On The Pinnacle of The Temple

Et stauit eum supra pinnaculum templi... Cogitavit enim apud se: si miserit se per aerem, scio quoniam est Filius Dei: sine dubio enim mittet se, ut cognoscatur quod est; si autem non potuerit se mittere, scio quoniam homo est. Sicut ergo concupiscentia vanae gloriae ipse ruit de caelo: nam cum esset angelus, volens se ostendere Deum, perdidit et illud quod erat, dum voluit apparere quod non erat: sic putavit et Christum concupiscentia vanae gloriae ferri. Nam sicut difficile aliquem suspicatur mlaum, qui ipse est bonus: sic difficile aliquem suspicatur bonum, qui ipse est malus. Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homilia V Source: Migne PG 56.666

And he set Him on the pinnacle of the temple... 1 The devil thought to himself: If he bears himself up in the air I will know he is the son of God, for without doubt by bearing himself so it will be known what he is, and if he is not able to bear himself up, I will know he is a man. As, therefore, because of a desire for vainglory he fell from heaven when he was an angel, and wishing to show himself God he destroyed what he was, in wishing to appear as what he was not, so he thought Christ bore the desire for vainglory. For as it is difficult for a good man to suspect evil, so it is difficult for an evil man to suspect good. Opus Imperfectum on Matthew, from Homily 5 1 Mt 4.5

Dining With The Devil

Ἐὰν καθίσῃς δειπνεῖν ἐπὶ τραπέζης δυναστῶν νοητῶς νόει τὰ παρατιθέμενά σοι καὶ ἐπίβαλλε τὴν χεῖρά σου εἰδὼς ὅτι τοιαῦτά σε δεῖ παρασκευάσαι. Eἰ δὲ ἀπληστότερος εἶ μὴ ἐπιθύμει τῶν ἐδεσμάτων αὐτοῦ ταῦτα γὰρ ἔχεται ζωῆς ψευδοῦς Εἰσάγει δὲ παρ' ἑαυτῷ τὸν βάσκανον διάβολον, καὶ τρώγει τὸν ψωμὸν αὑτοῦ μετ' αὐτοῦ, ὁ μετὰ κενοδοξίας, ἢ ἀνθρωπαρεσκείας ποιῶν τι τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων· ὁ γὰρ τοιοῦτος ἀπέχει τὸν μισθὸν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ διάβολος φανεροῖ αὐτὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἵνα διὰ τοῦ ἐπαίνου τοῦ πρὸς τὸν ἀνθρωπάρεσκον λοιμανῆται καὶ ἀποστερήσῃ τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν. Δίδυμος Αλεξανδρεύς, Εἰς Παροιμιας Source: Migne PG 39.1640b

If you sit to dine at table with the powerful, know well what is set before you, and stretch out your hand knowing what it is that you are allowed to take. Do not greedily desire their food, for with these things comes the lie of life. 1 He introduces himself eating with the devil, and he partakes of his morsels with him who does good works for vainglory or to please men, for such men have their rewards. 2 Indeed the devil openly proposes such things to men, that ruined by the praises of men in the pleasing of men, he might strip them of eternal goods. Didymus the Blind, On Proverbs 1 Prov 23.1 2 Mt 6.1-6

Considering Rewards

Ἀδύνατον δέ τινα τῶν παθῶν τούτων περιγενέσθαι, μὴ παντελῶς βρωμάτων καὶ χρημάτων, καὶ δόξης ὑπεριδόντα, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος διὰ τοὺς ῥαπίζειν αὐτὸ πολλάκις ἐπιχειροῦντας· Πᾶσα οὖν ἀνάγκη μιμεῖσθαι τοὺς κινδυνεύοτας εν θαλάττη, καὶ τῶν σκευῶν ἐκβολὴν ποιουμένους διὰ τὴν βίαν τῶν ἀνεμων καὶ τῶν ἐπανισταμένων κυμάτων. Ἀλλ' ἐνταῦθα προσεκτέον ἀκριβῶς, μή πως ἐκβολὴν ποιούμενοι τῶν σκευῶν, πρὸς τὸ θεαθεῖναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ποίσωμεν· ἐπεὶ ἀπέχομεν τὸν μισθὸν ἡμῶν, καὶ ἄλλο τοῦ προτέρου χαλεπώτερον διδέξεται ἡμᾶς ναυάγιον, τοῦ τῆς κενοδοξίας ἡμῖν ἀντιπνεύσαντος δαίμονος. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις, τὸν κυβερνήτην νοῦν παιδεύων, προσέχετε, φασὶν, τὴν ἐλημοσύνην ἡμῶν μὴ ποιεῖν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων πρὸς τὸ θεαθεῖναι αὐτοῖς, εἰ δὲ μήγε μισθ̀ον οὐκ ἔχετε παρὰ τῷ Πατρὶ ὑμῶν τῷ ἐν τοὶς οὐρανοῖς. Καὶ πάλιν· Ὅταν προσεύχησθε, φησὶν, οὐκ ἔσεσθε ὥσπερ οἱ ὑποκριταὶ, ὅτι φιλοῦσιν ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς, καὶ ἐν ταῖς γωνίαις τῶν πλατειῶν ἑστῶτες προσεύχεσθαι, ὅπως φανῶσι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι ἀπέχουσι τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῶν. Καὶ πάλιν λέγει· Ὅταν νηστεύητε, μὴ γίνεσθε, ὥσπερ οἱ ὑποκριταὶ σκυθρωποὶ· ἀφανίζουσι γὰρ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν, ὅπως φανῶσι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύοντες· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπέχουσιν τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῶν. Ἀλλὰ προσεκτέον ἐνταῦθα τῷ ἰατρῷ τῶν ψυχῶν, πῶς διὰ μὲν τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης τὸν θυμὸν θεραπεύει, διὰ δὲ τῆς προσευχῆς τὸν νοῦν καθαρίζει, καὶ πάλιν διὰ τῆς νηστείας τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν καταμαραίνει, ἐξ ὧν συνίσταται ὁ νέος ἄνθρωπος, ὁ ἀνακαινούμενος κατ̓ εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος αὐτὸν, ἐν ᾧ οὐκ ἔστι διὰ τὴν ἀγίαν ἀπάθειαν ἄρσεν, καὶ θῆλυ, οὐδὲ διὰ τὴν μίαν πίστιν, καὶ ἀγάπην, Ἕλλην, καὶ Ἰουδαῖος, περιτομὴ, καὶ ἀκροβυστία, Βάρβαρος, Σκύθης, δοῦλος, καὶ ἐλεύθερος, ἀλλὰ τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσι Χριστός. Εὐάγριος ὁ Ποντικός, Περὶ διαφόρων πονηρῶν λογισμῶν, Κεφαλ Γ' Source: Migne PG 79 1224d-1225a

It is impossible to overcome the passions unless we can rise above attachment to food and possessions and honour, and even to our own body, by which the demons often assault us. There is every need, then, to imitate people who are in danger at sea and who throw things overboard because of the violence of the winds and the height of the waves. But here we must be very careful lest we throw things away that we may be seen to be doing so by men, since we shall receive our reward for that, but then we shall suffer another shipwreck, worse than the first, blown off our course by the demon of vainglory. That is why our Lord in the Gospels, teaching the helmsman's mind, says, 'Take care that you do not give alms in front of others that you be seen by them, lest you  have no reward from your Father in heaven.' Again He says: 'When you pray, you must not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in synagogues and at street corners, so they be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. Moreover when you fast, do not put on a gloomy face, like the hypocrites; for they disfigure their faces so that they may be seen by men to be  fasting. Truly I say to you, they receive their reward.' 1 But observe the physician of souls here, how by mercy He treats our irascibility; how by prayer He purges the mind, and again how by fasting He causes desire to wither, and by this the new man is fashioned, renewed according to the image of his Creator, in whom, on account of holy apatheia, there is neither male nor female, nor is there, by one faith and love, Greek or Jew, circumcision or uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all in all. Evagrius Ponticus, On Various Wicked Thoughts, Chapter 3 1 Mt 6.1-5

Guarding Against Vainglory

Εἰ δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς κενοδοξίας καὶ τοῦ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπαίνου δεινῶς τυραννῇ, ὀφείλεις μηδὲν πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ποιεῖν, ἀλλὰ πᾶσαν τὴν ἐργασίαν σου ποιεῖν ἐν κρυπτῷ, μηδενὸς ἄλλου εἰδότος, ἢ του Θεοῦ μόνου· καὶ μὴ ἀγάπα τοὺς ἐπαίνους, μηδὲ τὰς τιμὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, μηδὲ τὰ καλὰ ἱμάτια, μηδὲ τὴν προτίμησιν, καὶ τὴν πρωτοκαθεδρίαν· μάλλον δὲ ἀγάπα ἵνα σε ψέγωσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ κατηγορῶσι καὶ ἀτιμάζωσι ψευδόμενοι· καὶ ἔχε ἑαυτὸν παντὸς ἁμαρτωλοῦ ἁμαρτωλότερον. Άγιος Ιωάννης ο Δαμασκηνός, Περι Των Ὀκτώ Τῆς Πονηρίας Πνευμάτων Source: Migne PG 95 82c-d

If glorying in vanities and the praises of men rules heavily over you, never should you do anything before men, but let all the works that you do be done in secret, known to no one but God alone; 1 and guarding against love of the praises and honours of men, refuse fine vestments, first portions and first seats, but rather love that men insult you, and accuse and dishonour you by their lies, and hold yourself as the most sinful of sinners. Saint John of Damascus, On The Eight Wicked Spirits 1 cf Mt 6.1-6

Stones And Bread

Καὶ προσελθὼν ὁ πειράζων εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ θεοῦ, εἰπὲ ἵνα οἱ λίθοι οὗτοι ἄρτοι γένωνται. Οὐχ ὑπήκουσεν ὁ Χριστὸς τοῦ διαβόλου ὥστε ποιῆσαι τοὺς λίθους ἄρτους· διότι οὐ πρὸς ὠφέλειαν αὐτοῦ ἧν· οὐ γὰρ ἵνά πιστεύσῃ καὶ γένηται ὡς πρότερον ἧν ἄγγελος, τοῦτο ᾐτεῖτο ἁμετανόητος γὰρ, ἀλλ' ἵνα εἰς κενοδοξίαν ἐλκύσῃ τὸν Χριστόν· ὅπερ εἰδὼς ὁ Σωτὴρ οὐχ ὑπήκουσεν αὐτοῦ. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον Εὐάγγελιον Source:  Migne PG 72.372b

And the tempter approached and said to Him, 'If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread. 1   Christ did not comply with the devil that He make stones bread because it would have been of no profit to him, for it was not that he might believe and become that angel that he was before, since he was incapable of repentance, but he wished to lead Christ into vainglory, which understanding the Saviour did not do what he wished. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Fragment 1 Mt 4.3

A Slavish Monk

Χαίρει Ἰουδαῖος Σαββάτῳ καὶ ἑορτῇ· μοναχὸς γαστρίμαργος Σαββάτῳ καὶ Κυριακῇ· πρὸ χρόνου τὸ Πάσχα ψηφίζει, καὶ πρὸ ἡμερῶν τὰ ἐδέσματα εὐτρεπίζει. Ψηφίζει κοιλιόδουλος ἐν ποίοις βρώμασιν ἑορτάσει· ὁ δὲ θεόδουλος ἐν ποίοις χαρίσμασιν πλουτήσει. Ξένου ἐπιδημήσαντος εἰς ἀγάπην ὅλος ἐκ γαστριμαργίας κινεῖται· καὶ παράκλησιν ἀδελφοῦ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κατάλυσιν λογίζεται· ἐπὶ παρουσίᾳ τινῶν τοῦ οἴνου καταλύειν ἐσκέψατο· καὶ ἀρετὴν δοκῶν κρύπτειν, πάθους δοῦλος ἐγένετο. Ἐχθραίνει πολλάκις κενοδοξία τῇ γαστριμαργίᾳ, καὶ ὡς ἐπὶ ὀνησίμῳ δούλῳ τῷ ἀθλίῳ μοναχῷ διαμάχονται· ἡ μὲν καταλύειν βιάζεται, ἡ δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀρετὴν θριαμβεύειν ὑποτίθεται· σοφὸς μοναχὸς ἀμφοτέρων ἐκφεύξεται, ἐν οἰκείῳ καιρῷ τῇ ἑτέρᾳ τὴν ἑτέραν ἀποσειόμενος. Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης τῆς Κλίμακος, Λόγος ΙΔ', ἡ Κλίμαξ Source: Migne PG 88.864d-865a

The Jew rejoices on Sabbaths and feast days; the monk who is a glutton on Saturdays and Sundays. He reckons up the days until Easter, and he prepares the food for it days before. A slavish belly calculates on what dishes it will feast, but the servant of God considers with what graces he may be enriched. A visitor arriving, he is moved to be hospitable entirely out of gluttony, and he judges laxity for himself as a comforting of his brother. In the presence of others, he thinks it right to allow himself wine, and thinking that he conceals his virtue he becomes a slave of passion. Often vainglory is an adversary of gluttony, and they fight among themselves for the wretched monk as for a purchased slave. The one drives him to relax, the other suggests that he should lead about his virtue in triumph. The wise monk flees both, at the right time shaking off the one by the other. Saint John Climacus, from Step 14, The Ladder

Fasting, Mercy And Prayer

Cum autem jejunatis, nolite fieri sicut hypocritae tristes; exterminant enim facies suas, ut appareant hominibus jejunantes.    Omnium malorum prima et fortiora sunt tria mala: id est, gula, avaritia, et vana gloria. Adversus quae Dominus tentationis suscipiens bellum, pugnavit pro nobis. Contra gulam in eremo, conrtra avaritiam super  monetem, contra vanam gloriam super templum. Item omnium bonorum prima et fortiora sunt tria bona, eleemosyna, oratio, et jejunium. Et vide quomodo adversus tria mala inventa sunt tria bona, id est, eleemosyna contra avaritiam, jejunium contra gulam, oratio contra vanam gloriam. Dic nobis, Ecce jejunium contra gulam venit, quia contrarium est jejunium gulae: et eleemosyna contra avaritiam convenit, quia avaritia congregat, eleemosyna autem dispergit: oratio quomodo convenit contra gloriam vanam? Audi. Omnia mala, quae sunt in mundo, habent contraria bona, per quae superentur: utputa, fornicatio castitatem, superbia humilitatem, iracundia mansuetudinem. Et nullum est malum, quod non habeat contrarium bonum, per quod superetur, dempta vana gloria. Ideo quanta vis bona feceris, volens compescere vanam gloriam, tanto magis excitas eam: et causa est ista, quia omne malum ex malo nascitur, sola autem vana gloria de bono procedit: ideo non exstinguitur per bonum, sed magis nutritur. Denique inter homines peccatores tentatio vanae gloriae non habet locum.  Fornicarius enim, aut raptor, quomodo tentetur in vana gloria, qui non habet unde glorietur? Illi autem tentationem vanae gloriae patiuntur, qui tale aliquid faciunt, unde glorientur. Ergo nullum remedium potest esse contra vanam gloriam, nisi oratio sola: et haec ipsa vanitatem generat, nisi caute prospexeris, si forte bene oraveris. Altera de eleemosyna, et jejunio, et oratione diviso in lege scripta est: Non entres ante conspectum Dei tui vacuus. Vacuus autem intrat ante Deum, qui veniens ad orationem, nullam eleemosynam facit. Non solum in Veteri Testamento, sed etiam in Novo praeciptiur, ut per singulas septimanas unusquisque Christianus aliquid gazophylacium mittat, ad orationem venturus, sicut ait Apostolus: Unusquisque vestrum singula sabbata quod illi placuerit apud se reponat, ut non, cum venero, tunc collectae fiant. Item dicit Salomon: Ante orationem praepara animam tuam. Ille praeparat animam suam ante orationem, qui faciens eleemosynam venit ad orationem. Sicut enim oleum accendit lumen lucernae, ita et bona opera excitant fidem cordis, et dant confidentiam animae apud Deum orandi. Ergo eleemosyna praeparatio est orationis. Item jejunium est adjuotorium orationis, quia oratio sine jejunio gracilis est, et infirma. Nam oratio illa est fortis, quae fit in spiritu humili et corde tribulato, sicut et Propheta dicit: Sacrificum Deo spiritus contribulatus, cor contritum et humiliatem Deus non despicit. Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homilia XV Source:  Migne PG 56.715-716

When you fast do not be like the mournful hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that they appear before men to be fasting... 1 Of all evils the primary and most powerful are three: that is, gluttony, avarice and vainglory. Against which the Lord, taking up the battle of temptation, fought for us. Against gluttony in the desert, against avarice on the mount, against vain glory on the temple. 2 Similarly of all goods the primary and most powerful are three: mercy and prayer and fasting. And observe how three goods are found against the three evils, that is, mercy against avarice, fasting against gluttony, prayer against vain glory. Say to us, 'Behold fasting comes against gluttony because fasting is the opposite of gluttony, and mercy comes against avarice because where avarice hoards mercy disperses; but prayer, how does it come against vain glory?' Hear. All evils which are in the world have their opposing good by which they are conquered, that is, fornication by chastity, pride by humility, wrath by meekness. And there is no evil that does not have its opponent by which it is conquered, except vain glory. Therefore, however much good you wish to do, and in that wishing to suppress vainglory, so much the more do you excite it. And for this reason, that every evil from evil is born, apart from vainglory which proceeds from good and therefore is not extinguished by good but rather nourished by it. Whence among sinful men the temptation of vainglory does not have a place. For the fornicator or the thief, how is he is tested in vainglory, who does not have anything to glory in? By these the trial of vainglory is suffered: they who do something in which they might glory. Therefore no remedy is possible against vainglory unless prayer, and yet this itself may generate vanity unless we watch over it closely, if perhaps we would pray well. It is also written in the law concerning almsgiving and fasting and prayer: Do not enter before the face of your God empty. 3 For he enters before the face of God empty who comes to prayer and has no mercy. Not only in the Old Testament but in the New it is commanded that each sabbath every Christian must put something in the treasury and come to prayer, as the Apostle says: 'Each one of you on your Sabbaths should place something aside as pleases him, that when I come there be no need of a collection.' 4 And Solomon says the same: 'Before prayer prepare your soul.' 5 And he prepares his soul before prayer who having given alms comes to prayer. For it is like the oil of the lamp kindled for light, thus even good works arouse the faith of the soul and they give it confidence in prayer to God. Therefore almsgiving is a preparation for prayer. Likewise fasting is a help to prayer because prayer without fasting is fragile and weak. That prayer is strong which is performed by in humility of spirit and with a troubled heart, as even the Prophet says, 'A sacrifice to God is a spirit distressed and a heart contrite and humble God does not despise.' 6 Opus Imperfectum on Matthew, from The Fifteenth Homily 1 Mt 6.16 2 Mt 4.1-11 Lk 4.1-13  3 Exod 23.15 4 1 Cor 16.2 5 Sirach 18.23 6 Ps 50.19

Vainglory and Pride

Μόνος τῶν λογισμῶν ὁ τῆς κενοδοξίας ἐστὶ πολύυλος, καὶ ὅλον σχεδὸν περιλαμβάνων τὴν οἰκουμένην, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς δαίμοσιν ὑπανοίγων τὰς θύρας, ὥσπερ τις προδότης πονηρὸς ἀγαθῆς γενόμενος πόλεως.  Διὸ καὶ πάνυ ταπεινοῖ τοῦ ἀναχωροῦντος τὸν νοῦν, πολλῶν λόγων αὐτὸν καὶ πραγμάτων πληρῶν, καὶ τὰς προσευχὰς αὐτοῦ λυμαινόμενος δι' ὧν πάντα τὰ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ τραύματα θεραπεύειν σπουδάζει.  Τοῦτον τὸν λογισμὸν συναύξουσι πάντες ἡττηθέντες οἱ δαίμονες, καὶ πάλιν δι' αὐτοῦ πάντες εἰς τὰς ψυχὰς λαμβάνουσιν εἴσοδον, ποιοῦντες ὄντῶς τὰ ἔσχατα, χείρονα τῶν πρώτων.  Εκ τούτου δὲ γεννᾶται τοῦ λογισμοῦ, καὶ ὁ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας ἐκεῖνος, ὁ τὸ ἀποσφράγισμα τῆς ὁμοιώσεως, καὶ τὸν στέφανον τοῦ κάλλους ἀπ' οὐρανῶν εἰς γῆν κατασείσας.  Ἀλλ' ἀποπήδησον τούτου, καὶ μὴ χρονίσῃς, ἵνα μὴ προδῶμεν ἄλλοις τὴν ζωὴν ἡμῶν, καὶ τὸν ἡμέτερον βίον ἀνελεήμοσι.  Τοῦτον δὲ τὸν δαίμονα φυγαδεύει ἐκτενὴς προσευχὴ,  καὶ τὸ μηδὲν ἑκόντα ποιεῖν, τῶν συνελούντων πρὸς τὴν ἐπάρατον δόξαν.  Εὐάγριος ὁ Ποντικός, Περὶ διαφόρων πονηρῶν λογισμῶν

Of evil thoughts none is richer in resources than vainglory, and it is to be encountered almost everywhere in the world, and secretly it opens the gates to all the demons, like some wicked traitor in a city of the good. Thus it gravely debases the mind of the man withdrawn, filling it with many words and ideas and defiling the prayers through which he is eager to heal all the wounds of his soul. All the other demons defeated gather together to augment the strength of this evil thought and by it again receive entry into the soul, thus making the last state worse than the first 1. And from it rises pride, that which cast down from heaven to earth the impression of God's likeness and the crown of beauty. So leaping away from it, staying not for a moment, let us not give up our life to these and our years to the merciless one 2. And this demon is driven out by intense prayer and by not doing anything that would add to the sense of one's own woeful importance.   Evagrius Ponticus, On Various Evil Thoughts 1 cf. Mt 12:45  2 cf. Pr 5:9

The Perils of Avarice

Πάνυ γὰρ ποικίλος μοι φαίνεται τῆς φιλαργυρίας ὁ δαίμων, καὶ πρὸς ἀπάτην εὐμήχανος, ὃς πολλάκις στενωθεὶς ὑπὸ τῆς ἄκρας ἀποταγῆς, τὸν οἰκονόμον εὐθὺς, καὶ φιλόπτωχον ὑποκρίνεται, καὶ τοὺς μηδέπω παρόντας ὑποδέχεται ξένους γνησιώτερον, καὶ ἄλλοις λειπομένοις ἀποστέλλει διακονίαν, καὶ δεσμωτήρια πόλεως ἐπισκέπτεται, καὶ τοὺς πιπασκομένους δῆθεν ἐξαγοράζει, γυναιξί τε κολλᾶται πλουσίαις, καὶ ἄλλους πάλιν ἀποτάξασθαι νουθετεῖ βαλάντιον ἀδρὸν κεκτημένους, καὶ οὕτως ἐξαπατήσας κατὰ μικρὸν τὴν ψυχὴν, τῆς φιλαργυρίας αὐτὴν λογισμοῖς ὑποβάλλει, καὶ τῷ τῆς κενοδοξίας παραδίδωσι δαίμονι. Ὡς πλῆθος εἰσάγει τῶν δοξαζόντων ἐπὶ ταῖς οἰκονομίαις ταύταις τὸν Κύριον, καί τινας κατ' ὀλίγον περὶ ἱερωσύνης συλλαλοῦντας προβάλλων λοιπὸν προμαντεύεται ταχὴν θάνατον τοῦ ὄντος ἱερέως, καὶ ὡς οὐκ ἃν ἐκφύγῃ μυρία ποιήσας προστίθησι, καὶ οὕτως ὁ παλαίπωρος νοῦς ἐνδεθεὶς τούτοις τοῖς λογισμοῖς, τοῖς μὲν μὴ κατεξαμένοις τῶν ἀνθρώπων διαμάχεται, τοῖς δὲ τοῦτο καταδεξαμὲνοις, ἑτοίμως δῶρα χαρίζεται, καὶ τῆς εὐγνωμοσύνης αὐτοὺς ἀποδέχεται· τινὰς δὲ διστασιάζοντας, τοῖς δικαστασαῖς παραδίδωσι, καὶ τῆς πόλεως ἐξορίζεσθαι παραγγέλλει·   τούτων δὲ λοιπὸν ἔνδον ὄντων, καὶ στρεφομένων τῶν λογισμῶν, εὐθὺς καὶ ὁ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας ἐφίσταται δαίμων, ἀστραπὰς συνεχεῖς κατὰ τὸν ἀέρα τῆς κέλλης τυπῶν, καὶ δράκοντας πτερωτοὺς ἐπιπέμπων, καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον κακὸν, στέρησιν φρενῶν ἐργαζόμενον, ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς τούτοις τοῖς λογισμοῖς  ἀπώλειαν ἐπευξάμενοι, μετ' εὐχαριστίας τῇ πενίᾳ συζήσωμεν, ̧ Οὐδὲν γὰρ εἰηνέγκαμεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον, οὐδὲ ἐξενεγκεῖν τι δῆλον ὅτι δυνάμεθα· ἔχοντες δὲ τροφὰς, καὶ σκεπάσματα, τούτοις ἀρκεσθησόμεθα, μεμνημένοι καὶ Παύλου, ῥίζαν πάντων τῶν κακῶν τὴν φιλαργυρίαν εἰπόντος. Εὐάγριος ὁ Ποντικός, Περὶ διαφόρων πονηρῶν λογισμῶν

For indeed it seems to me that the demon of avarice is exceedingly complex and most capable in his deceits, he who often when we are bemoaning the strictness of our renunciation, feigns to be a carer and a lover of the poor, and he would have us prepare a welcome for guests who have not yet arrived, or send supplies to those who are far away. He makes us consider those in the city prisons and the ransoming of those long enslaved, and that we should ingratiate ourselves with wealthy women, and again he inclines us to be obsequious to others who have a heavy purse, and thus, little by little, deceiving the soul, he casts it into avaricious thoughts and hands it over to the demon of vainglory. He then brings forth a crowd praising the Lord on account of our works, and in a little while has us talking to others about our ordination, and he prophesisies  that the present priest will soon die, and our long degenerate minds entangled in these thoughts, attacks any man who does not support us, while to those who do support it is ready to give gifts and judge them upstanding fellows, and some of those who doubt us we would have hauled before the judges and demand their expulsion from the city. And with these things within us and thoughts on them circling in our mind, the demon of pride is beside us, filling the room of our cell with lightning and winged dragons, trying to work that final evil, the utter loss of reason. But on all such thoughts let destruction come and with thanks let us live in poverty. 'For we brought nothing into the world, and it is certain that we can take nothing out of it. Having food and clothing, let us be content with them', 1 And remembering that St Paul said, 'Avarice is the root of all evil.' 2   Evagrius Ponticus, On Various Evil Thoughts 1 1 Tim 6.7-8 2 1 Tim 6.10

Hungering For Simplicity

Οὐκ ἀρκεῖ ἡ Βρῶσις καὶ πόσις καὶ στρωμνὴ Ἰωάννου πρὸς πέρας ασκήσεως, τοῖς ταῦτα ζητοῦσιν, ὦ ἄριστε, ἀλλὰ χρεία καὶ τῆς γνώμης Ἰωάννου πρὸς τὴν τελείσιν. Εἰ τοίνυν ἡμῶν ἐπεινεῖς τὴν λιτότητα, κατόρθωσον ἡμιν τὴν πραότητα, ἥπερ πᾶσαν ἐκκλίνει περπερείαν. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΡΗΘ', Ἱεραξ Source: Migne PG 78.292a

Food and drink and blankets did not please John for the ascetic life, 1 and those who seek these things, O good fellow, must lack the flawless judgement of John. If then you hunger for our simplicity, set right your own surroundings, which more than anything incline a man to vainglory. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 162, To Hierax 1 cf Mt 3.4

Doing Good

Οὐκ ἐστιν, ᾦ φίλη κεφαλὴ, ἐν παραβύστῳ καὶ ἀποκρύφῳ κείμενος ὁ τοῦ Κυρίου νόμος, Μὴ γνώτω ἡ ἀριστερά σου τί ποιεῖ ἡ δεξιά σου, κελεύοντος, ἀλλὰ λευκὸς καὶ σαφέστατος, καὶ τοῖς προσόχοις ἀρίδηλος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τῷ εὖ ποιεῖν κενοδοξία παρέπεται καὶ ἐπίδειξις, Μηδὲν, φησὶ, καλὸν γινὲσθω παρὰ σοῦ ἐμπαθως, μηδὲ πέρπερος λογισμος ἀκολουθείτω τῷ κατορθώματι· ἀλλ' εἰ εὖ ποιεῖς, ἀνεπίδεικτος ἔσο καὶ ἄκομπος, τοὺς ἐνταῦθα κρότους μὴ θηρῶν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας στεφάνους προσδοκῶν.  Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΠΕ', Λεοντιῳ Επισκοπῳ

It is not, dear friend, lying hidden in some corner, this law of the Lord, 'Let your left hand not know what your right hand is doing,'1 but the meaning is clear and most evident to those who are attentive. For when vainglory accompanies action and it is overt in well doing, nothing, I say, is well done, nor does thought come to improvement, but if you would do well, be undemonstrative and boastless, not hunting for applause but waiting for the future crown. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 84, to the Bishop Leontios 1. Mt 6.3

The Thorns Of Our Cares

Kαὶ ἄκαρπος γένηται ὁ λόγος ὑπὸ τῆς μερίμνης πνιγόμενος τῶν ἀκανθῶν. Οὐκοῦν τοὺς ἐκ μερίμνης ἀποθέμενοι λογισμοὺς, ἐπιῤῥίψωμεν ἐπὶ Κύριον τὴν μέριμναν ἡμῶν τοῖς παροῦσιν ἀρκούμενοι, καὶ πενιχρᾷ ζωῇ χρησάμενοι, καὶ στολῇ τῆς κενοδοξόας μεθ' ἡμέραν ἀποδυσώμεθα. Εἰ δέ τις ἀσχημονεῖν ἐπὶ πενιχρᾷ νομίζει στολῇ, βλεπέτω τὸν ἅγιον Παῦλον ἐν ψύχει, καὶ γυμνότητι, τὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης προσδοκήσαντα στέφανον. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ θέατρον, καὶ στάδιον ὁ Ἀπόστολος τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον ὠνόμασεν, ἴδωμεν, εἰ ἔστι δυνατὸν, μερίμνης ἐνδυσάμενον λογισμοὺς, δραμεῖν ἐπὶ τὸ βραβεῖον τἠς ἄνω κλήσεως, ἢ παλαῖσαι πρὸς τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ οἶδα, καὶ ἀπ' αὐτῆς τῆς αἰσθητῆς παιδευόμενος ἱστορίας. Ἐμποδισθήσεται γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ὁ ἀθλῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ χιτῶνος δηλονότι, καὶ εὐκόλως περιελκυσθήσεται, καθάπερ καὶ ὁ νοῦς ὑπὸ τῶν λογισμῶν τῆς μερίμνης, εἴπερ ἀληθινὸς ὁ λέγων τῷ ἰδίῳ τὸν νοῦν προσκαρτερεῖν θησαυρῷ, Ὅπου γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θησαυρός σου, φησὶν, ἐκεῖ ἔσται, καὶ ἡ καρδία σου.   Εὐάγριος ὁ Ποντικός, Περὶ διαφόρων πονηρῶν λογισμῶν

The word is fruitless being choked by the thorns of our cares. So being done with troublesome thoughts, let us cast our cares down before the Lord, content with things present; and living in poverty and want, let us day by day strip ourselves of the garments of vainglory. And if anyone thinks it shameful to live in poor clothes, let him look to Saint Paul in cold and nakedness awaiting the crown of righteousness. To an arena and a stadium the Apostle likened the world; and so how is he able who is clothed with fretful thoughts to run for the prize of high calling, or wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age? I do not see how this is possible, and by this sensible insight let us be educated, for just as an athlete is weighed down by clothing and relieved when it is removed, so it is with the mind and anxious thoughts, if indeed the saying is true that the mind cleaves to its own treasure; for 'Where your treasure is, there will your heart be.' Evagrius Ponticus, On Various Evil Thoughts