Adhering to the Dust

Ἐκολλήθη τῷ ἐδάφει ἡ ψυχή μου, λέγων ὁ Ψαλμῳδὸς, πρῶτον μὲν τῆν πρὸς τὸ σῶμα αὐτῆς κοινωνίαν δηλεῖ, ἐκ τοῦ ἐδάφους οὔσης τοῦ χοός· ἔπειτα καὶ τὴν ἐκούσιον ταπείνωσιν ἑαυτοῦ, ἥν ἐφ' οἶς ἥμαρτεν, ἐπεδείξατο· ζῆσαι δι' αὐτῆς κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ προσδοκήσας τὸν ταπεινοῦντα ἑαυτὸν ἀνυψοῦντος. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΤΕ' , Εὐτονιῳ

My soul adheres to the dust,1 the Psalmist says, first referring to the body we share, which is from the dust of the earth, and then next to the humility of his own will, which having sinned exposes itself, seeking that by this it live on through the word of God, which it expects to lift up the humble . Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 305, To Eutonius 1 Ps 119. 25

The Errors of a Bishop

Τί θαυμάζεις, ὅτι δι' ἑνος ἁμαρτίαν ὅλη μαστίζεται; ὅπερ καὶ ἐπὶ Δαβὶδ γενόμενον, ἕγνως. Ὅταν γὰρ ἕπὶ τῇ εὐθηνίᾳ τῶν πραγμάτων ὁ ἔξαρχος ὑπερηφανεύηται, εἰς ἀθυμίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ κατάκρισιν τὸ ὑπήκοον ἐλαττοῦται, οὐκ ἀδίκως παιδευόμενον, ἀλλ' ἐκάστου τὰ ἐπίχειρα τῆς οἰκείας πράξεως παραλαμβάνοντες, καὶ τῆς θείας μακροθυμίας ἀποτυγχάνοντς, διὰ τὰς τοῦ ἄρχοντος ψήφους. Μὴ τοίνυν ἐπισυνηγόρει ταῖς Εὐσεβίου τοῦ, ὡς οἴεται, ἐπισκόπου φαυλότησιν, εἰ δι' ἐκεῖνον καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον λειτουργῶν, καὶ ἡ πόλις οἰκητόρων χηρεύει. Οἱ γὰρ ἀκρίτως τὸν ἀνάξιον προβαλλόμενοι δίκαιοι εἰσι, καὶ τοὺς πόνους τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν φαγεῖν, ἀρετὴν ἀτιμάσαντες, καὶ κακίαν οὕτω προφανῆ προστησάμενοι. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΛΘ', Θεοδοσιῳ Μοναζοντι

Why are you amazed that for one sin a whole city is punished? Certainly you know of David. For when on account of great wealth and a flourishing state he grew proud, to sickness and condemnation those beneath him were reduced. They were not admonished for iniquity, for truly each one receives the rewards of his own actions, but because of the census of a ruler.1 And the faults of your bishop, let it be thought, do not benefit you, on account of which the ministry of the altar and the city lacks inhabitants. For those who dare without judgement to select unworthy men shall eat the fruit of their labours of which they are worthy. He who is contemptuous of virtue shall choose even obvious evils. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 39, To Theodosis the Monk 1 2 Kings 24, 13

Blood And Spirit

Νουνεχῶς ἐρωτῶντι ἀνάγκη σοι ἀποκρίνεσθαι. Λαλει γὰρ, φησὶν, εἰς ὦτα ἀκουόντων. Καὶ, Ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκούειν, ἀκουέτω. Μὴ ποιεῖτε τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Πατρός μου οἶκον ἐμπορίου, τοῖς τὰςπεριστερὰς πωλοῦσιν ὁ Κύριος εἶπε, τοὺς ἱερεῖς αἰνισσόμενος, τὰς τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἀπεμπωλοῦντας δωρεάς· ἐπειδὴ ἐν εἶδει περιστερᾶς τὸ θεῖον ἐπεφάνη Πνεῦμα τοὺς θεοκαπήλους προπηλακίζον. Τὸ δὲ, Ἂρατε ταῦτα ἐντεῦθεν, Οὐ χρεία λοιπὸν, φησὶ, τῶν αἱμάτων· ἀναίμακτον ἐγὼ χαριζομαι πταισμάτων ἄφεσιν· ἐκ τοῦ δεῦρο πνεῦμα μόνον ἐξιλάσκεσθαι βούλομαι. Ὁ σαρκικὸς πεπλήρωται νόμος, ὁ τοῦ πνεύματος κρατείτω, καὶ τῆς σωτηρίας ἀρχέτω. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΡϚ' Source: Migne PG 78.253c

To you who wisely ask it is necessary to reply. For it says, 'Speak to the ears that hear.' 1 And, 'He who has ears let him hear.' 2 And 'Do not make the house of my father a house of sale,' 3 He then says to those who were selling doves, which signifies the sacred gifts of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit having appeared in the form of a dove, and those who trade in the Divine disgrace it. And He says, 'Take these away from here,' 4 as if He had said, 'No longer does blood benefit. I shall give forgiveness of faults without blood. From now the spirit only I wish to propitiate. The carnal law is fulfilled, now the spiritual commands, and it begins the work of salvation.' Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Letter 106, to the Lector Timotheus 1 Sirach 25.12 2 Lk 8.8 3 Jn 2.16 4 Mat 3.16

A Bishop Warned

'Σκοπόν σε δέδωκα,' φησὶν ἡ θεία Γραφὴ, 'καὶ ὅψει τὴν ῥομθαίαν ἐρχομένην, καὶ ἀναγγελεῖς.' Καὶ εἰ μὲν νήψουσιν ἐξυπισθέντες, καὶ πρὸς ἀρετὴν ὑπήκοοι γρηγορήσουσι, καὶ σοὶ κὰκείνοις σωτηρίας γενήσεται ὅνησις. Εἰ δὲ τὰ ὦτα βύσουσιν ὡς ἀσπίδες, αὐτὸς τό γε ἥκον ἐπὶ σοὶ ἐξετέλεδας. Σκόπει τοίνυν μὴ μόνον φωνῇ μαρτυρούμενος φανῇς, τοῖς ἔργοις ἡττώμενος, ἐνδιδοὺς τὰς ἤνίας τῆς ἀρχῆς, τοῖς περὶ σὲ, καὶ πιπράσκων τὴν χάριν ἀσεβῶς. Οὖτε γὰρ χρυσίῳ ἔστιν ἐπιτρέπειν χειροθεσίας, οὔτε ἀγνοεῐν τὸν τῶν προσαγομένων βίον, οὔτε ἑτέρους προβάλλεσθαι τῆς ἁμαρτίας αἰτίος, ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀδεκάστου καὶ φριχτοῦ κριτηρίου. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸν Ἀδὰμ τῆς μέμψεως καὶ τῆς δίκης ἀπέλυσεν ἡ περὶ τῆς γυναικὸς ἀπόκρισις καὶ σκῆψις, τῇ αὐτῆς ὑποθέσει μετειληφέναι τῶν ἀπηγορευμένων ἀπολογούμενον.   Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή Λ', Εὐσεβιῳ Ἐπισκοπῳ

'A watchman I have given you,' says Scripture and you shall see the sword coming and you shall announce it.'1 And if from sleep they arise sober and obediently attendant to virtue, to you and them shall be profitable salvation, but if in the manner of the serpent ears are closed, 2 you certainly, for your part, shall be marked. Consider, therefore, lest you appear to testify by the voice alone, and not by the deed itself, you who have been given the reins of rule and yet sell grace impiously to those around you. For in the incorruptible and fearful tribunal it is not allowed  to impose hands for gold, nor to induct into the sacred orders those of unknown life, nor to offer it to the authors of sin. For Adam was not released from blame and punishment by answering that his wife was excuse, that by her proposal accepted the one accused had his defence. 3 Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 30, To the Bishop Eusebius 1 Ez 33.3 2 Ps 57.5  3 Gen 3.12

Desiring the Priesthood

Τινές σέ φασιν ἱερωσύνης ἐρᾷν, πράγματος ἀνεφίκτου πολλοῖς, σοὶ δὲ καὶ μάλιστα· ἢ τοίνυν τὸν σαυτοῦ Βίον διόρθωσαι, ἣ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τῶν ἀψαύστων σοι ἀνακτόρων ἀπόστηθι. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΚΒ' , Ζωσιμῳ

They say that you desire the priesthood, which is a thing untouchable to you and to many. Either, then, improve your life or take your desire far from the holy places not to be touched by you. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 22, To Zosimus

Cutting Off Members

Ὀφθαλμὸν καὶ χεῖρα δεξιὰν ὁ πανάγαθος Χριστὸς τὴν ἐγγύτητα τῶν ἐπιτηδείων καὶ γνησίων ἡμῖν ἐπωνόμασε, τοὺς εὔνους ἡμῖν πρὸς γνησίαν συνεργίαν, ἐκείνοις καλέσας τῶν μελῶν τοῖς ὀνόμασι, δι' ὦν ἡμεῖς τὰ ἀρέσκοντα πράττομεν. Ὅταν οὖν τος ἐξ αὐτῶν σκανδάλου αἴτιος γένηται, καὶ ἁμαρτίᾳ καλινδῆταί τινι, ἡμῖν λοιδορίαν φερούσῃ, καὶ αὐτῷ ἀτιμίαν προξενούσῃ, ἐκκόπτειν χρὴ τὸν τοιοῦτον, ἵνα μὴ λοιμὸν μιμησάμενος, νεμηθῇ τὴν τοῦ σώματος ἀκεραιότητα, τοῖς ὑγιαίνουσιν ἐκ τοιούτων παθῶν εἰσφρήσας τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀλγηδόνα. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΠΓ', Λεοντιῳ Ἐπισκοπῳ

The eye and the right hand the all good Christ announces as the relationship of most needful and genuine friends,1 those who are truly concerned to assist us, these he calls by the names of members, things through which we may do good. When, then, one of them becomes a cause of scandal, wallowing in some sin, bringing on us reproach and on himself disgrace, it is necessary to cut him off, lest in the manner of some disease, the integrity of the body be corrupted, and with health failing one is brought to the same state as the one who harms. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 83, To the Bishop Leontius 1 Mt 18. 8-9

Prayer and Heaven

Ἡ τοῦ Κυρίου διδαχὴ ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ μετὰ πάντων τῶν ἄλλων θεοπρεπῶν διδαγμάτων, καὶ, 'Γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου, ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς,' κελεύει προσεύχεσθαι τὴν τῶν ἄνω δυνάμεων εἰρήνην, τὴν ἀστασίαστον φάσκουσα, ἤν καὶ ἡμῖν βραβεῦσαι τοῖς ἐπὶ γῆς καταξίωσον· ἵν' ὥσπερ ἐν αὐταῖς πάντα κατορθοῦται θελήματα, οὕτως καὶ ἐν ἡμῖν τά σοι εὐάρεστα γένηται. Ταῦτα τοίνυν καὶ πρώην εἰδὼς, καὶ νῦν μαθὼν παρ' ἐμοῦ ἐπιλαβοῦ, καὶ ἔχου ἀπρὶξ τῆς εἰρήνης. Οὐράνιος γάρ ἐστι καὶ Θεῷ πλησιάζουσα. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΠΕ', Οὐρσενουφιῳ

The teaching of the Lord on prayer which is before every other lesson befitting God, is 'Be your will done on earth as it is in heaven.'1 He says to pray is the peace of the powers above, which separate from all else is judged obtainable even by us who are on the earth, that as in them the will is perfected, so it may be by us gifted even to you. These things, then, knowing beforehand, learning them now from my possession of them, you also may lay tight hold on peace. For it is heavenly to have drawn near God. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 85, To Ursenuphius  1 Mt 6.10

Monks and Philosophy

Φιλοσοφία ἀποστρέφεται θόρυβον, καὶ γυνασὶα μοναχικὴ ἐξω κατορθοῦται συγχύσεως, ἵνα ταύτῃ χρήσηται ὑποβάθρᾳ τοῦ ὕψους τῆς ταπεινώσεως, τῇ κατὰ μόνας σχολῇ καὶ πραγμάτων ὀχληρῶν, καὶ ῥημάτων ἀπρεπῶν, σπουδαίως καὶ τελείως ἐκλαθόμενος. Εἰ δὲ τρίβωνα καὶ ὑπήνην, καὶ βάκτρον ἀρκεῖν ἡμῖν πρὸς ἐξάνυσιν τῆς ἀγγελικῆς πολιτείας οἰόμεθα, και μέσοι δήμων, καὶ θεαμάτων καὶ ἀκουσμάτων ἀστικῶν συμφυρόμεθα, τοῖς ὀργάνοις τῆς νίκης μόνοις ἐναβρυνόμενοι, τὴν δὲ πάλην καὶ μάχην ἐκκλίνοντες, ἐξ ἧς ἡ νικη προσγίνεται, μᾶλλον δὲ τὰς αἰτίας τὴς πάλης ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἀνακαίοντες, λανθάνομεν κύνες τυγχάνοντες, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἔμετον ὑποστρέφοντες ἤ ὗς τῷ βορβόρῳ τῆς παλαίᾶς συνηθείας ἐγκαλινδούμενοι. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ϟΒ' Θωμᾳ Μονακῳ

Philosophy is averse to clamour and the monastic exertion is perfected far from tumult and confusion, that this might be a step to attain the height of humility, and that through the leisure of solitude forgetfulness may adhere to the troubles of business and every base speech . If we should think a cloak and a beard and a stick  sufficient to satisfy the angelic life and take to the crowds and spectacles and talk of the city, fleeing from the only instruments of victory, avoiding those struggles and fights by which triumph is acquired, rather than the cause of struggle in our selves inflaming, we will overlook that we have become like dogs turning back to vomit, or pigs wishing to wallow in old habits. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 92, To the Monk Thomas

A Warning About Teaching

Μὴ πολλοὶ γίνεσθε διδάσκαλοι, ἀδελφοὶ,' ὁ δίκαιος γράφει Ἰάκωβος. Μὴ πολλοὶ διδὰσακαλοι γίνεσθε μοναχοὶ, ὁ ἐλάχίστος γράφω Ἰσίδωρος· εἰ καὶ μὴ δόκιμος μοναχὸς, ἀλλ' Ἰακώβου ἀκροατής. Δίικαιοι τοίνυν ἂν εἴητε, εἰ καὶ τοῦ ἀκροατοῦ παραγράφεσθε τὴν εὐτέλειαν, ἀλλ' αἰδεῖσθαι τοῦ δικαίου καὶ σοφοῦ τὴν δικαίαν ἀπόφασιν. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ϟΓ' ,Τῃ Ἐν Τῃ Ταβεννησιᾳ Μονῃ

'Let not many of you be teachers, brothers,'1 writes James the Just. Let not many monks be teachers, I write, Isidore the Least, if not a celebrated monk, at least a pupil of James. Just then be and if you demur at the baseness of being a pupil, be at least ashamed to defy the righteousness of one just and righteous. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 93, To the Tabennesia Monks 1 Jam 3.1

A Pleasing Harmony

Λόγων ἔχεις συναγωγὴν, ὡς μανθάνω, ἀκοὴν μὲν τερπόντων, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν οὐ τρεφόντων. Λόγον δὲ τοῦ ζῶντός σοι δεῖ, οὖ ὁ χηρεύων κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον ἐστίν. Εἰ τοίνυν ἐκεῖνον προσλάβοις, ὄργανον ἔσῃ ἡδύφθογγον καὶ Θεῷ καὶ ᾀνθρώποις εὐάρμοστον. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΡΗ' Προαιρεσιῳ Σκολαστικῳ

I have learned that you have lots of words with which to delight the ear but that you do not nourish the soul. You must attend to the word of life, for he who lacks it is but a clanging cymbal.1 If you heed that, a sweet instrument of song you will become, a pleasing harmony to God and men. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 108, To The Scholar Proaeresius 1 1 Cor 13.1

The Music of Scripture

Εἰ τῆς Γραφικῆς ζητεῖς μουσικῆς διασάφησιν, οὑτω νοητέον· 'Αἰνεῖτε τὸν Κύριον ἐν ἤχῳ σάλπιγγος,' ἐν τῇ μνήμῃ τῆς ἀναστάσεως, σάλπιγγι γενησομένης, ὡς γέγραπται· 'Αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν ψαλλτηίῳ καὶ κιθάρᾳ, ' τῆ γλώσσῃ ἡμῶν καὶ τῷ στόματι, ὡς πλήκτρῳ τινὶ τῷ πνεύματι κρουμένων·  'Αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν τυμπάνῳ καὶ χορῷ' ἐν σαρκὶ καὶ ψυχῇ, ἀφ' ἥς ὡς χοροὶ αἱ πρὸς Θεὸν διαβαίνουσι δεήσεις. 'Αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν χορδαῖς καὶ ὀργάνῳ,' ἐν καρδίᾳ, καὶ παντὶ τῷ ἔσωθεν σπλάγχνῳ, καὶ νεύροις, ἄπερ ὄργανον κέκληκεν. 'Αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν κυμβάλος εὐήχοις,' τοῖς χείλεσι, δι' ὦν τὰ ἐναρμόνια τῆς ψαλμῳδίας πλέκεται μέλη. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΥΝΖ', Παλλαδιῳ Διακονῳ

If you seek an explanation of the music of Scripture, let this be pondered: ' Praise the Lord with the sound of the trumpet,'1 that is, as a reminder of the resurrection, which, as it is written, a trumpet shall announce,2 . 'Praise him with Psalter and lyre,' that is, with our tongue and mouth, as struck by the plectrum of the Holy Spirit. 'Praise him with drum and chorus,' that is, with flesh and soul, by which, as a chorus, prayers pass to God. 'Praise him on strings and organ,' that is, with heart and all our interior and nerves, which is named an organ. 'Praise him with joyous cymbals,' that is, with lips, that assisting with sound and modulation of psalmody, fashions the song. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 457, To Palladius the Deacon 1 Ps 150, 3-5 2 Rev 11.15

The Granting of Peace

Ἐιρήνην ὁ ἱερεὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕψους τῆς καθέδρας τῇ εκκλησίᾳ ἐπιφθέγγεται· τόν Κύριον τῆς καθέδρας μιμούμενος ἀναλαμβανόμενον, εἰρήνην τὴν οἰκείαν ἀφιέντα καὶ διδόντα. Τὸ δὲ, ' Καὶ τῷ πνεύματί σου,' παρὰ τοῦ λαοῦ ἀποκρινόμενον, τοῦτο δηλοῖ· Εἰρήνην μεν ἡμῖν παρέσχες, Κύριε, τὴν ἐν ἀλλήλοις ὁμόνοιαν. Εἰρήνην δὲ δὸς ἡμῖν, τὴν πρὸς σὲ ἀδιαίρετον ἔνωσιν, ἵνα τῷ πνεύματί σου εἰρηνεύοντες, ὅ ἡμῐν ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς δημιουργίας ἐνέθηκας, ἀχώριστοι τῆς σῆς ἀγάπης τυγχάνωμεν. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΡΚΒ', Δωροθεῳ Κομητι

The priest from his high seat  pronounces peace to the church, imitating the Lord of the seat above when he left his servants and gave them peace. 1 And the people reply 'And with your spirit' for this reason:  Peace indeed you have given to us, Lord, which is harmony with others. And peace we give to you, that to you we be inseparably bound through your spirit of peace, which to us in the beginning of creation you sent forth, that we never be estranged from your love.  Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 122, To Count Dorotheus 1 Jn 14.27

Fruitless Trees

Τὴν ἄκαρπον Ἰουδαίων θεωρῶν ὁ Ἰωάννης προαίρεσιν, δένρδοις αὐτοὺς ἀκάρποις παρείκασε, πρὸς τὴν ῥίζαν αὐτῶν κεῖσθαι τὴν ἀξίνην ἀποφηνάμενος, τὴν ὀξεῖαν καὶ σύντομον τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου διαίρεσιν, ὑφ' ἧς πᾶν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν, ἐκκόπτεται,οὐκ ὁρύσσεται. Ἡ γὰρ φυὴ τῶν ῥιζῶν, ὁ νόμος δηλαδὴ, καταλείπεται, ἐφ' ἢν ὁ νέος λαὸς ἐγκεντρίζεται. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΞΔ' , Εὐλαμπιῳ

Perceiving the fruitlessness of the Jews John the Baptist compared them to fruitless trees, proclaiming that the axe had been laid to the root, which is the sharp and cutting division of the Gospel, by which every tree not producing good fruit is cut down, not dug up, for the roots, which is clearly the law, from which growth may come, is left behind, on to which a new people will be grafted. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 64, To Eulampius

The Fruit of the Fig Tree

Ἡ εὐαγγελικὴ συκῆ, ἡ ἀνθρωπότης ἐστὶν, ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης, ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ, ὁ ἀμπελουργὸς, ὁ Υἱος τοῦ Θεοῦ, φιλοπονῆσαι καὶ ἐκκαθᾶραι ἡμῶν τὸν ἀμπελῶνα ἐνδημήσας, ἐκκοπῆναι κελευσθέντα παρὰ τοῦ οἰκοδεσπότου ὡς ἄκαρπον. Ἄφες δ' αὐτὴν, φησὶ, καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἔτος. Εἰ διὰ νόμου καὶ προφητῶν οὐκ ἐβελτιώθησαν, καὶ μετανοίας καρποὺς οὐκ ἀπέδωκαν, καὶ τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἀδεσθῶσι δόγμασι καὶ παθήμασι· κἂν μὲν ποιήσωσι καρπὸν εὐπειθείας· εί δὲ μή γε, εἰς τὸ μέλλον ἐκκόψεις αὐτὴν, εἰς τὸν ἄλλον αίῶνα τὸν ἀπέραντον, τῆς τῶν δικαίων σου μερίδος ἐκτέμνων αὐτούς. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΤΙΒ', Εύλογιῳ

The fig tree in the Gospel is human nature, the master is God the Father, the vine worker is the Son of God, coming to the vineyard to work on us and purify us, cutting away by the command of the master that which is unfruitful. 'But leave it,' he says, 'even this year. If through the law and prophets it is not made better and the fruit of repentance it does not bring forth, with my teaching and suffering it shall be watered, thus to make the fruit of obedience, and if this is not so, in the future cut it down, and in another age endless, from the portion of your righteous ones it shall be cut off.'1 Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 312, To Eulogius 1 Lk 13 6-9

A Magistrate Chastised

Βραχυτελῆ ού μόνον τὴν ἀρχὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴν ἔχεις τὴν ζωήν. Τί τοίνυν ἁμαρτάνεις ἀτελεύτητα, ἐν ὀλίγαις ὥραις τὴν αἰώιον ἑαυτῷ κατασκευάζων κόλασιν; Καταμαθὼν οὖν πᾶσαν τὴν πολύστροφον καὶ πολύτρεπτον τῶν πραγμάτων ἀπιστίαν, μᾶλλον ἐπὶ χρηστοῖς γνωρίζεσθαι· κατορθώμασι σπούδαζε, ὦν καὶ οἱ ἐνταῦθα τυγχάνουσιν ἔπαινοι, καὶ οἱ μέλλοντες μισθοὶ οὐκ ἀπόλλυνται. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΛΑ', Διοφαντῃ Ἀρχοντι Source: Migne PG 78.201b

It is not only your office that is of brief duration but even the life you have. Why then do you sin endlessly, in such few hours heaping up eternal punishment? Learn then that ever changing and shifting  faithless deeds should rather be beneficial acts. Be eager then for good deeds which even in this age will be celebrated and in the future will not lose reward. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1,Letter 31, To Diophantes the Magistrate