John Chrysostom, On Anna I

flees and departs. He who is about to turn to prayer, dares to utter nothing amiss, not even in the midst of a meal; and if he does utter it, he quickly repents. Therefore it is necessary both at the beginning and at the end to give thanks to God; for especially we shall not fall easily into drunkenness, as I have already said, if we should establish ourselves in this habit. So that even if you ever rise from carousing or being drunk, do not even so abandon the custom, but even if we have a heavy head, even if we are dizzy and fall 54.651 down, even so let us pray, and not break the habit. For if you pray thus on the first day, on the second you will correct the indecency that occurred on the previous day. When, therefore, we take our meal, let us remember this woman, and her tears, and this good drunkenness. For the woman also was drunk, not from wine, but from much reverence. For if after the meal she was such, what was she like at dawn? if after eating and drinking she prayed so earnestly, what was she like when fasting? 6. Let us return then again to her words, which are full of much wisdom and meekness. For having said, "Not so, my lord," she added: "I am a woman in a hard day, and I have not drunk wine or strong drink." Observe how not even here does she speak of the reproaches of her rival, nor parade her wickedness, nor make a tragedy of her own misfortune, but she reveals just enough of her despondency as to make her defense to the priest only. "I am a woman in a hard day," she says, "and I have not drunk wine or strong drink, and I pour out my soul before the Lord." She did not say, "I pray to God, I beseech God," but "I pour out my soul before the Lord;" that is, I have transferred my whole self to God, I have emptied my mind to Him, with my whole soul and strength I made my prayer, I told God my misfortune, I showed the wound; He is able to apply the medicine. Do not count your handmaid a shameless woman, a daughter of pestilence. Again she calls herself a handmaid, and makes great effort not to receive a bad reputation from the priest. And she did not say to herself, "What do I care about his accusation? he accused me simply and randomly, he suspected something without cause; let my conscience be clear, and let all men slander me;" but she fulfilled that apostolic law, which commands to provide for things honorable not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. And in every way she repelled the suspicion, saying, "Do not count your handmaid a shameless woman, a daughter of pestilence." What does it mean, "a shameless woman"? "Do not think that I am shameless and bold." This boldness is from despondency, not from drunkenness; from pain, not from intoxication. What then of the priest? See his understanding also; he did not meddle in her misfortune, he did not wish to inquire into the cause, but what does he say? "Go in peace; and may the Lord God of Israel grant you every petition that you have asked of him." The woman made her accuser an advocate. So great a good is forbearance and meekness. And instead of insult, she departed having received sufficient provision, and she had as a protector and intercessor the one who had rebuked her. And not even so does she depart, but again she says: "May your handmaid find grace in your eyes;" that is, "May you learn by its end, and by the outcome of events, that not from drunkenness, but from such great pain I made my supplication and prayer." And having gone away, it says, she was no longer downcast. Have you seen the faith of a woman? Before she received what she asked, she was confident as though she had received it. And the reason is that she prayed with much vehemence, with unwavering earnestness. For this reason, as if having received everything, she went down. Besides, God then 54.652 cast out her despondency, being about to give the gift. Let us too emulate her, and in all misfortunes let us take refuge in God. And if we do not have children, let us ask from Him; and if we receive them, let us raise them with much diligence, and let us lead the young away from all evil, but especially from licentiousness; for this war is difficult, and nothing so troubles that age

δραπετεύει καὶ ἀφίσταται. Ὁ μέλλων εἰς εὐχὴν τρέπεσθαι, οὐδὲν ἄτοπον τολμᾷ φθέγξασθαι, οὐδὲ ἐν μέσῃ τραπέζῃ· κἂν φθέγξηται, μεταγινώσκει ταχέως. ∆ιὸ χρὴ καὶ ἀρχομένους καὶ λήγοντας εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ Θεῷ· μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲ εἰς μέθην ἐμπεσούμεθα ῥᾳδίως, καθάπερ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, εἰ καταστήσαιμεν εἰς ταύτην ἑαυτοὺς τὴν συνήθειαν. Ὥστε κἂν κραιπαλῶν κἂν μεθύων ποτὲ ἀναστῇς, μηδὲ οὕτω καταλύσῃς τὸ ἔθος, ἀλλὰ κἂν καρηβαρῶμεν, κἂν περιφερώμεθα καὶ καταπί 54.651 πτωμεν, καὶ οὕτως εὐξώμεθα, καὶ μὴ διαλύσωμεν τὴν συνήθειαν. Ἂν γὰρ τῇ προτέρᾳ ἡμέρᾳ οὕτως εὔξῃ, τῇ δευτέρᾳ διορθώσῃ τὴν ἐν τῇ προτέρᾳ γενομένην ἀσχημοσύνην ἡμέρᾳ. Ὅταν τοίνυν ἀριστοποιώμεθα, μνημονεύωμεν ταύτης τῆς γυναικὸς, καὶ τῶν ταύτης δακρύων, καὶ τῆς μέθης τῆς καλῆς ταύτης. Ἐμέθυε γὰρ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ, οὐκ ἀπὸ οἴνου, ἀλλ' ἀπ' εὐλαβείας πολλῆς. Εἰ γὰρ μετ' ἄριστον τοιαύτη ἦν, ποία ἦν ὑπὸ τὴν ἕω; εἰ μετὰ τὸ φαγεῖν καὶ πιεῖν οὕτως ἐκτενῶς προσηύχετο, ὁποία ὑπῆρχε νῆστις οὖσα; ςʹ. Ἐπανέλθωμεν τοίνυν πάλιν ἐπὶ τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῆς, τὰ φιλοσοφίας γέμοντα πολλῆς καὶ πραότητος. Εἰποῦσα γὰρ, Οὐχὶ, κύριε, ἐπήγαγε· Γυνὴ ἐν σκληρᾷ ἡμέρᾳ ἐγώ εἰμι, καὶ οἶνον καὶ μέθυσμα οὐ πέπωκα. Παρατήρησον πῶς οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα λέγει τὰ ὀνείδη τῆς ἀντιζήλου, οὐδὲ ἐκπομπεύει τὴν πονηρίαν ἐκείνης, οὐδὲ ἐκτραγῳδεῖ τὴν συμφορὰν τὴν οἰκείαν, ἀλλὰ τοσοῦτον ἀποκαλύπτει τὴν ἑαυτῆς ἀθυμίαν, ὅσον ἀπολογήσασθαι πρὸς τὸν ἱερέα μόνον. Γυνὴ ἐν σκληρᾷ ἡμέρᾳ, φησὶν, ἐγώ εἰμι· καὶ οἶνον καὶ μέθυσμα οὐ πέπωκα, καὶ ἐκχέω τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐνώπιον Κυρίου. Οὐκ εἶπεν, Εὔχομαι τῷ Θεῷ, ἱκετεύω τὸν Θεὸν, ἀλλ' Ἐκχέω τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐνώπιον Κυρίου· τουτέστιν, ὅλην ἐμαυτὴν μετέστησα πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, τὴν διάνοιάν μου ἐξεκένωσα πρὸς αὐτὸν, ὅλῃ ψυχῇ καὶ δυνάμει τὴν εὐχήν μου ἐποιησάμην, εἶπον τῷ Θεῷ τὴν συμφορὰν τὴν ἐμὴν, ἔδειξα τὸ ἕλκος· ἐκεῖνος τὸ φάρμακον θεῖναι δύναται. Μὴ δῷς τὴν δούλην σου εἰς πρόσωπον, εἰς θυγατέρα λοιμήν. Πάλιν δούλην ἑαυτὴν καλεῖ, καὶ πολλὴν ποιεῖται σπουδὴν, ὥστε μὴ πονηρὰν δόξαν παρὰ τῷ ἱερεῖ λαβεῖν. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπε πρὸς ἑαυτήν· Τί δέ μοι μέλει τῆς τούτου διαβολῆς; ἁπλῶς καὶ εἰκῆ κατηγόρησεν, ὑπώπτευσεν εἰς οὐδὲν δέον· τὸ συνειδός μου καθαρὸν ἔστω, καὶ πάντες με διαβαλλέτωσαν· ἀλλὰ τὸν ἀποστολικὸν ἐκεῖνον ἐπλήρου νόμον, τὸν κελεύοντα προνοεῖσθαι καλὰ μὴ μόνον ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνώπιον ἀνθρώπων. Καὶ παντὶ τρόπῳ τὴν ὑποψίαν ἀπεκρούετο λέγουσα· Μὴ δῷς τὴν δούλην σου εἰς πρόσωπον, εἰς θυγατέρα λοιμήν. Τί δέ ἐστιν, Εἰς πρόσωπον; Μὴ νομίσῃς, ἀναίσχυντον εἶναί με καὶ ἰταμήν. Ἀθυμίας, οὐ παροινίας, ἐστὶν αὕτη ἡ παῤῥησία· ὀδύνης, οὐχὶ μέθης. Τί οὖν ὁ ἱερεύς; Ὅρα κἀκείνου τὴν σύνεσιν· οὐ περιειργάσατο τὴν συμφορὰν, οὐκ ἠβουλήθη πολυπραγμονῆσαι τὴν αἰτίαν, ἀλλὰ τί φησι; Πορεύου ἐν εἰρήνῃ· δῴη σοι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ πᾶν αἴτημα, ὃ ᾐτήσω παρ' αὐτοῦ. Τὸν κατήγορον συνήγορον εἰργάσατο ἡ γυνή. Τοσοῦτόν ἐστιν ἐπιείκεια καὶ πραότης καλόν. Καὶ ἀντὶ ὕβρεως ἐφόδια ἱκανὰ λαβοῦσα ἀπῆλθε, καὶ προστάτην ἔσχε καὶ πρεσβευτὴν τὸν ἐπιτιμήσαντα. Καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἀφίσταται, ἀλλὰ πάλιν φησίν· Εὕροι ἡ δούλη σου χάριν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σου· τουτέστι, Μάθοις διὰ τοῦ τέλους αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκβάσεως, ὡς οὐκ ἀπὸ παροινίας, ἀλλ' ἐξ ὀδύνης τοσαύτης ἐποιησάμην ἱκετηρίαν καὶ τὴν δέησιν. Καὶ ἀπελθοῦσα, φησὶν, οὐκέτι συνέπεσεν. Εἶδες πίστιν γυναικός; Πρὶν λάβῃ ὅπερ ᾔτησεν, ἐθάρσησεν ὡς λαβοῦσα. Τὸ δὲ αἴτιον, ὅτι μετὰ πολλῆς ηὔξατο τῆς σφοδρότητος, μετὰ σπουδῆς ἀδιακρίτου. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο, ὡς τὸ πᾶν εἰληφυῖα, κατῆλθεν. Ἄλλως δὲ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς 54.652 λοιπὸν αὐτῆς τὴν ἀθυμίαν ἐξέβαλε, μέλλων διδόναι τὸ δῶρον. Ταύτην ζηλώσωμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς, καὶ ἐν ἁπάσαις ταῖς συμφοραῖς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν καταφεύγωμεν. Κἂν μὴ ἔχωμεν παιδία, παρ' ἐκείνου αἰτῶμεν· κἂν λάβωμεν, μετὰ πολλῆς ἀνατρέφωμεν αὐτὰ τῆς σπουδῆς, καὶ πάσης μὲν κακίας ἀπάγωμεν τοὺς νέους, μάλιστα δὲ ἀσελγείας· χαλεπὸς γὰρ οὗτος ὁ πόλεμος, καὶ οὐδὲν οὕτως ἐνοχλεῖ τὴν ἡλικίαν