De oratione

 Therefore, the one of these, I mean the 'what we should pray for,' is the words of the prayer, but the 'as we ought' is the state of the one praying

 we are more than conquerors.” It is likely that “intercedes” only concerns those who are not so great as to be more than conquerors, nor again such as

 God be with me, and keep me in this way that I go, and give me bread to eat and a garment to put on, and bring me back with safety to my father's hous

 of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying: This is the word, which the Lord commanded: A man, who shall vow a vow to the Lord or swear an oath with

 of those who say there is providence for it is not our present purpose to examine the sayings of those who entirely deny God or providence) God kn

 since God exists and has comprehended the whole universe and abides in His pre-arranged decrees, to pray, supposing that by his prayer he will alter G

 and from what is in our power, which will be enacted according to our impulse. For even if, hypothetically, God did not know the future, we would not

 “let him not boast” “before” me but let him say: “I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God,” and perceiving my

 of prayer benefits those who have persuaded themselves that they have stood before and are speaking to a present and hearing God? 9.1 What has been sa

 to God, who ordains what he wills for our training, but not even murmuring in the secret of our thoughts without a voice audible to men which murmuri

 his preeminence, and stretching forth the right hand and giving to Judas a golden sword, to whom another saint who had fallen asleep testified, sa

 an angel, «of the» in the church «little ones,» «always» seeing «the face of the Father» «who is in heaven» and beholding the divinity of the one who

 the prayer of Holofernes with God prevails and one woman of the Hebrews brought shame to the house of Nebuchadnezzar But 'Ananias' 'and Azarias and M

 suffering from a basilisk, because through Christ he has stepped upon them and has trampled “lion and dragon,” having used the good authority given by

 doxology for greater things, offered up more magnificently by someone, and intercession, a request to God concerning certain things by one having a ce

 And an example of thanksgiving is the voice of our Lord, saying: “I confess to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these thing

 kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their princesses your nurses they shall bow down to <you> with their face to the ground, and shall lick the

 with him the intelligible blessing reaching all the saints, spoken by Isaac to Jacob, namely: «May God give you of the dew of heaven,» to have come to

 of things truly and genuinely great and heavenly, and matters concerning the shadows that follow the preceding things must be entrusted to God, who kn

 For it is the work of hypocrites to want to put on airs before men for the sake of piety or for social reasons. But it is necessary, remembering the s

 20.2 And we must listen carefully to that they may be seen, since nothing that is merely apparent is good, as if existing in appearance and not in t

 It is not that God has not been called 20father20, or that those who are considered to have believed in God have not been named sons of God but rathe

 he has imitated the image «of the invisible God» and has become «according to the image of the one who created him,» who makes «his sun» rise «on the

 20Father20» let him go. And let us seek to understand more mystically the saying at the end of the Gospel according to John: «Do not touch me, for I h

 in order to persuade the reader from every side, according to the power given to us, to hear the divine scripture in a higher and more spiritual way,

 to exalt «0the name20» of God «at the same time,» is <when> someone, having partaken of an emanation of divinity by being taken up by God and having p

 We are commanded by Paul no longer to be subject to sin which wants to rule over us, and indeed we are ordered through these words: Let not sin there

 for us «0on earth20» likewise to them in all things “the 20will20” of God should be done which will happen, when we do nothing contrary to His «0will

 to divinity and being united with it. 26.5 But since the second point does not yet solve the difficulties about how «0the will20» of God is «0in heave

 we will set these things forth from more numerous sources. He says in the Gospel according to John to those who had come to Capernaum to seek him: “Tr

 nor are you able even now for you are still of the flesh” and in the one to the Hebrews: “and you have come to need milk, not solid food. For everyon

 being set apart, but is subject to every quality just like a prepared place. And by qualities they mean dispositively the activities and productions i

 by a demonstration of the angels and their becoming more ready to cooperate in every way and henceforth to concur in the apprehension of more and grea

 in the psalms thus: a thousand years in your eyes are as yesterday, which has passed (which is the famous millennium, which is likened to the yeste

 «0today20» but also in a way of the «0daily20» he who prays for «0today20», from the one who is able to grant «exceedingly abundantly above all that w

 and we are in a theater of the world and of angels and of men, it must be known that, just as the one in the theater is a 20debtor20 to say or do cert

 heavenly Father will do, unless you 20forgive20 each his brother from your hearts.” They say, however, that we 20must forgive20 those who have sinned

 they conceived a thought against God” for he offers the sacrifice concerning things of which it is doubted whether a sin has been committed, and this

 which our Lord taught concerning prayer. But when has anyone considered men to be outside of 20temptations20, whose word he knew he had fulfilled? And

 every time is one of 20temptation20 for men, even these things not even he who meditates on the law of God «day and night» and practices to fulfill w

 Finding such things in the law and the prophets, they stumbled as at one who was not good, who uttered such words but for us, on account of the diffi

 having desired generation, pray again to obtain twice what you desire, having come to hate the thing desired, and then thus to return to the good thin

 of our own evils and let us give thanks for the good things revealed to us through 20temptations20. But that the 20temptations20 which happen are for

 to put on (for he has received), but by in all that befell him not to have sinned at all before the Lord but to be shown to be righteous of the o

 to pray, stretching out the soul, as it were, before the hands, and stretching the mind toward God before the eyes, and before standing, arousing the

 which is possible, unless one gives himself to this by agreement for a time, that perhaps also concerning the place, if it is permissible, it must b

 It seems to me that these things have necessarily been said, while examining the place of prayer and representing what is exceptional as in a place at

 for the sake of magnifying you, my Lord, Lord.” 33.4 An example of confessions: “Deliver me from all my iniquities,” and in other places: “My wounds h

he has imitated the image «of the invisible God» and has become «according to the image of the one who created him,» who makes «his sun» rise «on the evil and on the good, and» sends rain «on the just and on the unjust,» so that «the image of the heavenly man» is in them, since he himself is the image of God. The saints, therefore, being an «image» of an image, the image being the Son, receive the impression of sonship, becoming conformed not only to «the body of glory» of Christ but also to him being in «the body.» And they become conformed to him in «the body of glory,» being transformed «by the renewing of their mind.» But if such persons say through all things: «Our Father who art in heaven», it is clear that «he who commits sin,» as John says in his catholic epistle, «is of the devil, because the devil has sinned from the beginning.» And just as the «seed» of God, remaining in the one born «of God,» becomes the cause of not being able to «sin» for the one formed according to the only-begotten Word; so in everyone who commits «sin» there is the «seed» of the devil, which, being present in the soul, does not allow the one who has it to be able to do right. But since «for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil,» it is possible through the coming of the Word of God into our soul that, the works «of the devil» having been destroyed, the evil «seed» implanted in us may be eradicated, and we may become «children of God.» 22.5 Let us not then think that we are taught to say words at some appointed time of prayer; but if we understand what has been examined before us about praying «without ceasing,» let our whole life, as we pray «without ceasing,» say: «Our Father who art in heaven,» having our «citizenship» in no way on earth but in every way «in heaven,» which are thrones of God because the kingdom of God is established in all who bear «the image of the heavenly man» and for this reason have become heavenly. 23.1 When <the> Father of the saints is said to be «in the heavens,» he must not be thought of as circumscribed by a bodily form and dwelling «in heaven,» since, if contained, God would be found to be less than the heavens, with the heavens containing him; it is necessary to be persuaded that all things are encompassed and held together by him through the ineffable power of his divinity. And in general, the expressions, as far as the letter is concerned, which are thought by the simpler ones to assert that God is in a place, must be understood fittingly in terms of the great and spiritual concepts concerning God, such as are these in the Gospel according to John: «Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end»; and a little after: «knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God,» and after other things: «You heard me say to you, "I am going away, and I will come to you." If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father»; and again after other things: «But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, "Where are you going?"» For if these things are to be understood locally, it is clear that also this: «Jesus answered and said to them, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."» 23.2 But these things do not happen through a local transition being understood concerning the Father and the Son to the one who loves the word of Jesus, nor then are these things to be understood locally; but the Word of God, condescending to us and, as it were, humbling himself in relation to his own dignity when he is among men, is said to depart «out of this world to the Father,» so that we too may from there behold him perfectly, returning from the emptiness among us, in which «he emptied himself,» to his own «fullness»; where we too, using him as our guide, having been filled, will be delivered from all emptiness. Let the Word of God therefore go away «to him who sent» him, having left the world, and «to the

μεμίμηται τὴν εἰκόνα «τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου» καὶ γέγονε «κατ' εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος,» ἀνατέλλον τος «τὸν ἥλιον» «ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς καὶ» βρέχοντος «ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ἀδίκους,» ὡς εἶναι ἐν αὐτοῖς «τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ἐπουρανίου,» καὶ αὐτοῦ ὄντος εἰκόνος θεοῦ. «εἰκὼν» οὖν εἰκόνος οἱ ἅγιοι τυγχάνον τες, τῆς εἰκόνος οὔσης υἱοῦ, ἀπομάττονται υἱότητα, οὐ μόνῳ «τῷ σώματι τῆς δόξης» τοῦ Χριστοῦ γινόμενοι σύμμορφοι ἀλλὰ καὶ ὄντι ἐν «τῷ σώματι.» γίνονται δὲ σύμμορφοι τῷ ἐν «σώματι τῆς δόξης,» μεταμορφούμενοι «τῇ ἀνακαινίσει τοῦ νοός.» εἰ δ' οἱ τοιοῦτοι δι' ὅλων φασὶ τό· «0πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς20,» δηλονότι «ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν,» ὥς φησιν ἐν τῇ καθολικῇ ὁ Ἰωάννης, «ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου ἐστὶν, ὅτι ἀπ' ἀρχῆς ὁ διάβολος ἁμαρτάνει.» καὶ ὥσ περ «σπέρμα» τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐν τῷ γεγεννημένῳ «ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ» μένον, αἴτιον τοῦ μὴ δύνασθαι «ἁμαρτάνειν» γίνεται τῷ κατὰ τὸν μονογενῆ λόγον μεμορφωμένῳ· οὕτως ἐν παντὶ τῷ ποιοῦντι «τὴν ἁμαρτίαν» «σπέρμα» τοῦ διαβόλου ἔνεστιν, ὅσον ἐνυπάρχει τῇ ψυχῇ, μὴ ἐῶν δύνασθαι κατορθοῦν τὸν ἔχοντα αὐτό. ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ «εἰς τοῦτο ἐφανερώθη ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα λύσῃ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ διαβόλου,» δυνατὸν τῇ εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν ἐπιδημίᾳ τοῦ λόγου τοῦ θεοῦ, λυθέντων τῶν ἔργων «τοῦ διαβόλου,» ἐξαφανισθῆναι τὸ ἐντεθὲν ἡμῖν «σπέρμα» πονηρὸν, καὶ γενέσθαι ἡμᾶς «τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ.» 22.5 μὴ λέξεις τοίνυν νομίσωμεν διδάσκεσθαι λέγειν ἡμᾶς ἔν τινι ἀποτεταγμένῳ τοῦ εὔχεσθαι καιρῷ· ἀλλ' εἰ συνίεμεν τῶν ἡμῖν προεξετασθέντων εἰς τὸ «ἀδιαλείπτως» προσεύχεσθαι, πᾶς ἡμῶν ὁ βίος «ἀδιαλείπτως» προσευχομένων λεγέτω τό· «0πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς20,» «τὸ πολίτευμα» ἔχων οὐδαμῶς ἐπὶ γῆς ἀλλὰ παντὶ τρόπῳ «0ἐν οὐρανοῖς20,» θρόνοις τυγχάνουσι τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ τὸ ἱδρῦσθαι τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ βασιλείαν ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς φοροῦσι «τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ἐπουρανίου» καὶ διὰ τοῦτο γενομένοις ἐπουρανίοις. 23.1 Ἐπὰν <δὲ> λέγηται ὁ 20πατὴρ20 τῶν ἁγίων εἶναι «ἐν 20τοῖς οὐρανοῖς20,» οὐ περιγεγράφθαι αὐτὸν σχήματι σωματικῷ ὑποληπτέον καὶ «0ἐν οὐρανοῖς20» κατοικεῖν, ἐπεί τοι περιεχόμενος ἐλάττων 20τῶν οὐρανῶν20 ὁ θεὸς εὑρεθήσεται, περιεχόντων αὐτὸν 20τῶν οὐρανῶν20· δέον τῇ ἀφάτῳ δυνάμει τῆς θεότητος αὐτοῦ πεπεῖσθαι περιέχεσθαι καὶ συνέχεσθαι τὰ πάντα ὑπ' αὐτοῦ. καὶ καθολικῶς τὰς ὅσον ἐπὶ τῷ ῥητῷ λέξεις, τὰς νομιζομένας τοῖς ἁπλουστέροις ἐν τόπῳ φάσκειν εἶναι τὸν θεὸν, μεταληπτέον πρεπόντως ταῖς μεγάλαις καὶ πνευματι καῖς ἐννοίαις περὶ θεοῦ, οἷαί εἰσιν ἐν τῷ κατὰ Ἰωάννην αὗται· «πρὸ δὲ τῆς ἑορτῆς τοῦ πάσχα εἰδὼς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι ἦλθεν αὐτοῦ ἡ ὥρα, ἵνα μεταβῇ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου πρὸς τὸν 20πατέρα20, ἀγαπήσας τοὺς ἰδίους τοὺς ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, εἰς τέλος ἠγάπησεν αὐτούς»· καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα· «εἰδὼς ὅτι πάντα ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ ὁ 20πατὴρ20 εἰς τὰς χεῖρας, καὶ ὅτι ἀπὸ θεοῦ ἐξῆλθε καὶ πρὸς θεὸν ὑπάγει,» καὶ μεθ' ἕτερα· «ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐγὼ εἶπον ὑμῖν· ὑπάγω καὶ ἔρχομαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς. εἰ ἠγαπᾶτέ με, ἐχάρητε ἂν ὅτι πορεύομαι πρὸς τὸν 20πατέρα20»· καὶ πά λιν μεθ' ἕτερα· «νῦν δὲ ὑπάγω πρὸς τὸν πέμψαντά με, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐρωτᾷ με· ποῦ ὑπάγεις;» εἰ γὰρ ταῦτα τοπικῶς ἐκδεκτέον, δῆλον ὅτι καὶ τὸ «ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἐάν τις ἀγαπᾷ με, τὸν λόγον μου τηρήσει, καὶ ὁ 20πατήρ20 μου ἀγαπήσει αὐτὸν, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐλευσόμεθα καὶ μονὴν παρ' αὐτῷ ποιησόμεθα.» 23.2 οὐχὶ δέ γε ταῦτα τοπικῆς μεταβάσεως νοουμένης περὶ τὸν 20πατέρα20 καὶ τὸν υἱὸν πρὸς τὸν ἀγαπῶντα τὸν λόγον τοῦ Ἰησοῦ γίνεται, οὐδ' ἄρα τοπικῶς ταῦτα ἐκδεκτέον· ἀλλ' ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ, ἡμῖν συγκαταβαίνων καὶ ὡς πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν ἀξίαν, ὅτε παρὰ ἀνθρώ ποις ἐστὶ, ταπεινούμενος, μεταβαίνειν λέγεται «ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τού του πρὸς τὸν 20πατέρα20,» ὅπως καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐκεῖθι τέλειον αὐτὸν θε ασώμεθα, ἀπὸ τῆς παρ' ἡμῖν κενότητος, ἣν «ἐκένωσεν ἑαυτὸν,» ἐπὶ τὸ ἴδιον «πλήρωμα» παλινδρομοῦντα· ἔνθα καὶ ἡμεῖς, αὐτῷ ὁδηγῷ χρώμενοι, πληρωθέντες πάσης κενότητος ἀπαλλαγησόμεθα. ἀπιέτω τοίνυν «πρὸς τὸν πέμψαντα» αὐτὸν ἀφεὶς τὸν κόσμον ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος, καὶ «πρὸς τὸν