Basil

Do you fear the emperor?

He has the rightful authority.

Will he be your divine judge?

Or, if you drag away Christian prelates, will the true emperor, the crucified king of the Jews and the king of all the world, bring you before the throne of angels and judge you according to what you have done?

Which judge do you fear, Modestus?

The one who can kill the body, or the one who can throw body and soul into hell?

You could still turn to the Crucified King, Modestus.

He is merciful.

Gregory, Macrina, get everyone inside the church.

No one was killed, thank God.

And we will do as we always have done.

Everyone, listen to me.

We find ourselves despondent at the hands of greedy men who would take our lives and our homes from us.

But they can take nothing from us, for we have nothing to give except for the love of God, which no power in heaven or on earth can strip from us.

Why should we fear the rich and powerful?

Because they will bury us under six feet of earth?

Isn't that the fate that awaits us already?

They persecute us because they fear the one who sits upon the judgment seat.

Wherever they turn, they see the images of their misdeeds, the tears of orphans, the widows' groanings, the poor they stepped on.

What should I say to them?