5

of Christ, so that having become 96.588 partakers of his sufferings, we may also partake of his glory, offering to God the Father a living, spotless sacrifice, in the Church of the firstborn, where is the dwelling of those who rejoice. 7. And now, I will turn my discourse to you, desired bride of Christ, desire worthily him who desired you. Open to him the whole chamber of your heart, so that Christ may dwell in you wholly with the Father and the Spirit. Pour out from it all earthly things, that he may find entrance into it. For a house will not receive at the same time earth and the breath of air. Insofar as you make dust to dwell, you will drive out the breath of the air; and insofar as you make earthly things to dwell in your heart, you will drive out the Holy Spirit. From where come fornications? From where adulteries? From where quarrels, contentions, envies, murders, and the whole swarm of evils? Is it not from the desire of earthly things? Drive out all vainglory, the mother of unbelief. For you cannot, says Christ, believe in me, while you receive glory from men. Banish from your heart all conceit, pride, arrogance. For everyone who is proud in heart is unclean before the Lord. The Lord opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Renounce all stubbornness, self-satisfaction, that you may be subject to the law of God alone. And he himself will guide you to the harbor of his will. Do not bring another bridegroom into the bridal chamber of your heart. For your bridegroom Christ is jealous; the sweetest, the only one to be desired, all sweetness, all desire. To him alone open your heart, and cry out to him. I am one whose heart is wounded; your longing has driven me out of my mind; your love has changed me, O Master. I am a prisoner to your love. Enter into your chamber; I will kiss your footsteps. For I am not worthy to say, "Kiss me with the kisses of your mouth?" Dwell in me, and walk among me, according to your unfailing promise, and make me a temple of the most holy Spirit. Take dominion over my heart, O Master, and inherit it, and make your dwelling with me, together with the Father and the Spirit. Enlarge in me your cords, the energies of the most holy Spirit. For you are my God, and I will glorify you, with your beginningless Father, together with your good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

5

τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅπως κοινω 96.588 νοὶ γενόμενοι τῶν παθημάτων αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῆς δόξης αὐτῷ κοινωνήσωμεν, προσαγόμενοι τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ θυσίαν ζῶσαν, ἄμωμον, ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ τῶν πρωτοτόκων, ἔνθα εὐφραινομένων ἡ κατοικία. ζʹ. Πάλαι δὲ, πρὸς σὲ τρέψω τὸν λόγον, πεποθημένη νύμφη Χριστοῦ, πόθησον ἀξίως τὸν σὲ ποθήσαντα. Ὅλον ἄνοιξον αὐτῷ τὸ ταμεῖον τῆς καρδίας σου, ἵν' ὅλως οἰκήσῃ ἐν σοὶ Χριστὸς σὺν τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ τῷ Πνεύματι. Ἐκχόησον ἐξ αὐτῆς πάντα τὰ γήϊνα, ἵνα εὕρῃ ἐν αὐτῇ τὴν εἴσοδον. Οἶκος γὰρ γῆν καὶ πνεῦμα ἀέρος ἅμα οὐχ ὑποδέξεται. Ὅσον ἐνοικίσεις τὸν χοῦν, ἀπελάσεις τὸ τοῦ ἀέρος πνεῦμα καὶ ὅσον εἰσοικίσεις ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου τὰ γήϊνα, ἀποικίσεις τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. Πόθεν πορνεῖαι; πόθεν μοιχεῖαι; πόθεν ἔριδες, φιλονεικίαι, φθόνοι, φόνοι, καὶ πᾶς ὁ τῶν κακῶν ἐσμός; οὐκ ἐκ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τῶν γηΐνων; Ἀπέλασον πᾶσαν κενοδοξίαν, τὴν τῆς ἀπιστίας μητέρα. Οὐ γὰρ δύνασθε. φησὶν ὁ Χριστὸς, πιστεύειν εἰς ἐμὲ, δόξαν παρὰ ἀνθρώπων λαμβάνοντες. Ἐξόρισον ἐκ τῆς σῆς καρδίας πᾶσαν οἴησιν, ὑπερηφανίαν, ἔπαρσιν. Ἀκάθαρτος γὰρ παρὰ Κυρίῳ πᾶς ὑψηλοκάρδιος. Ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται Κύριος, ταπεινοῖς δὲ δίδωσι χάριν. Ἀπάρνησαι πᾶσαν αὐθάδειαν, αὐταρέσκειαν, ἵνα μόνῳ ὑποτάσσῃ τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ αὐτὸς ὁδηγήσει σε ἐπὶ λιμένα θελήματος αὐτοῦ. Μὴ εἰσαγάγῃς ἄλλον νυμφίον ἐν τῇ παστάδι τῆς καρδίας σου. Ζηλωτὴς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ σὸς νυμφίος Χριστός· ὁ γλυκύτατος, ὁ μόνος ποθητὸς, ὅλος γλυκασμὸς, ὅλος ἐπιθυμία. Αὐτῷ μόνῳ τὴν σὴν ἀναπέτασον καρδίαν, καὶ βόησον αὐτῷ. Τετρωμένης καρδίας εἰμὶ ἐγώ· ἐξέστησέ με ὁ πόθος σου· ἠλλοίωσέ με ἡ ἀγάπη σου, ∆έσποτα. ∆εσμία εἰμὶ τῷ σῷ ἔρωτι. Εἴσελθε εἰς τὸ ταμιεῖόν σου· φιλήσω σου τὰ ἴχνη. Οὐκ εἰμὶ γὰρ ἀξία εἰπεῖν, Φίλησόν με ἀπὸ φιλημάτων στόματός σου; Ἐνοίκησον ἐν ἐμοὶ, καὶ ἐμπεριπάτησον, κατὰ τὴν ἀψευδῆ σου ἐπαγγελίαν, καὶ ποίησόν με ναὸν τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος. Κατακυρίευσον τῆς καρδίας μου, ∆έσποτα, καὶ κατακληρονόμησον αὐτὴν, καὶ μονὴν παρ' ἐμοὶ ποίησαι, ἅμα ὑπὸ τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ τῷ Πνεύματι. Πλάτυνόν σου ἐν ἐμοὶ τὰ σχοινίσματα, τὰς ἐνεργείας τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος. Σὺ γὰρ Θεός μου, καὶ δοξάσω σε, σὺν τῷ ἀνάρχῳ σου Πατρὶ, ἅμα τῷ ἀγαθῷ καὶ ζωοποιῷ σου Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.