The Vine

Ἀρκεῖ σου τῇ ὄψει καὶ ἄμπελος συνετῶς ὁραθεῖσα ὑπόμνησίν σοι τῆς φύσεως ἐμποιῆσαι. Μέμνησαι γὰρ δηλονότι τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου εἰκόνος, ὅτι ἄμπελον ἑαυτὸν λέγει, καὶ τὸν Πατέρα τὸν γεωργόν, καὶ τοὺς καθ᾿ ἕνα ἡμῶν διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐμπεφυτευμένους τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ κλήματα προσηγόρευσε· καὶ προσκαλεῖται ἡμᾶς εἰς πολυκαρπίαν, ἵνα μὴ ἀχρηστίαν καταγνωσθέντες τῷ πυρὶ παραδοθῶμεν· καὶ οὐ παύεται πανταχοῦ τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ταῖς ἀμπέλοις ἐξομοιῶν. Ἀμπελὼν γὰρ ἐγενήθη τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ, φησίν, ἐν κέρατι, ἐν τόπῳ πίονι. Καὶ, Ἀμπελῶνα ἐφύτευσα, καὶ περιέθηκα φραγμόν. Τὰς ἀνθρωπίνας ψυχὰς δηλονότι λέγει τὸν ἀμπελῶνα, αἷς φραγμὸν περιέθηκε τὴν ἐκ τῶν προσταγμάτων ἀσφάλειαν, καὶ τὴν φυλακὴν τῶν ἀγγέλων. Παρεμβαλεῖ γὰρ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κύκλῳ τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτόν. Ἔπειτα καὶ οἱονεὶ χάρακας ἡμῖν παρακατέπηξε θέμενος ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ πρῶτον ἀποστόλους, δεύτερον προφήτας, τρίτον διδασκάλους. Καὶ τοῖς τῶν παλαιῶν καὶ μακαρίων ἀνδρῶν ὑποδείγμασιν εἰς ὕψος ἡμῶν ἀνάγων τὰ φρονήματα, οὐκ ἀφῆκεν ἐρριμμένα χαμαὶ, καὶ τοῦ πατεῖσθαι ἄξια. Βούλεται δὲ ἡμᾶς καὶ οἱονεὶ ἕλιξί τισι ταῖς περιπλοκαῖς τῆς ἀγάπης τῶν πλησίον ἀντέχεσθαι, καὶ ἐπαναπαύεσθαι αὐτοῖς, ἵν᾿ ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸ ἄνω τὴν ὁρμὴν ἔχοντες, οἷόν τινες ἀναδενδράδες ταῖς κορυφαῖς τῶν ὑψηλοτάτων ἑαυτοὺς παρισάζωμεν. Ἀπαιτεῖ δὲ ἡμᾶς καὶ τὸ καταδέχεσθαι σκαπτομένους. Ἀποσκάπτεται δὲ ψυχὴ ἐν τῇ ἀποθέσει τῶν τοῦ κόσμου μεριμνῶν, αἳ βάρος εἰσὶ ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν. Ὥστε ὁ τὴν σαρκίνην ἀγάπην ἀποθέμενος, καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὰ χρήματα φιλίαν, ἢ τὴν περὶ τὸ δύστηνον δοξάριον τοῦτο πτόησιν ἀπόπτυστον καὶ εὐκαταφρόνητον ἡγησάμενος, ὥσπερ ἐσκάφη καὶ ἀνέπνευσεν ἀποσκευασάμενος τὸ μάταιον βάρος τοῦ γηΐνου φρονήματος. Δεῖ δέ, κατὰ τὸν λόγον τῆς παροιμίας, μηδὲ ὑλομανεῖν, τουτέστι, μὴ ἐπιδεικτικῶς πολιτεύεσθαι, μηδὲ τὸν παρὰ τῶν ἔξωθεν ἔπαινον θηρᾶσθαι, ἀλλ᾿ ἔγκαρπον εἶναι, τῷ ἀληθινῷ γεωργῷ τὴν ἐπίδειξιν τῶν ἔργων ταμιευόμενον. Σὺ δὲ καὶ Ὡς ἐλαία κατάκαρπος ἔσο ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, μηδέποτε γυμνούμενος τῆς ἐλπίδος, ἀλλ᾿ ἀεὶ θάλλουσαν ἔχων περὶ σεαυτὸν τὴν διὰ πίστεως σωτηρίαν. Οὕτω γὰρ τὸ ἀειθαλὲς τοῦ φυτοῦ μιμήσῃ, καὶ τὸ πολύκαρπον δὲ αὐτοῦ ζηλώσεις, ἄφθονον τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ παρεχόμενος Ἅγιος Βασιλειος Καισαρείας, Εις Την ῾Εξαημερον, Ὁμιλὶα E' Source Migne PG 29.108b-109a

Let the sight of a vine, when observed by an understanding eye, remind you of your nature. Certainly you remember the image of the Lord where He calls Himself a vine and the Father the husbandman, and every one of us who are grafted by faith into the Church are the branches, and He exhorts us to produce fruits in abundance, lest our sterility be condemned and we are cast into the fire. 1 Indeed He constantly compares our souls to vines. 'My beloved,' He says, 'has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill,' and elsewhere, 'I planted a vineyard and fenced it all about.' 2 It is evident He calls human souls His vines, those souls whom He has fenced in with the security of His teaching and a guard of angels. The angel of the Lord encamps around those that fear Him. 3 Furthermore He has planted props for us, as it were, in establishing first Apostles, secondly prophets, and thirdly teachers in His Church. And in the lifting up of our thoughts by the example of the blessed ones of the past, He has not allowed us to trail along on the earth and be crushed under foot. He wishes that the embraces of love, like the tendrils of the vine, should attach us to our neighbour and make us rest on them, so that in our continual reaching to what is above we may be like vines which raise themselves to the tops of the tallest trees. And He also asks us to allow ourselves to be dug about, which is what the soul does when it casts off the cares of the world, that are a weight on our hearts. He, then, who is freed from carnal affection and from the love of riches, and is far from being dazzled by them, and disdains and despises such wretched vainglory, is, so to say, dug about, and finally breathes free from the vain weight of worldly thoughts. Nor must we, according to the sense of the parable, be heavy with too much wood, that is to say, live with ostentation, being pleased with the praise of the world, but we must bring forth fruits and keep the proof of our works for the farmer. Be, then, like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, 4 never destitute of hope, but through faith decked with the bloom of salvation. Thus you will resemble the eternal verdure of this plant and will rival it in the giving of many fruits, if each day sees you giving abundantly in alms. Saint Basil of Caesarea, Hexameron, from Homily 5 1 John 15.1-6 2 Isaiah 5.1, Mt 21.33 3 Ps 33.8 4 Ps 51.10

Judgement And The Way

Κρῖνον αὐτοὺς, ὁ Θεός· ἀποπεσάτωσαν ἀπὸ τῶν διαβουλιῶν αὐτῶν. Κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἀσεβειῶν αὐτῶν ἔξωσον αὐτοὺς, ὅτι παρεπίκρανάν σε, Κύριε... Τῷ ἁμαρτάνοντι λυσιτελεῖ μᾶλλον ὑπὸ Θεοῦ κριθῆναι, ἢ ἔξω εἶναι τῆς κρίσεως. Καὶ τὸ ἀπὸ μοχθηρῶν διαβουλιῶν ἀποπεσεῖν οὐ κακὸν τῷ ἀποπίπτοντι, οὐκ ἐρχομένῳ ἐπὶ τὸ μοχθηρὸν αὐτῶν τέλος· ὡς οὐ καλὸν τῶν κρειττόνων μὴ ἐπὶ τέλος ἐλθεῖν. Πάνυ δὲ χαρίεν, πῶς οὐκ εἴρηκε πόθεν ἔξωσεν, ἵνα μὴ τοῖς πολλοῖς σαφὲς ᾗ. Οἶμαι δὲ, ὅτι ἀπὸ τῶν ἀσεβειῶν αὐτῶν κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος αὐτῶν. Οὐ γὰρ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ἐξωθεῖ ὁ Θεός τινας· Οἱ γὰρ μακρύνοντες, φησὶν, ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ σοῦ, ἀπολοῦνται. Κύριε, ὁδήγησόν με ἐν τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ σου ἕνεκα τῶν ἐχθρῶν μου, κατεύθυνον ἐνώπιόν σου τὴν ὁδόν μου... Ὁ προτιθέμενος ὀρθῶς φρονεῖν καὶ πράττειν, πολλοὺς ἐναντίους ἔχει. Εἰσὶ γὰρ καὶ ἄνθρωποι καὶ δαίμονες φθονεροὶ, λυπούμενοι ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς τῶν κατορθούντων. Τοῦτο δὲ θεωρήσας καὶ ὁ προκείμενος οὐ τῇ ἑαυτοῦ δυνάμει δέδωκε τὸ ἀπομάχεσθαι τοῖς ἐπικειμένοις κατ' αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ παρεκάλεσε τὸν Θεὸν χεῖρα αὐτῷ ὀρέξαι σκεπάζου σαν αὐτὸν ἀβλαβῆ ἀπὸ τῶν τοσούτων καὶ τηλικούτων πολεμίων, φάσκων· Αὐτὸς, ὦ Δέσποτα, ὁδήγησόν με ἐν τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ σου· οὕτω γὰρ κατορθωθείη τὸ τὴν ὁδόν μου ἐνώπιόν σου κατευθυνθῆναι. Ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν ἀλήθεια, ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν ματαία. Τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν· ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν... Ἐχθρῶν ἐμποδιζόντων τὴν ὁδόν σου φανερωθῆναι ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς μου, σὺ κατεύθυνον αὐτὴν ἐνώπιόν μου. Οἶδα γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐν οἷς περὶ ὁδοῦ ἐπαγγέλλονται, μὴ ἀληθεύοντας, τῷ μὴ εἶναι ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ ματαίαν εἶναι αὐτῶν τὴν καρδίαν. Πάντα δὲ τὰ ἐκφωνούμενα ἐν τῷ λάρυγγι αὐτῶν νεκρά ἐστι, τῷ εἶναι αὐτὸν τάφον ἀνεῳγότα. Ἀλλὰ καὶ λελογισμένοι σόφισμά τινές εἰσιν οἱ λόγοι αὐτῶν. Ὠριγένης, Εἰς Ψαλμους, Ψαλμος E' Source: Migne PG 12.1172a-c

Judge them, O God, cut them off from their thoughts. According to the multitude of their impieties let them be driven off, because they have exasperated you, O Lord... 1 It is of greater benefit for the sinner to be judged by God than to be outside judgement. To be cut off from depraved thoughts is not an evil that befalls them who thus do not come to the culmination of their evils, just as it is not good among better things not to attain their end. But it would be pleasing to know what he did not say, from what they were driven off, which may not be clear to many. I think it was from their evils and the multitude of them. For God does not drive off anyone from Himself. As he says. 'For they who withdraw themselves far from you, they shall perish.' 2 O Lord, lead me into your righteousness on account of my enemies, direct my way into your sight... 3 He who proposes to himself to think and act correctly, he shall have many to oppose him. For there are men and demons full of envy who are aggrieved by good things rightly done. When the Prophet perceives this, he does not depend on his own virtue to fight against those who stand against him, but he asks the Lord to stretch forth His hand so that he might escape for all such adversaries unharmed, saying, 'O Lord, lead me into your righteousness, for so it shall be that my way is guided into your sight.' Because there is no truth in their mouths, their hearts are a vanity, their throats open tombs, their tongues work wickedness... 4 When enemies impede your way, that it may it be obvious to my eyes, direct it into my sight. For I know they do not speak the truth concerning the things which they proclaim about the way, having no truth in their mouths, and their hearts are vain. Everything which their throat pronounces is death, because it is an open tomb, for their speech is replete with sophistry. Origen, Selecta On the Psalms, from Psalm 5 1 Ps 5.11 2 Ps 72.27 3 Ps 5.9 4 Ps 9.10-11

Storing Wealth

Nolite thesaurizare vobis thesauros in terra, ubi aerugo et tinea domilitur, et ubi fures effodiunt et furantur. Sed thesaurizate vobis thesauros in caelo, ubi neque aerugo, neque tinea demolitur, et ubi fures non effodiunt, nec furantur. Quid tam paternum? Quid sic veniens de amore? Quod tam providum de charitate consilium? Nihil tibi perire vult, qui tua in thesauris coelestibus vult reponi. Quam securus dormit, qui Deum suorum meruit habere custodem. Quam nescit curas, quam deponit angores, quam non est anxius, quam servorum caret fastu, qui sua patri servanda committit. Quomodo paterna servat affectio, quod timor non potest sic servare servilis: pater cum dat sua filiiis, non minuit commendata filiorum. Quid sit pater, nescit; nescit se filium, qui non credit patri. Tineam non excludunt claustra, sed claudunt, et generant, non repellunt: rubiginem nutriunt servata, non vitant; quia quod de re nascitur, non vitatur. Ubi est necessitas, fures deesse non possunt. Qui ergo inter tineas, rubiginem, fures, sua ponit, exponit quae sua sunt, non reponit. Sicut de vestimento tinea, rubigo de metallo, de necessitate fures nascuntur: ita de divitiis avaritia, cupiditas de quaestu, de habendo habendi ardor acquiritur. Qui ergo vult avaritiam vincere, divitias proroget, non reponat. Praemittamus, fratres, thesauros nostros in coelum; sint vectores pauperes, qui possunt suni suo quae nostra sunt ad superna portare. Nemo de fraude dubitet bajulorum: tua est ista transvectio. Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus, Sermo VII, De Hypocrisi et Eleemosyna Source: Migne PL 52. 207b-208a

Do not heap up for yourselves treasure on earth, where rust and moth destroy and thieves break in and steal. But heap up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither rust nor moth destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal.1 Why so paternal? Why so loving? Why such provident counsel born of care? He who wishes that nothing of yours should perish, wishes that you place your goods in the celestial treasure house. How secure it will be then, when it merits that God watch over it. How free from care he will be who rids himself of anxiety, who is not worried, who is spared the disloyalty of guards, who has committed protection to his Father. How much paternal affection protects that which servile fear is not able to guard. When the Father gives what is his to his sons, he does not lessen the worth of what sons have entrusted. He does not know what the Father is, he does not know that he is a son, who does not trust the Father. Locked doors do not exclude moths, but they shut them up and nurture them, they do not repel them. Things preserved generate rust, they do not ward if off, because what is born from these things is what they do not repel. Where there is need, there is no lack of thieves. Therefore he who places himself among moths and rust and thieves, he exposes what is his, he does not store it away. As moths from clothing, as rust from metal, from need thieves are born, thus it is with avarice from wealth, desire from profit; from possessions the passion of possession is acquired. Therefore he who wishes to conquer avarice, let him keep himself from riches, not heap them up. Brothers, let us send our treasure chests ahead of us to heaven. The poor are the transports who in their lap can carry what is ours to the heavens. Let no one have any hesitations about the qualifications of these porters. Safe this is, safe this transportation by which our goods are carried to God, with God as guarantor. Saint Peter Chrysologus, from Sermon 7, On Hypocrisy And Alms 1 Mt 6.19-20

War And The Devil

Κοινὸς μὲν ἀπάντων ὁ ἐχθρὸς, πολέμους δὲ ἔχει γενικοὺς πρὸς τοὺς ταῖς ἡδοναῖς αὐτοῦ μὴ λατρεύοντας, καὶ τῇ ῥίζῄ τῶν κακῶν φιλαργυρίᾳ αὐτῷ μὴ προσκυνοῦντας. Ὥς εἶς ὑπάρχων καὶ πρόβολος, ἔχου τῆς πανοπλίας τοῦ πνεύματος. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΣΞΔ' Ὠριωνι Source: Migne PG 78.340d

The common enemy of all presses a general war against those who will not worship his pleasures and adore him with that root of every evil, avarice. 1 Thus as one of them, and a defender, take up the armour of the spirit. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 264, To Orion 1 1 Tim 6.10

An Angelic Guard

Παρεμβαλεῖ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κύκλῳ τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτὸν, καὶ ῥύσεται αὐτους.   Παντὶ πεπιστευκότι εἰς τὸν Κύριον ἄγγελος παρεδρεύει, ἐὰν μήποτε αὐτὸν ἡμεῖς ἐκ τῶν πονηρῶν ἔργων ἀποδιώξωμεν. Ὡς γὰρ τὰς μελίσσας καπνὸς φυγαδεύει, καὶ τὰς περιστερὰς δυσωδία ἐξελαύνει· οὕτω καὶ τὸν φύλακα τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν ἄγελλον ἡ πολύδρακυς καὶ δυσώδης ἀφιστησιν ἁμαρτία. Ἐὰν ἔχῃς ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ ἄξια φυλακῆς ἀγγελικῆς ἔργα, καὶ νοῦς πλούσιος ἐν τοῖς τῆς ἀληθείας θεωρήμασιν ἐνοικῇ σοι διὰ τὸν πλοῦτον τῶν τιμίων ἔρων τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἀναγκαίως φρουρούς σοι καὶ φύλακας παρακαθίστησιν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ περιτειχίζει σε φυλακῇ ἀγγέλων. Σκόπει δὲ ἠλίκη ἐστὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων ἡ φύσις· ὅτι ὅλῳ σρατοπέδῳ καὶ παρεμβολῇ πολυανθρώπῳ παρεικάζεται ὁ εἰς ἄγγελος. Διὰ μὲν οὔν τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ φυλάσσοντός σε παρεμβολήν σοι χαρίζεται ὁ Κύριος· διὰ δὲ τὴν ἰσχὺν τοῦ ἀγγέλου οἰονεὶ περιτειχίζει σε πάντοθεν τῇ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ ἀσφαλείᾳ. Τοῦτο γὰρ σημαίνει τὸ Κύκλῳ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ τῶν πόλεων περίβολοι, κύκλῳ πάσαις περικείμενοι, πάντοθεν τὰς τῶν πολεμίων προσβολὰς ἀπείργουσιν· οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος, καὶ προτειχίζει ἐκ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν, καὶ ὀπισθοφυλακεῖ, καὶ οὐδὲ τὰ ἐκατέρωθεν ἀφύλακτα καταλείπει. Διὰ τοῦτο Πεσεῖται ἐκ τοῦ κλίτους σου χιλιὰς, καὶ μυριὰς ἐκ δεξιῶν σοῦ· πρὸς σὲ δὲ οὐδὲ πληγή τινος τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐγγιεῖ, ὅτι τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖτα περὶ σου. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ὁμιλία Ἐις Τους Ψαλμούς, Εἰς Τον ΛΓ' Ψαλμον  Source: Migne PG 29.364b-c

The angel of the Lord he sets in a camp around those who fear him and he delivers them. 1 The angel assists all who believe in the Lord, if we do not expel him by depraved works. For as bees are driven off by smoke and doves by foul odors, so the guardian of our life is tearfully driven away by the foul stench of our sins. If you would have the worthy works of a guardian angel in your soul, and a mind rich in the contemplation of truth in you because of the riches of the famed works of virtue, God will certainly give watchers and guards to guard you and wall you about with a guard of angels. Consider how great is the nature of angels, that one angel is compared to a whole army and a camp set with soldiers. Thus on account of the greatness of the one who guards you, the Lord bestows a camp upon you, for the strength of the angel is a protection like a wall encircling you. This is what 'a camp around' signifies. For as the walls of cities are in a circuit surrounding all the parts of the city in order to repulse the assault of enemies from every direction, so indeed is an angel set at the front and is on guard at the back, that there be no direction unguarded. For which reason it is said, 'There fell at my left side two thousand, and ten thousand at my right.'  2 To you indeed no blow of any enemy shall come near, because he has commanded his angels concerning you. 3 Saint Basil of Caesarea, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 33 1 Ps 33.8 2 Ps 90.7 3 Ps 90.10-11

Prayer And Safety

Dulcissimo filio vir fluctivagus salutem. Te abeunte tentavi saepius ad portum stabilitatis venire; sed rector rerum et dispensator animarum necdum concessit posse quod olim fecit velle. Adhuc ex radice cordis nascentes cogitationum ramusculos ventus tentationum flagellat, ut consolationis flores et refectionis fructus nutriri nequiverint. Toto nocte laborantes nihil cepimus, quia necdum in littore Jesus stetit, praecipiens in dexteram navigii rete mitti. Patrocinia sanctorum non obliviscere. Res ecclesiasticae pulchritudinis oculis occurrentes noli negligere ut acquiras. Nostra rusticitas avara est de talibus: vesta nobilitas larga est de omnibus. Memor esto poetici praesagii:  Si nihil attuleris, ibis, Homere, foras. Hoc de te tuoque itinere prophetatum esse, quis dubitat? Si Christum Sibylla, ejusque labores praedixit venturum, cur non Naso Homerum ejusque itinera praececinit? Paululum propter refectionem animi rhetorica lusi lepiditate. Sed ut iterum ad seriem rugosa fronte revertar, te vero unanimem deposcens amicum, te custodem animi obsecrans, ut consilium salutis animarum nostrarum, cum suffragiis sanctorum, apostolorum a Deo depreceris. Nam nos ambos, ut recognosco, quaedem necessitatis catena constringit, et libero cursu voluntatis castra intrare non permittit: nec est, qui compedes rumpere valeat, nisi qui inferni ferrea claustra contrivit, qui est via et vertias et vita. Via pergentibus per illum, veritas venientibus ad illum, vita manentibus in illo. Quid habeo plus scribere, quia omnia necessaria nosti? Juxta opportunitatem portantis semper dirige mihi litteras, ut sciam de prosperitate tua et itinere tuo, quando vel quo venias miserante Deo. Prospera cuncta, precor, faciat tibi Christus, Homere! Qui te conservet semper, ubique vale! Alcuinus, Epistola XXV, Ad Duclissimum Filium Homerum (Angilbertum) Source: Migne PL 100.180a-d

To a dear son, a man wandering amid the waves, greeting. With your departure I have very often tried to reach a secure port, but the director of things and the disposer of souls does not yet wish to concede to be possible what once He did. Though from the root of the heart the little branches of thoughts are born, the wind of trials so whips them that they are unable to bring forth the blooms of consolation and the fruit that restores. Though we work through the whole night we are not able to gain a thing because Jesus does not yet stand on the shore, commanding that the net be cast out from the right hand of the boat. 1 Do not forget the protection of the Saints. With racing eyes do not neglect the fair things of the Church, so that you might acquire them. Our narrow rusticity is on account of such things, your expansive nobility from all things. Be mindful of the poetic presage: If you bring nothing, Homer, you will go outside. 2 That this is prophetic concerning you and your way, who will doubt? If the Sybil foretold the coming works of Christ, why might not Ovid sing Homer and his way before his time? For the refreshment of my soul I have played a little with pleasant words, but returning again to the lines of a furrowed brow, I entreat you, friend of my soul, that you plead for a guard for your soul, that you pray for the counsel of the salvation of our souls, with the intercession of the Saints and the Apostles, from God. For both of us, I know, are constrained with a certain chain of necessity, and with the free step of the will we are not permitted to enter the camp, nor is there one who is able to break the fetters unless He who broke down the doors of hell, He who is the way and the truth and the life. 3 The way of the one who advances is through Him, the truth is to come to Him, life is to remain with Him. What more do I have to write, since you know what is needful? As far as opportunity allows always send me letters, that I might know how you flourish and your way, when or where you go according to the mercy of God. All prosperity, I pray, Christ make for you, O Homer! That He may preserve you always and everywhere, farewell. Alcuin of York, Letter 25, To a Dearest Son Homer, (Angilbertus) 1 Lk 5.4-7, Jn 21.4-6 2 Ovid Ars Amatoria 2.280 3 Jn 14.6

Guarding The Vine

Πιάσατε ἡμιν ἀλώπεκας μικροὺς ἀφανίζοντας ἀμπελῶνας, καὶ αἱ ἄμπελοι ἡμῶν κυρπρίζουσιν. Ταῦτα τοῖς φίλοις ὁ νυμφίος, ἤτοι ἀγγέλιος ἢ ἀνδράσιν ἀγίοις, ὅσοι τῆς Ἐκκλησίας διδάσκαλοι· ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας δὲ τῶν ἀμπελώνων ἡ προτροπή ἵνα τῶν πανούργων συλλαμβανομένων δυνάμεων, αἵ διαφθείρουσαι τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς ἐκφύσεως τοῦ καρποῦ, δυνηθῶσιν αἱ ἄμπελοι προκόψαι ἀπὸ τοῦ κυπρίζειν μέχρι τῆς τοῦ καρποῦ τελειώσεως, ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ γεωργούμεναι· διὰ δὲ τὸ αὐτεξουσιν δυνάμεναι ἐνέγκαι καρπόν τι καὶ μή· ἤ τάχα καὶ ἄνθρωποι, ἀλώπεκές τινες δι' ἑτεροδόξου δριμύτητος ἐμποδίζοντες τοῖς ἀρξαμένοις τρέχειν καλῶς· οὔς ἔτι μικροὺς ὄντας βούλεται συλληφθῆναι πρὶν ἐπιπλέον ἀσεβείας προκόψωσι· μέγας γὰρ ἀλώπηξ γενόμενος, ἐκείνοις μὲν ἀνάλωτος, ὑπὸ μόνοῦ δὲ τοῦ νυμφίου θηρεύεται· ἀρχόμενοι γὰρ ἐνεργεῖν τὰ χείρονα, καὶ τοῖς φίλοις εὐάλωτοι· λεγει δ' ἄν καὶ μικροὺς τοὺς ἀμπελῶνας· οὐ δύναται γὰρ κατὰ τῶν μεγάλων ἀλώπηξ. Ὠριγένης, Εἰς Τo Ἀσμα Των Ἀσμάτων, Κεφάλαιον Β' Source: Migne PG 17.265a-b

Seize the little foxes which ruin the vines, our vines that are flowering. 1 The groom says this to his friends, either angels, or holy men, that is, teachers of the Church; it is an exhortation to look to the safety of the vines against those who joined together in villainy would ruin the first budding of the fruit, that they are able to assist the vines to come from flower to perfect maturity, with God's care, with free will to bear the fruit, or not to bear it. Or perhaps it may be that the men who are like these foxes on account of bitter heterodoxy are better impeded at their beginnings. So they who are yet young He wishes seized before they advance into greater impiety. For the great foxes are unconquerable by all unless by the groom himself. The friends more may easily lay hold of evils in the beginning. And he calls them little who seek the vines because they will not be capable against the great foxes. Origen, from the Commentary On The Song Of Songs, Chapter 2 1 Song 2.15

Guarding And Crowning

Κύριε, φησὶν, ὡς ὅπλῳ εὐδοκὶας ἐστεφάνωσας ἡμᾶς. Ταὺτον ἂν εἴη τῶν δικαίων καὶ ὅπλον, καὶ στέφανος, ὥστε τὸν ὡπλησάμενον νοητῶς στεφανοῦσθαι· καὶ γὰρ καὶ Σολομὼν εἴρηκε· Στεφάνῳ δὲ τρύφῆς ὑπερασπιεῖ σου. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΣΚΑ' Ἀριστοτελει Προτευοντι Source: Migne PG 79 164

'Lord, that you crown us with the guard of your good will,' 1 he said, and let this be the guard of the righteous and the crown, that thus being guarded they be crowned in their minds; for Solomon said, 'With a crown of delights may he protect you.' 2 Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 221, To Aristotles The Primate 1 Ps 5.13 2 Prov 4.9

Destruction And Protection

Minitatus est praeterea quod deleret hominem: Ab homine, inquit, usque ad pecus, et a reptilibus usque ad volatilia coeli delebo. Quid laeserant irrationabilia? Sed quia propter hominem illa facta erant, eo utique deleto propter quem facta sunt, consequens erat ut etiam illa delerentur; quia non erat qui his uteretur. Sensu autem altiore illud manifestatur, quia homo mens est quae est rationis capax; homo enim definitur animal vivum, mortale, rationale. Principali igitur exstincto, etiam sensus omnis exstinguitur; eo quod nihil reliqui ad salutem supersit, cum salutis fundamentum virtus defecerit. Ad condemnationem autem caeterorum, et ad expressionem pietatis divinae dicitur Noe apud Deum gratiam invenisse. Simul ostenditur quod hominem justum non obumbret aliorum offensio, quando ipse ad totius generis reservatur seminarium, qui non generationis nobilitate, sed justitiae et perfectionis merito laudatur. Probati enim viri genus virtutis prosapia est; quia sicut hominum genus homines, ita animarum genus virtutes sunt. Etenim familiae hominum splendore generis nobilitantur: animarum autem clarificatur gratia splendore virtutis. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, De Noe et Arca, Caput IV

God threatened more than to destroy man, for He said, 'From man even to cattle and from reptiles unto the birds of heaven I shall make an end. ' 1 But why harm irrational things? Because all these things were made for man and because of the destruction of that for which they were made, it follows that even they shall be destroyed because he would not be who would make use of them. And yet this manifests a higher sense, because man is mind which is capable of reason, and man is defined as a living animal, mortal and rational. So with his first part destroyed even all his senses are destroyed, by which nothing remains that can be saved, that is, when virtue the foundation of salvation has perished. For while others received condemnation, Noah, on account of piety, is said to had found grace with God. At the same time it is shown the righteous man is not blotted out by the offense of others, for he is reserved for the reseeding of the generations, a man who was not of noble lineage, but is praised with the merit of accomplished righteousness. Approved men are of the family of virtue, because  as men are of the family of man, so the family of souls is virtue. The families of men are ennobled by the splendour of their line, the grace of souls shine with the splendour of the virtues. Saint Ambrose, On Noah and the Ark, Chap 4 1 Gen 6.7

Hope And Tribulation

Ἐν θλίψει ἐπεκαλεσάμην τὸν κύριον καὶ ἐπήκουσέν μου εἰς πλατυσμόν. κύριος ἐμοὶ βοηθός οὐ φοβηθήσομαι τί ποιήσει μοι ἄνθρωπος. κύριος ἐμοὶ βοηθός κἀγὼ ἐπόψομαι τοὺς ἐχθρούς μου. ἀγαθὸν πεποιθέναι ἐπὶ κύριον ἢ πεποιθέναι ἐπ' ἄνθρωπον.  ̔Ο ἐν θλίψει γενόμενος δίκαιος οὐ τοσοῦτον παρακαλεῖ περὶ τοῦ ἐκτὸς αὐτῆς γενέσθαι, ἀλλ' ὅπως γενναίως καὶ ἱλαρῶς αὐτὴν ἐνέγκῃ. καὶ γὰρ ὁ ἐν σταδίῳ πρὸς ἀντιπάλους θλιβόμενος οὐ τὸν ἀγῶνα εὔχεται αὐτῷ παρελθεῖν, ἵνα μὴ ἐξαγώνιος γένηται, ἀλλὰ παρακαλεῖ τὸν παιδοτρίβην συνεργεῖν αὐτῷ, ὁ πως ἐγκαρτερῶν τοῖς ἐπιφερομένοις πρὸς τοῦ ἀντιπάλου ἐλπίδι νίκης καὶ στεφάνου προσηνῆ δόξῃ εἴναι τὰ δι' ὤν ἀποδίδοται ὁ στέφανος. Καὶ δύναται μὲν περὶ θνητῶν διαφόρων λέγεσθαι τὸ Οὐ φοβηθήσομαι τί ποιήσει μοι ἄνθρωπος, περὶ δὲ ἀοράτων πολεμίων τὸ Κἀγὼ ἐπόψομαι τοὺς ἐχθρούς μου· οἵ τινες ἐχθροὶ καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐπεγείρουσι καθ' ἡμῶν ἐκπολεμοῦντες αὐτοὺς πρὸς ἡμᾶς καὶ φονικῶς διατιθέντες καθ' ἡμῶν. εἰ δὲ καὶ τὸ Οὐ φοβηθήσομαι τί ποιήσει μοι ἄνθρωπος ἐπὶ τὸν διάβολον ἀναφέρεται διὰ τὸ ̓Εχθρὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐποίησε τοῦτο, φανερὸν δ' ὁ τι τὸ ἐπισπεῖραι τὰ ζιζάνια καὶ τὸ Σὺ δὲ ει ἄνθρωπος καὶ οὐ θεός, συνεπίσκεψαι. ̓Αγαθὸν πεποιθέναι ἐπὶ κύριον η πεποιθέναι ἐπ' ανθρωπον, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· Δίδυμος Αλεξανδρεύς, Εἰς Ψαλμους, Ψαλμος ΡΙΖ'

'In tribulation I called on the Lord and He heard me. The Lord is my help and I shall not fear what a man may do to me. The Lord is my help and I will look down on my enemies. Good it is to hope in God rather than to hope in men.' 1   The righteous man in tribulation invokes the Lord, not that he be freed from tribulation, but rather that God might give to him an upright and cheerful soul. Thus he who is sent into the arena to struggle against enemies, rather than begging that he be freed from it, asks that the master of the arena might aid him, by which aid he may try to gain victory over his adversaries, and with which hope of victory and crown, it seems he shall more easily acquire a crown. And he can say against mortal adversaries 'I shall not fear what a man may do to me.' But concerning unseen opponents 'I shall look down on my enemies.' For some enemies are men, who rise up against us and fight against us and strive to slay us, and yet even when it is said, 'I shall not fear what a man may do to me,' this also refers to the devil who is the enemy who makes men do this, for he manifestly sows the weeds, 2 and you being a man, and not God, need double protection. Good it is then to hope in the Lord than to hope in men. Didymus the Blind, Commentary on the Psalms, from Psalm 117 1 Ps 117.5-8 2 Mt 13.24-30

Prayer and Protection

Βοηθήσατε τῷ λόγῳ πάντες ὅσοις τὸ δύνασθαι βοηθεῖν ἐκ Θεοῦ. Μέγα φόνον ἐπισχεῖν, καὶ μοιχείαν κολάσαι, καὶ κλοπὴν σωφρονίσαι· πολλῷ μᾶλλον εὐσέβειαν νομοθετῆσαι, καὶ ὑγιῆ λόγον χαρίσασθαι. Οὐ τοσοῦτον ὁ ἐμὸς λόγος δυνήσεται πολεμῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος, ὅσον τὸ πρόσταγμα, ἐὰν ἐπιστομίζῃς τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας, ἐὰν βοηθῇς τοῖς διωκομένοις, ἐὰν τοὺς φονευτὰς ἐπέχῃς, ἐὰν κωλύῃς τὸ φονεύεσθαι. Λέγω δὲ, οὐ τὸν σωματικὸν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ψυχικόν. Πᾶσα γὰρ ἁμαρτία, θάνατός ἐστι ψυχῆς. Μέχρι τούτων ὁ λόγος στήτω. Λοιπὸν δὲ ἔστω ὑπὲρ τῶν συνεληλυθότων εὐχή. Ἄνδρες ὁμοῦ καὶ γυναῖκες, ἀρχόμενοί τε καὶ ἄρχοντες, πρεσβῦται καὶ νεανίσκοι μετὰ παρθένων, πᾶν γένος ἠλικίας, πᾶσαν μὲν φέρετε ζημίαν, τὴν εἰς χρήματα, τὴν εἰς σώματα· ἓν δὲ μὴ δέξησθε μόνον, τὴν θεότητα ζημιούμενοι. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος ΛΖʹ

Come to the aid of the Word, you who are able to aid by God. It is a great thing to put a stop to murder, to punish adultery, to chastise theft, but much more to legislate for piety and to bestow wholesome teaching. My word will not be able to do as much in fighting for the Holy Trinity as your edict, if you will bridle the wicked, if you will help the persecuted, if you will stop the slayers, and prevent killing. And I am speak not merely of the body but of the soul, for all sin is the death of the soul. So I end my speech. But it remains that I speak a prayer for those assembled. Husbands alike and wives, rulers and ruled, old and young men, and maidens, of every sort of age: bear every loss, whether of money or of the body, but one thing alone do not accept, that you lose the Godhead. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 37