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QUESTION 37. In what manner may one who is slothful toward the commandment be able to regain diligence? RESPONSE. By being fully convinced of the presence of the Lord God who oversees all things, and of the threat against the slothful, and of the hope of the great reward from the Lord, who promised through Paul the apostle, that each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor; and whatever such things are written for each one’s own diligence, that is, endurance for the glory of God

QUESTION 38. If a brother is given a command, and he speaks against it, but afterward goes off by himself. RESPONSE. Insofar as he spoke against it as a contentious person, and provoking others to the same, let him be recognized as liable to that judgment, that "Every evil man stirs up contentions"; and the Lord sends a merciless angel upon him. But let him be fully convinced that he does not speak against or obey a man, but now also the Lord Himself who said: He who hears you hears me; and he who rejects you rejects me. And having first been pierced with compunction, let him make his apology, and so, if he is permitted, let him do the work.

QUESTION 39. But if someone, having obeyed, grumbles. RESPONSE. The Apostle having said: Do all things without grumbling and disputing, the one who grumbles is also alienated from the unity of the brothers, and his work from their use; and such a person is manifest as being sick with both unbelief and doubt of hope.

QUESTION 40. If a brother grieves a brother, how ought he to make amends? RESPONSE. If he grieved him in such a way, as the Apostle, saying: For you were grieved according to God, so that you might suffer loss in nothing from us, it is not the one who grieved who needs correction, but the one who was grieved ought to show the properties of godly grief; but if he grieved him in indifferent matters, let the one who grieved remember the Apostle saying: If your brother is grieved because of food, you are no longer walking in love; and having recognized 31.1109 such a sin, let him fulfill what was said by the Lord: If you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go, first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

QUESTION 41. But if the one who grieved does not endure to make an apology. RESPONSE. We ought to fulfill concerning him the things spoken by the Lord concerning the one who has sinned and has not repented: And if he refuses to listen even to the Church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

QUESTION 42. But if, when the one who grieved is apologizing, the one who was grieved does not wish to be reconciled. RESPONSE. The judgment of the Lord upon such a one is manifest in the parable of the servant toward his fellow servant, who, when he was entreated, did not wish to be patient; But when his fellow servants saw what had been done, it says, they reported it to their master; and the master, being angered, revoked his favor toward him, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay what was owed

QUESTION 43. How ought one to pay attention to the one who awakens him for prayer. RESPONSE. If one recognizes the harm from sleep, that the soul is not even aware of itself, and knows the gain of wakefulness, and especially the surpassing glory, when one is brought to God for prayer, as to one who bestows great things and things beyond all desire, he will pay attention to the one who awakens him, whether for prayer or for any commandment whatsoever.

QUESTION 44. But if the one who is awakened becomes sullen or even angry, what is he worthy of? RESPONSE. For the time being, of separation and fasting, if perhaps, being pierced with compunction, he might be able to recognize how many and how great are the goods of which he insensibly deprives himself, and so having returned might be gladdened in 31.1112 the grace of the one who said: I remembered God, and

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ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΛΖʹ. Ὁ ὀκνηρὸς πρὸς τὴν ἐντολὴν ποίῳ τρόπῳ σπου δὴν δυνηθῇ ἀναλαβεῖν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Πληροφορηθεὶς τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ ∆εσπότου Θεοῦ τοῦ τὰ πάντα ἐφορῶντος, καὶ τὴν ἀπειλὴν τὴν κατὰ τοῦ ὀκνηροῦ, καὶ τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς μεγάλης παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου μισθαποδοσίας, τοῦ ἐπαγγειλαμένου διὰ Παύλου τοῦ ἀποστόλου, ὅτι ἕκαστος τὸν ἴδιον μισθὸν λήψεται κατὰ τὸν ἴδιον κόπον· καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα γέ γραπται πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν ἑκάστου σπουδὴν, ἤτοι ὑπομονὴν εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΛΗʹ Ἐὰν ἐπιταχθῇ ἀδελφὸς, καὶ ἀντείπῃ, ὕστερον δὲ ἑαυτῷ ἀπέλθῃ. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἐν ᾧ μὲν ἀντεῖπεν ὡς ἀντιλογικὸς, καὶ ἄλλους πρὸς τὸ αὐτὸ ἐρεθίζων, γνωριζέσθω ὑπόδικος εἶναι τοῦ κρίματος ἐκείνου, ὅτι Ἀντιλογίας ἐγείρει πᾶς κακός· ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἄγγελον ἀνελεήμονα ἐπιπέμ πει αὐτῷ. Πληροφορείσθω δὲ, ὅτι οὐκ ἀνθρώπῳ ἀντιλέγει ἢ ὑπακούει, ἤδη δὲ καὶ αὐτῷ τῷ Κυρίῳ τῷ εἰπόντι· Ὁ ἀκούων ὑμῶν ἐμοῦ ἀκούει· καὶ ὁ ἀθε τῶν ὑμᾶς ἐμὲ ἀθετεῖ. Καὶ κατανυγεὶς πρότερον, ἀπολογησάσθω, καὶ οὕτως, ἐὰν ἐπιτραπῇ, ποιείτω τὸ ἔργον.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΛΘʹ. Ἐὰν δὲ ὑπακούσας τις γογγύσῃ. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τοῦ Ἀποστόλου εἰπόντος· Πάντα ποιεῖτε χωρὶς γογγυσμῶν καὶ διαλογισμῶν, ἀπηλλοτρίωται καὶ ὁ γογγύζων τῆς ἑνώσεως τῶν ἀδελφῶν, καὶ τὸ τούτου ἔργον τῆς χρήσεως αὐτῶν· φανερὸς δέ ἐστιν ὁ τοιοῦτος νοσῶν τήν τε ἀπιστίαν καὶ τῆς ἐλπίδος τὴν ἀμφιβολίαν.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Μʹ. Ἐὰν ἀδελφὸς ἀδελφὸν λυπήσῃ, πῶς ὀφείλει διορθώσασθαι ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Εἰ μὲν οὕτως ἐλύπησεν, ὡς ὁ Ἀπόστολος, εἰπών· Ἐλυπήθητε γὰρ κατὰ Θεὸν, ἵνα ἐν μηδενὶ ζημιω θῆτε ἐξ ἡμῶν, οὐχ ὁ λυπήσας χρῄζει διορθώσεως, ἀλλ' ὁ λυπηθεὶς ὀφείλει τὰ ἰδιώματα τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν λύπης ἐπιδείξασθαι· εἰ δὲ ἐν τοῖς ἀδιαφόροις ἐλύ πησε, μνημονευσάτω ὁ λυπήσας τοῦ Ἀποστόλου εἰπόντος· Εἰ διὰ βρῶμα ὁ ἀδελφός σου λυπεῖ ται, οὐκέτι κατὰ ἀγάπην περιπατεῖς· καὶ γνωρί 31.1109 σας τὸ τοιοῦτον ἁμάρτημα, πληρωσάτω τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου εἰρημένον· Ἐὰν προσφέρῃς τὸ δῶρόν σου ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον, καὶ ἐκεῖ μνησθῇς, ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἔχει τι κατὰ σοῦ, ἄφες ἐκεῖ τὸ δῶρόν σου ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου, καὶ ὕπαγε, πρῶτον διαλλάγηθι τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου, καὶ τότε ἐλθὼν, πρόσφερε τὸ δῶρόν σου.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΜΑʹ. Ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀνέχηται ἀπολογήσασθαι ὁ λυπή σας. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Πληρῶσαι ὀφείλομεν ἐπ' αὐτῷ τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπὶ τοῦ ἁμαρτήσαντος καὶ μὴ μετανοήσαντος εἰρη μένα· Ἐὰν δὲ καὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας παρακούσῃ, ἔστω σοι ὡς ὁ ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΜΒʹ. Ἐὰν δὲ, ἀπολογουμένου τοῦ λυπήσαντος, μὴ θέλῃ διαλλαγῆναι ὁ λυπηθείς. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Φανερόν ἐστι τὸ κρῖμα τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπὶ τοῦ τοιού του ἐν τῇ παραβολῇ τοῦ δούλου πρὸς τὸν σύν δουλον, ὃς, ἐπειδὴ παρακαλούμενος, μακροθυμῆσαι οὐκ ἤθελεν· Ἰδόντες δὲ, φησὶν, οἱ σύνδουλοι τὰ γε νόμενα, διεσάφησαν τῷ κυρίῳ αὐτῶν· ὀργισθεὶς δὲ ὁ κύριος, ἀνεκαλέσατο τὴν ἑαυτοῦ εἰς αὐτὸν χάριν, καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτὸν τοῖς βασανισταῖς, ἕως οὗ ἀποδῷ τὸ ὀφειλόμενον

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΜΓʹ. Πῶς ὀφειλεῖ τις προσέχειν τῷ εἰς προσευχὴν ἐξυπνίζοντι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Εἰ ἐπιγινώσκει τις τὴν ζημίαν τὴν ἐκ τοῦ ὕπνου, ὅτι οὐδὲ ἑαυτῆς ἐπαισθάνεται ἡ ψυχὴ, γνωρίζει δὲ τὸ κέρδος τῆς ἐγρηγόρσεως, καὶ μάλιστα τὴν ὑπερ έχουσαν δόξαν, ὅτε προσάγεταί τις τῷ Θεῷ εἰς προσ ευχὴν, ὡς τὰ μεγάλα καὶ τὰ ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν ἐπιθυμίαν εὐεργετοῦντι, προσέξει τῷ ἐξυπνίζοντι, εἴτε εἰς προσευχὴν εἴτε εἰς οἱανδηποτοῦν ἐντολήν.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Μ∆. Ἐὰν δὲ στυγνάσῃ ὁ ἐξυπνισθεὶς ἢ καὶ ὀργισθῇ, τίνος ἐστὶν ἄξιοσ ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Τέως μὲν ἀφορισμοῦ καὶ ἀσιτίας, ἐὰν ἄρα δυνηθῇ κατανυγεὶς ἐπιγνῶναι ὅσων καὶ ἡλίκων ἀγαθῶν ἑαυ τὸν ἀναισθήτως ἀποστερεῖ, καὶ οὕτως ἐπιστρέψας ἐν 31.1112 ευφρανθῇ τῇ χάριτι τοῦ εἰπόντος· Ἐμνήσθην τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ