69

"Thoughts are thoughts of things; and of things, some are perceptible, others intelligible. The mind, therefore, being occupied in these, carries about their thoughts; but the grace of prayer joins the mind to God; and in joining it to God, separates it from all thoughts. Then, therefore, the mind, conversing naked with Him, becomes godlike. And becoming such, it asks for what is fitting from Him and never fails in its petition. For this reason, therefore, the Apostle commands to pray without ceasing, so that by continually joining the mind to God, we may by degrees tear it away from its passionate attachment to material things."

25 (25). And the Brother said: "And how can the mind pray without ceasing? For when chanting and

reading and conversing and ministering, we distract it with many thoughts and contemplations."

(14__392> And the Elder answered: "The divine Scripture commands nothing impossible; since the Apostle himself also

chanted and read and ministered, and prayed without ceasing. For unceasing prayer is to have the mind with much reverence and longing devoted to God, and to hang always on His hope, and to be confident in Him in all things, both in works and in events. Being so disposed the Apostle said: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress?" and so on. And a little after: "For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels." And again: "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh."

26 (26). Thus, therefore, the Apostle being so disposed, prayed without ceasing; for in all his works, as has been said, and in the things that befell him he hung on the hope of God. For this reason all the saints always rejoiced in tribulations, that they might come into the habit of divine love. And for this reason the Apostle said: "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." And a little after: "for when I am weak, then am I strong." But woe to us wretches, for we have abandoned (14__394> the way of the holy Fathers, and for this reason we are destitute of every spiritual work."

27 (27). And the Brother said: "Why, Father, do I not have compunction?" And the Elder answered: "Because there is no fear of God before our eyes. Because

we have become a lodging for all evils, and for this reason we have despised the fearful punishment of God as a mere thought. For who is not struck with compunction, hearing Moses speak on behalf of God concerning sinners, that "A fire is kindled in my anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell. It shall consume the 'earth' with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend my arrows upon them?" And again: "I will make my sword sharp as lightning, and my hand shall take hold on judgment; and I will render vengeance to my enemies, and will repay those who hate me." And of Isaiah crying out: "Who will declare to you that a fire is burning? Who will declare to you the eternal place? Walk in the light of 'your' fire, and in the flame which you have kindled." And again: "They shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me. For their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be a spectacle to all flesh."

69

"Τὰ νοήματα, τῶν πραγμάτων εἰσὶ νοήματα· τῶν δὲ πραγμάτων, τὰ μὲν εἰσὶν αἰσθητά, τὰ δὲ νοητά. Ἐν αὐτοῖς οὖν ὁ νοῦς διατρίβων, τὰ νοήματα αὐτῶν περιφέρει· ἡ δὲ χάρις τῆς προσευχῆς τῷ Θεῷ συνάπτει τὸν νοῦν· τῷ δὲ Θεῷ συνάπτουσα, χωρίζει πάντων τῶν νοημάτων. Τότε οὖν ὁ νοῦς γυμνὸς αὐτῷ προσομιλῶν θεοειδὴς γίνεται. Τοιοῦτος δὲ γινόμενος, τὰ πρέποντα παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ αἰτεῖ καὶ τῆς δεήσεως αὐτοῦ οὐ διαμαρτάνει ποτέ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὖν ὁ Ἀπόστολος ἀδιαλείπτως κελεύει προσεύχεσθαι, ἵνα τὸν νοῦν τῷ Θεῷ συνεχῶς συνάπτοντες κατὰ μικρὸν ἀπορρήξωμεν τῆς τῶν ὑλικῶν προσπαθείας».

25 (κε'). Καὶ ὁ Ἀδελφὸς εἶπε· "Καὶ πῶς ὁ νοῦς δύναται ἀδιαλείπτως προσεύχεσθαι; Καὶ γὰρ ψάλλοντες καὶ

ἀναγινώσκοντες καὶ συντυγχάνοντες καὶ διακονοῦντες, εἰς πολλὰ αὐτὸν περισπῶμεν νοήματά τε καὶ θεωρήματα».

(14__392> Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Γέρων· "Οὐδὲν τῶν ἀδυνάτων ἡ θεία Γραφὴ προστάσσει· ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Ἀπόστολος

καὶ ἔψαλλεν καὶ ἀνεγίνωσκε καὶ διηκόνει, καὶ ἀδιαλείπτως προσηύχετο. Ἀδιάλειπτος γάρ ἐστι προσευχή, τὸ τὸν νοῦν ἔχειν ἐν εὐλαβείᾳ πολλῇ καὶ πόθῳ προσκείμενον τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ τῆς ἐλπίδος αὐτοῦ ἀεὶ ἀποκρέμασθαι, καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν θαρρεῖν ἐν πᾶσι, τοῖς τε ἔργοις καὶ τοῖς συμβαίνουσιν. Οὕτως διακείμενος ὁ Ἀπόστολος ἔλεγε· "Τίς ἡμᾶς χωρίσει ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Χριστοῦ· θλίψις, ἢ στενοχωρία;" καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Καὶ μετ᾽ ὀλίγα· "Πέπεισμαι γάρ, ὅτι οὔ τε θάνατος, οὔτε ζωή, οὔτε ἄγγελοι». Καὶ πάλιν· "Ἐν παντὶ θλιβόμενοι, καὶ οὐ στενοχωρούμενοι· ἀπορούμενοι, καὶ οὐκ ἐξαπορούμενοι· διωκόμενοι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ καταλιμπανόμενοι· καταβαλλόμενοι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἀπολλύμενοι. Πάντοτε τὴν νέκρωσιν τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι περιφέροντες, ἵνα καὶ ἡ ζωὴ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ φανερωθῇ ἐν τῇ θνητῇ σαρκὶ ἡμῶν».

26 (κστ'). Οὕτως οὖν ὁ Ἀπόστολος διακείμενος, ἀδιαλείπτως προσηύχετο· ἐν πᾶσι γὰρ τοῖς ἔργοις, ὡς εἴρηται, καὶ τοῖς συμβαίνουσιν αὐτῷ τῆς ἐλπίδος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀπεκρέματο. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ταῖς θλίψεσιν ἀεὶ ἔχαιρον πάντες οἱ ἅγιοι, ἵνα εἰς ἕξιν ἔλθωσι τῆς θείας ἀγάπης. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἔλεγεν ὁ Ἀπόστολος· "Ἥδιστα οὖν καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου, ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ». Καὶ μετ᾽ ὀλίγα· "ὅταν ἀσθενῶ, τότε δυνατός εἰμι». Ἀλλ᾽ οὐαὶ ἡμῖν τοῖς ἀθλίοις, ὅτι κατελίπομεν (14__394> τὴν ὁδὸν τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἔρημοί ἐσμεν παντὸς ἔργου πνευματικοῦ».

27 (κζ'). Καὶ ὁ Ἀδελφὸς εἶπε· "∆ιὰ τί, Πάτερ, οὐκ ἔχω κατάνυξιν;" Καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Γέρων· "Ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἔστι φόβος Θεοῦ ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἡμῶν. Ἐπειδὴ

πάντων τῶν κακῶν γεγόναμεν καταγώγιον, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὡς ψιλοῦ νοήματος κατεφρονήσαμεν τῆς φοβερᾶς τοῦ Θεοῦ κολάσεως. Ἐπεὶ τίς οὐ κατανύγεται ἀκούων τοῦ μὲν Μωϋσέως ἐκ προσώπου Θεοῦ περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν λέγοντος, ὅτι "Πῦρ ἐκκέκαυται ἐκ τοῦ θυμοῦ μου· καυθήσεται ἕως ᾅδου κατωτάτου. Καταφάγεται 'γῆν,' καὶ τὰ γεννήματα αὐτῆς· φλέξει θεμέλια ὀρέων. Συνάξω εἰς αὐτοὺς κακά, καὶ τὰ βέλη μου συντελέσω εἰς αὐτούς;" Καὶ πάλιν· "Παροξυνῶ ὡς ἀστραπὴν τὴν μάχαιράν μου, καὶ ἀνθέξεται κρίματος ἡ χείρ μου· καὶ ἀνταποδώσω δίκην τοῖς ἐχθροῖς καὶ τοῖς μισοῦσί με ἀνταποδώσω». Τοῦ δὲ Ἡσαΐου βοῶντος· "τίς ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν ὅτι πῦρ καίεται; τίς ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν τὸν τόπον τὸν αἰώνιον; Πορεύεσθε τῷ φωτὶ τοῦ πυρὸς 'ὑμῶν,' καὶ τῇ φλογί, ᾗ ἐξεκαύσατε». Καὶ πάλιν· "Ἐξελεύσονται, καὶ ὄψονται τὰ κῶλα τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τῶν παραβεβηκότων ἐν ἐμοί. Ὁ γὰρ σκώληξ αὐτῶν οὐ τελευτήσει, καὶ τὸ πῦρ αὐτῶν οὐ σβεσθήσεται· καὶ ἔσονται εἰς ὅρασιν πάσῃ σαρκί».