Actions Against Acedia

Εἰ δὲ τὴν ἀκηδίαν θέλεις νικῆσαι, κάμνε τί ποτε μικρὸν ἐργόχειρον, καὶ ἀναγίνωσκε, καὶ προσεύχου πυκνῶς μετ' ἐλπίδος βεβαίας τῶν καλῶν· ἐννόει τούς τε ψυχοῥῥαγοῦντας, καὶ τὴν βίαν καὶ τὸν πνιγνὸν τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν, πῶς ἀνηλεῶς τιμωροῦνται καὶ βασανίζονται, καὶ οὕτω τοῦ πάθους ἔξεις ἀνάπαυσιν. Άγιος Ιωάννης ο Δαμασκηνός, Περι Των Ὀκτώ Τῆς Πονηρίας Πνευμάτων Source: Migne PG 95 82c

If you wish to conquer acedia, weary yourself for a time with manual labour, and read, and pray frequently with confident hope of attaining goods, for so are souls torn from the power and suffocation of sins, by which they are bent and twisted without mercy; thus you will have respite from your troubles. Saint John of Damascus, from On The Eight Wicked Spirits

A Complete Teaching

Circuibat autem Jesus totam Galilaeam, docens in synagogis eorum, et praedicans Evangelium regni. Ex quo liquido perdocet quam sedulum oporteat doctorem esse in docendo: quia omnino pigritia praedicatoribus non expedit: sed ut circumeant non partem, sed totam, cui praeesse cernuntur, plebem. Neque praeoccupentur negotiis saeculi, sed doceant praesentium mandatorum doctrinam vitae activae subjectos, et praedicent de futuris vitae contemplativae perfectis; quatenus impraesentiarum hi erudiantur moribus, hi vero spe confirmentur futurorum majoribus documentis. Quia neque contemplatio sine operibus activae vitae a puero conscenditur, neque activa sine spe promissorum Dei perfectius consummatur. Et ideo fortassis circumisse Jesus dicitur docens ac praedicans, quia utrasque vitas appetere, non minus exemplo quam voce credentibus reserabat; ne siquidem paucis proficeret, verum ut sine acceptione personarum affluentem vocationis suae gratiam omnibus abundantur infunderet. Docebat autem non qualiacunque fabularum portenta, sed summa ac divina, ne suis falsa antiquorum videretur introducere figmenta. Unde et signanter, quod Evangelium regni doceret illico subinfertur. Regni quippe dicitur Evangelium, quia suos quos modo spe jam regnare concedit, in futuro simul reges et regnum Deo rebus adeptis facit; dum quidquid spe veniae nunc credentibus repromittit, muneribus gratiae adimplebit. Sanctus Paschasius Radbertus Corbeiensis, Expositio In Evangelium Matthaei Liber III Source: Migne PL 120.212a-c

'Jesus went around the whole of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom.' 1   By which is clearly taught how diligent a teacher should be in his teaching, because sloth does not benefit a preacher at all, and so they should go around not merely a part, but all the people they are seen to have charge of. Nor should they be preoccupied with worldly affairs, but they should teach their charges the present commands for the active life and preach for the future perfection of the contemplative life, that to the extent they are educated by present conduct so they are strengthened in hope with the strong witness of future things. Because neither contemplation without the works of the active life lifts one from immaturity, nor does activity without hope in the promises of God lead to perfection. And therefore it is likely said that Jesus went around teaching and preaching, because He was exhibiting to believers the need to seek both lives, and not less by example than with the voice; for it would have been of little benefit if without reception of persons He had abundantly poured out the rich grace of his calling. For He does not teach in any way as do the bizarre things in fables, but things which are greatest and divine, lest it seem that He brings to them the false fantasies of the ancients. Whence we note that it is added that He taught the Gospel of the kingdom. Certainly He teaches the Gospel of the kingdom, because now He gives the rule in hope to those who in the future shall be made kings in the kingdom of heaven on account of things done, as whatever He has promised now to believers with the gift of forgiveness He fulfills with the gifts of grace. Saint Paschasius Radbertus, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Book 3 1 Mt 4.23

Care And Prayer

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Θεόδωρος ὁ τῶν Ἐννάτου, ὅτι Ἐὰν λογίσηται ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς τὰς ἐν ταῖς εὐχαϊς ἀμελείας, καὶ τὰς αἰχμαλωσίας τὰς ἐν ταῖς ψαλμῳδίαις, οὐ δυνάμεθα σωθῆναι. Ἀποφθεγματα Των Ἁγίων Γερόντων, Παλλαδιος Migne PG 65 197

Father Theodore of Enaton said, 'If God accounts us careless in our prayers and as a crowd of captives in our Psalms, we cannot be saved.' Sayings of the Desert Fathers, Palladius of Galatia

The Word And The Beginning

Ἐπιζητεὶ δὲ ἡμῶν ἡ διάνοια, τίς ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ; Ὁ Λόγος φησί. Ποῖος λόγος; ὁ ἀνθρώπινος λόγος; ἀλλ' ὁ τῶν ἀγγέλων λόγος; Και γὰρ ᾐνίξατο ἡμῖν ὁ Ἀπὸστολος, ὡς καὶ τῶν ἀγέλλων ἰδίαν ἐχόντων γλῶσσαν, εἰπών· Ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλλων. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ λόγου διπλῆ τίς ἐστιν ἔννοια. Ὁ μὲν γάρ τίς ἐστιν ὁ διὰ τῆς φωνῆς προφερόμενος, οὕτος ὁ μετὰ τὸ προενεχθῆναι τῷ ἀέρι ἐναπολλύμενος· ὁ δέ τίς ἐστιν ὁ ἐνδιάθετος, ἐννπάαρχων ἡμῶν ταῖς καρδίαις· ὁ ἐννοηματικός. Καὶ ἄλλος, ὁ τεχνικὸς λόγος. Ὅρα μήποτέ σε παρααρούσηται τὸ ὁμώνυμον τῆς φωνῆς. Πῶς γὰρ ᾕν ἐν ἀρχῇ ὁ ἀνθρώπινος λόγος, τοῦ ἀνθρώπου κάτω που λαβόντος τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς γενέσεως; Πρὸ ἀνθρώπου θηρία· πρὸ ἀνθρώπου κτήνη, τα ἑρμετὰ πάντα· ὅσα χερσαῖα καὶ ὅσα ἔνυδρα, πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ἀστέρες, ἥλιος, σελήνη, βοτάναι, σπέρματα, γῆ, θάλαττα, οὐρανός. Οὐ τοίνυν ἐν ἀρχῇ ᾗν ὁ ἀνθρώπινος λόγος, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὁ τῶν ἀγγέλων. Πᾶσα γὰρ ἡ κτίσις κατωτέρα τῶν αἰώνων ἐστὶ, τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ εἰναι λαβοῦσα παρὰ τοῦ κτίσαντος. Ὁ δὲ ἐν καρδίᾳ λόγος, καὶ αὐτὸς ἑκάστου τῶν νοηθέντων ἐστὶ νεώτερος. Ἀλλ' ἄκουε τοῦ λόγου θεοπρεπῶς. Περὶ γὰρ τοῦ Μονογενούς διαλεγομενός σοι. Λόγον εἶπεν αὐτόν. Ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ φῶς μετ' ὀλιγον ἐρεῖ, καὶ ζωὴν, καὶ ἀνάστασιν, καὶ οὔτε φῶς ἀκούσας, ἐπὶ τὸ αἰσθητὸν τοῦτο και ὀφθαλμοῖς ὁρατὸν καταφέρῃ, οὔτε ζωὴν ἀκούσας, τὴν κοινὴν ταύτην νοεῖς, ἧν καὶ τὰ ἀλογα ζῇ· οὕτω καὶ Λόγον ἀκούων, φύλαξαι μὴποτε τῇ σῆ ἀσθενείᾳ τῆς διανοίας πρὸς χαμαιζήλους καὶ ταπεινὰς διανοίας ὑπενεχθῇς. Ἀλλ' ἐρεύνα τὴν διάνοιαν τοῦ ῥήματος. Διὰ τί Λόγος; Ἵνα δειχθῇ, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ νοῦ προῆλθε. Διὰ τί Λόγος; Ὅτι ἀπαθῶς ἐγεννήθη. Διὰ τί Λόγος; Ὅτι εἰαων τοῦ γεννήσαντος, ὅλον ἐν ἑαυτῷ δεικνὺς τὸν γεννήσαντα, οὐδὲν ἐκεῖθεν ἀπομερίσας, καὶ τέλειος ὑπάρχων καθ' ἑαυτόυ· ὡς καὶ ὁ ἡμέτερος λόγος ὅλην ἡμῶν ἀπεικονίζει τὴν ἔνοοιαν. Ἅ γὰρ κατὰ καρδίαν ἐνενοήσαμεν, ταῦτα τῷ ῥήματι προηνέγκαμεν, καὶ ἔστι τοῦ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ νοήματος ἀπεικόνισμα τὸ λαλούμενον. Ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ περισσεύματος τῆς καρδίας ὁ λόγος προφέρεται. Καὶ ἐστιν ἡ μὲν καρδία ἡμῶν οἴον πηγή τις, ὁ δὲ προφερόμενος λόγος οἴον ὀλαος τις ἐα τῆς πηγῆς ταύτης ῥέων. Τοσοῦτον οὖν τὸ ἀποῥῥέον, ὅσον τὸ πρώτως ἀναφερόμενον· καὶ οἴον τὸ κεκρυμμένον, τοσοῦτον καὶ τὸ φαινόμενον. Λόγον οὔν εἴπεν, ἵνα τὴν τελείαν ὕπαρξιν σοι τοῦ Υίοῦ θεολογήσῃ, καὶ τὴν ἄχρονον συνάφειαν τοῦ Υἱοῦ πρὸς Πατέρα διὰ τούτων ἐνδείξηται. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ ἡμέτερος λόγος τοῦ νοῦ γέννημα, ἀπαθώς γεννώμενος· οὔτε γὰρ τέμνεται, οὔτε μερίζεται, οὔτε ῥέει· ἀλλὰ μένων ὅλος ὁ νοὺς ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ συστάσει, ὅλον τὸν λόγου καὶ ἀπηρτισμένον ὑφίστησι· καὶ προελθὼν ὁ λόγος, πᾶσαν τοῦ γεννήσαντος νοῦ τὴν δύναμιν ἐν ἑαυτῷ περιεχει. Ὅσον οὔν εὐσεβὲς, τοσοῦτον λαβὼν πρὸς τὴν τοῦ Μονογενοῦς θεολογίαν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ λόγοῦ φωνῆς· ὅπερ ἂν εὔρῃς ἀπεμφαῖνον καὶ ἀνάρμοστον φαινόμενον, τοῦτπ παραίτησαι, καὶ ὑπέρβηθι μηχανῇ πάσῃ. Ἐν ἀρχῆ ἦν ὁ Λόγος. Εἰ δὲ εἶπεν· Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Υἱὸς, τῇ προσηγοριᾳ τοῦ Υἱοῦ συνεισῆλθεν ἄν σοι ἡ περὶ τοῦ πάθους ἔννοια. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ παρ' ἡμῖν τὰ γεννῶντα χρόνῳ γεννᾷ, καὶ ἐμπαθῶς γεννᾳ διὰ τοῦτο προλαβὼν, Λόγον εἶπε, προδιορθούμενος τὰς ἀπρεπεῖς ὑπολήψεις, ἵνα σου τὴν ψυχὴν ἄτρωπον διασώσηται. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ὁμιλία εἰς τὸ, Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος

But let us seek with the mind, what was in the beginning? 'The Word,' he says. 1 What word? Is it a human or angelic word? For the Apostle informs us that his own tongue may be angelic, saying, 'If with tongues of men and angels I speak,' 2 Now there is a double meaning for word, one is given forth by the voice, which after it is has gone forth perishes in the air, and another is an internal word, which is situated in our hearts, the word of the mind. It is the other word which is creative speech. Take care less you are misled by ambiguity. For how would it be that in the beginning there was a human word when it is understood that the origin of man came after the beginning? Before men there were beasts, before men there were cattle, and every sort of reptile, and every creature of land and sea, and birds of the sky, and stars, sun, moon , grass, seed, earth, sea, heaven. So then, a human word was not in the beginning, but nor was it angelic. For any created thing is of the time after, receiving its state of existence from the beginning. The word that is situated in the heart, and in each mind, is younger. But hear of the Word as it befits God. For when of the Unbegotten it is spoken to you, the Word itself is spoken of. As therefore a little later is said 'light', and 'life' and 'resurrection', you should not, however, when you hear 'light', to a sensible and visible light turn your eye, nor when you hear 'life', understand this as a common thing, such as brute animals live, and so also when you hear 'The Word', beware lest you fall, on account of dullness of mind, to earth and low thoughts, but attend to the meaning of the term. Why 'The Word'? It is clear that it proceeds from the mind. Why 'The Word'? Because without passion it was generated. Why 'The Word?' Because it is an image of the Creator, in itself exhibiting all of Him, in nothing separate and in itself existing perfectly, as even our word refers to the concept of our thoughts. For what we think in our hearts, with words we bring forth, and that which we speak, there remains set in the heart the image conceived and a likeness. For from our hearts we give an abundance of words. And indeed our hearts are like founts, the word is given, and like some stream it is which comes forth from a fountain. Only, therefore, as it flows forth, does it first emerge, and that which was hidden, so it appears. 'The Word', then, he says, to you that he might show you the perfect substance of the Son with divine speech and the timeless connection of the Son with the Father. For even our word, offspring of our mind, is generated without passion. For the Word is not cut off, nor separated, nor does it flow away, but the mind remaining whole in its own nature, the whole word is, and the word going forth contains every power of the generating mind. So, then, only in so far as it is pious receive from the speaking of  'The Word' the theology of the Unbegotten, and whatever is found foreign and dissonant, avoid it, with all diligence marching past it. 'In the beginning was the Word.' If he had said, 'In the beginning was the Son,' to you, in your mind, with the name of Son, would come a certain thought of passion, because such things to us which are generated in time are generated with passion, and understanding this, so he said 'The Word', to preserve your soul unharmed. Saint Basil of Caesarea, Homily on 'In The Beginning was the Word' 1 Jn 1.1 2 1 Cor 13.1

A Reward of Water

Ἀλλ' ἢ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ Κυρίου τὸ θέλνμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ αὐτοῦ μελετήσει ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός.  Τῷ νόμῳ, τῷ ἀγγελικῷ δηλονότι. Τὸ σύντονον δηλοῖ· οὐ γὰρ ἠμελημένως δεῖ μελετᾶν τὸν νόμον τοῦ Κυρίου. Οὐ γὰρ  ποτὲ δεῖ τοῖς μελετᾷν, ποτὲ δὲ οὒ, ἀλλ' ἀεὶ καὶ διαπαντὸς τοῖς θείοις λογίοις προσηλῶσθαι· τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ, ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός. Καλὸς τοῦ κατορθώματος ὁ μισθος· ὁ γάρ τῷ θείῳ σχολάζων νόμῳ καὶ τοῖς ἐκ τούτου νάμασιν ἀρδευόμενος. Καὶ ὕδωρ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ διδασκαλίαν ἀνεκάλεσεν εἰπών· Εἲ τις διψᾷ ἐρχέσθω πρὸς μὲ, καὶ πινέτω. Ψευδό Ἀθανάσιος Ἐις Τους Ψαλμούς, Ψαλμος Α',

'But in the law of God is his will and on His law he will meditate day and night.1  The law is quite clearly angelic. Clearly it signifies exertion, for one must certainly not be negligent in caring for the law of the Lord. Nor should there be at one time care for it and at another time carelessness, but always one should assiduously attend to the Divine words, and that is what is signified by day and night. Great is the reward for success in this, for he who gives himself to leisure that he attend to the Divine law is watered with its stream. And Christ referred to his teaching as water when he said, 'If a man thirst let him come to me and drink.'2    Pseudo Athanasius, Expositions of the Psalms, Psalm 1 1  Ps 1.2 2 Jn 7.37