Opening Up

Ἂνοιξόν μοι ἀδελφή μου ἡ πλησίον μου περιστερά μου τελεία μου ὅτι ἡ κεφαλή μου ἐπλήσθη δρόσου καὶ οἱ βόστρυχοί μου ψεκάδων νυκτός... Ἀναγκαίως ἡ τοῦ μοί προσθήκη τοῦ ἄνοιξον· ἔστι γὰρ καὶ ἀντικειμένας δυνάμεσιν ἀνοῖξαι· ὡς περὶ ὀχληρᾶς δὲ τῆς δρόσου λέγειν δοκεῖ, ὡς καὶ περὶ τῶν τῆς νυκτὸς ψεκάδων· ἀνάπαυλαν γὰρ ἔοικεν ἀπὸ τούτων ἐπιζητεῖν. Ἀκόλουθα ταῦτα τοῖς πρώτοις· μετὰ γὰρ τὴν ἀνάστασιν εἰσῆλθε τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων· καὶ καλεῖ τὸν Θωμᾶν, καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ πᾶσαν ἄπιστον ψυχὴν, ἀνοῖχαι την ἰδίαν καρδίαν καὶ τὴν τῆς ἀναστὰσεως χωρῆσαι πληροφορίαν· καλεῖ δὲ αὐτὸν τελείαν εἰπόντα, ὁ Κύριός μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου· ἡ δρόσος δὲ δηλοῖ τὴν κατὰ τὸν ὄρθρον ἀνάστασιν, ὅτε κάτεισι δρόσος. Ὠριγένης, Εἰς Τo Ἀσμα Των Ἀσμάτων, Κεφάλαιον E´ Source: Migne PG 17.273b

Open to me, my beloved, my dear, my dove, for my head is utterly covered with dew and my curls with the raindrops of the night... 1 After 'open' it was necessary to add, 'to me,' because it is possible to open up to adversaries. As he seems to speak of the troublesome nature of the dew and of the night's rain, so it seems that he seeks relief from these things. Which befits these things which came before, for after the resurrection He came in through closed doors, and He invited Thomas, and through him every unbelieving soul, to open up the heart, to receive the full faith of the resurrection, calling him to say with all conviction, 'My Lord and my God.' 2 The dew declares the morning of the resurrection, for then the dew falls. Origen, Commentary On The Song Of Songs, Chapter 5 1 Song 5.2 2 Jn 20.24-28

The Garden And The Fountain

Kῆπος κεκλεισμένος ἀδελφή μου νύμφη κῆπος κεκλεισμένος πηγὴ ἐσφραγισμένη... Καὶ καλεῖ μὲν αὐτὴν κῆπον, ὡς οὐχ ἕνα καρπὸν εὑσεβείας καὶ ἀρετῆς ἀλλὰ πολλοὺς καὶ ποικίλους τίκτουσαν· κεκλεισμένον δὲ, ὡς περιπεφραγμένον, καὶ ἀνεπιβούλευτον· Πύλαι γὰρ ᾅδου, φησὶν, οὐ κατισχύσουσιν αὐτῆς· οὐ γάρ ἐστι κατ' ἐκείνην τὴν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετατεθεῖσαν, Ἤν ἐτρύγησαν πάντες οἱ παραπορευόμενοι τὴν ὁδὸν, καὶ ἐλυμήνατο ὗς ἐκ δρυμοῦ, καὶ μονιὸς ἄγριος κατενεμήσατο· ἀλλὰ περιπέφρακται, καὶ τετείχισται, καὶ κήπῳ κεκλεισμένῳ παρέοικε, πολλοὺς μὲν καὶ παντοδαποὺς ἔχοντι καρποὺς, τοὺς δὲ κλῶπας οὐ δεχομένῳ, ἀλλὰ φεύγοντι τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων τὰς χεῖρας, Καὶ πηγὴ δέ ἐστιν ἐσφραγισμένη· οὐ γὰρ πᾶσι προκεῖται, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀξίοις ταῦτα τὰ νάματα· περὶ ταύτης τῆς πηγῆς καὶ ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις ὁ Κύριος φησιν· Ὃς ἂν πίῃ ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος, οὖ ἐγὼ δώσω αὐτῷ, οὐ μὴ διψήσει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ἀλλὰ γενήσεται ἐν αὐτῷ πηγὴ ὕδατος ζῶντος ἀλλομένου εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Εἰκότως τοίνυν αὐτὴν πηγήν ἐσφραγισμένην καλεῖ, ὡς μὴ πᾶσιν ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀξίοις προκειμένην. Οὐ γὰρ τοῖς ἀμυήτοις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μεμυημένοις πρόκειται τὰ θεῖα μυστήρια· οὐ τοῖς ἐν ἀνομίαις μετὰ τὴν μύησιν καλινδουμένοις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀκριβείᾳ συζῶσιν, ἢ διὰ μετανοίας καθαιρομένοις Θεοδώρητος Ἐπίσκοπος Κύρρος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Το Ἀσμα Των Ασμάτων, Λόγος Tρίτος Source: Migne PG 81.144a-c

An enclosed garden is my beloved, my bride is an enclosed garden, a sealed fountain... 1 He names the bride a garden because it is not just one fruit of piety and virtue she bears but many and various ones, and what is enclosed is as if fenced around and not liable to assault. 'The gates of hell,' He says, 'shall not prevail against it.' 2 For she is not like that which was led from Egypt , 'from which every passer by on the way plucked, and the boar of the wood laid it waste, and a wild beast devoured it,' 3 but she is fenced about and walled in, and she is like an enclosed garden, which bears many diverse fruits, which know not thieves, and the hands of those who plot are far away, The fountain has been sealed because is not available to everyone, but flows only for those who are worthy. Concerning this fountain the Lord says in the Gospel: 'He who shall drink from the water which I give, he shall not thirst again, but in him there shall well up a fount of living waters.' 4 Rightly therefore He calls her a sealed fountain, as she does not flow for all, but only for those who are worthy, since the divine mysteries are not for the uninitiated, but they flow forth for those who have been initiated, not for those who have ventured to sin after initiation, but to those who strictly gird themselves, who are cleansed through penance. Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Commentary on the Song of Songs, Book 3 1 Song 4.12 2 Mt 16.8 3 Ps 79.13-14 4 Jn 4.14

The Vigilant

Φωνὴ τοῦ ἀδελφιδοῦ μου κρούει ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν... Ἓν καὶ τοῦτο τῶν μεγάλων παραγγελμάτων ἐστὶ τοῦ Kυρίου, δι’ ὧν ἡ διάνοια τῶν μαθητευομένων τῷ λόγῳ καθάπερ τινὰ χοῦν ἅπαν τὸ ὑλῶδες τῆς φύσεως ἀφ’ ἑαυτῆς ἐκτινάξασα πρὸς τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τῶν ὑπερκειμένων ἐπαίρεται, Tοῦτο δέ ἐστι, τὸ δεῖν κρείττους εἶναι τοῦ ὕπνου τοὺς πρὸς τὴν ἄνω ζωὴν ἀναβλέποντας καὶ διὰ παντὸς ἐγρηγορέναι τῇ διανοίᾳ οἷον ἀπατεῶνά τινα τῶν ψυχῶν καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπίβουλον τὸν νυσταγμὸν τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἀπελαύνοντας. Ἐκεῖνον λέγω τὸν νυσταγμὸν καὶ τὸν ὕπνον, δι’ ὧν πλάσσεται τοῖς ἐμβαθύνουσι τῇ τοῦ βίου ἀπάτῃ τὰ ὀνειρώδη ταῦτα φαντάσματα· αἱ ἀρχαί, οἱ πλοῦτοι, αἱ δυναστεῖαι, ὁ τῦφος, ἡ διὰ τῶν ἡδονῶν γοητεία, τὸ φιλόδοξόν τε καὶ ἀπολαυστικὸν καὶ φιλότιμον καὶ πάντα ὅσα κατὰ τὸν βίον τοῦτον τοῖς ἀνεπισκέπτοις διά τινος φαντασίας μάτην σπουδάζεται, ἃ τῇ παροδικῇ τοῦ χρόνου συμπαραρρέοντα φύσει ἐν τῷ δοκεῖν ἔχει τὸ εἶναι οὔτε ὄντα ὅπερ νομίζεται οὔτε ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ νομίζεσθαι πρὸς τὸ διηνεκὲς παραμένοντα ἀλλ’ ὁμοῦ γίνεσθαί τε δοκοῦντα καὶ ἀπολλύμενα κυμάτων δίκην τῶν ἐγκορυφουμένων τοῖς ὕδασιν, ἃ πρὸς καιρὸν τῇ κινήσει τῶν ἀνέμων συνδιογκούμενα ἀβέβαιον εἰς διαμονὴν ἔχει τὸν ὄγκον· ἐν βραχεῖ γὰρ τῇ ῥοπῇ συναναστάντα τοῦ πνεύματος πάλιν ἐν ὁμαλῷ τὴν τῆς θαλάσσης ἐπιφάνειαν δείκνυσι συγκατασταλέντα τῷ πνεύματι. Ὡς ἂν οὖν ἔξω τῶν τοιούτων γένοιτο φαντασμάτων ἡμῖν ἡ διάνοια, τὸν βαρὺν τοῦτον ὕπνον ἀποσείεσθαι τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς ὀμμάτων διακελεύεται, ἵνα μὴ τῇ περὶ τὸ ἀνύπαρκτον σπουδῇ τῶν ὑφεστώτων τε καὶ ὡς ἀληθῶς ὄντων ἀπολισθήσωμεν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὑποτίθεται ἡμῖν ἐπίνοιαν τῆς ἐγρηγόρσεως λέγων Ἔστωσαν ὑμῶν αἱ ὀσφύες περιεζωσμέναι καὶ οἱ λύχνοι καιόμενοι· τοῖς τε γὰρ ὀφθαλμοῖς τὸ φῶς ἐμφαινόμενον ἀποσοβεῖ τῶν ὀμμάτων τὸν ὕπνον καὶ ἡ ὀσφῦς διεσφιγμένη διὰ τῆς ζώνης ἀπαράδεκτον τοῦ ὕπνου παρασκευάζει τὸ σῶμα οὐ προσιεμένης τὴν ἐκ τοῦ ὕπνου ἄνεσιν τῆς τῶν πόνων αἰσθήσεως. Σαφῆ δὲ πάντως ἐστὶ τὰ διὰ τῶν αἰνιγμάτων δηλούμενα, ὅτι ὁ τῇ σωφροσύνῃ διεζωσμένος ἐν φωτὶ ζῇ τοῦ καθαροῦ συνειδότος τῷ λύχνῳ τῆς παρρησίας τὸν βίον περιαυγάζοντος, δι’ ὧν τῆς ἀληθείας προφαινομένης ἄϋπνός τε καὶ ἀνεξαπάτητος ἡ ψυχὴ διαμένει οὐδενὶ τῶν ἀπατηλῶν τούτων ὀνείρων ἐμματαιάζουσα. Eἰ δὲ τοῦτο κατορθωθείη κατὰ τὴν τοῦ λόγου ὑφήγησιν, ἀγγελικός τις ἡμᾶς διαδέξεται βίος· τούτοις γὰρ ἡμᾶς ὁμοιοῖ τὸ θεῖον παράγγελμα, δι’ ὧν φησιν ὅτι Καὶ ὑμεῖς ὅμοιοι ἀνθρώποις προσδεχομένοις τὸν κύριον ἑαυτῶν, πότε ἀναλύσει ἐκ τῶν γάμων, ἵνα ἐλθόντος καὶ κρούσαντος εὐθέως ἀνοίξωσιν αὐτῷ· ἐκεῖνοι γάρ εἰσιν οἱ προσδεχόμενοι τοῦ κυρίου τὴν ἐκ τῶν γάμων ἐπάνοδον καὶ ταῖς ἐπουρανίαις πύλαις ἐγρηγορότι τῷ ὀφθαλμῳ προσκαθήμενοι, ἵνα πάλιν εἰσέλθῃ δι’ αὐτῶν ἀναλύσας ἐκ τῶν γάμων ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης εἰς τὴν ὑπερουράνιον ἐκείνην μακαριότητα. Ὅθεν κατὰ τὴν ψαλμῳδίαν ὡς ἐκ παστάδος ὁ νυμφίος ἐκπορευθεὶς ἡρμόσατο ἑαυτῷτὴν παρθένον, ἡμᾶς, διὰ τῆς μυστικῆς ἀναγεννήσεως, τὴν τοῖς εἰδώλοις ἐκπορνευθεῖσαν, εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν παρθενικὴν ἀναστοιχειώσας τὴν φύσιν. Tῶν οὖν γάμων ἤδη τετελεσμένων καὶ νυμφευθείσης ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου τῆς ἐκκλησίας, καθώς φησιν ὁ Ἰωάννης ὅτι Ὁ ἔχων τὴν νύμφην νυμφίος ἐστί, καὶ εἰς τὸν τῶν μυστηρίων θάλαμον αὐτῆς παραδεχθείσης ἀνέμενον οἱ ἄγγελοι τὴν ἐπάνοδον τοῦ βασιλέως τῆς δόξης ἐπὶ τὴν κατὰ φύσιν μακαριότητα. Tούτοις οὖν εἶπε δεῖν ὁμοιοῦσθαι κατὰ τὸν ἡμέτερον βίον, ἵνα καθάπερ ἐκεῖνοι πόρρω κακίας καὶ ἀπάτης πολιτευόμενοι πρὸς ὑποδοχήν εἰσιν εὐτρεπεῖς τῆς δεσποτικῆς παρουσίας, οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς τοῖς προθύροις τῶν καταγωγίων ἡμῶν προσαγρυπνοῦντες ἑτοίμους πρὸς ὑπακοὴν ἑαυτοὺς ποιήσωμεν, ὅταν ἐπιστὰς κρούῃ τὴν θύραν· Μακάριοι γάρ, φησίν, οἱ δοῦλοι ἐκεῖνοι, οὓς ἐλθὼν ὁ Kύριος εὑρήσει ποιοῦντας οὕτως. Ἐπεὶ οὖν μακάριόν ἐστι τὸ ὑπακούειν τῷ κρούοντι, τούτου χάριν ἡ διὰ παντὸς πρὸς τὴν μακαριότητα βλέπουσα αἰσθάνεται τοῦ παρεστῶτος τῇ θύρᾳ, ἡ καλῶς τοῖς ἰδίοις θησαυροῖς ἐπαγρυπνοῦσα ψυχή, καί φησιν Φωνὴ τοῦ ἀδελφιδοῦ μου κρούει ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος Νύσσης, Ἐξηγησις Του Αἰσματος Των Ἀσμάτων Ὁμιλία ΙΑ´ Source: Migne PG 44.993d-997b

The voice of my beloved knocks at the door... 1 One of the greatest of the Lord’s admonitions, by which the mind of the disciples of the Word shakes off the materiality of their nature like so much dust and is lifted up to the desire for things transcendent, is that those who look toward the life on high must be stronger than sleep and so always watchful in the mind, driving off the drowsiness of the eyes as if it were some deluder of souls or plotter against the truth. I speak of the drowsiness and sleep by which is fashioned dream visions for those who are sunk deeply in life’s deceits: high offices, riches, seats of power, conceitedness, the sorcery of pleasures, lust for fame and luxury and honour, and all those things which are eagerly and vainly and ignorantly sought in this life because of some fantasy, which things, falling away as time passes, have their nature in appearance only, and are not what they are thought to be, nor do they continue to be so valued, but rather as soon as they come to be they perish, just as the way waves raise up their peaks on the waters, which being gathered up together for a moment by the movement of the winds, yet in their instability are unable to endure in their substance, for raised up for an instant by a gust of air, so they drop down along with the air and allow the flat surface of the sea to be seen again. Thus, then, so that our mind may be free of such illusions, He exhorts that this heavy sleep be shaken from the eyes of the soul, lest a zeal for that which is unreal make us slip away from things which truly are. That is why He counsels the notion of vigilance for us when He says, 'Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning,' 2 for light shining in the eyes wards sleep from them, and loins tightly bound make the body disinclined to sleep, since preparation for laborious exertion does not bring the relaxation required for sleep. At any rate, it is apparent what is meant by these mysteries: that the one who is bound about with prudence lives by the light of a purified conscience, with life lit up all around by the lamp of candour, by which, the truth shining forth, the soul remains untouched by sleep and does not idle in the deceptions of those dreams. And if this is accomplished under the leadership of the Word, an angelic life is bestowed on us, for the Divine command likens us to angels when He says: 'And be like those waiting to receive their Lord, when he comes away from the marriage feast, so that when he comes and knocks they may open to him without delay.' 3 For it is the angels who wait for the return of their Lord from the marriage feast and sit at the heavenly gates with vigilant eyes, so that again when the King of Glory comes back from the marriage feast, He may enter with them into that supernal blessedness. Whence as one of the Psalms says, the Bridegroom coming out, as from the bridal chamber, 4 espoused the maiden, ourselves, in spiritual rebirth, even though she had been prostituted to idols, and restored her nature to virginal incorruptibility. Now since the marriage rites have been completed and the Church has been taken by the Word as His bride, just as John says: 'He who has the bride is the bridegroom,' 5 and the bride has been taken into the inner chamber of the mysteries, the angels are awaiting the return of the King of Glory to the blessedness that is His by nature. He says, then, that we in our living are to become like them, so that just like them, existing far from evil and error, we are prepared to greet their master at His coming, and sitting awake by the outer doors of our lodgings, we have been made ready to hear when He has arrived and knocks at the door. For He says, 'Blessed are those servants whom their Lord finds doing this when He comes.' 6 Since, then, it is a blessed thing to hearken to the one who knocks, because of this, the soul which is always looking for blessedness, perceives the one standing at the door, she who rightly watching over her treasures says, 'The voice of my beloved knocks at the door.' Saint Gregory of Nyssa, Commentary on The Song of Songs, from Homily 11 1 Song 5.2 2 Lk 12.35 3 Lk 12.36 4 Ps 18.6 5 Jn 3.29 6 Lk 12.43

The End And Perfection

Certe qui in cursu est, et in via graditur, minor est eo qui pervenit ad finem. Si ergo immaculatus est ille atque perfectus, qui adhuc ambulat in via, et graditur in lege, quid plus habebit ille, qui ad terminum viae legisque pervenit? Unde et Apostolus de Domino loquitur, quod in fine mundi, et in consummatione virtutum exhibeat sibi sanctam Ecclesiam, non habentem macula, neque rugam, quam vos putatis jam in ista carne mortali et corruptibili esse perfectam, et audire meremini cum Corinthiis: Jam perfecti estis, jam divites facti estis, sine nobis regnatis, atque utinam regnaretis, ut et nos regnaremus vobiscum: cum vera et absque omni sorde perfectio in coelestibus reservetur, quando sponsus loquetur ad sponsam: Tota pulchra es, anima mea, et macula non est in te. Juxta quod et illud intelligitur: Ut sitis irreprehensibiles et simplices sicut filii Dei immaculati: quod non dixerit estis, sed sitis, in futuram differens, non in praesenti esse contestans, ut hic labour sit aque contentio, ibi laboris virtutisque praemia. Denqiue Joannes scribit: Dilectissimi, filii Dei sumus, et nondum apparuit quid erimus. Scimus, quia cum apparuerit, similes ei erimus, quoniam eum videbimus sicuti est. Quamquam ergo filii Dei simus, tamen similitudo Dei, et vera contemplatio, tunc nobis repromittitur, quando apparuerit in claritate sua. Sanctus Hieronymous, Dialogus Adversus Pelagianos, Liber III Source: Migne PL 23.583a-c

Surely he who is on the course and advancing on the way is inferior to him who has reached the end. If, then, he is unspotted and perfect who is yet walking in the way and advancing in the law, what more shall he have who has come to the end of life and of the law? Whence the Apostle, speaking of our Lord, says that at the end of the world, in the consummation of the virtues, He will present His holy Church to Himself without spot or wrinkle, 1 which you think is perfect now in this mortal flesh and corruption, you who merit to be hear with the Corinthians, 'Already you are perfect, already you have been made rich, you reign without us, and that you did reign, that we might also reign with you,' 2 since true and pure perfection is reserved for those in heaven, when the groom shall say to the bride, 'You are all fair, my soul, and there is no spot in you.' 3 In this sense it it is understood: 'That you may be blameless and harmless, as children of God, without blemish.' 4 For He did not say you are, but may be, making a distinction for the future, not arguing it for the present. So here is toil and effort and there are the rewards of labour and virtue. Lastly, John writes, 'Beloved, we are sons of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.' 5 Therefore, although we are sons of God, yet likeness to God and true contemplation is promised us when He shall appear in His glory. Saint Jerome, Dialogue Against the Pelagians, Book 3 1 Ephes 5.27 2 1 Cor 4.8 3 Song 4.7 4 Philip 2.15 5 1 Jn 3.2

Offering Oneself

Ἀπὸ κεφαλῆς Σανὶρ, καὶ Ἑρμὼν, φησὶ τὸ τῶν ᾀσμάτων Ἄσμα. Σανὶρ δὲ ἑρμηνεύεται ὁδὸς λύχνοῦ, Ἑρμὼν δὲ ἀνάθημα· διὰ τῆς κεφαλῆς τὸ λογιστικὸν ἡμῶν ὁ Σολομὼν αἱνιξάμενος. Ὅλους τοίνυν ἑαυτοὺς τῷ Θεῷ ἁναθῶμεν πεζοποροῦντες ἀόκνως τὴν προκειμένην ἡμῖν στενὴν καὶ μακρὰν ὁδὸν πεφωτισμένοις τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς τῆς ψυχῆς τῇ λαμπηδονι τῶν θείων προσταγμάτων. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΤΛΑ´ Ἱλαριῳ Μονακῳ Source: Migne PG 79.202c

'From the head of Sanir and Hermon,' 1 is it said in the Song of Songs. Sanir means 'way of the lamp', and Hermon 'an offering.' By the head Solomon indicates to us the endowed faculty of reason. Thus let us totally offer ourselves to God, without hesitation setting forth on foot on the narrow and long way proposed to us, with the eyes of the soul illuminated by the the splendour of the Divine teachings. Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 331 To Hilarius the Monk 1 Song 4.8

The Two Hands

Εὐώνυμος αὐτοῦ ὑπὸ τὴν κεφαλήν μου καὶ ἡ δεξιὰ αὐτοῦ περιλήμψεταί με... Εὐώνυμος ὁ νόμος, δεξιὰ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον. Ἢ καὶ εὐώνυμος ὁ παρὼν βίος, δεξιὰ ὁ μέλλων, ἥτις με περιλήψεται ὅταν τοῖς ἐκ δεξιῶν εἴπῃ· Δεῦτε, οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ Πατρός μου. Λέγει δὲ καὶ ἑτέρωθι· Μῆκος βίου καὶ ἔτη ζωῆς, ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς σοφίας· ἐν δὲ τῇ ἀριστερᾷ, πλοῦτος καὶ δόξα. Δεξιὰ γοῦν αὐτῆς ἡ τῶν θείων ἐπιστήμη, ἐξ ἧς ἡ αἰώνιος ζωή· ἀριστερὰ δὲ ἡ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων γνῶσις, ἐξ ὧν πλοῦτος καὶ δόξα. Λέγει τοίνυν, ὅτι Ὑπερέχει ὁ νοῦς μου τὰ ἀνθρώπινα· καὶ ἡ θεία γνῶσις καλύψει με. Καὶ γὰρ εἴρηται πάλιν· Τίμησον αὐτὴν, ἵνα σε περιλάβῃ. Δείκνυσι τοίνυν, ὅτι ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ νυμφίος καὶ τοξότης ἡμῶν ἐστι, νύμφη τε καὶ βέλος ἡ κεκαθαρμένη ψυχή· ὡς βέλος οὖν πρὸς τὸν ἀγαθὸν εὐθύνει σκοπόν. Ὡς νύμφην εἰς κοινωνίαν ἀναλαμβάνει τῆς ἀφθάρτου ἀϊδιότητος, μῆκος βίου καὶ ἔτη ζωῆς, διὰ τῆς δεξιᾶς χαριζόμενος· διὰ δὲ τῆς ἀριστερᾶς, τὸν τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν πλοῦτον καὶ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δόξαν, ἧς οἱ τὴν τοῦ κόσμου ζητοῦντες δόξαν ἀμέτοχοι γίνονται. Διὰ τοῦτό φησιν, ὅτι Εὐώνυμος αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλήν μου, δι' ἧς εὐθύνεται ὑπὸ τὸν σκοπὸν τὸ βέλος· ἡ δὲ δεξιὰ αὐτοῦ πρὸς ἑαυτόν με διαλαβοῦσα καὶ ἐφελκυσαμένη, κούφην με πρὸς ἄνω φορὰν ἀπεργάζεται· κἀκεῖ πεμπομένην, καὶ τοῦ τοξότου μὴ χωριζομένην, μᾶλλον ἐπαναπαύεσθαι. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τo Ἀσμα Των Ἀσμάτων Source: Migne PG 69.1281c-1284a

His left hand is beneath my head and his right hand shall embrace me... 1 The left hand is spoken of for the Law and the right for the Gospel. Or the left hand should be understood as this present life, and the right as the future, which shall embrace me when it is said to those on the right: 'Come, blessed of my Father,' 2 Indeed it says elsewhere: 'The length of the years of life is in the right hand of wisdom, and in the left are riches and glory.' 3 Thus the right hand is the knowledge of Divine things, by which eternal life is achieved, and the left hand is the understanding of human things, from which comes wealth and glory. Thus she says here: 'My mind surpasses human things and Divine knowledge shall enfold me.' For again it is said, 'Honour wisdom and she will embrace you.' 4 Therefore this shows the groom to be our archer, and the bride, which is the purified soul, is the arrow, which he directs to a good target like a shaft. So he takes up the bride for the participation in incorruptible eternity, the right hand giving the long years of life, and the left the wealth of the eternal goods and the glory of God, of which they who seek the glory of the world are deprived. Therefore it says that his left hand is beneath my head, by which the shaft is directed to the target, and the right hand grasps and draws me to him because He makes the flight to heavenly things swift, not being separated from the archer but rather finding rest. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Song Of Songs 1 Song 2.6 2 Mt 25.34 3 Prov 3.16 4 Prov 4.8

Bringing In

Introducite me in domum vini... Foris stetit sponsus, et ab sponsa susceptus est. In medio quippe uberum illius requievit. Proximae juvenculae non sunt istiusmodi ut sponsum hospitem habere mereantur. Multitudini foris in parabolis loquitur. Quam vereor ne multae adolescentulae forte non simus. Introducite me in domum vini. Cur tam diu foris maneo? Ecce sto ante ostium et pulso. Si quis mihi aperueit, ingrediar ad eum, et coenabo cum eo, it ipse mecum. Introducite me. Et nunc eadam dicit sermon divinus, ecce Christus loquitur, introducite me. Vobis quoque catechumenis loquitor: Introducite me. Introducite, non simpliciter in domum, sed in domum vini, impleatur vino laetitiae, vino Spiritus sancti anima vestra, et sic introducite in domum vestram sponsum, verbum, sapientiam, veritatem. Potest autem et ad eos dici qui nondum perfecti sunt: Introducite me in domum vini. Origenes, In Canticum Canticorum Homilia II, Interprete Divo Hieronymo Source: Migne PG 13.53a-b

Bring me into the house of wine... 1 The groom stood outside and was taken in by the bride. In the midst of her bosom he rested. The young maidens near by did not merit to have the groom as a guest like this. In parables he speaks to the multitude outside. 2 How I fear lest many of us might be as the young maidens. 'Bring me into the house of wine,' Why do I wait for so long outside? 'Behold I stand at the door and knock. If someone shall open to me, I shall enter into him and I shall dine with him and he with me.' 3 And now the Divine one speaks the same speech, behold Christ speaks, 'Bring me in...' He also speaks to you catechumens, 'Bring me,' not simply into the house, but 'into the house of wine,' let your soul be filled with the wine of joy, with the wine of the Holy Spirit, and so bring the groom into your house, the Word, Wisdom, Truth. For it may be said to those not yet perfect, 'Bring me into the house of wine.' Origen, Commentary On The Song of Songs, from Homily 2, translated by Saint Jerome 1 Song 2.4 Septuagint 2 Mt 13.34 3 Apoc 3.20

Drawn Away

Trahe me post te, in odore unguentorum tuorum curremus. Quid? sponsane ergo necesse habet trahi, et hoc post sponsum? Quasi vero invita eum, et non libens sequatur. Sed non omnis qui trahitur, invitus trahitur. Nec enim infirmum aut debilem, eum videlicet qui per se ire non valet, trahi ad balneum, seu ad prandium piget, etsi reum pigeat trahi ad judicium, vel ad poenam. Denique trahi vult quae et hoc rogat: non autem rogaret, si sequi per se ipsam dilectum, prout vellet, valeret. Utquid vero non valet? an infirmam fateamur et sponsam? Si una quaevis ex adolescentulis infirmam se diceret, et peteret trahi, nequaquam miraremur. At vero de sponsa, quae trahere et alios, utpote fortis et perfecta, posse sufficere videbatur: cui non durum sonet, quod et ipsa trahi, tanquam infirma vel debilis, necesse habeat? De quanam anima jam confidimus quod valida sit et sana, si illam infirmam dici consenserimus, quae pro sui singulari perfectione et excellentiori virtute sponsa Domini nominatur? An Ecclesia forte id dixerit, cum intueretur dilectum ascendentem, gestiens eum sequi, atque assumi cum ipso in gloria? Quanquam et quantaevis perfectionis anima, quamdiu quidem gemit sub corpore mortis hujus, et hujus saeculi nequam retinetur inclusa carcere, vincta necessitatibus, torta sceleribus, lentius segniusque assurgat necesse est ad contemplanda sublimia, nec omnino liberum habet sequi sponsum quocunque ierit. Hinc lacrymosa vox illa gementis: Infelix ego homo, quis me liberabit de corpore mortis hujus? Hinc supplex illa precatio: Educ de carcere animam meam. Dicat proinde, dicat cum gemitu etiam sponsa: Trahe me post te; quia corpus quod corrumpitur, aggravat animam, et deprimit terrena inhabitatio sensum multa cogitantem. An hoc dicat cupiens dissolvi et esse cum Christo, praesertim dum videat eas, propter quas manere ipsam in carne necessarium videbatur, bene proficientes amare jam sponsum, et stare in tuto charitatis? Siquidem hoc praemiserat: Propterea, inquiens, adolescentulae dilixerunt te. Nunc ergo quasi dicat, Ecce adolescentulae amant te, et amando firmiter inhaerent tibi, meque minime jam opus habent, nulla mihi causa in hac vita ulterius commorandi; idcirco ait, Trahe me post te. Sanctus Bernardus Clarae Vallensis, In Cantica Canticorum, Sermo XXI, Qualiter sponsa, id est Ecclesia, trahi se optat post sponsum, id est Christum. Source: Migne PL 183.872b-873a

Draw me after you, in the fragrance of your ointments we shall run. 1 What? Is it necessary then to drag the bride, and this after the groom? Is it that she is unwilling and unhappy to follow him? But not all who are dragged are unwilling to be taken. Neither the infirm or the lame, who are not able to go themselves, refuse to be carried off to the baths, or to a feast, even if it shames a guilty man to be dragged to judgement, or punishment. And then she who wishes to be dragged asks for it to be so, and would not ask if she herself were able, as much as she wished it, to follow her beloved. But how was she not capable? Shall we say that the bride was infirm? If one of the maidens had said she was infirm from her youth, and then asked to be dragged, we would not need to wonder. But concerning the bride, she who seemed to draw others, she who was strong and perfect, does it seem possible that it might be that she cries out to be carried off, as if she were one who is infirm or incapable? How shall we have the confidence to allow the strength and vitality of any soul, if we admit her weakness, which for its singular perfection and excellence of virtue is named the bride of the Lord? But perhaps the Church says this when it looks on its beloved ascendant, desiring to follow Him, and to be taken up with Him in glory? Whatever and how much perfection of soul there might be, yet it groans beneath this body of death, and being shut up in the prison of this wicked world, fettered with necessities, tormented with crimes, it is necessary that it rise up slowly and sluggishly to sublime contemplation, and it does not have the freedom to follow the groom wherever he may go. Hence that tearful voice cries out: 'I am a wretched man, who will free me from this body of death?' 2 Hence the supplicating plea: 'Lead my soul from prison.' 3 Accordingly with a groan the bride may say: 'Draw me after you, because the body which corrupts burdens the soul, and the earthly dwelling crushes down the mind with many thoughts.' 4 Is it not this she says who desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ, especially while she sees those on account of which it might seems necessary to remain in this flesh, making good progress in the love of the groom and standing in the protection of charity? 5 Which she had already touched on, saying 'Therefore the maidens love you.' 6 Now it as if she says, 'Behold, the maidens love you, and in that loving they are firmly bound to you. They hardly have need of me now, there is no may reason to linger in this life.' Therefore she says, 'Draw me after you.' Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Commentary On The Song of Songs, from Sermon 31, In what way the bride, who is the Church, desires to be drawn after the groom, who is Christ. 1 Song 1.4 2 Rom 7.24 3 Ps 141.8 4 Wisd 9.15 5 Philip 1.23-24 6 Song 1.3

The Beloved's Garden

Dilectus meus descendit in hortum suum ad areolam aromatum, ut ibi pascatur in hortis et lilia colligat. Ego dilecto meo, et dilectus meus mihi, qui pascitur inter lilia. Dilectus meus. Vox illorum qui invitant alios ad quaerendum Deum, ut sic dicant: Vos quaeritis quo declinavit dilectus meus, et ecce annuntio vobis quia in Ecclesia sua notus est, et ibi habitat, et hoc dicit, descendit in hortum suum, id est de cognatione angelorum suppliciter se humiliavit, carnem sumendo, usque ad cognitionem hominum; descendit dico ad areolam, id est ad illos qui sunt areola, id est qui sunt bene culta terra, et plantata secundum voluntatem Dei. Areola dico aromatum, id est illi qui proferunt Deo suavem odorem orationum et operum. Descendit, dico, ad hoc ut pascatur et delectetur in hortis, id est in fidelibus Ecclesiae suae. Et lilia colligat, id est assumat et reponat in secreta sua, lilia, id est candidatos in virtutibus, vel colligat et attrahat quosdam in Ecclesia sua quos faciat lilia, id est candidatos omni virtute. Ego dilecto. Et mihi iterum de hoc debes credere quia ego dilecto meo obsequor in quibus possum, et sum bene ei familiaris, et ideo dilectus meus adest mihi, praebens auxilium suum et cognitionem suam, qui pascit et delectatur inter lilia. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes in Cantica canticorum, Caput VI Source: Migne PL 162.1216b-c

My beloved goes down into his garden to the fragrant beds, there he has pasture in the garden, and he gathers lilies. I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine, who has his pasture among the lilies. 1 'My beloved.' The voice of those who invite others to seek God, so that they say: 'You wonder how my beloved came down, and behold I announce to you that in his Church it is known, and there he dwells, and he says that he goes down into his garden, that is, he humbly lowers himself from the knowledge of angels, taking up the flesh, to the knowledge of men. I say he goes down into the beds, that is to those who are beds, that is, those who are well cultivated earth, and planted according to the will of God. And I say the beds are fragrant, that is, they offer to God the sweet scents of prayers and works. He descends, I say, for this, that he have pasture and delight in the gardens, that is, in the faithful of His Church. And He gathers lilies, that is, he takes them up and places them in his secret places, those lilies who are those who are bright with the virtues, or he gathers some of them and takes some into his Church to make them his own lilies, that is, bright with every virtue. 'I am my beloved's' And again you should believe me in this because I have entreated my beloved in what I can, and I am most familiar with him, and therefore my beloved is near me, giving his help and his knowledge, feeding and delighting among the lilies. Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Song Of Songs, Chapter 6 1 Song 6.1

Rising Up

Ἀποκρίνεται ὁ ἀδελφιδοῦς μου, καὶ λέγει μοι· Ἀνάστα, ἐλθέ ἡ πλησίον μου καλή μου περιστερά μου. Μαρτυρεῖ τῷ κάλλει τῆς νύμφης ὁ νυμφίος· καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς αὐτὴν καλὴν, ἀλλὰ καλήν μου, καλεῖ διδάσκων ὅτι λίαν αὐτῷ τὸ κάλλος αὐτῆς ἀρέσκει. Προσαγορεύει δὲ αὐτὴν καὶ περιστερὰν, τὴν πνευματικὴν χάριν διὰ τούτου τοῦ ὀνόματος αἰνιττόμενος· ἐν εἴδει γὰρ περιστερᾶς ἐπ' αὐτὸν ἐφοίτησε τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. Τοὺς δὲ τελείους πνευματικοὺς οἶδεν ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος καλεῖν. ∆ιὸ τοῖς ἀτελέσιν ἔτι γράφων φησίν· Κἀγὼ, ἀδελφοὶ, οὐκ ἠδυνήθην ὑμῖν λαλῆσαι ὡς πνευματικοῖς, ἀλλ' ὡς σαρκικοῖς, ὡς νηπίοις ἐν Χριστῷ. Τοῖς δὲ τελείοις γράφει· Ὑμεῖς δὲ ἐν σαρκὶ οὐκ ἐστὲ, ἀλλ' ἐν πνεύματι, εἴπερ Πνεῦμα Θεοῦ οἰκεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν. Εἰκότως τοίνυν τὴν ἐν ἀρετῇ τετελειωμένην ψυχὴν ὁ νυμφίος περιστερὰν ὀνομάζει· τουτέστι πνευματικὴν, καὶ Πνεύματος ἁγίου πεπληρωμένην. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ προφήτης Ἡσαΐας πόῤῥωθεν ταῦτα προορῶν, καὶ τοὺς ἁγίους ἀποστόλους οἷόν τινας ὑποπτέρους πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην περιϊπταμένους θεώμενος, καὶ τοὺς ἐκείνων φοιτητὰς καὶ ἀκροατὰς, ὥσπερ τινὰς νεοττοὺς, ἑπομένους αὐτοῖς, βοᾷ καὶ λέγει· Τίνες οἵδε ὡσεὶ νεφέλαι πέτανται, καὶ ὡσεὶ περιστεραὶ σὺν νεοσσοῖς αὐτῶν; Οὕτω καὶ ὁ νυμφίος ἐνταῦθα τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν αὐτοῦ κάμνουσαν ἐν τοῖς πειρασμοῖς ψυχαγωγῶν καὶ παραμυθούμενος, καὶ ἐκ τῶν θυρίδων παρακύπτων, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν δικτύων ἐκκύπτων, παρακαλεῖ αὐτὴν ἀναστῆναι, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀναπτῆ ναι. Ἔδωκε γὰρ αὐτῇ τῆς περιστερᾶς ἐκείνης τὰ πτερὰ, περὶ ἧς ὁ μακάριος ∆αβὶδ λέγει· Ἐὰν κοιμηθῆτε ἀναμέσον τῶν κλήρων, ἐκεῖ πτέρυγες περιστερᾶς περιηργυρωμέναι, καὶ τὰ μετάφρενα αὐτῆς ἐν χλωρότητι χρυσίου· κλήρους τὰς δύο ∆ιαθήκας ὀνομάζων, περιστερὰν δὲ τὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος χάριν, πτερὰ ἔχουσαν περιηργυρωμένα, τὴν τοῦ λόγου λαμπρότητα· μετάφρενα δὲ ἐν χλωρότητι χρυσίου, τῶν κεκρυμμένων μυστηρίων τὸ περίβλεπτον· Ἐὰν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν μέσῳ τῶν δύο ∆ιαθηκῶν διαναπαύσησθε, καὶ ἑκατέρωθεν τὴν ὠφέλειαν ἑλκύσητε, εὑρήσετε ἐκεῖ τὰ ποικίλα τοῦ Πνεύματος δῶρα. Ἡ νύμφη τοιγαροῦν τὴν πνευματικὴν δεξαμένη παραίνεσιν, καὶ κοιμηθεῖσα ἀναμέσον τῶν κλήρων, εὗρε τὰς περιηργυρωμένας πτέρυγας, δι' ὧν πρὸς τὸν νυμ φίον ἀναπτῆναι παρακελεύεται. Θεοδώρητος Ἐπίσκοπος Κύρρος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Το Ἀσμα Των Ασμάτων, Λόγος Δεύτερος Source: Migne PG 81.101d-104c

And my bridegroom answers and says to me: 'Rise up, come, my dear, my beauty, my dove... 1 The groom bears witness to the beauty of the bride, and he does not say 'beauty' only, but 'my beauty' teaching how greatly this beauty of hers pleases. And then he addresses her as dove, intimating by this name spiritual grace, for with the image of a dove the Holy Spirit came down upon Him. And the blessed Paul knew what it was to call the spiritual perfect, for certainly to the yet imperfect he writes, 'And I, brothers, am not able to speak to you as spiritual creatures, but as carnal ones, as infants in Christ,' but to the perfect he writes, 'You are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if indeed the spirit of God dwells in you.' 2 It seems, then, that for the perfection of the soul the groom used the name 'dove', that is, spiritual and full of the Holy Spirit. For the Prophet Isaiah, seeing these things long before, contemplated the holy Apostles as being winged and flying through the whole orb of the earth, and their disciples and hearers were as fledglings following them, and with great voice he cried out, 'Who are these who fly like the clouds and like doves with their young ones?' 3 In the same manner the groom refreshes and consoles His Church while it labours in trials, and, looking in at the windows, and looking through the lattice, 4 he exhorts her to rise and fly. For he gives to her the wings of the dove, concerning which the blessed David says: 'If you sleep in the midst of lots, you shall be covered with silver like the wings of the dove, and like the hind parts of its back with a pallor of gold.' 5 The lots are the two Testaments, the dove is the grace of the Holy Spirit, the wing covered with silver is the splendour of the word. But by the hind parts of the back with their pallor of gold he speaks of the enlightenment of hidden mysteries. As if he said, 'If in the midst of the two Testaments you repose, and from both you grasp some usefulness, you shall find there various gifts of the Holy Spirit.' Thus the bride, receiving a spiritual exhortation while she rests in the midst of the lots, finds wings covered with silver, by which she is exhorted to fly to the groom. Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Commentary on the Song of Songs, Book 2 1 Song 2.10 2 Rom 8.9 3 Isaiah 60.8 4 Song 2.9 5 Ps 67.14

The Beauty Within

Μέλαινά εἰμι καὶ καλή, θυγατέρες Ἰερουσαλήμ... Τῆς ἱερᾶς τοῦ μαρτυρίου σκηνῆς οὐχ ὁμότιμον ἦν τῷ ἔνδοθεν κεκρυμμένῳ κάλλει τὸ ἐκτὸς προφαινόμενον· αὐλαῖαι μὲν γὰρ ἐκ λινῶν ὑφασμάτων καὶ αἱ διὰ τῶν τριχῶν τῶν αἰγῶν δέρρεις καὶ αἱ τῶν ἐρυθρῶν δερμάτων περιβολαὶ τὸν ἔξωθεν τῆς σκηνῆς κόσμον ἐπλήρουν καὶ οὐδὲν ἦν μέγα καὶ τίμιον τοῖς τὰ ἐκτὸς ὁρῶσι παρὰ ταῦτα φαινόμενον, ἔσωθεν δὲ χρυσῷ καὶ ἀργύρῳ καὶ τοῖς τιμίοις τῶν λίθων πᾶσα ἡ τοῦ μαρτυρίου σκηνὴ κατελάμπετο· οἱ στῦλοι, αἱ βάσεις, αἱ κεφαλίδες, τὸ θυμιατήριον, τὸ θυσιαστήριον, ἡ κιβωτός, ἡ λυχνία, τὸ ἱλαστήριον, οἱ λουτῆρες, τὰ τῶν εἰσόδων καταπετάσματα, οἷς τὸ κάλλος ἐκ παντὸς εἴδους τῆς εὐχροούσης βαφῆς συνεκίρνατο, νῆμα χρύσεον ὑακίνθῳ καὶ πορφύρᾳ καὶ βύσσῳ καὶ κόκκῳ διά τινος τεχνικῆς λεπτουργίας εὐκόσμως συνυφαινόμενον, σύγκρατον ἐκ πάντων, καθάπερ ἐν ἴριδος αὐγαῖς ἀποστίλβειν ἐποίει τὴν αὐγὴν τοῦ ὑφάσματος. Πρὸς ὅ τι δὲ βλέπων ἐντεῦθεν προοιμιάζομαι, πρόδηλον ὑμῖν πάντως ἐκ τῶν ῥηθησομένων γενήσεται. Πάλιν πρόκειται ἡμῖν τὸ Ἆισμα τῶν Ἀισμάτων εἰς πᾶσαν φιλοσοφίας τε καὶ θεογνωσίας ὑφήγησιν. Aὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἀληθινὴ τοῦ μαρτυρίου σκηνή, ἧς προκαλύμματα μὲν καὶ δέρρεις καὶ ἡ τῆς αὐλαίας περιβολὴ ἐρωτικοί τινες γίνονται λόγοι καὶ ῥήματα τὴν πρὸς τὸ ποθούμενον σχέσιν ἐμφαίνοντα καὶ κάλλους ὑπογραφὴ καὶ μνήμη σωματικῶν μελῶν, τῶν τε προφαινομένων ἐν τῷ προσώπῳ καὶ τῶν ὑποκεκρυμμένων τῇ τῆς ἐσθῆτος περιβολῇ. Tὰ δὲ ἐντὸς πολύφωτός τίς ἐστιν ὡς ἀληθῶς λυχνία καὶ κιβωτὸς μυστηρίων πλήρης. Kαὶ τὸ τῆς εὐωδίας θυμιατήριον καὶ τὸ καθάρσιον τῆς ἁμαρτίας, τὸ πάγχρυσον ἐκεῖνο τῆς εὐσεβείας θυσιαστήριον, τό τε τῶν καταπετασμάτων κάλλος, τὸ διὰ τῆς τῶν ἀρετῶν εὐχροίας εὐσχημόνως ἐξυφαινόμενον, καὶ οἱ ἀκλινεῖς τῶν λογισμῶν στῦλοι καὶ αἱ ἀμετάθετοι τῶν δογμάτων βάσεις, τό τε τῶν κεφαλίδων κάλλος, δι' ὧν ἡ περὶ τὸ ἡγεμονικὸν τῆς ψυχῆς ἑρμηνεύεται χάρις καὶ οἱ τῶν ψυχῶν λουτῆρες καὶ πάντα ὅσα πρὸς τὴν οὐρανίαν τε καὶ ἀσώματον πολιτείαν βλέπει, ἃ δι' αἰνιγμάτων ὁ νόμος διακελεύεται, ἐν τοῖς ὑποκεκρυμμένοις τῇ λέξει νοήμασιν ἔστιν εὑρεῖν, εἰ μόνον ἐπιτηδείους πρὸς τὴν εἰς τὰ ἅγια τῶν ἁγίων εἴσοδον ἑαυτοὺς δι' ἐπιμελείας ποιήσαιμεν τῷ λουτῆρι τοῦ λόγου πάντα ῥύπον αἰσχρᾶς ἐννοίας ἀποκλυσάμενοι, μήποτε θιγόντες παρὰ τὸ παράγγελμα τοῦ νόμου θνησιμαίου νοήματος ἤ τινος τῶν ἀκαθάρτων ἐνθυμίων ἁψάμενοι ἀθέατοι τῶν ἐντὸς τῆς σκηνῆς θαυμάτων ἀποκλεισθῶμεν. Oὐ γὰρ παραδέχεται τῶν τοιούτων τὴν εἴσοδον ὁ τοῦ πνεύματος νόμος, ἐὰν μή τις πλύνῃ τὸ τῆς συνειδήσεως ἑαυτοῦ ἱμάτιον κατὰ τὸ Μωϋσέως παράγγελμα ὁ νεκρᾶς τινος καὶ βδελυκτῆς ἐννοίας ἁψάμενος. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος Νύσσης, Ἐξηγησις Του Αἰσματος Των Ἀσμάτων Ὁμιλία β' Source: Migne PG 44.787b-789a

I am dark but beautiful, daughters of Jerusalem... 1 The holy tabernacle of witness was not beautiful because of its outward appearance, but because of what was hidden within. Certainly there were curtains made from linen, and with the leathery pelts of goats and rough hides all these made up the outer covering of the tabernacle, but it was not great and precious in appearance because of these things which were able to be seen externally. For it was the interior of the tabernacle of witness that glittered all around with silver and gold and precious stones. There were the columns, the pedestals, the thurible, the altar, the ark, the lamp-stand, the mercy seat, the washing basins, and the veils and curtains of the entrance whose beauty was a mix of many tinctures of colours, and threads of gold, and of blue, and of purple and of scarlet, all woven and threaded together, and by this weaving its splendour was made equal to the glory of the rainbow. 2 With which vision I begin, so that those things which I will say here may be plainly manifest to us. Again the Song of songs sets before us an exposition of the universal philosophy, and the knowledge of God. This is the true tabernacle of witness. Certainly the exterior coverings, the curtains and drapes on the outside, are the desiring thoughts and words that reveal an inclination for what is wished, but a description of beauty, making mention of bodily members, touches on both what is openly seen and what is hidden beneath the covering of clothes. For the things that are within are a person of many lights, as the true lamp-stand, and the ark, full of mysteries. And then the thurible with its sweet odour purifies from sin, and also the golden and pious mercy seat, and the beauty of the veils is woven elegantly with the pleasing complexion of the virtues, and the firm and immobile columns are reason, and the pedestals are dogmas which are not able to be shifted, and by the beauty of the capitals is understood the grace of the soul's governing part, and the basins are for the washing of souls. Indeed here, wherever one looks, is the heavenly and incorporeal maintenance of life, which the law commands in mystery , and which can be found in the meanings which are hidden in these words, if only we have care to prepare ourselves to enter into the holy of holies, by the washing off in the cleansing waters of reason all the filth of shameful thoughts, lest if, because of the touching of some moribund idea or vile thought prohibited by the command of the law, we are excluded, and as blind men are rendered unable to contemplate the wonders which are within the tabernacle. The spiritual law does not permit entrance to anyone who touches a dead or vile thought, unless, as Moses commands, he has washed clean the vestment of his conscience. Saint Gregory of Nyssa, Commentary on The Song of Songs, from Homily 2 1 Song 1.5 2 Exodus 25-

Speaking And Doing

Σοφιστεύεις ὄντως, καὶ γράφων, καὶ κάλλη πλαττεις ὀνομάτων. Χρὴ δὲ καὶ ἀφορμὰς παρέχειν ἐν αὐτοῖς ὠφελείας πραγμάτων. Τὸ γὰρ καλῶς λέγειν κυμβάλῳ παρέοικε. Τὸ δὲ χρηστῶς πράττειν ἀγγέλιος συμπέφυκεν. Οἶς καὶ ἔμφοβος καὶ ἀμελλητος ὑπακοὴ τὸ ποιεῖν τὰ θελήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ μαρτυρεῖ. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΡΞΓ' Κυρῳ Source: Migne PG 78.292a

You are a fine orator and write and arrange words most beautifully. But it is necessary for you to attend to the profitable substance of deeds. For to speak finely is to be like a cymbal, 1 whereas to act well is of the nature of angels. Their awe and prompt obedience to the will of God bears witness to this. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 163, To Cyrus 1 1 Cor 13.1

A Monk's Repentance

Ὁ μακάριος ἀββᾶς Παῦλος ὁ ἁπλοῦς ὁ τοῦ ἁγίου Ἀντωνίου μαθητὴς, διηγήσατο τοῖς Πατράσι πρᾶγμα τοιοῦτον· ὅτι ποτὲ παραγενόμενος ἐν μοναστηρίῳ ἐπισκέψεως ἕνεκεν καὶ ὠφελείας χάριν ἀδελφῶν, μετὰ τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους αὐτῶν συνήθη διάλεκτον, εἴσεισιν ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκκλησίᾳ τὴν συνήθη σύναξιν ἐπιτελέσαι. Ὁ δὲ μακάριος Παῦλος, φησὶ, προσέσχεν ἑκάστῳ τῶν εἰσιόντων εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, ὁποίᾳ ἄρα ψυχῇ εἰσίασιν εἰς τὴν σύναξιν· εἶχε γὰρ καὶ ταύτην τὴν χάριν παρὰ Κυρίου δοθεῖσαν αὐτῷ, ὥστε ὁρᾷν ἕκαστον ὁποῖός ἐστι τῇ ψυχῇ, ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς βλέπομεν ἀλλήλων τὰ πρόσωπα. Πάντων δὲ εἰσιόντων λαμπρᾷ τῇ ὄψει καὶ φαιδρῷ τῷ προσώπῳ, τόν τε ἑκάστου ἄγγελον χαίροντα ἐπ΄ αὐτῷ· ἕνα, φησὶν, ὁρᾷ μέλαντα καὶ ζοφώδη ὅλον τὸ σῶμα, δαίμονας δὲ παρ΄ ἑκατέρᾳ τοῦτον συνέχοντας καὶ ἕλκοντας αὐτὸν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς, φορβειὰν ἐπὶ τὴν ῥῖνα αὐτοῦ βάλλοντας· τόν τε ἅγιον ἄγγελον αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ἀκολουθοῦντα σκυθρωπὸν καὶ κατηφῆ. Ὁ δὲ Παῦλος δακρύσας, καὶ τῇ χειρὶ τὸ στῆθος πλήξας, ἐκαθέζετο πρὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, ἀποκλαιόμενος σφόδρα τὸν οὕτως ὀφθέντα αὐτῷ. Οἱ δὲ θεασάμενοι τὸ παράδοξον τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, τήν τε ὀξεῖαν αὐτοῦ μεταβολὴν, πρὸς δάκρυα καὶ πένθος κινήσαντα, ἠρώτων αὐτὸν παρακαλοῦντες τὸ διατί κλαίει εἰπεῖν, νομίζοντες μήτι καταγνοὺς ἁπάντων τοῦτο ποιεῖ· παρεκάλουν τε αὐτὸν καὶ εἰς τὴν σύναξιν σὺν αὐτοῖς εἰσιέναι. Ὁ δὲ Παῦλος ἀποσεισάμενος αὐτοὺς ἐκαθέζετο ἔξω, ἀποδυρόμενος πάνυ τὸν οὕτως ὀφθέντα αὐτῷ. Μετ΄ οὐ πολὺ δὲ τῆς συνάξεως ἀπολυθείσης, καὶ πάντων ἐξιόντων, πάλιν κατεμάνθανεν ὁ Παῦλος ἕκαστον, βουλόμενος γνῶναι οἷοι ἐξέρχονται· καὶ ὁρᾷ τὸν ἄνδρα ἐκεῖνον, τὸν μέλαν καὶ ζοφῶδες ἔχοντα τὸ πρὶν ὅλον τὸ σῶμα, ἐξερχόμενον ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας λαμπρὸν τῷ προσώπῳ, λευκὸν τῷ σώματι, καὶ τοὺς δαίμονας μακράν που ἀκολουθοῦντας, τόν τε ἅγιον ἄγγελον ἐγγὺς αὐτοῦ παρεπόμενον καὶ χαίροντα ἐπ΄ αὐτῷ σφόδρα. Ὁ δὲ Παῦλος ἀναπηδήσας μετὰ χαρᾶς, ἐβόα εὐλογῶν τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ λέγων· Ὢ τῆς ἀφάτου τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας καὶ ἀγαθότητος. Δραμὼν δὲ καὶ ἀναβὰς ἐπὶ βαθμοῦ ὑψηλοῦ, μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ ἔλεγε· Δεῦτε καὶ ἴδετε τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὡς φοβερὰ καὶ πάσης ἐκπλήξεως ἄξια. Δεῦτε καὶ ἴδετε τὸν θέλοντα πάντας ἀνθρώπους σωθῆναι, καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν. Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσω μεν αὐτῷ, καὶ εἴπωμεν· Σὺ μόνος δύνασαι ἀφαιρεῖν ἁμαρτίας. Συνέτρεχον δὲ πάντες μετὰ σπουδῆς, τῶν λεγομένων ἀκοῦσαι βουλόμενοι. Καὶ συνελθόντων πάντων, διηγεῖτο ὁ Παῦλος τὰ ὁραθέντα αὐτῷ πρὸ τῆς εἰσόδου τῆς ἐκκλησίας, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα πάλιν, καὶ ἠξίου τὸν ἄνδρα ἐκεῖνον λέγειν τὴν αἰτίαν δι΄ ἣν αὐτῷ τὴν τοσαύτην μεταβολὴν αἰφνιδίως ὁ Θεὸς ἐχαρίσατο. Ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος ἐλεγχθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Παύλου, ἐνώπιον πάντων ἀνυποστόλως διηγεῖτο τὰ καθ΄ ἑαυτὸν, λέγων· Ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπός εἰμι ἁμαρτωλὸς, φησὶ, καὶ ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ χρόνου πορνείαις συνέζων μέχρι τοῦ νῦν· εἰσελθὼν δὲ νῦν ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἤκουσα τοῦ ἁγίου προφήτου Ἡσαΐου ἀναγινωσκομένου, μᾶλλον δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ λαλοῦντος δι΄ αὐτοῦ· Λούσασθε, καθαροὶ γένεσθε, ἀφέλετε τὰς πονηρίας ὑμῶν ἀπὸ τῶν καρδιῶν ὑμῶν· ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου μάθετε καλὸν ποιεῖν. Καὶ ἐὰν ὦσιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν ὡς φοινικοῦν, ὡς χιόνα λευκανῶ. Καὶ ἐὰν θέλητε καὶ εἰσακούσητέ μου, τὰ ἀγαθὰ τῆς γῆς φάγεσθε. Ἐγὼ δὲ, φησὶν, ὁ πόρνος, ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ προφήτου κατανυγεὶς τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ στενάξας ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ μου, εἶπον πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, ὅτι Σὺ ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἁμαρτωλοὺς σῶσαι, ἃ νῦν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου σου ἐπηγγείλω, ταῦτα καὶ εἰς ἐμὲ πλήρωσον τὸν ἁμαρτωλὸν καὶ ἀνάξιον. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν δίδωμί σοι λόγον, συντάσσομαι δὲ καὶ ἐκ καρδίας ἐξομολογοῦμαί σοι, ὅτι οὐ μὴ πράξω ἔτι τι τῶν κακῶν· ἀλλὰ ἀποτάσσομαι πᾶσαν παρανομίαν, καὶ δουλεύσω σοι ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ἐν καθαρᾷ συνειδήσει. Σήμερον, ὦ Δέσποτα, καὶ ἐκ τῆς ὥρας ταύτης, δέξαι με μετανοοῦντα, καὶ προσπίπτοντά σοι, καὶ ἀπεχόμενον τοῦ λοιποῦ πάσης ἁμαρτίας. Ἐπὶ ταύταις, φησὶ, ταῖς συνθήκαις ἐξῆλθον ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, κρίνας ἐν τῇ ἐμαυτοῦ ψυχῇ, μηκέτι μηδὲν φαῦλον πρᾶξαι ἀπέναντι τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἀκούσαντες δὲ πάντες ἀνεβόων μιᾷ φωνῇ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν· Ὡς ἐμεγαλύνθη τὰ ἔργα σου, Κύριε, πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας. Γινώσκοντες τοίνυν, ὦ Χριστιανοὶ, ἐκ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἁγίων ἀποκαλύψεων, ὅσην ἔχει ὁ Θεὸς ἀγαθότητα περὶ τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν γνησίως καταφεύγοντας, καὶ διὰ μετανοίας τὰ πρότερον αὐτοῖς ἐπταισμένα διορθουμένους, καὶ ὅτι ἀποδίδωσι πάλιν τὰ ἐπηγγελμένα ἀγαθὰ, οὐκ εἰσπραττόμενος δίκας ὑπὲρ τῶν προτέρων ἁμαρτιῶν, μὴ ἀπελπίσω μεν τῆς ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίας. Ὥσπερ γὰρ διὰ Ἡσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου ἐπηγγείλατο, τοὺς ἐν ἁμαρτίαις βεβορ βορωμένους πλύνειν, καὶ ὡς ἔριον καὶ ὡς χιόνα λευκαίνειν καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τῆς ἐπουρανίου Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἀξιοῦν· οὕτως αὖθις διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου προφήτου Ἰεζεκιὴλ, μεθ΄ ὅρκου ἡμᾶς πληροφορεῖ μὴ ἀπολλύειν· Ζῶ γὰρ, φησὶ, λέγει Κύριος, ὅτι οὐ βούλομαι τὸν θάνατον τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ, ὡς τὸ ἐπιστρέψαι καὶ ζῇν αὐτόν. Ἀποφθέγματα Των Ἁγίων Γερόντων, Παλλάδιος Γαλατίας Source: Migne PG 65.381c-385b

The blessed father Paul the Simple, the disciple of Father Anthony, told the Fathers about a certain affair. One day he came to a monastery to observe it and to make himself useful to the brethren. After the customary conference, the brothers entered the holy church of God to perform the usual prayers. The blessed Paul looked closely at each of those who went into the church, considering the state of the soul of those who entered into prayers, for he had this grace given to him by the Lord, that he could see the state of each man's soul, just as we see the faces of others. When all had entered with sparkling eyes and shining faces, and with each one's angel rejoicing over him, he said, 'I see one who is black and dark in his whole body, and the demons come with him, dominating him, drawing him to them, and leading him by the nose, and his holy angel following at a distance is sad and his head is cast down.' And Paul wept and beat his breast with his hand, and sitting down in front of the church, he cried bitterly over the man he had seen. The brethren, seeing this strange conduct and the sudden change that had moved him to tears and grieving, questioned him, calling on him to tell them why he was weeping, thinking that he might be doing it as an accusation against all of them, and then they asked him to go to the prayers with them. But Paul refused them and remained sitting outside, lamenting over him whom he had seen. A little after the end of prayers, with everyone was coming out, Paul again studied each one of them, wishing to know in what state they were coming away, and he saw the man, who had been black and dark in his whole body before, coming out of the church with a shining face and a white body, and now the demons followed at a distance and his holy angel was close to him, rejoicing greatly over him. Paul leapt up for joy, crying out blessings to God, saying 'O the unspeakable love and goodness of God!' Then running up to an elevated place, he said with a great voice, 'Come, see the works of the Lord, how awesome they are and worthy of all wonder! Come and see Him who wishes that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth! Come, let us prostrate ourselves and throw ourselves down before Him and say, 'You alone can take sins away!' 1 Everyone ran together in haste, wanting to hear what was being said. When they were all assembled, Paul told them what he had seen at the entrance to the church and what had happened afterwards, and then he asked that man to tell them why God had suddenly bestowed such a change on him. The man whom Paul addressed, standing there before everyone, told them what had happened to him, saying, 'I am a sinful man and for a long time I have lived in fornication, right up until today. But when I went into the holy church of God, I heard the holy prophet Isaiah being read, or rather, God speaking through him: 'Wash yourselves, be clean, take away the wickedness from your hearts, learn to do good before my eyes. Even if your sins are as scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. And if you will, and if you listen to me, you shall eat the good things of the earth.' 2 'And I, the fornicator,' the man said, 'because of this word of the prophet, was stunned in my soul and I groaned in my mind, and said to God: 'God, you who came into the world to save sinners, what you now proclaim through your prophet, fulfill in me who am a sinner and an unworthy man. For from now on, I give my word to you, and am firmly resolved in my heart to confess to you, that I will not do evil any longer, but I renounce all unrighteousness, and henceforth I will serve you with a pure conscience. Today, O Master, and from this hour, receive one who repents and throws himself down before you, he who shall abstain from every sin.' He continued, 'Having vowed these things, I came out of the church, determined in my soul that I would no longer commit any evil before God.' Hearing this, they all with one voice cried out to God, 'How manifold are your works, Lord, in wisdom you made them all.' 3 As Christians, then, who have learnt from the holy Scriptures and from holy revelations, let us know the great goodness of God for those who sincerely take refuge in Him and who correct their past faults by repentance, and let us not despair of salvation. For as it was proclaimed by the prophet Isaiah, God cleanses those who are foul with sin, and whitens them as wool and as snow, and makes them worthy of the good things of the heavenly Jerusalem, just as in the prophet Ezekiel He swore an oath to strengthen us and not to ruin us. 'As I live, says the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner, so turn and live. ' 4 Sayings of the Desert Fathers, Palladius of Galatia 1 Ps 45,9, Ps 65.5, 1 Tim 2.4, Ps 94.6 2 Isaiah 1.16-19 3 Ps 104.24 4 Ezek 18.32

Angels And Little Ones

Videte ne contemnatis unum ex his pusillis: dico enim vobis quia Angeli eorum in caelis semper vident faciem Patris mei qui in caelis est. Removet hic contemptum, qui est ex fastu superbiae Praelatorum. Et subjugit duas rationes: unam dignitatis, et alteram utilitatis. Dicit ergo: Videte ne contemnatis... Vae qui spernis, nonne et ipse sperneris?.... cum fatigatus desieris contemnere, contemneris. Unum, nedum plures, ex his pusillis. Nolite timere, pusillus grex, quia complacuit Patri vestro dare vobis regnum. Pusillum et magnum ipse fecit, et aequaliter est illi cura de omnibus. Dico enim vobis... Ratio est sumpta a dignitate: quia haec est dignitas animarum, quod quilibet habet Angelum custodem deputatum. Angeli eorum.. Eis deputati. Nonne omnes sunt administratorii spiritus, in ministerium missi propter eos qui haereditatem capient salutis? Nemo est adjutor meus in omnibus his, nisi Michael, princeps vester. Angelus ejus est. In caelis... Per metonymiam, hoc est, in caelestibus per contemplationem, exeuntes quocumque currant per ministerium: semper enim assistunt intimis per contemplationem. Ego sum Raphael Angelus, unus ex septem qui adstamus ante Dominum. Hoc dixit, quando ministravit in terra circa Tobiam. Semper vident... Et ideo eadem aeternitate quae Deus est, mutabilitatem naturae transcendunt. Faciem... Praesentiam. Patris... Qui vult exhibere omne quod bonum est. Mei... Per consubstantialitatem, quia substantiam vident. Qui in caelis est. Ubi exhibet claritatem vitae beatae. Millia millium ministrabant ei. Numquid est numerus militum ejus? et super quem non surgit lumen illius? Sanctus Albertus Magnus, Commentarium in Mattheum, Caput XVIII Source: Here, p321

See that you do not scorn one of these little ones. I say to you that their angels in heaven always look on the face of my Father who is in heaven. 1 Here He removes the contempt which comes from the haughtiness of proud office holders. And He adds two reasons, one of dignity and another of utility. Therefore He says: 'See that you do not scorn...' 'Woe to you who scorn, is it not that you shall be scorned?... When you weary and cease to condemn, you shall be condemned.' 2 'One...' not more, '...of these little ones.' 'Do not fear, little flock, because it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom.' 3 'He made the little and the great, and He has equal care for all of them.' 4 'I say to you...' The reason for this dignity is given, because this is the dignity of a soul, that it may have an angel appointed for its guardian. 'Their angels...' Which are appointed to them. 'Is it not that they are all ministering spirits, sent to serve on account of those who shall seize on the inheritance of salvation?' 5 'No one is my helper in this but Michael, your prince.' 6 'It is his angel.' 7 'In heaven...' By metonymy, that is, they are among heavenly things by means of contemplation even when they go out, hurrying wherever they will to minister, for they are always stood amid profoundest things by contemplation. 'I am the angel Raphael, one of seven who stand before the Lord.' Which he said who ministered to Tobias on the earth. 8 'They always see...' And thus with the same eternity which is God they transcend changeable nature. 'The face...' That is, in the presence of. 'Of the Father...' He who wishes to show everything which is good. 'My...' This by consubstantiality, because they see the substance. 'Who is in heaven.' Where He shows the splendour of the blessed life. 'A thousand, thousand ministered to him.' 9 'Is there a number to his armies? Is there one on whom His light does not rise?' 10 Saint Albert The Great, Commentary On The Gospel of St Matthew, Chapter 18 1 Mt 18.10 2 Isaiah 33.1 3 Lk 12.32 4. Wisd 6.8 5 Heb 1.14 6 Dan 10.21 7 Act 12.15 8 Tob 12.15 9 Dan 7.10 10 Job 25.3

Burning And Shining

Ignem, inquit Dominus, veni mittere in terram, et quid volo nisi ut ardeat? Vult Dominus ut ardeamus igne charitatis, et simus ardendo seraphim. Seraphim enim interpretatur ardenita; ille lucifer lucere tantum voluit, non ardere. Si lucendo arsisset, non fuisset frigidus: nec in regione frigida sibi cathedream erexisset. Adhuc plerique sunt, qui aliquid de malitia angeli depositi contraxerunt, appetentes lucere potius quam ardere. Lucet siquidem et non ardet, qui obtentu simulatae religionis aura famae popularis attollitur. Iste in modum lunae, cum fervorem non habeat, lumen suum aliunde mundicat. Ideoque testimonio Sapientis: Stultus ut luna mutatur, sapiens autem permanet sol. Vita siquidem praesens ardoris est, non fulgoris; hinc accendi et foveri debet ignis, sicut in Levitico legitur, in altario cordis. Ibi vero fulgebunt justi sicut sol in conspectu Patris sui. Melius est hic ardere quam lucere; lucebat Lucifer et cecidit, ardebat serpahim et stetit, quia charitas nunquam excidit. Petrus Blenensis, Sermo XXXIX, De Sancto Michaele et Custodia Angelorum Source: Migne PL 207.680a-b

The Lord says, 'I have come to place fire on the earth, and what do I wish but that it burn?' 1 The Lord wishes that we burn with the fire of charity and that we be like flaming Seraphim. For the Seraphim are translated as the burning ones, but that Lucifer wished only to shine, not burn. If he had burnt he would not have been cold in his shining, nor would he have erected a seat for himself in the frozen region. 2 Yet there are very many who take something from the wickedness of this fallen angel, desiring to shine rather than burn. Which is to say that he shines and does not burn who is lifted up by the breath of popular fame, acquiring a similitude of religion. This is like the way of the moon, which has no heat and receives its light from elsewhere. Thus Wisdom gives witness: 'The fool changes like the moon, but the wise man endures like the sun.' 3 At any rate the present life is for burning not shining, for here the fire should blaze up and give heat, as it says in Leviticus, on the altar of the heart, 4 but there the righteous shall shine like the sun in the sight of the Father. 5 Better it is to burn here than to shine. Lucifer shone and fell, the Seraphim burnt and stood fast, because love never ends. 6 Peter of Blois, from Sermon 39, On Saint Michael And The Guardian Angels 1 Lk 12.49 2 Isaiah 14.13 3 Sirach 27.12 4 Levit 6.12-13 5 Mt 13.43 6 1 Cor 13.8