Counsel For Youth

Μάθε σὺ ὁ μονάζων καὶ πιστὸς ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἐργάτης, καὶ διδάχθητι εὐαγγελικὴν πολιτείαν, σώματος δουλαγωγίαν, φρόνημα ταπεινόν, ἐννοίας καθαρότητα, ὀργῆς ἀφανισμόν. ἀγγαρευόμενος, προστίθει διὰ τὸν Κύριον: ἀποστερούμενος, μὴ δικάζου: μισούμενος, ἀγάπα: διωκόμενος, ἀνέχου: βλασφημούμενος, παρακάλει. νεκρώθητι τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, σταυρώθητι τῷ Θεῷ: ὅλην τὴν μέριμναν μετάθες ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον, ἵνα εὑρεθῇς ὅπου ἀγγέλων μυριάδες, πρωτοτόκων πανηγύρεις, ἀποστόλων θρόνοι, προφητῶν προεδρίαι, σκῆπτρα πατριαρχῶν, μαρτύρων στέφανοι, δικαίων ἔπαινοι. ἐκείνοις σεαυτὸν τοῖς δικαίοις ἐπιθύμησον συναριθμηθῆναι, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν. αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ἀμήν. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Επιστολή ΜΓ', Νουθεσία πρὸς τοὺς νέους Source: Migne PG 32. 360b-c

Learn, you who live in solitude and are a faithful man and a practitioner of holiness, the teaching of the evangelic constitution: mastery of the body, humble thought, purity of mind, destruction of pride. Being pressed into service, add to it through the Lord: robbed, do not go to law; being hated, love; persecuted, endure; slandered, pray. Be dead to sin, be crucified to God. Cast all your care on the Lord, that you may be found where are tens of thousands of angels, assemblies of the first-born, thrones of Prophets, sceptres of Patriarchs, crowns of Martyrs, praises of righteous men. Desire to be numbered among these righteous ones, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory forever. Amen. Saint Basil of Caesarea, Letter 43, Admonition to Young Men