Differing Profits

...Sequere me, et surgens secutus est eum. Saepe legitur et in hoste utilis virtus, saepe in adversario comprobatur. Matthaeus non subtrahitur operi, sed mutatur, et telonium suscipit magis quam relinquit, ut mansura Deo, non homini peritura conquirat, ut non tresimum in quadrigesimum quinquagesiumumque nummum tristis redigat supputator, sed trigesimum in sexagesimum et centesimum gaudii fructum laetus recondat divinis commodis profuturum. Et surgent secutus est eum. Generosus animus, qui sic ea quae magna putarat, facile, et quasi nulla contempsit, apparet illum per ignorantiam lucra ante praesentia conquisisse, a quibus ut se sensit, et vidit liberum sic raptus est ad divina. Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus, Sermo XXIX, De Matthaei Publicani Source: Migne PL 52.283a-b

...'Follow me,' and rising, he followed Him. 1 One may often read that even in an enemy there is a useful virtue, and that there is often something to be approved in an adversary. Matthew is not being taken from his work, but changed; and he takes the tax booth rather than leaving it, so that he may seek after what will remain for God, not what will pass away for man; not so that as a grievous accountant he may collect coins thirtyfold and fortyfold and fiftyfold, but so that he may happily store away the joyful profits of Divine benefactions thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold. 2 'And rising, he followed Him.' It is a noble spirit that so easily despised as nothing those things that it had thought to be great, it is apparent that through ignorance he had sought after present wealth, from which, as he realized and saw, he was thus taken away to Divine gain. Saint Peter Chrysologus, from Sermon 29, On Matthew the Tax Collector 1 Mt 9.9 2 Mt 13.8

Base Speech

Περὶ αἰσχρολογίας.   Φθείρουσιν ἤθη χρηστὰ ὁμιλίαι κακαί.   Πᾶς λόγος σαπρὸς μὴ ἐκπορευέσθω ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν, ἀλλ' εἴ τις ἀγαθὸς πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν τῆς χρείας, ἵνα δῷ χάριν τοῖς ἀκούουσιν. Αἰσχρότης καὶ μωρολογία, ἢ εὐτραπελία, τὰ μὴ ἀνήκοντα, μηδὲ ὀνομαζέσθωσαν ἐν ὑμῖν, καθὼς πρέπει ἁγίοις.   Αἰσχρολογία μὴ ἐξερχέσθω ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν.  Ἡ τῶν λόγων συνήθεια ὁδός ἐστιν ἐπὶ τὰ πράγματα. Διὸ πάσῃ φυλακῇ τὴν ψυχὴν τηρητέον, μὴ διὰ τῆς τῶν λόγων ἡδονῆς παραδεξάμενοί τι, λάθωμεν τῶν χειρόνων, ὥσπερ καταδηλητήρια μετὰ τοῦ μέλιτος προσιέμενοι. Κακοῦ μελέτη χρόνῳ βεβαιωθεῖσα δυσίατός ἐστιν, ἢ καὶ παντελῶς εἰς φύσιν ὡς τὰ πολλὰ τοῦ ἔθους μεθισταμένου. Κηρῷ τὰ ὦτα φράσσε πρὸς φαύλους λόγους, Ὠδῶν τε τερπνῶν ἐκμελῆ λυγίσματα. Αἰσχροὶ καὶ εἰκαῖοι, οἱ ἐν τοῖς ματαίοις εὐφυΐαν ἀνεπιδεικνύντες, βραδεῖς μὲν ὄντες τὰ καλὰ παιδεύεσθαι, τὰ δὲ ἐναντία μανθάνειν ὀξύτατοι καὶ προχειρότατοι. Αἰσχρολογίας αὐτοῖς τε ἡμῖν παντελῶς ἀφεκτέον, καὶ τοὺς χρωμένους αὐτῇ ἐπιστομιστέον, καὶ ὄψει δριμυτέρᾳ, καὶ προσώπου ἀποστροφῇ, καὶ τῷ ἀπομυκτηρισμῷ καλουμένῳ, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ λόγῳ θρασυτέρῳ. Τὸ ἐν τοῖς ὀνόμασιν ἀτακτεῖν, μελέτην ἐμποιεῖ τοῦ καὶ εἰς τὰ ἔργα ἀκοσμεῖν. Πάντη ἀφεκτέον αἰσχρῶν ἀκουσμάτων καὶ θεαμάτων· πολὺ δὲ πλέον ἔργων αἰσχρῶν καθαρευτέον. Ὁδὸς ἐπ' ἀναισχυντίαν ἡ αἰσχρολογία, καὶ τέλος ἀμφοῖν ἡ αἰσχρουργία. Κίνδυνον φέρει πολλάκις τὸ δυσφήμους λόγους ἀκούειν. Άγιος Ιωάννης ο Δαμασκηνός, Τὰ Ιἐρα Παραλληλα, Στοικειον Α' , Τιτλ ΜϚ.  Source:Migne PG 95 1254c-1256a

Concerning Base Speech Depraved speech corrupts good morals. 1   Let not a wicked word proceed from your mouth, but if it is something good for edification, let it be given for the edification of those who hear. 2 Baseness and foolish speech, and scurrilous talk, which pertains to nothing, let it not be spoken among you, as befits the holy. 3 Let not base speech come out of your mouth. 4 It is the way of words to lead to deeds, whence the soul must be guarded most diligently, lest being somewhat carried away by the pleasure of speaking we are forgetful of evils, not marking our own hands mixing together poison and honey. 5 A passion for evil is fortified by duration; and inevitably, as many things do, by custom it passes into a man's nature. 5 Seal up your ears with wax to base words and to the sweet sound of songs. 6 Base and mindless they are who in vain things evince a sort of cleverness, and when to things sublime you direct them are sluggish, though to doing base things they are swift, and most keen to display it. 7 One should not only abstain from obscene words but also silence those who use them, and even at the sight of their gaze avert your face, so often will you be preserved even from the speech of the most reckless. 8 Immodesty in words does this, that next we are carried to repulsive deeds. 8 Immediately we must abstain from hearing of baseness and from obscene sights, that much more surely we will not be stained by wicked deeds. The way to disgrace is through obscene words, and the end of both is obscene works. 8   The hearing of base words is often a bearer of peril. 9   Saint John of Damascus, Sacred Parallels, Part 1, Chap 46 1 1 Cor 15.33 2 Ephes 5.4 3 Ephes 5.4 4. Colos 3.8 5. Basil Homily to Youths 6 Greg Naz Tetras 17 7. Philo 8 Clem Paed, 2 6 9 Didymus

Laughter and Man

Μιμηλοὺς δὲ ἀνθρώπους γελοίων, μᾶλλον δὲ καταγελάτων παθῶν, τῆς ἡμετέρας ἐξελαστέον πολιτείας. Πάντων γὰρ τῶν λόγων ἀπὸ διανοίας καὶ ἤθους ῥεόντων, οὐχ οἶόν τέ ἐστι γελοίους τινὰς προέσθαι λόγους, μὴ οὐχὶ ἀπὸ γελοίου ἤθους φερομένους. Τὸ γὰρ, ' Οὐκ ἔστι δένδρον καλὸν, ποιοῦν καρπὸν σαπρόν· οὐδὲ μὴν δένδρον σαπρὸν ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν,' κανταῦθα ἁρμοστέον· καρπὸς διανοίας γὰρ ὁ λόγος ἐστίν. Εἰ τοίνυν τοὺς γελωτοποιοὺς ἐξοικιστέον τῆς ἡμεδαπῆς πολιτείας, πολλοῦ γε καὶ δεῖ ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς ἐπιτρέπειν γελωτοπειεῖν· ἄτοπον γὰρ, ὦν ἀκροατὰς γενέσθαι κεκώλυται, τούτων εὐρίσκεσθαι μιμητάς. Πολλῷ δὲ ἔτι ἀτοπώτερον, γελοῖον αὐτὸν σπουδὰζειν γενέσθαι, τουτέστιν ἐφυβριστον καὶ καταγελαστον. Εἰ γὰρ γελοίως σχηματισθῆναι, καθάπερ ἐν ταῖς πομπαῖς ὀρῶνται τινες, οὐκ ἂν ὑπομείναιμεν· πῶς  ἂν εἰκότως τὸν ἐντὸς ἄνθρωπον, ἐπὶ τὸ γελοιότερον σχηματιζόμενον, ἀνασχοίμεθα, καὶ εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον; Οὔκουν ἐκόντες ἐπὶ τὸ γελοιότερον μεταστρεψαιμεν ἄν ποτε. Καὶ πῶς ἂν κατὰ τοὺς λόγους ἐπιτηδεύσαιμεν εἶναί τε καὶ φαίνεσθαι γελοῖοι, τὸ τιμιώτερον πάντων τῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις κτημάτων κατομωκώμενοι, τὸν λόγον; Κλεύη μὲν οὔν ἐπιτηδεύειν ταῦτα ἐπεὶ μηδὲ ὁ τῶν γελοίων λόγος τοῖος ἀιροάσεως ἄξιος, διὰ τῶν ὀνομάτων αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὰ αἰσχρὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐθίζων· χαριεντιστέον τε, οὐ γελωτοποιητέον. Ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν γέλωτα ἐπιστομιστέον· καὶ γὰρ αὖ καὶ αὐτὸς, ὅν μὲν δεῖ τρόπον ἐξαγόμενος, ἐμφαίνει κοσμιότητα· μὴ ταύτῃ δὲ χωρῶν, ἀκολασίαν ἐνδείκνυται. Ἁπλῶς γὰρ, ὁπόσα φυσικὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐστὶ, ταῦτα ούκ ἀναιτεῖν ἐξ αὐτῶν δεῖ· μὰλλον δὲ μέτρον αὐτοῖς καὶ καιρὸνἐπιτιθέναι πρέποντα. Οὐ γὰρ ἐπειδὰν γελαστικὸν ζῶον ὁ ἄνθρωπος, γελαστέον τα πάντα· ἐπειδὰν οὐδὲ ὁ ἵππος, χρεμαετιστικὸς ὤν, χρεματίζει τὰ πάντα· ὡς δὲ ζῶα λογικὰ, σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἁρμοστέον εὐκράτως, τὸ αὐστηρὸν τῆς σπουδῆς ἡμων καὶ τὸ ὑπέρτονον χαλῶντας ἐμμελῶς, οὐκ ἐκλύοντας ἐκμελῶς· Κλημεντος του Αλεξανδρεως, Ὁ Παιδαγωγός, Λόγος Δεύτερος

And those who are imitators of ludicrous things, or rather of ridiculous states, should be driven from our state. 1 For since all speech flows from mind and character, there could not be ludicrous speech unless it proceed from a ludicrous inner state. For when it is said, 'It is not a good tree which produces corrupt fruit, nor a corrupt tree which produces good fruit,'2 one must apply it in these matters, for speech is the fruit of the mind. If, then, buffoons are to be ejected from our state, much more it is necessary that we do not turn to inciting laughter, for it would be absurd to be imitators of things to which we are prohibited to listen. And still more absurd it is to be keen to be ridiculous, that is, the target of insult and derision. For if we could not endure a ridiculous figure, such as we see in some processions, how could we without disgrace have the inner man made ridiculous, and that to one's face? Thus we should never willingly assume a ludicrous character. And how, then, can we take to being and appearing to be ridiculous in conversation, which is the most honourable of all human possessions? It is therefore disgraceful to wish to do this, since the conversation of buffoons is not worthy to be received, as by the very words employed it accustoms one to shameful deeds.  One may be witty, yes, but not a buffoon. But even laughter should be kept under restraint, for when given seasonably it shows orderliness, but when inappropriately it shows a lack of self control. For, in a word, whatever is natural to men one must not take from them, but rather lay down a measure and indicate suitable times. For because man is a animal that laughs does not mean he should be laughing at everything, any more than the horse, which is an animal that neighs, should neigh at everything. But as rational animals we are to control ourselves wisely, harmoniously easing the roughness and strain of our serious affairs, not inharmoniously tearing them apart. Clement of Alexandria, The Teacher, Book 2.  1 cf Plato, Republic Bk 10, 606c -607e 2 Mt 7.18

Long and Short

Τὸ Λακωνίζειν οὐ τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅπερ οἴει, ὀλίγας συλλαβὰς γράφειν, ἀλλὰ περὶ πλείστων ὀλίγας. Οὔτως ἐγὼ καὶ βραχυλογώτατον Ὅμηρον λέγω, καὶ πολὺν τὸν Ἀντίμαχον. Πῶς; τοῖς πράγμασι κρίνων τὸ μῆκος, ἀλλ' οὐ τοῖς γράμμασι.  Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Ἐπιστολή ΝΔ', Νικοβουλῳ Source: Migne PG 37.109b

To be laconic is not, as you think, to write few words, but to say much with little. Thus I call Homer very brief and Antimachus 1 lengthy. Why? Because I judge the length by the matter and not by the letters. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, Letter 54, to Nicobulus 1 Antimachus of Colophon

A Farmer Of Paradise

Λαχάνοις ἡμᾶς δεξιοῦσαι, σοφῶς τὸ ἀπερίεργον ἐπιδεικνὺς τῆς διαίτης, καὶ τὰς τοῦ Κυρίου πηγὰς ἀποβρύων, καὶ ὅπως εἶ τοῦ παραδείσου γεωργὸς ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν δώρων δεικνύς. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΝΗ', Πατριμῳ Μοναζοντι Source: Migne PG 78.220b

With herbs you received us, wisely displaying the frugality of your fare, and also the nourishing founts of the Lord, and thus showing how you are quite the farmer of paradise to bring forth such gifts. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 58 To Patrimus the Monk,

A Pleasing Harmony

Λόγων ἔχεις συναγωγὴν, ὡς μανθάνω, ἀκοὴν μὲν τερπόντων, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν οὐ τρεφόντων. Λόγον δὲ τοῦ ζῶντός σοι δεῖ, οὖ ὁ χηρεύων κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον ἐστίν. Εἰ τοίνυν ἐκεῖνον προσλάβοις, ὄργανον ἔσῃ ἡδύφθογγον καὶ Θεῷ καὶ ᾀνθρώποις εὐάρμοστον. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΡΗ' Προαιρεσιῳ Σκολαστικῳ

I have learned that you have lots of words with which to delight the ear but that you do not nourish the soul. You must attend to the word of life, for he who lacks it is but a clanging cymbal.1 If you heed that, a sweet instrument of song you will become, a pleasing harmony to God and men. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 108, To The Scholar Proaeresius 1 1 Cor 13.1

A Conversation Interrupted

Καὶ ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ λαλούντων ἡμῶν εἰσῆλθεν ὁ ἀρχων τῆς χώρας Ἀλύπιος ὀνόματι. Οὐ προσδραμόντος ἀφῆκεν τήν πρὸς ἐμὲ ὁμιλὶαν ὁ μεγας. Ἀναχωρἠσας οὖν ὀλίγον ἐγὼ δέδωκα αὐτοῖς τόπον εἰς τὸ πόῥῥωθεν. Ἐπὶ πολὺ δὲ συνομιλούντων αὐτῶν ἡκηδίασα, καὶ ἀκηδιάσας κατεγόγγοσα τοῦ καλογήρου, εἰς ἐμὲ μὲν καταφρονήσαντος, τιμήσαντος δὲ ἐκεῖνον. Καὶ ἐπὶ τούτῳ σιανθεις τὴν διὰνοιαν ἐσκεπτομην ἀναχωρῆσαι καταφρονήσας αὐτοῦ. Προσκαλεσάμενος δὲ ὁ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δοῦλος τὸν ἑρμηνέα Θεόδωρον ὀνόματι, λέγει αὐτῳ. Ἂπελθε, εἴπε τῳ ἀδελφῷ ἐκείνῳ, μὴ μικροψύχει, ἄρτι ἀπολύω τὸν ἡγεμόνα, καὶ λαλῶ σοι· Ἔγνων οὖν ἀκριβῶς πνευματικὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι, καὶ προγινώσκειν πάντα· καὶ τούτῳ προσχὼν μᾶλλον προσεκαρτέπουν. Ἐξελθόοντος οὖν τοῦ ἡγεμόνος, προσκαλεῖται με, καὶ λέγει μοι. Διὰ τί ἐβλαβης κατ’ ἐμοῦ; τί ἄξιον βλάβης εὐρες ἐν ἐμοι; Ὄτι ἐκεῖνα ἐλογίσω ἄπερ οὔτε ἐμοὶ πρόσεστιν, οὔτε σοὶ ἔπρεπεν ἐκεῖνα λογίσασθαι.Ἥ οὐκ οἴδας ὃτι γέγραπται· Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἱσχύοντες ἰατροῦ, ἀλλ’ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες; Σὲ ὄτε θέλω εὑρίσκω, καὶ σὺ ἐμε. Κάν ἐγω σε μή παρακαλέσω, ἄλλοι σε ἀδελφοι παρακαλούσιν καὶ ἀλλοι Πατέρες. Οὐτος δὲ ἔκδοτος ἐκδεδομένος τῳ διαβόλῳ διὰ τῶν κοσμικῶν πραγμάτων, καὶ ἑὰν βραχεῖαν ἀναπνεύσας ὥραν ὥσπερ τις αὐστηρὸν δραπετεύσας δεσπότην οἰκέτης· οὑτως καὶ ὅτος Βραχεῖαν ὥραν εὑρὼν παρεγένετο πρὸς ἡμᾶς τοῦ ὠφεληθῆναι.  Ἄτοπον οὔν ἡμᾶς ἦν καταλείψαντας ἐκεῖνόν σοι προσδιατριψαι, σοῦ ἀδιαλείπτως τῇ σωτηρία σχολάζοντος. Παρακαλέσας οὖν αὐτὸν ἐγὼ εὔξασθαι ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ. Ἡ Προς Λαυσον Ἱστορια, Παλλαδιος

As I talked to John of Lycopolis, the ruler of the district approached, Alypius by name. John quickly broke off from my humble self and turned to the great man. I then withdrew a little to give them space and stood apart. But on account of the length of their conversation, I became irritable, and in my anger I murmured against the good old man, since it seemed to me that he was despising me and honouring another. And being troubled in my mind by this, I thought that I would leave, thus to exhibit my own disdain of him. But the servant of Christ called his interpreter, named Theodore, and said to him: 'Go and tell that brother: Do not be mean spirited; I am just about to dismiss the ruler and talk to you.' Knowing him to be a very spiritual man and one to foresee everything, I resolved to wait patiently. When the ruler had gone, John called me and said to me: 'Why are you angry with me? What did you find worthy of blame in me, that you thought those things that neither pertained to me nor befitted you? Or do you not know that it is written: 'They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick'? I can find you when I want you, and you me. And if I do not console you, there are other brothers to console you and other fathers. But this fellow is given over to the devil by worldly affairs and, gaining a respite for a brief hour, like a slave running away from a harsh master of the house, so he has come a short hour to receive good from us. It would have been monstrous that abandoning him we attend to you, when you have uninterrupted leisure for your salvation.' And so I exhorted him to pray for me. Lausiac History, Palladius of Galatia

The Balance Of Words

Nemo etiam in dolo loquatur ad proximum suum. Laqueus est in labiis nostris, et saepe unusquisque sermonibus suis non explicatur, sed involvitur. Fovea alta est os malevoli: grande innocentiae praecipitium, sed majus malevolentiae. Innocens dum credit facile, cito labitur sed tamen iste lapsus resurgit: maledictus autem suis artibus praecipitatur, unde numquam exsiliat atque evadat. Ponderet ergo unusquisque sermones suos, non cum fraude et dolo: Statera fallax improbabilis apud Deum: non illam stateram dico, quae mercem appendit alienam, et in vilibus quidem rebus caro constat fallacia, sed statera verborum ipsa apud Deum est exsecrabilis, quae praetendit pondus gravitatis sobriae, et subnectit versutias fraudulentiae. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, Epistola II, Ad Constantium Episcopum Source: Migne PL 16.882d-883a

Let no one speak deceitfully to his neighbour. There is a snare on our lips, and often is it that a man is not freed but trapped by his speech. 1 The mouth of the malevolent is a deep pit; great is the fall of innocence, but more is that of malevolence. 2 The innocent man, when he too easily trusts, quickly falls, but fallen he rises again; yet the man who speaks evil is thrown headlong by his art so that he can never recover and escape. Therefore let every man weigh his words, but not with deceit and guile, for: 'a false balance is abomination to the Lord.' 3 And I do not mean that balance which weighs the wares of others, though even in minor matters deceit often costs dear, but that balance of words which is detestable to the Lord, that which pretends to the weight of sober gravity but rests on deceitful artifices. Saint Ambrose, from Letter 2, To the Bishop Constantius 1 Prov 6.2 2 Prov 22.14 3 Prov 11.1

Speaking To An Elder

Ἒλεγον περὶ τοῦ ἀββᾶ Μακαρίου, ὅτι εἰ προσήρχετο αὐτῷ ἀδελφὸς, ὡς ἀγίῳ γέροντι καὶ μεγάλῳ μετὰ φόβου, οὐδὲν ἐλάλει αὐτῷ. Εἰ δὲ ἔλεγεν αὐτῷ τις τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὡς ἐξουθενῶν αὐτον· Ἀββᾶ, ἆρα ὃταν ἦς καμηλίτης καὶ ἔκλεπτες νίτρον καὶ ἐπώλεις αὐτὸ, οὐκ ἔδερόν σε οἱ τηρηταί; Εἰ ταῦτά τις ἔλεγεν αὐτῷ ἐλάλει αὐτῳ μετὰ χαρᾶς, εἴ τι αὐτὸν ἠρώτα.  ᾽Αποφθεγματα των ἀγιων γεροντων, Παλλαδιος

They said about Father Macarius that if one of the brothers came to him and treated him as a holy elder, in great awe, he spoke nothing to him; but if one of the brothers spoke to him as to one of little worth, saying, 'Father, when you were a camel driver and stole nitre and sold it, did those who caught you whip you?' to the one who spoke so, he would reply cheerfully to whatever was asked. Sayings of the Desert Fathers, Palladius of Galatia

Purification And Communication

Διὰ τοῦτο καθαρτέον ἑαυτὸν πρῶτον, εἶτα τῷ καθαρῷ προσομιλητέον· εἴπερ μὴ μέλλοιμεν τὸ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ πείσεσθαι, μὴ φέροντος τὴν δόξαν τοῦ προσώπου Μωσέως, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο δεομένου καλύμ ματος· ἢ τὸ τοῦ Μανωὲ, καὶ πείσεσθαι, καὶ λέξειν· Ἀπολώλαμεν, ὦ γῦναι. Θεὸν ἑωράκαμεν, ἐν φαντασίᾳ Θεοῦ γενομένου· ἢ, ὡς Πέτρος, τοῦ πλοίου τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἀποπέμψασθαι, ὡς οὐκ ἄξιοι τοιαύτης ἐπι δημίας. Πέτρον δὲ ὅταν εἴπω, τίνα λέγω; Τὸν κατὰ κυμάτων πεζεύσαντα. Ἢ, ὡς Παῦλος, τὴν ὄψιν πληγήσεσθαι, πρὶν καθαρθῆναι τῶν διωγμῶν, τῷ διωκο μένῳ προσομιλήσας, μᾶλλον δὲ βραχείᾳ τοῦ μεγάλου φωτὸς λαμπηδόνι· ἢ, ὡς ὁ ἐκατόνταρχος, τὴν μὲν θεραπείαν ἐπιζητήσειν, τῇ οἰκίᾳ δὲ τὸν θεραπευτὴν οὐκ εἰσδέξασθαι διὰ δειλίαν ἐπαινουμένην. Λεγέτω τις καὶ ἡμῶν, ἕως οὔπω καθαίρεται, ἀλλ' ἔστιν ἑκατόνταρχος ἔτι, πλειόνων ἐν κακίᾳ κρατῶν, καὶ στρατεύεται Καίσαρι, τῷ κοσμοκράτορι τῶν κάτω συρομένων· Οὐκ εἰμὶ ἰκανὸς, ἵνα μου ὑπὸ τὴν στέγην εἰσέλθῃς. Ὅταν δὲ Ἰησοῦν θεάσηται, καίτοι μικρὸς ὢν τὴν πνευματικὴν ἡλικίαν, ὡς ὁ Ζακχαῖος ἐκεῖνος, καὶ ὑπὲρ τὴν συκομωραίαν ἀρθῇ, νεκρώσας τὰ μέλη τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ὑπεραναβὰς τὸ σῶμα τῆς ταπεινώσεως, τότε καὶ εἰσδεχέσθω τὸν Λόγον, καὶ ἀκουέτω· Σήμερον σωτηρία τῷ οἴκῳ τού τῳ, καὶ λαμβανέτω τὴν σωτηρίαν. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος ΛΘ', Εἰς τὰ ἅγια Φῶτα

Thus one should purify ourselves first, and then converse with the Pure, unless we would feel as Israel who could not suffer the glory of the face of Moses, and therefore demanded a veil, or that we would feel and say with Manoah 'We are destroyed, O wife. We have seen God,'1 although it was God only in his fancy, or like Peter we would send Jesus out of the boat, as being ourselves unworthy of such a visit. And when I say Peter, what do I mean? He who walked upon the waves. Or like Paul we would be stricken in eyes, ashe was before he was cleansed of his persecution, when he conversed with Him Whom he was persecuting, or rather with a short flash of that great Light, or like the Centurion seeking healing, but who would not, through praiseworthy fear, receive the Healer into his house. Let each one of us also speak so, as long as he is not cleansed, but is a Centurion still, commanding many in wickedness, and serving Caesar, the world ruler of those being dragged down, 'I am not worthy that you should come under my roof.' 2 But when he shall have looked upon Jesus, though he be little of stature like Zaccheus, and climb up the sycamore tree by mortifying his members upon the earth, and having risen above the body of humiliation, then he shall receive the Word, and then let it be heard, 'Today salvation has come to this house, let salvation be received.'3 Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration, 39, On The Holy Lights 1 Judg 13.22 2 Mt 8.8 3 Lk 19.9