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Sirach 2. The gift of the Lord remains with the devout; believe in him, and he will help you.

Basil. Let faith lead the way in words about God. Faith, and not demonstration. Faith that draws the soul to assent, beyond logical methods; faith, not that which comes into being by geometrical necessities, but by the energies of the Spirit.

Faith is the unhesitating assent to what has been heard, in the full assurance of the truth of what has been preached, by the grace of God, which Abraham showed, being testified that "He did not waver through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God," and (15E_374> being fully persuaded that what God had promised, He was also able to perform.

Theologian. For what is not attainable is also somehow not believable because of envy. For to profane souls, none of what is good is worthy of belief.

Chrysostom. This is especially of faith, not to seek accountability for things done, but to obey what is commanded.

952 The pious and faithful man must be so firmly disposed toward the promises of God, that even if events seem contrary to them, he is not thereby disturbed, nor does he despair of the outcome. See then faithful Abraham, what promise he received, and what he was compelled to do.

Faith is the mother and crown and consummation of the virtues. For just as if a root has not been planted, no fruit would sprout; so also

if faith has not been laid down beforehand, no word of teaching would come forth. Gregory of Nyssa. Faith alone grasps the ungraspable; faith alone perceives the

unseen; faith alone approaches the unapproachable, as far as is possible and as far as is permissible.

Cyril's. What is to be accepted by faith must not be meddlesomely investigated. For how can what is scrutinized still be believed?

Aristotle. Just as they say in medicine, the more you nourish impure bodies, the more you will harm them, adding matter to the bad humor; so also a soul preoccupied with wicked doctrines, the more you teach it, the more you will harm it, providing it with greater principles for its false opinion.

DISCOURSE 52. Concerning memory (15E_376> Luke 22. This is my body, which is given for you;

do this in remembrance of me. 1 Timothy 2. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead. Proverbs 10. The memory of the just is with praises, but the name of the wicked is extinguished. Sirach 7. In all your works remember your end, and you will not

sin. Basil's. It is impossible to turn from the just way, for those not having been sick with forgetfulness of God in their

souls. Memory is the preservation of what has been known; remembrance, the recovery of what has departed

...recovery. Theologian's. One must be mindful of God more than one must breathe. Worship God in deeds, praise him in words, and honor him in thought. Clement. A vivid memory of death has cut away foods; and of foods in

humility being cut away, the passions were also cut away. Chrysostom. A sign of piety is to have continuous memory of the more divine things, and

to propitiate God with frequent supplications.

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Σιράχ β΄ . ∆όσις Κυρίου παραμενεῖ εὐσεβέσι· πίστευσον αὐτῷ, καί ἀντιλήψεταί σου.

Βασιλ. Πίστις ἡγείσθω τῶν περί Θεοῦ λόγων. Πίστις, καί μή ἀπόδειξις. Πίστις ἡ ὑπέρ τάς λογικάς μεθοδείας τήν ψυχήν εἰς συγκατάθεσιν ἕλκουσα· πίστις, οὐχ ἡ γεωμετρικαῖς ἀνάγκαις, ἀλλά ταῖς τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐνεργείαις ἐγγινομένη.

Πίστις ἐστί συγκατάθεσις ἀδιάκριτος τῶν ἀκουσθένων ἐν πληροφορίᾳ τῆς ἀληθείας τῶν κηρυχθέντων, Θεοῦ χάριτι, ἥντινα ἐπεδείξατο Ἀβράαμ, μαρτυρηθείς, ὅτι Οὐ διεκρίθη τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ, ἀλλ᾿ ἐνεδυναμώθη τῇ πίστει, δούς δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ, καί (15Ε_374> πληροφορηθείς ὅτι ὅ ἐπήγγελται Θεός, δυνατός ἐστι καί ποιῆσαι.

Θεολ. Τό γάρ οὐκ ἐφικτόν, οὐδέ πιστόν πως διά τόν φθόνον. Ψυχαῖς γάρ βεβήλοις οὐδέν τῶν καλῶν ἀξιόπιστον.

Χρυσοστ. Τοῦτο μάλιστα πίστεως, μή ζητεῖν εὐθύνας τῶν πραττομένων, ἀλλά πείθεσθαι τοῖς ἐπιταττομένοις.

952 Τόν εὐσεβῆ καί πιστόν ἄνδρα οὕτω βεβαίως διακεῖσθαι χρή πρός τάς ἐπαγγελίας τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὥστε κἄν ἐναντία αὐτοῖς φαίνεται τά γινόμενα, μηδέ οὕτως ταράττεσθαι, μηδέ ἀπογινώσκειν τήν ἔκβασιν. Ὅρα γοῦν ὁ πιστός Ἀβραάμ τίνα μέν ὑπόσχεσιν ἐδέξατο, τίνα δέ πράττειν ἠναγκάζετο.

Πίστις μήτηρ καί στεφάνῃ καί συμπεραίωσις τῶν ἀρετῶν ὑπάρχει. Καθάπερ γάρ ῥίζης μή πεφυτευμένης, οὐκ ἄν βλαστήσειε καρπός· οὕτω

πίστεως μή προκαταβεβλημένης, οὐκ ἄν προέλθοι διδασκαλίας λόγος. Γρηγορ. Νύσ. Πίστις μόνη κρατεῖ τόν ἀκράτητον· πίστις μόνη κατανοεῖ τόν

ἀθέατον· πίστις μόνη προσπελάζει τῷ ἀπροσπελάστῳ, ὅσον ἐγχωρεῖ καί ὅσον ἐνδέχεται.

Κυρίλλου. Τό πίστει παραδεκτόν, ἀπολυπραγμόνητον εἶναι χρή. Τό γάρ βασανοζόμενον πῶς ἔτι πεπίστευται;

Ἀριστοτ. Ὥσπερ γασίν ἐν ἰατρικῇ, τά μή καθαρά τῶν σωμάτων ὁπόσῳ ἀν θρέψῃς, μᾶλλον βλάψεις ὕλην ἀποβαλών τῇ κακοχυμίᾳ· οὕτω καί ψυχήν μοχθηροῖς δόγμασι προκατειλημμένην, ὁπόσῳ ἄν διδάξῃς, μᾶλλον βλάψεις μείζονας ἀρχάς αὐτῇ τῆς ψευδοδοξίας παρέχων.

ΛΟΓΟΣ ΝΒ´. Περί μνήμης (15Ε_376> Λουκ. κβ´. Τοῦτό ἐστι τό σῶμα μου, τό ὑπέρ ὑμῶν διδόμενον·

τοῦτο ποιεῖτε εἰς τήν ἐμήν ἀνάμνησιν. Α´Τιμ. β´. Μνημόνευε Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν ἐγηγερμένον ἐκ νεκρῶν. Παροιμ. ι΄ . Μνήμη δικαίου μετ᾿ ἐγκωμίων· ὄνομα δέ ἀσεβῶν σβέννυται. Σιράχ ζ´. Ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις σου μιμνήσκου τά ἔσχατά σου, καί οὐχ

ἁμαρτήσεις. Βασιλείου. Ἀμήχανον ἐκτραπῆναι τῆς δικαίας ὁδοῦ, μή λήθην Θεοῦ ταῖς

ψυχαῖς νοσήσαντας. Μνήμη ἐστίν ἡ τοῦ γνωσθέντος τήρησις· ἀνάμνησις, ἡ τοῦ ἀπελθόντος

ἀνάληψις. Θεολόγου. Μνημονευτέον Θεοῦ μᾶλλον, ἤ ἀναπνευστέον. Τόν Θεόν ἔργοις μέν σέβου, λόγοις δέ ὕμνει, ἐννοίᾳ δέ τίμα. Κλήμεντ. Μνήμη θανάτου ἐναργής περιέκοψε βρώματα· βρωμάτων δέ ἐν

ταπεινώσει κοπέντων, συνεξεκόπησαν πάθη. Χρυσοστ. Εὐσεβείας σημεῖον, τό συνεκῆ μνήμην ποιεῖσθαι τῶν θειοτέρων, καί

τό πυκναῖς ἐντεύξεσιν ἐξιλεοῦσθαι τόν Θεόν.