Grief And Joy

Cui autem simile existimabo generationem istam? Similes sunt pueris sedentibus in foro, etc. Tantus est Joannes, sed vos nec ei, nec mihi voluistis credere, et ideo, cui vos similes aestimabo? Per generationem accipit communiter et Judaeos, et se etiam cum Joanne, quia aliter non diceret: Similis est pueris, etc., cum non solum Judaei, sed ipse etiam Joannes et Jesus pueris comparentur. Pueri dicunt sociis in ludo: Vos non estis socii nostri, quia quando cecinimus modo in ludo, vos non saltavistis, et quando ploravimus in ludo, vos noluistis nobiscum plorare. Similiter sunt duo status in sanctis, luctus pro peccatis, gaudium pro Redemptione nostra, quae utraque prophetaverunt antiqui prophetae. Alius enim dicit: Convertimini in toto corde vestro, etc. David vero ad gaudium nos invitat, cum ait: Haec est dies quam fecit Dominus, exsultate et laetate in ea. Similiter Christus et Joannes nos invitaverunt, alius ad lucem, sicut Joannes, qui jejunavit, et ad poenitentiam invitavit. Alius ad gaudium, sicut Christus qui in signum aeternae refectionis non jejunabat cum apostolis, sed comedebat, et ad gaudium nostrae redemptionis invitabat, quasi dicat: Ego, et sequaces mei apostoli et prophetae cecinimus in foro, id est in Jerusalem, ubi omnes conveniebant, id est gaudium vestrae redemptionis praedicavimus, et vos, qui eratis nobis coaequales, quia de eadem gente et promissione, noluistis saltare, id est mente et corpore, de redemptione vestra congaudere. Joannes et alii prophetae lamentaverunt, id est ad luctum poenitentiae invitaverunt, et vos noluistis cum eis plangere. Imo vocastis Joannem daemoniacum, qui tantum potest jejunare, me autem voracem, qui in signum vestri gaudii, et aeternae refectionis manduco. Sed ego, quidquid vos dicatis, qui sum sapientia Patris, justificor a filiis meis, id est juste agere dicor ab apostolis. Vel sapientia justificatur a filiis suis, id est ab operibus suis, id est opera quae ipse facit et generat, ostendunt sapientiam justam esse. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes In Matthaeum, Caput XI Source: Migne PL 162.1352b-1352d

To what shall I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplace... 1 John is great, yet you do not believe in him nor in me, and therefore to what shall I liken you? By 'generation' the Jews are commonly understood, and even Himself and John, because otherwise He would have said, 'It is similar to children,' when not only the Jews but even John and Jesus are being compared to children. Children are saying to their peers in play, 'You are not our friends, because when we sing to you in play you do not dance, and when we lament in play you do not weep with us.' Likewise there are two states among the holy, sorrow for sin and joy for our redemption, which both the prophets of old made prophecy about. For one says, 'Convert in your whole hearts.' But David invites us to joy, when he says, 'This is the day that the Lord made, exult and delight in it.' 2 Similarly Christ and John invite us, one to sorrow, like John, who fasts and invites us to penance, and the other to joy, as Christ, who as a sign of eternal refreshment does not fast with the Apostles but eats, and invites us to the joy of our redemption, as if He said, 'I and my followers the Apostles and the prophets sang to you in the marketplace, that is, in Jerusalem, when all were gathered together, that is, we proclaimed the joy of your redemption, and you, who were our peers, because we are of the same people and promise, did not wish to dance, that is, in the mind and body, in joy at your redemption. John and other prophets lamented, that is, they invited you to the sorrow of penance, and you did not want to weep with them. Then you call John a demoniac, who is a great faster, and me a glutton who eat as a sign of your joy and eternal refreshment. But whatever you say, I, who am the wisdom of the Father, am justified by my sons, that is, I am spoken of by the Apostles through righteous conduct . Or 'Wisdom is justified by her sons,' that is, from their works, that is, the works performed and brought forth show wisdom to be righteous. Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 11 1 Mt 11.16 2 Joel 2.12, Ps 117.24

The Denials

Τρὶς τὸν Κύριον ἀρνησάμενος τῶν ἀποστόλων ὁ ἔξαρχος, τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων πάντων ἁμαρτίαν ὑπο ἔδειξε, τρὶς ἀθετησάντων τὸν Κτίσαντα, ἐν τῇ δόσειτῆς πρώτης ἐντολῆς , ἐν τῇ θέσει τοῦ νόμου τοῦ γραστοῦ, ἐν τῇ σαρκώσει τοῦ Λόγου καὶ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν· ἣν τριπλῇ πάλιν μεταγνώσει ἰάσατο, ἀνάλογον τῷ τραύματι πορισάμενος καὶ τὸ φάρμακον, καὶ δείξας ὡς πάντων τῶν κακῶν θεραπεία, ἡ τοῦ Κυρίου γέγονε παρουσία. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΤΝϚ’, Σελευκῳ Source: Migne 78.385b

The prince of the Apostles' denial of the Lord three times points to the sin of all men who rejected the Lord three times, in the giving of the first command, in the establishment of the written law, in the putting on of humanity by the Word and God, 1 which three time denial is again healed by penance, which is as the bringing of medicine to a wounded man, for which reason the Lord came, showing care for every evil. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 356, To Seleucus 1 Gen 2.16-17, Exod 32, Jn 1.11

Weeping the World

Beati qui lugent. Quamvis fidelis res mundi abdicavit, quamvis de injuriis non doluit, tamen in multa incidit aliquando, et ideo necessariae sunt lacrymae quae semper abluant, quia semper peccamus, et in miseriis hujus mundi nos esse videmus. Dolemus etiam de peccatis proximorum. Duo sunt genera compunctionis, quando pro miseriis hujus mundi et peccatis nostris gemimus, et pro desiderio coelestium. Unde filia Caleph petivit a parte irriguum superius et irriguum inferius, quia anima petit compunctionem a Deo, et pro peccatis, et pro desiderio patriae coelestis. Luctum autem pro miseriis hujus vitae et desiderio supernae patriae, non habet nisi solus pauper et mitis, qui mundum non diligit, sed miserum se recognoscit, et ideo coelum concupiscit. His lugentibus pro suis et aliorum peccatis convenit postulare: Debita nostra nobis dimitte, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Haec virtus quae mundi miseriam sentit, et a coelesti patria discernit, descendit a spiritu scientiae. Scientia enim de terrenis est, ut sciamus quae sit ista habitatio terrena, quam gravis, quam misera. Quod autem cogitamus de coelesti patria, hoc ideo fit, ut per comparationem miseriam hujus vitae intelligamus. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes In Matthaeum, Caput V Source: Migne PL 162.1286a-c

Blessed are those who weep... 1 Although the faithful man has forsaken the things of the world, although he has not been grieved because of injuries, however from time to time and in many things he falls, and therefore cleansing tears are always necessary, because we always sin, and we see ourselves among the wretched things of this world, and then we also grieve for the sins of our neighbours. There are two types of compunction, one when we groan for the wretchedness of this world and for our sins, and one in our desire for heavenly things. Hence the daughter of Caleb sought a part of both the higher land and the lower land, 2 because the soul seeks forgiveness from God both because of sin and with a desire for the heavenly fatherland. A man does not groan over the miseries of this life and with the desire for the supernal fatherland unless he is poor and meek, unless he is one who does not love the world but recognises his own wretchedness, and therefore desires heaven. With this groaning over himself, it also befits him to petition for the sins of others, 'Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.' 3 This virtue which feels the wretchedness of the world is learned from the heavenly fatherland and descends from the spirit of knowledge. For it is a knowledge of worldly things, so that we might know the things of this terrestrial dwelling, which are burdensome and which are wretched, and because we think of the heavenly fatherland, so it is that compared to it we understand the wretchedness of this life. Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 5 1 Mt 5.5 2 Jud 1.12-15 3 Mt 6.12

Hunger And Thirst

Christus hodie in schola eruditionis evangelcae per filium prodigum nobis competentissime proponit poenitentiae et humilitatis exemplum. Qui cum afficeretur gravissima fame, cogitavit redire ad patem, et inter mercenarios unus esse. Quis est qui dilapidat omnia bona vivendo luxuriose, nisi peccator quiliet, qui bona gratuita et naturalia peccando corrumpit et perdit? Sed reversus ad cor, et justitiam incipiens esurire, humiliat se in oculis suis, de de filiali dignitate ad mercenarii sortem devota humilitate descendit. Beati quidem sunt qui esuriunt justitiam, quoniam ipsi saturabuntur. Esurientes, inquit implevit bonis. Qui enim divitias temporales appetunt,non satiabuntur eis. Haec est aqua d puteo Samariae, de qua qui biberit, sitiet iterum. Haec aqua non reficit, quia non sufficit. Divites egereunt et esurient: inquirentes autem Dominum non minuentur omni bono. Cibus autem justitiae dum plus appetitur, plus dulcescit. Unde et ille qui factus est nobis a Deo sapienta et justitia dicit: Qui edunt me, adhunc esurient, et qui bibunt me, adhuc sitient. Non est tamen ita insatiabilis appetitus justitiae, sicut amor pecuniae; nam in istis est appetitus sine satietate, in illa est satietas sine attaediatione. Unde Propheta: Ego in justitia apparebo in conspecto tuo: sataibor cum apparuerit gloria tua. Petrus Blenensis, Sermo XV, In Quadragesima, De Facienda Poenitentia Source: Migne PL 207.603a-c

Today in the school of evangelical instruction Christ expertly puts forth an example of penitence and humility in the prodigal son, he who when he was afflicted with severe hunger thought to return to his father, and to be one of his hirelings. 1 Who is he who ruins every good in luxurious living but the sinner, he who corrupts both gratuitous and natural goods in sin and destroys them. But turning back to his heart, he begins to thirst for righteousness, he humbles himself in his own eyes, and in devout humility he lowers himself from the dignity of a son to the rank of a hireling. Certainly they are blessed 'who thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.' 'He filled those who thirsted with good things.' 2 But those who desire temporal riches, they shall not be satisfied with them. That is the water from the well of the Samaritan woman, from which he who drinks shall thirst again. 3 This water does not refresh because it is does not suffice. 'The rich hunger and thirst, those who seek the Lord do not lack any good.' 4 The more the bread of righteousness is desired the sweeter it is. Whence even He who was made wisdom and righteousness from God for us says, 'They eat of me and shall yet hunger, and they drink of me and shall yet thirst.' 5 Not that there is an insatiable appetite with righteousness as with the love of money, for in the latter the appetite is never satisfied, but in righteousness there is satiety without weariness, and so the Prophet says: 'In righteousness I shall appear in your sight, and I shall be satisfied when your glory appears.' 6 Peter of Blois, from Sermon 15, In Lent, On Making Penance 1 Lk 15.16-18 2 Mt 5.6, Lk 1.53 3 Jn 4.13 4 Ps 33.11 5 1 Cor 1.30, Sirach 24.29 6 Ps 16.15

Before The Face Of God

Certe, Fratres, modo pereant peccatores a facie Dei. Modo pereant peccatores et non pereant peccatores. Si incipiant iuste vivere, peribunt utique peccatores, sed non peribunt homines. Homo peccator, duo nomina sunt. Homo unum nomen est, et peccator unum nomen est. In his duobus nominibus intellegimus, quia unum horum Deus fecit, alterum horum homo fecit. Hominem enim Deus fecit, peccatorem se ipse homo fecit. Quid ergo contremiscis, quando tibi dicit Deus: Pereant peccatores a facie mea? Hoc tibi dicit Deus: 'Pereat in te quod tu fecisti, et servo quod ego feci.' Et modo ardet ignis in calore verbi, res est in fervore Spiritus Sancti, sicut diximus iam dudum, quia scriptum est in alio psalmo: Nec est qui se abscondat a calore eius. Spiritus autem Sancti esse calorem dicit Apostolus: Spiritu ferventes. Ergo pro facie Dei, tibi pone interim Scripturam Dei. Liquesce ab illa. Paeniteat te, cum audis haec de peccatis tuis. Cum autem te paenitet, et cum te ipsum excrucias sub calore verbi, cum etiam lacrimae currunt, nonne cerae tabescenti et tamquam in lacrimas currenti similis inveniris? Modo ergo fac quod in posterum times, et non habebis quod in posterum timeas. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensi, Sermo XXIIa, De versu 3 Psalmi LXVII, Sicut deficit fumus, deficiant, sicut fluit cera a facie ignis, sic pereant peccatores a facie Dei. Source: Migne PL 38.151-2

Certainly, brothers, sinners perish from before the face of God. 1 Yet in a way they do perish and in a way they do not. If they begin to live rightly, sinners shall perish but men shall not. A man, a sinner, these are two names. A man is one name, and a sinner is one name. With these two names we understand that God made one of them and man made the other. God made man, man made the sinner. Why, then, do you tremble, when God says to you. 'Sinners shall perish before my face?' God is saying to you, 'Let what you have made perish in you and attend to what I have made.' In one way fire flares up in the heat of the Word, and things themselves in the fervour of the Holy Spirit, as we have already said, because it is written in another Psalm, 'There is no one who can hide himself from His heat.' And the Apostle says of the heat of the Holy Spirit, 'Fervent with the Spirit.' 2 Therefore instead of the face of God place before yourself the Scriptures of God. Melt because of them. Repent when you hear these things said of your sins. For when you repent, when you excruciate yourself with the fire of the Word, when tears run, is it not that you find similarity in the melting of wax and in the flowing of tears? Therefore do now what you fear in the future and in the future you will not have what you fear. Saint Augustine of Hippo, from Sermon 22a, On the third verse of the sixty seventh Psalm, 'As smoke vanishes, so let them vanish, as wax melts before the face of fire, so let sinners perish before the face of God.' 1 Ps 67.3 2 Ps 18.7, Rom 12.11

Sin And Repentance

Μὴ ἀφῇς ἀνεξάλειπτον ἁμαρτίαν, κἂν βραχυτάτη τυγχάνῃ, ἵνα μὴ ὕστερον ἐπὶ μεῖζον κακὸν κατασύρῃ σε. Ἅγιος Μάρκος ὁ Ἐρημίτης, Περὶ Νόμου Πνευματικοῦ Source: Migne PG 65.921a-b

Do not dismiss a sin that is unrepented, for though things may go well for a little while, it will not be long before it drags you down into greater evil. Saint Mark The Ascetic, On The Spiritual Law.

Fleeing Babylon

Fugite ergo de medio Babylonis, ut medietatem Babylonis deserentes, in finibus ejus incipiatis esse, non in medio. Quod si cui videtur obscurum, sic fiet manifestius: quia qui valde demersus est in vitiis, hic medius habitator est. Qui vero paulatim relinquens malum, et naturam suam ad meliora convertens, non tam coeperit virtutes possidere, quam cupere, iste licet ex medio fugerit Babylonis, tamen necdum de Babylone discessit. Secundum istius modi expositiones decet sacras Litteras credere, ne unum quidem apicem habere vacuum sapientia Dei. Qui enim mihi homini praecipit, dicens: Non apparebis ante conspectum meum vacuus, multo plus hoc ipse agit, ne aliquid vacuum loquatur. Ex plenitudine ejus accipientes prophetae ea, quae erant de plenitudine sumpta, cecinerunt, et idcirco sacra volumina spiritus plenitudine spirant, nihilque est, sive in Prophetis, sive in Lege, sive in Evangelio, sive in Apostolo, quod non a plenitudine divinae majestatis descendat. Quamobrem spirant in Scripturis sanctis hodieque plenitudinis verba, Spirant autem his, qui habent et oculos ad videnda coelestia, et aures ad audienda divina, et nares ad ea quae sunt plenitudinis sentienda. Haec dixi, quia non sit simpliciter positum: Fugite de Babylone, sed cum additamento necessario: Fugite de medio Babylonis, et resalvate unusquisque animam suam. Primum oportet fugere de medio Babylonis, deinde singulos animas suas resalvare, cum fugerint. Neque vero dixit salvate, sed resalvate. Appositio syllabae significat sacramentum. Quia quondam gustantes salutem, et de ea propter peccata postea corruentes, venerunt ad Babylonem. Cujus rei causa oportet resalvare animam suam, ut incipiat recuperare quod perdidit, secundum apostolum Petrum dicentem ita: Reportabimus finem fidei salutem, de qua salute exquisierunt et scrutati sunt prophetae, qui propter nostram prophetaverunt gratiam. Verumtamen in nobis est fugere de Babylone, et in nostra positum est potestate, si velimus resuscitare quod corruit. Origenes,Homiliae XIV in Jeremiam, Sermo II, Interprete Hieronymo Stridonensis Source: Migne PL 25.600a-d

'Flee, then, from the midst of Babylon,' 1 so that forsaking the midst of it you begin to be on its edges, and not in the middle of it. If this seems obscure to some, let it be made more manifest. He who is utterly immersed in vice, he is a dweller in the midst of it, but he who withdraws himself a little from evil and turns his nature to better things, and who not so much begins to possess the virtues than to recover, this one can be said to have fled from the midst of Babylon, but he has yet to cut himself off from Babylon. It befits us to believe that this is the way of understanding Holy Scripture, lest the wisdom of God note there is an emptiness at our height. For He who commands man, saying, 'You shall not appear empty before me,' 2 much more urges this lest we speak in vain. For the prophets received His fullness, and when they were full to bursting, they sang, and therefore the holy books breathe forth the fullness of the sprit, and nothing, either in the prophets, or in the Law or in the Gospel, or in the Apostle, is there that has not come down from the fullness of the Divine majesty. As they breathe forth in the Holy Scriptures their fullness of words even today, so they breathe in those who have eyes for seeing the things of heaven and ears for the hearing of Divine things and noses for the sensing of such fullness. I have said this because it is not set down simply,' Flee from Babylon' but it comes with a necessary addition, 'Flee from the midst of Babylon and let each one restore his soul.' First one must flee from the midst of Babylon, then, having fled, each one must restore his soul. For it does not say 'save' but 'restore.' And the difference in phrasing signifies a mystery. That is, they once tasted of salvation and after fell into ruin because of their sins, and so came to Babylon, which is the cause of them needing to restore their souls, so that they may begin to recover what they have lost, as the Apostle Peter says 'Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls, which salvation the prophets have inquired and diligently sought, who prophesied grace.' 3 Truly it is for us to flee from Babylon and it is in our power if we wish to restore what has been ruined. Origen, Fourteen Homilies on Jeremiah, from the Second Sermon, Translated by Saint Jerome. 1 Jerem 51.6 2 Exod 23.15 3 1 Pet 1.9-10

Mourning And Healing

Μακάριοι οἱ πενθοῦντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται. Ἔστι μὲν οὖν ἐκ τοῦ προχείρου μακαριστὸν ὑπο λαβεῖν ἐκεῖνο τὸ πένθος, τὸ ἐπὶ πλημμελήμασι καὶ ἁμαρτίαις γινόμενον, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Παύλου περὶ τῆς λύπης διδασκαλίαν, τοῦ φήσαντος, μὴ ἒν εἶναι λύπης εἶδος, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν κοσμικὸν, τὸ δὲ κατὰ Θεὸν ἐνερ γούμενον. Καὶ τῆς μὲν κοσμικῆς λύπης, θάνατον εἶναι τὸ ἔργον· τὴν δὲ ἑτέραν, σωτηρίαν ἐκ μετανοίας τοῖς λυπουμένοις ἐργάζεσθαι. Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ οὐκ ἔξω τοῦ μακαρίζεσθαι τὸ τοιοῦτον τῆς ψυχῆς πάθος ἐστὶν, ὅταν ἐν αἰσθήσει γενομένη τοῦ χείρονος, τὸν ἐν κακίᾳ βίον ἀπολοφύρηται. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν σωματικῶν ἀῤῥωστημάτων, οἷς ἂν πάρετον ἐξ ἐπηρείας τινὸς γένηταί τι μέρος τοῦ σώματος, σημεῖον τοῦ νενεκρῶσθαι τὸ παρειμένον ἡ ἀναλγησία γίνεται· εἰ δὲ κατά τινα τέχνην ἰατρικὴν ἡ ζωτικὴ πάλιν αἴσθησις ἐπαναχθείη τῷ σώματι, χαίρουσιν ἤδη πονοῦντος τοῦ μέρους, αὐτός τε ὁ κάμνων καὶ οἱ τὴν θεραπείαν προσάγοντες, τεκμηρίῳ χρώμενοι τοῦ πρὸς ὑγίειαν τρέψαι τὸ πάθος, τὸ ἐν αἰσθήσει τῶν δριμυσσόντων ἤδη γενέσθαι τὸ μέλος· οὕτως ἐπειδὰν, καθώς φησιν ὁ Ἀπόστολος, ἀπηλγηκότες τινὲς παραδῶσι τῷ καθ' ἁμαρτίαν βίῳ ἑαυτοὺς, νεκροί τινες ὄντως καὶ πάρετοι τοῦ κατ' ἀρετὴν βίου γενόμενοι, οὐδεμίαν ἔχουσιν ὧν ποιοῦσιν τὴν αἴσθησιν. Εἰ δὲ καθάψαιτό τις αὐτῶν ὁ ἰατρεύων λόγος, οἷον διά τινων θερμῶν τε καὶ διακαιόντων φαρμάκων, λέγω δὲ τῶν σκυθρωπῶν τῆς μελλούσης κρίσεως ἀπειλῶν, καὶ διὰ βάθους τὴν καρδίαν τῷ φόβῳ τῶν προσδοκωμένων δριμύξειεν, γεέννης φόβον, καὶ πῦρ μὴ σβεννύμενον, καὶ ἀτελεύτητον σκώληκα, καὶ βρυγμὸν ὀδόντων, καὶ κλαυθμὸν ἀδιάλειπτον, καὶ σκότος ἐξώτερον, καὶ ἅπαντα τὰ τοιαῦτα, οἷόν τινα θερμὰ καὶ δριμέα φάρμακα τῷ νεναρκηκότι διὰ τῶν καθ' ἡδονὴν παθημάτων ἐντρίβων καὶ ἀναθάλπων, εἰς αἴσθησιν αὐτὸν ἀγάγοι τοῦ ἐν ᾧ ἦν βίου, μακαριστὸν αὐτὸν ἀπεργάσηται, τὴν ὀδυνηρὰν αἴσθησιν τῇ ψυχῇ ἐμποιήσας. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος Νύσσης, Εἰς Τους Μακαρισμους, Logos Γ', Μακάριοι οἱ πενθοῦντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται Source: Migne PG 44.1220d-1221b

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted 1 Firstly, then, one can take that mourning to be blessed which follows the errors of sins, according to the teaching of Paul on sorrow, which says that there is not just one kind of sorrow, but there is one of the world and one that is brought about by God, and the work of the worldly sorrow is death, but the other in those mourning works salvation through repentance. 2 For truly such suffering cannot be excluded from the sorrow that is called blessed when a soul bewails its wicked life because it feels its badness. It is as with bodily disorders, so that if because of some accident a limb of the body has become paralysed, then a lack of a sense of pain is a sign that the afflicted limb has gone dead, but if the physician's art restores to the body the sensation of life, there is gladness over the suffering of the part because it is a sign that health is being restored since the limb can now sense that which causes pain. Thus, as the Apostle says, if people give themselves to sin because they no longer feel pain in it, then they have become truly paralyzed and are dead to the virtuous life, for they have no feeling for what they are doing. But if a healing word lays hold of them like some bitter medicine, and I speak here of the fierce threats of the judgement to come, and it pierces the heart to its depths with the fear of the things that are to be expected, the terror of hell, and the unquenchable fire, and the worm that does not die, and the gnashing of teeth, and the perpetual weeping, and the outer darkness, all these things are administered like bitter medicines so that the man who has died by the passions and pleasures is revived again and senses the sort of life he had been leading, and he is made blessed by the pain he feels in his soul. Saint Gregory of Nyssa, On The Beatitudes, from the Third Oration, on 'Blessed are they who weep for they shall be comforted.' 1 Mt 5.4 2 2 Cor 7.10

Mindfulness of Judgement

Λάβε δὲ εἰς ἔννοιαν τὴν ἐσχάτην ἡμέραν ῾οὐ γὰρ δὴ μόνη σὺ τὸν αἰῶνα βιώσεις,  καὶ συνοχήν, καὶ πνιγμόν, καὶ θανάτου ὥραν, καὶ ἀπόφασιν Θεοῦ κατεπείγουσαν, καὶ ἀγγέλους ἐπισπεύδοντας, καὶ ψυχὴν ἐν τούτοις δεινῶς θορυβουμένην καὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ συνειδότι πικρῶς μαστιγουμένην, καὶ πρὸς τὰ τῇδε ἐλεεινῶς ἐπιστρέφουσαν, καὶ ἀπαραίτητον τῆς μακρᾶς ἐκείνης ἀποδημίας ἀνάγκην. Διάγραψόν μοι τῇ διανοίᾳ τὴν τελευταίαν τοῦ κοινοῦ βίου καταστροφήν, ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων αὐτοῦ. Ἥξει γὰρ καὶ οὐ παρασιωπήσεται: ὅταν ἔλθῃ κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς, καὶ ἀποδοῦναι ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν αὐτοῦ: ὅταν ἡ σάλπιγξ ἐκείνη μέγα τι καὶ φοβερὸν ἠχήσασα, τοὺς ἀπ̓ αἰῶνος ἐξυπνίσῃ καθεύδοντας, καὶ ἐκπορεύσονται οἱ τὰ ἀγαθὰ ποιήσαντες εἰς ἀνάστασιν ζωῆς, οἱ δὲ τὰ φαῦλα πράξαντες εἰς ἀνάστασιν κρίσεως. Mνήσθητι τῆς τοῦ Δανιὴλ θεοπτίας, ὅπως ἡμῖν ὑπ̓ ὄψιν ἄγει τὴν κρίσιν. Ἐθεώρουν, φησίν, ἕως ὅτου θρόνοι ἐτέθησαν, καὶ παλαιὸς ἡμερῶν ἐκάθητο, καὶ τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτοῦ λευκὸν ὡς χιών, καὶ ἡ θρὶξ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ ὡς ἔριον καθαρόν, οἱ τροχοὶ αὐτοῦ, πῦρ φλέγον. ποταμὸς πυρὸς εἷλκεν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ: χίλιαι χιλιάδες ἐλειτούργουν αὐτῷ, καὶ μύριαι μυριάδες παρειστήκεισαν αὐτῷ. κριτήριον ἐκάθισε, καὶ βίβλοι ἀνεῴχθησαν, τὰ καλά, τὰ φαῦλα, τὰ φανερά, τὰ κεκρυμμένα, τὰ πράγματα, τὰ ῥήματα, τὰ ἐνθυμήματα, τὰ πάντα ἀθρόως εἰς ἐξάκουστον τοῖς πᾶσι καὶ ἀγγέλοις καὶ ἀνθρώποις σαφῶς ἀνακαλύπτουσαι. Πρὸς ταῦτα ποταποὺς εἶναι ἀνάγκη τοὺς κακῶς βεβιωκότας;Ποῦ ἄρα ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκείνη καταδύσεται, ἡ ἐν ὄψεσι τοσούτων θεατῶν ἐξαίφνης ὀφθεῖσα αἰσχύνης ἀνάπλεως; Ποίῳ δὲ σώματι τὰς ἀπεράντους ἐκείνας καὶ ἀνυποίστους ὑποστήσεται μάστιγας, ὅπου πῦρ ἄσβεστον, καὶ σκώληξ ἀθάνατα κολάζων, καὶ πυθμὴν ᾄδου σκοτεινὸς καὶ φρικώδης, καὶ οἰμωγαὶ πικραί, καὶ ὀλολυγμὸς ἐξαίσιος, καὶ κλαυθμὸς καὶ βρυγμὸς ὀδόντων, καὶ πέρας οὐκ ἔχει τὰ δεινά; τούτων οὐκ ἔστιν ἀπαλλαγὴ μετὰ θάνατον, οὐδέ τις ἐπίνοια, οὐδὲ μηχανὴ τοῦ διεκδῦναι τὰ πικρὰ κολαστήρια. Ταῦτα φεύγειν ἔξεστι νῦν. Ἕως ἔξεστιν, ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ πτώματος ἀναλάβωμεν, μηδὲ ἀπελπίσωμεν ἑαυτῶν, ἐὰν ἀναλύσωμεν ἀπὸ τῶν κακῶν. Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ἦλθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἁμαρτωλοὺς σῷσαι. δεῦτε, προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν αὐτῷ, καὶ κλαύσωμεν ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ. ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ μετάνοιαν καλῶν ὁ Λόγος βοᾷ καὶ κέκραγε: Δεῦτε πρός με πάντες οἱ κοπιῶντες καὶ πεφορτισμένοι, κἀγὼ ἀναπαύσω ὑμᾶς. Ἔστιν οὖν ὁδὸς σωτηρίας, ἐὰν θέλωμεν. Kατέπιεν ὁ θάνατος ἰσχύσας, ἀλλ̓ εὖ ἴσθι ὅτι πάλιν ἀφεῖλεν ὁ Θεὸς πᾶν δάκρυον ἀπὸ παντὸς προσώπου τῶν μετανοούντων. Πιστὸς Κύριος ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς λόγοις αὐτοῦ. Oὐ ψεύδεται εἰπών: Ἐὰν ὦσιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν ὡς φοινικοῦν, ὡς χιόνα λευκανῶ: ἐὰν δὲ ὦσιν ὡς κόκκινον, ὡσεὶ ἔριον λευκανῶ. Ἔτοιμός ἐστιν ὁ μέγας τῶν ψυχῶν ἰατρὸς ἰάσασθαί σου τὸ πάθος, ὃς οὐδὲ μονωτάτης, ἀλλὰ πάντων τῶν δεδουλωμένων τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἐστὶν ἕτοιμος ἐλευθερωτής. Ἐκείνου ῥήματά ἐστιν, ἐκεῖνο τὸ γλυκὺ καὶ σωτήριον στόμα εἶπεν: Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ, ἀλλὰ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες. οὐκ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους, ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν. Tίς οὖν ἐστί σοι πρόφασις, ἤ τινι ἄλλῳ, ταῦτα αὐτοῦ βοῶντος ; βούλεται Κύριος καθαρίσαι σε ἀπὸ τοῦ πόνου τῆς πληγῆς, καὶ δεῖξαί σοι φῶς ἀπὸ σκότους. Σὲ ζητεῖ ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός, ὁ καταλιπὼν τὰ μὴ πεπλανημένα. Ἐὰν ἐπιδῷς σεαυτήν, οὐκ ὀκνήσει, οὐδ̓ ἀπαξιώσει σε ὁ φιλάνθρωπος ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων βαστάσαι τῶν ἰδίων, χαίρων ὅτι εὗρεν αὐτοῦ τὸ πρόβατον τὸ ἀπολωλός. Ἕστηκεν ὁ Πατὴρ καὶ ἀναμένει τὴν σὴν ἀπὸ τῆς πλάνης ἐπάνοδον. Mόνον ἀνάλυσον, καὶ ἔτι σου μακρὰν οὔσης προσδραμὼν ἐπιπεσεῖται ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλόν σου, καὶ φιλικοῖς ἀσπασμοῖς περιπτύξεται τὴν ὑπὸ τῆς μετανοίας ἤδη κεκαθαρμένην. Kαὶ στολὴν ἐνδύσει, τὴν πρώτην, ψυχὴν ἀπεκδυσαμένην τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον σὺν ταῖς αὐτοῦ πράξεσι: καὶ περιθήσει δακτύλιον χερσὶν ἀποπλυναμέναις τοῦ θανάτου τὸ αἷμα, καὶ ὑποδήσει πόδας ἀποστρέψαντας ἀπὸ ὁδοῦ κακῆς πρὸς τὸν δρόμον τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τῆς εἰρήνης. Kαὶ εὐφροσύνης καὶ χαρᾶς ἡμέραν καταγγελεῖ τοῖς ἰδίοις καὶ ἀγγέλοις καὶ ἀνθρώποις. Kαὶ παντὶ τρόπῳ τὴν σὴν ἑορτάσει σωτηρίαν. Ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω, φησίν, ὑμῖν, ὅτι χαρὰ γίνεται ἐν οὐρανῷ ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι. Kἂν ἐγκαλέσῃ τις τῶν ἑστάναι δοκούντων, ὅτι ταχὺ προσελήφθης, αὐτὸς ὁ ἀγαθὸς Πατὴρ ὑπὲρ σοῦ ἀπολογήσεται λέγων, Εὐφρανθῆναι δεῖ καὶ χαρῆναι, ὅτι αὕτη ἡ θυγάτηρ μου νεκρὰ ἦν καὶ ἀνέζησε, καὶ ἀπολωλυῖα καὶ εὑρέθη. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ἐπιστολή ΚϚ, Πρὸς παρθένον ἐκπεσοῦσαν Source: Migne PG 32.377c-381b

Since you will certainly not be the only woman to live forever, bring to mind your last day, the anguish, the choking, the hour of death, the looming sentence of God, the angels hastening, the soul fearfully aggrieved, and a sinner bitterly lashed by her conscience, pitifully turning to the things here and to the unavoidable necessity of that long departure elsewhere. Picture for me in your mind the overpowering end of the common life, when the Son of God shall come in His glory with His angels. For He will come and He will not be silent, when He comes to judge the living and the dead and to give to every one according to their work, when the great voice of that terrible trumpet shall wake those that have slept through the ages, and those who have done good shall go forth to the resurrection of life and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation. Remember the vision of Daniel and how he brings the judgment before us, 'I looked,' he says, 'until the thrones were set down, and the Ancient of Days sat, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool, and His throne wheels like burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth before Him, thousands of thousands ministered to Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The judgement sat, and the books were opened,' 1 clearly disclosing to the hearing of all, both angels and men, things good and evil, things public and secret, deeds, words, and thoughts all at once. What then must be for those who have lived wickedly? Where shall that soul hide which in the sight of all who see it shall suddenly be exposed in the fullness of its shame? With what body shall it endure those endless and unbearable pains where the fire is unquenchable and where the gnawing worm never dies, and where is the dark and horrid depths of Hades, and bitter wailings and loud lamenting, and the weeping and gnashing of teeth and anguish that has no end? After death there is no release from these woes, there is no way or stratagem to come forth from the chastisement of pain. Yet now we can escape. While it is possible let us lift ourselves up from the fall, let us not despair of ourselves, if we depart from evil. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Come, let us worship and cast ourselves down, let us cry out before Him. The Word who calls us to repentance cries aloud, 'Come to me all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest.' 2 There is, then, a way of salvation, if we wish it. Mighty death has swallowed up, but again the Lord has wiped away tears from off all the faces of those who repent. The Lord is faithful in all His words. He does not lie when He says, 'Though your sins be scarlet they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool.' 3 The great Physician of souls is eager to heal your sickness, and not you alone, but all who are enslaved by sin, He who is the eager liberator. From Him are the words, it was His sweet and saving mouth that said, 'They who are healthy have no need of a physician but they do who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.' 4 When He says these things, what excuse do you have, what excuse does any one have? The Lord wishes to cleanse you from the distress of your sickness and to show you light after darkness. The good shepherd seeks you, and has left those who have not wandered away. If you give yourself to Him He will not hold back. In His love He will not disdain to carry you on His own shoulders, but rejoice to have found His sheep that was lost. 5 The Father stands and waits for your return from your wandering. Only come back, and while you are yet far off He will run and fall upon your neck, and now that you are cleansed by repentance, He will enfold you with loving embraces. He will put the finest robe on the soul that has put off the old man with all his works. He will put a ring on hands that have washed off the blood of death, and He will put shoes on feet that have turned from the evil way to the path of the Gospel of peace. He will proclaim a day of joy and gladness to those who are His own, both angels and men, and He will celebrate your salvation far and wide. 'For truly I say to you,' He says, 'there is joy in heaven before God over one sinner who repents.' 6 If any think they can find fault in your quick reception, the good Father will Himself answer for you, saying, 'It was fitting that we should make merry and be glad for my daughter was dead and is alive again, she was lost and she has been found.' 7 Saint Basil of Caesarea, from Letter 46, To A Fallen Virgin 1 Dan 7.9-10 2 Mt 11.28 3 Isaiah 1.18 4 Mt 9.12-13 5 Lk 15.4-6 6 Lk 15.7 7 Lk 15.20-32

Escaping The Mouth

Ἔξεστιν ἐμπεσόντα τινὰ εἰς τοῦ θηρὸς στόμα, τοῦ διαβόλου φημὶ, ἀπολυθῆναι τούτου διὰ τῆς μετανοίας, καθάπερ λελύτρωται καὶ ἐῥῥύσθη ὁ ἐν Κορίνθῲ προφθαρεὶς τῇ μητρυιᾷ ἐκ φάρυγγος τοῠ ἐχθροῦ, πρὶν τῆ περισσοτέρᾳ λύπῃ καταποθεῖ, καὶ εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν χωρήσῃ τοῦ θηρίου διὰ τῆς ἀγεννσυς δυσθυμίας, καὶ τῆς ἀπογνώσεως. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΣΙΒ’ Ιγνατιῷ Ἀνθυπατῳ Source: Migne PG 79.161a

It is possible for one who has fallen into the mouth of the beast, I speak of the devil, to be released through repentance, as he was released and delivered from the jaws of the enemy who in Corinth associated with his step mother, 1 before he was absorbed by an excess of sorrow and a weak soul in despair and torment was engulfed by the bestial belly. Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 212, to Ignatius the Proconsul 1 1 Cor 5.1

Error And Recovery

Κάλλιστον μὲν τὸ μὴ ἁμαρτεῖν, καὶ πρὸς Θεὸν ἔχον ἐγγύτητα· καλὸν δὲ καὶ τὸν ἁμαρτόντα γνωσιμαχῆσαι, καὶ ταχέως ἐξαναστῆναι τοῦ πτώματος. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν τοῦ προτέρου, ὡς ἀδυνάτου πάντως διήμαρτες, τοῦ δευτέρου, ὡς δυνατοῦ καὶ ῥᾳδίου ἐπιμελήθητι, μήποτέ σε ἡ τύραννος αἰχμαλωτεύσῃ ἀπόγνωσις. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΤΠΑ’ Μαρτινιανῳ Source: Migne PG 78.397b

Most beautiful it is not to sin and to cleave closely to God, and it is also beautiful to recognise that one has sinned and quickly rise up from one's fall. Since, then, you formerly went far beyond your strength, now have care for what your strength may actually accomplish, and never despair in the tyrant's captivity. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 381, to Martinianus

Baptism And Penitence

Tunc exibat ad eum Hierosolyma et omnis Judaea et omnis regio circa Jordanem, et baptizabantur confitentes peccata sua. Ubi notandum quod ideo confitentur peccata sua, ut digni efficiantur baptismi gratia, secundum quod audierant, poenitantiam agite, appropinquavit enim regnum coelorum. Unde apparet, nullum recte poenitere posse, nisi primum confitaetur peccata sua, et prioris vitae errores damnaverit, ita efficiatur idoneus percipiendae gratiae, et tum demum divinis mysteriorum sacramentis in Christi corpore consecretur. Praeterea ex eo quod Apostolus ait: Quia sine poenitentia dona et vocatio, non incongrue legentibus quaestio generatur. Quia nimirum si sine poenitentia sunt dona mysterii, et nobis in baptismo condonatur remissio peccatorum, videtur non recte ad eum currentibus poenitentia velut indigna praedicari. Sed poenitentiae modus triplex accipitur, dum aliud sit errores vitiorum, et universa diaboli opera per poenitentia abrenuntiando ante ablutionem fontis penitus condemnaeri, aliud post fontem remissionis labi in peccatum, et per poenitentiam iterum renovari. Nec non et illud quod quotidie sancti a talibus purgantur delictis, sine quibus nostra humana mortalitas, aut vix, aut certe minime potest vivere. Quorum prior poenitentiae modus ideo praedicatur, ut homo qui Deum auctorem suum, declinando post ea quae vana sunt, contempserat, et per reatum irae filius factus erat, tandem in semetipsum rediens, pristinos vitae errores rudimento fidei funditus condemnaret. Non enim erat fas duobus dominis servire, imo proprio veniente rectum erat, ut quod infauste tenuerat primum, relinqueret, et puniret in se quidquid in eo male vivebat, quatenus per hoc divinae gratiae capax esset. Verumtamen haec ut ageret non sua libertas, eo quod esset servituti addictus, sed vocantis gratia fuit; quae gratia non solum reis peccata gratis indulsit, sed etiam facultatem agendi quae monebat, dedit; ac deinde meritum, quo perciperet quisque quae promissa sunt, plenius condonavit. Et ideo jure clamat Apostolus: Quod sine poenitentia sunt dona et vocatio, praesertim quod cuncta gratis donantur, in tantum ut etiam ipsa poenitentia Dei donum recte dicatur. Sanctus Paschasius Radbertus Corbeiensis, Expositio In Evangelium Matthaei, Liber II Caput III Source: Migne PL 120.154d-155c

Then they came out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and from every region around the Jordan, and they were baptized confessing their sins...' 1 Where one should note that it is by confessing their sins that they are made worthy of the grace of baptism, according to what they heard, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Whence it appears that no one is able to be truly penitent, unless he first confesses his sins and deplores the errors of his earlier life, so that he is made capable of receiving effective grace and by the Divine sacraments of the mysteries consecrated into the body of Christ. And yet the Apostle says: 'Without penitence there are gifts and calling.' 2 which does not without reason question what we have read. Because, indeed, if there are gifts of the mysteries without penitence and in baptism we receive forgiveness for sins, it does not seem right that John said to those who made haste to penitence that they were unworthy. 3 But penitence is understood in three ways: some by penitence renounce and condemn the errors of vices and the works of the devil before the washing at the font; others do so after baptism, so that they receive forgiveness for falling into sin, and again are renewed by penance. Nor is there a day that the holy do not need to be purged from fault, without which we can scarcely, or certainly to a very little extent, live in our human mortality. Of the first way of penitence, therefore, it is declared that the man who has scorned God his creator, later falling into things which are vain, by guilt has been made a son of anger 4 until returning to himself and established on the foundation of faith he deplores the old errors of life. For the service of two masters was not right, but rather with the coming of his true master who had ruled, he should relinquish what he had wretchedly held to and punish in himself whatever he lived with in wickedness, as much as he was able to according to the Divine grace in him. Yet such things were not done by man's own freedom since he was bound in a state of servitude, but by the grace of calling, which grace not only freely dismissed the sins of the guilty, but even admonished as to what should be done. And then there is merit, by which a man seizing on the things promised, makes a full offering. And therefore rightly the Apostle cries out: 'Without penitence there are gifts and calling.' Certainly because everything is given by grace, so that even penitence before God is rightly named a gift. Saint Paschasius Radbertus, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Book 2 Chapter 3 1 Mt 3.5-6 2 Rom 9.29 3 Mt 3.7 4 Ephes 2.3

Turning And Turning

Καὶ σὺ, Κύριε, ἕως πότε; Ἐπίστρεψον, Κύριε, ῥῦσαι τὴν ψυχήν μου· σῶσον με ἕνεκεν τοῦ ἐλέους σου. Ὡς ἀποστραφέντος δὲ αὐτὸν ἐν οἷς ἡμάρτανε τοῦ Θεοῦ· διὸ πάντα τὰ κατ' οἶκον γέγονεν αὐτῷ δυσχερῆ, καὶ ἡ τοῦ παιδὸς ἐπανάστασις. Ἐπίστρεψον, φησὶ, Κύριε, γενόμενος λοιπὸν εὐμενὴς, καὶ τὴν ἐμὴν ἀνάσωσον ἐκ τῆς ἀσθενείας ψυχὴν, διὰ τὴν σὴν μόνην φιλανθρωπὶαν. Τὸ ̓Επίστρεψον διττῶς νοεῖται. δηλοῦται γὰρ ὁτὲ μὲν νόησις τοιαύτη· ἐπεὶ ἀπέστρεψας τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἐπ' ἐμοῦ, διὰ τί μοι χρήσιμον παρακαλῶ, ὅπως ἐπιστρέψῃς καὶ ἐπιφάνῃς μοι αὐτό. ὁτὲ δὲ παρίσταται θεωρία τοιαύτη· ἐπεὶ ἡ ψυχή μου ἁμαρτάνουσα ἀπεστράφησεν ἐπὶ κακῷ τῷ ἑαυτῆς, ἐπιστρέψας αὐτὴν πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἀνακαλούμενος κατὰ τὸ ̓Επιστράφητε, υἱοὶ ἀφεστηκότες, λυτρῶσαι αὐτὴν ἀπὸ τῶν μακρυνάντων ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ τῶν ἐνεργουσῶν αὐτὰ πονηρῶν δυνάμεων. Δίδυμος Αλεξανδρεύς, Εἰς Ψαλμούς, Ψαλμος Ϛ´ Source: Migne PG 39.1177a-b

And you, O Lord, how long? Turn to me, O Lord, and deliver my soul, save me for your mercy's sake. 1 With the Lord turning away from him because of those things in which he sinned, so it was the cause of every domestic calamity to him, even to the rebellion of his son. Turn, he says, O Lord, and so after be benevolent, and guard my soul from weakness on account of your singular kindness. 'Turn' can be understood in two ways. Sometimes the meaning is: 'Since you have turned your face from me, therefore I plead for what is beneficial to me, even that your face shine upon me.' At other times the sense is: 'Since by sinning my soul has turned to my own evil, may it be that you turn it back and recall it to you.' According to which it is said: 'Turn, you sons, who have stood far off,' 2 which is the deliverance of the soul from its long course of sin and from the wicked causes of its works Didymus the Blind, Commentary on The Psalms, from Psalm 6 1 Ps 6.4-5 2 Jerem 3.14,22

Peter Remembers

Et recordatus est Petrus verbi quod dixerat ei Jesus: Priusquam gallus cantet bis, ter me negabis. Et coepit flere. Quia tunc tempus fuit de misericordia Petrum respicere, et ideo dicitur quod conversus Dominus respexit Petrum respectu suae misericordiae. Miserere nostri Deus omnium et respice nos, et ostende nobis lucem miserationum tuarum. Et ad respectum divinae misericordiae, recordatus est Petrus, haec enim recordatio veritatis significatur. Evasi ego solus ut nuntiarem tibi. Verbi quod dixerat ei Iesus futurorum praescius. Deus qui in malis sic praescit et praedicit: ut non causet malum quod scit, sed admonitio est ad cavendum. Admones ut relicta malitia credant in te Domine. Prius quam gallus cantet bis hoc enim verbum fuit ad refraenandam praesumptionem Petri. Ter me negabis. Et non erit eius populus qui eum negaturus est. Et coepit flere, ut flendo dilueret maculas quas negando contraxit. Lacrymis meis stratum meum rigabo. Egressus foras flevit amare. Ut amaritudo referatur ad cordis compunctionem: fletus autem ad commissi delicti verecundam recognitionem: et egressus ad operis mali et pravae societatis derelictionem. Luctum unigeniti fac tibi planctum amarum. Sanctus Albertus Magnus Commentarium In Evangelium Divi Marci, Caput XIV Source: Here p117

And Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: 'Before the cock crows twice you shall deny me three times.' And he began to weep. 1 Because then was the time to look on Peter with mercy, therefore it is said that 'the Lord turned and looked down on Peter,' 2 and with the look of pity. 'Be merciful to us, Lord of all things, and look down on us and show to us the light of your mercies.' 3 And with the look of Divine pity 'Peter remembered', and this signifies the remembrance of the truth. 'I alone have escaped to tell you.' 4 The word Jesus had spoken to him was prescient of the future. God who foreknows and foretells evils, does not cause the evil He knows, but it is a warning to be wary. 'You warn them to forsake wickedness and trust in you, O Lord.' 5 'Before the cock crows twice.' This was the word to bridle the presumption of Peter. 'You will deny me three times.' 'The people will deny Him and not be His.' 6 'And he began to weep,' that with weeping he might wash away the stains which his denials had contracted. 'With my tears I watered my bed.' 7 'Going outside he wept.' 8 The bitterness indicates compunction of heart, the tears the shameful recognition of the evil committed, and the going outside his abandonment of the evil deed and depraved company. 'Make lament for an only son with a bitter cry.' 9 Saint Albert The Great, Commentary On The Gospel of St Mark, Chapter 14 1 Mk 14.72 2 Lk 22.61 3 Sirach 36.1 4 Job 1.15 5 Wisd 12.2 6 Dan 9.26 7 Ps 6.7 8 Lk 22.62 9 Jerem 6.26

Calling Judas To Repent

Et edentibus illis dixit: Amen dico vobis, quia, etc. Ex magnitudine misericordiae suae voluit Dominus proditorem discipulum ad poenitentiam multis modis revocare, occultis videlicet notationibus, minis, sacramento unitatis, exemplo humilitatis. Occultis notationibus hoc modo: Cum Judas putaret conscientiam suam Deum latere, ostendit Christus eam manifestam esse, tamen non nominando discipulum, ne impudentiorem faceret manifeste redargutum; dum tangit crimen, ad poenitentiam invitat. Silet nomen, ne impudentior fiat. Minis revocat, cum ait: Vae illi per quem Filius hominis tradetur, etc. Sacramento unitatis, cum corpus suum ei tradit; exemplo humilitatis, cum ei pedes abluit. Et contristati sunt, etc. Certum est quia undecim discipuli non erant sibi conscii, sed tamen plus credunt magistro quam sibi. Timentes ergo fragilitatem suam, ne in eis esset voluntas futura proditionis, interrogant illum cui omnia patent futura, dicentes: Nunquid ego sum, Domine? etc. Qui intingit mecum, etc. Dum perseverat proditor in malo, manifestius arguit, et tamen nomen proprie non designat. Judas caeteris contristatis, et retrahentibus manum, temeritate et impudentia qua proditurus erat, illam manum cum Magistro misit in paropside, ut audacia bonam conscientiam mentiretur. Matthaeus dicit in paropsiae. Marcus in catino. Paropsis est vas escarum quadrangulatum a paribus assibus, id est aequis lateribus dictum. Catinum vero vas fictile apertum, ad immittendum liquorem, et potuit fieri ut in mensa vas fictile a quadrangulis contineretur. Sequitur: Filius quidem hominis vadit, sicut scriptum est de illo. Vae autem homini illi per quem, etc. Nec primo nec secundo correctus a proditione pedem retrahit, sed patientia Domini impudentiam suam nutrit et iram Dei thesaurizat sibi. Poena igitur praedicitur sibi, ut quem pudor non vinceret, corrigant denuntiata supplicia. Sed et hodie et in sempiternum, vae homini illi, qui ad mensam Domini malignus accedit, qui praecordis aliquo scelere imbutus, pollutis sacrosanctis mysteriis participari non metuit. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes In Matthaeum, Caput XXVI Source: Migne PL 162.1469a-1469d

And as they ate, He said to them, 'Amen I say to you that... 1 Because of the greatness of His mercy the Lord wished to call to repentance the disciple who was to betray Him, and this by many ways, by subtle intimation, by threats, by the sacrament of unity, and the example of humility. By subtle intimation in this way: when Judas thought his conscience was hidden from God, Christ showed it was open to Him, not however by naming the disciple, lest He make his denial more shameless. While the evil touched him He invited him to repentance. He named him silently, lest he become more shameless. And He called him by threats when He said: 'Alas to the man through whom the Son of man shall be betrayed...' By the sacrament of unity, when He gave His body to him. And by the example of humility when He washed his feet. And they were aggrieved... It is certain that eleven of the disciples did not feel guilt about themselves, yet they trusted in their teacher more than themselves. Thus fearing their fragility, lest the will of the future betrayer might be found in them, they questioned Him to whom all future things are revealed, saying: 'Is it I, Lord?' 'He who has dipped...' When the traitor persevered in evil, He openly confronted him, and yet He did not pronounce his name. Judas, aggrieved with the others, likewise withdrew his hand, with the temerity and insolence by which he was to commit betrayal, that hand he had sent into the teacher's dish so that he might boldly lie of a good conscience. Mark speaks of a 'paropsis' here, Mark of a 'catinus'. The 'paropsis' is said to be a square eating dish, with equal sides. The 'catinus' is an open earthenware bowl, into which liquid is poured, and it is possible that the earthenware bowl was placed on the square dish on the table. It shall go with the Son of Man as it is written of Him, but woe to that man through whom... Neither the first or the second correction had stayed the feet of the traitor, but the patience of the Lord fed his insolence and heaped up the anger of God. He thus foretold punishment for him, that the pronouncements of punishments might correct him whom shame could not overcome. And even today and forever woe to that man who comes in wickedness to the table of the Lord, whose heart is imbued with some crime, for his pollution does not merit that he should partake of the holy mysteries. Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 26 1 Mt 26.11

Gathering The Weeds

Θέλεις ἀπελθόντες συλλέξωμεν τὰ ζιζάνια; αἱ ἀγγελικαὶ δυνάμεις φασὶ, διακονεῖν ἀεὶ τῷ θείῳ θελήματι εὐνοϊκῶς ἐπιθυμοῦσαι, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὴν ἧμῶν ὀλιγωρίαν καὶ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ πολλὴν ὁρῶσι μακροθυμίαν. Ἀλλὰ πρᾶξει τοῦτο κωλύονται, μὴ συνεκτμηθῇ τοὶς ζιζάνίοις ὁ σῖτος, μήποτε ἁρπαγῇ ἁμαρτωλὸς πρὸς τοῖς διόρθωσιν βλέπων, μὴ πονηρῶν γενομένων γονέων συνεκκοπῇ ἀκατάγνωστα τέκνα, ἔτι μὲν πολλάκις ἐν ὀσφύῗ ὄντα πατρικῇ, Θεῷ ὑφεστῶτα ὡς τὰ κεκρυμμένα ὀρῶντι. Αἱ γὰρ τάξεις τῶν ἀγγέλων, οἶα τῆς φύσεως σύνδουλοι, τὰ μήπω παρόντα ἀγνοοῦσιν. Ὁ δὲ Κύριος καὶ συνιεῖ, καὶ πολλάκις ἐποίησεν. Οὐκ ἐθέρισεν ἄτεκνον τὸν Ἠσαῦ ἁμαρτάνοντα, ἵνα μὴ συνεκτιλλῃ τὸν Ἰὼβ, ἐξ ἐκείνου γινόμενον· μὴ θανατώσας τελωνοῦντα Ματθαὶον, ἵνα μὴ κωλύσῃ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον· μὴ νεκρώσας ἀσελγούσας πόρνας, ἵνα μὴ τῆς μετανοίας οἱ τύποι ἀγρήσωσιν· μὴ ἀμυνάμενος τοῦ Πέτρου τὴν ἄρνησιν, ἐπειδὴ τὸ θερμὸν προέβλεπε δάκρυον· μὴ ἐκκόψας τελευτῇ τὸν Παῦλον διώκοντα ἵνα μὴ ἀστοχήσωσι σωτηρίας τῆς οἰκουμένης τὰ τέρματα. Ὅσα τοίνυν τὸν θερισμὸν· περιμένει ζιζάνια, καὶ πρὸς καρπὸν μετανοίας οὐ τρέπεται, τῷ μεγαλῳ πυρὶ ἐτοιμάζεται, ὡς παντελῆ ἀκαρπίαν νοσήσαντα. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΡϟΕ’ Ὠριωνι Μονακῷ Source: Migne PG 78.308a-c

You wish that we could go off and gather up the weeds? 1 It is said that the angelic powers who always serve the will of God desire this with a good will, since they see our vileness and the long suffering of God. But they are not permitted to act, lest they tear up the wheat with the weeds, that is, lest they seize a sinner who is looking to the amendment of his life, and lest along with wicked parents a harmless child is torn up, those who in paternal loins yet exist to God, who sees all hidden things. For the hosts of angels, as befits their nature, are ignorant of things which are not yet present, but the Lord understands and often acts in this way. For He did not cut off Esau in his sin when he had not yet sired any children, lest Job also be ripped up, who was born from his stock. Nor did He accomplish the death of the tax collector Matthew, lest the preaching of the Gospel be impeded. Nor did He cast down shameless harlots, lest there be a lack of examples of penitence. Nor did He requite Peter's denial, since He foresaw his fervent tears. Nor did He cut off Paul with death when he was a persecutor, lest the salvation of the ends of the earth be frustrated. Therefore the weed remains until the harvest, and if there is no change to the fruit of repentance, a great fire is prepared, for those who have laboured utterly fruitlessly. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 195, to Orion The Monk 1 Mt 13.24-30

Humility And Penitence

Christus hodie in schola eruditionis evangelicae per filium prodigum nobis comptetentissime proponit poenitentiae et humilitatis exemplum. Qui cum afficeretur gravissima fame, cogitavit redire ad patrem, et inter mercenarios unus esse. Quis est qui dilapidat omnia bona vivendo luxuriose, nisi peccator quilibet, qui bona gratuita et naturalia peccando corrumpit, et perdit? Sed reversus ad cor, et justitiam incipiens esurire, humiliat se in oculis suis: et de filiali dignitate ad mercenarii sortem devota humilitate descendit. Beati quidem sunt, qui esuriunt justitiam; quoniam ipsi saturabuntur. Esurientes, inquit, implevit bonis. Qui enim divitias temporales appetunt, non satiabuntur eis. Haec est aqua de puteo Samariae: de qua qui biberit, sitiet iterum. Haec aqua non reficit, quia non sufficit. Divites eguerunt, et esurierunt: inquirentes autem Dominum non minuentur omni bono. Cibus autem justitiae dum plus appetitur, plus dulcescit. Unde et ille qui factus est nobis a Deo sapientia et justitia dicit: Qui edunt me adhuc esurient: et qui bibunt me, adhuc sitient. Non est tamen ita insatiabilis appetitus justitiae, sicut amor pecuniae: nam in istis est appetitus sine satietate: in illa est satietas sine attaediatione. Unde propheta: Ego in justitia apparebo in conspectu tuo: satiabor dum apparuerit gloria tua. Qui ergo esurit in praesenti, satiabitur in futuro. Sed nunquid omnes illi esuriunt justitiam, qui desiderant esse justi? nequaquam. Sunt enim plerique mali, qui desiderant esse justi: sed victi et vincti pec candi consuetudine adhuc pascunt porcos, nec revertuntur ad patrem, desiderant et suspirant non amare quod amant: et compuncti ad justitiam, delectationem peccati amplectuntur: nec recedunt a malo qui ad bonum desiderio fervent. Quod compunguntur ad bonum, quaedam gratia est vocationis, non justificationis. Justitia enim non affectu aestimanda est, sed effectu et consensu. Quae, inquit Apostolus, participatio est justitiae cum iniquitate, aut quis consensus templo Dei cum idolis? Siquis deplorat vitam quam perdidit, et justitiae consentit: jam justitiam esurit, jam ad patrem reverti proponit, jam pedem in viam rectam posuit, et ad meliora suspirans dicit: Utinam dirigantur viae meae ad custodiendas justificationes tuas. Et licet desideret, amplius tamen appetit dicens: Concupivit anima mea desiderare justificationes tuas in omni tempore. Laborat ad profectum, ut veniat ad perfectum. Videt enim pater suus a longe, quoniam longe a peccatoribus salus: sed venienti et laetabundus accedenti occurrit. De tali cursu loquitur Isaias: Occurristi, inquit, laetanti, et facienti justitiam, in viis tuis recordabitur tui. Pius pater si juxta meritum responderet, oculos suos declinaret ab eo: ad preces illius obsurdesceret: et ei turpitudinem praeteritae conversations objiciens, ipsum graviter objurgaret. Sed humilitate filii fractus et victus, deponit duritiam, induit misericordiam: et rigorem, quem meruerat filius, convertit in gratiam. Petrus Blenensis, Sermo XV De Facienda Poenitentia Source: Migne PL 207.603b-604b

Today in the school of evangelical teaching Christ proposes with the prodigal son a most fitting example of humility and penitence. 1 He who when he was afflicted with grave hunger, thought to return to the father and become one of his hired labourers. Who is he who dissipates all his goods on luxurious living, if not the sinner who corrupts and ruins every natural and gratuitous good in sin? But here he turns to his heart, and he begins to hunger for righteousness, and he humbles himself in his own eyes, and from the dignity of a son he lowers himself with sincere humility to the lot of a hireling. Certainly they are blessed who hunger for righteousness because they shall be satisfied, 2 'He has filled with good things,' she says, 'those who hunger.' 3 For those who desire temporal things, they shall not be satisfied by them. That is the water from the well of the Samaritan woman, from which he who drinks will thirst again. 4 This water does not refresh because it does not satisfy. 'The rich hunger and thirst, those who seek the Lord do not lack any good.' 5 The more the food of righteousness is desired, the more it satisfies. Whence even He who was made wisdom and righteousness for us by God says, 'They who eat me, shall yet hunger, and they who drink of me, shall yet thirst.' 6 However it is not that the appetite for righteousness is insatiable, like the love of money in which the appetite cannot be sated, but in the former the satiety never becomes jaded. Whence the prophet says, 'In righteousness I shall appear in your sight. I shall be satisfied when your glory shall appear.' 7 Therefore he who hungers in the present, he shall be satisfied in the future. But is it not that all who hunger for righteousness, desire to be righteous? Not at all. They are very many wicked folk who desire to be righteous, but overthrown and bound by the habit of sinning they are yet feeding the pigs. They do not return to the father. They desire and sigh that it were not that they love what they do love and they are distressed for righteousness, but they embrace the pleasures of sin. They do not withdraw from evil who have a keen desire for the good. That they are troubled for the good, shows a certain grace of calling, not justification. Righteousness is not to be thought a feeling, but an act and agreement. The Apostle says, 'What part has righteousness with wickedness, or what agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?' 8 If someone deplores the life which ruins, and he consents to righteousness, then he hungers for justice, now he proposes to return to the father, now he has placed his foot on the right way, and sighing for better things he says; 'That my ways were directed to the guarding of your justifications.' 9 And as one has desired, one hungers more, saying, 'My soul has conceived a desire for your justifications all the time.' 10 He labours to advance, so that he might come to perfection. Then his father sees him from afar, because 'salvation is far from sinners,' 11 But at his coming the father is overjoyed and hurries to meet with him. And concerning such a journey Isaiah says: 'You have come rejoicing, you have made righteousness, in your ways he shall remember you.' 12 If a pious father responded according to merit, his eyes would turn from this son, he would dismiss his pleas, he would cast before him the vileness of his former way of living, and vehemently rebuke him. But he is touched and conquered by the humility of the son. He lays aside hardness, he endows himself with mercy, and the rigor which the son deserved, he turns into favour. Peter of Blois, from Sermon 15, On Penitence 1 Lk 15.11-32 2 Mt 5.6 3 Lk 1.53 4 Jn 4.13 5 Ps 33.11 6 Eccle 24.29 Vulg 7 Ps 16.15 8 2 Cor 6.16 9 Ps 118.5 10 Ps 118.20 11 Ps 118.155 12 Isiaah 64.5

The Damnation Of Wicked Spirits

Spiritalis namque substantia, nec ulla carnis soliditate devincta, ut excusationem exortae in se pravae non recipit voluntatis, ita veniam malignitatis excludit, quia nulla quemadmodum nos ad peccandum impugnatione carnis extrinsecus lacessita est, sed vitio solius malae voluntatis accensa, et ob hoc sine venia peccatum et languor sine remedio est. Sicut enim nulla sollicitante terrena materia corruit, ita nec indulgentiam quidem aut locum poenitudinis obtinere potest. Quibus ex rebus evidenter colligitur quod non solum noxia non sit haec quae contra se invicem suscitatur in nobis carnis spiritusque contentio, verum etiam multam nobis conferat utilitatem. Sanctus Ioannes Cassianus, Collationes, Collatio IV, Caput XIV Source: Migne PL 49.602a-603a

Now a purely spiritual substance, one that is not tied to any material flesh, has no excuse for an evil thought which rises up in it, which also excludes forgiveness for wickedness, because it is not provoked to sin as we are by the assaults of the external flesh, but is inflamed only by the fault of a perverse will, and therefore its sin is without forgiveness and its weakness is without remedy. For as it does not fall because of an attraction of earthly matter, so it can find no pardon or place of repentance. From which we may clearly gather that this dispute which we have in us of the flesh and spirit against one another 1 is not merely harmless, but in truth extremely useful to us. Saint John Cassian, Conferences, Conference 4, Chap 14 1 cf Galat 5.17

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

Three Parts Of Penance

De Tribus quae sunt in poenitentia Tria sunt in poenitentia: dolor praeteriti, custodia futuri, satisfactio deliciti. Ne poenitens in futuro damnetur, facit custodia futuri. Ne puniatur, facit satisfactio delicti. Si ergo securus vis esse, cave futura, corrige praeterita,. Dolor culpam placat; satisfactio vitium sanat; custodia sanitatem servat. In his custodia futuri primum locum tenet, dolor praeteriti secundum, novissimum satisfactio delicti. Quae prima tantum proficit quantum caetera duo efficiunt. Ideo Salvator solam hanc, id est, custodiam futuri, quasi praecipuam et in qua omnis poenitentiae fructus consistat sibi confitentibus injunxit: Vade et amplius noli peccare: et Vade in pace. Et iterum: Vide ne quid tibi deteris contingat. Haec tria sic pensanda sunt, ut sit dolor plenus, custodia perfecta, satisfactio condigna. Hugo De Sancte Victore, Miscellanea, Liber I, Tit CVI Source: Migne PL 177.535

On The Three Parts of Penance There are three parts of penance. Sorrow for the past, care for the future, satisfaction of wrong. Lest the penitent be damned in the future, he has care for the future. Lest he be punished, he makes satisfaction for wrong. If therefore you wish to be secure, look to the future, correct the past. Sorrow relieves guilt, satisfaction heals fault, care guards health. Among these care for the future holds first place, and sorrow for the past comes second, and last place is given to satisfaction of wrong. And that which is first is only so advanced as much as it is of assistance to the other two. Therefore the Saviour enjoins on those who confess that this alone, that is, care for the future, is essential, and that it is in this that the fruit of penance is established: 'Go and do not sin anymore.' 1 And:'Go in peace.' 2 And again: 'Take care that nothing worse befalls you.' 3 So these three must be considered, that there be full sorrow, perfect care, and fitting satisfaction. Hugh Of Saint Victor, Miscellanea, Book 1, Chapter 106 1 Jn 8.11 2 Mk 5.34 3 Jn 5.14