
5. 6:17 Most men think the difference from the world lies in outward form, but in heart and mind they are bound with earthly bonds because they never sought rest from God.
6. 10:31 Many are pricked at heart and partake of heavenly grace, but through conflicts and worldly affections they do not hold out; those who would come through to the end must admit no other love with the heavenly one.
7. 13:39 A man who will not deny himself passes judgment on his brother for the sake of his own glory, and from one worldly affection spring unseemly words, blows and even murder.
8. 24:34 Job, who blessed the Lord saying 'The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away,' and Abraham, who offered his only son, show the straight character of perfected love that keeps nothing besides God.