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Concerning that one ought not to say that it is impossible now for one who wishes to attain the summit of virtue and to rival the saints of old. And that everyone who teaches things contrary to the divine Scriptures dogmatizes a new heresy to those who obey him. And concerning tears, that tears are with us by nature. ......................................... 139

Discourse 30. (385) ......................................................................................................... 144 Concerning repentance and the beginning of a praiseworthy life, how the one repenting must act each

day. In which also is concerning tears along with compunction. .............................. 144 Discourse 31. (399)....................................................................................................... 150 Concerning how each one must examine and diligently search his own affairs.

And how one ought to compare his own things with the commandments of Christ. ... 150 Discourse 32. (406)....................................................................................................... 152 Concerning blasphemy. And that he who says that no one of the present generation can come into

participation of the Holy Spirit, but also he who slanders the energies of the Spirit and attributes them to the adversary, renews a new heresy in the church of God. ................................................................................................. 152

Discourse 33. (411) ....................................................................................................... 154 Concerning participation in the Holy Spirit. And that it is impossible for the works of virtue to be confirmed

otherwise, except through the visitation of the Spirit, without whom no one is directed toward virtue, nor can he benefit others or receive foreign thoughts. And concerning the Tri-hypostatic Godhead being equal in all things and in the same way. ...... 154

Discourse 34. (421)....................................................................................................... 158 That it is not without danger to bury the talent given to us by God; for

one ought to make it public and to show it to all and to proclaim with gratitude the good deeds of God for the benefit of the hearers, even if some are displeased................................................................................................................. 158

Discourse 35. (437) ....................................................................................................... 163 Of the same. Thanksgiving to God for the gifts he has been deemed worthy of. And an explanation

of how God always appears to those who are pure in heart, and in what matters and signs. ............................................................................................ 163

Discourse 36. (448) ..................................................................................................... 167 Of our holy and great father Symeon the New. Thanksgiving to God

concerning the good deeds that have been done to him by Him. In which also is concerning spiritual prayer and the progress therein. And concerning the illumination of unerring divine contemplation and of love for God. ......................................................................... 167

Discourse 1. (21)

Concerning love. And what are the ways and the practices of spiritual men. And a blessing for those who have love in their heart.

Brothers and fathers, I wish to speak to you things that contribute to the benefit

of the soul and I am ashamed, Christ the truth is my witness, of your love, knowing my own unworthiness. For on account of this I always wished to be silent, as the Lord knows, and not to look up at all nor to see the face of a man, having my conscience condemning me, that I was appointed altogether unworthily to preside over all of you, as one knowing the way, I who do not even know what is at my feet, nor having yet touched the path of the way that leads to God. Therefore, on account of this, no small nor ordinary sorrow possesses me,

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Περί τοῦ μή δεῖν λέγειν, ὅτι ἀδύνατον νῦν εἰς ἄκρον ἐλθεῖν ἀρετῆς τόν βουλόμενον καί τοῖς πάλαι ἁμιλληθῆναι ἁγίοις. Καί ὅτι πᾶς ὁ τά ἐναντία διδάσκων τῶν θείων Γραφῶν νέαν αἵρεσιν τοῖς πειθομένοις αὐτῷ δογματίζει. Καί περί δακρύων, ὅτι ἐκ φύσεως ἡμῖν τά δάκρυα πρόσεστι. ......................................... 139

Λόγος Λ΄. (385) ......................................................................................................... 144 Περί μετανοίας καί ἀρχῆς ἐπαινετοῦ βίου, ὅπως δεῖ τόν μετανοῦντα καθ᾿

ἑκάστην ποιεῖν. Ἐν ᾧ καί περί δακρύων ἅμα καί κατανύξεως. .............................. 144 Λόγος ΛΑ΄. (399)....................................................................................................... 150 Περί τοῦ πῶς δεῖ ἕκαστον ἐπισκέπτεσθαι καί τά καθ᾿ ἑαυτόν ἐπιμελῶς

ἐρευνᾷν. Καί πῶς τά ἑαυτοῦ ἀντιπαρατιθέναι χρή ταῖς ἐντολαῖς τοῦ Χριστοῦ. ... 150 Λόγος ΛΒ΄. (406)....................................................................................................... 152 Περί βλασφημίας. Καί ὅτι ὁ λέγων μή δύνασθαί τινα τήν παροῦσαν γενεάν ἐν

μετοχῇ τοῦ Ἁγίου γενέσθαι Πνεύματος, ἀλλά καί ὁ διαβάλλων τάς ἐνεργείας τοῦ Πνεύματος καί τῷ ἐναντίῳ ταύτας ἐπιφημίζων, αἵρεσιν νέαν εἰς τήν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκκλησίαν ἀνακαινίζει. ................................................................................................. 152

Λόγος ΛΓ΄. (411) ....................................................................................................... 154 Περί μετοχῆς Πνεύματος Ἁγίου. Καί ὅτι ἀδύνατον ἄλλως βεβαιωθῆναι τά ἔργα

τῆς ἀρετῆς, εἰ μή δι᾿ ἐπιδημίας τοῦ Πνεύματος, οὗ χωρίς οὐδείς πρός ἀρετήν κατευθύνεται, οὐδέ ἄλλους ὠφελεῖν δύναται ἤ ἀλλοτρίους δέχεσθαι λογισμούς. Καί περί τό ἴσον κατά πάντα καί ὡσαύτως ὄν τῆς Τρισυποστάτου Θεότητος. ...... 154

Λόγος Λ∆΄. (421)....................................................................................................... 158 Ὅτι οὐκ ἀκίνδυνον τό διδόμενον ἡμῖν παρά Θεοῦ τάλαντον κατορύττειν· χρή

γάρ δημοσιεύειν αὐτό καί τοῖς πᾶσιν ὑποδεικνύειν καί τάς εὐεργεσίας Θεοῦ εὐγνωμόνως ἀνακηρύττειν εἰς τήν τῶν ἀκουόντων ὠφέλειαν, κἄν τινες ἀπαρέσκωνται................................................................................................................. 158

Λόγος ΛΕ΄. (437) ....................................................................................................... 163 Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Εὐχαριστία πρός Θεόν ὑπέρ ὧν ἠξίωται δωρεῶν. Καί εἰσήγησις

ὅπως τοῖς κεκαθαρμένοις τῇ καρδίᾳ Θεός ἀεί ἐπιφαίνεται, καί ἐν ποίοις τοῖς πράγμασι καί γνωρίσμασι. ............................................................................................ 163

Λόγος Λστ΄. (448) ..................................................................................................... 167 Τοῦ ἁγίου καί μεγάλου πατρός ἡμῶν Συμεών τοῦ Νέου. Εὐχαριστία πρός Θεόν

περί τῶν γεγονότων εὐεργεσιῶν εἰς αὐτόν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ. Ἐν ᾗ καί περί εὐχῆς πνευματικῆς καί τῆς ἐν ταύτῃ προκοπῆς. Καί περί ἐλλάμψεως θείας θεωρίας τε ἀπλανοῦς καί ἀγάπης τῆς πρός Θεόν. ......................................................................... 167

Λόγος Α΄. (21)

Περί ἀγάπης. Καί ποῖαί εἰσι τῶν πνευματικῶν ἀνδρῶν αἱ ὁδοί καί αἱ πράξεις. Καί μακαρισμός πρός τούς ἔχοντας τήν ἀγάπην ἐγκάρδιον.

Ἀδελφοί και πατέρες, θέλω πρός ὑμᾶς λαλεῖν τά συντείνοντα πρός ὠφέλειαν

ψυχῆς καί αἰδοῦμαι, μάρτυς μου ὁ Χριστός ἡ ἀλήθεια, τήν ἀγάπην ὑμῶν, γινώσκων μου τό ἀνάξιον. ∆ιά τοῦτο γάρ ἀεί σιωπᾶν ἐβουλόμην, ὡς οἶδεν ὁ Κύριος, καί μηδέ ἀνανεύειν τό σύνολον καί πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπου ὁρᾶν, κατακρίνουσαν ἔχων μου τήν συνείδησιν, ὅτι κατετάγην ὅλως ἐγώ προηγεῖσθαι πάντων ὑμῶν ἀναξίως, ὡς τήν ὁδόν ἐπιστάμενος, ὁ μηδέ τά ἐν ποσίν εἰδώς, μηδέ ἀψάμενος ἀκμήν τῆς φερούσης ὁδοῦ πρός τόν Θεόν. Τοίνυν καί λύπη με διά τοῦτο οὐ μικρά καί ἡ τυχοῦσα κατέχει,