Macarius of Egypt, Homilies 7

Of various temptations, but when she gives birth, that is, is perfected, she rejoices continually with inexpressible joy, because a heavenly and new m

The birds of the sky flying in the air rest in it. likewise also is the life of souls, and the air of those having the wings of the spirit is above in

Prepares himself, is pained and distressed by not acting manfully such a one does not become a child of life, since he has not become an imitator and

Therefore, to always examine ourselves and to search our hearts, so that we may know our own faults, trusting in the deliverer of our souls, christ, t

Knowing that you do this not to a man but to god who said, he who hears you hears me, and in lying and withholding what you have brought to god do you

Of a greater judgment than the enumerated evils through such a renunciation, he would have freed the ascetic, together with the brotherhood, from labo

It is necessary to have unceasing remembrance of god and confidence, and so one will be able to wrestle against the evils that beset man, that is, the

For the intention sins when it comes to be with an evil purpose, and sometimes the deed also, when it is done corruptly, or not in the way it ought to

Of salt and if there is taste in empty words, not filled with the testimony of works? 54.9 of abandonments, then, one is for the sake of hidden virtu

I might bear away glory and honor. and paul says, if i do this willingly, i have no reward but if unwillingly, i am entrusted with a stewardship for

To him concerning us. for he only has need of our choice, since he is always ready to have mercy on us and enlighten us, if only we are willing to giv

Unspeakable, so that he weeps, and if the soul were able to leave the body, and to go to the lord. at other times again his soul rejoices within by th

He should bring his thoughts before god by night and day, and weep every hour in the presence of god, and being grieved he should reprove his own soul

unspeakable, so that he weeps, and if the soul were able to leave the body, and to go to the Lord. At other times again his soul rejoices within by the grace of the Lord, for the Lord is both exact in all things and abundant; but often a time comes, and the grace of the Lord allows Satan to war against him, and the passions of wickedness are stirred up against him, and it brings upon him sleep and listlessness and weakness and many other things which it is not possible to describe, so that being afflicted and wearied he may call upon the Lord in firm faith and labor in prayer. And then again this grace drives away from him all the insolence of the enemy, if it sees him persevering and seeking the mercy of God in truth, and finally it gladdens his heart as it wills, and cleanses him from every plot of the enemy; for it wishes that man may acquire it with labor and war; and it does not wish for man to be always in his own joy, lest his mind be idle, but watchful and striving against Satan; glory to God, amen. 57.t HOMILY 57 57.1 The Spirit blows where it wishes; and it blows into bright and shining and divine souls, and those desiring to serve it with all zeal; and if they obey the adorable Spirit, it gives them the fear of God, and warmth in the beginning; and when these things are present in them, it makes them hate the whole world, and every harmful desire in it, whether gold, or silver, or some deceitful adornment of the body, or father, or mother, or wife and children, and it makes the work of God sweet in man above honey and the honeycomb, whether the labor of fasting, or of vigils, or quiet and service, or almsgiving, and it sweetens all the things of God for him. 57.2 But when it has taught him all these things, it gives him over to be tempted; and then everything that was sweet to him becomes burdensome and difficult for him; therefore many, being inexperienced, when they are tempted, remain in the burden and become carnal; these are they concerning whom Paul says, Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect in the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain? and "in vain" is this, that he who for God's sake endured labors, then completely lost heart and did not call these to mind, not only suffered loss of the profit for his labors, but also becomes liable to a heavier punishment, having despised and not chosen the power from on high; 57.3 But if a man resists Satan in the first temptation and conquers him, then God gives a settled warmth, both quiet and untroubled; for the first warmth is turbulent, doubtful and unsettled; but the second is better, and this begets vision, producing endurance, being untroubled and faithful and without doubt; just as a ship in a calm harbor, with its two sheets drawn tight, so the second warmth is restful in every way. 57.4 Now therefore, my beloved children, let us acquire the second warmth for ourselves, that you may be lightened in all things; for this warmth, which is according to God, cuts off every passion, and casts out all grossness from man, and makes the Godhead to dwell with man, so that he becomes a temple of God according to that which is written, I will dwell in them and walk among them. 57.5 If then you wish that the departed warmth may return to you, this is its working, that a man make a covenant between himself and God and say before him, "Forgive me what I have done in negligence, and I will no longer disobey you"; and that he henceforth guard himself from all negligence, in nothing giving himself to a single repose of body or soul, but having his strained

ἀνεκλάλητος, ὥστε αὐτὸν κλαίειν, καὶ εἴπερ ἠδύνατο ἡ ψυχὴ ἀφιέναι τὸ σῶμα, καὶ ἀπιέναι πρὸς τὸν κύριον. ἄλλοτε πάλιν εὐφραίνεται ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἔσωθεν ὑπὸ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ κυρίου, ὁ γὰρ κύριος καὶ ἀκριβής ἐστιν εἰς πάντα καὶ δαψιλής· πολλάκις δὲ ἔρχεται ὥρα, καὶ συγχωρεῖ ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου τῷ Σατανᾷ πολεμῆσαι αὐτῷ, καὶ ἐπεγείρεται ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὰ πάθη τῆς κακίας, καὶ ἐπιφέρει αὐτῷ ὕπνον καὶ ἀκηδίαν καὶ ἀτονίαν καὶ ἄλλα πολλὰ ἅπερ οὐκ ἔνι ἐξειπεῖν, ἵνα θλιβόμενος καὶ καταπονούμενος παρακαλέσῃ τὸν κύριον ἐν πίστει βεβαίᾳ καὶ κάμῃ δεόμενος. καὶ τότε πάλιν αὐτὴ ἡ χάρις ἀπε λαύνει ἀπ' αὐτοῦ πᾶσαν τὴν ἐπήρειαν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ, ἐὰν ἴδῃ αὐτὸν παραμένοντα καὶ ζητοῦντα τὸ ἔλεος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ, καὶ λοιπὸν εὐφραίνει τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ὡς αὐτὴ θέλει, καὶ καθαρίζει αὐτὸν ἀπὸ πάσης ἐπιβουλῆς τοῦ ἐχθροῦ· αὐτὴ γὰρ θέλει, ἵνα μετὰ καμάτου καὶ πολέμου κτήσηται αὐτὴν ὁ ἄνθρωπος· καὶ οὐ θέλει τὸν ἄνθρωπον πάντοτε εἶναι ἐν τῇ αὐτοῦ εὐφρασίᾳ, ἵνα μὴ ᾖ ἀργὸς ὁ νοῦς αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' ἐγρηγορὼς καὶ ἀγωνιζόμενος μετὰ τοῦ Σατανᾶ· δόξα τῷ θεῷ, ἀμήν. 57.τ ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΖ 57.1 Τὸ πνεῦμα ὅπου θέλει πνεῖ· πνεῖ δὲ εἰς τὰς φαιδρὰς καὶ λαμπρὰς καὶ θείας ψυχάς, καὶ ποθούσας αὐτὸ πάσῃ θεραπεῦσαι σπουδῇ· καὶ ἐὰν ὑπακούσωσι τῷ προσκυνητῷ πνεύματι, δίδωσιν αὐταῖς φόβον θεοῦ, καὶ θέρμην ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ· καὶ ὅτε ταῦτα παρῇ ἐν αὐταῖς, ποιεῖ αὐτὰς μισῆσαι ὅλον τὸν κόσμον, καὶ πᾶν ἐν αὐτῷ βλαβερὸν ἐπιθύμημα, εἴτε χρυσόν, εἴτε ἄργυρον, εἴτε τινὰ κόσμον τοῦ σώματος ἀπατηλόν, ἢ πατέρα, ἢ μητέρα, ἢ γυναῖκα καὶ τέκνα, καὶ ποιεῖ ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ γλυκὺ τὸ ἔργον τοῦ θεοῦ ὑπὲρ μέλι καὶ κηρίον, εἴτε πόνον νηστείας, εἴτε ἀγρυπνίας εἴτε ἡσυχίαν καὶ διακονίαν, εἴτε ἐλεημοσύνην, καὶ πάντα τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ γλυκαίνει αὐτῷ. 57.2 ὅτε δὲ ταῦτα πάντα διδάξει αὐτόν, δίδωσιν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ πειρασθῆναι· καὶ λοιπὸν πάντα ἅπερ ἦν αὐτῷ γλυκέα, βαρέα αὐτῷ γίγνεται καὶ δύσκολα· πολλοὶ οὖν ἄπειροι ὄντες ὅτε πειράζονται ἀπομένουσιν ἐν τῷ βάρει καὶ γίνονται σαρκικοί· οὗτοί εἰσι, περὶ ὧν ὁ Παῦλός φησιν Ἐναρξάμενοι πνεύματι, νῦν σαρκὶ ἐπιτελεῖσθε; τοσαῦτα ἐπάθετε εἰκῆ; τὸ δὲ εἰκῆ, τοῦτό ἐστιν ὅτι ὁ διὰ τὸν θεὸν ὑπομείνας πόνους εἶτα ἀποκακήσας παντελῶς καὶ μὴ ἀνακαλεσάμενος τούτους, οὐ μόνον τὸ ἐπὶ τοῖς πόνοις ἐζημιώθη κέρδος, ἀλλὰ καὶ βαρυτέρας κολάσεως ἔνοχος γίνεται, καταφρονήσας καὶ μὴ ἐκλεξάμενος τὴν ἐξ ὕψους δύναμιν· 57.3 ἐὰν δὲ ἀντιστῇ τῷ Σατανᾷ ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ πειρασμῷ καὶ νικήσῃ αὐτόν, τότε ὁ θεὸς δίδωσι θέρμην καθισταμένην, ἥσυχόν τε καὶ ἀτάραχον· ἡ γὰρ πρώτη θέρμη ταραχώδης ἐστίν, ἀμφίβολός τε καὶ ἀκατάστατος· ἡ δευτέρα δὲ βελτίων ἐστίν, καὶ αὕτη γεννᾷ τὸ βλέπειν, ποιοῦσα ὑπομονήν, ἀτάραχος οὖσα καὶ πιστὴ καὶ ἀναμφίβολος· ὥσπερ πλοῖον ἐν εὐδίῳ λιμένι, τῶν δύο ἑλκυσθέντων ποδίων, οὕτως ἡ δευτέρα θέρμη ἀναπαυστική ἐστι παντὶ τρόπῳ. 57.4 νῦν οὖν, ἀγαπητά μου τέκνα, κτησώμεθα τὴν δευτέραν θέρμην ἑαυτοῖς, ἵνα ἐλαφρυνθῆτε κατὰ πάντα· ἡ γὰρ κατὰ θεὸν αὕτη θέρμη, ἐκκόπτει πᾶν πάθος, καὶ ἐκβάλλει πᾶσαν παχύτητα ἐκ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ ποιεῖ συνοικῆσαι τὴν θεότητα τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, ἵνα γένηται ναὸς θεοῦ κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον Ἐνοικήσω ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐμπεριπατήσω. 57.5 εἰ οὖν θέλετε ἵνα ἡ ἀποστᾶσα θέρμη ἐπανέλθῃ ὑμῖν, ἡ ἐργασία αὐτῆς αὕτη ἐστίν, ἵνα ὁ ἄνθρωπος διάθηται διαθήκην μεταξὺ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ εἴπῃ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, ὅτι συγχώρησόν μοι ἃ πεποίηκα ἐν ἀμελείᾳ, καὶ οὐκέτι παρακούω σου· καὶ ἵνα λοιπὸν φυλάξηται ἀπὸ πάσης ἀμελείας, ἐν μηδενὶ διδοὺς ἑαυτὸν ἀναπαύσει μιᾷ σώματος ἢ ψυχῆς, ἀλλὰ τετονωμένους τοὺς