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of all things, ought not drunkenness to be a thing of laughter? For indeed it is good for even a private citizen to be far from drunkenness; but much more so the soldier, who moves among swords, among blood, among slaughters; much more so the soldier, when his anger is also whetted from other sources, from his authority, from his power, from being constantly in the midst of plots and battles. Do you want to learn where wine is good? Hear the Scripture saying: Give wine to those in sorrow, and strong drink to those in pain. Rightly so; for it knows how to soften what is harsh and gloomy, and to drive away what is overcast. Wine makes glad the heart of man, 62.129 it says. How then does drunkenness come from wine? For it is not possible for the same thing to work opposite effects to itself. Drunkenness, therefore, is not from wine, but from immoderation. Wine was given to us for no other reason than for bodily health; but immoderation is an obstacle to this also. Hear also this blessed one writing and saying to Timothy: Use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities. 2. For for this reason God made our bodies moderate, and to be satisfied with little, already teaching us from this that He made us fit for another life. And He wished to give that one from the beginning, but since we made ourselves unworthy, He postponed it; and in the time that He postponed it, not even in it does He permit us to enjoy things immoderately; for a cup of wine and one loaf of bread is enough to fill a man’s stomach. And He made the one who rules over all irrational creatures need less than them in proportion, and his body small, signifying nothing other than this, that we are hastening to another life. Be not drunk with wine, it says, wherein is excess. For it does not save, but destroys, not only the body, but also the soul. But be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father, submitting to one another in the fear of Christ. Do you wish, it says, to be cheerful? Do you wish to spend the day? I give you a spiritual drink; for drunkenness cuts off even the distinct voice of our tongue, causing it to stammer, and distorting the eyes and everything in general. Learn to sing psalms, and you will see the pleasure of the thing; for those who sing psalms are filled with the Holy Spirit, just as those who sing satanic songs are filled with an unclean spirit. What is, In your hearts to the Lord? That is, paying attention with understanding; for those who do not pay attention, simply sing psalms, uttering the words, while their heart roams elsewhere. Always, it says, giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father, submitting to one another in the fear of Christ. That is, Let your requests be made known to God with thanksgiving; for nothing so gladdens God as when one is thankful. But we are most able to give thanks, by leading our soul away from the aforementioned things, cleansing it by these things which he said. But be filled, it says, with the Spirit. Is this then in our power? Yes, it is in our power. For when we have driven away falsehood, bitterness, fornication, impurity, greed from our soul, when we have become kind, compassionate, forgiving one another, when coarse jesting is not present, when we have made ourselves worthy, what prevents the Holy Spirit from coming and resting upon us? And He will not simply come upon us, but will fill our heart. And with so much light being within, virtue will no longer be difficult for us to achieve, but easy and effortless. Always giving thanks, it says, for all things. What then? Must one give thanks for all things that happen? Yes; even if it be sickness, even if it be poverty. For if in the Old Testament a certain wise man advised, saying: Whatever is brought upon 62.130 you, accept gladly, and in changes of your humiliation be patient; much more ought this to happen in the New. Therefore, even if you do not know the reason, give thanks; for this is

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πάντων τὸ μεθύσκεσθαι γέλως ὤφειλεν εἶναι; Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ καὶ τὸν ἰδιώτην πόῤῥω μέθης εἶναι καλόν· πολλῷ δὲ πλέον τὸν στρατιώτην, τὸν ἐν ξίφεσι στρεφόμενον, τὸν ἐν αἵμασι, τὸν ἐν σφαγαῖς· πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὸν στρατιώτην, ὅταν καὶ ἑτέρωθεν ὁ θυμὸς θήγηται, ἀπὸ τῆς ἐξουσίας, ἀπὸ τῆς δυναστείας, ἀπὸ τοῦ συνεχῶς ἐν ἐπιβουλαῖς καὶ μάχαις εἶναι. Βούλει μαθεῖν ποῦ καλὸς ὁ οἶνος; ἄκουε τῆς Γραφῆς λεγούσης· ∆ότε οἶνον τοῖς ἐν λύπῃ, καὶ μέθην τοῖς ἐν ὀδύνῃ. Εἰκότως· τὸ γὰρ τραχὺ καὶ σκυθρωπὸν οἶδε μαλάττειν, καὶ τὸ συννεφὲς ἀπάγειν. Οἶνος εὐφραίνει καρδίαν ἀνθρώ 62.129 που, φησί. Πῶς οὖν ἐκ τοῦ οἴνου ἡ μέθη; οὐ γὰρ ἔνι τὸν αὐτὸν τὰ ἐναντία ἐργάζεσθαι ἑαυτῷ. Οὐκ ἄρα ἐκ τοῦ οἴνου ἡ μέθη, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς ἀμετρίας. Ὁ οἶνος δι' οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἡμῖν δέδοται, ἢ δι' ὑγείαν σώματος· ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο ἐμποδίζει ἡ ἀμετρία. Ἄκουε δὲ καὶ τοῦ μακαρίου τούτου γράφοντος καὶ λέγοντος τῷ Τιμοθέῳ· Ὀλίγῳ οἴνῳ χρῶ διὰ τὸν στόμαχόν σου, καὶ τὰς πυκνάς σου ἀσθενείας. βʹ. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο ὁ Θεὸς ἐποίησεν ἡμῶν τὰ σώματα σύμμετρα, καὶ ἀπὸ ὀλίγων κορέννυσθαι, ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη παιδεύων ἡμᾶς, ὅτι πρὸς ἑτέραν ἡμᾶς ζωὴν ἐποίησε ἐπιτηδείους. Καὶ ἐβούλετο μὲν καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐκείνην δοῦναι, ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀναξίους ἑαυτοὺς κατεστήσαμεν, ἀνεβάλετο· καὶ ἐν τῷ χρόνῳ ᾧ ἀνεβάλετο, οὐδὲ ἐν αὐτῷ ἀφίησιν ἡμᾶς ἀπολαύειν ἀμέτρως· οἴνου γὰρ κοτύλη καὶ ἄρτος εἷς ἀρκεῖ γαστέρα ἐμπλῆσαι ἀνθρώπου. Καὶ τὸν πάντων τῶν ἀλόγων κρατοῦντα, ὀλιγοδεέστερον αὐτῶν κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν ἐποίησε, καὶ τὸ σῶμα βραχὺ, οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ τοῦτο δηλῶν, ὅτι πρὸς ἑτέραν ζωὴν ἐπειγόμεθα. Μὴ μεθύσκεσθε οἴνῳ, φησὶν, ἐν ᾧ ἐστιν ἀσωτία. Οὐ γὰρ σώζει, ἀλλ' ἀπόλλυσιν, οὐ τὸ σῶμα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ψυχήν. Ἀλλὰ πληροῦσθε ἐν Πνεύματι, λαλοῦντες ἑαυτοῖς ἐν ψαλμοῖς καὶ ὕμνοις καὶ ᾠδαῖς πνευματικαῖς, ᾄδοντες καὶ ψάλλοντες ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ· εὐχαριστοῦντες πάντοτε ὑπὲρ πάντων ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ, ὑποτασσόμενοι ἀλλήλοις ἐν φόβῳ Χριστοῦ. Βούλει, φησὶν, εὐφραίνεσθαι; Βούλει τὴν ἡμέραν ἀναλίσκειν; Ἐγώ σοι δίδωμι πότον πνευματικόν· ἡ γὰρ μέθη καὶ τὴν εὔσημον ἐκκόπτει φωνὴν τῆς γλώσσης τῆς ἡμετέρας, ψελλίζειν παρασκευάζουσα, καὶ ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ πάντα ἁπλῶς διαστρέφουσα. Μάθε ψάλλειν, καὶ ὄψει τοῦ πράγματος τὴν ἡδονήν· οἱ ψάλλοντες γὰρ Πνεύματος πληροῦνται ἁγίου, ὥσπερ οἱ ᾄδοντες τὰς σατανικὰς ᾠδὰς, πνεύματος ἀκαθάρτου. Τί ἐστιν, Ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ; Τουτέστι, μετὰ συνέσεως προσέχοντες· οἱ γὰρ οὐ προσέχοντες, ἁπλῶς ψάλλουσι, τὰ ῥήματα φθεγγόμενοι, τῆς καρδίας ῥεμβομένης ἑτέρωθι. Πάντοτε, φησὶν, ὑπὲρ ἁπάντων εὐχαριστοῦντες ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρὶ, ὑποτασσόμενοι ἀλλήλοις ἐν φόβῳ Χριστοῦ. Τουτέστι, Τὰ αἰτήματα ὑμῶν μετὰ εὐχαριστίας γνωριζέσθω πρὸς τὸν Θεόν· οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως εὐφραίνει τὸν Θεὸν, ὡς ὅταν ᾖ τις εὐχάριστος. Μάλιστα δὲ δυνάμεθα εὐχαριστεῖν, ἀπάγοντες τῶν προειρημένων τὴν ψυχὴν τὴν ἡμετέραν, διακαθαίροντες αὐτὴν τούτοις οἷς εἶπεν. Ἀλλὰ πληροῦσθε, φησὶ, ἐν Πνεύματι. Ἆρα ἐν ἡμῖν τοῦτο; Καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἡμῖν. Ὅταν γὰρ ψεῦδος, ὅταν πικρίαν, ὅταν πορνείαν, ὅταν ἀκαθαρσίαν, ὅταν πλεονεξίαν ἀποσοβήσωμεν τῆς ψυχῆς τῆς ἡμετέρας, ὅταν γενώμεθα χρηστοὶ, εὔσπλαγχνοι, χαριζόμενοι ἑαυτοῖς, ὅταν εὐτραπελία μὴ παρῇ, ὅταν ἑαυτοὺς ἀξίους κατασκευάσωμεν, τί τὸ κωλύον τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐπελθεῖν καὶ ἐπιπτῆναι; Καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἐπελεύσεται, ἀλλὰ πληρώσει τὴν καρδίαν ἡμῶν. Τοσούτου δὲ ἔνδοθεν ὄντος φωτὸς, οὐδὲ δυσκατόρθωτος ἡμῖν λοιπὸν ἔσται ἡ ἀρετὴ, ἀλλὰ ῥᾳδία καὶ εὔκολος. Πάντοτε εὐχαριστοῦντες, φησὶν, ὑπὲρ πάντων. Τί οὖν; ὑπὲρ πάντων εὐχαριστεῖν δεῖ τῶν συμβαινόντων; Ναί· κἂν νόσος ᾖ, κἂν πενία. Εἰ γὰρ ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ παρῄνει σοφός τις λέγων· Πᾶν ὃ ἐὰν ἐπαχθῇ 62.130 σοι, δέξαι ἀσμένως, καὶ ἐν ἀλλάγμασι ταπεινώσεώς σου μακροθύμησον· πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐν τῇ Καινῇ γίνεσθαι χρή. Κἂν τὸν λόγον τοίνυν μὴ εἰδῇς, εὐχαρίστει· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν