Faith And Works

Ἡγοῦμαι μὲν μηδεμιᾶς ἑτέρας ὑμᾶς τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι παρακλήσεως δεῖσθαι, μετὰ τοὺς λόγους οὓς δἰ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἐποιησάμεθα πρὸς ὑμᾶς, παρακαλοῦντες ὑμᾶς πάντας τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ζωὴν καταδέξασθαι εἰς μίμημα τῆς ἀποστολικῆς πολιτείας, ὃ καὶ ἐδέξασθε ὡς ἀγαθὸν δίδαγμα, καὶ ηὐχαριστήσατε δἰ αὐτὸ τῷ Κυρίῳ. Ἐπεὶ οὖν οὐχὶ ῥήματα ἦν τὰ παῤ ἡμῶν λαληθέντα, ἀλλὰ διδάγματα εἰς ἔργον προελθεῖν ὀφείλοντα ἐπὶ ὠφελείᾳ μὲν ὑμῶν τῶν ἀνεχομένων, ἐπ̓ ἀναπαύσει δὲ ἡμετέρᾳ τῶν ὑποθεμένων τὴν γνώμην, εἰς δόξαν δὲ καὶ ἔπαινον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, οὗ τὸ ὄνομα ἐπικέκληται ἐφ̓ ἡμᾶς, τούτου χάριν ἀπέστειλα τὸν ποθεινότατον ἡμῶν ἀδελφόν, ἵνα καὶ τὸ πρόθυμον γνωρίσῃ, καὶ τὸ νωθρὸν διεγείρῃ, καὶ τὸ ἀντιτεῖνον φανερὸν ἡμῖν καταστήσῃ. Πολλὴ γὰρ ἡ ἐπιθυμία καὶ ἰδεῖν ὑμᾶς συνηγμένους, καὶ ἀκοῦσαι περὶ ὑμῶν ὅτι οὐχὶ τὸν ἀμάρτυρον ἀγαπᾶτε βίον, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον καταδέχεσθε πάντες καὶ φύλακες τῆς ἀλλήλων ἀκριβείας εἶναι καὶ μάρτυρες τῶν κατορθουμένων. Oὕτω γὰρ ἕκαστος καὶ τὸν ἐφ̓ ἑαυτῷ μισθὸν τέλειον ἀπολήψεται καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ προκοπῇ: ὃν καὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ παρέχεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἀλλήλοις προσήκει ἐκ τῆς συνεχοῦς ὁμιλίας καὶ παρακλήσεως. Ἐπὶ πᾶσι δὲ παρακαλοῦμεν μεμνῆσθαι ὑμᾶς τῆς τῶν πατέρων πίστεως, καὶ μὴ σαλεύεσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἐν τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ ἡσυχίᾳ περιφέρειν ὑμᾶς ἐπιχειρούντων, εἰδότας ὅτι οὔτε πολιτείας ἀκρίβεια καθ̓ ἑαυτήν, μὴ διὰ τῆς εἰς Θεὸν πίστεως πεφωτισμένη, ὠφέλιμος, οὔτε ὀρθὴ ὁμολογία, ἀγαθῶν ἔργων ἄμοιρος οὖσα, παραστῆσαι ἡμᾶς δυνήσεται τῷ Κυρίῳ: ἀλλὰ δεῖ ἀμφότερα συνεῖναι, ἵνα ἄρτιος ᾖ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος, καὶ μὴ κατὰ τὸ ἐλλεῖπον χωλεύῃ ἡμῶν ἡ ζωή. Πίστις γάρ ἐστιν ἡ σώζουσα ἡμᾶς, ὥς φησιν ὁ ἀπόστολος, δἰ ἀγάπης ἐνεργουμένη. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ἐπιστολή ΣϞE'  Source: Migne PG 32.1037c-1040a

I do not think that there is any further need to commend you to God's grace, after the words that I spoke to you in person, when I exhorted you all to adopt a life in common, in imitation of the of conduct of the Apostles, 1 which you received as good teaching, and gave thanks to the Lord for it. Since then your conduct was not so much due to the words I spoke, but to your putting them into practice, which was to the advantage of those who accepted them, and to my contentment who gave you the counsel, and to the glory and praise of Christ, by whose name we are called, because of this I have sent you a well beloved brother, that he may learn of your zeal and rouse your sloth, and make any resistance known to me. For my desire to see you all united is great, and to hear that you do not wish to live a life without witness, but rather that all of you are vigilant of each other's eagerness, and witnesses of each other's improvement. Thus will each of you receive the full reward, not only on his own behalf, but on the account of a brother's advance, for by word and deed you will be a source of profit to one another, on account of continuous association and encouragement. But above all I exhort you to be mindful of the faith of the Fathers, and not to be shaken by those who in your retreat would attempt to draw you away from it, for you are aware that the strictness of a life does not profit at all unless illuminated by faith in God, nor will a correct confession of faith, if it lacks good works, be able to set you before the Lord. Faith and works must be joined for the man of God to be perfect and for his life not fail through any defect. As the Apostle says, the faith that saves us works through love. 2 Saint Basil of Caesarea, Letter 295 1 Acts 2.44, 2 Galat 5.6

Teachers And Pupils

Πρέπει μέν που καὶ πατράσι παίδων ἰδίων πρόνοια καὶ γεωργοῖς φυτῶν ἢ σπερμάτων ἐπιμέλεια, καὶ διδασκάλοις μαθητῶν φροντίς, μάλιστα ὅταν δἰ εὐφυΐαν βελτίους ἐφ̓ ἑαυτοῖς ὑποφαίνουσι τὰς ἐλπίδας. χαίρει γὰρ πονῶν καὶ γεωργός, ἁδρυνομένων αὐτῷ τῶν ἀσταχύων ἢ τῶν φυτῶν αὐξανομένων, εὐφραίνουσι δὲ καὶ μαθηταὶ διδασκάλους, καὶ παῖδες πατέρας, οἱ μὲν πρὸς ἀρετήν, οἱ δὲ πρὸς αὔξησιν ἐπιδιδόντες. ἡμεῖς δὲ τοσοῦτον μείζονα μὲν ἐφ̓ ὑμῖν ἔχομεν τὴν φροντίδα, κρείττονα δὲ τὴν ἐλπίδα, ὅσον εὐσέβεια πάσης μὲν τέχνης, πάντων δὲ ζώων ὁμοῦ καὶ καρπῶν ἐστιν ἀμείνων, ἣν ἐν ἁπαλαῖς ἔτι καὶ καθαραῖς ταῖς ὑμετέραις ψυχαῖς ῥιζωθεῖσαν ὑφ̓ ἡμῶν καὶ τραφεῖσαν ἰδεῖν εὐχόμεθα καὶ προελθοῦσαν εἰς ἀκμὴν τελείαν καὶ εἰς καρποὺς ὡραίους, συλλαμβανομένης ἡμῶν ταῖς εὐχαῖς τῆς ὑμετέρας φιλομαθείας. Eὖ γὰρ ἴστε καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν εἰς ὑμᾶς εὔνοιαν καὶ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ συνεργίαν ταῖς ὑμετέραις ἐναποκεῖσθαι γνώμαις, ὧν πρὸς τὸ δέον εὐθυνομένων, Θεὸς συνεργὸς καλούμενος παρέσται καὶ ἄκλητος, καὶ πᾶς φιλόθεος ἄνθρωπος πρὸς διδασκαλίαν αὐτεπάγγελτος. ἀνίκητος γὰρ ἡ προθυμία τῶν διδάσκειν τι χρήσιμον δυναμένων, ὅταν αἱ τῶν μανθανόντων ψυχαὶ πάσης καθαρεύωσιν ἀντιτυπίας. Οὐκοῦν οὐδὲ σώματος κωλύει χωρισμός, τοῦ δημιουργήσαντος ἡμᾶς δἰ ὑπερβολὴν σοφίας καὶ φιλανθρωπίας μὴ συμπεριορίσαντος τοῖς σώμασι τὴν διάνοιαν, μήτε μὴν τῇ γλώττῃ τῶν λόγων τὴν δύναμιν, δόντος δέ τι πλεῖον καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ χρόνου τοῖς ὠφελεῖν δυναμένοις, ὡς μὴ μόνον τοῖς μακρὰν διεστηκόσιν, ἀλλὰ δὴ καὶ τοῖς λίαν ὀψιγόνοις παραπέμπειν δύνασθαι τὴν διδασκαλίαν. καὶ τοῦτον ἡμῖν ἡ πεῖρα πιστοῦται τὸν λόγον, ἐπείπερ οἵ τε πολλοῖς πρότερον ἔτεσι γενόμενοι διδάσκουσι τοὺς νέους, σωζομένης ἐν γράμμασι τῆς διδασκαλίας: ἡμεῖς τε κεχωρισμένοι τοσοῦτον τοῖς σώμασι, τῇ διανοίᾳ σύνεσμεν ἀεί, καὶ προσομιλοῦμεν ῥᾳδίως, τῆς διδασκαλίας οὔτε ὑπὸ γῆς οὔτε θαλάσσης κωλυομένης, εἴ τίς ἐστιν ὑμῖν τῶν ἰδίων ψυχῶν φροντίς. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ἐπιστολή ΣϞΔ' Φήστῳ καὶ Μάγνῳ Source: Migne PG 32.1036c-1037b

It is a father's obligation to look to make provision for his offspring, just as it is a farmer's to nurture his plants and crops, and a teacher's to have care for his pupils, especially when an inborn goodness has revealed good hopes concerning them. The farmer finds has joy in his labours when the ears ripen or the plants increase, the teacher is gladdened at his pupils' growth in virtue, and likewise the father at his son's. But so much greater is the care I have for you and the better the hopes, as much as holiness is greater and better than all the arts, and all animals and harvests, which piety I planted in your hearts while they were yet pure and tender, and I cared for them in the hope of maturity and the bearing of fruits in due season, and my prayers were realised by your love of learning. You know well that you have my good wishes and that God's favour waits on your endeavours, for when we are rightly directed, called or uncalled, God is near to advance them. Every man who loves God is inclined to teaching, and indeed when there is the ability to teach things beneficial he has an eagerness that is almost ungovernable, when the souls of those who will learn have been cleansed of all impediments. It is not bodily separation that is a hindrance, for the Creator, in the fullness of wisdom and love for men, did not restrict our minds to our bodies, nor the power of speech to our tongues, and the ability to be of benefit draws an advantage even from the passing time, and thus we are able to instruct not only those who dwell far away but even those who have yet to be born, and let experience prove it to you, for those who lived many years before us still teach posterity by the instruction preserved in their writings. So we, though so far separated in the body, are always near in our minds and converse with ease; teaching is not restricted by sea or land, if a man has care for souls. Saint Basil of Caesarea, from Letter 294, To Festus And Magnus

Considering Reconciliation

Οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ παντελῶς μοι δοκεῖ τῶν μὴ δεχομένων τὴν πίστιν ἀλλοτριοῦν ἑαυτούς, ἀλλὰ ποιήσασθαί τινα τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐπιμέλειαν κατὰ τοὺς παλαιοὺς θεσμοὺς τῆς ἀγάπης, καὶ ἐπιστεῖλαι αὐτοῖς ἀπὸ μιᾶς γνώμης, πᾶσαν παράκλησιν μετ̓ εὐσπλαγχνίας προσάγοντας, καὶ τὴν τῶν πατέρων πίστιν προτεινομένους προκαλεῖσθαι αὐτοὺς εἰς συνάφειαν: κἂν μὲν πείσωμεν, κοινῶς αὐτοῖς ἑνωθῆναι: ἐὰν δὲ ἀποτύχωμεν, ἀρκεῖσθαι ἡμᾶς ἀλλήλοις, τὸν δὲ ἐπαμφοτερισμὸν τοῦτον ἐξορίσαι τοῦ ἤθους, ἀναλαβόντας τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν καὶ ἄδολον πολιτείαν, ᾗ συνέζων οἱ ἐξ ἀρχῆς προσελθόντες τῷ λόγῳ. ἦν γάρ, φησί, τῶν πιστευσάντων καρδία καὶ ψυχὴ μία. ἐὰν μὲν οὖν πεισθῶσί σοι, ταῦτα ἄριστα. Ἐἰ δὲ μή, γνωρίσατε τοὺς πολεμοποιούς, καὶ παύσασθε ἡμῖν τοῦ λοιποῦ περὶ διαλλαγῶν ἐπιστέλλοντες. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ἐπιστολή PKH' Εὐσεβίῳ, Ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσάων Source: Migne PG 32.557a-b

It does not seem to me to be our absolute duty to cut ourselves off from those who do not receive the faith, but rather to have consideration for them in accordance with the old law of love, and to write to them with one mind, with full exhortation and with pity, proposing to them the faith of the fathers, and inviting them to union, and if we shall persuade we will be united in communion with them, but if we fail we must be content with one another and purge our conduct of this uncertain spirit, restoring the evangelical and upright way of living followed by those who accepted the Word from the beginning. 'There was,' it is said, 'one heart and one soul among the faithful.' 1 It will be best if they are persuaded by you, but if they are not, recognise the authors of this strife, and in the future do not write to me any more letters about reconciliation. Saint Basil of Caesarea, from Letter 128, To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata. 1 Acts 4.32

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

The Fellowship Of The Spirit

Οἰκείωσις δὲ Πνεύματος πρὸς ψυχὴν οὐχ ὁ διὰ τόπου προσεγγισμὸς, πῶς γὰρ ἄν πλησιάσαις τῷ ἀσωμάτῳ συματικῶς; ἀλλ' ὁ χωρισμὸς τῶν παθὼν, ἂπερ, ἀπὸ τῆς πρὸς τὴν σάπκα φιλίας ὕστερον ἐπιγινόμενα τῇ ψυχῇ, τῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ οἰκειότητος ἠλλοτρίωσε. Καθαρθέντα δὴ οὖν ἀπὸ τοῦ αἴσχους, ὅ ἀνεμάξατο διὰ τῆς κακίας, καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἐκ φύσεως κάλλος ἐπανελθόντα, καὶ οἰον εἰκόνι βασιλικῇ τὴν ἀρχαίαν μορφὴν διὰ καθαρότητος ἀποδόντα, οὕτως ἐστι μόνως προσεγγίσαι τῷ Παρακλήτῳ. Ὁ δ', ὥσπερ ἡλιος, κεκαθαρμένον ὅμμα παραλαβὼν, δείξει σοι ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ἀοράτου. Ἐν δὲ τῷ μακαρίῳ τῆς εἰκόνος θεάματι τὸ ἄῥῥητον ὅψει τοῦ ἀρχετύπου κάλλος. Διὰ τούτου καρδιῶν ἀνάβασις χειραγωγία τῶν ἀσθενούντων, τῶν προκοπτόντων τελείωσις. Τοῦτο, τοῖς ἀπὸ πάσης κηλίδος κεκαθαρμένοις ἐλλάμπον, τῇ πρὸς ἑαυτὸ κοινωνίᾳ πνευματικοὺς ἀποδείκνυσι. Καὶ ὥσπερ τὰ λαμπρα καὶ διαφανῆ τῶν σωμάτων, ἀκτῖνος αὐτοῖς ἐμπεσούσης, αὐτά τε γίνεται περιλαμπῆ, καὶ ἑτέραν αὐγὴν ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν ἀποστίλβει· οὕτως αἱ πνευματοφοροι ψυχαὶ, ἐλλαμφθεῖσαι παρὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος, αὐταί τε ἀποτελοῦνται πνευματικαὶ, καὶ εἰς ἑτέπρους τὴν χάριν ἐξαποστέλουσιν. Ἐντεῦθεν μελλόντων πρόγνωσις, μυστηρίων σύνεσις, κεκρυμμένων κατάληψις, χαρισμάτων διανομαὶ, τὸ οὐράνιον πολίτευμα, ἡ μετὰ ἀγγέλων χορεία, ἡ ἀτελεύτητος εὐφροσύνη, ἡ ἐν Θεῳ διαμονὴ, ἡ πρὸς Θεὸν ὁμοίωσις, τὸ ἀκρότατον τῶν ὀρεκτῶν, Θεὸν γενέσθαι. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Περὶ Του Ἅγιου Πνευματος, Κεφαλη Θ’ Source: Migne PG 32.109a-c

But the Spirit does not possess the soul by nearness in space, for how could there be a corporeal approach to the incorporeal? But the association comes from withdrawal from the passions, which passions coming gradually on the soul because of its friendship to the flesh have alienated it from its possession by God. Thus only after purification from disgrace, which pollution is acquired through wickedness, and returning again to natural beauty, and, as it were, cleansing the royal image and restoring it to its pristine form, only thus is it possible to draw near to the Paraclete. And He, like the sun, being grasped by the purified eye, will show you in Himself the image of the invisible, and in the blessed spectacle of the image shall be seen the unspeakable beauty of the archetype. Through Him weak hearts are taken by the hand and lifted up, and they who are advancing are perfected. Shining on those who have been cleansed of every blemish, He makes them spiritual by fellowship with Himself. Just as a sunbeam falls on bright and transparent bodies and they themselves blaze up and emit a fresh brightness from themselves, so do souls that bear the Spirit, being illuminated by the Spirit, become spiritual and send forth their grace to others. From which comes foreknowledge of the future, understanding of mysteries, discovery of things that are hidden, distribution of good gifts, heavenly citizenship, a place in the chorus of the angels, joy without end, abidance in God, being like God, and greatest of all these desirable things, being God. Saint Basil of Caesarea, On the Holy Spirit, Chapter 9

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

Man And Nature

Βούλομαί σοι σφοδρότερον τῆς κτίσεως ἐνιδρυνθῆναι τὸ θαῦμα, ἵν᾿ ὅπου περ ἂν εὑρεθῇς, καὶ ὁποίῳ δήποτε γένει τῶν φυομένων παραστῇς, ἐναργῆ λαμβάνῃς τοῦ ποιήσαντος τὴν ὑπόμνησιν. Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ὅταν ἴδῃς βοτάνην χόρτου καὶ ἄνθος, εἰς ἔννοιαν ἔρχου τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως, μεμνημένος τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ σοφοῦ Ἡσαΐου, ὅτι Πᾶσα σὰρξ ὡς χόρτος, καὶ πᾶσα δόξα ἀνθρώπου ὡς ἄνθος χόρτου. Τὸ γὰρ ὀλιγοχρόνιον τῆς ζωῆς, καὶ τὸ ἐν ὀλίγῳ περιχαρὲς καὶ ἱλαρὸν τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης εὐημερίας, καιριωτάτης παρὰ τῷ προφήτῃ τετύχηκε τῆς εἰκόνος. Σήμερον εὐθαλὴς τῷ σώματι, κατασεσαρκωμένος ὑπὸ τρυφῆς, ἐπανθοῦσαν ἔχων τὴν εὔχροιαν ὑπὸ τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν ἀκμῆς, σφριγῶν καὶ σύντονος, καὶ ἀνυπόστατος τὴν ὁρμήν, αὔριον ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος ἐλεεινὸς, ἢ τῷ χρόνῳ μαρανθεὶς, ἢ νόσῳ διαλυθείς. Ὁ δεῖνα περίβλεπτος ἐπὶ χρημάτων περιουσίᾳ· καὶ πλῆθος περὶ αὐτὸν κολάκων· δορυφορία φίλων προσποιητῶν τὴν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ χάριν θεραπευόντων· πλῆθος συγγενείας, καὶ ταύτης κατεσχηματισμένης· ἑσμὸς τῶν ἐφεπομένων μυρίος τῶν τε ἐπὶ σιτίων καὶ τῶν κατὰ τὰς χρείας αὐτῷ προσεδρευόντων, οὓς καὶ προϊὼν καὶ πάλιν ἐπανιὼν ἐπισυρόμενος ἐπίφθονός ἐστι τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσι. Πρόσθες τῷ πλούτῳ καὶ πολιτικήν τινα δυναστείαν, ἢ καὶ τὰς ἐκ βασιλέων τιμάς· ἢ ἐθνῶν ἐπιμέλειαν· ἢ στρατοπέδων ἡγεμονίαν· τὸν κήρυκα μέγα βοῶντα πρὸ αὐτοῦ· τοὺς ῥαβδούχους ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν βαρυτάτην κατάπληξιν τοῖς ἀρχομένοις ἐμβάλλοντας τὰς πληγάς· τὰς δημεύσεις· τὰς ἀπαγωγάς· τὰ δεσμωτήρια, ἐξ ὧν ἀφόρητος ὁ παρὰ τῶν ὑποχειρίων συναθροίζεται φόβος. Καὶ τί μετὰ τοῦτο; Μία νὺξ, ἢ πυρετὸς εἷς, ἢ πλευρῖτις, ἢ περιπνευμονία, ἀνάρπαστον ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀπάγουσα τὸν ἄνθρωπον οἴχεται, πᾶσαν τὴν κατ᾿ αὐτὸν σκηνὴν ἐξαπίνης ἀπογυμνώσασα, καὶ ἡ δόξα ἐκείνη ὥσπερ ἐνύπνιον ἀπηλέγχθη. Ὥστε ἐπιτέτευκται τῷ προφήτῃ ἡ πρὸς τὸ ἀδρανέστατον ἄνθος ὁμοίωσις τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης δόξης. Ἅγιος Βασιλειος Καισαρείας, Εις Την ῾Εξαημερον, Ὁμιλὶα E' Source Migne PG 29.97c-100b

I want creation to infuse you with such great wonder that wherever you may be, you are brought to distinct remembrance of the Creator by whatever growing thing is at hand. Firstly when you see the grass of the fields and the flower of it, think of human nature, and recall the likeness of the wise Isaiah. 'All flesh is grass, and all the glory of man is as the flower of the field.' 1 For the shortness of the time of this life, and the brevity of the delight and pleasure of man's happiness, most appropriately suits the comparison of the prophet. Today a man is vigorous in body, he has been plumped up by luxury, and with a complexion like fair flowers, in the prime of life, he is strong and firm and has an energy that can hardly be resisted, but tomorrow this same man is pitiful, withered by age or ruined by sickness. Another man is celebrated for his abundant wealth, and a crowd of flatterers surround him, a guard of false friends prey on his favours, and a mob of dissembling kinsmen also, and a cloud of servants follow who attend to his nourishment and other needs, and in his comings and goings this troop which he drags after him arouses the envy of those he encounters. To wealth one may add political power, and honours given by royalty, or the government of a province, or the command of armies, and a herald going before him who cries out in a loud voice, with lictors on this side and that, whose blows fill his subjects with fear, and then confiscations, banishments, imprisonments, by which he imbues all those he rules with unbearable terror. And what then? One night, a fever, or a pleurisy, or an inflammation of the lungs, snatches him away from the midst of men, and in a moment he is stripped bare of all that he had on the stage, and all that glory is revealed to be a mere dream. Thus did the Prophet compare human glory to the frailest flower. Saint Basil of Caesarea, Hexameron, from Homily 5 1 Isaiah 40.6

Correction From On High

Ὁ Θρόνος σου, ὁ Θεὸς, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος· ῥάβδος εὐθύτητος, ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου.  Ἐπειδὴ πολλὰ πρὸς τὸ ἀνθρώπινον ἀνατεινόμενος διελέχθη, ἐπανάγει νῦν ἐπὶ τὰ ὕψη τῆς περὶ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς δόξης τὸν λόγον. Ὁ Θρόνος σου, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος· τουτέστιν, ἡ βασιλεία σου ἐπέκεινα τῶν αἰώνων, καὶ ἐννοίας πάσης ἐστὶ πρεσβυτέρα. Καὶ καλῶς μετὰ τὴν τῶν λαῶν ὑποταγὴν τὸ μεγαλοπρεπὲς τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνυμνεῖ. Ῥάβδος εὐθύτητος, ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἀπέδωκεν αὐτῷ τὴν ἰδίαν προσηγορίαν, σαφῶς αὐτὸν ἀναγορεύσας Θεόν· Ὁ Θρόνος σου, ὁ Θεὸς. Παιδευτική τίς ἐστιν ἡ ῥάβδος τοῦ Θεοῦ· παιδεύουσα δὲ, εὐθείας καὶ οὐ παρατετραμμένας ἐπάγει τὰς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ προσηγόρευται. Ἐὰν γὰρ ἐγκαταλίπωσιν οἱ υἱοὶ αύτοῦ τὸν νόμον μου, καὶ τοῖς κρίμασι μου μὴ πορευθῶσιν, ἐπισκέψομαι ἐν ῥάβδῳ τὰς ἀνομίας αὐτῶν. Ὁρᾷς τὴν δικαίαν κρίσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ; Οὐκ ἐπὶ τῶν τυχόντων χρῆται, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων. Αὔτη δὲ καὶ παρακλήσεως λέγεται ῥάβδος· Ἡ ῥάβδος γάρ σου, φησὶ, καὶ ἡ βακτηρία σου, αὖταί με παρεκάλεσαν. Αὔτη καὶ συντριμμοῦ ἐστι ῥάβδος. Ποιμανεῖς γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ ὡς σκεῦος κεραμέως συντρίψεις αὐτούς. Συντρίβεται δὲ τὰ χοῖὰ καὶ πήλινα ἐπ' εὐεργεσίᾳ τῶν ποιμαινομένων· καθὸ καὶ παραδίδοται Εἰς ὅλεθρον τῆς σαρκὸς, ἵνα τὸ πνεῦμα σωθῇ. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ὁμιλία Ἐις Τους Ψαλμούς, Εἰς Τον ΜΔ' Ψαλμον Source: Migne PG 29.404b-d

'Your throne, O God, is forever, the rod of correction is the rod of your kingdom.' 1 After concerning itself with human nature and having expended many words about it, now the prayer returns to the glorious height of the Only Begotten. 'Your throne, O God is forever,' it says. That is, your kingdom is established beyond the ages and is most ancient in every understanding. And wondrously, when your people have become obedient, they shall celebrate the magnificence of your kingdom. 'A rod of correction is the rod of your kingdom.' Whatever is the title given to Him, it is clearly calling Him God. 'Your throne, O God.' The rod is that which corrects and while it corrects it improves, and since it does not bring about perverse judgement, it is proclaimed to be of His kingdom. 'For if his sons forsake my law and do not walk in my judgements, I shall requite their iniquities with a rod.' 2 You see the just judgement of God? He does not act against just anyone but against sinners. And this same rod is  said to be one of consolation, 'For your rod and staff,' he says,'are my consolation.' 3 'You shall rule them with a rod of iron, as an earthen vessel you will shatter them.' 4 For earth and mud will be shattered because of the pleasures which rule over them, whoever is given over 'to the dissolutions of the flesh,' and 'that they might be saved.' 5 Saint Basil of Caesarea, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 44 1 Ps 44.7 2 Ps 88.31,33 3 Ps 22.4 4 Ps 2.9 5 1 Cor 5.5

Trials And Endurance

Εἴτε οὖν βαρὺς ὁ πειρασμός, ἀδελφοί, ὑπομείνωμεν τὰ ἐπίπονα: οὐδεὶς γὰρ μὴ πληγεὶς ἐν ἀγῶσι, μηδὲ κονισάμενος, στεφανοῦται. Eἴτε κοῦφα ταῦτα τοῦ διαβόλου τὰ παίγνια, καὶ οἱ ἐπιπεμφθέντες ἡμῖν, ὀχληροὶ μέν, διότι τούτου εἰσὶν ὑπηρέται, εὐκαταφρόνητοι δέ, ὅτι τῇ πονηρίᾳ αὐτῶν ὁ Θεὸς ἀδυναμίαν συνῆψε, φυλαξώμεθα τὴν κατάγνωσιν, ὡς ἐπὶ μικροῖς παθήμασι μεγάλα ὀδυρόμενοι. Ἓν γάρ ἐστιν ὀδύνης ἄξιον, ἡ αὐτοῦ ἐκείνου ἀπώλεια, τοῦ τῆς προσκαίρου ἕνεκεν δόξης, ῾εἴπερ οὖν δόξαν χρὴ λέγειν τὸ δημοσίᾳ ἀσχημονεῖν̓ τῆς αἰωνίας τῶν δικαίων τιμῆς ἑαυτὸν ἀποστερήσαντος. Tέκνα ὁμολογητῶν, καὶ τέκνα μαρτύρων ἐστέ, τῶν μέχρις αἵματος ἀντικαταστάντων πρὸς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. Tοῖς οἰκείοις ἕκαστος χρησάσθω ὑποδείγμασι πρὸς τὴν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἔνστασιν. Oὐδεὶς ἡμῶν πληγαῖς κατεξάνθη, οὐδενὸς οἶκος ἐδημεύθη, οὐ τὴν ὑπερορίαν ᾠκήσαμεν, οὐ δεσμωτήριον ἐγνωρίσαμεν. τί πεπόνθαμεν δεινόν; εἰ μὴ τάχα τοῦτο λυπηρόν, ὅτι μηδὲν πεπόνθαμεν, μηδὲ ἐνομίσθημεν ἄξιοι τῶν ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ παθημάτων. Eἰ δὲ ὅτι ὁ δεῖνα τὸν οἶκον κατέχει τῆς προσευχῆς, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἐν τῷ ὑπαίθρῳ προσκυνεῖτε τὸν οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς Δεσπότην, τοῦτο ὑμᾶς ἀνιᾷ, ἐνθυμήθητε, ὅτι οἱ μὲν ἕνδεκα μαθηταὶ ἐν τῷ ὑπερῴῳ ἦσαν ἀποκεκλεισμένοι, οἱ δὲ σταυρώσαντες τὸν Κύριον ἐν τῷ περιβοήτῳ ναῷ τὴν Ἰουδαϊκὴν λατρείαν ἐπλήρουν. Ἰούδας γὰρ τὸν δἰ ἀγχόνης θάνατον τοῦ μετ̓ αἰσχύνης ζῇν προτιμήσας, ἔδειξε τάχα τῶν νῦν ἀπερυθριασάντων πρὸς πᾶσαν ἀνθρώπων κατάγνωσιν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀναιδῶς πρὸς τὰ αἰσχρὰ διακειμένων, ἑαυτὸν αἱρετώτερον. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ἐπιστολή ΣΜ’, Νικοπολίταις πρεσβυτέροις Source: Migne PG 32.896b-897a

If, then, the trial is heavy, brethren, let us endure the toil. No one is crowned who is untouched by blows and dust in battle. Are these mockeries of the devil and those sent against us insignificant? They are troublesome because they are his servants, but easy to despise because in them God has mixed wickedness with infirmity, so let us beware of condemnation because of grave laments over a little pain. For one thing alone is worthy of lamentation, the loss of one's self, for the sake of the credit of the moment, if one one may call becoming a public disgrace credit, for there one defrauds one's self of the everlasting reward of the righteous. You are children of confessors, you are children of martyrs, you have stood fast against sin unto blood. Let each one make use of the examples of his own household to gain strength for piety. Not one of us has been cut by lashes. Not one of us has been deprived of property. We have not been driven into exile. We have not endured imprisonment. What great suffering have we undergone? Unless perhaps this grieves, that we have not suffered, that we have not been thought worthy of the sufferings of Christ. But if you are distressed because a wretch occupies the house of prayer and you worship the Lord of heaven and earth in the open air, recall that the eleven disciples were shut up in the upper room and those who had crucified the Lord were worshipping in the far famed temple of the Jews. Perhaps Judas, who preferred death by hanging to a shameful life, showed himself a better man than those who now meet universal condemnation and disgracefully preferring themselves wallow in shame. Saint Basil of Caesarea, from Letter 240, To The Church Of Nicopolis

The Spirit's Way

Ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὸ προκείμενον ἐπανίωμεν. Ὅτι διάνοια ἡ δυνηθεῖσα τῶν τε ὑλικῶν καθαρεῦσαι παθῶν, καὶ τὴν νοητὴν κτίσιν πᾶσαν καταλιπεῖν, καὶ οἷόν τις ἰχθὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ βυθοῦ πρὸς τὴν ἄνω ἐπιφάνειαν ἀνανήξασθαι, ἐν τῷ καθαρῷ τῆς κτίσεως γενομένη, ἐκεῖ ὄψεται τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ὅπου Υἱὸς, καὶ ὅπου Πατὴρ, πάντα ἔχον καὶ αὐτὸ συνουσιωμένως κατὰ τὴν φύσιν, τὴν ἀγαθότητα, τὴν εὐ θύτητα, τὸν ἁγιασμὸν, τὴν ζωήν. Τὸ Πνεῦμα γάρ σου, φησὶν, τὸ ἀγαθόν· καὶ πάλιν, Πνεῦμα εὐθές· καὶ πάλιν, Τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. Καὶ ὁ Ἀπόστολος· Ὁ νόμος τοῦ Πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς. Τού των οὐδὲν ἐπίκτητον αὐτῷ, οὐδὲ ὕστερον ἐπιγενόμενον πρόσεστιν· ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἀχώριστον τῷ πυρὶ τὸ θερμαίνειν, καὶ τῷ φωτὶ τὸ λάμπειν· οὕτω καὶ τῷ Πνεύματι τὸ ἁγιάζειν, τὸ ζωοποιεῖν, ἡ ἀγαθότης, ἡ εὐθύτης. Ἐκεῖ τοίνυν ἕστηκε τὸ Πνεῦμα, ἐκεῖ, ἐν τῇ μακαρίᾳ φύσει, οὐ μετὰ πλήθους ἀριθμούμενον, ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ Τριάδι θεωρούμενον· μοναδικῶς ἐξαγγελλόμενον, οὐκ ἐμπεριειλημμένον τοῖς συστήμασιν. Ὡς γὰρ Πατὴρ εἷς, καὶ Υἱὸς εἷς· οὕτως ἓν καὶ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα. Τὰ δὲ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα καθ' ἕκαστον τάγμα πλῆθος ἡμῖν ὑποφαίνει δυσεξαρίθμητον. Μὴ τοίνυν ζήτει ἐν τῇ κτίσει τὸ ὑπὲρ τὴν κτίσιν· μὴ καταγάγῃς τὸ ἁγιάζον μετὰ τῶν ἁγιαζομένων. Τοῦτο πληροῖ ἀγγέλους, πληροῖ ἀρχαγγέλους, ἁγιάζει δυνάμεις, ζωοποιεῖ τὰ σύμπαντα. Τοῦτο εἰς πᾶσαν κτίσινμεριζόμενον, καὶ ἄλλως ὑπ' ἄλλου μετεχόμενον, οὐδὲν ἐλαττοῦται παρὰ τῶν μετεχόντων. Πᾶσι μὲν τὴν παρ' ἑαυτοῦ χάριν δίδωσιν· οὐκ ἀναλίσκεται δὲ εἰς τοὺς μετέχοντας· ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ λαβόντες πληροῦνται, καὶ αὐτό ἐστιν ἀνενδεές. Καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ ἥλιος ἐπιλάμπων τοῖς σώμασι, καὶ ποικίλως ὑπ' αὐτῶν μετεχόμενος, οὐδὲν ἐλαττοῦται παρὰ τῶν μετεχόντων· οὕτω καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα πᾶσι τὴν παρ' ἑαυτοῦ χάρινπαρέχον, ἀμείωτον μένει καὶ ἀδιαίρετον. Πάντας φωτίζει πρὸς τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ κατανόησιν, ἐμπνεῖ τοῖς προφήταις, νομοθέτας σοφίζει, ἱερέας τελειοῖ, ἐνισχύει βασιλεῖς, καταρτίζει δικαίους, σεμνύνει σώφρονας, ἐνεργεῖ χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων, ζωοποιεῖ τοὺς νεκροὺς, λύει τοὺς πεπεδημένους, υἱοθετεῖ τοὺς ἠλλοτριωμένους.Ταῦτα διὰ τῆς ἄνωθεν γεννήσεως ἐνεργεῖ. Ἐὰν τελώνην λάβῃ πιστεύοντα, εὐαγγελιστὴν ἀποδείκνυσιν· ἐὰν ἐν ἁλιεῖ γένηται, θεολόγον ἀποτελεῖ· ἐὰν διώκτην εὕρῃ μετανοοῦντα, ἀπόστολον ἐθνῶν ἀπεργάζεται, κήρυκα πίστεως, σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς. ∆ι' αὐτοῦ οἱ ἀσθενεῖς ἰσχυροί· οἱ πτωχοὶ πλουτίζουσιν· οἱ ἰδιῶται τῷ λόγῳσοφώτεροί εἰσι τῶν σοφῶν. Παῦλος ἀσθενὴς, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ Πνεύματος τὰ σουδάρια τοῦ χρωτὸς αὐτοῦ ἴασιν παρεῖχε τοῖς ὑποδεχομένοις. Πέτρος καὶ αὐτὸς σῶμα περικείμενος ἀσθενείας, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν ἐνοικοῦσαν χάριν τοῦ Πνεύματος ἡ ἐκπίπτουσα τοῦ σώματος σκιὰ ἀπεδίωκε τὰς νόσους τῶν καταπονουμένων. Πτωχὸς Πέτρος καὶ Ἰωάννης· οὐ γὰρ εἶχον ἀργύριον, οὐδὲ χρυσίον· ἀλλ' ἐχαρίζοντο ὑγίειαν πολλῶν χρυσίων τιμιωτέραν. Παρὰ πολλῶν γὰρ λαβὼν χρυσίον ὁ χωλὸς, ἔτι προσαίτης ἦν· παρὰ δὲ Πέτρου δεξάμενος τὴν χάριν, ἐπαύσατο προσαιτῶν, ἁλλόμενος ὥσπερ ἔλαφος, καὶ αἰνῶν τὸν Θεόν. Οὐκ ᾔδει Ἰωάννης τὴν τοῦ κόσμου σοφίαν, ἀλλ' ἐφθέγξατο ῥήματα τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ Πνεύματος, οἷς οὐδεμία σοφία προσβλέψαι δύναται.Τοῦτο καὶ ἐν οὐρανῷ ἕστηκε, καὶ τὴν γῆν πεπλήρωκε, καὶ πανταχοῦ πάρεστι, καὶ οὐδαμοῦ περιέχεται. Ὅλον ἑκάστῳ ἐνοικεῖ, καὶ ὅλον ἐστὶ μετὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὐ λειτουργικῶς διακονεῖ τὰς δωρεὰς, ἀλλ' αὐθεντικῶς διαιρεῖ τὰ χαρίσματα. ∆ιαιρεῖ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ, καθὼς βούλεται. Ἀποστέλλεται μὲν οἰκονομικῶς, ἐνεργεῖ δὲ αὐτεξουσίως. Τοῦτο παρεῖναι ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν εὐξώμεθα, καὶ μηδένα καιρὸν ἡμᾶς ἀπολιμπάνειν ἐν χάριτι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας,Ὁμολία ΙΕ', Περὶ Πίστεως Source: Migne PG 31.468c-472a

But let us return to what was proposed. The mind which has been able to purify itself of the passions of material things and has withdrawn thought from every created thing, and has swum like a fish from the depths to the apparent heights, now established in the purity of creation, there shall see the Holy Spirit, where the Son is, and where the Father is, being coessential according to His nature, in goodness, rectitude, holiness, and life. 'For your spirit,' he says, 'is good,' and again, 'a right Spirit,' and again, a 'Holy Spirit' 1 And the Apostle says 'The Law of the Spirit of life.' 2 None of which things are added to Him, nor is anything endowed after, but as heat cannot be separated from fire, nor brightness from light, so neither can sanctification or vivification or goodness or rightness from the Spirit. Here, then, is the Spirit established, here in a blessed nature, where there is no multitude by number, but in the Trinity He is beheld, being enunciated alone, but not understood as a separated part of a group. Thus as the Father is one and the Son is one, so the Holy Spirit is one. And yet each one of the multitude of spiritual services He shows to us can scarely be counted. Do not, then, seek in created things what is above created things, nor suppress what has been sanctified to holiness. 3 He fills angels, and archangels, and makes powers holy, and gives life to all things. He is in every created thing, but His participation is such that he is not diminished at all by his participants. Certainly His grace is bestowed on all, but He is not used up by those who participate, and they who receive are filled and He lacks nothing. As when the sun illuminates bodies and by these he is received variously, so He is not diminished by those who receive Him. Thus it is with the grace of the Holy Spirit given to everything, He remains whole and undivided. He enlightens all for the gaining of the knowledge of God, He inspires the prophet, and teaches law makers wisdom, and consecrates priests, and strengthens kings, and perfects the righteous, and gives honour to the wise, and works gifts of healing, and raises the dead, and breaks chains, and adopts strangers as sons.This He works through a birthing from above. 4 If he receives a believing tax collector, He makes Him an Evangelist, if He comes upon a fisherman, He makes him a theogloian, if He drives a persecutor to penance, He makes him an Apostle of the nations, a preacher of the faith, a vase of election. 5 Through Him the weak become strong, the poor are enriched, and fools and poor speakers shine forth with the wisdom of the wise. Paul was weak and yet by the presence of the Holy Spirit they took rags damp with the sweat of his body for healing. Peter was clothed with an infirm body, by by the indwelling of the grace of the Holy Spirit, the sickness of those whom illness had laid low fled from the shadow of his body. Peter and John were poor men, for they had neither silver nor gold, but they were able to give the health that is more precious than many coins of gold. For He who had been lame for many years, who despite the receipt of much gold was yet a beggar, on receiving Peter's blessing, stopped begging and leapt up like a stag, and praised God. 6 John did not know the wisdom of the world, but by the power of the Holy Spirit he brought forth words which no wisdom can look upon. The Holy Spirit set in heaven fills the earth, and He is everywhere, but nothing contains him. He dwells wholly in each one and He is wholly with God. He does not give gifts in the manner of a servant, but by his own authority He allocates them. He apportions, it is said, to each one as He wills. 7 He is sent forth according to the way of the dispensation, but He acts on His own power. Let us pray to Him that He be in our souls, that He not forsake us at any time, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom glory and rule to forver and ever. Amen. Saint Basil of Caesarea, from Homily 15, On Faith 1 Ps 142.10, Ps 50.12, 13 2 Rom 8.2 3 1 Thes 5.19 4 Jn 3.3 5 Mt 9.9, Mt 4.21-22, Acts 9.15 6 Acts 19.12, Acts 5.15, Acts 3.1-11 7 1 Cor 12.11

Grasping The Word

Καὶ γὰρ ὅταν ὁμολογῶσι Λόγον, τῷ ἐνδιαθέτῳ αὐτὸν παρεικάζουσι· καὶ σοφίαν λέγοντες, ὁμοίαν εἶναι λέγουσι τῇ ἔξει τῇ ἐν ψυχῇ τῶν πεπαιδευμένων συνισταμένῃ· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πρόσωπον ἕν Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἄνθρωπος εἶς λέγεται, οὐ διαιρούμενος ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐνυπρχοντος αὐτῷ λόγου καί τῆς σοφίας. Καίτοι ὁ εὐαγελλιστης εὐθύς ἐκ προοιμίων βοᾷ· καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος, ἰδίαν ὕπαρξιν διδοὺς τῷ Υἱῷ. Εἰ γὰρ ἐν καρδιᾳ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, πῶς ἂν ἐνοήθη Θεός; πῶς δ' ἂν ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν; Ἐπειδὴ οὔτε ὁ ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ λόγος ἄνθρωπος, οὔτε πρὸς οὐτὸν εἶναι λέγεται, ἀλλ' ἐν αὐτῷ. Οὔτε γὰρ ζῶν ἐστιν, οὔτε ὑφεστώς· ὁ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος ζωή ἐστι καὶ ἀλήθεια. Καὶ ὁ μὲν λόγος ὁ ἡμέτερος ὁμοῦ τε ἐλέχθη καὶ οὐκ ἔστι· περὶ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου τί φησιν ὁ Ψαλμός; Εἰς τὸν αἰωνα, Κύριε, ὁ Λόγος σου διαμένει ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας,Ὁμολία ΚΔ', Κατὰ Σαβελλιανῶν, καὶ Ἀρείου, καὶ τῶν Ἀνομοίων Source: Migne PG 31.601a-b

For when they confess the Word, they compare Him with a word which is conceived in the mind, and when they name Him wisdom, they say He is like that which dwells in the soul of the learned, and therefore they profess the Father and the Son to be one person, because man is also said to be one and not divided because of the words in him and because of wisdom. But the evangelist right at the beginning cries out: 'And God was the Word,' 1 giving to the Son His own existence. For if the Word was in the heart, how can He have been understood to be God? And how was He with God? 1 For neither the word which is in man, is man, not is it with him, but it is in him. Nor is it living, nor is it subsisting, but the Word of the God is life and truth. 2 And certainly our word when it has been spoken, it is no more, but what does the Psalm say of the Word of God? 'In eternity, O Lord, your word remains in heaven.' 3 Saint Basil of Caesarea, from Homily 24, Against the Sabellians and Arians and Anomeans 1 Jn 1.1 2 Jn 14.6 3 Ps 118.89

Bringing Glory And Honour

Ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κύρίῳ δόξαν καὶ τιμήν... Ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κύρίῳ, φησὶ, δόξαν καὶ τιμήν. Πῶς οὖν ἡμεῖς, ἡ γῆ καὶ σποδὸς, τᾧ μεγαλῷ Κύρίῳ δόξαν προσφέρομεν; πῶς δὲ καὶ τιμήν; Δόξαν μὲν διὰ τῶν ἀγὰθῶν ἔργων, ὅταν λάμπῃ τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὥστε ἰδόντες τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν δοξάσαι τὸν Πατέρα ἡμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Καὶ διὰ σωφροσύνης καὶ τοῦ ἐπιβάλλοντος τοῖς τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἐπαγγελομένοις ἁγιασμοῦ δοξάσαι δυνατόν ἐστι τὸν Θεὸν κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Παύλου παραίνεσιν, λέγοντος· Δοξάσατε δὴ τὸν Θεὸν ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν. Ταύτην καὶ ἀπειτεῖ παρὰ τῶν εἰς αὐτὸν πιστευόντων καὶ τῷ χαρίσματι τῆς υἱοθεσίας τετιμημένων τὴν δόξαν ὁ Κύριος. Υἱὸς γὰρ φησὶν, δοξὰζει πατέρα· καὶ Εἰ πατήρ εἰμι ἐγὼ, ποῦ ἔστιν ἡ δόξα μου; Τιμὴν δὲ φέρει τῷ Θεῷ ὁ κατὰ τὴν Παροιμίαν τιμῶν τὸν Θεὸν ἀπὸ τῶν δικαίων ἑαυτοῦ πόνων, καὶ ἀπαρχόμενος αὐτῷ ἀπὸ καρπῶν αὐτοῦ δικαιοσύνης. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ὁμιλία Ἐις Τους Ψαλμούς, Εἰς Τον Ψαλμον ΚΗ´ Source: Migne PG 29.283b-c

Bring to the Lord glory and honour... 1 'Bring to the Lord,' he says 'glory and honour.' And how do we, who are earth and ash, bring glory to the Lord on High? How do we bring Him honour? It is by  glory through good works, when our deeds shine before men, so that they who know our works give glory to our Father in heaven. 2 And similarly by temperance and holiness, to those who profess piety, it is possible that there shall come praise to God, according to the exhortation of Paul, who says, 'Glorify God in your members.' 3 Indeed this is the glory that God requires from those who believe in Him, and who are worthy of the gift of adoption. 'For a son,' it is said, 'glorifies the father.' And 'If I am a father where is my glory?' 4 He who brings glory to God, according to Proverbs, is he who honours God by his righteous labours and gives to Him the first fruits of his righteousness. 5 Saint Basil of Caesarea, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 28 1 Ps 28.2 2 Mt 5.16 3 1 Cor 5.20 4 Malachi 2.6 5 Prov 3.9

The Spirit Of Knowledge

Ἐπειδὴ δὲ διὰ δυνάμεως φωτιστικῆς τῷ κάλλει τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου εἰκόνος ἐνατενίζομεν, καὶ δι΄αὐτῆς ἀναγόμεθα ἐπὶ τὸ ὑπέρκαλον τοῦ ἀρχετύπου θέαμα αὐτοῦ που πάρεστιν ἀχωρίστως τὸ τῆς γνώσεως Πνεῦμα τὴν ἐποπτικὴν τῆς εἰκόνος δύναμιν ἐν ἑαυτῷ παρεχόμενον τοῖς τῆς ἀληθείας φιλοθεάμοσιν, οὐκ ἔξωθεν τὴν δεῖξιν ποιούμενον ἀλλ΄ ἐν ἑαυτῷ εἰσάγον πρὸς τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν. Ὡς γὰρ οὐδεὶς οἶδε τὸν Πατέρα εἰ μὴ ὁ Υἱός οὕτως οὐδεὶς δύναται εἰπεῖν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν εἰ μὴ ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ. Οὐ γὰρ διὰ Πνεύματος εἴρηται ἀλλ΄ ἐν Πνεύματι. Καὶ Πνεῦμα ὁ Θεός καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας αὐτὸν ἐν Πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ δεῖ προσκυνεῖν· καθὼς γέγραπται· Ἐν τῷ φωτί σου ὀψόμεθα φῶς τουτέστιν ἐν τῷ φωτισμῷ τοῦ Πνεύματος φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. Ὥστε ἐν ἑαυτῷ δείκνυσι τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Μονογενοῦς καὶ τοῖς ἀληθινοῖς προσκυνηταῖς ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ γνῶσιν παρέχεται. Ἡ τοίνυν ὁδὸς τῆς θεογνωσίας ἐστὶν ἀπὸ ἑνὸς Πνεύματος διὰ τοῦ ἑνὸς Υἱοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν ἕνα Πατέρα. Καὶ ἀνάπαλιν ἡ φυσικὴ ἀγαθότης καὶ ὁ κατὰ φύσιν ἁγιασμός καὶ τὸ βασιλικὸν ἀξίωμα ἐκ Πατρός διὰ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς ἐπὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα διήκει. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Περί Του Ἅγίου Πνεύματος Source: Migne PG 32.153a-b

And since by the power that enlightens we behold the beauty of the image of the invisible God, and by this image we are led up to the supreme beauty of the vision of the archetype, there is with us inseparably the Spirit of knowledge, in Himself supplying those who love the vision of the truth with the power of beholding the image, not making the revelation from without, but in Himself leading on to knowledge. For as 'No man knows the Father but the Son,' 1 so 'no man can say that Jesus is the Lord if not in the Holy Spirit.' 2 For it is not said through the Spirit, but in the Spirit. And 'God is a spirit, and they must worship Him in spirit and in truth.' 3 As it is written 'in your light we shall see light,' 4 that is, by the illumination of the Spirit, 'the true light which lights every man, coming into the world.' 5 Thus in Himself He shows the glory of the Only Begotten, and on true worshipers He supplies in Himself the knowledge of God. Therefore the way of the knowledge of God is from One Spirit through the One Son to the One Father. And conversely the natural Goodness and the inherent Holiness and the royal Dignity extend from the Father through the Only Begotten to the Spirit. Saint Basil of Caesarea, On The Holy Spirit 1 Mt 11.27 2 1 Cor 12.3 3 Jn 4.24 4 Ps 35.10 5 Jn 1.9

Sickness And Wonder

Τί ἔτι; Καλὸν φιλανθρωπία καὶ πτωχοτροφία καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ἀσθενείας βοήθημα. Μικρὸν ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως πρόελθε, καὶ θέασαι τὴν καινὴν πόλιν, τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας ταμεῖον, τὸ κοινὸν τῶν ἐχόντων θησαύρισμα, εἰς ὃ τὰ περιττὰ τοῦ πλούτου, ἤδη δὲ καὶ τὰ ἀναγκαῖα ταῖς ἐκείνου παραινέσεσιν ἀποτίθεται, σῆτας ἀποσειόμενα καὶ κλέπτας οὐκ εὐφραίνοντα καὶ φθόνου πάλην καὶ καιροῦ φθορὰν διαφεύγοντα· ἐν ᾧ νόσος φιλοσοφεῖται καὶ συμφορὰ μακαρίζεται καὶ τὸ συμπαθὲς δοκιμάζεται. Τί μοι πρὸς τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον, ἑπτάπυλοι Θῆβαι καὶ Αἰγύπτιαι καὶ τείχη Βαβυλώνια καὶ Μαυσόλου Καρικὸς τάφος καὶ Πυραμίδες καὶ Κολοσσοῦ χαλκὸς ἄμετρος, ἢ ναῶν μεγέθη καὶ κάλλη τῶν μηκέτι ὄντων, ἄλλα τε ὅσα θαυμάζουσιν ἄνθρωποι καὶ ἱστορίαις διδόασιν, ὧν οὐδὲν τοὺς ἐγείραντας πλὴν δόξης ὀλίγης ὤνησεν; Ἐμοὶ δὲ θαυμασιώτατον, ἡ σύντομος τῆς σωτηρίας ὁδός, ἡ ῥᾴστη πρὸς οὐρανὸν ἀνάβασις. Οὐκ ἔτι πρόκειται τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν θέαμα δεινὸν καὶ ἐλεεινόν, ἄνθρωποι νεκροὶ πρὸ θανάτου καὶ τετελευτηκότες τοῖς πλείστοις τοῦ σώματος μέλεσιν, ἀπελαυ νόμενοι πόλεων, οἰκιῶν, ἀγορῶν, ὑδάτων, αὐτῶν τῶν φιλτάτων, ὀνόμασι μᾶλλον ἢ σώμασι γνωριζόμενοι· οὐδὲ προτίθενται συνόδοις τε καὶ συλλόγοις κατὰ συζυγίαν τε καὶ συναυλίαν, μηκέτ' ἐλεούμενοι διὰ τὴν νόσον, ἀλλὰ μισούμενοι· σοφισταὶ μελῶν ἐλεεινῶν, εἴ τισι καὶ φωνὴ λείπεται. Τί ἂν ἅπαντα ἐκτραγῳδοίην τὰ ἡμέτερα, οὐκ ἀρκοῦντος τοῦ λόγου τῷ πάθει; Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνός γε μάλιστα πάντων ἔπεισεν ἀνθρώπους ὄντας ἀνθρώπων μὴ καταφρονεῖν, μηδ' ἀτιμάζειν Χριστόν, τὴν μίαν πάντων κεφαλήν, διὰ τῆς εἰς ἐκείνους ἀπανθρωπίας· ἀλλ' ἐν ταῖς ἀλλοτρίαις συμφοραῖς τὰ οἰκεῖα εὖ τίθεσθαι, καὶ δανείζειν Θεῷ τὸν ἔλεον, ἐλέου χρῄζοντας. Διὰ τοῦτο, οὐδὲ τοῖς χείλεσιν ἀπηξίου τιμᾶν τὴν νόσον, ὁ εὐγενής τε καὶ τῶν εὖγεγονότων καὶ τὴν δόξαν ὑπέρλαμπρος, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀδελφοὺς ἠσπάζετο, οὐχ ὅπερ ἄν τις ὑπολάβοι κενοδοξῶν, τίς γὰρ τοσοῦτον ἀπεῖχε τοῦ πάθους;, ἀλλὰ τὸ προσιέναι τοῖς σώμασιν ἐπὶ θεραπείᾳ διὰ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ φιλοσοφίας τυπῶν, καὶ φθεγγομένη καὶ σιωπῶσα παραίνεσις. Καὶ οὐχ ἡ μὲν πόλις οὕτως, ἡ χώρα δὲ καὶ τὰ ἐκτὸς ἑτέρως· ἀλλὰ κοινὸν ἅπασιν ἀγῶνα προὔθηκε τοῖς τῶν λαῶν προεστῶσι, τὴν εἰς αὐτοὺς φιλανθρωπίαν καὶ μεγαλοψυχίαν. Καὶ ἄλλων μὲν οἱ ὀψοποιοὶ καὶ αἱ λιπαραὶ τράπεζαι καὶ τὰ μαγείρων μαγγανεύματα καὶ κομψεύματα καὶ οἱ φιλόκαλοι δίφροι, καὶ τῆς ἐσθῆτος ὅση μαλακή τε καὶ περιρρέουσα· Βασιλείου δὲ οἱ νοσοῦντες καὶ τὰ τῶν τραυμάτων ἄκη καὶ ἡ Χριστοῦ μίμησις, οὐ λόγῳ μέν, ἔργῳ δὲ λέπραν καθαίροντος. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος ΜΓ', Εἰς τὸν μέγαν βασίλειον, ἐπίσκοπον Καισαρείας Καππαδοκίας, ἐπιτὰφιος Source: Migne PG 36.577c-580c

What more? Philanthropy is noble, and also support of the poor, and aid given to human infirmity. Go a little way from the city and behold a new city, a storehouse of piety, a common treasury of those who possess, in which the excesses of their wealth, and even their necessities, because of his exhortations, are stored, from which the moth has been shaken and which no more appear pleasing to the thief, 1 escaping the strife of envy and the corruption of time's passing. There sickness is regarded philosophically, and misfortune is thought a blessing, and sympathy is put to the test. Why should I compare this work with Thebes of the seven gates, and Egyptian Thebes, and the walls of Babylon, and the Carian tomb of Mausolus, and the Pyramids, and the immeasurable bronze weight of the Colossus, or the size and beauty of shrines that are no longer exist, and all those other things at which men wonder, and of the historic record, from which those who raised them gained nothing but a small scrap of fame? Mine is the most wonderful, it is the short road to salvation, the easy ascent to heaven. No longer before our eyes is set a terrible and piteous spectacle, men dead before death, the greater part of whose limbs have been mortified, who have been driven away from their cities and homes and public places and fountains, and even from their loved ones, who are now recognised only by their names rather than by their features. They are no longer placed before us at our gatherings and meetings, according to our associations and fellowships, and those composers of tragic songs are not pitied but abhorred, if any of them still have a voice. Why should I try to express in tragic style all our experiences, when no tongue can measure the suffering? But it was him above all others who persuaded men not to despise those who are men, nor dishonour Christ, the one Head of all, by their inhumanity toward them, but to use the misfortunes of others to firmly establish themselves, and to lend to God that mercy of which they have need. Therefore He did not disdain to honour disease with his lips, even though he was noble, and of good lineage and of brilliant reputation, but he greeted them as brothers, and not, as some may suppose, from vainglory; for who was so far removed from such an affliction? But he took the lead in tending to bodies, as a consequence of his philosophy, and so gave not only spoken but also silent instruction. The effect of this is seen not only in the city, but in the country and beyond. Even the foremost of the people have competed with one another in their philanthropy and generosity to them. Others had their cooks, and expensive tables, and the dishes and dainties of gourmands, and exquisite carriages, and soft and flowing robes, Basil had the sick and the healing of their wounds, and the imitation of Christ, by cleansing leprosy, not by a word, but by action. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 43, Funeral Oration on Saint Basil the Great, Bishop of Cæsarea in Cappadocia. 1 Mt 6.19-20

The Rams

Ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κύρίῳ, υἱοὶ Θεοῦ, ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κύρίῳ υἱοὺς κριῶν. Ὁ κριὸς τοίνυν ἡγεμονικόν ἐστι ζῶον, καθηγούμενον τῶν προβάτων ἐπί τε νομὰς τροφίμους καὶ ἀναπαύσεις ὑδάτων, καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ σηκνοὺς καὶ ἐπαύλεις. Τοιοῦτοι δέ τινες καὶ οἱ τῆς ποίμνης τοῦ Χριστοῦ προεστῶτες· προάγοντες μὲν ἐπὶ τὰς εὐανθεῖς καὶ εὐώδεις τῆς πνευματικῆς διδασκαλίας τροφὰς, καὶ ὕδατι ζῶντι τῇ ἐπιχορηγίᾳ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἄρδοντες καὶ ὑψοῦντες καὶ πρὸς καρποφορίαν ἐκτρέφοντες· ὁδηγοῦντες δὲ πρὸς ἀνάπαυσιν, καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπι βουλευόντων ἀσφάλειαν. Τούτων οὖν τοὺς υἱοὺς παρὰ τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ προσάγεσθα βούλεται τῷ Κυρίῳ ὁ λόγος. Εἰ δὲ κριοὶ οἱ προηγούμενοι τῶν λοιπῶν, υἱοὶ ἂν τούτων εἶεν οἱ πρὸς τὸν κατ' ἀρετὴν βίον διὰ τῆς τῶν ἀγὰθῶν ἔργων σπουδῆς ἐκ τῆς διδασκαλίας τῶν προεστώτων μεμορφωμένοι. Ἐνέγκατε οὖν, τῷ Κύρίῳ, υἱοὶ Θεοῦ, ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κύρίῳ υἱοὺς κριῶν. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ὁμιλία Ἐις Τους Ψαλμούς, Εἰς Τον Ψαλμον ΚΗ´ Source: Migne PG 29.283a-b

Bring to the Lord, sons of God, bring to the Lord sons of the rams. 1 The ram is the leader of the others, he goes before the sheep to the pasture of the field, and to the refreshment of the waters, and again he goes back home and to the fold. Such are the foremost of the flock of Christ, who lead it to fair flowers, to the sweet scented nourishment of spiritual teaching, and bountifully bestowed with the Holy Spirit they water with the water of life, and they raise up, and they nourish to the yielding of fruit, and leading to rest, they bring to safety against those who plot against them. Therefore the sons of these, by the sons of God, he wishes to be brought to the Lord. Because if the rams are leaders of others, the sons are those who have been fashioned to the virtuous life through desire for good works by the teaching of the foremost among them. Bring, then, to the Lord, sons of God, bring to the Lord, the sons of the rams. Saint Basil of Caesarea, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 28 1 Ps 28.1

Beginnings

Οἱ γὰρ Θεὸν ἀγνοήσαντες, αἰτίαν ἔμφρονα προεστάναι τῆς γενέσεως τῶν ὅλων οὐ συνεχώρησαν, ἀλλ᾿ οἰκείως τῇ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀγνοίᾳ τὰ ἐφεξῆς συνεπέραναν. Διὰ τοῦτο οἱ μὲν ἐπὶ τὰς ὑλικὰς ὑποθέσεις κατέφυγον, τοῖς τοῦ κόσμου στοιχείοις τὴν αἰτίαν τοῦ παντὸς ἀναθέντες· οἱ δὲ ἄτομα καὶ ἀμερῆ σώματα, καὶ ὄγκους καὶ πόρους συνέχειν τὴν φύσιν τῶν ὁρατῶν ἐφαντάσθησαν. Νῦν μὲν γὰρ συνιόντων ἀλλήλοις τῶν ἀμερῶν σωμάτων, νῦν δὲ μετασυγκρινομένων, τὰς γενέσεις καὶ τὰς φθορὰς ἐπιγίνεσθαι· καὶ τῶν διαρκεστέρων σωμάτων τὴν ἰσχυροτέραν τῶν ἀτόμων ἀντεμπλοκὴν τῆς διαμονῆς τὴν αἰτίαν παρέχειν. Ὄντως ἱστὸν ἀράχνης ὑφαίνουσιν οἱ ταῦτα γράφοντες, οἱ οὕτω λεπτὰς καὶ ἀνυποστάτους ἀρχὰς οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς καὶ θαλάσσης ὑποτιθέμενοι. Οὐ γὰρ ᾔδεσαν εἰπεῖν, Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν. Διὰ τοῦτο ἀκυβέρνητα καὶ ἀδιοίκητα εἶναι τὰ σύμπαντα, ὡς ἂν τύχῃ φερόμενα, ὑπὸ τῆς ἐνοικούσης αὐτοῖς ἀθεότητος ἠπατήθησαν. Ὅπερ ἵνα μὴ πάθωμεν ἡμεῖς, ὁ τὴν κοσμοποιίαν συγγράφων εὐθὺς ἐν τοῖς πρώτοις ῥήμασι τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν διάνοιαν ἡμῶν κατεφώτισεν, εἰπών, Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεός. Τί καλὴ ἡ τάξις; Ἀρχὴν πρῶτον ἐπέθηκεν, ἵνα μὴ ἄναρχον αὐτὸν οἰηθῶσί τινές. Εἶτα ἐπήγαγε τό, Ἐποίησεν, ἵνα δειχθῇ, ὅτι ἐλάχιστον μέρος τῆς τοῦ δημιουργοῦ δυνάμεώς ἐστι τὸ ποιηθέν. Ὡς γὰρ ὁ κεραμεὺς ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς τέχνης μυρία διαπλάσας σκεύη, οὔτε τὴν τέχνην οὔτε δύναμιν ἐξανάλωσεν· οὕτω καὶ ὁ τοῦ παντὸς τούτου δημιουργὸς, οὐχ ἑνὶ κόσμῳ σύμμετρον τὴν ποιητικὴν ἔχων δύναμιν, ἀλλ᾿ εἰς τὸ ἀπειροπλάσιον ὑπερβαίνουσαν. Ἅγιος Βασιλειος Καισαρείας, Εις Την ῾Εξαημερον, Ὁμιλὶα A' Source Migne PG 29.8a-c

Those who were ignorant of God could not allow an intelligent cause to preside at the birth of all things, for which initial error there were successive consequences. Because of this some took themselves to matter as the principle and attributed the origin of everything to the elements of the world. Others imagined that atoms and indivisible bodies, joined together with hooks and hollows, were the nature of the visible world. For these indivisible bodies, now reuniting and now separating, produce births and deaths, and the stronger binding of the atoms was held to be the cause of the consistency of more durable bodies. A true spider's web is woven by these writers who give so weak an origin and so little a consistency to heaven and to earth and to sea. For they knew not how to say 'In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.' 1 Deceived by atheism dwelling within, it appeared to them that nothing governed or ordered or ruled all things, so that all was chance. So lest we so err, the writer on the creation, immediately with the very first words, enlightens our understanding with the name of God, 'In the beginning God created...' 1 Is it not a beautiful arrangement? First he establishes a beginning, so that no one might think that there was no beginning. Then he adds 'Created' in order to show that which was made was a very small part of the power of the Creator. Just as a potter, having made a great number of vessels out of his art, has not exhausted either his art or his power, so this maker's power was not bounded by one world, but could extend to the infinite. Saint Basil of Caesarea, Hexameron, from Homily 1 1 Gen 1.1

Remembering And Thanking

Διακόνοις θυγατράσι Τερεντίου Κόμητος Ἐγὼ καὶ Σαμοσάτοις ἐπιστὰς προσεδόκησα συντεύξαθαι τῇ κοσμιότητι ὑμῶν: καὶ ἐπειδὴ διήμαρτον τῆς συντυχίας, οὐ μετρίως ἤνεγκα τὴν ζημίαν, λογιζόμενος πότε εἴη ἢ ἐμοὶ δυνατὸν πάλιν πλησιάσαι τοῖς καθ̓ ὑμᾶς χωρίοις ἢ ὑμῖν αἱρετὸν τὴν ἡμετέραν καταλαβεῖν. Ἀλλ̓ ἐκεῖνα μὲν κείσθω ἐν τῷ θελήματι τοῦ Κυρίου. Τὸ δὲ νῦν ἔχον, ἐπειδὴ εὗρον τὸν υἱὸν Σωφρόνιον πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐξορμῶντα, ἡδέως αὐτῷ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἐπέθηκα ταύτην, προσηγορίαν ὑμῖν κωμίζουσαν καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν γνώμην δηλοῦσαν, ὅτι οὐ διαλιμπάνομεν τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι μεμνημένοι ὑμῶν, καὶ εὐχαριστοῦντες ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ ὅτι ἀγαθῆς ῥίζης ἀγαθὰ βλαστήματά ἐστε, ἔγκαρπα τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἔργοις, καὶ τῷ ὄντι ὡς κρίνα ἐν μέσῳ ἀκανθῶν. Tὸ γὰρ ὑπὸ τοσαύτης διαστροφῆς τῶν παραφθειρόντων τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας περικυκλουμένας μὴ ἐνδοῦναι πρὸς τὰς ἀπάτας, μηδὲ τὸ ἀποστολικὸν τῆς πίστεως κήρυγμα καταλιπούσας πρὸς τὴν νῦν ἐπιπολάζουσαν καινοτομίαν μετατεθῆναι, πῶς οὐχὶ μεγάλης μὲν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν εὐχαριστίας ἄξιον, μεγάλους δὲ ὑμῖν ἐπαίνους δικαιότατα προξενεῖ; Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ἐπιστολή ΡΕ´ Source: Migne PG 32.512c-513a

To the deaconesses, daughters of Count Terentius. I hoped to have met you upstanding ladies at Samosata, but as it happened we did not meet, and since it was a blow not easily to be borne, I thought to myself: When will it be possible for me to be in your neighbourhood again? Or when will it be agreeable to you to come to mine? But all these things must be left to the will of the Lord. As for the present, because I found that my son Sophronius was setting out to come to you, I happily gave him this letter, to convey to you my greetings and to make it clear to your minds that, by God's grace, I do not forget you, and that I give thanks to the Lord for you, that you are good shoots of a good root, fruitful in good works, and truly like lilies among thorns. 1 For surrounded by the great perversity of those who are corrupting the word of truth, you do not give in to their deceits. You have not, abandoning the Apostolic proclamation of faith, gone over to the novelty that has now risen up among us. How is this not worthy of great thanksgiving to God? Shall this not rightly bring you great glory? Saint Basil of Caesarea, from Letter 105 1 Song 2.2

Fairness And Beauty

Τῇ ὡραῖον τοῦ κάλλους διαφέρει· ὅτι τὸ μὲν ὡραῖον λέγεται τὸ συμπεπληρωμένον εἰς τὸν ἐπιτήδειον καιρὸν πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀκμήν· ὡς ὡραῖος ὁ σῖτος, ὁ ὥριμος ἤδη πρὸς θερισμον· καὶ ὡραῖος ὁ καρπὸς τῆς ἀμπέλου, ὁ τὴν οἱκείαν πέψιν εἰς τελείωσιν ἑαυτοῦ διὰ τῆς τοῦ ἕτους ὥρας ἀπολαβὼν καὶ ἐπιτὴδειος εἰς ἀπόλαυσιν· κάλλος δὲ ἐστι τὸ ἐν τῇ συνθέσει τῶν μελῶν εὐάρμοστον ἐπανθοῠσαν αὐτῷ τὴν χάριν ἔχον. Τῇ ὡραιότητί σου, τουτέστιν, ἐν τῷ πληρώματι τῶν καιρῶν· καὶ τῷ κάλλει σου, τῇ θεωρητῇ καὶ νοητῇ θεότητι. Ἐκεῖνο γὰρ τὸ ὄντως καλὸν, τὸ κατάληψιν πᾶσαν ἀνθρωπίνην καὶ δύναμιν ὑπερβαῖνον, καὶ διανοίᾳ μόνῃ θεωρητόν. Καὶ ἐγνώριζον αὐτοῦ τὸ κάλλος οἱ μαθηταὶ, οἶς ἐπέλυε τὰς παραβολὰς κατ' ἰδίαν, Εἰδον δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ κάλλος Πέτρος καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ τῆς βροντῆς ἐν τῷ ὅρει, ὑπερλάμπον τὴν τοῦ ἡλίου λαμπρότητα, καὶ τὰ προοίμια τῆς ἐνδόξου αὐτοῦ παρουσίας ὀφθαλμοῖς λαβεῖν κατηξιώθησαν. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ὁμιλία Ἐις Τους Ψαλμούς, Εἰς Τον Ψαλμον ΜΔ´ Source: Migne PG 29.400b-d

Fairness and beauty differ, For that is called fair, which has come to completeness in some span of time to its own proper maturity. For example, wheat is called fair when it has grown to harvest, and the fruit of the wine is called fair which has come to its ripeness through the hours of the year and is now appropriate for use. Beauty, however, is an ordering of things, which is made by the arrangement of members, so that it has grace shining forth from itself. 'Your fairness,' that is, in the fulness of time, 'and your beauty,' 1 that is, the Divinity which is able to be apprehended by contemplation and reason. And that is true beauty, that which exceeds all human understanding and ability, which with the mind alone one is able to contemplate. For the disciples knew His beauty, He who explained the parables to them in secret. 2 And Peter and the Sons of Thunder 3 saw His beauty on the mountain, 4 His brightness surpassing the splendour of the sun, and with their eyes they were worthy to see the foretaste of His coming in glory. Saint Basil of Caesarea, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 44 1 Ps 44.5 2 Mt 13.11, 36-43 3 Mk 3.17 4 Mt 17.1-2

The Firmament And Speech

Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς γενηθήτω στερέωμα ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ ὕδατος, καὶ ἔστω διαχωρίζον ἀνὰ μέσον ὕδατος καὶ ὕδατος. Ἤδη καὶ χθὲς ἠκούσαμεν Θεοῦ ῥημάτων, Γενηθήτω φῶς. Καὶ σήμερον, Γενηθήτω στερέωμα. Πλέον δέ τι ἔχειν δοκεῖ τὰ παρόντα, ὅτι οὐκ ἀπέμεινεν ὁ λόγος ἐν ψιλῷ τῷ προστάγματι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν καθ᾿ ἣν ἐπιζητεῖται τοῦ στερεώματος ἡ κατασκευὴ προσδιώρισεν. Ἵνα διαχωρίζῃ, φησίν, ἀνὰ μέσον ὕδατος καὶ ὕδατος. Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ἀναλαβόντες ζητῶμεν, πῶς ὁ Θεὸς διαλέγεται. Ἆρα τὸν ἡμέτερον τρόπον, πρότερον μὲν ὁ ἀπὸ τῶν πραγμάτων τύπος ἐγγίνεται τῇ νοήσει, ἔπειτα μετὰ τὸ φαντασθῆναι, ἀπὸ τῶν ὑποκειμένων τὰς οἰκείας καὶ προσφυεῖς ἑκάστου σημασίας ἐκλεγόμενος ἐξαγγέλλει; εἶτα τῇ ὑπηρεσίᾳ τῶν φωνητικῶν ὀργάνων παραδοὺς τὰ νοηθέντα, οὕτω διὰ τῆς τοῦ ἀέρος τυπώσεως, κατὰ τὴν ἔναρθρον τῆς φωνῆς κίνησιν, ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ νόημα σαφηνίζει; Καὶ πῶς οὐ μυθῶδες τῆς τοιαύτης περιόδου λέγειν τὸν Θεὸν χρῄζειν πρὸς τὴν τῶν νοηθέντων δήλωσιν; Ἢ εὐσεβέστερον λέγειν, ὅτι τὸ θεῖον βούλημα καὶ ἡ πρώτη ὁρμὴ τοῦ νοεροῦ κινήματος, τοῦτο Λόγος ἐστὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ; Σχηματίζει δὲ αὐτὸν διεξοδικῶς ἡ Γραφή, ἵνα δείξῃ ὅτι οὐχὶ γενέσθαι μόνον ἐβουλήθη τὴν κτίσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ διά τινος συνεργοῦ παραχθῆναι ταύτην εἰς γέννησιν. Ἐδύνατο γὰρ, ὡς ἐξ ἀρχῆς εἶπε, περὶ πάντων ἐπεξελθεῖν, Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν· εἶτα, Ἐποίησε φῶς· εἶτα, Ἐποίησε τὸ στερέωμα· νῦν δὲ τὸν Θεὸν προστάττοντα καὶ διαλεγόμενον εἰσάγουσα, τὸν ᾧ προστάσσει καὶ ᾧ διαλέγεται κατὰ τὸ σιωπώμενον ὑποφαίνει οὐ βασκαίνουσα ἡμῖν τῆς γνώσεως, ἀλλ᾿ ἐκκαίουσα ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὸν πόθον, di᾿ ὧν ἴχνη τινὰ καὶ ἐμφάσεις ὑποβάλλει τοῦ ἀπορρήτου. Τὸ γὰρ πόνῳ κτηθὲν, περιχαρῶς ὑπεδέχθη καὶ φιλοπόνως διεφυλάχθη· ὧν μέντοι πρόχειρος ὁ πορισμὸς, τούτων ἡ κτῆσις εὐκαταφρόνητος. Διὰ τοῦτο ὁδῷ τινι καὶ τάξει ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν περὶ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς ἔννοιαν προσβιβάζει. Καίτοιγε τοῦ ἐν φωνῇ λόγου οὐδὲ οὕτως ἦν χρεία τῇ ἀσωμάτῳ φύσει, αὐτῶν τῶν νοηθέντων μεταδίδοσθαι δυναμένων τῷ συνεργοῦντι. Ὥστε τίς χρεία λόγου τοῖς δυναμένοις ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ νοήματος κοινωνεῖν ἀλλήλοις τῶν βουλευμάτων; Φωνὴ μὲν γὰρ δι᾿ ἀκοήν, καὶ ἀκοὴ φωνῆς ἕνεκεν. Ὅπου δὲ οὐκ ἀὴρ, οὐχὶ γλῶσσα, οὐχὶ οὖς, οὐ πόρος σκολιὸς ἐπὶ τὴν ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ συναίσθησιν ἀναφέρων τοὺς ψόφους, ἐκεῖ οὐδὲ ῥημάτων χρεία, ἀλλ᾿ ἐξ αὐτῶν, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, τῶν ἐν καρδίᾳ νοημάτων τοῦ θελήματος ἡ μετάδοσις. Ὅπερ οὖν ἔφην, ὥστε διαναστῆναι τὸν νοῦν ἡμῶν πρὸς τὴν ἔρευναν τοῦ προσώπου πρὸς ὃν οἱ λόγοι, σοφῶς καὶ ἐντέχνως τὸ σχῆμα τοῦτο τῆς διαλέκτου παρείληπται. Ἅγιος Βασιλειος Καισαρείας, Εις Την ῾Εξαημερον, Ὁμιλὶα Γ' Source Migne PG 29.54c-56c

And God said 'Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.' 1 Yesterday we heard the words of God: 'Let there be light.' And today: 'Let there be a firmament.' There appears to be something more in this, for the word is not limited only to a command, but it lays down the reason for the need of establishing the structure of the firmament. Which is, it is said, to separate the waters from the waters. And then let us first ask how God speaks. Is it in our way, when the intelligence receives an impression from objects, and, after having conceived them, declares them by particular signs appropriate to each? Is there need of the organs of the voice to convey thoughts and thus a striking of the air by the articulate movement of the voice to reveal the hidden thought? How is it not like a myth to say that God needs such a circuitous method to manifest His thoughts? Is it not more pious to say that the Divine will and the first impetus of intelligence are the Word of God? It is He whom Scripture represents, to show us that God has not only wished to create the world, but to do so with the attendance of a fellow worker in the beginning. For it was possible that Scripture from the start might say: 'In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, then He created light, then He created the firmament.' But now by having God command and speak, Scripture silently shows us Him to Whom this order and these words are addressed, not that by that it veil knowledge to us, but that it might kindle us a desire by showing us some vestige and appearance of the mystery. We grasp with delight and carefully retain the fruit of laborious efforts, while a possession easily attained is despised. By this way and arrangement it leads us to the idea of the Only Begotten. Now certainly the immaterial nature had no need of the material language of a voice, since thoughts could be transmitted to the fellow worker. What need then of speech, for those who by thought alone could give their counsels to one another? The voice was made for hearing, hearing for the voice. Where there is neither air, nor tongue, nor ear, nor that winding canal which bears sound to the perception in the head, there is no need for words, but without these, as one may say, the thoughts of the heart convey the will. So as I said, to set our minds seeking the person to whom the words are addressed, this wise and ingenious from is given. Saint Basil of Caesarea, Hexameron, from Homily 3 1 Gen 1.6

The Word And The Beginning

Ἐπιζητεῖ δὲ ἡμῶν ἡ διάνοια, τίς ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ; Ὁ Λόγος, φησί. Ποῖος λόγος; ὁ ἀνθρώπος λόγος; ἀλλ' ὁ τῶν ἀγγέλων λὸγος; Και γὰρ ἠνίξατο ἡμῖν ὁ Ἀπὸστολος, ὡς καὶ ῶν ἀγγέλων ἰδίαν ἐχόντων γλῶσσαν, εἰπών· Ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων, Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοϋ λόγον διπλῆ τίς φωνῆς προφερόμενος, οὗτος ὁ μετὰ τὸ προενεχθῆναι τῷ ἀέρι ἐναπολλύμενος· ὁ δέ τίς ἐστιν ὁ ἐνδιάθετος, ἐνυπᾴρχων ἡμῶν ταῖς καρδίας· ὁ ἐννοηματικός. Καὶ ἄλλος, ὁ τεχνικὸς λόγος. Ὅρα μήποτε σε παρακρούσηται τὸ ὁμώνυμον τῆς φωνῆς. Πῶς γὰρ ᾔν ἐν ἀρχῇ ὁ ἀνθρώπινος λόγος, τοῦ ἀνθρώπου κάτω που λαβόντος τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς γενέσεως; Πρὸ ἀνθρώπου θηρία· πρὸ ἀνωρώπου κτήνη, τὰ ἑρμετα πάντα· ὅσα χερσαῖα, καὶ ὅσα ἔνυδρα, πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανου, ἀστερες, ἥλιος, σελήνη, βοτάναι, σπέρματα, γῆ, θάλαταα, οὐρανός. Οὐ τοίνυν ἐν ἀρχῇ ἧν ὁ ἀνθρώπινος λόγος, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ὁ τῶν αγγέλλων. Πᾶσα γὰρ ἡ κτίσις κατωτέρα τῶν αἰώνων ἐστὶ, τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ εἰναι λαβοῦσα παρὰ τοῦ κτίσαντος. Ὁ δὲ ἐν καρδίᾳ λόγος, καὶ αὐτος ἐκάστου τῶν νοηθέντων ἐστὶ νεώτερος. Ἀλλ' ἄκουε τοῦ λόγου θεοπρεπῶς. Περὶ γὰρ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς διαλεγόμενος σοι, Λόγον εἴπεν αὐτόν. Ὥωπερ οὖν καὶ φῶς μετ' ὀλιγον ἐρεῖ, κὰ ζωὴν, καὶ ἀνάστασιν, καὶ οὔτε φῶς ἀκούσας, ἐπὶ τὸ αἰσθητὸν τοῦτο καὶ ὀφθαλμοῖς ὁρατὸν καταφέρη, οὔτε ζωὴν ἀκούσας, τήν κοινὴν ταύτην νοεϊς, ἤν καὶ τὰ ἄλογα ζῇ· οὕτω καὶ Λόγον ἀκούων, φύλαξαι μὴποτε τῇ σῃ ἀσθενείᾳ τῆς διανοίας πρὸς χαμαιζήλους καὶ ταπεινὰς διανοίας ὑπενεχθῇς. Ἀλλ' ἐρεύνα τὴν διάνοιαν τοῦ ῥήματος. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ὁμιλια ΙϚ, Εἰς τὸ, Ἐν ἁρχῇ ἧν ὁ Λόγος, Source: Migne PG 31.476c-477b

Now seek with your mind: what was in the beginning? A word, it says. 1 What word? A human word? A word of angels? For the Apostle tells us that even angels have tongues, when he says: 'If I speak with the tongues of men or angels...' 2 Now there is a twofold understanding of 'word', for there is one thing that is given forth by the voice and that after it is brought forth perishes in the air, and another which is within, situated in our hearts, the mental word. And there is yet another word, written speech. Take care lest you are deceived by the ambiguity of the meaning. For how in the beginning was there a human word when man received his beginning and origin after that? Before men there were beasts, before men there were cattle, and reptiles of the land and of the sea, and birds of heaven and the stars and the sun and the moon and plants and seeds and the earth and the sea and heaven. Thus in the beginning there was no human word and no angelic one either. For every created thing had its time after, receiving the beginning of its existence from the Creator. Before is the word that is set in the soul and is the first of each thing of the intellect. Attend to the word that is worthy of God. For when it is spoken to you about the Unbegotten, the Word tells it. As then it is told a little after of light and life and resurrection, yet do not hear light as that sensible visible light on which the eye is dependent for vision, nor when you hear life understand the common life which beasts and animals possess, and thus when you hear 'The Word', take care lest because of a weakness of mind you fall into thoughts which are worldly and base. Rather seek the correct understanding of what is said. Saint Basil of Caesarea, from Homily 16, On 'In The Beginning was the Word' 1 Jn 1.1 2 1 Cor 13.1