Ὁμιλία Ϛʹ

The Quietude of True Prayer

True prayer is characterized by inner stillness and composure rather than external noise or performative agitation.

Those who approach the Lord should offer their prayers in stillness, peace, and deep composure—not with unseemly, confused shouting, but by attending to the Lord with the labor of the heart and sober thoughts. And just as when someone has ailments and is being cauterized or operated on, he bears the pain set before him with courage and patience, without uproar or agitation, keeping hold of himself — yet there are others who have the same pain and, while being cauterized or operated on, break into unseemly cries, and the pain is the same for the one who cries out and the one who doesn't, for the one who is agitated and the one who isn't — so there are some who have affliction and pain and bear it with composure, keeping their mind under control among their thoughts without agitation; but there are others who have the same affliction and bear it impatiently, making their prayers with uproar and agitation so that they scandalize those who hear them as well; and there are still others who have no pain at all, but out of show or uncouthness use disorderly cries as if by these they could please God.¹ But God's servant must not be in that kind of disorder; he should live in all gentleness and wisdom, as the prophet said: "On whom will I look but on the meek and quiet one who trembles at my words?" We also find with Moses and Elijah that when the manifestation came to them, even though much ministry of trumpets and powers went before the Lord's majesty, the Lord's presence was distinguished and made known through it all in peace, stillness, and rest.^✦ "For look," he says, "a voice of a gentle breeze, and in it is the Lord." This shows that the Lord's rest is in peace and composure; for the foundation a person lays and the beginning from which he starts—that is what he remains in until the end. If he begins to pray with a loud voice and agitation, he holds on to that same habit all the way to the end. But since the Lord is loving toward humanity, it happens that He gives help even to this person.² So these people, because of the encouragement that grace gives them, keep using that same habit all the way to the end.³ But we see that this behavior belongs to the undisciplined—both because they scandalize others and because they pray while in a disturbed state. But the true foundation of prayer is this: to pay attention to the thoughts and to offer prayer in deep quiet and peace, so that those outside are not scandalized either. For if such a person receives the grace of God and carries out perfection in quiet all the way to the end, he will build up the many far more; for God is not a God of disorder, but of peace. Those who use loud cries are like boatswains barking orders—they can't pray everywhere, not in churches or villages, except perhaps in the desert where they can do as they please. But those who pray in quiet build everyone up wherever they are.⁴

The Interior Struggle of the Mind

The spiritual life requires constant vigilance to discern and clear away the thicket of evil thoughts that obstruct the soul.

A person must carry out the entire struggle within their thoughts: cut away the surrounding thicket of evil thoughts, press on toward God, and refuse to do what those thoughts want. Instead, gather them in from wherever they have wandered, discerning natural thoughts from evil ones.⁵ The soul under sin is hemmed in, much like a mountain thick with brushwood, a river choked with reeds, or a tangle of thorns and undergrowth. Those who want to pass through must stretch out their hands and, with force and hard work, push the surrounding growth aside.⁶ In the same way, the thicket of thoughts that comes from the opposing power surrounds the soul. So there is a need for great diligence and mental attention, so that a person may discern the alien thoughts that come from the opposing power. For there's one person who trusts in his own strength, thinking he can cut away the mountains that hem him in by himself; and there's another who, from a settled disposition and discernment, governs with his mind and finishes his work without toil—and gets more of it done than the first. In the same way, in prayer there are some who use unseemly shouting, as if relying on bodily strength—not knowing the stealthy thefts of the thoughts, but thinking they achieve the perfect work by their own power.⁷ But others attend to their thoughts and keep the struggle internal. Through understanding and discernment, they succeed in shaking off the thoughts that rise up against them and walk according to the Lord's will. We find that the Apostle considers the one who builds up others to be greater, for he says: "The one who speaks in tongues builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church."⁸ And the one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues. So each one will choose to build others up, and is counted worthy of the kingdom of heaven.⁹

The Mind as the Throne of God

The human heart and mind, once occupied by darkness, are purified by the Spirit to become a throne for the Godhead.

Question: Since some say that the thrones and the crowns are created things and not spirits, how should we understand this? Answer: The throne of the Godhead is our mind, and in turn, the throne of the mind is the Godhead and the Spirit.¹⁰ Likewise, because of the transgression of the commandment, Satan and the powers and rulers of darkness took their seat in Adam's heart, mind, and body as if on their own throne. So then, for this reason the Lord came and took a body from the Virgin. If he had wanted to come down in his bare divinity, who could have endured it? But he spoke to human beings through the instrument of the body.¹¹ So then the Lord cast down the spirits of wickedness that had taken their seat in the body from the thrones of the thoughts and reasonings in which they had held sway; he purified the conscience and made the mind and the reasonings and the body a throne for himself.^✦¹² Question: What, then, is the meaning of his words: "You will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel"? Answer: We find that this happened on earth when the Lord was taken up into the heavens.^✦ For he sent the Spirit, the Paraclete, to the twelve apostles, and the holy power which, when it came, took up its dwelling and sat upon the thrones of their thoughts.¹³ And when those standing by said, "These men are full of new wine," Peter then began to judge them, saying about Jesus that a man powerful in word and signs you crucified, hanging him on a tree.^✦^✦ Look: he works wonders there; he splits open the stones of the tombs and raises the dead.^✦¹⁴ For it is written: "In the last days I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy." So many people, instructed by Peter, came to repentance, and a new world came into being—God's elect.^✦ You see how the beginning of judgment appeared; for there a new world appeared. For here they were given authority to take their seat in this world and to judge—even though they are still going to sit and carry out judgment at the Lord's coming, at the resurrection of the dead—and here it happens when the Holy Spirit has taken his seat on the thrones of their thoughts.^✦¹⁵ But the crowns, too, which Christians receive in that age are not creatures—and those who say so are wrong—rather, the Spirit, in transforming them, displays them.^✦¹⁶ What does the apostle Paul say about the heavenly Jerusalem? That "she is the mother of us all," to whom we confess.^✦ And as for the clothing Christians wear: clearly the Spirit itself clothes them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, forever.^✦ Amen.

Read the original Latin

Οἱ προσερχόμενοι τῷ κυρίῳ ὀφείλουσι τὰς εὐχὰς ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ καὶ εἰρήνῃ καὶ καταστάσει πολλῇ ποιεῖσθαι καὶ οὐχὶ ἀπρεπέσι κραυγαῖς καὶ συγκεχυμέναις, ἀλλὰ πόνῳ καρδίας καὶ λογισμοῖς νήφουσι προσέχειν τῷ κυρίῳ. καὶ ὥσπερ ἐὰν ᾖ τις ἔχων πάθη καὶ καυτηριάζηται ἢ χειρουργῆται, οὕτως ἀνδρείως καὶ ὑπομονητικῶς φέρει τὸν προσφερόμενον πόνον ἄνευ θορύβου καὶ ταραχῆς κρατῶν ἑαυτοῦ· εἰσὶ δὲ ἄλλοι τὸν αὐτὸν πόνον ἔχοντες, καὶ ἐν τῷ καυτηριάζεσθαι ἢ χειρουργεῖσθαι κραυγαῖς ἀπρεπέσι κέχρηνται, καὶ ὁ αὐτός ἐστι πόνος τοῦ βοῶντος καὶ τοῦ μὴ βοῶντος, τοῦ ταρασσομένου καὶ τοῦ μὴ ταρασσομένου, οὕτως εἰσί τινες ἔχοντες θλῖψιν καὶ πόνον καὶ εὐκαταστάτως φερόμενοι, ἄνευ ταραχῆς κρατοῦντες ἑαυτῶν τὸν νοῦν ἐν τοῖς λογισμοῖς· εἰσὶ δὲ ἄλλοι τὴν αὐτὴν θλῖψιν ἔχοντες καὶ ἀνυπομονήτως φερόμενοι, μετὰ θορύβου καὶ ταραχῆς τὰς προσευχὰς ποιοῦντες εἰς τὸ καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντας σκανδαλίζεσθαι· εἰσὶ δὲ ἄλλοι μὴ ἔχοντες πόνον, εἰς δὲ ἐπίδειξιν ἢ ἰδιωτείαν φερόμενοι κραυγαῖς ἀτάκτοις κέχρηνται ὡς διὰ τούτων δυνάμενοι εὐαρεστῆσαι τῷ θεῷ. Οὐ χρὴ δὲ τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ δοῦλον ἐν τοιαύτῃ ἀκαταστασίᾳ εἶναι, ἀλλ' ἐν πάσῃ ἡμερότητι καὶ σοφίᾳ, καθὼς εἶπεν ὁ προφήτης· «ἐπὶ τίνα ἐπιβλέψω ἀλλ' ἢ ἐπὶ τὸν πρᾷον καὶ ἡσύχιον καὶ τρέμοντά μου τοὺς λόγους;» καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Μωσέως δὲ καὶ τοῦ Ἠλία εὑρίσκομεν, ὅτι ἐν τῇ γιγνομένῃ αὐτοῖς ἐπιφανείᾳ, πολλῆς διακονίας γενομένης σαλπίγγων καὶ δυνάμεων ἔμπροσθεν τῆς δεσποτικῆς ἀξίας, ἐν ἐκείνοις πᾶσι διεκρίθη καὶ ἐφανερώθη ἡ τοῦ κυρίου παρουσία ἐν εἰρήνῃ καὶ ἡσυχίᾳ καὶ ἀναπαύσει. «ἰδοὺ» γάρ φησι «φωνὴ αὔρας λεπτῆς, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ ὁ κύριος». δείκνυται τοίνυν ὅτι ἡ τοῦ κυρίου ἀνάπαυσις ἐν εἰρήνῃ καὶ καταστάσει ἐστί· θεμέλιον γὰρ ὃν τίθησιν ἄνθρωπος καὶ ἀρχὴν ἣν ἄρχεται, ἐν αὐτῇ μέχρι τέλους διαμένει. ἐὰν ἐν φωνῇ καὶ ταραχῇ ἄρξηται τὴν προσευχὴν ποιεῖσθαι, μέχρι τέλους τὴν αὐτὴν συνήθειαν κρατεῖ. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ κύριος φιλάνθρωπός ἐστι, συμβαίνει ὅτι καὶ τούτῳ δίδωσι βοήθειαν. Οὗτοι οὖν διὰ τὴν προτροπὴν τῆς χάριτος ἕως τέλους τῇ αὐτῇ συνηθείᾳ ἀποκέχρηνται.

ἀλλ' ὁρῶμεν ὅτι τὸ μέρος τοῦτο ἰδιωτῶν ἐστι, διὰ τὸ καὶ ἄλλους σκανδαλίζειν καὶ αὐτοὺς τεταραγμένους ποιεῖσθαι τὴν προσευχήν. Ὁ δὲ ἀληθινὸς θεμέλιος τῆς προσευχῆς οὗτός ἐστι, τὸ προσέχειν τοῖς λογισμοῖς καὶ ἐν πολλῇ ἡσυχίᾳ καὶ εἰρήνῃ ποιεῖσθαι τὴν προσευχήν, ὡς μήτε τοὺς ἔξωθεν σκανδαλίζεσθαι. οὗτος γὰρ ἐὰν ἐπιδέξηται τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὴν τελείωσιν ἄχρι τέλους ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ ποιήσῃ, πλέον τοὺς πολλοὺς οἰκοδομήσει· οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἀκαταστασίας ὁ θεὸς ἀλλ' εἰρήνης. οἱ γὰρ ταῖς κραυγαῖς κεχρημένοι κελευσταῖς ἐοίκασι, μὴ δυνάμενοι πανταχοῦ εὔξασθαι μήτε ἐν ἐκκλησίαις μήτε ἐν κώμαις, εἰ μὴ τάχα ἐν ἐρημίαις κατὰ τὸ θέλημα αὐτῶν· οἱ δὲ ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ προσευχόμενοι πάντας οἰκοδομοῦσιν ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ. χρὴ γὰρ ὅλον τὸν ἀγῶνα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τοῖς λογισμοῖς ἐκτελεῖν καὶ τὴν περικειμένην ὕλην τῶν πονηρῶν λογισμῶν ἀποκόπτειν καὶ ἐπείγειν ἑαυτὸν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καὶ μὴ ποιεῖν τὰ θελήματα τῶν λογισμῶν, ἀλλὰ πανταχόθεν ῥεμβομένους αὐτοὺς συνάγειν, διακρίνοντα τοὺς φυσικοὺς λογισμοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν πονηρῶν. πελάζεται γὰρ ἡ ψυχὴ οὖσα ὑπὸ ἁμαρτίαν, ὥσπερ ἐὰν ᾖ ἐν ὄρει ὕλη μεγάλη ἢ ἐν ποταμῷ καλαμῶνες ἢ δάση τινὰ ἀκανθῶν καὶ ὑλῶν· οἱ οὖν βουλόμενοι δι' ἐκείνου τοῦ τόπου παρελθεῖν ὀφείλουσιν ἐκτείνειν τὰς χεῖρας καὶ μετὰ βίας καὶ καμάτου ἀπωθεῖσθαι τὴν περικειμένην ὕλην. οὕτως καὶ ἡ τῶν λογισμῶν τῆς ἐναντίας δυνάμεως ὕλη περίκειται τῇ ψυχῇ. Πολλῆς οὖν σπουδῆς καὶ προσοχῆς νοὸς χρεία, ἵνα τις διακρίνῃ τοὺς ἀλλοτρίους λογισμοὺς τῆς ἐναντίας δυνάμεως.

ἔστι γάρ τις θαρρῶν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ δυνάμει, νομίζων ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ἐκκόπτειν τὰ περικείμενα ὄρη· ἔστι δὲ ἄλλος ἀπὸ καταστάσεως καὶ διακρίσεως διοικῶν τῷ νοῒ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκαμάτως πλέον ἐκείνου τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ διανύων. οὕτω καὶ ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς εἰσί τινες κραυγαῖς κεχρημένοι ἀπρεπέσιν, ὡς δὴ τῇ σωματικῇ ἰσχύϊ πεποιθότες, μὴ εἰδότες τὰς κλοπὰς τῶν λογισμῶν, ἀλλὰ νομίζοντες τῇ ἰδίᾳ δυνάμει τὸ τέλειον κατόρθωμα ποιεῖσθαι. εἰσὶ δὲ ἄλλοι οἱ τοῖς λογισμοῖς προσέχοντες καὶ ὅλον τὸν ἀγῶνα ποιούμενοι ἔσωθεν· οὗτοι διὰ τῆς συνέσεως αὐτῶν καὶ διακρίσεως δύνανται κατορθῶσαι καὶ ἀποσείσασθαι τοὺς ἐπανισταμένους λογισμοὺς καὶ κατὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ κυρίου πορεύεσθαι. εὑρίσκομεν δὲ ἐν τῷ ἀποστόλῳ, ὅτι τὸν οἰκοδομοῦντα τὸν ἄλλον μείζονα λέγει· φησὶ γάρ· «ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσαις ἑαυτὸν οἰκοδομεῖ· ὁ δὲ προφητεύων ἐκκλησίαν οἰκοδομεῖ. μείζων δὲ ὁ προφητεύων ἢ ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσαις». ἕκαστος οὖν ἐπιλέξεται τὸ ἄλλους οἰκοδομῆσαι, καὶ καταξιοῦται τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν. 20Ἐρώτησις:20 ἐπειδή τινες λέγουσιν, ὅτι οἱ θρόνοι καὶ οἱ στέφανοι κτίσματά εἰσι καὶ οὐχὶ πνεύματα, πῶς ὀφείλομεν ἀκοῦσαι; 20Ἀπόκρισις:20 ὁ θρόνος τῆς θεότητος ὁ νοῦς ἡμῶν ἐστι, καὶ πάλιν ὁ θρόνος τοῦ νοῦ ἡ θεότης ἐστὶ καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα. ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ὁ σατανᾶς καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες τοῦ σκότους ἀπὸ τῆς παραβάσεως τῆς ἐντολῆς ἐνεκάθισαν εἰς τὴν καρδίαν καὶ εἰς τὸν νοῦν καὶ εἰς τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ὡς εἰς θρόνον ἴδιον.

λοιπὸν οὖν διὰ τοῦτο ἦλθεν ὁ κύριος καὶ ἔλαβεν ἐκ τῆς παρθένου τὸ σῶμα. εἰ γὰρ ἠθέλησε γυμνῇ τῇ θεότητι κατελθεῖν, τίς ἠδύνατο ὑπενεγκεῖν; ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦ ὀργάνου τοῦ σώματος ἐλάλει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. λοιπὸν οὖν τὰ πνεύματα τῆς πονηρίας, ἃ ἐνεκαθέζοντο εἰς τὸ σῶμα, καθεῖλεν ἀπὸ τῶν θρόνων τῶν νοημάτων καὶ τῶν λογισμῶν, οἷς ἐνεπολιτεύοντο, καὶ ἐκαθάρισε τὴν συνείδησιν ὁ κύριος καὶ ἑαυτῷ θρόνον ἐποίησε τὸν νοῦν καὶ τοὺς λογισμοὺς καὶ τὸ σῶμα. 20Ἐρώτησις:20 τί οὖν ἐστιν ὃ εἶπε· «καθίσεσθε ἐπὶ δώδεκα θρόνους κρίνοντες τὰς δώδεκα φυλὰς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ»; 20Ἀπόκρισις:20 τοῦτο εὑρίσκομεν, ὅτι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐγένετο, ὅτε ὁ κύριος ἀνελήφθη εἰς τοὺς οὐρανούς. ἔπεμψε γὰρ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ παράκλητον εἰς τοὺς δώδεκα ἀποστόλους καὶ τὴν ἁγίαν δύναμιν, ἥτις ἐλθοῦσα κατεσκήνωσε καὶ ἐνεκάθισεν εἰς τοὺς θρόνους τῶν νοημάτων αὐτῶν. ἐπεὶ δὲ οἱ παρεστηκότες εἶπον ὅτι «οὗτοι γλεύκους εἰσὶ μεμεστωμένοι», λοιπὸν ἤρξατο Πέτρος κρίνειν αὐτοὺς λέγων περὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὅτι ἄνδρα δυνατὸν ἐν λόγῳ καὶ σημείοις ὑμεῖς ἐσταυρώσατε κρεμάσαντες ἐπὶ ξύλου. καὶ ἴδε, ἐκεῖ ποιεῖ θαυμάσια, διαρρήσσει τοὺς λίθους τῶν μνημείων καὶ ἐγείρει τοὺς νεκρούς. γέγραπται γάρ· ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν.

ἦλθον οὖν εἰς μετάνοιαν κατηχηθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ Πέτρου πολλοί, ὥστε γενέσθαι κόσμον καινόν, ἐκλεκτὸν θεοῦ. Ὁρᾷς πῶς ἐφάνη ἀρχὴ κρίσεως· ἐκεῖ γὰρ ἐφάνη κόσμος καινός. ὧδε γὰρ ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς ἐξουσία καθεσθῆναι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ καὶ κρῖναι, καίτοι μελλόντων αὐτῶν καθέζεσθαι καὶ ποιεῖν κρίσιν ἐπὶ τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ κυρίου ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει τῶν νεκρῶν· καὶ ὧδε γίγνεται τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος καθεσθέντος ἐν τοῖς θρόνοις τῶν νοημάτων αὐτῶν. ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ διαδήματα, ἅπερ λαμβάνουσιν οἱ Χριστιανοὶ ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ αἰῶνι, οὔκ εἰσι κτίσματα (καὶ οἱ λέγοντες κακῶς λέγουσιν), ἀλλὰ ταῦτα τὸ πνεῦμα μεταμορφούμενον ὑποδεικνύει. τί λέγει ὁ ἀπόστολος Παῦλος περὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ τῆς ἐπουρανίου; ὅτι «αὕτη ἐστὶ μήτηρ πάντων ἡμῶν», εἰς ἣν ὁμολογοῦμεν. περὶ δὲ τοῦ ἐνδύματος, ὃ φοροῦσιν οἱ Χριστιανοί, δηλονότι αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα ἀμφιάζει αὐτοὺς εἰς ὄνομα πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ἀμήν.

Scripture echoes

↩Isa.66.2 — And all these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one I will look to: the poor and contrite in spirit, and the one who trembles at my word.
↩Eph.6.12 — For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
↩Matt.19.28;Luke.22.30 — And Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Luke.22.30 — that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
↩Acts.2.13 — But others, mocking, said, "They are full of new wine."
↩Acts.2.22-Acts.2.23 — Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs, which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. Acts.2.23 — This man, handed over by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you, by the hands of lawless men, crucified and killed.
↩Matt.27.51-Matt.27.53 — And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook, and the rocks were split. Matt.27.52 — and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised Matt.27.53 — and after his resurrection they came out of the tombs, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.
↩Acts.2.37-Acts.2.41 — Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Acts.2.38 — Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’ Acts.2.39 — For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God may call to himself. Acts.2.40 — And with many other words he testified and urged them, saying, "Be saved from this crooked generation." Acts.2.41 — So those who received his word were baptized, and that day about three thousand souls were added.
↩Matt.19.28;Luke.22.30 — And Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Luke.22.30 — that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
↩2Tim.4.8;1Pet.5.4;Rev.2.10 — From now on, there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing. 1Pet.5.4 — And when the Chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Rev.2.10 — Do not fear at all the things you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, so that you may be tested, and you will have affliction for ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
↩Gal.4.26 — But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
↩Matt.28.19;Gal.3.27;Luke.24.49 — Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Gal.3.27 — For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 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.

Notes

1 ↩ἰδιωτείαν rendered as 'uncouthness' (untrained / crude manner); could also mean simplemindedness or ignorant clumsiness.
2 ↩φιλάνθρωπος rendered as 'loving toward humanity' (divine philanthropia); not casual friendliness.
3 ↩προτροπὴν τῆς χάριτος: grace's 'encouragement/prompting' that reinforces the noisy habit rather than correcting it; ἀποκέχρηνται = have made use of / keep employing.
4 ↩κελευσταῖς: rowing officers / coxswains who keep time by shouting commands; rendered as boatswains barking orders to keep the force of noisy, public, command-style shouting.
5 ↩ὕλη here is material/undergrowth used as the 'thicket' of thoughts; not 'matter' in a philosophical abstract sense.
6 ↩πελάζεται is slightly opaque (from πελάζω, 'draw near / approach'). Context with the thicket simile and the following περίκειται suggests the soul under sin finds its way blocked or pressed close by obstructive growth; rendered 'is hemmed in' for the intended image.
7 ↩κλοπαί can mean thefts/stealing or stealthy pilfering; rendered as 'stealthy thefts' to keep the sense that thoughts rob attention unnoticed.
8 ↩The Pauline quotation is split across s4–s5 in the source; the opening quote is left open here to match the Greek sentence boundary.
9 ↩Future indicative can read as predictive or parenetic; rendered as 'will choose' rather than a soft imperative.
10 ↩Numeric wrappers around Question/Answer labels treated as editorial markup and rendered as plain dialogue labels.
11 ↩γυμνῇ τῇ θεότητι: 'bare/naked divinity' — divinity unveiled, without the covering of the body.
12 ↩ἐνεπολιτεύοντο: literally 'conducted their civic life / held sway as citizens' within the thoughts — rendered 'held sway' for clarity.
13 ↩τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ παράκλητον ... καὶ τὴν ἁγίαν δύναμιν: the relative ἥτις (feminine) picks up ἡ ἁγία δύναμις; rendered as the Spirit/Paraclete identified with that holy power which came and sat within.
14 ↩ἐκεῖ: 'there' — pointing to the scene of Pentecost/apostolic witness as the locus of the wonders.
15 ↩νοημάτων: rendered 'thoughts' (inner mental seats), matching the homily's earlier 'thrones of the thoughts/intentions'; could also be 'minds' or 'perceptions'.
16 ↩τὸ πνεῦμα μεταμορφούμενον ὑποδεικνύει: the Spirit 'transforming' (middle/passive) shows or presents the crowns; not created objects but Spirit-manifested glory.

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