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However, the ascetic ought in no way to seek a difference of foods, and

under a pretense of continence, a change of dishes. For this is a subversion of the common good order and a cause of scandals, and he who introduces such causes of disturbance into the ascetic community becomes an heir of woe. But even if this relish of salted fish, which was approved by the holy Fathers in place of some other seasoning, is present, added in a very small amount to the foods, mixed with the rest of the dish of water or vegetables, let him not, under the pretense of a vainglorious voluntary piety, as though refusing meat, seek after more expensive and better foods, but dipping his bread unobservedly in the broth of the tiniest piece, let him partake with all thanksgiving. For that tiniest piece, when thrown into such a large amount of water or, if it be, of seed-based food, is not an accusation of luxury, but the most exact and truly 31.1416 arduous continence of ascetics. Therefore, the ascetic of piety ought not to observe such things. For we do not abstain from such things like Judaizers, but we flee the surfeit of luxury.

CHAPTER 26. That for one who looks toward perfection, progress will in no way

be able to harm him. But if he should say that he is harmed by missions, or by journeys for the sake of the

necessary needs of the community, and for this reason should refuse the mission, he has not yet understood the precision of obedience, nor has he comprehended that this right action is not perfected by such laziness. Let him therefore look to the examples of the saints, how they perfected obedience, not speaking against or resisting in the least any of the commands so difficult to achieve; and let him be instructed in perfect obedience. But if someone is truly harmed, let him ask the brotherhood to supplicate God on his behalf, and let him also ask from God with unwavering hope to become a vessel active and useful in all spiritual right actions and in physical services for good works; and certainly He who accepts the eagerness of those who seek the good will give the power, having Himself urged the request, and having said: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; and he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks it will be opened; and again elsewhere: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him; but let him ask in faith, with no doubting. And in all things absolutely, in which the mind may grow weary concerning perfect obedience, or Satan may hinder it, dulling and checking our eagerness, let us use this help, supplicating God, and let us ask that ease in right actions be given to us, and that our flesh be nailed down by the fear of God, and that our mind become stable, in no way captured by fleshly desires and pleasures. For in the distraction of the mind, worldly desires, being implanted in the soul, work various irregularities in our thoughts, and make us sluggish regarding good works. Let us not refuse, therefore, each to contribute his own cooperation to the common and necessary needs of the body, but let us supplicate God to receive the power for cooperation. For, if all 31.1417 were to refuse in imitation of those who have gone before, who will fulfill the

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Βρωμάτων μέντοι διαφορὰν οὐδαμῶς ἐπιζητεῖν ὀφείλει ὁ ἀσκητὴς, καὶ

προσποιήσει δῆθεν ἐγκρα τείας ἐξαλλαγὴν ἐδεσμάτων. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἀνατροπὴ τῆς κοινῆς εὐταξίας ἐστὶ καὶ σκανδάλων ὑπόθεσις, καὶ τοῦ οὐαὶ κληρονόμος γίνεται ὁ ἐν συστήματι ἀσκητικῷ τοιαύτας αἰτίας ταραχῆς ἐνδιδούς. Ἀλλὰ κἂν τὸ προσέψημα τοῦτο τὸ ταριχευτὸν, τὸ παρὰ τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων ἐγκριθὲν ἀντ' ἄλλου τινὸς ἀρτύ ματος, ἐλάχιστον τοῖς βρώμασιν ἐπιβάλλεσθαι συμ πεπλεγμένον τῷ λοιπῷ ἐδέσματι τοῦ ὕδατος ἢ τῶν λαχάνων ὑπάρχῃ, μὴ προφάσει δῆθεν κενοδόξου ἐθε λοευλαβείας, ὡς κρέα παραιτούμενος, ἐπιζη τείτω τῶν ἐδεσμάτων τὰ τιμιώτερα καὶ χρηστότερα, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἀποζέματι τοῦ ἐλαχίστου τεμάχους τὸν ψω μὸν ἀπαρατηρήτως ἀποβρέχων, προσφερέσθω μετὰ πάσης εὐχαριστίας. Τὸ γὰρ ἐλάχιστον ἐκεῖνο τμῆμα, εἰς τοσοῦτον πλῆθος ὕδατος ἢ σπερματώδους εἰ τύχοι, βρώματος ἐμβληθὲν, οὐ τρυφῆς ἐστι κατ ηγόρημα, ἀλλὰ ἀκριβεστάτη τῶν ἀσκητῶν καὶ ταλαί 31.1416 πωρος ὄντως ἐγκράτεια. Χρὴ τοίνυν τὰ τοιαῦτα μὴ παρατηρεῖν τὸν τῆς ὁσιότητος ἀσκητήν. Οὐ γὰρ τῶν τοιούτων ἀπεχόμεθα Ἰουδαΐζοντες, ἀλλὰ τῆς τρυφῆς τὴν πλησμονὴν φεύγοντες.

ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ Κςʹ. Ὅτι τὸν πρὸς τὸ τέλειον βλέποντα οὐδὲν ἡ πρόοδος

παραβλάψαι δυνήσεται. Εἰ δὲ λέγοι βλάπτεσθαι ταῖς προόδοις, ἢ ταῖς ὁδοιπορίαις ταῖς διὰ τὰς

ἀναγκαίας χρείας τοῦ κοι νοῦ γενομέναις ὁ ἀσκητὴς, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο παραιτοῖτο τὴν πρόοδον, οὔπω τῆς ὑπακοῆς τὴν ἀκρίβειαν κατ ενόησεν, οὐδὲ συνεῖδεν, ὡς τουτὶ τὸ κατόρθωμα ταῖς τοιαύταις βλακείαις οὐ τελειοῦται. Βλεπέτω τοίνυν τὰ ὑποδείγματα τῶν ἁγίων, πῶς τὴν ὑπακοὴν ἐτε λείωσαν, πρὸς οὐδὲν τῶν οὕτω δυσηνύτων ἐπιτα γμάτων οὐδὲ καταμικρὸν ἀντειπόντες ἢ ἀντιτείναν τες· καὶ παιδευέσθω τὸ τῆς ὑπακοῆς τέλειον. Εἰ δέ τις καὶ ἀληθῶς παραβλάπτοιτο, παρακαλείτω τὴν ἀδελφότητα ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ τὸν Θεὸν ἱκετεῦσαι, καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ αἰτείτω παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ μετ' ἐλπίδος ἀνενδοιάστου γενέσθαι σκεῦος ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς τε πνευματικοῖς κατ ορθώμασι, τοῖς τε σωματικοῖς πρὸς τὰ καλὰ τῶν ἔργων διακονήμασι, ἐνεργόν τε καὶ εὔχρηστον· καὶ πάντως ὁ τὰς προθυμίας τῶν τὸ καλὸν ζητούν των ἀποδεχόμενος δώσει τὴν δύναμιν, αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τὴν αἴτησιν προτρέψας, καὶ εἰρηκώς· Αἰτεῖτε, καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν· ζητεῖτε, καὶ εὑρήσετε· κρούετε, καὶ ἀνοιγήσεται ὑμῖν. Πᾶς γὰρ ὁ αἰτῶν λαμβάνει· καὶ ὁ ζητῶν εὑρίσκει· καὶ τῷ κρούοντι ἀνοιγή σεται· καὶ πάλιν ἑτέρωθι· Εἰ δέ τις ὑμῶν λεί πεται σοφίας, αἰτείτω παρὰ τοῦ διδόντος Θεοῦ πᾶσιν ἁπλῶς, καὶ μὴ ὀνειδίζοντος, καὶ δοθή σεται αὐτῷ· αἰτείτω δὲ ἐν πίστει, μηδὲν δια κρινόμενος. Καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἁπαξαπλῶς, οἷς ἂν ὁ νοῦς ὀκλάσῃ περὶ τὴν τελείαν ὑπακοὴν, ἢ ὁ Σατανᾶς ἐμποδίζῃ, τὴν προθυμίαν ἀμβλύνων καὶ ἀνα κόπτων, τούτῳ τῷ βοηθήματι χρώμενοι, τὸν Θεὸν ἱκετεύωμεν, καὶ αἰτώμεθα δοθῆναι ἡμῖν τῶν κατορ θωμάτων εὐμάρειαν, καθηλωθῆναί τε τὰς σάρκας ἡμῶν τῷ φόβῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀμετεώριστον γενέσθαι ἡμῖν τὴν διάνοιαν, μηδαμῶς ἁλισκομένην ταῖς σαρ κικαῖς ἐπιθυμίαις καὶ ἡδοναῖς. Ἐν γὰρ μετεω ρισμῷ διανοίας αἱ κοσμικαὶ ἐπιθυμίαι τῇ ψυχῇ ἐμ φυόμεναι ποικίλας ἀνωμαλίας τοῖς λογισμοῖς ἐνεργά ζονται, καὶ ὀκνηροὺς ἡμᾶς περὶ τὰ καλὰ τῶν ἔργων ἀποτελοῦσι. Μὴ παραιτώμεθα τοίνυν ταῖς κοιναῖς καὶ ἀναγ καίαις τοῦ σώματος χρείαις συνεισφέρειν τὴν οἰ κείαν συνεργίαν ἕκαστος, ἀλλ' ἱκετεύωμεν τὸν Θεὸν λαβεῖν τῆς συνεργίας τὴν δύναμιν. Ἐπεὶ, εἰ πάντες 31.1417 παραιτοῖντο κατὰ μίμησιν τῶν φθασάντων, τίς ἀνα πληρώσει τὰ τῶν