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gathering at the time of prayer pours down upon our souls. And just as opposing winds often falling upon it, fanning the kindled fire of a lamp have extinguished it; so too the devil, when he sees the flame of our prayer kindled, fanning it with countless cares from this side and that, does not depart until he extinguishes the light. But what those who light those lamps do, let us also do. What do they do? When they see a strong wind approaching, placing their finger on the opening of the lamp, they wall off the entrance to the breeze. For as long as it strikes from the outside, we will be able to resist; but when we open to it the doors of our mind, and receive the enemy within, we are no longer able to resist even a little; but having extinguished our memory from every side, like a smoking lamp, he leaves the mouth to utter empty words. But just as they place their finger on the opening of the lamp, so let us place reason upon our mind; let us block the entrance of the evil spirit, so that it may not extinguish the light of our prayer. Do you remember both of these examples, and that of the soldiers, and that of the ruler, and the one concerning the lamp? For we tell you these examples for this reason, in which we are involved, in which we exist, so that departing from here and arriving at home, we may receive a reminder of what has been said from the things at hand. A great weapon is prayer, and a great security. 6. You heard yesterday how the three youths, though bound, overcame the power of the fire, how they trampled the flame, how they prevailed over the furnace, and mastered the energy of the element? Hear today again, how the noble and great Isaac prevailed over the very nature of bodies through prayer. They overcame the power of fire, he 51.359 today loosed the bonds of a crippled nature. And learn how he did this. Isaac, it says, prayed concerning his wife, because she was barren. These things were read to you today; yesterday the discourse was about prayer, and today again is a demonstration of the power of prayer. Do you see how the grace of the Spirit has arranged for today's readings to be in harmony with what was said yesterday? Isaac, it says, prayed concerning Rebecca his wife, because she was barren. This is the first thing worth investigating, for what reason was she barren. She herself, and her husband, were of a wonderful life and full of much self-control. We cannot find fault with the life of the righteous, and say that barrenness is the work of sins. And not only was she barren, but also his mother Sarah, who bore him; and not only his mother was barren, nor his wife, but also his daughter-in-law, Jacob's wife Rachel. What does this chorus of barren women mean? All are righteous, all living in virtue, all were testified to by God. For concerning them he said: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Concerning them Paul also says something like this: For which cause God is not ashamed to be called their God. Their praises are many in the New, their commendations are many in the Old. From every side they are brilliant and well-reputed, and they all had barren wives, and continued for a long time in childlessness. Therefore when you see a man and woman living together in virtue, when you see God-loving people, caring for piety, and suffering from childlessness, do not think that childlessness is in every case a recompense for sins. For many are the reasons of God's economy and they are hidden from us, and for all things one must give thanks, and count wretched only those living in evil, not those who do not possess children. Often God acts for our benefit; but we do not know the cause of the things that happen. Therefore everywhere one must admire his wisdom, and glorify his ineffable love for mankind. 7. But this discourse can instruct us in morals; but it is also necessary to state the reason why those women were barren. What then is the reason? So that, when you see the Virgin giving birth to our common Master, you may not disbelieve. Therefore

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συνάγων ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς εὐχῆς καταχεῖ ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν. Καὶ καθάπερ ἄνεμοι πολλάκις ἀπεναντίας προσπίπτοντες, λυχνιαῖον πῦρ ἀναπτόμενον ῥιπίσαντες ἔσβεσαν· οὕτω καὶ ὁ διάβολος, ἐπειδὰν ἴδῃ τὴν φλόγα τῆς εὐχῆς ἡμῖν ἀναπτομένην, μυρίαις φροντίσιν ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν ῥιπίζων, οὐ πρότερον ἀφίσταται ἕως ἂν σβέσῃ τὸ φῶς. Ἀλλ' ὅπερ οἱ τοὺς λύχνους ἐκείνους ἀνάπτοντες ποιοῦσι, τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς ποιήσωμεν. Τί δὲ ἐκεῖνοι ποιοῦσιν; Ἐπειδὰν ἴδωσιν ἄνεμον προσιόντα σφοδρὸν, τὸν δάκτυλον ἐπιθέντες τῇ ὀπῇ τοῦ λύχνου ἀποτειχίζουσι τῷ πνεύματι τὴν εἴσοδον. Ἕως μὲν γὰρ ἂν ἔξωθεν προσβάλλῃ, δυνησόμεθα ἀντιστῆναι· ἐπειδὰν δὲ ἀνοίξωμεν αὐτῷ τὰς θύρας τῆς διανοίας, καὶ ἔνδον δεξώμεθα τὸν ἐχθρὸν, οὐκ ἔτι λοιπὸν οὐδὲ μικρὸν ἀντιστῆναι δυνάμεθα· ἀλλὰ πανταχόθεν κατασβέσας ἡμῶν τὴν μνήμην, ὥσπερ λύχνον καπνιζόμενον, ἀφίησι τὸ στόμα ῥήματα προφέρειν κενά. Ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνοι τὸν δάκτυλον ἐπιτιθέασι τῇ ὀπῇ τοῦ λύχνου, οὕτως ἡμεῖς ἐπιθῶμεν τὸν λογισμὸν τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ διανοίᾳ· ἀποφράξωμεν τοῦ πονηροῦ πνεύματος τὴν εἴσοδον, ἵνα μὴ σβέσῃ ἡμῶν τὸ φῶς τῆς εὐχῆς. Μέμνησθε τούτων ἀμφοτέρων τῶν παραδειγμάτων, καὶ τοῦ τῶν στρατιωτῶν, καὶ τοῦ ἄρχοντος, καὶ τοῦ κατὰ τὸν λύχνον; ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο ταῦτα λέγομεν ὑμῖν τὰ παραδείγματα, ἐν οἷς στρεφόμεθα, ἐν οἷς ἐσμεν, ἵνα καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἀναχωρήσαντες καὶ οἴκοι γενόμενοι, ἀπὸ τῶν ἐν χερσὶ πραγμάτων ὑπόμνησιν λαμβάνωμεν τῶν εἰρημένων. Μέγα ὅπλον εὐχὴ, καὶ μεγάλη ἀσφάλεια. ϛʹ. Ἠκούσατε χθὲς, πῶς οἱ τρεῖς παῖδες πεπεδημένοι κατέλυσαν τὴν τοῦ πυρὸς δύναμιν, πῶς κατεπάτησαν τὴν φλόγα, πῶς περιεγένοντο τῆς καμίνου, καὶ τῆς ἐνεργείας ἐκράτησαν τοῦ στοιχείου; Ἀκούσατε σήμερον πάλιν, πῶς ὁ γενναῖος καὶ μέγας Ἰσαὰκ αὐτῆς περιεγένετο τῆς τῶν σωμάτων φύσεως δι' εὐχῆς. Ἐκεῖνοι κατέλυσαν τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν δύναμιν, οὗτος 51.359 σήμερον τῆς φύσεως πεπηρωμένης ἔλυσε τὰ δεσμά. Καὶ μάθε πῶς τοῦτο ἐποίει. Ἐδέετο, φησὶν, Ἰσαὰκ περὶ τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτοῦ, ὅτι στεῖρα ἦν. Ταῦτα σήμερον ὑμῖν ἀνεγνώσθη· χθὲς περὶ εὐχῆς ὁ λόγος, καὶ σήμερον πάλιν ἀπόδειξις τῆς δυνάμεως τῆς εὐχῆς. Ὁρᾶτε πῶς ἡ τοῦ Πνεύματος ᾠκονόμησε χάρις σύμφωνα τοῖς χθὲς εἰρημένοις ἀναγνωσθῆναι τὰ τήμερον; Ἐδέετο, φησὶν, Ἰσαὰκ περὶ Ῥεβέκκας τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτοῦ, ὅτι στεῖρα ἦν. Τοῦτο πρῶτον ἄξιον ζητῆσαι, τίνος ἕνεκεν στεῖρα ἦν. Βίου ἦν θαυμαστοῦ καὶ πολλῆς γέμοντος σωφροσύνης καὶ αὐτὴ, καὶ ὁ ἀνήρ. Οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐπιλαβέσθαι τῆς ζωῆς τῶν δικαίων, καὶ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι ἔργον ἁμαρτιῶν ἡ στείρωσις. Καὶ οὐκ αὐτὴ στεῖρα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ ἡ Σάῤῥα, ἡ τεκοῦσα αὐτόν· οὐχ ἡ μήτηρ δὲ αὐτοῦ μόνον στεῖρα ἦν, οὐδὲ ἡ γυνὴ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ νύμφη, ἡ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ γυνὴ ἡ Ῥαχήλ. Τί βούλεται τῶν στειρῶν τούτων ὁ χορός; Πάντες δίκαιοι, πάντες ἐν ἀρετῇ ζῶντες, πάντες ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐμαρτυρήθησαν. Περὶ γὰρ αὐτῶν ἔλεγεν· Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ. Περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν καὶ Παῦλος οὕτω πως λέγει· ∆ι' ἣν αἰτίαν οὐκ ἐπαισχύνεται ὁ Θεὸς, Θεὸς καλεῖσθαι αὐτῶν. Πολλὰ αὐτῶν τὰ ἐγκώμια ἐν τῇ Καινῇ, πολλοὶ αὐτῶν οἱ ἔπαινοι ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ. Πανταχόθεν λαμπροὶ καὶ εὐδόκιμοι, καὶ πάντες στείρας ἔσχον γυναῖκας, καὶ ἐν ἀπαιδίᾳ μέχρι πολλοῦ διετέλεσαν χρόνου. Ὅταν οὖν ἴδῃς ἄνδρα καὶ γυναῖκα ἀρετῇ συζῶντας, ὅταν ἴδῃς θεοφιλεῖς, εὐσεβείας ἐπιμελουμένους, καὶ ἀπαιδίαν νοσοῦντας, μὴ νομίσῃς ἁμαρτιῶν εἶναι πάντως τὴν ἀπαιδίαν ἀνταπόδοσιν. Πολλοὶ γὰρ τῆς οἰκονομίας οἱ τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγοι καὶ ἡμῖν ἀπόῤῥητοι, καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντων εὐχαριστεῖν δεῖ, καὶ μόνους ἐκείνους ταλανίζειν τοὺς ἐν κακίᾳ ζῶντας, οὐχὶ τοὺς παιδία μὴ κεκτημένους. Πολλάκις ὁ Θεὸς ποιεῖ συμφερόντως· ἡμεῖς δὲ τὴν αἰτίαν τῶν γινομένων οὐκ ἴσμεν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο πανταχοῦ θαυμάζειν χρὴ αὐτοῦ τὴν σοφίαν, καὶ δοξάζειν τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἄφατον. ζʹ. Ἀλλὰ οὗτος μὲν εἰς ἦθος ὁ λόγος ἡμᾶς παιδεῦσαι δύναται· δεῖ δὲ καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν εἰπεῖν, δι' ἢν ἦσαν αἱ γυναῖκες ἐκεῖναι στεῖραι. Τίς οὖν ἡ αἰτία; Ἵν', ὅταν ἴδῃς τὴν Παρθένον τίκτουσαν τὸν κοινὸν ἡμῶν ∆εσπότην, μὴ ἀπιστήσῃς. Οὐκοῦν