Ὁμιλία Δʹ

The Eye of Discernment

The soul must cultivate a discerning faculty to navigate the perils of life, much like a body guided by the eye.

Those who want to live the Christian life with great focus should, above all, care for the soul's faculty of thought and discernment with all their strength. By gaining a precise understanding of good and evil, and by always distinguishing the passions that have been introduced against nature from our pure nature, we may live uprightly and without stumbling. By using this faculty of discernment as an eye, we may remain unentangled and unmixed with the suggestions of evil, and thus, having been counted worthy of the divine gift, we may become worthy of the Lord.¹ Let us take an example from the things we can see. The body is like the soul, the body's affairs are like the soul's, and what is visible is like what is hidden. Just as the body has the eye as a guide, and the eye, by seeing, leads the whole body on a straight path—picture someone walking through a wooded area full of thorns and mire, where fire flares up, swords are fixed in the ground, and there are cliffs and deep waters. The quick, earnest, and agile person, with the eye as a guide, passes through those difficult places with close attention, gathering his tunic in from every side with his hands and feet so that it will not be torn by the brush and thorns, ruined by the mire, or cut by a sword. The eye guides the whole body, serving as its light, so that it will not crash over cliffs, drown in the waters, or be harmed by some severe danger. The one who passes through like this—quick, sensible, and completely watchful—tightening his tunic and guided straight by the eye, keeps himself unharmed and preserves his clothing unburned and untorn.² But if someone is idle, sluggish, careless, heavy, and slack as he goes through such places, his tunic, hanging loose, is torn by the brush and thorns, burned by the fire because he does not hold the garment in bravely from every side, cut by the swords fixed in the ground, or stained by the mire. In short, he quickly ruins his fine new clothing through his inattention, slackness, and sluggishness.

Guarding the Garment of the Body

The soul must guard its bodily garment from the stains of worldly desire through vigilance and divine help.

But if he does not pay careful, steady attention to the eye, he himself will fall into a ravine or be drowned in the waters. In the same way the soul too, wearing as it were a fine tunic—the garment of the body—and having a discerning faculty that steers the whole soul together with the body, as it passes through the thickets and thorns of life, and through mire and fire and cliffs—that is, through desires and pleasures and the other disordered things of this age—must from every side, with sobriety, courage, diligence, and attentiveness, draw itself tight and guard both itself and the tunic of the body, so that it is not somehow torn among the world's thickets and thorns of cares, occupations, and earthly distractions, or burned by the fire of desire.^✦³ For example, while so clothed, it turns its eyes away to avoid looking at evil, turns its ears away to avoid hearing slander, keeps its tongue from idle talk, and keeps its hands and feet from wicked practices.^✦^✦ The soul has a will by which it can turn away and restrain the body's members from the worst sights, from evil and shameful hearing, from unseemly words, and from worldly and wicked practices. And the soul also turns itself away from roaming distraction, guarding the heart so that the members of its thoughts do not wander about in the world.^✦⁴ By contending, striving, and holding tight from every side with great attentiveness, keeping the body's members away from evil, it ensures the fine tunic of the body remains untearable, unburned, and unstained. And she herself, through her knowing, thoughtful, and discerning will—while the whole is kept safe through the Lord's power—drawing herself tight with all her strength and turning away from every worldly desire, is thus helped by the Lord so that she may truly be kept safe from the evils already named.⁵ For when the Lord sees someone nobly turning away from the pleasures of life, from distractions, material cares, earthly bonds, and the roaming of empty thoughts, he gives his own help of grace, keeping that soul from falling as it passes well through the present evil age.^✦ And so the soul will receive heavenly praise from God and the angels, because she carefully kept the tunic of her body, and herself as well—as far as what is possible in her—having turned away from every desire of the world, and, helped by him, having run well the race of this world's course.^✦ But if someone goes through this life in slackness and laziness, without attentiveness, and of his own will does not turn away from every desire of the world and seek the Lord alone with all desire, he gets caught in the thorns and thickets of this world. By the fire of desire, the tunic of the body is scorched and stained by the mire of pleasures; and so the soul is found without confidence on the day of judgment, unable to keep her garment spotless, having ruined it by the deceits of this age—and for that reason she is cast out of the kingdom.^✦^✦⁶ For what will God do for someone who of his own will hands himself over to the world, is deceived by its pleasures, or is led astray by material wandering thoughts? He gives help to the one who turns away from material pleasures and former habits, who by force of will always draws the mind toward the Lord, denies himself, and seeks the Lord alone.^✦ He keeps safe the one who guards himself on every side from the snares and traps of the world's material pull, who works out his own salvation with fear and trembling, who with full attentiveness passes through the snares, traps, and desires of this age, seeking the Lord's help and hoping to be saved by His mercy through grace.^✦

The Oil of Heavenly Grace

True spiritual life requires receiving the oil of the Spirit, distinguishing the wise from the foolish.

For look: the five wise virgins, watchful and eagerly set on what is foreign to their own nature, took the oil in the vessels of their heart—that is, the grace of the Spirit from above—and so were able to enter with the bridegroom into the heavenly bridal chamber.^✦⁷ But the others, the foolish ones, who stayed stuck in their own nature, did not stay watchful or make every effort to receive the "oil of gladness" in their vessels while they were still in the flesh.^✦^✦ Instead, they fell asleep, as it were, through negligence, slackness, laziness, and ignorance—or even through a conceit of righteousness.^✦⁸ And so they were shut out of the bridal chamber of the kingdom, unable to please the heavenly bridegroom. For, held captive by the world's bond and by some earthly love, they did not give their whole love and longing to the heavenly Bridegroom, nor did they bring the oil. For the souls that seek what is foreign to nature—the sanctification of the Spirit—bind their whole love to the Lord, and there they walk, and there they pray, and there they set their thoughts, turning away from everything else.⁹ Therefore, they are counted worthy to receive the oil of heavenly grace, and so they can pass through without falling, perfectly pleasing the spiritual Bridegroom. For the souls that remain in their own nature crawl on the earth in their thinking; they think on earthly things; their mind keeps its dwelling on earth. And in appearance they suppose they belong to the Bridegroom and are adorned with the righteous works of the flesh, but they have not been born from above of the Spirit, not having received the "oil of gladness."^✦^✦¹⁰ If the five rational senses of the soul receive the grace from above and the sanctification of the Spirit, they truly prove to be wise virgins, having received the wisdom that comes from above by grace.^✦¹¹ But if they remain only in their own nature, they are found foolish and prove to be children of the world. They have not stripped off the spirit of the world, even if they suppose—through some show of plausibility and outward form—that they are brides of the Bridegroom.^✦¹² For just as the souls that cling wholly and entirely to the Lord are there in their thinking, and there they pray, and there they walk, and there they long for the Lord's love, so again the souls bound in the love of the world and wanting their dwelling on the earth walk there and think there; there the mind makes its home. And so they prove unturned toward the good mind of the Spirit.^✦¹³ Therefore, something foreign to our nature—I mean the heavenly grace—must be established and interwoven with our nature, so that we can enter with the Lord into the heavenly bridal chamber of the kingdom and obtain eternal salvation.

Divine Condescension and Theosis

God in his infinite kindness transforms himself to unite with the human soul, restoring it to original purity.

For we took into ourselves something foreign to our nature—the evil of the passions—"through the disobedience of the first man." And this evil, which by long habit and deep prepossession has settled as if it were our very nature, must in turn be driven out again through what is foreign to our nature—the heavenly gift of the Spirit—and we must be restored to our original purity.^✦¹⁴ If we do not receive that love of the Spirit from heaven now—through persistent asking, pleading, faith, prayer, and turning away from the world—and if our nature is not joined to the love that is the Lord, and if our nature, stained by evil, is not sanctified by that love of the Spirit, and if we do not remain unfallen to the end, living carefully by all his commandments, we will not be able to gain the heavenly kingdom.¹⁵ I want to say something subtle and deep, as far as my strength allows, so listen carefully. The infinite, unapproachable, and uncreated God embodied himself out of infinite and unthinkable kindness, and, so to speak, drew himself small from his unapproachable glory, so that he could be united with his invisible creatures—I mean the souls of the saints and the angels—so that they could share in the life of the Godhead.¹⁶ Each is a body according to its own nature—the angel, the soul, the demon—because even though they are fine, they are still fine bodies in substance, form, and image, according to the fineness of their nature.¹⁷ Just as this body is dense in its substance, the soul, being fine, has taken hold of the eye through which it sees, the ear through which it hears, and likewise the tongue through which it speaks, the hand—in short, by embracing the whole body and its members, the soul is blended with it and carries out all the work of living through it. In the same way the infinite and unthinkable God, by his kindness, made himself small and put on the members of this body and drew himself in from his unapproachable glory; and through gentleness and love for humankind, transforming himself, he embodies himself and mixes with and takes up the holy and well-pleasing and faithful souls, and becomes one spirit with them, according to Paul's word—soul into soul, so to speak, and substance into substance—so that the soul may live in the Godhead and sense immortal life, and so that the soul worthy of him and well-pleasing may share in incorruptible glory.^✦¹⁸ For if he brought the visible creation into being from nothing—with all its difference and variety—and it did not exist before he willed it, he easily made dense and hard substances from things that were not (I mean earth, mountains, trees—you see what hardness of nature that is), and again intermediate waters, and from them he ordered birds to be born, and again finer things, fire and winds, which are not seen by the body's eye because of their fineness—^✦¹⁹ If the infinite and untellable craft of God's many-colored wisdom created out of what was not denser and finer and softer bodies that truly subsist by his will, how much more can he himself—being as he wills and what he wills—by unspeakable kindness and inconceivable goodness transform and diminish himself, and make himself like them by taking bodily form according to the capacity of the holy, worthy, and faithful souls, so that the Invisible may be seen by them and the Untouchable may be touched according to the subtle nature of the soul, and they may sense his sweetness, and by that very experience enjoy the kindness of the light of ineffable delight.²⁰ When he wills, he becomes fire, burning up every base and alien passion of the soul—for it says, "our God is a consuming fire."^✦ When he wills, he is unspeakable and ineffable rest, so that the soul may rest in the rest of the Godhead; when he wills, he becomes joy and peace, warming and cherishing it. And if he also wishes to liken himself to one of his creatures for the gladness and joy of intellectual beings—such as a city of light, Jerusalem, or the heavenly mountain Zion—he can do everything as he wills, just as it is said: "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem."^✦ Everything is easy and effortless for him, whatever he wills, as he transforms himself for the souls that are worthy of him and faithful. Only let a person strive to become a friend and well-pleasing to him, and by that very experience and sense he will see heavenly goods, inexpressible delight, and the infinite wealth of the Godhead—truly "what eye has not seen and ear has not heard and what has not entered into the human heart"—the Spirit of the Lord, becoming rest for worthy souls and gladness and delight and eternal life.^✦²¹ For the Lord also makes himself into food and drink, as it is written in the Gospel: "Whoever eats this bread will live forever," so that he may rest the soul beyond words and fill it with spiritual gladness; for he also says, "I am the bread of life." Likewise, he is a drink from a heavenly stream, as he says: "Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him, there will become in him a spring of water leaping up to eternal life," and "we all," it says, "were given the same drink to drink."^✦^✦^✦^✦²² In this way he appeared to each of the holy fathers as he willed and as was beneficial: differently to Abraham, differently to Isaac, differently to Jacob, differently to Noah, to Daniel, to David, to Solomon, to Isaiah, and to each of the holy prophets; differently to Elijah, and differently to Moses.²³

The Wound of Divine Love

The soul that receives the fire of the Spirit is set free from worldly attachments and wounded by divine love.

I believe that during his forty-day fast on the mountain, Moses entered into that spiritual banquet hour by hour, feasting and taking delight in it.^✦ He appeared to each of the saints as he willed, in order to give them rest, to save them, and to lead them into the knowledge of God. For everything he wills is easy for him; and as he chooses, diminishing himself, he takes bodily form and is transformed, appearing to those who love him in unapproachable glory of light, and revealing himself to the worthy according to his power, out of great and unspeakable love.^✦²⁴ For the soul that has been counted worthy, with deep desire and expectation and faith and love, to receive that power from on high—having received the heavenly love of the Spirit and the heavenly fire of immortal life—is truly released from all worldly love and set free from every bond of evil.^✦ For just as iron or lead or gold or silver, when cast into the fire, is loosened from its hard nature and changed into softness, and as long as it stays in the fire is melted and altered from its natural hardness by the fire's heating power—in the same way the soul that has renounced the world and longed for the Lord alone, with deep searching of the soul and toil and struggle, holding unbroken expectation toward him in hope and faith, and having received that heavenly fire of the Godhead and of the Spirit's love, is then truly released from all love of the world and set free from every wickedness of the passions; she sets everything outside herself, is changed from her very natural disposition and from the hardness of sin, and counts everything as surplus beside the heavenly Bridegroom alone whom she has received, resting in his burning and unspeakable love.²⁵ I tell you this: even if the most cherished brothers are before her eyes, if they hinder her from that love, she turns away from them, so to speak; for that is her life and rest: the mystical and unspeakable Communion of the heavenly King.²⁶ If the love of fleshly union separates a man from his father, mother, and brothers, making everything else external to his mind—so that even if he loves them, he only loves them outwardly, having set his whole disposition on his wife—for it says, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and cling to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."^✦ If, then, the love of the flesh so loosens a person from every other love, how much more will those who have been counted worthy to truly share in that holy, heavenly, and beloved Spirit be released from all love of the world? Everything will seem like surplus to them, because they have been overcome by heavenly longing and united to his wound of love.²⁷ That is where they long to be, where they set their thoughts, and where they live; their thoughts wander there, and their mind always makes its home there, overcome by divine and heavenly love and spiritual longing. So, beloved brothers, with such goods set before us and so many promises made to us by the Lord, let us cast off every obstacle, turn away from every worldly love, and give ourselves over to seeking and longing for that one good alone. We do this so we may obtain that unspeakable love of the Spirit, which the blessed Paul urged us to pursue, saying, "Pursue love"—so that, despite our hardness, we may be counted worthy of the transforming change of the right hand of the Most High, and enter into gentleness and spiritual rest, wounded by the love of the divine Spirit.²⁸ The Lord shows great kindness, moved with compassion, waiting for the moment we turn wholly and entirely to him, freeing ourselves from everything that stands against him. Even if we, through deep ignorance, childishness, and a predisposition to evil, turn away from life and place many obstacles in our own path, unwilling to repent in truth, he is still deeply moved with compassion for us. He is patient and long-suffering, waiting for us to turn, come to him, and have our inner person enlightened, so that our faces may not be put to shame on the day of judgment.²⁹ And even if it seems hard to us because of the severe training of virtue—or rather because of the adversary's suggestions—see, he himself is moved with compassion and is patient, waiting for our return. He bears with us when we sin; he bears with us, waiting for our repentance, and when we fall he is not ashamed to receive us again, as the prophet said: "Does the one who falls not rise again? Or the one who turns away not return?" Only let us wake up, take hold of a good purpose, and turn back at once, seeking help from him rightly; he is ready to save us.³⁰ He waits for the burning impulse of our will toward him—as much power as we have—and for the faith and eagerness that come from a good free choice; but the whole accomplishment he himself works in us. So let us make every effort, beloved, as children of God, stripping off every predisposition, neglect, and slackness, to become brave and ready to follow after him. Let us not put it off day after day while evil quietly steals us away; we do not know when our departure from the flesh will come.³¹ The promises made to Christians are so great and unspeakable that all the glory and beauty of heaven and earth, and the rest of the ordered display, variety, loveliness, wealth, and luxury of the things that are seen, cannot measure up to the faith and riches of a single soul.

The Patience of God and Human Repentance

God's long-suffering patience invites sinners to repentance, as seen in the history of Israel.

After so many exhortations and promises from the Lord, how can we not want to come to him wholeheartedly and entirely, to put ourselves completely at his disposal—renouncing, as the Gospel says, everything, even our own soul—and to love him alone, with nothing else alongside him? And yet, look at all this: the glory given, the many dispensations of the Lord that have come through the fathers and the prophets, the many promises made, the many exhortations, and the compassion the Master has shown toward us from the beginning. Finally, through his own coming among us, he showed us his unspeakable kindness by the cross, so that he might bring us into life when we turn back to him.³² And we still will not pull back from our own wills, from love of the world, and from our prejudices and evil habits? That is why we prove ourselves of little faith—or even faithless.³³ On top of all this, look: he keeps showing us kindness, invisibly guarding and warming us, not handing us over for good to evil because of our sins, and not leaving us to perish by the world's deception, watching with great kindness and patience for when we will turn back to him. But I am afraid the apostle's words may be fulfilled in us if we live with a contemptuous mind and get carried away by our prejudices: "Do you despise the riches of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is leading you to repentance?" And if, under his patience, kindness, and forbearance, we keep adding more sins and, through our neglect and contempt, bring greater condemnation on ourselves, the word will be fulfilled: "But according to your hardness and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and of the revelation of God's righteous judgment."^✦^✦ For God has shown the human race great, untellable goodness and unspeakable patience. If only we will want to come to our senses and make every effort to turn wholly back to him, so that we may be able to obtain salvation. If you want to recognize God's patience and great kindness, let us learn it carefully from the God-inspired Scriptures.^✦ Look at Israel: from them came the fathers; to them the promises were assigned; from them, according to the flesh, came Christ; to them belong the worship and the covenant.^✦ How many times they sinned, how often they turned away—yet He did not abandon them to the end, but for a time, for their own good, He handed them over to discipline; wanting to soften the hardness of their hearts through affliction, He kept calling them back, pleading with them, and sending prophets. How long did He show patience while they sinned and stumbled? He welcomed them with joy whenever they returned, and when they strayed again, He did not withdraw, but kept calling them back to repentance through the prophets. Even after they had strayed and returned many times, He held onto them and welcomed them with kindness, until at last they were found in that great transgression: laying hands on their own Master, whom they had expected through the traditions of the fathers and the holy prophets as their Redeemer, Savior, King, and Prophet. For when He came, they did not receive Him; instead, they showed Him many things worthy of contempt and eventually punished Him with the death of the cross, and in this great stumbling block and overwhelming transgression, their sins were filled to the brim. And so, finally, they were abandoned, the Holy Spirit having departed from that place when the veil of the temple was torn. Their temple was handed over to the nations, torn down, and left desolate, just as the Lord decreed: 'Not one stone will be left here upon another that will not be thrown down.' They were then handed over to the nations and scattered throughout the whole earth, commanded by the kings who had taken them captive never to return to their own lands.^✦ Even now, He is kind and good to each of us and shows patience, seeing how often we stumble. He waits, expecting the moment we will come to our senses and stop stumbling, welcoming with great love and joy the one who turns back from sin. For He says, 'In the same way, there is joy over one sinner who repents,' and again, 'It is not the will of my Father that one of these little ones should perish.'^✦^✦ But if someone, despite the great kindness and patience of God resting upon them—God not immediately seeking vengeance for their individual sins, whether hidden or manifest, but watching and waiting as if expecting them to repent—if that person instead falls into great contempt and adds sin upon sin, joins laziness to laziness, and builds stumbling block upon stumbling block, they fill up the measure of their sins and reach such a point of stumbling that they can no longer look up, but are crushed and, handed over to the Evil One, are lost. This is what happened with Sodom: because they sinned greatly and did not repent, they eventually stumbled so far—wishing to commit homosexual acts against the angels—that they no longer had any room for repentance, but were rejected to the end. For they filled up the measure of their sins and went past it; that is why they were burned with fire by divine justice. It was the same in Noah’s day: stumbling again and again without ever repenting, they fell into such great sins that the whole earth was eventually ruined.³⁴ It was the same with the Egyptians: though they stumbled often and sinned against God’s people, God was kind and did not strike them with scourges severe enough to destroy them completely. Instead, for their discipline, conversion, and repentance, he brought them lighter strokes of the scourges, remaining patient and waiting for them to repent. But they, who had sinned much against God’s people—turning, then changing their minds again, settling back into the old unbelief of their evil bent, and grinding down God’s people—later, when through many wonders God brought the people out of Egypt through Moses, stumbled badly by chasing after God’s people.³⁵ That is why divine justice finally consumed them, destroyed them, and drowned them in the waters, judging them unworthy even of this visible life.³⁶ Likewise with Israel, as mentioned before: they stumbled and sinned again and again, killing God’s prophets and doing many other evils, while God was patient, remaining quiet and waiting for them to repent.^✦ At last, they stumbled so severely that, once crushed, they never rose again; for they laid their hands on the Master’s own dignity.³⁷ That is why they were finally abandoned and cast away; prophecy, priesthood, and worship were taken from them and given to the nations that believed, just as the Lord says: “The kingdom will be taken from you and given to a nation that produces its fruits.”^✦

The Physician of Souls

The Lord, as the good Physician, heals all who turn to him with persistence and faith.

Up until then, He put up with them; God was patient and did not withdraw, moved by compassion for them. But when they filled up the measure of their sins and went far beyond it, laying hands on the Master's dignity, they were finally abandoned by God.^✦³⁸ Now we have gone through these things at some length, beloved, establishing from the sense of Scripture that we must turn back more quickly and hurry to the Lord—who is kind, who waits for us, and who receives with great joy those who completely withdraw from all wickedness and evil prepossession and turn back—so that our contempt may not grow day by day, the stumbling blocks we set up may not multiply against us, and we may not through this bring God's wrath on ourselves.³⁹ So then let us make every effort, having turned back, to approach him with a true heart, and not despair of salvation—which itself is the craftiness of evil: by reminding us of past sins it leads a person into hopelessness, soft living, carelessness, and laziness, so that he will not turn back, approach the Lord, and obtain salvation, though the Lord's great kindness lies open to the human race.^✦⁴⁰ But if it somehow seems hard and even impossible for us to turn back from many sins, as people already held captive by them (which, as we have said, is a ploy of evil and a barrier to our salvation), let us remember and look carefully at how the Lord, when he came among us in his goodness, made the blind see again, healed the paralyzed, cured every disease, raised the dead who were already in decay and ruin, made the deaf hear, drove a legion of demons out of one man, and restored to a sound mind the man who had gone into such madness.^✦ How much more, then, will he not turn back a soul that is turning to him, seeking mercy from him, and asking for his help—and bring it into the joy of freedom from the passions, into the settled state of every virtue, and into the renewal of the mind, and change it into health, into the mind's recovery of sight, and into peaceful thinking—bringing it from the blindness, deafness, and deadness of unbelief, ignorance, and lack of the fear of God into the sound discipline of virtue and purity of heart? For the one who created the body is the same one who made the soul.^✦^✦⁴¹⁴² And just as when He came to earth He freely gave, by His kindness, to those who came to Him seeking help and healing—giving as each one needed, as the good and only Physician—so it is also in spiritual things.^✦ For if He had such compassion on bodies that dissolve and die again, and for each one eagerly and kindly did what was sought, how much more for the immortal soul—undissolvable and incorruptible—when it is in the disease of ignorance (of wickedness, unbelief, lack of the fear of God, and the rest of the passions of sin), yet approaches the Lord, seeks help from Him, looks toward His mercy, and longs to receive from Him the grace of the Spirit for its redemption and salvation and for deliverance from all wickedness and every passion: will He not grant more quickly and more readily the redemption of healing? According to His word: "How much more will the heavenly Father grant justice to those who cry out to Him day and night," and He adds, "Yes, I tell you, He will grant them justice quickly."^✦^✦⁴³ And again, in another place, he urges: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.^✦ For everyone who asks receives, the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. He continues, 'How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him,' and 'Truly, I tell you, even if he will not give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.'^✦^✦^✦⁴⁴ So through all these things he has urged us to ask—shamelessly, without stopping, and without giving up—for the help of grace that comes from him.⁴⁵⁴⁶ For he came for the sake of sinners, so that he might turn them back to himself and heal those who believe in him.^✦ We only need to pull ourselves away from evil inclinations as much as we can, hate base practices and the world's deceptions, turn away from wicked and empty thoughts, and always cling to him with all our strength.⁴⁷ He readily gives us the help that comes from him; for this is his purpose: showing mercy, giving life, healing passions that seemed incurable, and working redemption for those who call on him and turn to him—those who, as far as they can by will and free choice, withdraw from all worldly love, lift their minds from the earth, and hang upon him in seeking and longing.⁴⁸⁴⁹ Such a soul is counted worthy of the help that comes from him—the soul that counts everything as surplus and rests on nothing in the world, but waits to find rest and joy in the rest of his kindness.⁵⁰ And so, having obtained the heavenly gift through such faith, and having settled her desire in full assurance through grace, and then having served in harmony with the Holy Spirit and in keeping with him—advancing day by day into the good, remaining on the path of righteousness, staying unbending and undivided toward evil to the end, and grieving the grace in nothing—she is counted worthy of eternal salvation with all the saints, just as one who has lived in the world as their companion and fellow-runner, in imitation of them.^✦^✦⁵¹⁵² Amen.

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Οἱ τὸν βίον τοῦ Χριστιανισμοῦ ἐν πολλῇ ἀκριβείᾳ κατορθῶσαι βουλόμενοι πρὸ πάντων τοῦ διανοητικοῦ καὶ διακριτικοῦ μέλους τῆς ψυχῆς ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει ἐπιμελεῖσθαι ὀφείλουσιν, ἵνα τὴν διάκρισιν τοῦ καλοῦ καὶ τοῦ κακοῦ ἐν ἀκριβείᾳ κτησάμενοι καὶ τὰ παρὰ φύσιν εἰσαχθέντα πάθη τῇ καθαρᾷ φύσει πάντοτε διακρίνοντες εὐθέτως καὶ ἀπροσκόπως πολιτευσώμεθα, ἵνα ὡς ὀφθαλμῷ τῷ τῆς διακρίσεως μέλει χρώμενοι ἀσυνδύαστοι καὶ ἀσύνθετοι πρὸς τὰς τῆς κακίας ὑποθέσεις εἶναι δυνηθῶμεν καὶ οὕτως τῆς θείας δωρεᾶς καταξιωθέντες ἄξιοι τοῦ κυρίου γενώμεθα. Ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ὁρωμένων ὑπόδειγμα λάβωμεν. ἔοικε γὰρ τὸ σῶμα τῇ ψυχῇ καὶ τὰ τοῦ σώματος πράγματα τοῖς τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ τὰ φαινόμενα τοῖς κρυφίοις. ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα ἔχει ὁδηγὸν τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν καὶ αὐτὸς ὁρῶν ὅλον ὁδηγεῖ τὸ σῶμα εἰς εὐθύτητα· ὑπόθου δέ μοι διέρχεσθαί τινα διὰ τόπων ὑλωδῶν καὶ ἀκανθῶν πεπληρωμένων καὶ βορβόρων, ἔνθα καὶ πῦρ ἀναβάλλει καὶ ξίφη παραπεπήγασι, κρημνοί τε καὶ ὑδάτων πλήθη ἐκεῖ τυγχάνει. τὸ λοιπὸν ὁ γοργὸς καὶ σπουδαῖος καὶ εὐκίνητος ἔχων τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν ὁδηγὸν πάνυ προσεχόντως παρέρχεται τοὺς χαλεποὺς ἐκείνους τόπους, συνέχων πανταχόθεν χερσὶ καὶ ποσὶ τὸν χιτῶνα αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ ἐν ταῖς ὕλαις καὶ ἀκάνθαις περισχισθῇ ἢ ὑπὸ τοῦ βορβόρου ἀφανισθῇ ἢ ὑπὸ ξίφους διακοπῇ. καὶ ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς ὅλον ὁδηγεῖ τὸ σῶμα, φῶς ὢν αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ κρημνοῖς καταρραγῇ ἢ ὕδασι καταποντισθῇ ἤ τινι χαλεπῷ καταβλαβῇ. ὁ οὕτως γοργὸς καὶ συνετὸς καὶ μετὰ πάσης νήψεως παρερχόμενος, συσφίγγων τὸν χιτῶνα αὐτοῦ, ὑπὸ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ εὐθέως ὁδηγούμενος φυλάσσει καὶ ἑαυτὸν ἀβλαβῆ καὶ τὸν χιτῶνα τοῦ ἐνδύματος αὐτοῦ ἄκαυστον καὶ ἄσχιστον διατηρεῖ. ἐὰν δέ τις ᾖ ἀργὸς καὶ ὀκνηρὸς καὶ ῥάθυμος καὶ βαρὺς καὶ χαῦνος διὰ τῶν τοιούτων παρερχόμενος τόπων, περιρρέων ὁ χιτὼν αὐτοῦ ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν εἰς τὰς ὕλας καὶ ἀκάνθας περισχίζεται ἢ ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρὸς κατακαίεται διὰ τὸ μὴ συνέχειν πάντοθεν ἀνδρείως τὸ ἔνδυμα ἢ ὑπὸ τῶν παραπεπηγμένων ξιφῶν παρακόπτεται ἢ ὑπὸ τοῦ βορβόρου σπιλοῦται, καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς τάχιον καταφθείρει τὸν καλὸν καὶ καινὸν τοῦ ἐνδύματος χιτῶνα διὰ τὴν ἀπροσεξίαν καὶ χαυνότητα καὶ ὀκνηρίαν αὐτοῦ.

εἰ δὲ μὴ καλῶς καὶ εὐθέως τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ προσέχει, καὶ αὐτὸς εἰς φάραγγα πεσεῖται ἢ ἐν τοῖς ὕδασι καταποντισθήσεται. Τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ φοροῦσα ὥσπερ χιτῶνα καλόν, τὸ ἔνδυμα τοῦ σώματος, ἔχουσα διακριτικὸν μέλος εὐθῦνον ὅλην τὴν ψυχὴν μετὰ τοῦ σώματος, παρερχομένη διὰ τῶν ὑλῶν καὶ ἀκανθῶν τοῦ βίου καὶ βορβόρου καὶ πυρὸς καὶ κρημνῶν, τουτέστιν ἐπιθυμιῶν καὶ ἡδονῶν καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἀτόπων τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου, πάντοθεν ὀφείλει μετὰ νήψεως καὶ ἀνδρείας καὶ σπουδῆς καὶ προσοχῆς συσφίγγειν καὶ φυλάσσειν ἑαυτὴν καὶ τὸν χιτῶνα τοῦ σώματος, μή που περισχισθῇ ἐν ταῖς τοῦ κόσμου ὕλαις καὶ ἀκάνθαις μεριμνῶν καὶ ἀσχολιῶν καὶ περισπασμῶν γηΐνων, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρὸς τῆς ἐπιθυμίας κατακαυθῇ. οἷον ἐνδεδυμένη τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν ἀποστρέφει τοῦ μὴ ἰδεῖν πονηρά, τὸ οὖς ὁμοίως ἀποστρέφει τοῦ μὴ ἀκούειν καταλαλιάν, τὴν γλῶσσαν τοῦ μὴ λαλεῖν μάταια, χεῖρας καὶ πόδας ἀπὸ ἐπιτηδευμάτων κακῶν. ἔχει γὰρ θέλημα ἡ ψυχὴ τοῦ ἀποστρέψαι καὶ κωλῦσαι τὰ μέλη τοῦ σώματος ἀπὸ κακίστων θεαμάτων καὶ ἀκοῆς πονηρᾶς καὶ αἰσχρᾶς καὶ λόγων ἀπρεπῶν καὶ ἐπιτηδευμάτων κοσμικῶν καὶ πονηρῶν. Ἀποστρέφει δὲ καὶ ἑαυτὴν ἡ ψυχὴ ἀπὸ ῥεμβασμῶν, φυλάττουσα τὴν καρδίαν τοῦ μὴ ῥέμβεσθαι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τὰ μέλη τῶν λογισμῶν αὐτῆς. καὶ οὕτως ἀγωνιζομένη καὶ σπουδάζουσα καὶ συνέχουσα πάντοθεν ἐν πολλῇ προσοχῇ τὰ μέλη τοῦ σώματος ἀπὸ κακῶν, ἄσχιστον καὶ ἄκαυστον καὶ ἄσπιλον τὸν καλὸν χιτῶνα τοῦ σώματος διαφυλάσσει. καὶ αὐτὴ διὰ τοῦ γνωστικοῦ καὶ διανοητικοῦ καὶ διακριτικοῦ θελήματος αὐτῆς, τὸ δὲ πᾶν διὰ τῆς τοῦ κυρίου δυνάμεως φυλαχθήσεται, αὐτὴ ἑαυτὴν ὅση δύναμις συσφίγγουσα καὶ πάσης ἐπιθυμίας κοσμικῆς ἀποστρέφουσα καὶ οὕτως ὑπὸ κυρίου βοηθουμένη εἰς τὸ ἐξ ἀληθείας φυλαχθῆναι αὐτὴν ἀπὸ τῶν προειρημένων κακῶν. ἐπὰν γὰρ ἴδῃ ὁ κύριός τινα γενναίως ἀποστρεφόμενον τὰς τοῦ βίου ἡδονὰς καὶ περισπασμοὺς καὶ μερίμνας ὑλικὰς καὶ δεσμοὺς γηΐνους καὶ ῥεμβασμοὺς λογισμῶν ματαίων, δίδωσι τὴν ἰδίαν τῆς χάριτος βοήθειαν, ἄπτωτον διατηρῶν τὴν ψυχὴν ἐκείνην διεξερχομένην καλῶς τὸν ἐνεστῶτα πονηρὸν αἰῶνα.

καὶ οὕτως ἡ ψυχὴ ἐπαίνων οὐρανίων παρὰ θεοῦ καὶ ἀγγέλων τεύξεται, ὅτι τὸν χιτῶνα τοῦ σώματος αὐτῆς καλῶς διεφύλαξε καὶ ἑαυτήν, ὅσον τὸ ἐν αὐτῇ δυνατόν, πᾶσαν ἐπιθυμίαν τοῦ κόσμου ἀποστραφεῖσα καὶ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ βοηθηθεῖσα τὸν δρόμον τοῦ σταδίου τοῦ κόσμου τούτου καλῶς διεξελήλυθεν. Εἰ δέ τις ἐν χαυνότητι καὶ ῥαθυμίᾳ μὴ προσεχόντως ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ πορεύεται καὶ ἐκ θελήματος ἰδίου οὐκ ἀποστρέφεται πᾶσαν ἐπιθυμίαν τοῦ κόσμου καὶ τὸν κύριον μόνον ἐν πάσῃ ἐπιθυμίᾳ ζητεῖ, εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας καὶ ὕλας τοῦ κόσμου τούτου περιπείρεται, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρὸς τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ὁ χιτὼν τοῦ σώματος παρακαίεται καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ βορβόρου τῶν ἡδονῶν σπιλοῦται, καὶ οὕτως ἀπαρρησίαστος ἡ ψυχὴ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως εὑρίσκεται, τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτῆς ἄσπιλον μὴ δυνηθεῖσα τηρῆσαι, ἀλλὰ καταφθείρασα αὐτὸ ταῖς ἀπάταις τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀπόβλητος τῆς βασιλείας γίνεται. τί γὰρ ποιήσει ὁ θεὸς τῷ θελήματι ἰδίῳ παραδιδόντι ἑαυτὸν τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ ἀπατωμένῳ ταῖς ἡδοναῖς αὐτοῦ ἢ ῥεμβασμοῖς ὑλικοῖς ἐκπλανωμένῳ; ἐκείνῳ γὰρ βοήθειαν δίδωσι τῷ ἀποστρεφομένῳ τὰς ὑλικὰς ἡδονὰς καὶ προτέρας συνηθείας καὶ βίᾳ τὴν διάνοιαν πάντοτε πρὸς κύριον ἕλκοντι ἀρνουμένῳ τε ἑαυτὸν καὶ τὸν κύριον μόνον ἐπιζητοῦντι. τοῦτον διατηρεῖ τὸν φυλασσόμενον πανταχόθεν ἐκ τῶν παγίδων καὶ βρόχων τῆς ὕλης τοῦ κόσμου, τὸν μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σωτηρίαν κατεργαζόμενον καὶ μετὰ πάσης προσεχείας διὰ τῶν παγίδων καὶ βρόχων καὶ ἐπιθυμιῶν τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου παρερχόμενον καὶ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου βοήθειαν ἐπιζητοῦντα καὶ τῷ ἐλέει αὐτοῦ διὰ τῆς χάριτος σῴζεσθαι ἐλπίζοντα. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ αἱ πέντε παρθένοι αἱ φρόνιμοι, νήψασαι καὶ γοργευσάμεναι τὸ ξένον τῆς ἑαυτῶν φύσεως, λαβοῦσαι τὸ ἔλαιον ἐν τοῖς ἀγγείοις τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν, τουτέστι τὴν ἄνωθεν χάριν τοῦ πνεύματος, ἠδυνήθησαν συνεισελθεῖν τῷ νυμφίῳ εἰς τὸν ἐπουράνιον νυμφῶνα. αἱ δὲ ἄλλαι, αἱ μωραί, αἱ ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ φύσει ἀπομείνασαι οὐκ ἔνηψαν καὶ ἐσπούδασαν δέξασθαι τὸ «ἔλαιον τῆς ἀγαλλιάσεως» ἐν τοῖς ἀγγείοις αὐτῶν, ὡς ἔτι ἐν σαρκὶ ἦσαν. ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἀπεκοιμήθησαν δι' ἀμέλειαν καὶ χαυνότητα καὶ ῥαθυμίαν καὶ ἀγνωσίαν ἢ καὶ οἴησιν δικαιοσύνης. διὸ καὶ τοῦ νυμφῶνος τῆς βασιλείας ἀπεκλείσθησαν μὴ δυνηθεῖσαι εὐαρεστῆσαι τῷ ἐπουρανίῳ νυμφίῳ.

δεσμῷ γὰρ κόσμου καὶ ἀγάπῃ τινὶ γηΐνῃ κατασχεθεῖσαι τὴν ἀγάπην αὐτῶν ὅλην καὶ τὸν ἔρωτα πρὸς τὸν οὐράνιον νυμφίον οὐκ ἔδωκαν οὔτε τὸ ἔλαιον ἐκομίσαντο. καὶ γὰρ αἱ τὸ ξένον τῆς φύσεως, τὸν ἁγιασμὸν τοῦ πνεύματος ζητοῦσαι ψυχαὶ ὅλην τὴν ἀγάπην αὐτῶν πρὸς κύριον ἀποδεσμοῦσι κἀκεῖ περιπατοῦσι κἀκεῖ εὔχονται κἀκεῖ λογίζονται, πάντα ἀποστρεφόμεναι. διὸ καταξιοῦνται λαβεῖν τὸ ἔλαιον τῆς ἐπουρανίου χάριτος καὶ οὕτως ἄπτωτοι διεξελθεῖν δύνανται, τελείως τῷ πνευματικῷ νυμφίῳ εὐαρεστοῦσαι. αἱ γὰρ εἰς τὴν φύσιν αὐτῶν ἀπομένουσαι ψυχαὶ τῷ λογισμῷ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἕρπουσιν, ἐπὶ γῆς λογίζονται, ἐπὶ γῆς τὴν δίαιταν ὁ νοῦς αὐτῶν ἔχει· καὶ τῷ μὲν δοκεῖν νομίζουσι τοῦ νυμφίου εἶναι καὶ δικαιώμασι κεκοσμῆσθαι σαρκός, ἄνωθεν δὲ ἐκ τοῦ πνεύματος οὐκ ἐγεννήθησαν, τὸ «ἔλαιον τῆς ἀγαλλιάσεως» μὴ δεξάμεναι. Αἱ γὰρ πέντε λογικαὶ αἰσθήσεις τῆς ψυχῆς, ἐὰν δέξωνται τὴν ἄνωθεν χάριν καὶ τὸν ἁγιασμὸν τοῦ πνεύματος, ἀληθῶς παρθένοι φρόνιμοι τυγχάνουσι, τὴν ἄνωθεν τῆς χάριτος δεξάμεναι φρόνησιν. εἰ δὲ εἰς τὴν φύσιν αὐτῶν μόνην ἀπομείνωσι, μωραὶ εὑρίσκονται καὶ τέκνα τοῦ κόσμου ἀποδείκνυνται· οὐκ ἀπεδύσαντο γὰρ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ κόσμου, κἂν τῷ δοκεῖν νομίζουσι δι' εὐλογοφανείας τινὰς καὶ σχῆμα τοῦ νυμφίου εἶναι νύμφαι. ὥσπερ γὰρ αἱ ὅλαι ἐξ ὅλου τῷ κυρίῳ προσκολλώμεναι ψυχαὶ ἐκεῖ εἰσι τῷ λογισμῷ κἀκεῖ εὔχονται κἀκεῖ περιπατοῦσι κἀκεῖ ἐπιποθοῦσιν εἰς τὴν τοῦ κυρίου ἀγάπην, οὕτω πάλιν ψυχαὶ αἱ ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ τοῦ κόσμου δεθεῖσαι καὶ ἐν τῇ γῇ τὴν δίαιταν ἔχειν βουλόμεναι ἐκεῖ περιπατοῦσι καὶ ἐκεῖ λογίζονται, ἐκεῖ ὁ νοῦς ἐνδιαιτᾶται· διὸ καὶ ἀμετάτρεπτοι πρὸς τὸ ἀγαθὸν φρόνημα τοῦ πνεύματος τυγχάνουσι. Ξένον οὖν τι τῆς φύσεως ἡμῶν (λέγω δὴ τὴν ἐπουράνιον χάριν) χρεὼν συστῆναι καὶ συμπλακῆναι τῇ φύσει ἡμῶν, ἵνα δυνηθῶμεν εἰς τὸν ἐπουράνιον νυμφῶνα τῆς βασιλείας τῷ κυρίῳ συνεισελθεῖν καὶ τῆς αἰωνίου σωτηρίας τυχεῖν.

ξένον γὰρ τῆς φύσεως ἡμῶν, τὴν κακίαν τῶν παθῶν, «διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς τοῦ πρώτου ἀνθρώπου» ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἐδεξάμεθα, ἣν καὶ ὥσπερ φύσιν ἡμῶν καταστᾶσαν συνηθείᾳ καὶ προλήψει πολλῇ διὰ τοῦ ξένου τῆς φύσεως ἡμῶν, τῆς ἐπουρανίου δωρεᾶς τοῦ πνεύματος, ἐξωσθῆναι πάλιν χρὴ καὶ εἰς τὴν ἀρχαίαν καθαρότητα ἀποκαταστῆναι. καὶ εἰ μὴ ἐκείνην τὴν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἀγάπην τοῦ πνεύματος δεξόμεθα νῦν ἐν πολλῇ αἰτήσει καὶ δεήσει καὶ πίστει καὶ προσευχῇ καὶ ἀποστροφῇ τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ προσκολληθῇ τῇ ἀγάπῃ, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὁ κύριος, καὶ ἁγιασθῇ ἡ μιανθεῖσα ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας φύσις ἡμῶν ὑπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης ἐκείνης τοῦ πνεύματος, καὶ ἕως τέλους διαμείνωμεν ἄπτωτοι ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ ἀκριβῶς ἀναστρεφόμενοι, τῆς ἐπουρανίου βασιλείας τυχεῖν οὐ δυνησόμεθα. Λεπτὸν δέ τινα λόγον καὶ βαθὺν κατὰ τὴν προσοῦσάν μοι δύναμιν εἰπεῖν βούλομαι· διὸ συνετῶς ἀκούσατε. ἐσωματοποίησεν ἑαυτὸν ὁ ἄπειρος καὶ ἀπρόσιτος καὶ ἀποίητος θεὸς δι' ἄπειρον καὶ ἀνεννόητον χρηστότητα, καὶ ὡς εἰπεῖν συνεσμίκρυνεν ἐκ τῆς ἀπροσίτου δόξης, ἵνα συνενωθῆναι δυνηθῇ τοῖς ἀοράτοις αὐτοῦ κτίσμασιν (οἷον ψυχαῖς ἁγίων καὶ ἀγγέλων λέγω), ἵνα δυνηθῶσι ζωῆς θεότητος μετασχεῖν. ἕκαστον γὰρ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν φύσιν σῶμά ἐστιν, ὁ ἄγγελος, ἡ ψυχή, ὁ δαίμων· ὅτι κἂν λεπτά ἐστιν, ὅμως ἐν ὑποστάσει καὶ χαρακτῆρι καὶ εἰκόνι κατὰ τὴν λεπτότητα τῆς φύσεως αὐτῶν σώματα τυγχάνει λεπτά. ὥσπερ ἐν ὑποστάσει τοῦτο τὸ σῶμα παχύ ἐστιν, οὕτω καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ λεπτὴ οὖσα περιέλαβε τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν δι' οὗ ὁρᾷ, τὸ οὖς δι' οὗ ἀκούει, ὁμοίως τὴν γλῶσσαν δι' ἧς λαλεῖ, τὴν χεῖρα, καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς πᾶν τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὰ μέλη αὐτοῦ περιλαβοῦσα ἡ ψυχὴ συγκέκραται, δι' οὗ ἀπεργάζεται πάντα τὰ τοῦ βίου ἐπιτηδεύματα. Τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ ὁ ἄπειρος καὶ ἀνεννόητος θεὸς τῇ χρηστότητι αὐτοῦ ἐσμίκρυνεν ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἐνεδύσατο τὰ μέλη τοῦ σώματος τούτου καὶ περιέλαβεν ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀπροσίτου δόξης, καὶ διὰ ἡμερότητα καὶ φιλανθρωπίαν μεταμορφούμενος σωματοποιεῖ ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀναμίγνυται καὶ παραλαμβάνει τὰς ἁγίας καὶ εὐαρέστους καὶ πιστὰς ψυχὰς καὶ γίγνεται μετ' αὐτῶν εἰς ἓν πνεῦμα κατὰ τὸ λόγιον Παύλου· ψυχὴ ὡς εἰπεῖν εἰς ψυχὴν καὶ ὑπόστασις εἰς ὑπόστασιν, ἵνα δυνηθῇ ἡ ψυχὴ ἐν τῇ θεότητι ζῆσαι καὶ αἰσθέσθαι ἀθανάτου ζωῆς, καὶ δόξης ἀφθάρτου μέτοχος γένηται ἥ γε ἀξία αὐτοῦ καὶ εὐάρεστος. εἰ γὰρ ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων εἰς τὸ εἶναι πεποίηκε τὴν ὁρωμένην κτίσιν τοιαύτην ἐν πολλῇ τινι διαφορᾷ καὶ ποικιλίᾳ, καὶ πρὶν γενέσθαι οὐκ ἦν, ἠθέλησε δὲ καὶ εὐκόλως ἐποίησεν ἐκ τῶν μὴ ὄντων ὑποστάσεις παχείας καὶ σκληράς (οἷον γῆν λέγω, ὄρη, δένδρα· ὁρᾷς οἵα σκληρότης φύσεως), καὶ πάλιν μέσα ὕδατα καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν γεννᾶσθαι πετεινὰ προσέταξε καὶ πάλιν λεπτότερα, πῦρ καὶ ἀνέμους, καὶ διὰ λεπτότητα μὴ ὁρώμενα τῷ τοῦ σώματος ὀφθαλμῷ.

Πῶς ἡ ἄπειρος καὶ ἀνεκδιήγητος τῆς πολυποικίλου σοφίας τοῦ θεοῦ τέχνη ἔκτισεν ἐκ μὴ ὄντων παχύτερα καὶ λεπτότερα καὶ ἁπαλώτερα σώματα ἐνυπόστατα τῷ θελήματι αὐτοῦ, πόσῳ μᾶλλον αὐτὸς ὢν ὡς θέλει καὶ ὃ θέλει διὰ χρηστότητα ἄφραστον καὶ ἀγαθότητα ἀνεννόητον μεταβάλλει καὶ σμικρύνει, καὶ ἐξομοιοῖ ἑαυτὸν σωματοποιῶν κατὰ χώρησιν ταῖς ἁγίαις καὶ ἀξίαις πισταῖς ψυχαῖς, ἵνα ὁραθῇ αὐταῖς ὁ ἀόρατος καὶ ψηλαφηθῇ κατὰ τὴν φύσιν τῆς λεπτότητος τῆς ψυχῆς ὁ ἀψηλάφητος, καὶ αἴσθωνται αὐτοῦ τῆς γλυκύτητος, καὶ τῆς χρηστότητος τοῦ φωτὸς τῆς ἀρρήτου ἀπολαύσεως αὐτῇ πείρᾳ ἀπολαύσωσιν. ὅτε βούλεται, πῦρ γίνεται πᾶν φαῦλον καὶ ἐπείσακτον πάθος τῆς ψυχῆς κατακαῖον· καὶ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν πῦρ καταναλίσκον φησίν. ὅτε βούλεται, ἀνάπαυσις ἄρρητος καὶ ἄφραστος, ἵνα ἀναπαῇ ἀναπαύσει θεότητος ἡ ψυχή· ὅτε βούλεται, χαρὰ καὶ εἰρήνη, θάλπων καὶ περιέπων αὐτήν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ εἰς ἓν τῶν κτισμάτων ἑαυτὸν ἀφομοιῶσαι βούλεται διὰ ἀγαλλίασιν καὶ εὐφροσύνην τῶν νοερῶν κτισμάτων, οἷον ἢ πόλις φωτὸς Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἢ ὄρος Σιὼν ἐπουράνιον, δύναται ὡς θέλει πάντα καθὼς εἴρηται· «ὑμεῖς δὲ προσεληλύθατε Σιὼν ὄρει καὶ πόλει θεοῦ ζῶντος, Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐπουρανίῳ». πάντα εὔκολα αὐτῷ ἐστι καὶ εὐχερῆ, εἰς ἃ θέλει, μεταμορφουμένῳ ταῖς ἀξίαις αὐτοῦ καὶ πισταῖς ψυχαῖς. μόνον τις ἀγωνιζέσθω φίλος καὶ εὐάρεστος αὐτῷ γίγνεσθαι, καὶ αὐτῇ πείρᾳ καὶ αἰσθήσει ὄψεται ἀγαθὰ ἐπουράνια καὶ τρυφὴν ἀνέκφραστον καὶ πλοῦτον ἄπειρον θεότητος, ἀληθῶς ἃ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδε καὶ οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσε καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη, τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ κυρίου, γιγνόμενον εἰς ἀνάπαυσιν τῶν ἀξίων ψυχῶν καὶ ἀγαλλίασιν καὶ τρυφὴν καὶ ζωὴν αἰώνιον. σωματοποιεῖ γὰρ ἑαυτὸν καὶ εἰς βρῶσιν καὶ πόσιν ὁ κύριος, καθὼς γέγραπται ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ· «ὁ τρώγων τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον ζήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα», ἵνα ἀναπαύσῃ ἀνεκλαλήτως καὶ ἐμπλήσῃ εὐφροσύνης πνευματικῆς τὴν ψυχήν· καὶ γάρ φησιν· ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς· ὁμοίως καὶ εἰς πόσιν νάματος ἐπουρανίου, καθώς φησιν· «ὁ πίνων ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος οὗ ἐγὼ δώσω αὐτῷ, γενήσεται ἐν αὐτῷ πηγὴ ὕδατος ἁλλομένου εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον», «καὶ πάντες» φησὶ «τὸ αὐτὸ πόμα ἐποτίσθημεν». Οὕτως ἑκάστῳ τῶν ἁγίων πατέρων ὤφθη ὡς ἠθέλησε καὶ ὡς συνέφερεν· ἄλλως τῷ Ἀβραάμ, ἄλλως τῷ Ἰσαάκ, ἄλλως τῷ Ἰακώβ, ἄλλωςτῷ Νῶε, τῷ ∆ανιήλ, τῷ ∆αβίδ, τῷ Σολομῶν, τῷ Ἠσαΐᾳ, καὶ ἑκάστῳ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν· ἄλλως τῷ Ἠλίᾳ, ἄλλως τῷ Μωϋσῇ.

καὶ ἐγὼ νομίζω, ὅτι Μωϋσῆς κατὰ πᾶσαν ὥραν ἐν τῷ ὄρει ἐν τῇ τῶν τεσσαράκοντα ἡμερῶν νηστείᾳ εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν πνευματικὴν τράπεζαν εἰσερχόμενος ἐνετρύφα καὶ ἀπέλαυεν. ἑκάστῳ οὖν τῶν ἁγίων ὡς ἠθέλησεν ὤφθη εἰς τὸ ἀναπαῦσαι καὶ σῶσαι καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν θεοῦ ἀγαγεῖν. πάντα γὰρ αὐτῷ εὐχερῆ ἐστιν ἃ βούλεται, καὶ ὡς θέλει σμικρύνων ἑαυτὸν σωματοποιεῖ καὶ μεταμορφοῦται ὀπτανόμενος τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτὸν ἐν ἀπροσίτῳ δόξῃ φωτός, κατὰ πολλὴν καὶ ἄφραστον ἀγάπην φανερούμενος τοῖς ἀξίοις κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ δύναμιν. ψυχὴ γὰρ ἡ καταξιωθεῖσα ἐν πολλῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ καὶ προσδοκίᾳ καὶ πίστει καὶ ἀγάπῃ δέξασθαι ἐκείνην τὴν ἐξ ὕψους δύναμιν, τὴν ἐπουράνιον τοῦ πνεύματος ἀγάπην καὶ τὸ ἐπουράνιον πῦρ τῆς ἀθανάτου ζωῆς λαβοῦσα, πάσης ἀγάπης κοσμικῆς ἐξ ἀληθείας λύεται καὶ παντὸς δεσμοῦ κακίας ἐλευθεροῦται. ὥσπερ γὰρ σίδηρος ἢ μόλιβδος ἢ χρυσὸς ἢ ἄργυρος ἐπὶ πῦρ βληθέντα λύεται ἐκ τῆς φύσεως τῆς σκληρᾶς, εἰς ἁπαλότητα μεταβαλλόμενα, καὶ ἐφ' ὅσον ἐν τῷ πυρὶ τυγχάνει, λύεται καὶ ἠλλοίωται τῆς φυσικῆς σκληρότητος διὰ τὴν τοῦ πυρὸς θερμὴν δύναμιν, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ἡ ψυχὴ ἀρνησαμένη τὸν κόσμον καὶ τὸν κύριον μόνον ποθήσασα ἐν πολλῇ ψυχῆς ζητήσει καὶ πόνῳ καὶ ἀγῶνι, καὶ τὴν προσδοκίαν ἀδιάλειπτον ἔχουσα πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐλπίδι καὶ πίστει καὶ δεξαμένη ἐκεῖνο τὸ ἐπουράνιον πῦρ τῆς θεότητος καὶ ἀγάπης τοῦ πνεύματος, τότε ἐξ ἀληθείας πάσης ἀγάπης κόσμου λύεται καὶ πάσης κακίας παθῶν ἐλευθεροῦται καὶ πάντα ἐκτὸς αὐτῆς ποιεῖται καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς φυσικῆς ἕξεως καὶ σκληρότητος τῆς ἁμαρτίας μεταβάλλεται, καὶ πάντα περισσὰ ἡγεῖται πρὸς μόνον τὸν ἐπουράνιον νυμφίον ὃν ἐδέξατο ἀναπαυομένη ἐν τῇ ζεούσῃ καὶ ἀρρήτῳ αὐτοῦ ἀγάπῃ. Λέγω σοι δέ, ὅτι αὐτοὺς τοὺς περιποθήτους ἀδελφούς, οὓς ἔχει πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν, ἐὰν ἐμποδίζωσιν ἀπ' ἐκείνης τῆς ἀγάπης, ὥσπερ εἰπεῖν ἀποστρέφεται· ἐκεῖνο γάρ ἐστιν αὐτῆς ζωὴ καὶ ἀνάπαυσις, ἡ τοῦ ἐπουρανίου βασιλέως μυστικὴ καὶ ἄρρητος κοινωνία. εἰ γὰρ σαρκικῆς κοινωνίας ἀγάπη χωρίζει πατρός, μητρός, ἀδελφῶν, καὶ πάντα ἐξώτερα αὐτῶν γίγνεται ἐν τῷ νῷ, καὶ εἰ ἀγαπᾷ, ἐξωτέρως ἀγαπᾷ, τὴν δὲ διάθεσιν αὐτοῦ πᾶσαν εἰς τὴν σύνοικον αὐτοῦ κέκτηται, «ἀντὶ τούτου» γάρ φησι «καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα καὶ προσκολληθήσεται τῇ γυναικί, καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν». εἰ οὖν ἡ τῆς σαρκὸς ἀγάπη οὕτω λύει πάσης ἀγάπης, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὅσοι κατηξιώθησαν ἐκείνου τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ ἐπουρανίου καὶ ἀγαπητοῦ πνεύματος, ἐξ ἀληθείας κοινωνῆσαι πάσης ἀγάπης κόσμου λυθήσονται καὶ πάντα περισσὰ αὐτοῖς καταφανήσεται τῷ νενικῆσθαι αὐτοὺς τῷ οὐρανίῳ πόθῳ καὶ τῇ τρώσει αὐτοῦ ἡνῶσθαι.

ἐκεῖ γὰρ ἐπιποθοῦσιν, ἐκεῖ λογίζονται, ἐκεῖ ζῶσιν, ἐκεῖ οἱ λογισμοὶ αὐτῶν περιπατοῦσιν, ἐκεῖ ὁ νοῦς πάντοτε τὴν διατριβὴν ἔχει νενικημένος τῷ θείῳ καὶ οὐρανίῳ ἔρωτι καὶ πόθῳ πνευματικῷ. Τὸ λοιπόν, ὢ ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοί, τοιούτων ἀγαθῶν προκειμένων καὶ τοσούτων ἐπαγγελιῶν ἡμῖν ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου ἐπηγγελμένων πάντα τὰ ἐμπόδια ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν ἀπορρίψωμεν καὶ πᾶσαν ἀγάπην τοῦ κόσμου ἀποστραφῶμεν καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνο μόνον τὸ ἀγαθὸν τῇ ζητήσει καὶ πόθῳ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδῶμεν, ἵνα δυνηθῶμεν τυχεῖν ἐκείνης τῆς ἀρρήτου ἀγάπης τοῦ πνεύματος, περὶ ἧς ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος παρῄνεσε σπεύδειν ἡμᾶς πρὸς αὐτὴν λέγων· διώκετε τὴν ἀγάπην, ἵνα δυνηθῶμεν ἐκ τῆς σκληρότητος ἡμῶν τῆς ἀλλοιώσεως τῆς δεξιᾶς τοῦ ὑψίστου καταξιωθῆναι καὶ εἰς ἡμερότητα καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν πνευματικὴν ἐλθεῖν, ἔρωτι θείου πνεύματος τρωθέντες. ὁ γὰρ κύριος πολὺ φιλανθρωπεύεται σπλαγχνιζόμενος, πότε ἐπιστρέψομεν ὅλοι ἐξ ὅλου πρὸς αὐτόν, πάντων τῶν ἐναντίων ἑαυτοὺς ἐξαίροντες. εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς διὰ πολλὴν ἀγνωσίαν καὶ νηπιότητα καὶ πρόληψιν κακίας ἀποστρεφόμεθα τὴν ζωὴν καὶ ἐμπόδια πολλὰ τιθέαμεν ἑαυτοῖς μὴ βουλόμενοι ἐξ ἀληθείας μετανοεῖν, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς πολὺ σπλαγχνίζεται ἐφ' ἡμᾶς μακροθυμῶν, πότε ἐπιστρέψαντες προσέλθωμεν πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ τὸν ἔσω ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπον φωτισθῶμεν, ἵνα μὴ καταισχυνθῶσι τὰ πρόσωπα ἡμῶν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως. Εἰ δὲ καὶ δύσκολον ἡμῖν καταφαίνεται διὰ τὴν σκληρὰν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἄσκησιν, μᾶλλον δὲ διὰ τὴν ὑπόθεσιν καὶ συμβουλίαν τοῦ ἀντικειμένου, ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς σπλαγχνίζεται καὶ μακροθυμεῖ ἐκδεχόμενος τὴν ἡμετέραν ἐπιστροφήν, καὶ ἁμαρτανόντων ἡμῶν ἀνέχεται· ἀνέχεται ἀναμένων τὴν μετάνοιαν ἡμῶν, καὶ πίπτοντας ἡμᾶς οὐκ ἐπαισχύνεται πάλιν δέχεσθαι, καθὼς εἶπεν ὁ προφήτης· μὴ ὁ πίπτων οὐκ ἀνίσταται; ἢ ὁ ἀποστρέφων οὐκ ἐπιστρέφει; μόνον ἡμεῖς διανήψωμεν ἔννοιαν ἀγαθὴν κτησάμενοι καὶ ἐπιστρέψωμεν εὐθέως καὶ ὀρθῶς βοήθειαν παρ' αὐτοῦ ἐπιζητοῦντες· καὶ αὐτὸς ἕτοιμός ἐστι σῶσαι ἡμᾶς. ἐκδέχεται γὰρ τοῦ θελήματος ἡμῶν τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν ζέουσαν ὁρμὴν (ὅσον ἔχομεν δυνάμεως) καὶ τὴν ἐκ προαιρέσεως ἀγαθῆς πίστιν καὶ προθυμίαν· τὴν δὲ κατόρθωσιν πᾶσαν αὐτὸς ἐν ἡμῖν ἐργάζεται. σπουδάσωμεν τοίνυν, ἀγαπητοί, ὡς τέκνα θεοῦ ἀποδυσάμενοι πᾶσαν πρόληψιν καὶ ἀμέλειαν καὶ χαύνωσιν γενναῖοι καὶ ἕτοιμοι γενέσθαι ἀκολουθεῖν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ μὴ ἀναβαλλόμενοι ἡμέραν ἐξ ἡμέρας, ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας ὑποκλεπτόμενοι· οὐ γὰρ οἴδαμεν, πότε ἡ ἀπὸ τῆς σαρκὸς ἡμῶν ἔξοδος γίνεται. μεγάλαι γὰρ καὶ ἄρρητοί εἰσιν αἱ τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐπαγγελίαι τοσοῦτον, ὅτι μιᾶς ψυχῆς πίστει καὶ πλούτῳ οὐκ ἀναλογεῖ πᾶσα ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κάλλος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἡ λοιπὴ διακόσμησίς τε καὶ ποικιλία καὶ ὡραιότης καὶ πλοῦτος καὶ τρυφὴ τῶν ὁρωμένων.

Πῶς τοίνυν οὐ θελήσομεν τοσαύταις προτροπαῖς καὶ ἐπαγγελίαις τοῦ κυρίου ὅλοι ἐξ ὅλου προσελθεῖν καὶ ἐκδότους ἑαυτοὺς αὐτῷ καταστῆσαι, ἀρνησάμενοι κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον μετὰ πάντων καὶ τὴν ἑαυτῶν ψυχήν, καὶ μόνον αὐτὸν ἀγαπῆσαι καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ ἄλλο οὐδέν; ἀλλ' ἰδοὺ καὶ ταῦτα πάντα, καὶ πόση δόξα ἐδόθη, πόσαι οἰκονομίαι τοῦ κυρίου ἀπὸ πατέρων καὶ προφητῶν γεγόνασι, πόσαι ἐπαγγελίαι ἐπηγγέλθησαν, πόσαι προτροπαί, πόση εὐσπλαγχνία τοῦ δεσπότου ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐφ' ἡμᾶς γέγονεν. ἔσχατον δὲ καὶ διὰ τῆς ἰδίας ἐπιδημίας τὴν ἄρρητον χρηστότητα ἐφ' ἡμᾶς διὰ τῆς σταυρώσεως ἐπεδείξατο, ἵνα ἡμᾶς εἰς ζωὴν μετενέγκῃ ἐπιστρέψαντας. καὶ ἡμεῖς τῶν θελημάτων ἡμῶν καὶ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ κόσμου καὶ τῶν προλήψεων καὶ συνηθειῶν κακῶν οὐκ ἀναχωροῦμεν; διὸ ὀλιγόπιστοι ἢ καὶ ἄπιστοι δεικνύμεθα. καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις πᾶσιν ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς χρηστεύεται, ἀοράτως φρουρῶν καὶ περιθάλπων, μὴ κατὰ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα παραδιδοὺς ἡμᾶς εἰς τέλος τῇ κακίᾳ καὶ τῇ τοῦ κόσμου ἀπάτῃ ἀφιὼν ἡμᾶς ἀπολέσθαι, διὰ πολλὴν χρηστότητα καὶ μακροθυμίαν ἀποσκοπῶν, πότε πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπιστρέψομεν. Ἀλλὰ δέδοικα μήποτε τὸ τοῦ ἀποστόλου ῥητὸν πληρωθῇ εἰς ἡμᾶς τῇ καταφρονητικῇ ἐννοίᾳ συζῶντας καὶ ταῖς προλήψεσι συναπαγομένους, τὸ λέγον· ἢ τοῦ πλούτου τῆς χρηστότητος αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς ἀνοχῆς καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας καταφρονεῖς, ἀγνοῶν ὅτι τὸ χρηστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς μετάνοιάν σε ἄγει; εἰ δὲ τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ καὶ τῇ χρηστότητι καὶ τῇ ἀνοχῇ αὐτοῦ πλείονα προστιθέαμεν ἁμαρτήματα καὶ κατακρίσεις μείζους διὰ τῆς ἀμελείας καὶ καταφρονήσεως ἡμῶν ἑαυτοῖς πορισόμεθα, πληρωθήσεται τὸ λόγιον· «κατὰ δὲ τὴν σκληρότητά σου καὶ ἀμετανόητον καρδίαν θησαυρίζεις σεαυτῷ ὀργὴν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὀργῆς καὶ ἀποκαλύψεως τῆς δικαιοκρισίας τοῦ θεοῦ». πολλῇ γὰρ ἀγαθότητι ἀνεκδιηγήτῳ καὶ μακροθυμίᾳ ἀνεκφράστῳ κέχρηται ὁ θεὸς περὶ τὸ γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων, μόνον ἡμεῖς διανῆψαι θελήσωμεν καὶ ἐξ ὅλου ἐπιστραφῆναι πρὸς αὐτὸν σπουδάσωμεν, ἵνα σωτηρίας τυχεῖν δυνηθῶμεν. Εἰ δὲ βούλει ἐπιγνῶναι τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ μακροθυμίαν καὶ τὴν πολλὴν χρηστότητα, ἀπὸ τῶν θεοπνεύστων γραφῶν καταμάθωμεν. ἀπόβλεψον εἰς τὸν Ἰσραήλ, ἐξ ὧν οἱ πατέρες, οἷς αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι ὡρίσθησαν, ἐξ ὧν ὁ Χριστὸς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα, οἷς αἱ λατρεῖαι καὶ διαθήκη.

πόσα ἥμαρτον, ποσάκις ἐξετράπησαν, καὶ αὐτὸς οὐκ εἴασεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τέλος, ἀλλὰ πρόσκαιρον χρόνον πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον αὐτοῖς παιδείαις παρεδίδου, τὸ σκληρὸν τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν διὰ τῆς θλίψεως μαλάξαι βουλόμενος ἐπέστρεφε, παρεκάλει, προφήτας ἀπέστελλε. καὶ πόσοις χρόνοις ἐμακροθύμει ἁμαρτανόντων καὶ προσκοπτόντων αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπιστρέφοντας μετὰ χαρᾶς προσεδέχετο, καὶ πάλιν ἐκτρεπομένων αὐτῶν αὐτὸς οὐκ ἀφίστατο, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῶν προφητῶν εἰς ἐπιστροφὴν αὐτοὺς μετεκαλεῖτο. καὶ πλεονάκις ἐκτραπέντων καὶ ἐπιστρεφομένων ἡδέως ἀντείχετο καὶ φιλανθρώπως προσεδέχετο, ἕως οὗ ὕστερον ἐν τῷ μεγάλῳ παραπτώματι εὑρέθησαν, χεῖρας ἐπιβαλόντες ἐπὶ τὸν ἴδιον δεσπότην, ὃν προσεδόκων διὰ παραδόσεων πατέρων καὶ προφητῶν ἁγίων λυτρωτὴν καὶ σωτῆρα καὶ βασιλέα καὶ προφήτην. ἐλθόντα γὰρ οὐ παρεδέξαντο, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον πολλὰ αὐτῷ ἐνδειξάμενοι ἀτιμίας ἄξια ὕστερον σταυρῷ θανάτου ἐτιμωρήσαντο, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μεγάλῳ προσκόμματι καὶ ὑπερβάλλοντι παραπτώματι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῶν ὑπερπληθύνασαι ἀνεπληρώθησαν. καὶ οὕτω λοιπὸν εἰς τέλος ἀφείθησαν, τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἐκεῖθεν ἀναχωρήσαντος, ὅτε τὸ καταπέτασμα τοῦ ναοῦ ἐσχίσθη καὶ οὕτως αὐτῶν ὁ ναὸς ἔθνεσι παραδοθεὶς κατεσκάφη καὶ ἠρημώθη κατὰ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου ἀπόφασιν· «οὐ μὴ μείνῃ λίθος ἐπὶ λίθον ὧδε ὃς οὐ καταλυθήσεται», καὶ οὕτως εἰς τέλος παρεδόθησαν τοῖς ἔθνεσι καὶ διεσκορπίσθησαν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ, ὑπὸ τῶν αἰχμαλωτισάντων αὐτοὺς τότε βασιλέων μηκέτι εἰς τοὺς ἰδίους ἀνακάμψαι τόπους κελευσθέντες. Οὕτως οὖν καὶ νῦν ἐφ' ἑκάστῳ ἡμῶν χρηστὸς ὢν καὶ ἀγαθὸς μακροθυμεῖ, ὁρῶν πόσα ἕκαστος προσκόπτει, καὶ ἡσυχάζει ἐκδεχόμενος, πότε διανήψει καὶ ἀποστραφήσεται τοῦ μηκέτι προσκόπτειν, ἐν πολλῇ ἀγάπῃ καὶ χαρᾷ τὸν ἐπιστρέφοντα ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας δεχόμενος· «οὕτως» γάρ φησι «χαρὰ γίνεται ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι», καὶ πάλιν· «οὐκ ἔστι θέλημα τοῦ πατρός μου, ἵνα ἀπόληται εἷς τῶν μικρῶν τούτων τῶν ἐλαχίστων». εἰ δέ τις τῆς χρηστότητος καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας τοῦ θεοῦ πολλῆς ἐπικειμένης ἐπ' αὐτόν, μὴ ἐπεξερχομένου εἰς ἄμυναν τοῖς κατὰ μέρος τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων προσκόμμασιν εἴτε κρυπτοῖς εἴτε φανεροῖς, ὁρῶντος καὶ ἡσυχάζοντος ὡς εἰς μετάνοιαν ἐκδεχομένου τοῦ θεοῦ, αὐτὸς εἰς καταφρόνησιν πολλὴν ἐλθὼν ἁμαρτήματα προστίθησιν ἐπὶ ἁμαρτήματα, καὶ ῥαθυμίαν ἐπὶ ῥαθυμίᾳ συνάπτει καὶ πρόσκομμα ἐπὶ πρόσκομμα οἰκοδομεῖ, πληροῖ τοὺς ὅρους τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ εἰς τοιοῦτον λοιπὸν πρόσκομμα ἔρχεται, ἐξ οὗ οὐκέτι δύναται ἀνανεῦσαι, ἀλλὰ συντρίβεται καὶ εἰς τέλος τῷ πονηρῷ παραδοθεὶς ἀπόλλυται. Οὕτως ἐπὶ Σοδόμων γέγονε· πολλὰ γὰρ ἁμαρτάνοντες καὶ οὐκ ἐπιστρέφοντες ὕστερον οὕτω προσέκοψαν, ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν ἀγγέλων κακῇ βουλῇ ἀρρενοκοιτίαν εἰς αὐτοὺς ἐργάσασθαι θελήσαντες, ὥστε μηκέτι αὐτοὺς ἔχειν μετάνοιαν, ἀλλ' εἰς τέλος ἀπεδοκιμάσθησαν.

ἀνεπλήρωσαν γὰρ τὸν ὅρον τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ ὑπερέβησαν· διὸ καὶ πυρίκαυστοι ὑπὸ τῆς θείας δίκης γεγόνασιν. οὕτως καὶ ἐπὶ Νῶε γέγονε· πολλὰ προσκόπτοντες καὶ μὴ μετανοοῦντες εἰς τηλικαῦτα ἁμαρτήματα ἔφθασαν, ὥστε εἰς τέλος πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν καταφθαρῆναι. οὕτως ἐπὶ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων πολλὰ προσκοψάντων καὶ εἰς τὸν λαὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ἁμαρτησάντων ἐχρηστεύετο ὁ θεὸς μὴ τοιαύτας αὐτοῖς μάστιγας ἐπιφέρειν, ὥστε εἰς τέλος αὐτοὺς διαφθεῖραι, ἀλλ' εἰς παιδείαν καὶ ἐπιστροφὴν καὶ μετάνοιαν ἔφερεν αὐτοῖς ἐκείνας τὰς μικρὰς πληγὰς τῶν μαστίγων, μακροθυμῶν καὶ εἰς μετάνοιαν αὐτοὺς ἐκδεχόμενος. οἱ δὲ πολλὰ ἁμαρτήσαντες εἰς τὸν λαὸν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐπιστρέφοντες καὶ πάλιν μεταμελόμενοι καὶ εἰς τὴν ἀρχαίαν ἀπιστίαν τῆς κακῆς προαιρέσεως καθιστάμενοι καὶ τὸν λαὸν τοῦ θεοῦ καταπονήσαντες, ὕστερον ὅτε διὰ θαυμασίων πολλῶν ὁ θεὸς τὸν λαὸν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου διὰ Μωσέως ἐξέβαλε, μέγα προσέκοψαν καταδιώξαντες ὀπίσω τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ. διὸ καὶ εἰς τέλος ἡ θεία δίκη τούτους ἀνάλωσε καὶ διέφθειρε καὶ ἐν τοῖς ὕδασι κατεπόντισε μηδὲ τῆς ὁρωμένης ζωῆς ἀξίους κρίνασα. Ὁμοίως ὁ Ἰσραήλ, ὡς προείρηται, πολλὰ προσκόπτων καὶ ἁμαρτάνων, τοὺς προφήτας τοῦ θεοῦ ἀποκτένων καὶ ἄλλα πολλὰ κακὰ ποιῶν, ἐπεὶ ὁ θεὸς ἐμακροθύμει ἡσυχάζων καὶ εἰς μετάνοιαν αὐτοὺς ἐκδεχόμενος. ἔσχατον οὕτω προσέκοψαν, ὅθεν συντριβέντες οὐκέτι ἠγέρθησαν· εἰς τὸ δεσποτικὸν γὰρ ἀξίωμα τὰς ἑαυτῶν χεῖρας ἐπέβαλον. διὸ καὶ εἰς τέλος καταλειφθέντες ἀπεβλήθησαν, καὶ ἤρθη ἀπ' αὐτῶν ἡ προφητεία καὶ ἡ ἱερατεία καὶ ἡ λατρεία καὶ ἐδόθη τοῖς πιστεύσασιν ἔθνεσιν, ὥς φησιν ὁ κύριος· «ἀρθήσεται ἀφ' ὑμῶν ἡ βασιλεία καὶ δοθήσεται ἔθνει ποιοῦντι τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς».

μέχρι γὰρ τότε ἠνείχετο αὐτῶν καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἐμακροθύμει καὶ οὐκ ἀφίστατο, σπλαγχνιζόμενος ἐπ' αὐτούς. ὅτε δὲ ἀνεπλήρωσαν τὸν ὅρον τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ ὑπερεπλεόνασαν, εἰς τὸ δεσποτικὸν ἀξίωμα τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν ἐπιβαλόντες, εἰς τέλος ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ κατελείφθησαν. Ταῦτα δὲ διὰ πλειόνων διεξήλθομεν, ἀγαπητοί, ἀπὸ γραφικῶν ἐννοιῶν συνιστῶντες τὸ δεῖν ἡμᾶς ἐπιστρέφειν τάχιον καὶ σπεύδειν πρὸς τὸν κύριον χρηστευόμενον καὶ ἐκδεχόμενον ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης πονηρίας καὶ προλήψεως κακῆς τελείως ἀναχωροῦντας καὶ ἐπιστρέφοντας μετὰ πολλῆς χαρᾶς προσδεχόμενον, ἵνα μὴ ἐπαυξήσῃ ἡ καταφρόνησις ἡμῶν ἡμέραν ἐξ ἡμέρας καὶ τὰ προσκόμματα τιθέμενα πλεονάσῃ εἰς ἡμᾶς καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὴν ὀργὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπενέγκωμεν ἑαυτοῖς. σπουδάσωμεν τοίνυν ἐπιστραφέντες ἐν ἀληθινῇ καρδίᾳ προσελθεῖν αὐτῷ, μὴ ἀπελπίζοντες τὴν σωτηρίαν· ὅπερ καὶ αὐτὸ τῆς κακίας πανουργία τυγχάνει, ὑπομνήσει προλαβουσῶν ἁμαρτιῶν εἰς ἀπελπισμὸν φέρουσα τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ εἰς χαύνωσιν καὶ ὀλιγωρίαν καὶ ῥαθυμίαν, ἵνα μὴ ἐπιστρέψας καὶ προσελθὼν τῷ κυρίῳ σωτηρίας τύχῃ, πολλῆς χρηστότητος τοῦ κυρίου ἐπικειμένης τῷ ἀνθρωπίνῳ γένει. Εἰ δὲ ὥσπερ δύσκολον ἡμῖν καταφαίνεται καὶ ἀδύνατον ἐκ πολλῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἐπιστρέψαι ὡς προειλημμένους (ὅπερ ὡς προειρήκαμεν ὑπόθεσις τυγχάνει τῆς κακίας καὶ τῆς σωτηρίας ἡμῶν ἐμπόδιον), μνημονεύσωμεν καὶ ἀπίδωμεν, πῶς ὁ κύριος ἐπιδημήσας τῇ ἀγαθότητι αὐτοῦ τυφλοὺς ἀναβλέψαι ἐποίησε, παραλυτικοὺς ἐθεράπευσε, πᾶσαν νόσον ἰάσατο, νεκροὺς τοὺς εἰς διαφθορὰν καὶ ἀφανισμὸν ἤδη τυγχάνοντας ἀνέστησε, κωφοὺς ἀκοῦσαι πεποίηκε, λεγεῶνα δαιμόνων ἀπὸ ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐξέβαλε καὶ εἰς σωφροσύνην κατέστησε τὸν εἰς τοσαύτην μανίαν κεχωρηκότα. πόσῳ οὖν μᾶλλον ψυχὴν ἐπιστρέφουσαν πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ παρ' αὐτοῦ τὸ ἔλεος ἐπιζητοῦσαν καὶ δεομένην τῆς αὐτοῦ βοηθείας οὐκ ἐπιστρέψει καὶ εἰς εὐφροσύνην ἀπαθείας καὶ κατάστασιν πάσης ἀρετῆς καὶ νοὸς ἀνακαινισμὸν ἐνέγκῃ καὶ μεταβάλῃ εἰς ὑγιότητα καὶ ἀνάβλεψιν διανοίας καὶ λογισμὸν εἰρήνης, ἀπὸ τῆς τυφλώσεως καὶ κωφώσεως καὶ νεκρώσεως τῆς ἀπιστίας καὶ ἀγνωσίας καὶ ἀφοβίας εἰς σωφρονισμὸν ἀρετῆς καὶ καθαρότητα καρδίας ἐνεγκών· ὁ γὰρ κτίσας τὸ σῶμα αὐτὸς καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν πεποίηκε. καὶ ὥσπερ ἐπιδημήσας ἐν τῇ γῇ τοῖς προσερχομένοις καὶ ζητοῦσι τὴν παρ' αὐτοῦ βοήθειαν καὶ ἴασιν ἀφθόνως τῇ χρηστότητι αὐτοῦ παρείχετο καθὼς ἔχρῃζον, ὡς ἀγαθὸς καὶ μόνος ἰατρός, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν πνευματικῶν. εἰ γὰρ ἐπὶ τὰ λυόμενα καὶ ἀποθνῄσκοντα πάλιν σώματα οὕτως ἐσπλαγχνίσθη καὶ ἑκάστῳ ὃ ἐπεζήτει πεποίηκε προθύμως καὶ χρηστῶς, πόσῳ μᾶλλον τῇ ἀθανάτῳ ψυχῇ καὶ ἀδιαλύτῳ καὶ ἀφθάρτῳ, τυγχανούσῃ ἐν νόσῳ ἀγνοίας (τῆς κακίας ἀπιστίας τε καὶ ἀφοβίας καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν τῆς ἁμαρτίας παθῶν), προσερχομένῃ δὲ τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ τὴν παρ' αὐτοῦ βοήθειαν ἐπιζητούσῃ καὶ εἰς τὸ αὐτοῦ ἔλεος ἀποσκοπούσῃ καὶ τὴν χάριν τοῦ πνεύματος παρ' αὐτοῦ δέξασθαι ἐπιθυμούσῃ εἰς λύτρωσιν καὶ σωτηρίαν αὐτῆς καὶ πάσης κακίας καὶ παντὸς πάθους ἀπαλλαγήν, οὐ δωρήσεται τάχιον καὶ ἑτοιμοτέρως τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν τῆς ἰάσεως; κατὰ τὸν αὐτοῦ λόγον· «πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὁ οὐράνιος πατὴρ ποιήσει τὴν ἐκδίκησιν τῶν βοώντων πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός», καὶ ἐπάγει λέγων· «ναὶ λέγω ὑμῖν, ποιήσει τὴν ἐκδίκησιν αὐτῶν ἐν τάχει».

καὶ πάλιν ἐν ἑτέρῳ παραινεῖ· αἰτεῖτε, καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν· ζητεῖτε, καὶ εὑρήσετε· κρούετε, καὶ ἀνοιγήσεται ὑμῖν. πᾶς γὰρ ὁ αἰτῶν λαμβάνει, καὶ ὁ ζητῶν εὑρίσκει, καὶ τῷ κρούοντι ἀνοιγήσεται, καὶ διεξελθὼν ἐπιφέρει «πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος δώσει πνεῦμα ἅγιον τοῖς αἰτοῦσιν αὐτόν», «ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, εἰ καὶ διὰ τὸ εἶναι φίλον αὐτοῦ μὴ δώσει αὐτῷ, διά γε τὴν ἀναίδειαν αὐτοῦ δώσει αὐτῷ ἀναστὰς ὅσον χρῄζει». Ἀναιδῶς οὖν καὶ ἀδιαλείπτως καὶ ἀπερικακήτως αἰτεῖν ἡμᾶς τὴν παρ' αὐτοῦ τῆς χάριτος ἀντίληψιν διὰ τούτων πάντων προετρέψατο. διὰ γὰρ τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἦλθεν, ἵνα ἐπιστρέψῃ πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ ἰάσηται τοὺς πιστεύοντας αὐτῷ. μόνον ἡμεῖς τῶν κακῶν προλήψεων ἀποστήσωμεν ἑαυτούς, ὅσον τὸ ἐν ἡμῖν δυνατόν, καὶ μισήσωμεν τὰ φαῦλα ἐπιτηδεύματα καὶ τὰς τοῦ κόσμου ἀπάτας, καὶ τοὺς πονηροὺς καὶ ματαίους λογισμοὺς ἀποστραφῶμεν καὶ πάντοτε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὅση δύναμις προσκολληθῶμεν. καὶ αὐτὸς ἑτοίμως ποιεῖ ἡμῖν τὴν παρ' αὐτοῦ βοήθειαν· εἰς τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν ἐλεῶν καὶ ζωοποιῶν καὶ ἰώμενος τὰ ἀνίατα πάθη καὶ λύτρωσιν ποιῶν τοῖς ἐπικαλουμένοις αὐτὸν καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπιστρέφουσι πάσης κοσμικῆς ἀγάπης ὅση δύναμις ἐκ θελήματος καὶ προαιρέσεως ἀναχωροῦσι καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν ἀπὸ γῆς ἕλκουσι καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν τῇ ζητήσει καὶ ἐπιποθήσει ἀποκρεμαμένοις. ἡ τοιαύτη ψυχὴ τῆς παρ' αὐτοῦ βοηθείας ἀξιοῦται ἡ πάντα περισσὰ ἡγουμένη καὶ ἐπὶ μηδενὶ τοῦ κόσμου ἀναπαυομένη, ἀλλ' εἰς τὴν αὐτοῦ ἀνάπαυσιν τῆς χρηστότητος ἀναπαῆναι καὶ εὐφρανθῆναι ἐκδεχομένη. καὶ οὕτως διὰ τῆς τοιαύτης πίστεως ἐπιτυχοῦσα τῆς ἐπουρανίου δωρεᾶς καὶ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν αὐτῆς ἐν πληροφορίᾳ διὰ τῆς χάριτος ἀναπαύσασα καὶ λοιπὸν συμφώνως καὶ ἀκολούθως τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ διακονήσασα καὶ ὁσημέραι εἰς τὸ ἀγαθὸν προκόπτουσα καὶ εἰς τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἐμμένουσα καὶ εἰς τὸ τέλος ἄκαμπτος καὶ ἀσυνδύαστος εἰς τὸ κακίας μέρος διαμείνασα καὶ τὴν χάριν ἐν μηδενὶ λυπήσασα τῆς αἰωνίου σωτηρίας σὺν πᾶσι τοῖς ἁγίοις καταξιοῦται, ἅτε δὴ κοινωνὸς καὶ σύνδρομος κατὰ μίμησιν αὐτῶν ἐν κόσμῳ ἀναστραφεῖσα.

ἀμήν.

Scripture echoes

↩2Tim.4.10;Titus.2.12 — For Demas has deserted me, having loved this present age, and has gone to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Titus.2.12 — training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age
↩Isa.33.15 — Whoever walks in righteousness and speaks uprightly, who refuses gain from oppression, who shakes his hands free from holding a bribe, who stops his ear from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking upon evil —
↩Ps.34.13;1Pet.3.10;Jas.1.26 — Who is the person who desires life, who loves many days, that he may see good? 1Pet.3.10 — For the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. Jas.1.26 — If anyone thinks he is religious but does not bridle his own tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is worthless.
↩Prov.4.23 — Above all else, guard your heart, for from it flow the springs of life.
↩Gal.1.4 — who gave himself for our sins, so that he might rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
↩1Cor.9.24;Heb.12.1 — Do you not know that those who run in a stadium all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. Heb.12.1 — Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race set before us.
↩Matt.25.10-Matt.25.12 — But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and the ready ones went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. Matt.25.11 — Afterward the other virgins also come, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.' Matt.25.12 — But he answered, 'Truly, I tell you, I do not know you.'
↩Matt.13.22;Mark.4.18-Mark.4.19 — And the one sown among thorns—this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the age and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Mark.4.18 — And others are those sown among the thorns. These are the ones who have heard the word, Mark.4.19 — and the worries of this age, and the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
↩Matt.16.24;Mark.8.34 — Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Mark.8.34 — And calling the crowd with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
↩Phil.2.12 — Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
↩Matt.25.1-Matt.25.10 — Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Matt.25.2 — Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. Matt.25.3 — For the foolish ones took their lamps, but took no oil with them. Matt.25.4 — but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps Matt.25.5 — While the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. Matt.25.6 — But at midnight a cry has gone out: 'Look! The bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Matt.25.7 — Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. Matt.25.8 — The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' Matt.25.9 — But the prudent ones answered, saying, 'No — there will not be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' Matt.25.10 — But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and the ready ones went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut.
↩Ps.45.7;Heb.1.9 — Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness. Heb.1.9 — You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.
↩Matt.25.1-Matt.25.13 — Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Matt.25.2 — Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. Matt.25.3 — For the foolish ones took their lamps, but took no oil with them. Matt.25.4 — but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps Matt.25.5 — While the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. Matt.25.6 — But at midnight a cry has gone out: 'Look! The bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Matt.25.7 — Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. Matt.25.8 — The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' Matt.25.9 — But the prudent ones answered, saying, 'No — there will not be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' Matt.25.10 — But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and the ready ones went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. Matt.25.11 — Afterward the other virgins also come, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.' Matt.25.12 — But he answered, 'Truly, I tell you, I do not know you.' Matt.25.13 — Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
↩Matt.25.5 — While the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
↩Ps.45.7;Heb.1.9 — Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness. Heb.1.9 — You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.
↩John.3.3-John.3.8 — Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John.3.4 — Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?" John.3.5 — Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. John.3.6 — What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. John.3.7 — Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' John.3.8 — The Spirit blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.
↩Matt.25.1-Matt.25.13 — Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Matt.25.2 — Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. Matt.25.3 — For the foolish ones took their lamps, but took no oil with them. Matt.25.4 — but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps Matt.25.5 — While the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. Matt.25.6 — But at midnight a cry has gone out: 'Look! The bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Matt.25.7 — Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. Matt.25.8 — The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' Matt.25.9 — But the prudent ones answered, saying, 'No — there will not be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' Matt.25.10 — But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and the ready ones went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. Matt.25.11 — Afterward the other virgins also come, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.' Matt.25.12 — But he answered, 'Truly, I tell you, I do not know you.' Matt.25.13 — Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
↩Luke.16.8;1Cor.2.12 — And the master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the people of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the people of light. 1Cor.2.12 — Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that comes from God, so that we may understand the things freely given to us by God.
↩Deut.10.20;1Cor.6.17 — You shall fear the LORD your God; Him you shall serve, and to Him you shall hold fast, and by His name you shall swear. 1Cor.6.17 — But the one who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.
↩Rom.5.19 — For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
↩1Cor.6.17 — But the one who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.
↩Gen.1.20 — And God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens."
↩Deut.4.24;Heb.12.29 — For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. Heb.12.29 — For our God is a consuming fire.
↩Heb.12.22 — But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,
↩1Cor.2.9;Isa.64.4 — But as it is written: What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived—all that God has prepared for those who love him. Isa.64.4 — You meet those who rejoice and do righteousness; in your ways they remember you. But behold, you were angry, and we sinned — in those ways we have been for long, and can we be saved?
↩John.6.51 — I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.
↩John.6.35 — Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me will not hunger, and the one who believes in me will never thirst."
↩John.4.14 — but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst forever; rather, the water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life
↩1Cor.12.13 — For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
↩Exod.24.18;Deut.9.9 — Moses entered into the midst of the cloud and went up to the mountain, and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights. Deut.9.9 — When I went up the mountain to receive the stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant that the LORD made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water.
↩1Tim.6.16 — He alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no one among human beings has seen or is able to see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
↩Luke.24.49 — And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but remain in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.
↩Gen.2.24;Matt.19.5;Mark.10.7-Mark.10.8;Eph.5.31 — Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Matt.19.5 — and he said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' Mark.10.7 — For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; Mark.10.8 — and the two will be one flesh, so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. Eph.5.31 — For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.
↩Rom.2.4 — Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
↩Rom.2.5 — But because of your hard and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of God's righteous judgment.
↩2Tim.3.16 — All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
↩Rom.9.4-Rom.9.5 — They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. Rom.9.5 — whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
↩Matt.24.2 — But he answered them, 'Do you not see all these things? Truly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.'
↩Luke.15.7 — I tell you, there will be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents more than over ninety-nine righteous persons who have no need of repentance.
↩Matt.18.14 — So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
↩Matt.23.37;Acts.7.52;1Kgs.19.10 — Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you — how often I desired to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Acts.7.52 — Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers— 1Kgs.19.10 — And he said, 'I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts, because the sons of Israel have forsaken your covenant. Your altars they have torn down, and your prophets they have killed with the sword. And I alone am left, and they seek my life, to take it.'
↩Matt.21.43 — Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit.
↩Gen.15.16;Matt.23.32;1Thess.2.16 — but the fourth generation will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete. Matt.23.32 — And you, fill up the measure of your fathers. 1Thess.2.16 — hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved, in order to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come upon them at last.
↩Heb.10.22 — Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
↩Mark.5.1-Mark.5.20;Luke.8.26-Luke.8.39 — And they came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. Mark.5.2 — And when he had come out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Mark.5.3 — He had his dwelling among the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. Mark.5.4 — because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles had been shattered, and no one had the strength to subdue him." Add final period for sentence closure. Mark.5.5 — And night and day among the tombs and among the mountains he was crying out and cutting himself with stones. Mark.5.6 — And when he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him Mark.5.7 — And crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me." Mark.5.8 — For he was saying to him, "Come out of this man, you unclean spirit!" Mark.5.9 — And he asked him, "What is your name?" And he said to him, "Legion is my name, because we are many." Mark.5.10 — And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the region. Mark.5.11 — Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there near the mountain. Mark.5.12 — And they begged him, saying, "Send us into the pigs, so that we may enter them." Mark.5.13 — And he gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea — about two thousand of them — and they were drowned in the sea. Mark.5.14 — And the ones tending them fled and reported it in the city and in the countryside, and they came to see what had happened. Mark.5.15 — And they come to Jesus, and they see the one who had been demon-possessed, sitting, clothed and in his right mind—the one who had had the legion—and they were afraid. Mark.5.16 — And those who had seen it told them what had happened to the demon-possessed man, and about the pigs. Mark.5.17 — And they began to beg him to depart from their region. Mark.5.18 — And as he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-pressed begged to be with him. Mark.5.19 — And he did not allow him, but said to him, "Go to your house, to your people, and declare to them how much the Lord has done for you, and that he has had mercy on you." Mark.5.20 — And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him, and everyone was amazed. Luke.8.26 — And they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. Luke.8.27 — But when he had come out onto the land, a certain man from the city met him, who had demons, and for a long time he had not put on clothing, and he did not remain in a house, but among the tombs. Luke.8.28 — When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and with a loud voice he said, "What do you have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me." Luke.8.29 — For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For many times it had seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and breaking the bonds, he was driven by the demon into the wilderness. Luke.8.30 — Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered into him. Luke.8.31 — And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Luke.8.32 — Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter those pigs, and he gave them permission. Luke.8.33 — Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned. Luke.8.34 — When those who had been tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported it in the town and in the countryside. Luke.8.35 — They went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Luke.8.36 — And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man was made well. Luke.8.37 — Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. But he, having gotten into a boat, returned. Luke.8.38 — But the man from whom the demons had gone out begged to be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, Luke.8.39 — Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you. And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
↩Rom.12.2;Eph.4.23 — And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. Eph.4.23 — and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
↩Matt.5.8;Ps.51.10 — Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Ps.51.10 — Cause me to hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
↩Matt.9.12;Mark.2.17;Luke.5.31 — But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are strong have no need of a physician, but those who are sick." Mark.2.17 — When Jesus heard this, he said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a physician, but the sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Luke.5.31 — And Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick do.
↩Luke.18.7 — And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? And yet he is patient with them.
↩Luke.18.8 — I tell you, he will bring about justice for them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?
↩Matt.7.7;Luke.11.9 — Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Luke.11.9 — And I tell you: ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
↩Matt.7.8;Luke.11.10 — For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened. Luke.11.10 — For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened.
↩Luke.11.13 — If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
↩Luke.11.8 — I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
↩Matt.9.13;Luke.5.32;1Tim.1.15 — But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Luke.5.32 — I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 1Tim.1.15 — The saying is trustworthy and worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
↩Eph.4.30 — And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
↩2Pet.2.21 — For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Notes

1 ↩διανοητικοῦ καὶ διακριτικοῦ μέλους: the soul's intellectual/reasoning and discerning 'member' or faculty; rendered as thinking and discerning faculty to keep Macarius's organic image without sounding clinical.
2 ↩νήψεως: classic ascetical term for sober watchfulness/sobriety of mind; rendered 'watchfulness' for natural modern English while keeping the ascetical force.
3 ↩διακριτικὸν μέλος: the soul's discerning faculty, continuing the eye/discernment analogy of the previous section; νῆψις rendered as 'sobriety' in the watchfulness sense, not mere temperance.
4 ↩ῥεμβασμοί / ῥέμβεσθαι: restless mental wandering or distraction; 'roaming distraction' keeps the motion image without modern psychologizing.
5 ↩The Greek is paratactic: human agency (γνωστικόν/διανοητικόν/διακριτικὸν θέλημα) is affirmed, then immediately qualified by τὸ δὲ πᾶν διὰ τῆς τοῦ κυρίου δυνάμεως φυλαχθήσεται—the whole is kept by the Lord's power. Translation preserves both poles without collapsing them into pure synergism or quietism.
6 ↩οὐκ scopes over the coordinated pair ἀποστρέφεται... καὶ... ζητεῖ: failure both to turn from worldly desire and to seek the Lord alone.
7 ↩γοργευσάμεναι is rare; rendered as eagerly set on / vigorously pursuing, for sober, active striving toward the supernatural gift.
8 ↩οἴησιν δικαιοσύνης: self-opinion / conceit of righteousness — false confidence in one's own virtue, not true justice.
9 ↩τὸ ξένον τῆς φύσεως is Macarian technical language for a gift alien to fallen nature; here it stands in apposition with τὸν ἁγιασμὸν τοῦ πνεύματος (sanctification of the Spirit), later identified as heavenly grace (s8).
10 ↩δικαιώμασι ... σαρκός rendered as 'righteous works of the flesh' (outward observances that dress the flesh as righteous), not the Pauline 'works of the flesh' as vices.
11 ↩λογικαὶ αἰσθήσεις: the soul's five 'rational' (noetic) senses, not the bodily five senses; Macarius allegorizes the five wise virgins as these interior faculties when graced.
12 ↩εὐλογοφανείας: 'plausible appearance' / 'show of reasonableness'; rendered as 'show of plausibility' to keep the critique of seeming piety without inventing a technical term.
13 ↩ἀμετάτρεπτοι πρὸς τὸ ἀγαθὸν φρόνημα τοῦ πνεύματος: not 'immutable in goodness,' but unable/unwilling to be turned toward the Spirit's good mindset; rendered 'unturned toward.'
14 ↩ξένον τῆς φύσεως marks both the alien evil of the passions and the alien heavenly gift that expels it—Macarius’s nature-and-grace paradox carried from the previous section.
15 ↩προσκολληθῇ is third-person singular passive; the likely subject is ἡ φύσις ἡμῶν (made explicit in the next clause), not first-person ‘we,’ though the sense is corporate for the soul/nature.
16 ↩ἀποίητος rendered ‘uncreated’ (unmade); χρηστότης as ‘kindness’ rather than bland ‘goodness’ to keep Macarius’s condescension tone.
17 ↩λεπτός/λεπτότης here means subtle or fine-textured, not ‘thin’ in a modern physical sense; Macarius is arguing for subtle bodily existence of angel, soul, and demon.
18 ↩ὑπόστασις rendered ‘substance’ for modern readability; Macarius means real subsistence/identity, not a vague ‘person’ in the later Trinitarian technical sense alone.
19 ↩This sentence is a long protasis (εἰ γὰρ…); the comparative apodosis continues in the next section (MacariusHom.1.4.6).
20 ↩σωματοποιῶν κατὰ χώρησιν: God 'embodies' or conforms himself to the soul's capacity (χώρησις), not a change of essence. παχύτερα / λεπτότερα / ἁπαλώτερα continue the dense–subtle body language of the previous section.
21 ↩The appositional string after the 1 Cor 2:9 echo culminates in τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ κυρίου as what is actually seen/enjoyed: the Lord's Spirit as rest, gladness, delight, and eternal life for worthy souls.
22 ↩σωματοποιεῖ … εἰς βρῶσιν καὶ πόσιν continues Macarius's condescension language: the Lord 'embodies' himself as food and drink for the soul's rest and spiritual gladness; keep Eucharistic/Gospel force without flattening to mere metaphor.
23 ↩Source has ἄλλωςτῷ (missing space) before Νῶε; read as ἄλλως τῷ Νῶε.
24 ↩σωματοποιεῖ / μεταμορφοῦται: God accommodates himself in sensible form for the soul's capacity, not a change of essence.
25 ↩περισσὰ: 'surplus / more than enough / dispensable'—everything is secondary next to the Bridegroom, not merely 'worthless' in a nihilistic sense.
26 ↩κοινωνία here is mystical communion with the heavenly King, not Eucharistic Communion as such, though the same Greek term can carry both senses.
27 ↩τῇ τρώσει αὐτοῦ: Macarian language of spiritual wounding by divine eros; rendered 'his wound of love' rather than a physical injury.
28 ↩τῆς ἀλλοιώσεως τῆς δεξιᾶς τοῦ ὑψίστου echoes the psalmic phrase 'the change of the right hand of the Most High'; rendered as transforming change rather than mere alteration.
29 ↩πρόληψιν κακίας rendered as 'predisposition to evil' (habitual bias/preconception of wickedness), not mere sudden impulse.
30 ↩τοῦ ἀντικειμένου rendered as 'the adversary' (the opposing one), the usual Macarian designation for the devil.
31 ↩χαύνωσιν rendered as 'slackness' (listlessness/softness of will), parallel with neglect and predisposition.
32 ↩ἐπιδημία rendered as 'coming among us' (incarnate visitation); σταύρωσις kept as the cross/crucifixion as the decisive display of kindness.
33 ↩προλήψεις: here bad spiritual preconceptions/prejudices of the soul (Macarian usage), not mere intellectual bias.
34 ↩καταφθαρῆναι can mean corrupted or destroyed; here the flood outcome is rendered as ‘ruined,’ covering both moral corruption and total ruin.
35 ↩ἐπιστρέφοντες καὶ πάλιν μεταμελόμενοι is read as the Pharaoh-pattern of temporary relenting followed by regret and hardening, not as true conversion.
36 ↩τῆς ὁρωμένης ζωῆς = the life that is seen / this present bodily life, as opposed to the life to come.
37 ↩δεσποτικὸν ἀξίωμα = the Master’s dignity/rank; in this homily’s context, the assault on Christ himself (cf. neighboring sections on laying hands on the Lord).
38 ↩εἰς τὸ δεσποτικὸν ἀξίωμα τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν ἐπιβαλόντες continues the prior section's charge (hands raised against the Master's dignity), i.e. violence against Christ himself, not a generic offense against rank.
39 ↩πρόληψις κακή rendered as 'evil prepossession' (ingrained prior habit/prejudice of evil), not mere 'bad thought,' to keep Macarian force of a settled predisposition that holds the soul.
40 ↩χαύνωσις, ὀλιγωρία, ῥᾳθυμία rendered as 'soft living, carelessness, and laziness' to capture progressive spiritual collapse under despair rather than a single mood of sadness.
41 ↩ἀπάθεια rendered as 'freedom from the passions' (Macarian apatheia: settled freedom from disordered passions), not modern 'apathy.'
42 ↩ἀφοβία rendered as 'lack of the fear of God,' not positive fearlessness, matching the vice-series with unbelief and ignorance.
43 ↩ἐκδίκησις in the Luke quotation rendered 'justice' (vindication), not punitive 'vengeance,' matching the petition-and-vindication sense of Luke 18:7–8 in this consolatory argument.
44 ↩ἀναίδειαν: shameless persistence / importunity—the bold, unabashed insistence of the parable's midnight asker, not mere rudeness.
45 ↩ἀπερικακήτως: without growing weary under hardship, without exasperation or quitting; paired with ἀδιαλείπτως (unceasingly) and ἀναιδῶς (shamelessly).
46 ↩ἀντίληψιν τῆς χάριτος: help/support from grace—aid received from him, not a generic 'boost'.
47 ↩κακῶν προλήψεων: prior evil habits / prepossessions / preconceived attachments—not mere 'ideas,' but settled anticipations that already grip the soul.
48 ↩ἀνίατα πάθη: passions/afflictions ordinarily called incurable; the force is that he heals what cannot be healed otherwise.
49 ↩ἀποκρεμαμένοις: hanging/depending on him—suspended toward him by seeking and longing.
50 ↩περισσά: surplus / excess / more than needed—what can be set aside as not finally necessary.
51 ↩ἀσυνδύαστος εἰς τὸ κακίας μέρος: undivided / unallied toward the side of evil—not partnering with or splitting allegiance toward wickedness.
52 ↩τὴν χάριν ἐν μηδενὶ λυπήσασα: grieving the grace in nothing—echo-force of not grieving the Spirit (cf. Eph 4:30), here of not grieving the grace given.

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