Now, the two angels, the text says, arrived at Sodom in the evening. The time in particular shows us this good man’s extraordinary virtue in the fact that even despite the coming of evening he stayed at his post and did not leave it. That is to say, since he realized the advantage accruing to him from that, consequently he was anxious to attain the wealth and brought great vigilance to bear, not even desisting at the end of the day. This, you see, is what a fervent and vigilant soul is like. Far from being impeded by any obstacles from giving evidence of its virtue, it is spurred on to greater heights by the very impediments in particular and burns with a brighter flame of desire.

Lot was not inside Sodom but at the gate. I might have said, just as Abraham was sitting outside his tent, out of hospitality, even at an inconvenient time (for it was the middle of the day) on the lookout for travelers, so his relative and the imitator of his morality was sitting at the gate ready to invite those passing through the land, even though evening had now come. For he surely knew the impiety of the Sodomites and that there was no rest for the stranger in that place.

Now, on seeing them, the text goes on, Lot rose to meet them. Let this be heeded by those who are given to repulsing people who call on them with requests to make and causes to plead and who show them great inhumanity. I mean, see how this good man did not wait until the visitors reached him but like the patriarch, without knowing who the visitors were but presuming that they were travelers of some kind, well nigh jumped for joy on seeing them, as though falling upon his prey and not missing the object of his desire.

On seeing them, the text says, note, he rose to meet them and prostrated himself on the ground. He gave thanks to God for being found worthy to welcome the visitors. Notice his virtue of soul: he considered it a great kindness on God’s part to encounter these men and by welcoming them to fulfill his private longing. Now don’t tell me they were angels; remember, rather, that this good man did not realize that yet but behaved as though receiving unknown travelers. He said, ‘Lo, sirs, break off your journey at your servant’s house. Rest and bathe your feet; then rise early and resume your journey.’ These words are sufficient to reveal the virtue residing in the good man’s soul. How could you help being amazed at his exceeding humility and the fervor with which he displayed his hospitality? Lo, sirs, he said, break off your journey at your servant’s house. He addresses them as sirs and calls himself their servant. Let us listen precisely, dearly beloved, to these words and learn how we too can do likewise. This man of good name and reputation, enjoying great prosperity, a householder, addresses as master these travelers, these strangers, unknown, unprepossessing wayfarers, no connections of his, and says, Break off your journey at your servant’s house and rest. You see, evening has fallen, he says; accede to my wish and assuage the day’s hardship by resting in the home of your servant. I mean, surely I’m not offering you anything wonderful? Bathe your feet wearied with traveling, and rise early and resume your journey. So do me this favor, and don’t refuse my entreaty.

They replied, the text goes on, No, instead, we shall rest in the street. Seeing that despite his entreaty they declined, he did not lose heart, he did not give up what he was intent on, he did not have the kinds of feelings we often do. If at any time we want to win someone over and then we see them somewhat reluctant, we immediately desist; this is due to our doing it without ardor and longing and especially to our thinking that we have excuse enough to be able to say that at any rate we did our best. What do you mean, you have done your best? You have let slip the prey, you have missed the treasure—is this doing your best? Then you would have done your best if you hadn’t let the treasure slip through your fingers, if you hadn’t bypassed the prey, if your display of hospitality was not limited to a perfunctory remark.

When he saw them resisting and bent on resting in the street (the angels did this out of a wish to reveal more clearly the just man’s virtue and to teach us all the extent of his hospitality), then he in turn did not stop at making entreaty in words but also applied force. Hence Christ also said, Men of violence seize the kingdom of heaven.^[1] . . .He compelled them, the text says. It seems to me he drew them in against their will. Then when they saw the just man applying this effort and not desisting until he should achieve the object of his desire, they turned aside to him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, cooking flat bread for them; they ate before lying down. Do you see here as well hospitality manifested not in richness of fare but in generosity of attitude? I mean, when he succeeded in bringing them into his house, at once he gave evidence of the signs of hospitality. He occupied himself in attending on them, providing something to eat and giving evidence of respect and attention to the visitors in his belief that they were only human beings, travelers of some kind.

Their habitual injustice to human beings eventually led the Sodomites to violence against angels. . . . Bad morals are therefore a harmful and destructive thing, even if not immediately.

Note that if the multitude of evildoers is excessive, cities are not saved on account of the righteous, but the righteous are removed.

However, how do we account for the fact that the Savior himself has brought to mind that all who spurned the gospel were worse? Finally to Capernaum he said, If in Sodom had been wrought the miracles that had been wrought in you, perhaps it would have remained unto this day. But I say unto you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.^[1] If he says the people of Sodom are less worthy of damnation than all those who neglect the Gospels, then it is most certainly reasonable that we, who neglect the Gospels in most things, should have all the more fear. This is especially so because we are unwilling to be content with sins to which we are already long accustomed and, as it were, on daily familiarity.

When the angels who were sent to destroy Sodom desired to expedite the task with which they were charged, they first had concern for their host, Lot, that, in consideration of his hospitality, they might deliver him from the destruction of the imminent fire.

Hear these words, you who close your houses to strangers; hear these words, you who avoid a guest as an enemy. Lot was living in Sodom. We do not read of other good deeds of his. The hospitality alone occurring at that time is mentioned. He escapes the flames, he escapes the conflagration for this reason alone: because he opened his house to strangers. Angels entered the hospitable house; fire entered the houses closed to strangers.

Let us therefore see what the angels say to their host on account of his services of hospitality. Save your life in the mountain, the text says, lest perchance you be included.^[1] Lot was indeed hospitable. And, as the Scripture has borne testimony to him, he was hidden from destruction when the angels had been hospitably received.^[2] But he was not so perfect that immediately on departing from Sodom, he could ascend the mountain; for it belongs to the perfect to say, I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, whence help shall come to me.^[3] He therefore was neither such that he should perish among the inhabitants of Sodom, nor was he so great that he could dwell with Abraham in the heights. For if he had been such, Abraham would never have said to him, If you go to the right, I will go to the left, or if you go to the left I will go to the right,^[4] nor would the dwellings of Sodom have pleased him. He was therefore somewhere in the middle between the perfect and the doomed. And knowing that it is not appropriate with his strength to ascend the mountain, he piously and humbly excuses himself saying, I cannot be saved on the mountain, but, behold, this city is small. Here I shall be saved; and it is not small?^[5] To be sure, when he entered the small city of Zoar he is saved in it.^[6] And after this he went up into the mountain with his daughters.^[7]

For there was no possibility of ascending from Sodom into the mountain, although it is written of the land of Sodom before it was overthrown, in that time when Lot chose it as his dwelling place, that it was as the paradise of God and as the land of Egypt.^[8] And yet, to digress slightly, what similarity does there appear to be with the paradise of God and the land of Egypt that Sodom should be compared fittingly with these? Now I think it is in this way: before Sodom sinned, when it still preserved the simplicity of the unstained life, it was as the paradise of God, but when it began to be discolored and to be darkened with the stains of sins it became as the land of Egypt.

But since indeed the prophet says, Your sister Sodom shall be restored to her ancient state,^[9] we inquire also whether her restoration also recovers this, that she be as the paradise of God or only as the land of Egypt. I, at least, doubt if the sins of Sodom can be diminished to such an extent and its evils purged to the point that its restoration be so great that it be compared not only with the land of Egypt but also with the paradise of God. Those, however, who wish to establish this will press us especially from that word that appears added to this counterpromise. For the Scripture did not say Sodom will be restored, and stop, but it says, Sodom will be restored to its ancient state.^[10] And they will assert strongly that its ancient state was not as the land of Egypt but as the paradise of God.

Let us flee like Lot, who feared the crimes of the people of Sodom more than their punishments. A holy man surely, he chose to shut his house to the men of Sodom and flee the contagion of their offenses. When he dwelt with them, he did not come to know them, for he did not know their outrages and turned away from their disgraces. When he fled, he did not look back on them, for he did not desire to associate with them. The one who renounces the vices and rejects the way of life of his fellow citizens is in flight like Lot. Such a person does not look behind himself but enters that city which is above by the passageway of his thoughts, and he does not withdraw from it until the death of the chief priest who bore the sin of the world. He indeed died once, but he dies for each person who is baptized in Christ’s death, that we may be buried together with him and rise with him and walk in the newness of his life.^[1] Your flight is a good one if your heart does not act out the counsels of sinners and their designs. Your flight is a good one if your eye flees the sight of cups and drinking vessels, so that it may not become envious as it lingers over the wine. Your flight is good if your eye turns away from the woman stranger, so that your tongue may keep the truth. Your flight is a good one if you do not answer the fool according to his folly.^[2] Your flight is good if you direct your footsteps away from the countenance of fools. Indeed, one swiftly goes astray with bad guides; but if you wish your flight to be a good one, remove your ways far from their words.^{[3] [4]} LEAVING THE TERRITORY OF EVIL. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: It seems that now, after the exodus from Sodom, the conversation is no longer with angels but with the Lord.^[1] For when one leaves the territory of evil he will find God conversing with him, and he will have the courage and confidence to ask for whatever he wishes. ^[2] GOD ACCOMMODATES WEAKNESS. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: Great is the loving kindness of God. He who is all-powerful says, I can do nothing until you arrive there. He accommodates even the weakness of his servant and tolerates his delay. ^[1]