Ecclesiastes 3:4

Passionate and profound lamentation is called "mourning" in Scripture. Similarly, dancing also indicates the strength of joy, as we learn in the gospel, where it says, "We played to you, and you did not dance; we lamented, and you did not mourn." In the same way history relates that the Israelites mourned at Moses' death and that David danced as he went at the front of the procession of the ark, when he carried it away from the foreigners, not appearing in his usual clothes. It says that he sang, playing an accompaniment on his musical instrument, and moved to the rhythm with his feet, and by the rhythmic movement of the body made public his devotion. Since, then, a human being is twofold, I mean made of soul and of body, and correspondingly twofold also the life operating in each of them within us, it would be a good thing to mourn in our bodily life—and there are many occasions for lamentation in this life—and prepare for our soul the harmonious dance. For the more life is made miserable with sadness, the more occasions for joy accumulate in the soul. Selfcontrol is gloomy, humility is dreary, being punished is a grief, not being equal with the powerful is a reason for sorrow, but "the one who humbles himself will be lifted up," and the one who struggles in poverty will be crowned, and the one covered with sores, who exhibits his life as thoroughly lamentable, will rest in the bosom of the patriarch. May we too rest in it, through the mercy of our Savior Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever.

Now, therefore, is the moment for weeping, but the moment for laughing is in store for us through hope; for the present sorrow will become mother of the joy that is hoped for. Who would not spend all his life in lamentation and sadness, if he actually becomes acquainted with himself and knows his condition, what he once had and what he has lost, and the state his nature was in at the beginning and the state it is in at present? Then there was no death, disease was absent; "mine" and "yours," those wicked words, were far away from the life of the first humans. As the sun was shared, and the air was shared, and above all the grace and praise of God were shared, so too participation in everything good was freely available on equal terms, and the disease of acquisitiveness was unknown, and there was no resentment over inferiority against superiors (for there was no such thing as superiority), and there were thousands of other things besides these, which no one could describe in words, since they utterly exceed in magnificence those mentioned—I mean equality in honor with the angels, freedom to speak before God, the contemplation of the good things in the realms above, our own adornment with the unspeakable beauty of the blessed nature, when we show in ourselves the divine image, glistening with beauty of soul.

Now is the time to weep while the time to laugh consists in hope because our present sadness is a mother who begets joy which is stored up for the future. Who does not squander his life in lamentation and sullenness? He returns to his senses and realizes what he had and then lost, that is, his original condition and that which is present. Both you and I were subject neither to death nor sickness because these pernicious elements had been banished from our lives. The sun, air and God's grace belong to everyone and share his common blessing. While God freely offered us a share in every good, he did not acknowledge the sickness of avarice; neither does the person with less have reason to hate the one who has more (for such was not the case). There are other examples too innumerable to list which require lengthy explanation. I mean the honor bestowed upon the angels, our confidence in God's presence, contemplation of transcendent blessings and the incorruptible beauty of [God's] blessed nature which adorns us and is manifested by the soul's beauty in its resplendent divine image.

Scripture refers the term "mourning" to any person subject to passion and who is grieved inwardly. Similarly, dancing signifies intense joy as we learn from the Gospel: "We piped to you, and you did not dance." History says that the Israelites mourned Moses' death while David preceded the ark in dance when the Philistines returned it from captivity. David expressed himself in harmonious songs by striking his harp while his feet and body moved to the rhythm which revealed his disposition. Since man's nature is two-fold, body and soul, mourning is beneficial for our corporeal existence (there are many occasions for affliction in this existence) because it enables us to prepare our souls for this harmonious dancing [of David]. Although we abhor dejection, the occasions for gladness are certainly more numerous. Continence is confining, humility is sad, suffering is burdensome and sorrow cannot equal these. However, "He who humbles himself shall be exalted," and he who afflicts himself by poverty will be crowned. The person who subjects himself to violence and proves himself worthy through affliction in everything will rest in the patriarch's [Abraham] bosom. This is our rightful place through the mercy of him who saved us, Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

"A time to weep, and a time to laugh." A time to weep, when it is the time of suffering; as when the Lord also says, "Verily I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament." But to laugh, as concerns the resurrection: "For …