Different Teaching

Οἱ μὲν γὰρ δέονται γάλακτι τρέφεσθαι, τοῖς ἁπλουστέροις καὶ στοιχειωδεστέροις τῶν διδαγμάτων, ὅσοι τὴν ἕξιν νήπιοι καὶ ἀρτιπαγεῖς, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, τὴν ἀνδρείαν τοῦ λόγου τροφὴν οὐ φέροντες· ἣν εἰ προσάγοι τις παρὰ δύναμιν, τάχα ἂν καταπιεσθέντες καὶ βαρηθέντες, οὐχ ἐξαρχούσης τῆς διανοίας, ὥσπερ ἐχεῖ τῆς ὕλης τὸ ἐπεισελθὸν ἑλχῦσαι καὶ οἰχειώσασθα!, ζημιωθεῖεν ἂν καὶ εἰς τὴν ἀρχαίαν δύναμιν· οἱ δὲ τῆς ἐν τοῖς τελείοις λαλουμένης σοφίας χρήζοντες “ἧς ὑψηλοτέρας καὶ στεῤῥυτέρας, τῷ πρὸς διάχρὶσιν ἀληθοῦς τε καὶ ψευδοῦς; ἱχανῶ: γεγυμνάσθαι τὰ αἰσθητήρια, εἰ γάλα ποτίξοιντο καὶ τρέφοιντο λαχάνοις, ἀσθενῶν βρώματι, δυσχεραίνοιεν ἄν" καὶ μάλα εἰχότως, οὐ δυναμούμενοι κατὰ Χριστὸν, οὐδὲ αὔξοντες τὴν ἐπαινετὴν αὔξησιν, ἣν ἐργάζεται λόγος τελειῶν εἰς ἄνδρα, καὶ εἰς μέτρον ἡλιχίας ἄγων πνευματιχῆς, τὸν καλῶς τρεφόμενον. αὶ πρὸς ταῦτα τίς ἱκαγός; Οὐ γάρ ἔσμεν ὡς οἱ πολλοὶ χαπηλεύειν δυνάμενοι τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ ἀναμιγνύναι τὸν οἶνον ὕδατ· τὸν εὐφραίνοντα καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου λόγον τῷ πολλῷ καὶ εὐώνῳ καὶ χαμαὶ συρομένῳ καὶ ἐξιτήλῳ καὶ εἰχῆ ῥέοντι, ὥστε αὐτοί τι παραχερδαίνειν ἐκ τῆς καπηλείας, ἄλλὸ τε ἄλλως ὁμιλοῦντες τοῖς πλησιάζουσι καὶ πᾶσι πρὸς χάριν· ἐγγαστρίμυθοί τινες ὄντες καὶ κενολύγοι, τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἡδονὰς θεραπεύοντες λόγοις ἐκ γῆς φωνουμένοις καὶ δυομένοις εῑς γῆν· ὡς ἂν μάλιστα εὐδοκιμοῖμεν τοῖς πολλοῖς, ὅτι μάλιστα ζημιοῦντες αὐτοὺς. ἃ ἀπολλύντες, καὶ αἷμα ἀθῶον ἁπλουστέρων ψυχῶν ἐκχέοντες ἐχ τῶν χειρῶν ἡμῶν ἐκζητηθησόμενον. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος B' Source: Migne PG 35.453c-456a

For some need to be fed with the milk of the simplest and most elementary teachings, those who are in an infant state and, so to say, new-made, and unable to bear the adult food of the word, for if it were to be presented to them beyond their strength, they would likely be overwhelmed and burdened owing to an immaturity of the mind, as happens with the digestion and assimilation of material bodies, and it may even be to the harm of their original power. Others are in need of the wisdom which is spoken among the perfect, 1 and the higher and more solid food, since their senses have been sufficiently exercised to discern the true and the false, 2 and therefore if they are given milk to drink and the diet of invalids, 3 they will be upset, and indeed rightly, for they will not be strengthened according to Christ, nor make that laudable increase which the Word works for the perfecting of men, bringing a man to the measure of spiritual stature with correct nourishment. 4 And who is capable in these things? For we are not, as the many, able to corrupt the word of truth, and mix in water with the wine which gladdens the heart of man, 5 that is, with much that is common and vile and and debased, and of the serpent's earth, all transient and vainly passing away, like some shopkeeper, so that he may profit himself by it, and that we may in some way accommodate ourselves to those we meet, gaining the assent of everyone, as ventriloquists and chatterers do, who serve their own pleasures by words uttered from the earth, and who sink into the earth, so that they may gain the greatest glory and a celebrated name among the multitude, while utterly injuring and indeed ruining ourselves, and shedding the innocent blood of simpler souls, which will be required at our hands. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from the Second Oration 1 Cor 2.6 2 Heb 5.14 3 Rom 14.2 4 Ephes 4.13 5 2 Cor 2 16-17, Isaiah 1.22, Ps 103.15

Receiving The Word

Ὁ γὰρ αὐτὸς Λόγος, καὶ φοβερὸς τοῖς οὐκ ἀξίοις διὰ τὴν φύσιν, καὶ χωρητὸς διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν τοῖς οὕτως ηὐτρεπισμένοις· ὅσοι τὸ ἀκάθαρτον καὶ ὑλικὸν πνεῦμα τῶν ψυχῶν ἀπελάσαντες, καὶ τὰς ἑαυτῶν ψυχὰς τῇ ἐπιγνώσει σαρώσαντες καὶ κοσμήσαντες, μηδὲ ἀργὴν, μηδὲ ἄπρακτον εἴασαν, ὥστε μετὰ πλείονος τῆς παρασκευῆς, αὖθις καταληφθῆναι ὑπὸ τῶν ἑπτὰ τῆς κακίας πνευμάτων, ὅσα καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀπηρίθμηται, τὸ γὰρ δυσμαχώτερον, περι σπουδαστότερον· ἀλλὰ πρὸς τῷ φεύγειν τὴν κακίαν, καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐργάζονται, ὅλον τὸν Χριστὸν, ἢ ὅτι μάλιστα, ἑαυτοῖς εἰσοικίσαντες, ὥστε μηδενὶ κενῷ τὴν πονηρὰν δύναμιν ὁμιλήσασαν, ἑαυτῆς πάλιν πληρῶσαι, καὶ γενέσθαι τὰ ἔσχατα χείρονα τῶν πρώτων, διὰ τὸ τῆς καταδρομῆς σφοδρότερον, καὶ τὸ τῆς φρουρᾶς ἀσφαλέστερον καὶ δυσαλωτότερον. Ὅταν δὲ πάσῃ φυλακῇ τηρήσαντες τὴν ἑαυτῶν ψυχὴν, καὶ ἀναβάσεις ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ διαθέμενοι, καὶ νεώσαντες ἑαυτοῖς νεώματα, καὶ σπείραντες εἰς δικαιοσύνην, ὡς Σολομῶντι, καὶ ∆αβὶδ, καὶ Ἱερεμίᾳ δοκεῖ, φωτίσωμεν ἑαυτοῖς φῶς γνώσεως· τηνικαῦτα λαλῶμεν Θεοῦ σοφίαν ἐν μυστηρίῳ τὴν ἀποκεκρυμμένην, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐκλάμπωμεν. Τέως δὲ καθαιρώμεθα καὶ προτελώμεθα τῷ Λόγῳ, ἵν' ὅτι μάλιστα αὐτοὺς ἡμᾶς εὐεργετῶμεν, θεοειδεῖς ἐργαζόμενοι, καὶ ἥκοντα τὸν Λόγον ὑποδεχόμενοι· οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ κρατοῦντες, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις προφαίνοντες. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος ΛΘ', Εἰς τὰ ἅγια Φῶτα Source: Migne PG 36.344d-345b

For the same Word which is fearful through its nature to those who are unworthy, can be received through its loving kindness by those who are thus prepared, who have cast out the unclean and worldly spirit from their souls, and have swept and adorned their own souls by self-examination, and have not left them idle nor without deeds so that they are possessed once more with greater armament by the seven spirits of wickedness, which are the same number as the virtues, for that which it is difficult to fight against calls for greater efforts. But as well as fleeing from evil, they practice virtue, making Christ entirely, or to the greatest extent, dwell within them, so that no evil power will find an empty place to fill again with itself and make the last state worse than the first, 1 and that because of the greater zeal of its attack against the greater strength and impregnability of the fort. When, then, we have set every guard about our soul, and have appointed ascents in the heart, and have broken up our fallow ground and sown for righteousness, 2 as David and Solomon and Jeremiah proclaim, let us enlighten ourselves with the light of knowledge, and let us speak of the Wisdom of God that has been hid in a mystery, 3 and let us enlighten others. Meanwhile let us purify ourselves and prepare for the Word, so that we may do ourselves the greatest good, making ourselves godlike, and then receiving the Word at His coming, and not only that, but holding Him fast, let us even reveal Him to others. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 39, On The Holy Lights 1 Mt 12.43 2 Ps 83.6, Jerem 4.3, Prov 11.18 3 2 Cor 2.6

Death And Ourselves

Νυνὶ δὴ ἀφεὶς τοὺς θρήνους εἰς ἐμαυτὸν βλέψω, μή τι θρήνων ἄξιον λάθω φέρων, καὶ τὰ ἐμαυτοῦ περισκέψομαι. Υἱοὶ ἀνθρώπων, μέτεισι γὰρ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ὁ λόγος, ἕως πότε βαρυκάρδιοι καὶ παχεῖς τὴν διάνοιαν; ἵνα τί ἀγαπᾶτε ματαιότητα καὶ ζητεῖτε ψεῦδος, μέγα τι τὸν ἐνταῦθα βίον καὶ τὰς ὀλίγας ταύτας ἡμέρας πολλὰς ὑπολαμβάνοντες, καὶ τὴν διάζευξιν ταύτην, τὴν ἀσπαστὴν καὶ ἡδεῖαν, ὡς δή τι βαρὺ καὶ φρικῶδες ἀποστρεφόμενοι; Οὐ γνωσόμεθα ἡμᾶς αὐτούς; οὐ τὰ φαινόμενα ῥίψομεν; οὐ πρὸς τὰ νοούμενα βλέψομεν; Οὐκ, εἴ τι καὶ λυπεῖσθαι χρή, τοὐναντίον ἀνιασόμεθα τῇ παροικίᾳ μηκυνομένῃ, κατὰ τὸν θεῖον Δαβίδ, σκηνώματα σκοτασμοῦ καὶ τόπον κακώσεως καὶ ἰλὺν βυθοῦ καὶ σκιὰν θανάτου τὰ τῇδε ἀποκαλοῦντα, ὅτι βραδύνομεν ἐν τοῖς τάφοις οἷς περιφέρομεν, ὅτι ὡς ἄνθρωποι ἀποθνήσκομεν τὸν τῆς ἁμαρτίας θάνατον, θεοὶ γεγονότες; Τοῦτον ἐγὼ φοβοῦμαι τὸν φόβον, τούτῳ καὶ νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ´ ἡμέραν σύνειμι, καὶ οὐκ ἐᾷ με ἀναπνεῖν, ἡ ἐκεῖθεν δόξα καὶ τὰ ἐκεῖσε δικαιωτήρια· ὧν τῆς μὲν ἐφίεμαι, μέχρι καὶ τοῦ δύνασθαι λέγειν· Ἐκλείπει εἰς τὸ σωτήριόν σου ἡ ψυχή μου, τὰ δὲ φρίττω καὶ ἀποστρέφομαι. Ἐκεῖνο δὲ οὐ δέδοικα, μή μοι τὸ σῶμα τοῦτο διαρρυὲν καὶ διαφθαρὲν παντελῶς οἰχήσεται, ἀλλὰ μὴ τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ πλάσμα τὸ ἔνδοξον, ἔνδοξον γὰρ κατορθοῦν, ὥσπερ ἄτιμον ἁμαρτάνον, ἐν ᾧ λόγος, νόμος, ἐλπίς, τὴν αὐτὴν τοῖς ἀλόγοις ἀτιμίαν κατακριθῇ, καὶ μηδὲν πλέον ᾖ μετὰ τὴν διάζευξιν· ὡς ὄφελόν γε τοῖς πονηροῖς καὶ τοῦ ἐκεῖθεν πυρὸς ἀξίοις. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος Ζ´, Εἰς Καισὰριον τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἀδελφὸν ἐπιτάφιος Source: Migne PG 35.784b-785a

But now, putting aside lamentation, I will look to myself, and examine my own state, so that I do neglect anything I bear which is worthy of grieving. 'You sons of men,' for the words befit you, 'how long will you be hard-hearted and dull of mind, so that you love vanities and chase after a lie?' 1 thinking life here to be something great and these few days very many, and shrinking away from this separation, welcome and pleasant as it is, as if it were something grievous and terrible? Do we not know ourselves? Are we not to cast aside things seen? Are we not to look to the things unseen? 2 Are we not, even if we are somewhat grieved, to be on the contrary distressed at our long sojourn, like the blessed David, who calls things here the tents of darkness, and the place of affliction, and the deep mire, and the shadow of death, because we linger in the tombs we bear about with us, because, though we are gods, we die like men in the death of sin? 3 This is what I fear, this is my companion day and night and will not let me breathe, on the one side there is glory, on the other the place of correction. The former I long for until I can say, 'My soul faints for your salvation.' 4 From the latter I turn away shuddering. But I am not afraid that this body of mine should utterly perish in dissolution and corruption, but that the glorious creature of God, for it is glorious if upright, just as it is wretched if sinful, in which is reason, morality, and hope, should be condemned to the same dishonour as irrational things, and be no better after death, something that is due to the wicked, who are worthy of the fire to come. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 7, Funeral Speech for his brother Caesarius 1 Ps 4.3 2 2 Cor 4.18 3 Ps 22.4, Ps 119.5, P 81.6-7 4 Ps 118.81

Caring For Oneself

Aἰδεῖσθε δὲ πλέον ὑµᾶς αὐτοὺς, καὶ τὴν πιστευθεῖσαν εἰκόνα, καὶ τὸν πιστεύσαντα, καὶ τὰ Χριστοῦ πάθη, καὶ τὰς ἐκεῖθεν ἐλπίδας, πίστιν µὲν ἔχοντες ἣν παρειλήφα τε, καὶ ᾗ συνετράφητε, µεθ' ἧς καὶ σώζεσθε, καὶ σώζειν ἄλλους πιστεύεσθε· οὐ γὰρ πολλῶν, εὖ ἴστε, τὸ ὑµέτερον καύχηµα. Τὸ δὲ εὐσεβὲς µὴ ἐν τῷ πολλάκις περὶ Θεοῦ λαλεῖν, ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ τὰ πλείω σιγᾷν εἶναι τιθέµενοι· γλῶσσα γὰρ ὄλισθος ἀνθρώποις µὴ λόγῳ κυβερνωµένη· καὶ ἀκινδυνοτέραν ἀκοὴν ἀεὶ λόγου νοµίζοντες, ὥστε τι µανθάνειν ἥδιον, ἢ διδάσκειν περὶ Θεοῦ· τὴν µὲν ἀκριβεστέραν τούτων ἐξέτασιν τοῖς οἰκονόµοις τοῦ λόγου παραχωροῦντες· αὐτοὶ δὲ λόγῳ µὲν εὐσεβοῦντες ὀλίγα, ἔργῳ δὲ πλείονα, καὶ τῇ τηρήσει τῶν νόµων µᾶλλον ἢ τῷ θαυµάζειν τὸν νοµοθέτην, τὸ περὶ αὐτὸν φίλτρον ἐπιδεικνύµενοι, φεύγοντες κακίαν, διώκοντες ἀρετὴν, πνεύµατι ζῶντες, πνεύµατι στοιχοῦντες, τούτῳ τὴν γνῶσιν ἕλκοντες, ἐποικοδοµοῦντες τῷ θε µελίῳ τῆς πίστεως, µὴ ξύλον, µηδὲ χόρτον, µηδὲ καλάµην, ὕλην ἀσθενῆ καὶ ῥᾳδίως δαπανωµένην, ἡνίκα ἂν πυρὶ κρίνηται τὰ ἡµέτερα, ἢ καθαίρηται· ἀλλὰ χρυσὸν, ἄργυρον, λίθους τιµίους, τὰ µένοντα καὶ ἱστάµενα. Ταῦτα πράσσοιτε, καὶ τούτοις ἡµᾶς δοξά ζοιτε εἴτε παρόντες εἴτε ἀπόντες, εἴτε µεταποιούµενοι τῶν ἡµετέρων λόγων, εἴτε ἄλλο τι προτιµότερον ἄγοντες· καὶ γίνοισθε τέκνα Θεοῦ καθαρὰ καὶ ἀµώµητα, ἐν µέσῳ γενεᾶς σκολιᾶς καὶ διεστραµµένης· καὶ µὴ περιπλέκοιτο ὑµῖν τὰ τῶν κύκλῳ περιπατούντων ἀσεβῶν σχοινία, µηδὲ σειραῖς τῶν οἰκείων ἁµαρτιῶν περισφίγγοισθε, µηδὲ ταῖς βιωτικαῖς µερίµναις συµπνίγοιτο ὑµῖν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ἄκαρποι γίνοισθε· ἀλλ' ὁδῷ πορεύοισθε βασιλικῇ, µὴ ἐκκλίνοντες εἰς δεξιὰ, µηδὲ εἰς ἀριστερὰ, καὶ διὰ τῆς στενῆς ὡς πλατείας ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύµατος ὁδηγούµενοι. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος Γʹ Source: Migne PG 35.524a-525a

Rather show perfect care for yourselves, and for the entrusted Image, 1 and Him who entrusted it, and the passion of Christ, and your hope from that, holding to the faith that you received, and in which you were nurtured and are being saved and which you trust to save others, for not many, be certain, have your boast. Do not account piety to be found in often speaking about God but for the larger part in silence, since the tongue is a dangerous thing to men if it is not governed by reason, 2 and think that listening is always less perilous than talking, just as learning about God is more pleasant than teaching. Leave the more painstaking enquiry into these things to those who are the stewards of the Word and yourselves worship a little in words but more by deeds, rather by keeping the Law than by wondering about the Lawgiver, showing your love for Him by fleeing from wickedness and pursuing virtue, and by living in the Spirit and walking in the Spirit, and drawing your knowledge from Him, and building on the foundation of the faith, not wood or hay or stubble, that are weak materials which will easily be spent when fire shall prove our works or destroy them, but gold and silver and precious stones, which will remain and endure. 3 May it be that you do these things and so give us glory, whether we are present or absent, whether you partake of our speeches or prefer to be doing something else, and may you be the children of God, pure and blameless in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, 4 and may you never be entangled in the snares of the wicked that go round about, or bound with the chain of your own sins. May the Word in you never be smothered with the cares of this life so that you become unfruitful, but may you walk in the King's Highway, turning aside neither to the right nor to the left, but led by the Spirit pass through the narrow gate. 5 Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 3 1 Gen1.27 2 James 3.1-12 3 1 Cor 3.12-15 4 Phil 2.15 5 Mark 4.19, Prov 4.27, Mt 7.13-14

Grasping The Divine

Οἶδα τίνος ἐσμὲν λειτουργοὶ, καὶ ποῦ κείμενοι, καὶ ποῦ πέμποντες· οἶδα τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ὕψος, καὶ τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην ἀσθένειαν, καὶ τὴν δύναμιν πάλιν· Οὐρανὸς ὑψηλὸς, γῆ δὲ βαθεῖα. Καὶ τίς ἀναβήσεται τῶν ἐῤῥιμμένων τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ; Τίς περικείμενος ἔτι τὸν κάτω ζόφον καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς τὴν παχύτητα ὅλῳ νοῒ καθαρῶς ἐποπτεύσει νοῦν ὅλον, καὶ μιγήσεται τοῖς ἑστῶσι καὶ ἀοράτοις ἐν τοῖς ἀστάτοις καὶ ὁρωμένοις; Μόλις γὰρ ἄν τις ἐνταῦθα τῶν σφόδρα κεκαθαρμένων καὶ εἴδωλον τοῦ καλοῦ θεωρήσειεν, ὥσπερ οἱ τὸν ἥλιον ἐν τοῖς ὕδασι. Τίς ὁ μετρήσας τῇ χειρὶ τὸ ὕδωρ, καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν σπιθαμῇ, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν δρακί; Τίς ἔστησε τὰ ὄρη σταθμῷ, καὶ τὰς νάπας ζυγῷ; Τίς τόπος τῆς καταπαύσεως αὐτοῦ, καὶ τίνι τῶν πάντων ὁμοιωθήσεται; Τίς ὁ ποιήσας τὰ πάντα ἐν λόγῳ, καὶ τῇ σοφίᾳ κατασκευάσας ἄνθρωπον, καὶ εἰς ἓν ἀγαγὼν τὰ διεστῶτα, καὶ μίξας τὸν χοῦν τῷ πνεύματι, καὶ συνθεὶς ζῶον ὁρατὸν καὶ ἀόρατον, πρόσκαιρον καὶ ἀθάνατον, ἐπίγειον καὶ οὐράνιον, ἁπτόμενον Θεοῦ καὶ οὐ περιδρασσόμενον, ἐγγίζον καὶ μακρυνόμενον; Εἶπα, σοφισθήσομαι, φησὶν ὁ Σολομῶν, καὶ αὐτὴ ἐμακρύνθη ἀπ' ἐμοῦ μακρὸν ὑπὲρ ὃ ἦν, τὴν σοφίαν λέγων. Καὶ ὄντως ὁ προστιθεὶς γνῶσιν προστίθησιν ἄλγημα· οὐ μᾶλλον εὐφραίνοντος τοῦ εὑρεθέντος ἢ ἀνιῶντος τοῦ διαφεύγοντος· ὅπερ, οἶμαι, φιλεῖ συμβαίνειν τοῖς ἔτι διψῶσιν ἀποσπωμένοις ὕδατος· ἢ κρατεῖν τι οὐ δυναμένοις, ἔχειν νομίζουσιν· ἢ οὓς ἀπῆλθεν εὐθὺς ἀστραπὴ περιλάμψασα. Τοῦτό με ἵστη κάτω, καὶ ταπεινὸν ἐποίει, καὶ εἶναι βέλτιον ἔπειθεν ἀκούειν φωνὴν αἰνέσεως, ἢ ἐξηγητὴν εἶναι τῶν ὑπὲρ δύναμιν· ἡ μεγαλειότης, καὶ τὸ ὕψος, καὶ τὸ ἀξίωμα, καὶ αἱ καθαραὶ φύσεις μόλις χωροῦσαι Θεοῦ λαμπρότητα, ὃν ἄβυσσος καλύπτει, οὗ σκότος ἀποκρυφὴ, φωτὸς ὄντος τοῦ καθαρωτάτου καὶ ἀπροσίτουτοῖς πλείοσιν·ὃς ἐν τῷ παντὶ τῷδε, καὶ τοῦ παντός ἐστιν ἔξω·ὃς καλόν ἐστιν ἅπαν, καὶ ἄνω παντὸς καλοῦ·ὃς νοῦν φωτίζει, καὶ διαφεύγει νοῦ τάχος καὶ ὕψος, ὑπο χωρῶν ἀεὶ τοσοῦτον, ὅσον καταλαμβάνεται, καὶ ὑπ άγων πρὸς τὰ ἄνω τὸν ἐραστὴν τῷ φεύγειν, καὶ τῷ οἷον κρατούμενος κλέπτεσθαι. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος Β’ Source: Migne PG 35.481b-484a

I know whose priests we are, and where we are set, and to where we guide. I know the height of God, and the infirmity of man, and again, the power. Heaven is high, the earth is low, and who of those who have been cast down by sin shall ascend? He who is yet embroiled in the gloom below and in the grossness of the flesh, shall he gaze clearly with his whole mind on that whole mind, and mixed in with unstable and visible things hold association with what is stable and invisible? For hardly may anyone here, even among those who have been most specially purged, look on even an image of the Good, as those who look on the sun on the water. Who has measured the waters in his hand, and heaven with the hand's span, and the whole earth with a measure? Who has placed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? 1 What is the place of His rest and to who shall He be compared? Who is it who made everything by His Word, and fashioned man by His wisdom, and gathered scattered things into one, and mixed dust with spirit, and put together an animal visible and invisible, temporal and immortal, earthly and heavenly, which may touch God but not grasp Him, coming near and yet far off? Solomon, speaking of wisdom, declares: 'I said, 'I will be wise,' but she was far from me, far beyond what is.' And truly, 'He who increases knowledge increases sorrow.' 2 For the joy of what we have found is no greater than the grief of what escapes us; which, I think, is like what is felt by those who while thirsty are dragged off from water, or who cannot keep hold or what they think they have, or who are suddenly left in the dark by a flash of lightning. This cast me down and kept me humble, and I was persuaded that it was better to hear the voice of praise than to be an expounder of what was beyond my ability; the majesty, and the height, and the dignity, and the pure natures scarce able to contain the splendour of God, whom the deep covers, whom darkness hides, since He is purest light, 3 and utterly inacessible, He who is in all things and He who is beyond all things, He who is all goodness, 4 and above all goodness, He who enlightens the mind and escapes the mind's quickness and height, always retiring as much as He is apprehended, and by His flight withdrawing to the things above the one who desires Him, and stealing away as much as He is grasped. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 2 1 Isaiah 40.12 2 Eccles 7.24, 1.18 3 1 Tim 6.16 4 Exod 33.19

Such Is Our Life

Τοιοῦτος ὁ βίος ἡμῶν, ἀδελφοί, τῶν ζώντων πρόσκαιρα· τοιοῦτο τὸ ἐπὶ γῆς παίγνιον· οὐκ ὄντας γενέσθαι, καὶ γενομένους ἀναλυθῆναι. Ὄναρ ἐσμὲν οὐχ ἱστάμενον, φάσμα τι μὴ κρατούμενον, πτῆσις ὀρνέου παρερχομένου, ναῦς ἐπὶ θαλάσσης ἴχνος οὐκ ἔχουσα, κόνις, ἀτμίς, ἑωθινὴ δρόσος, ἄνθος καιρῷ φυόμενον καὶ καιρῷ λυόμενον. Ἄνθρωπος, ὡσεὶ χόρτος αἱ ἡμέραι αὐτοῦ, ὡσεὶ ἄνθος τοῦ ἀγροῦ, οὕτως ἐξανθήσει· καλῶς ὁ θεῖος Δαβὶδ περὶ τῆς ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν ἐφιλοσόφησεν· καὶ ἐν ἐκείνοις πάλιν τοῖς ῥήμασι· Τὴν ὀλιγότητα τῶν ἡμερῶν μου ἀνάγγειλόν μοι· καὶ παλαιστῶν μέτρον τὰς ἀνθρωπίνας ἡμέρας ὁρίζεται. Τί δ᾿ ἂν εἴποις πρὸς Ἱερεμίαν, ὃς καὶ τῇ μητρὶ μέμφεται τῆς γεννήσεως ἀλγῶν, καὶ ταῦτα ἐπ᾿ ἀλλοτρίοις πταίσμασι; Πάντα εἶδον, φησὶν ὁ Ἐκκλησιαστής, πάντα ἐπῆλθον λογισμῷ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα, πλοῦτον, τρυφήν, δυναστείαν, δόξαν τὴν ἄστατον, σοφίαν τὴν ὑποφεύγουσαν πλέον ἢ κρατουμένην, πάλιν τρυφήν, σοφίαν πάλιν, ἐπὶ τὰ αὐτὰ πολλάκις ἀνακυκλούμενος, γαστρὸς ἡδονάς, παραδείσους, πλῆθος οἰκετῶν, πλῆθος κτημάτων, οἰνοχόους καὶ οἰνοχόας, ᾄδοντας καὶ ᾀδούσας, ὅπλα, δορυφόρους, ἔθνη προσπίπτοντα, φόρους συλλεγομένους, ὀφρῦν βασιλείας, ὅσα περιττὰ τοῦ βίου, ὅσα τῶν ἀναγκαίων, οἷς ὑπὲρ πάντας ἦλθον βασιλεῖς τοὺς ἔμπροσθεν, καὶ τί ἐπὶ πᾶσι τούτοις; Πάντα ματαιότης ματαιοτήτων, τὰ πάντα ματαιότης καὶ προαίρεσις πνεύματος, εἴτ᾿ οὖν ὁρμή τις ψυχῆς ἀλόγιστος, καὶ περισπασμὸς ἀνθρώπου, τοῦτο κατακριθέντος, ἴσως ἐκ τοῦ παλαιοῦ πτώματος· τἀλλά, τέλος λόγου, φησὶ, τὸ πᾶν ἄκουε, τὸν Θεὸν φοβοῦ. Ἐνταῦθα τῆς ἀπορίας ἵσταται· καὶ τοῦτό σοι μόνον τῆς ἐνταῦθα ζωῆς τὸ κέρδος, ὁδηγηθῆναι διὰ τῆς ταραχῆς τῶν ὁρωμένων καὶ σαλευομένων ἐπὶ τὰ ἑστῶτα καὶ μὴ κινούμενα. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος Ζ´, Εἰς Καισὰριον τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἀδελφὸν ἐπιτάφιος, περιόντων ἔτι τῶν γονέων Source: Migne PG 35.777c-780b

Such is our life, brethren, such is the transient nature of our living, such is our play on the earth. We are not, and we come into existence, and we pass away. We are insubstantial dreams, we are tenuous phantoms, 1 like the flight of a passing bird, a ship that leaves no track on the sea, a speck of dust, a vapour, an early dew, a flower that quickly blooms and quickly fades. The days of a man are like grass, he springs up like a flower of the field. 2 So the blessed David has wisely contemplated our frailty, and again in these words, 'Let me know the shortness of my days,' and he measures the days of man as but a span long. 3 And what might you say to Jeremiah, who made complaint of his mother in sorrow for his birth, and that because of the faults of others? 4 I have seen all things, says the preacher, I have pondered in thought all the things of men, wealth, pleasure, power, unstable glory, wisdom which evades us rather than is grasped; then pleasure again, wisdom again, often revolving around the same things, the pleasures of appetite, orchards, a mass of slaves, heaps of wealth, serving men and maids, singing men and women, arms, spear-men, subject nations, collected tributes, the pride of kings, all the superfluities of life and all the necessary things, in which I surpassed all the kings who were before me. And what does he say of all these things? 'Vanity of vanities, all is vanity and an affliction of the spirit,' 5 which, then, is some irrational urge of the soul and restlessness of man, who is perhaps condemned to this from the fall of old. But hear, he says, the end of the whole matter: 'Revere God.' 6 This is his support in perplexity, and this is your only gain from life here, to be guided through the disorder of the things which are seen and shaken, to the things which stand firm and are not moved. 7 Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 7, Funeral Speech for his brother Caesarius 1 Job 20.8 2 Ps 102.15 3 Ps 101.24, Ps 38.6 4 Jerem 15.10 5 Eccl 1-2 6 Eccl 12.13 7 2 Cor 4.18, Heb 12.27

The Shepherd's Balance

Καθόλου δὲ ἡμῖν ἐκεῖνο γνώριμον, ὅτι καθάπερ τοῖς ἐπὶ κάλου μετεώρου καὶ ὑψηλοῦ βαίνουσι τῇδε ἢ τῇδε ἀποκλῖναι οὐκ ἀσφαλὲς, οὐδὲ εἰς μικρὸν φέρουσα ἡ ῥοπὴ, κἂν μικρὰ φαίνηται, ἀσφάλεια δὲ αὐτοῖς ἡ ἰσοῤῥοπία καθίσταται· οὕτω κἀν τούτοις ὁποτέρωσε νεύσῃ τις, εἴτε διὰ κακίαν, εἴτε δι΄ ἀμάθειαν, κίνδυνος οὐχ ὁ τυχὼν αὐτῷ τε καὶ τοῖς ἀγομένοις τοῦ τῆς ἁμαρτίας πτώματος. Ἀλλ΄ ὁδῷ βασιλικῇ πορευτέον ὄντως, καὶ περισκεπτέον, μήτε εἰς δεξιὰ μήτε εἰς ἀριστερὰ, καθὼς αἱ Παροιμίαι φασὶν, ἐκκλίνοντας. Οὕτω μὲν δὴ τὰ τῶν παθῶν ἔχει τῶν ἡμετέρων, καὶ τοσοῦτον ἐνταῦθα τὸ ἔργον τῷ ἀγαθῷ ποιμένι, τῷ γνωστῶς γνωσομένῳ ψυχὰς ποιμνίου, καὶ ἀφηγησομένῳ κατὰ λόγον ποιμαντικῆς, τῆς γε ὀρθῆς καὶ δικαίας καὶ τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ ποιμένος ἡμῶν ἀξίας. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος Β´ Source: Migne PG 35.441b-c

But to us it is generally well known that just as it is not safe for those who walk a tight rope on high to lean to either side, for the inclination leads to much though it seem little, so safety depends on perfect balance, and likewise it is for one of us, for if from vice or ignorance one of us leans to either side, there is in no small danger, for both himself and for those he leads, of a fall into sin. But we must truly walk in the King's highway, 1 and be careful not to turn aside to the right hand, nor to the left, 2 as Proverbs says. For as it is with our passions, so it is in this work of the good shepherd here, if he is to know well the souls of his flock and to lead them in accordance with the way of pastoral care, as is right and just, and worthy of our true Shepherd. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 2 1 Num 20.17 2 Prov 4.27

The Spirit And Speech And Silence

Τὸ στόμα μου ἤνοιξα καὶ εἴλκυσα Πνεῦμα, καὶ δίδωμι τὰ ἐμαυτοῦ πάντα, καὶ ἐμαυτὸν τῷ Πνεύματι, καὶ πρᾶξιν, καὶ λόγον, καὶ ἀπραξίαν, καὶ σιωπήν· μόνον ἐχέτω με, καὶ ἀγέτω, καὶ κινείτω καὶ χεῖρα, καὶ νοῦν, καὶ γλῶσσαν, ἐφ' ἂ δεῖ καὶ βούλεται· καὶ ἀπαγέτω πάλιν ἀφ ὦν δεὶ, καὶ ὦν ἄμεινον. Ὄρανόν εἰμι θεῖον, ὄρνανον λογικὸν, ὄργανον καλῷ τεχνίτῃ τῷ Πνεύματι ἁρμοζόμενον καὶ κρουόμενον. Χθὲς ἐνήργει τὴν σιωπήν; τὸ μὴ λέγειν ἐφιλοσόπουν. Σήμερον κρούει τὸν νοῦν; ἠχήσω τὸν λόγον, καὶ φιλοσοφήσω τὸ φθέγγεσθαι. Καὶ οὔτε λόγος οὕτως εἰμὶ, ὡς λέγειν ἐπιθυμεῖν, τὸ σιωπᾷν ἐνεργούμενος· οὔτε σιωπηλὸς οὔτω καὶ ἀμαθὴς, ὡς ἐν καιρῷ λόγου τιθέναι φυλακὴν τοῖς χείλεσιν· ἀλλὰ καὶ κλείω καὶ ἀνοίγω τὴν ἐμὴν θύραν Νῷ, κιὰ Λόγῳ, καὶ Πνεύματι, τῇ μιᾷ συμφυϊᾳ τε καὶ θεότητι. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος ΙΒ´ Source: Migne PG 35.844a-b

I opened my mouth and I drew in the Spirit, 1 and I give my all and myself to the Spirit, both action and speech, and inaction and silence, only let Him hold me and guide me, and move both hand and mind and tongue where it is needed and He wills, and again restrain it as it is needed and is best. I am a divine instrument, a rational instrument, an instrument tuned and played by an adept artist, the Spirit. Yesterday His work was silence. I thought not to speak. Does He strike my mind today? Speech shall be heard, and I will think on speaking. I am neither so talkative, as to desire to speak, when He works silence, nor so reserved and unlearned as to set a guard on my lips when it is time to speak, but I close and open my door according to the Mind and Word and Spirit of one nature and Deity. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 12 1 Ps 118.131

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

Baptism And Warnings

Τῇ μὲν οὖν γεννήσει τὰ εἰκότα προεορτάσαμεν, ἐγώ τε ὁ τῆς ἑορτῆς ἔξαρχος, καὶ ὑμεῖς, καὶ πᾶν ὅσον ἐγκόσμιον τε καὶ ὑπερκόσμιον. Μετὰ ἀστέρος ἐδράμομεν, καὶ μετὰ Μάγων προσεκυνήσαμεν, μετὰ ποιμένων περιελλάμφθημεν, καὶ μετὰ ἀγγέλων ἐδοξάσαμεν, μετὰ Συμεὼν ἐνηγκαλισάμεθα, καὶ μετὰ Ἄννης ἀνθωμολογησάμεθα, τῆς γεραιᾶς καὶ σώφρονος· καὶ χάρις τῷ εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἐλθόντι ἀλλοτρίως, ὅτι τὸν ξένον ἐδόξασεν. Νυνὶ δὲ πρᾶξις ἄλλη Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἄλλο μυστήριον. Οὐ δύναμαι κατέχειν τὴν ἡδονὴν, ἔνθεος γίνομαι, μικροῦ καὶ, ὡς Ἰωάννης, εὐαγγελίζομαι, εἰ καὶ μὴ πρόδρομος, ἀλλ᾿ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐρημίας. Χριστὸς φωτίζεται, συναναστράψωμεν· Χριστὸς βαπτίζεται, συγκατέλθωμεν, ἵνα καὶ συνανέλθωμεν. Βαπτίζεται Ἰησοῦς· τοῦτο μόνον; ἢ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τηρεῖν ἐπιμελῶς ἀναγκαῖον; Τίς ὤν; καὶ παρὰ τίνος; καὶ κατὰ πηνίκα; Ὁ καθαρὸς, καὶ παρὰ Ἰωάννου, καὶ τῶν σημείων ἀρχόμενος; Ἵνα τί μάθωμεν, καὶ τί παιδευθῶμεν; Προκαθαίρεσθαι, καὶ ταπεινοφρονεῖν, καὶ κηρύσσειν ἐν τελειότητι, καὶ τῆς πνευματικῆς, καὶ τῆς σωματικῆς ἡλικίας. Ἐκεῖνο πρὸς τοὺς τὸ βάπτισμα σχεδιάζοντας, καὶ μὴ προευτρεπιζομένους, μηδὲ τὸ ἀσφαλὲς τῇ λυτρώσει χαριζομένους, διὰ τῆς εἰς τὸ καλὸν ἕξεως. Καὶ γὰρ εἰ ἄφεσιν ἔχει τῶν παρελθόντων τὸ χάρισμα, χάρισμα γὰρ, ἀλλὰ τότε μᾶλλον εὐλαβείας ἄξιον, μὴ πρὸς τὸν αὐτὸν ἔμετον ἐπανέλθωμεν. Τοῦτο πρὸς τοὺς ἐπαιρομένους κατὰ τῶν οἰκονόμων τοῦ μυστηρίου, ἂν ἀξίᾳ τινὶ προέχωσιν. Τὸ τρίτον πρὸς τοὺς θαῤῥοῦντας νεότητι, καὶ πάντα καιρὸν οἰομένους εἶναι διδασκαλίας, ἢ προεδρίας. Ἰησοῦς καθαίρεται· καὶ σὺ καταφρονεῖς τῆς καθάρσεως; Ὑπὸ Ἰωάννου· καὶ σὺ κατεξανίστασαι τοῦ σοῦ κήρυκος; Τριακονταέτης ὤν· καὶ σὺ πρὸ τῆς γενειάδος διδάσκεις τοὺς γέροντας, ἢ τὸ διδάσκειν πιστεύεις, οὔτε παρὰ τῆς ἡλικίας, οὔτε παρὰ τοῦ τρόπου τυχὸν ἔχων τὸ αἰδέσιμον; Εἶτα ὁ Δανιὴλ ἐνταῦθα, καὶ ὁ δεῖνα, νέοι κριταὶ, καὶ τὰ παραδείγματα ἐπὶ γλώσσης. Πᾶς γὰρ ἀδικῶν εἰς ἀπολογίαν ἕτοιμος. Ἀλλ᾿ οὐ νόμος Ἐκκλησίας, τὸ σπάνιον· εἴπερ μηδὲ μία χελιδὼν ἔαρ ποιεῖ, μηδὲ γραμμὴ μία τὸν γεωμέτρην, ἢ πλοῦς εἷς τὸν θαλάττιον. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος ΛΘ', Εἰς τὰ ἅγια Φῶτα Source: Migne PG 36.349c-352b

At His birth we kept the festival as befits, both I, the leader of the feast, and you, and all that is in the world and above the world. We ran with the star and we worshipped with the Magi, and we were illuminated with the shepherds, and with the angels we glorified Him, and with Simeon we took Him up in our arms, and with the aged and chaste Anna we made our responsive confession, and thanks be to Him who came as a stranger to His own, 1 that He glorify the stranger. Now we come to another deed of Christ and another mystery. I cannot restrain my pleasure, I am taken into God, and a little like John I proclaim good news, for even if I am not a forerunner, yet am I from the desert. Christ is illumined, let us shine with Him. Christ is baptized, let us descend with Him, that we may also ascend with Him. Jesus is baptised. And this only? It is not necessary that we consider some other things? Who is He? And who does it? And at what time? He is the pure one, and it is done by John, and it is the beginning of His signs. What should we learn and what should we be taught? First to purify ourselves, then to be humble, and to preach only at the completion of spiritual and bodily age. The first admonishes those who treat Baptism without due gravity and without due preparation, who do not provide for the stability of the Baptismal Grace by a disposition to good. For since Grace contains remission of the past, for it is a grace, it is thus more worthy of reverence, so that we do not return to the same vomit again. The second warns those who because they are of high rank exalt themselves over the stewards of this mystery. The third is for those who are confident in their youth and think that any time is the right time to teach or to preside. Jesus is purified, and do you scorn your purification? It is done by John, and do you look down on your herald? It is at thirty years of age, and do you, before you have a beard, teach elders, or believe that you teach them, though you, because of your age, or perhaps even because of your character, are not worthy of the honour? Now here it may be said that Daniel, and some others, were judges in their youth, and their examples are on your tongues. Yes, every criminal is eager to excuse himself. But that which is rare is not the law of the Church. One swallow does not make a spring, nor one line a geometrician, nor one voyage a sailor. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 39, On The Holy Lights 1 Jn 1.11

Contemplation And Opponents

Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐδόκει μοι τοιοῦτον οἷον μύσαντα τὰς αἰσθήσεις, ἔξω σαρκὸς καὶ κόσμου γενόμενον, εἰς ἑαυτὸν συστραφέντα, μηδενὸς τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων προσαπτόμενον, ὅτι μὴ πᾶσα ἀνάγκη, ἑαυτῷ προσλαλοῦν τα καὶ τῷ Θεῷ, ζῇν ὑπὲρ τὰ ὁρώμενα, καὶ τὰς θείας ἐμφάσεις ἀεὶ καθαρὰς ἐν ἑαυτῷ φέρειν ἀμιγεῖς τῶν κάτω χαρακτήρων καὶ πλανωμένων, ὄντως ἔσοπτρον ἀκηλίδωτον Θεοῦ καὶ τῶν θείων καὶ ὂν καὶ ἀεὶ γινόμενον, φωτὶ προσλαμβάνοντα φῶς, καὶ ἀμαυροτέρῳ τρανότερον, ἤδη τὸ τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος ἀγαθὸν ταῖς ἐλπίσι καρπούμενον, καὶ συμπεριπολεῖν ἀγγέλοις, ἔτι ὑπὲρ γῆς ὄντα καταλιπόντα τὴν γῆν, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος ἄνω τιθέμενον. Εἴ τις ὑμῶν τούτῳ τῷ ἔρωτι κάτοχος, οἶδεν ὃ λέγω, καὶ τῷ τότε πάθει συγγνώσεται· τοὺς γὰρ πολλοὺς οὐδ' ἂν πείσαιμι λέγων ἴσως, ὅσοις καὶ ἐν γέλωτι τὸ πρᾶγμα δοκεῖ, κακῶς διατεθεῖσιν εἴτε ὑπὸ τῆς ἰδίας αὐτῶν ἀνοίας, εἴτε ὑπὸ τῶν ἀναξίων τοῦ ἐπαγγέλματος· οἳ πράγματι καλῷ κακὸν περι τεθείκασιν ὄνομα, τῇ φιλοσοφίᾳ τὴν κενοδοξίαν, συνεργὸν λαβόντες τὸν φθόνον καὶ τὴν τῶν πολλῶν κακίαν πρὸς τὸ χεῖρον οὖσαν ἑτοιμοτέραν· ἵν' ἕν γέ τι πάντως αὐτοῖς ἁμαρτάνηται, ἢ τὸ κακὸν ἐνεργούμενον, ἢ τὸ καλὸν ἀπιστούμενον. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος Β´ Source: Migne PG 35.413c-416b

For nothing seemed so desirable to me than to close up the senses and outside the flesh and the world, collected within myself, having no connection with human affairs but that which was absolutely necessary, and speaking to myself and to God, 1 to live superior to visible things, ever carrying in myself the Divine impressions pure and unmixed with the erring tokens of lower things, truly being an unspotted mirror of God and things Divine, and constantly growing more and more to be so, as light is added to light, and with what was darker growing clearer already enjoying by hope the good of the world to come, associating with the angels, even now being above the earth by having forsaken it and set on high by the Spirit. If any of you has been possessed by this desire, he knows what I mean and will understand my feelings at that time. Perhaps I will not persuade many by what I say, since some laugh at such things because of their low dispositions, either by their own thoughtlessness, or by the influence of those unworthy of the promise, who have set an evil name on that which is good, calling philosophy vainglory, aided in this by the envy and the baseness of the many, who are ever prepared to do worse, and so there is constant error among them, either the commission of evil, or making the good unbelievable. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 2 1 1 Cor 14.28

A New Shepherd

Νῦν δὲ, ὦ ποιμένων ἄριστε καὶ τελεώτατε, δεῦρόμοι καὶ τὸν σὸν ἀπολάμβανε λαὸν σὺν ἡμῖν τε καὶ πρὸ ἡμῶν, ὃν ἐνεχείρισέ σοι τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ὃν προσάγουσιν ἄγγελοι, ὃν ὁ βίος καὶ ὁ τρόπος ἐπίστευσεν. Εἰ δὲ διὰ πειρασμῶν καὶ κωλυμάτων τὸν θρόνον κληρονομεῖς, μὴ θαυμάσῃς· οὐδὲν τῶν μεγάλων ἀδόκιμον, οὐδὲν ἀβασάνιστον. Ἕπεται γὰρ φύσει τοῖς μὲν ταπεινοῖς τὸ ῥᾴδιον, τοῖς δὲ ὑψηλοῖς επιτρέπετα τὸ δύσκτητον. Ἤκουσας τοῦ εἰπόντος, Ὅτι δεῖ ἡμᾶς διὰ πολλῶν θλίψεων εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν· εἰπὲ καὶ αὐτός· Διήλθομεν διὰ πυρὸς καὶ ὕδατος, καὶ ἐξήγαγες ἡμᾶς εἰς ἀναψυχήν. Ὢ τοῦ θαύματος! Τὸ ἑσπέρας· ηὐλίσθη κλαυθμὸς, καὶ εἰς τὸ πρωῒ ἀγαλλίασις.  Ἔα ληρεῖν τοὺς πολεμοῦντας καὶ περιχάσκειν, ὡς κύνας ὑλακτοῦντας διακενῆς· ἡμεῖς δὲ μὴ πολεμώμεθα. Δίδασκε προσ-κυνεῖν Θεὸν τὸν Πατέρα, Θεὸν τὸν Υἱὸν, Θεὸν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ἐν τρισὶν ὑποστάσεσιν, ἐν μιᾷ δόξῃ τε καὶ λαμπρότητι. Τὸ ἀπολωλὸς ἐκζήτει· τὸ ἀσθενὲς ἐνίσχυε· τὸ ἰσχυρὸν φύλασσε. Τοσαύτην ἀπαιτοῦμέν σε τὴν ἐν τοῖς πνευματικοῖς εὐδοκίμησιν, ὅσην ἐπὶ τῶν κοσμικῶν συνέγνωμεν. Τὴν μὲν οὖν τελεωτέραν ὅπλισιν δέχοιο παρὰ τῶν μειζόνων στρατηγῶν, δι' ἧς δυνήσῃ τὰ βέλη τοῦ πονηροῦ τὰ πεπυρωμένα σβέσαι, καὶ παραστῆσαι τῷ Κυρίῳ λαὸν περιούσιον, ἔθνος ἅγιον, βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος ΙΓ' Source: Migne PG 35.856a-c

And now, best and most excellent of shepherds, come and receive your people with us and for us, which the Holy Spirit has entrusted to you, which the angels bring, which your life and conduct has commended. And if you succeed to the throne at a time of trial and opposition, do not wonder; nothing great is untested and untried. It is a law of nature that what is base is easy, but what is excellent is achieved with difficulty. You have heard it said: 'That through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of heaven.' 1 Say yourself also, 'We went through fire and water, and you led us into rest.' 2 A wonder! ' In the evening tears and in the morning joy.' 3 Let those who would war, but uselessly and ineptly, gape like dogs barking vainly, but let us not be embroiled. Teach the worship of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit as three in their persons, one in glory and splendour. Seek the lost, strengthen the weak, and preserve the strong. 4 We ask you to become as distinguished in spiritual affairs as much as we know you are in the world. May you receive a more perfect armour by your greater commanders by which you will be able to quench all the burning shafts of the evil one, 5 and deliver up to the Lord His own people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood. 6  Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 13 1 Acts 14.21 2 Ps 65.12 3 Ps 29.6 4 cf Ezek 34.4,16 5 Ephes 6.16 6 1 Pet 2.9

Trouble And Endurance

Ἀλγεῖς ἀπολειφθέντων ἡμῶν, ὡς εἰκός· ἡμεῖς δὲ πλέον ἐπὶ τῷ χωρισμῷ τῆς σῆς εὐλαβείας. Πλὴν εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ Θεῷ μέχρι σοῦ φθάσαντες, καὶ οὐκ μεμψάμεθα τῷ κόπῳ. Εἴδομεν γάρ σου τὸ στερέωμα τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως καὶ τὴν ἐπαινετὴν ἐρημίαν καὶ τὸν φιλόσοφον ἰδιασμόν, ὅτι πάντων χωρισθεῖσα τῶν τοῦ κόσμου τερπνῶν Θεῷ μόνῳ συνέκλεισας ἑαυτὴν καὶ τοῖς ἁγίοις μάρτυσιν, οἷς παροικεῖς, καὶ προσήγαγες τῷ Θεῷ καὶ προσάγεις μετὰ τῶν ἀγαπητῶν σου τέκνων θυσίαν ζῶσαν, εὐάρεστον. Ταῦτα οὖν ἔστω σοι καὶ παρα μυθία τῶν λυπηρῶν, ἐπεὶ καὶ Δαυῒδ ὁ μέγας ἐγκρύπτει τοῖς ἐκεῖθεν ἀγαθοῖς, εἰς ἃ πέμπει τοὺς λογισμούς, τὰ ἐντεῦθεν ὀδυνηρά, ὅταν λέγη· Ὅτι ἔκρυψέ με ἐν σκηνῇ αὐτοῦ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακῶν· καὶ οὐκ ἀποτίθεται μόνον τὸ ἀλγεινὸν ὅταν μνησθῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐφραίνεται· Ἐμνήσθην γάρ, φησι, τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ εὐφράνθην. Ἀλγοῦσι καὶ οἱ τῷ κόσμῳ προστετη κότες καὶ πολὺ πλείονα τῶν τῷ Θεῷ δουλευόντων· ἀλλ' ἄμισθον αὐτοῖς τὸ ἀλγεῖν· ἡμῖν δὲ καὶ τὸ πάσχειν ἔμμισθον, ὅταν διὰ τὸν Θεὸν καρτερῶμεν. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Ἐπιστολή ΣΚΓ´ Θεκλῃ Source: Migne PG 37.364c-365a

We expect you grieve at our parting, but we do more so because we have been separated from your piety. We give thanks to God, however, that we came to you, and we did not object to the labour of it. For we know you have a firm faith in Christ and the praiseworthy desert and the philosophy of the recluse, so that separated from every worldly pleasure, you may gather yourself to God alone, and to the holy martyrs, enclosing yourself with God, along with your beloved children, a living sacrifice, well pleasing. 1 Let these things, then, be a comfort to you in your troubles. Since even the great David by means of future goods on which he set his thoughts covered the bitter things of this world, when he said: 'Because He hides me in His tabernacle on the day of evil.' 2 Yet when he meditates in his soul and memory on God, he does not dispose of griefs and troubles only, but indeed he is moved by joy: 'I was mindful of God,' he says, 'and I delighted.' 3 They grieve who are bound to the world, and most of all when in the service of God, and to grieve is their reward, since for us to suffer enriches when we endure through God. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Letter 223, To Thecla 1 Peter 3.4 2 Ps 26.5 3 Ps 76.4

Treating Man

Ταῦτά ἐστιν, οἷς ἐγὼ τὴν καθ᾿ ἡμᾶς ἰατρικὴν τῆς περὶ τὰ σώματα ἐργωδεστέραν τίθεμαι μακρῷ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τιμιωτέραν· καὶ ὅτι ἐκείνῃ μὲν, ὀλίγα τῶν ἐν τῷ βάθει κατοπτευούσῃ, περὶ τὸ φαινόμενον ἡ πλείων τῆς πραγματείας· ἡμῖν δὲ περὶ τὸν κρυπτὸν τῆς καρδίας ἄνθρωπον ἡ πᾶσα θεραπεία τε καὶ σπουδὴ, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἔνδοθεν ἡμῖν ἀντιπολεμοῦντα καὶ ἀντιπαλαίοντα ἡ μάχη, ὃς ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς ὅπλοις καθ᾿ ἡμῶν χρώμενος, τὸ δεινότατον, τῷ τῆς ἁμαρτίας θανάτῳ δίδωσι. Πρὸς οὖν ταῦτα πολλῆς μὲν καὶ παντελοῦς τῆς πίστεως, μείζονος δὲ τῆς παρὰ Θεοῦ συνεργίας, οὐκ ὀλίγης δὲ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀντιτεχνήσεως, ὥς γε ἐμαυτὸν πείθω, χρεία, τῆς καὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ θεωρουμένης, εἰ δεῖ καλῶς ἡμῖν θεραπεύεσθαι καὶ ἀποκαθαίρεσθαι, καὶ ὡς πλείστου ἀξίας εἶναι, τὸ τιμιώτατον ὧν ἔχομεν, τὰς ψυχάς. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος Β´ Source: Migne PG 35.429c-432a

It is for these reasons I propose that our office as physicians far exceeds in toil, and by that in worth, things concerning the body; for that looks only slightly into things which are in the depths, being mainly concerned with exterior appearances. But the whole of our treatment and zeal is concerned with the hidden man of the heart, 1 and our warfare is directed against him who wars and wrestles against us within, who uses us as weapons against ourselves, and, more fearfully, hands over to the death of sin. Against this, then, great and perfect faith is needed, and the greater co-operation of God, and, I am persuaded, no small counter-manoeuvring by us, being made manifest in word and in deed, if our souls, the most precious possession we have, are to be well cared for and cleansed and made as worthy as can be. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 2 1 Peter 3.4

Thinking Of Nobility

Πᾶσι μία τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς πατρὶς, ὦ οὗτος, ἡ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ, εἰς ἣν ἀποτιθέμεθα τὸ πολίτευμα. Πᾶσι γένος ἑν, εἰ μὲν τὰ κάτω βούλει σκοπεῖν, ὁ χοῦς· εἰ δὲ τὰ ὑψηλότερα, τὸ ἐμφύσημα, οὗ μετειλήφαμεν, καὶ ὃ τηρεῖν ἐκελεύσθημεν, καὶ μεθ᾿ οὗ παραστῆναί με δεῖ λόγον ὑφέξοντα τῆς ἄνωθεν εὐγενείας καὶ τῆς εἰκόνος. Πᾶς μὲν οὖν εὐγενὴς, ὁ τοῦτο φυλάξας ἐξ ἀρετῆς, καὶ τῆς πρὸς τὸ ἀρχέτυπον νεύσεως· δυσγενὴς δὲ ἅπας, ὁ τῇ κακίᾳ συγχέας, καὶ μορφὴν ἑτέραν ἐπιβαλὼν ἑαυτῷ, τὴν τοῦ ὄφεως. Αἱ δὲ κάτω πατρίδες αὗται, καὶ τὰ γένη ταῦτα, τῆς προσκαίρου ζωῆς καὶ σκηνῆς ἡμῶν γέγονε παίγνια. Πατρίς τε γὰρ, ἣν προκατέλαβεν ἕκαστος, ἢ τυραννήσας, ἢ δυστυχήσας, ἧς πάντες ὁμοίως ξένοι καὶ πάροικοι, κἂν ἐπὶ πολὺ τὰ ὀνόματα παίξωμεν. Καὶ γένος εὐγενὲς μὲν, ἢ τὸ πάλαι πλούσιον, ἢ τὸ νῦν φυσώμενον· δυσγενὲς δὲ, τὸ πενήτων πατέρων, ἢ διὰ συμφορὰν, ἢ δι᾿ ἐπιείκειαν. Ἐπεὶ πῶς ἄνωθεν εὐγενὲς, οὗ τὸ μὲν ἄρχεται νῦν, τὸ δὲ καταλύεται· καὶ τοῖς μὲν οὐ δίδοται, τοῖς δὲ γράφεται; Οὕτως ἐγὼ περὶ τούτων ἔχω. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, σὲ μὲν ἀφίημι τοῖς τάφοις μεγαλοφρονεῖν, ἢ τοῖς μύθοις. Ἐγὼ δὲ πειρῶμαι, ὡς οἷόν τε, ἀνακαθαίρειν ἐμαυτὸν τῆς ἀπάτης, ἵν᾿ ἢ φυλάξω τὴν εὐγένειαν, ἢ ἀνακαλέσωμαι. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, ΛΟΓΟΣ ΛΓ' Source: Migne PG 36.229a-b

Every one with a high mind, friend, has one country, the heavenly Jerusalem, in which we lay up our citizenship. All have one family, if you look at things below, the dust, or if you look higher, that inspiration of which we partake and which we were called to keep, and with which I must stand to give an account of my heavenly nobility and image. Everyone then is noble who has guarded this through virtue and harmony with his archetype. On the other hand, everyone is ignoble who has mixed with evil and put on himself another form, that of the serpent. The countries below and families are playthings of our temporary life and stage. For our country is whatever each may have first occupied, either as tyrant, or in misfortune, and in this we are all alike strangers and pilgrims, however much we may play about with names. And there the family is accounted noble which is either rich from old, or recently sprung up; and ignoble which has poor parents, by misfortune or moderation. For how can there be a nobility given from above which is at one time has a beginning and then comes to an end, and which is not given to some but is given to others by letters? So I think regarding these things. Because of which I leave it to you to pride yourself on tombs or tales. But I endeavour, as I can, to purify myself from deceit, that I may keep my nobility, or recover it. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 33

Thinking Of Divinity

Τί τοῦτο ἔπαθον, ὦ φίλοι καὶ μύσται καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας συνερασταί; ἔτρεχον μὲν ὡς θεὸν καταληψόμενος, καὶ οὕτως ἀνῆλθον ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος, καὶ τὴν νεφέλην διέσχον, εἴσω γενόμενος ἀπὸ τῆς ὕλης καὶ τῶν ὑλικῶν, καὶ εἰς ἐμαυτὸν ὡς οἷόν τε συστραφείς. ἐπεὶ δὲ προσέβλεψα, μόλις εἶδον θεοῦ τὰ ὀπίσθια· καὶ τοῦτο τῇ πέτρᾳ σκεπασθείς, τῷ σαρκωθέντι δι' ἡμᾶς θεῷ Λόγῳ· καὶ μικρὸν διακύψας, οὐ τὴν πρώτην τε καὶ ἀκήρατον φύσιν, καὶ ἑαυτῇ, λέγω δὴ τῇ τριάδι, γινωσκομένην, καὶ ὅση τοῦ πρώτου καταπετάσματος εἴσω μένει καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν χερουβὶμ συγκαλύπτεται, ἀλλ' ὅση τελευταία καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς φθάνουσα. Ἡ δέ ἐστιν, ὅσα ἐμὲ γινώσκειν, ἡ ἐν τοῖς κτίσμασι καὶ τοῖς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ προβεβλημένοις καὶ διοικουμένοις μεγαλειότης, ἤ, ὡς ὁ θεῖος ∆αβὶδ ὀνομάζει, μεγαλοπρέπεια. Tαῦτα γὰρ θεοῦ τὰ ὀπίσθια, ὅσα μετ' ἐκεῖνον ἐκείνου γνωρίσματα, ὥσπερ αἱ καθ' ὑδάτων ἡλίου σκιαὶ καὶ εἰκόνες ταῖς σαθραῖς ὄψεσι παρα δεικνῦσαι τὸν ἥλιον, ἐπεὶ μὴ αὐτὸν προσβλέπειν οἶόν τε, τῷ ἀκραιφνεῖ τοῦ φωτὸς νικῶντα τὴν αἴσθησιν. οὕτως οὖν θεολογήσεις, κἂν ᾖς Μωυσῆς καὶ Φαραὼ θεός, κἂν μέχρι τρίτου κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον οὐρανοῦ φθάσῃς, καὶ ἀκούσῃς ἄρρητα ῥήματα· κἂν ὑπὲρ ἐκεῖνον γένῃ, ἀγγελικῆς τινὸς ἢ ἀρχαγγελικῆς στάσεώς τε καὶ τάξεως ἠξιωμένος. Kἂν γὰρ οὐράνιον ἅπαν, κἂν ὑπερουράνιόν τι, καὶ πολὺ τὴν φύσιν ὑψηλότερον ἡμῶν ᾖ, καὶ ἐγγυτέρω θεοῦ, πλέον ἀπέχει θεοῦ καὶ τῆς τελείας καταλήψεως, ἢ ὅσον ἡμῶν ὑπεραίρει τοῦ συνθέτου καὶ ταπεινοῦ καὶ κάτω βρίθοντος κράματος. Ἀρκτέον οὖν οὕτω πάλιν. θεὸν νοῆσαι μὲν χαλεπόν· φράσαι δὲ ἀδύνατον, ὥς τις τῶν παρ' Ἕλλησι θεολόγων ἐφιλοσόφησεν, οὐκ ἀτέχνως ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν, ἵνα καὶ κατειληφέναι δόξῃ τῷ χαλεπὸν εἰπεῖν, καὶ διαφύγῃ τῷ ἀνεκφράστῳ τὸν ἔλεγχον. Ἀλλὰ φράσαι μὲν ἀδύνατον, ὡς ὁ ἐμὸς λόγος, νοῆσαι δὲ ἀδυνατώτερον. Tὸ μὲν γὰρ νοηθὲν τάχα ἂν λόγος δηλώσειεν, εἰ καὶ μὴ μετρίως, ἀλλ' ἀμυδρῶς γε, τῷ μὴ πάντῃ τὰ ὦτα διεφθαρμένῳ καὶ νωθρῷ τὴν διάνοιαν. τὸ δὲ τοσοῦτον πρᾶγμα τῇ διανοίᾳ περιλαβεῖν πάντως ἀδύνατον καὶ ἀμήχανον, μὴ ὅτι τοῖς καταβεβλακευμένοις καὶ κάτω νεύουσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς λίαν ὑψηλοῖς τε καὶ φιλοθέοις, καὶ ὁμοίως πάσῃ γεννητῇ φύσει, καὶ οἷς ὁ ζόφος οὗτος ἐπιπροσθεῖ καὶ τὸ παχὺ τοῦτο σαρκίον πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ἀληθοῦς κατανόησιν. Oὐκ οἶδα δέ, εἰ μὴ καὶ ταῖς ἀνωτέρω καὶ νοεραῖς φύσεσιν, αἳ διὰ τὸ πλησίον εἶναι θεοῦ, kαὶ ὅλῳ τῷ φωτὶ καταλάμπεσθαι, τυχὸν ἂν καὶ τρανοῖντο, εἰ καὶ μὴ πάντῃ, ἀλλ' ἡμῶν γε τελεώτερόν τε καὶ ἐκτυπώτερον, καὶ ἄλλων ἄλλαι πλεῖον ἢ ἔλαττον, κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς τάξεως. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λογός ΚΗ', Περὶ θεολογίας, Source: Migne PG 35.29a-32a

What is this that has happened, O friends and initiates and fellow lovers of the truth? I was running so that I might take hold of God, and thus I went up into the Mount, and I drew back the cloud, and I went in away from matter and material things, and as much as I could I withdrew into myself. And then, when I looked, I hardly saw even the back parts of God, 1 and this when sheltered by the Rock, the Divine Word made flesh for us. And peering a little more, I saw not the First and unmixed Nature, known to Itself, to the Trinity, I say, not that which dwells within the first veil and is concealed by the Cherubim, but only that nature which at last reaches even to us. Which is, as far as I can learn, that which is found among the created things He has produced and governed, the Majesty, or as the holy David names it, the Glory. 2 For these are the back parts of God, which He leaves behind Him as declarations of Himself, like the shadows and reflection of the sun in the water which show the sun to our weak eyes, since we cannot look at it, because by His pure light our sense is overwhelmed. Thus theologise, even if you be a Moses and a god to Pharaoh, even if you be caught up like Paul to the third heaven, and have heard unspeakable words, 3 even if you be raised above them both and exalted to angelic or archangelic place and rank. For though a thing be all heavenly, or above heaven, and far higher in nature than us and nearer to God, yet it is more distant from God and His perfect comprehension than it is lifted above our compound and humble and downward dragging mixture. Let us then begin again. It is difficult to think of God, but to speak of Him an impossibility, as one of the Greek theologians philosophised, and not ineptly, as it seems to me, who says that having lain hold it is difficult to tell, 4 yet we may fly censure for being unable to speak. For, so I say, it is impossible to tell, and to conceive Him even more impossible. For that which is conceived can perhaps be made manifest in speech, if within limits, only obscurely, to those all who have not lost their ears, and are not dull in understanding. But to perfectly comprehend such greatness is impossible and impracticable, not only to those who are negligent and of inferior capability, but even to those exceedingly exalted and who love God, and likewise with every created nature, since the gloom here and the heaviness of the flesh obscures the understanding of the truth. I do not know if it is so with higher and more intellectual natures, which by being nearer to God, and being lit with all His light, may perhaps see clearly, and if not the whole, yet more perfectly and distinctly than us, some more, and some less, in accordance with their rank. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 28, On Theology 1 Exod 33.23 2 Ps 8.2 3 Exod 7.2, 2 Cor 12.2 4 Plato Timeaus 28c

To Whom It Is Given

Οὐ πάντες, φησὶ, χωροῦσι τὸν λόγον τοῦτον, ἀλλ' οἷς δέδοται. Τὸ, δέδοται, ὅταν ἀκούσῃς, μηδὲν αἱρετικὸν πάθῃς, μὴ τὰς φύσεις εἰσαγάγῃς, μὴ τοὺς χοϊκοὺς, καὶ τοὺς πνευματικοὺς, καὶ τοὺς μέσους. Εἰσὶ γὰρ οὕτω τινὲς διακείμενοι κακῶς, ὥστε οἴεσθαι, τοὺς μὲν πάντη ἀπολλυμένης εἶναι φύσεως, τοὺς δὲ σωζομένης, τοὺς δὲ οὕτως ἔχειν, ὅπως ἂν ἡ προαίρεσις ἄγῃ πρὸς τὸ χεῖρον, ἢ βέλτιον. Ἐπιτηδειότητα μὲν γὰρ ἄλλον ἄλλου μᾶλλον, ἢ ἔλαττον ἔχειν, κἀγὼ δέχομαι·οὐκ ἀρκεῖν δὲ μόνην τὴν ἐπιτηδειότητα πρὸς τελείωσιν· λογισμὸν δὲ εἶναι τὸν ταύτην ἐκκαλούμενον, ἵνα ἡ φύσις εἰς ἔργον προέλθῃ, καθάπερ λίθος πυρίτης σιδήρῳ κρουσθεὶς, καὶ οὕτω πῦρ γένηται. Ὅταν ἀκούσῃς, Οἷς δέδοται, πρόσθες, δέδοται μὲν τοῖς καλουμένοις καὶ τοῖς οὕτω νεύουσι. Καὶ γὰρ ὅταν ἀκούσῃς, οὐ τοῦ θέλοντος, οὐδὲ τοῦ τρέχοντος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐλεοῦντος Θεοῦ, συμβουλεύω σοι ταυτὸν ὑπολαβεῖν. Ἐπειδὴ γάρ εἰσί τινες οἱ τοσοῦτον μεγαλοφρονοῦντες ἐπὶ τοῖς κατορθώμασιν, ὥστε τὸ πᾶν ἑαυτοῖς διδόναι, καὶ μηδὲν τῷ ποιήσαντι, καὶ σοφίσαντι, καὶ χορηγῷ τῶν καλῶν, διδάσκει τούτους ὁ λόγος, ὅτι καὶ τὸ βούλεσθαι καλῶς, δεῖται τῆς παρὰ Θεοῦ βοηθείας· μᾶλλον δὲ, αὐτὸ τὸ προαιρεῖσθαι τὰ δέοντα, θεῖόν τι καὶ ἐκ Θεοῦ δῶρον φιλανθρωπίας· δεῖ γὰρ, καὶ τὸ ἐφ' ἡμῖν εἶναι, καὶ τὸ ἐκ Θεοῦ σώζεσθαι. Διὰ τοῦτό φησιν· Οὐ τοῦ θέλοντος· τοῦτ' ἔστιν, οὐ μόνον τοῦ θέλοντος, οὐδὲ τοῦ τρέχοντος μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ ἐλεοῦντος Θεοῦ. Εἶτα, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὸ βούλεσθαι παρὰ Θεοῦ, τὸ πᾶν εἰκότως ἀνέθηκε τῷ Θεῷ. Ὅσον ἂν δράμῃς, ὅσον ἂν ἀγωνίσῃ, χρῄζης τοῦ διδόντος τὸν στέφανον. Ἐὰν μὴ Κύριος οἰκοδομή σῃοἶκον, εἰς μάτην ἐκοπίασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες αὐτόν. Ἐὰν μὴ Κύριος φυλάξῃ πόλιν, εἰς μάτην ἠγρύπνησαν οἱ φυλάσσοντες αὐτήν. Οἶδα, φησὶν, ὅτι οὐ τοῖς κούφοις ὁ δρόμος, οὐδὲ τοῖς δυνατοῖς ὁ πόλεμος, οὐδὲ τῶν μαχομένων ἡ νίκη, οὔτε τῶν εὐπλούντων οἱ λιμένες· ἀλλὰ Θεοῦ, καὶ νίκην ἀπεργάσασθαι, καὶ εἰς λιμένας ἀποσῶσαι τὸ σκάφος. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λογός ΛΖ' Source: Migne PG 35.297b-300a

'Not all,' He says, 'can receive this saying, but they to whom it is given.'1 When you hear this, 'It is given,' do not receive it in a heretical way, and bring in different natures, the earthly and the spiritual and the mixed. For there are those who are so wickedly constituted that they think some people have an utterly ruined nature, and some are saved, and others are of such a disposition as their will may lead them, to better or to worse. For that one man has a certain aptitude more than another, and another less, I do admit, but it does not please that aptitude alone tends to perfection, but rather it is reason which calls to that, that nature may advance to action, just as fire when flint is struck with iron. When you hear 'To whom it is given,' add, 'And it is given to those who are called and to those who incline so.' For when you hear, 'Not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of the mercy of God,' 2 I counsel you to think the same. For since there are some who being proud of their successes attribute it all to themselves and nothing at all to Him that made them, and gave them intellect, and supplied them with good, such folk are taught by this passage that even to wish well needs God's aid, or rather that even to choose things which are right is Divine and a gift of God's charity. For it is necessary that we should be our own masters and also that salvation is from God. This is why He says 'not of him that wills,' that is, not of him that wills only, nor of him that runs only, but also of the mercy of God. And then, since to will is also from God, he has reasonably attributed the whole to God. However much you run, however much you may struggle, yet you have need of Him who gives the crown. 'Unless the Lord build the house, in vain have laboured who build it; unless the Lord guard the city, in vain they have watched who guard it.' 3 'I know,' He says, 'that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong,' 4 nor the victory to the fighters, nor the harbours to the good sailors, but to God it belongs both to work victory, and to bring the boat safe to to port. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 37 1 Mt 19.11 2 Rom 9.16 3 Ps 126.1 4 Eccl 9.11 4 Isaiah 53.8 4 Gen 14

Titles Of The Son

Δοκεῖ γάρ μοι λέγεσθαι Υἱὸς μέν, ὅτι ταὐτόν ἐστι τῷ Πατρὶ κατ᾿ οὐσίαν; καὶ οὐκ ἐκεῖνο μόνον, ἀλλὰ κἀκεῖθεν. Μονογενὴς δέ, οὐχ ὅτι μόνος ἐκ μόνου καὶ μόνον, ἀλλ᾿ ὅτι καὶ μονοτρόπως, οὐχ ὡς τὰ σώματα. Λόγος δέ, ὅτι οὕτως ἔχει πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, ὡς πρὸς νοῦν λόγος· οὐ μόνον διὰ τὸ ἀπαθὲς τῆς γεννήσεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ συναφές, καὶ τὸ ἐξαγγελτικόν. τάχα δ᾿ ἂν εἴποι τις, ὅτι καὶ ὡς ὅρος πρὸς τὸ ὁριζόμενον, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τοῦτο λέγεται λόγος. ὁ γὰρ νενοηκώς, φησι, τὸν Υἱόν, τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ ἑωρακώς, νενόηκε τὸν Πατέρα· καὶ σύντομος ἀπόδειξις καὶ ῥᾳδία τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς φύσεως ὁ Υἱός. Γέννημα γὰρ ἅπαν τοῦ γεγεννηκότος σιωπῶν λόγος. Eἰ δὲ καὶ διὰ τὸ ἐνυπάρχειν τοῖς οὖσι λέγοι τις, οὐχ ἁμαρτήσεται τοῦ λόγου. Tί γάρ ἐστιν, ὃ μὴ λόγῳ συνέστηκεν; σοφία δέ, ὡς ἐπιστήμη θείων τε καὶ ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων. Πῶς γὰρ οἷόν τε τὸν πεποιηκότα τοὺς λόγους ἀγνοεῖν ὧν πεποίηκεν; δύναμις δέ, ὡς συντηρητικὸς τῶν γενομένων, καὶ τὴν τοῦ συνέχεσθαι ταῦτα χορηγῶν δύναμιν. Ἀλήθεια δέ, ὡς ἕν, οὐ πολλὰ τῇ φύσει· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀληθὲς ἕν, τὸ δὲ ψεῦδος πολυσχιδές· καὶ ὡς καθαρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς σφραγίς, καὶ χαρακτὴρ ἀψευδέστατος. Εἰκὼν δέ, ὡς ὁμοούσιον, καὶ ὅτι τοῦτο ἐκεῖθεν, ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἐκ τούτου Πατήρ. Αὕτη γὰρ εἰκόνος φύσις, μίμημα εἶναι τοῦ ἀρχετύπου, καὶ οὗ λέγεται· πλὴν ὅτι καὶ πλέον ἐνταῦθα. Ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ ἀκίνητος κινουμένου· ἐνταῦθα δὲ ζῶντος καὶ ζῶσα, καὶ πλέον ἔχουσα τὸ ἀπαράλλακτον, ἢ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ὁ Σήθ, καὶ τοῦ γεννῶντος παντὸς τὸ γεννώμενον. Τοιαύτη γὰρ ἡ τῶν ἁπλῶν φύσις, μὴ τῷ μὲν ἐοικέναι, τῷ δὲ ἀπεοικέναι, ἀλλ᾿ ὅλον ὅλου τύπον εἶναι, καὶ ταὐτὸν μᾶλλον, ἢ ἀφομοίωμα. Φῶς δέ, ὡς λαμπρότης ψυχῶν καὶ λόγῳ καὶ βίῳ καθαιρομένων. Eἰ γὰρ σκότος ἡ ἄγνοια καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία, φῶς ἂν εἴη ἡ γνῶσις, καὶ ὁ βίος ὁ ἔνθεος. Ζωὴ δέ, ὅτι φῶς, καὶ πάσης λογικῆς φύσεως σύστασις καὶ οὐσίωσις. ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ ζῶμεν, καὶ κινούμεθα, καὶ ἐσμέν, κατὰ τὴν διπλῆν τοῦ ἐμφυσήματος δύναμιν, καὶ πνοὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἐμφυσώμενοι πάντες, καὶ πνεῦμα ἅγιον ὅσοι χωρητικοί, καὶ τοσοῦτον, καθ᾿ ὅσον ἂν τὸ στόμα τῆς διανοίας ἀνοίξωμεν.Δικαιοσύνη δέ, ὅτι τοῦ πρὸς ἀξίαν διαιρέτης, καὶ διαιτῶν δικαίως τοῖς ὑπὸ νόμον καὶ τοῖς ὑπὸ χάριν, ψυχῇ καὶ σώματι, ὥστε τὸ μὲν ἄρχειν, τὸ δὲ ἄρχεσθαι, καὶ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν ἔχειν τὸ κρεῖττον κατὰ τοῦ χείρονος, ὡς μὴ τὸ χεῖρον ἐπανίστασθαι τῷ βελτίονι. Ἁγιασμὸς δέ, ὡς καθαρότης, ἵνα χωρῆται τὸ καθαρὸν καθαρότητι. Ἀπολύτρωσις δέ, ὡς ἐλευθερῶν ἡμᾶς ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας κατεχομένους, καὶ λύτρον ἑαυτὸν ἀντιδιδοὺς ἡμῶν τῆς οἰκουμένης καθάρσιον. Ἀνάστασις δέ, ὡς ἐντεῦθεν ἡμᾶς ἀπανιστάς, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ζωὴν ἐπανάγων νενεκρωμένους ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἔτι κοινὰ τοῦ τε ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς καὶ τοῦ δι᾿ ἡμᾶς. Ἃ δὲ ἰδίως ἡμέτερα καὶ τῆς ἐντεῦθεν προσλήψεως· Ἂνθρωπος μέν, οὐχ ἵνα χωρηθῇ μόνον διὰ σώματος σώμασιν, ἄλλως οὐκ ἂν χωρηθεὶς διὰ τὸ τῆς φύσεως ἄληπτον· ἀλλ᾿ ἵνα καὶ ἁγιάσῃ δι᾿ ἑαυτοῦ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ὥσπερ ζύμη γενόμενος τῷ παντὶ φυράματι, καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἑνώσας τὸ κατακριθὲν ὅλον λύσῃ τοῦ κατακρίματος, πάντα ὑπὲρ πάντων γενόμενος, ὅσα ἡμεῖς, πλὴν τῆς ἁμαρτίας, σῶμα, ψυχή, νοῦς, δι᾿ ὅσων ὁ θάνατος· τὸ κοινὸν ἐκ τούτων, ἄνθρωπος, θεὸς ὁρώμενος, διὰ τὸ νοούμενον. Υἱὸς δὲ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ διὰ τὸν Ἀδάμ, καὶ διὰ τὴν παρθένον, ἐξ ὧν ἐγένετο· τοῦ μέν, ὡς προπάτορος, τῆς δέ, ὡς μητρός, νόμῳ καὶ οὐ νόμῳ γεννήσεως. Χριστὸς δέ, διὰ τὴν θεότητα· χρίσις γὰρ αὕτη τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, οὐκ ἐνεργείᾳ κατὰ τοὺς ἄλλους χριστοὺς ἁγιάζουσα, παρουσίᾳ δὲ ὅλου τοῦ χρίοντος· ἧς ἔργον ἄνθρωπον ἀκοῦσαι τὸ χρίον, καὶ ποιῆσαι θεὸν τὸ χριόμενον. Ὁδὸς δέ, ὡς δι᾿ ἑαυτοῦ φέρων ἡμᾶς. Θύρα δέ, ὡς εἰσαγωγεύς. Ποιμὴν δέ, ὡς εἰς τόπον χλόης κατασκηνῶν, καὶ ἐκτρέφων ἐπὶ ὕδατος ἀναπαύσεως, καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ὁδηγῶν, καὶ προπολεμῶν κατὰ τῶν θηρίων· τὸ πλανώμενον ἐπιστρέφων, τὸ ἀπολωλὸς ἐπανάγων, τὸ συντετριμμένον καταδεσμῶν, τὸ ἰσχυρὸν φυλάσσων, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἐκεῖθεν μάνδραν συνάγων λόγοις ποιμαντικῆς ἐπιστήμης. Πρόβατον δέ, ὡς σφάγιον· ἀμνὸς δέ, ὡς τέλειον. ἀρχιερεὺς δέ, ὡς προσαγωγεύς. Μελχισεδὲκ δέ, ὡς ἀμήτωρ τὸ ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἀπάτωρ τὸ καθ᾿ ἡμᾶς· καὶ ὡς ἀγενεαλόγητος τὸ ἄνω· Τὴν γὰρ γενεὰν αὐτοῦ, φησί, τίς διηγήσεται; καὶ ὡς βασιλεὺς Σαλήμ, εἰρήνη δὲ τοῦτο, καὶ ὡς βασιλεὺς δικαιοσύνης, καὶ ὡς ἀποδεκατῶν πατριάρχας κατὰ τῶν πονηρῶν δυνάμεων ἀριστεύοντας. Ἔχεις τὰς τοῦ Υἱοῦ προσηγορίας. Βάδιζε δι᾿ αὐτῶν, ὅσαι τε ὑψηλαί, θεικῶς, καὶ ὅσαι σωματικαί, συμπαθῶς· μᾶλλον δὲ ὅλον θεικῶς, ἵνα γένῃ θεὸς κάτωθεν ἀνελθών, διὰ τὸν κατελθόντα δι᾿ ἡμᾶς ἄνωθεν. Ἐπὶ πᾶσι, καὶ πρὸ πάντων, ἐκεῖνο τήρει, καὶ οὐκ ἂν σφαλείης ἐν τοῖς ὑψηλοτέροις ἢ ταπεινοτέροις ὀνόμασιν· Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, χθὲς καὶ σήμερον σωματικῶς, ὁ αὐτὸς πνευματικῶς, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λογος Λ' Source: Migne PG 35.127d-133a

For it seems to me that He is called 'Son' because of identical essence with the Father, and not for this alone, but because He is from Him. And 'Only-Begotten', not because He is the only one of the Father and the Son alone, but also because He is singular, not as corporeal things. And He is called 'The Word', because He is related to the Father as Word to Mind, not only by His passionless Generation but also because of the Union and of His role as declarer, and perhaps one might say that this is like the definition and the thing defined, since this also is called Logos. For, it says, he who perceives the Son, and this is the 'having seen', has also perceived the Father, 1 the Son being a concise and easy demonstration of the nature of the Father. For every thing that is begotten is a silent word of that which begot it. And if someone should say it is by His presence in all things that are, he would not err in his word. For what is there that coheres but by the Word? He is also called 'Wisdom', as the Knowledge of things Divine and human. For how is it possible that having made, He should be ignorant of the reasons of what He has made? And He is named 'Power', as the sustainer of all created things, and as He who gives them the power to maintain themselves. And He is 'Truth', as being one and not many in nature, for truth is one and falsehood is manifold, and He is as the pure Seal of the Father and His faithful impression. And He is 'The Image' as of one substance with Him, and because He is from Him and not the Father from Him. For this is of the nature of an image, that it is the copy of its archetype, and of that it tells. But there is somewhat more here. For commonly an image is a motionless copy of that which has motion, but here it is the living copy of the living one, and has much more likeness than Seth to Adam, or any thing begotten to its begetter. For such is the nature of simple natures, that they are not like in one respect and unlike in another, but are wholly so, and so it is here, or with this copy. Moreover he is called 'Light' as the brightness of souls cleansed by word and life. For if darkness is ignorance or sin, then light is knowledge and a holy life. And He is called 'Life', for He is Light and He constitutes and establishes every reasonable nature. 'For in Him we live and move and have our being,' 2 according to the double power of inspiration; for all are inspired by Him with breath, even the Holy Spirit as much as one is able, and as much as we open the mouth of our mind. He is Righteousness, because according to worth he distributes, and He is a righteous Arbiter both for those under the Law and for those under Grace, for soul and body, so that the former rules, and the latter is ruled, and that which is better has leadership over that which is worse, so that the worse may not rebel against the better. And He is 'Sanctification', as Purity, that the Pure may be contained by Purity. And He is 'Redemption', because He liberates us who were held captive under sin, giving Himself as our purifying ransom from the world. And Resurrection, because raising us up from there, He brings us to life who were slain by sin. These names, however, are yet common to Him who is above us and who came for our sake. But others are peculiarly our own, and are of what He assumed here. And so 'Man', not only that through His body He may be apprehended by bodily creatures, which would otherwise be impossible because of His incomprehensible nature, but also that by Himself He may sanctify man, and be as it were the leaven of the whole lump, and by uniting Himself to that which has been condemned He might release from all condemnation, becoming for all men all things, being that which we are, except in sin; in body and soul and mind, and all through that which death touches, and thus with all these things He became Man, God visible by contemplation. And He is 'Son of Man', both because of Adam and of the Virgin from whom He came; from the one as a forefather, from the other as mother, by the law of generation and apart from it. And He is 'Christ' by His Godhead. For this is the Anointing of His humanity, which does not by the action sanctify, as with others, but by the Presence of the fullness of the Anointing One, the anointing work of which is called Man, and makes God that which is anointed. And He is 'The Way', because through Himself He bears us. And 'The Door', as admitting us. And 'The Shepherd', as giving us place in green pastures, and bringing us up to the waters of rest, 3 and leading us there, and protecting us from wild beasts, and correcting those who wander, and bringing back the lost, and binding up the broken, and guarding the strong, and bringing them together in the fold beyond with words of pastoral knowledge. And He is 'The Sheep', as victim, and 'The Lamb', as perfect: and 'High Priest', as the offerer, and 'Melchisedek', as motherless in that nature above us, and Fatherless in ours, and without genealogy above, for 'Who,' it says, 'shall tell His generation?' 4 And as King of Salem, which means Peace, and as King of Righteousness, and as He who receives from patriarchs according to their triumphs over the powers of evil. 5 So you have the titles of the Son. Walk through them, through those that are lofty, divinely, threough those that are of the body, as suits them; or rather wholly divinely, that you may become divine, rising from below, for Him who came down from on high for us. In all and above all hold to this, and you shall never stumble either in the higher or more humble names; Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today in the body and in the spirit for ever and ever. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 30. 20-21 1 Jn 14.9 2 Acts 17.28 3 Ps 22.2 4 Isaiah 53.8 4 Gen 14

Recommending A Bishop

Εἰμὶ μὲν ποιμὴν ὀλίγος καὶ μικροῦ ποιμνίου προεστηκὼς καὶ πολλοστὸς ἐν ὑπηρέταις τοῦ Πνεύματος. Ἡ χάρις δ' οὐ στενὴ οὐδὲ τόποις περιγραπτός. Διὰ τοῦτο δεδόσθω καὶ τοῖς μικροῖς παρρησία, ἄλλως τε καὶ περὶ κοινῶν καὶ τηλικούτων ὄντος τοῦ λόγου, καὶ μετὰ τοσαύτης βουλευομένοις τῆς πολιᾶς, ἣ τυχὸν ἔχει τι καὶ τῶν πολλῶν συνετώτερον.  Οὐ περὶ μικρῶν οὐδὲ τῶν τυχόντων βουλεύεσθε, ἀλλ' ὧν ἢ εὖ ἢ κακῶς ἐχόντων ἀνάγκη καὶ τὸ κοινὸν ἢ οὕτως ἢ ἐκείνως ἔχειν. Περὶ γὰρ Ἐκκλησίας ὑμῖν ὁ λόγος, ὑπὲρ ἧς Χριστὸς ἔπαθεν, καὶ τοῦ ταύτην Θεῷ παραστήσοντος καὶ προσάξοντος. Λύχνος μὲν τοῦ σώματός ἐστιν ὁ ὀφθαλμός, ὡς ἠκούσαμεν, οὐ μόνον οὗτος ὁ σωματικῶς ὁρῶν καὶ ὁρώμενος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ πνευματικῶς θεωρῶν καὶ θεωρούμενος· λύχνος δὲ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐπίσκοπος, ὃ δῆλον ὑμῖν κἂν αὐτοὶ μὴ γράφωμεν. Ἀνάγκη τοίνυν, ὥσπερ ἐκείνου καθαρῶς μὲν ἔχοντος ὀρθῶς ἄγεσθαι καὶ τὸ σῶμα, μὴ καθαροῦ δὲ τυγχάνοντος, οὐκ ὀρθῶς· οὕτω καὶ τῷ προστάτῃ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, ὁποτέρως ἂν ἔχῃ, πάντως ἢ συνδιακινδυνεύειν ἢ συνδιασώζεσθαι.  Πάσης μὲν οὖν Ἐκκλησίας φροντιστέον, ὡς Χριστοῦ σώματος, μάλιστα δὲ τῆς ὑμετέρας, ἣ μήτηρ σχεδὸν πασῶν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἦν τ' ἀπ' ἀρχῆς καὶ νῦν ἐστι καὶ νομίζεται, καὶ πρὸς ἣν τὸ κοινὸν βλέπει, ὡς κέντρῳ κύκλος περιγραφόμενος, οὐ μόνον διὰ τὴν ὀρθοδοξίαν ἄνωθεν πᾶσι κεκηρυγμένην, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἐκ Θεοῦ δεδομένην αὐτῇ προδήλως χάριν τῆς ὁμονοίας.  Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν κεκλήκατε μὲν καὶ ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν περὶ τούτου διάσκεψιν, ποιοῦντες ὀρθῶς καὶ κανονικῶς, κρατούμεθα δὲ γήρᾳ καὶ ἀρρωστίᾳ, εἰ μὲν καὶ αὐτοὶ παρείημεν, τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐπιρρώσαντος, οὐδὲν γὰρ ἄπιστον τοῖς πιστοῖς, τοῦτο τῷ παντὶ βέλτιον καὶ ἡμῖν ἥδιον, ἵνα καὶ ὑμῖν τι συνεισε νέγκωμεν καὶ αὐτοὶ τῆς εὐλογίας μετάσχωμεν· εἰ δὲ τὰ τῆς ἀσθενείας νικῴη, ὅσα γ' ἀποῦσι δυνατὸν συνεισφέρομεν·  Πείθομαι μὲν καὶ ἄλλους εἶναι παρ' ὑμῖν τῆς προσ τασίας ἀξίους, καὶ ὡς ἐκ πόλεως τοσαύτης καὶ οὕτω καὶ ὑπὸ τοιούτων ἠγμένης ἄνωθεν· ἑνὸς δ' οὐδένα δύναμαι προτιμῆσαι τῶν παρ' ὑμῖν τιμίων τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου υἱοῦ ἡμῶν Βασιλείου τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου (λέγω δ' ὡς ὑπὸ Θεῷ μάρτυρι), ἀνδρὸς καὶ βίῳ καὶ λόγῳ κεκαθαρμένου καὶ μόνου τῶν πάντων, ἢ ὅτι μάλιστα, κατ' ἀμφότερα δυναμένου στῆναι πρὸς τὸν νῦν καιρὸν καὶ τὴν κατέχουσαν τῶν αἱρετικῶν γλωσσαλγίαν. Ταῦτα καὶ ἱερατικοῖς γράφω καὶ μοναστικοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἐκ τοῦ ἀξιωματικοῦ καὶ βουλευτικοῦ τάγματος καὶ τοῦ δήμου παντός. Εἰ μὲν οὖν τοῦτο συνδόξειε καὶ ἡ ψῆφος ἡμῶν κρατοίη, οὕτως ὀρθῶς τε καὶ ὑγιῶς ἔχουσα, ὡς μετὰ Θεοῦ ψηφιζομένη, καὶ πάρειμι πνευματικῶς καὶ παρέσομαι, μᾶλλον δ' ἐπιβέβληκα τὴν χεῖρα ἤδη καὶ θαρρῶ τῷ Πνεύματι. Εἰ δ' ἄλλο τι καὶ μὴ τοῦτο συνδόξειε καὶ κατὰ φατρίας καὶ συγγενείας τὰ τοιαῦτα κρίνοιτο καὶ ἡ ὀχλώδης χεὶρ πάλιν παρασύροι τὸ ἀκριβές, πράττοιτε καθ' ὑμᾶς τὸ ἀρέσκον, ἡμεῖς δὲ συσταλησόμεθα. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Ἐπιστολή ΝΓ', Πρός Τους Ἐν Καισαρείᾳ Source: Migne PG 37.84b-85c

I am a little shepherd, and over a tiny flock I stand, and I am among the least of the servants of the Spirit. But Grace is not narrow, or fenced in by place. Whence let freedom of speech be given even to the small, especially when the matter is a public one and so great, and one in which all are interested, even to deliberations of men of white hairs, who perhaps speak with more wisdom than the many. You are deliberating on no small or light matter, but concerning one by which the common interest will necessarily be served well or wounded according to the choice of this or that one. For this is a matter of the Church, for which Christ suffered, and the one who is to present it and lead it to God. For the light of the body is the eye, 1 as we have heard, not only the bodily eye which sees and is seen, but that which contemplates spiritually and is contemplated spiritually. But the light of the Church is the Bishop, as is clear to you even without writing it. As then the straightness or crookedness of the course of the body depends upon the clearness or obscurity of the eye, so must the Church partake of the peril or safety incurred by the conduct of its leader. You must then take thought for the whole Church as the Body of Christ, but most of all for your own, which from the beginning was and is now the mother of almost all the Churches, and to which the community looks, like a circle described around a centre, not only because of its orthodoxy proclaimed from of old to all, but also because of the grace of unity so evidently given to it by God. Since then you have called us to your discussion of this matter, acting rightly and canonically, yet we are oppressed by age and infirmity, and if we could be present by the strength given us by the Holy Ghost, for nothing is incredible to them that believe, it would be best for all, and pleasing to us, that gathered together we might confer something on you, and ourselves partake of the blessing; but if weakness should be the victor, we will give as much as it is possible for one who is absent. I am assured that there are others among you worthy of the leadership, because of the greatness of your city and because of its great leaders from of old, but there is one man among you whom no one stands before, our son well beloved of God, Basil the Priest, and I speak before God as my witness, a man of pure life and word, and alone or all, or almost alone, able to stand against both the present times, and the prevailing loquacity of heretics. I write this to men of the priestly and monastic life, and to the dignitaries and councillors, and to the whole people. If then you should approve it, and my vote should prevail, being so just and sound, and given with God's aid, I am with you in spirit and will be, or rather I have already set my hand to the work and am confident in the Spirit. But if you should do otherwise, not agreeing me, and the matter is judged by cliques and relations, and the hand of the mob again sweeps away correctness, do as pleases you, and I shall stand fast. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, Letter 41, To the People of Cæsarea, in his father's name. 1 Mt 6.22

Collecting Letters

Ἀει προτιμήσας ἐμαυτοῦ τὸν μέγαν Βασίλειον, εἰ κἀκείνῳ τούναντίον ἐδόκει, καὶ νῦν προτιμῶ, οὐχ ἦττον διὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἤ τὴν φιλίαν. Διὰ τοῦτο προθεὶς τὰς ἐκείνου ἐπιστολὰς, τὰς ἐμὰς ὑποτίθημι. Καὶ γὰρ ἐπιθυμῶ πανταχοῦ συνεζεῦχθαι ἡμᾶς ἀλλήλοις, καὶ ἄμα τύπον παρέχων τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῦ μετρίου καὶ τῆς ὑφέσεως.  Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Ἐπιστολή ΝΓ', Νικοβουλῳ Source: Migne PG 37.109a-b

I have always placed the great Basil before myself, even if he seemed to be opposed to this, and so I do now, not less for truth's sake than for friendship's. Thus I have placed his letters first and placed mine after them. For I wish that we will always be joined together, and also I would supply others with an example of modesty and submission. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, Letter 53, to Nicoboulus