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No temptation covered the soul of Paul, but in the storms he appeared brighter than a calm noon, and he shone just as he did before the clouds. For the sun shining in him did not emit such rays as to be overshadowed by the onslaught of temptations, but rather they shone out all the more then. Wherefore he also said: My grace is sufficient for you; for my power is made perfect in weakness. Let us then emulate him, and this heaven will be nothing to us, if we wish, nor the sun, nor the whole world; for these things are for us, not we for them. Let us show that we are worthy of these things having been made for us. For if we appear unworthy of these, how shall we be worthy of the kingdom? And indeed, all are unworthy to see the sun, as many as live to blaspheme God; those who blaspheme him are unworthy to enjoy the creations that glorify him; since even a son who insults his father is unworthy to enjoy the service of well-approved servants. For this very reason these things will enjoy great glory; but we shall undergo punishment and retribution. Of what great misery would it be, for the creation made for your sake to be formed for the liberty of the glory of the children of God, but for us who have become children of God, through great listlessness to be sent to destruction and Gehenna, for whose sake creation will enjoy that great prosperity? Therefore, so that this may not happen, let us who possess a pure soul keep it so; or rather, let us even increase its brightness; and let those who have a soiled one not despair. For if your sins are, he says, as scarlet, I will make them white as snow; and if they are as crimson, I will make them white as wool. And when God makes a promise, do not doubt, but do those things through which you will be able to draw these promises to yourself. Have you committed ten thousand terrible deeds and transgressions? And what of that? For you have not yet gone down to Hades, where no one will confess; your contest has not yet been dissolved, but you stand within the wrestling-ground, and you are able, even by a final struggle, to reverse all your defeats. You have not yet 60.581 become where the rich man was, that you should hear, that 60.581 A chasm is between us and you; for the bridegroom has not yet arrived that one should be afraid to share oil; you can still buy and store it up. And there is not yet one saying: Lest there not be enough for us and for you; but there are many who sell: the naked, the hungry, the sick, those dwelling in prison. Feed these, clothe those, visit the ones lying down, and the oil will come more than from springs. The day of accounting has not yet arrived. Use the time for what is needed, and make cancellations of debts, and to the one who owes the hundred measures of oil say: Take your bill, and make it fifty. And do likewise in matters of money and of words and of all other things, imitating that steward; and advise these things both to yourself and to your kindred. For you are still master to say these things; you have not yet been brought to the necessity of entreating another for these things, but you have authority to advise both yourself and others; but when you depart to that place, you will be able to do neither of these things for what is needed; reasonably so. For having received so much time, and having benefited neither yourself nor another, how then, having come under the hands of the judge, will you be able to obtain this grace? Gathering all these things, therefore, let us hold fast to our salvation, and not betray the opportunity of the present life. For it is possible, it is possible even at the last breaths to be well-pleasing to God; it is possible also to find favor by a will, not in the same way as when living, yet it is possible nonetheless. How and in what way? If you write him in among your heirs, and assign to him also a share of the whole inheritance. You did not feed him while living? Even when you are departing, when you are no longer master, share yours with him; he is philanthropic, he does not deal strictly with you. For it is of greater desire and a greater reward for you to feed him while living; but if you have not done this, at least come to the second best; leave him as a co-heir with your children. But if you shrink from this also, consider that his Father

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Παύλου ψυχὴν οὐδεὶς ἐκάλυψε πειρασμὸς, ἀλλ' ἐν τοῖς χειμῶσι λαμπρότερος ἐφαίνετο σταθηρᾶς μεσημβρίας, καὶ ὁμοίως ἔλαμπεν, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ πρὸ τῶν νεφῶν. Ὁ γὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ φαίνων ἥλιος οὐ τοιαύτας ἠφίει τὰς ἀκτῖνας, ὡς συσκιάζεσθαι τῇ τῶν πειρασμῶν συνδρομῇ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τότε μᾶλλον ἐξέλαμπον. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἔλεγεν· Ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου· ἡ γὰρ δύναμίς μου ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελειοῦται. Ζηλώσωμεν τοίνυν αὐτὸν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἔσται οὐδὲ πρὸς ἡμᾶς οὗτος ὁ οὐρανὸς, ἐὰν θέλωμεν, οὔτε ὁ ἥλιος, οὔτε ὁ κόσμος ἅπας· ταῦτα γὰρ δι' ἡμᾶς, οὐχ ἡμεῖς διὰ ταῦτα. ∆είξωμεν, ὅτι ἄξιοί ἐσμεν τοῦ γεγενῆσθαι ταῦτα δι' ἡμᾶς. Ἂν γὰρ τούτων ἀνάξιοι φανῶμεν, πῶς βασιλείας ἐσόμεθα ἄξιοι; Καὶ εἰ ἀνάξιοι πάντες τὸν ἥλιον ὁρᾷν, ὅσοι εἰς βλασφημίαν ζῶσι τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἀνάξιοι τῶν κτισμάτων ἀπολαύειν τῶν δοξαζόντων αὐτὸν οἱ βλασφημοῦντες αὐτόν· ἐπεὶ καὶ υἱὸς πατέρα ὑβρίζων, ἀνάξιος οἰκετῶν εὐδοκιμούντων ἀπολαύειν διακονίας. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο ταῦτα μὲν καὶ πολλῆς ἀπολαύσεται δόξης· ἡμεῖς δὲ κόλασιν ὑποστησόμεθα καὶ τιμωρίαν. Πόσης οὖν ἀθλιότητος ἂν εἴη, τὴν μὲν κτίσιν τὴν διὰ σὲ γενομένην εἰς ἐλευθερίαν τῆς δόξης τῶν τέκνων τοῦ Θεοῦ σχηματίζεσθαι, ἡμᾶς δὲ τοὺς τέκνα τοῦ Θεοῦ γενομένους, διὰ τὴν πολλὴν ῥᾳθυμίαν εἰς ἀπώλειαν πέμπεσθαι καὶ γέενναν, δι' οὓς ἡ κτίσις τῆς μεγάλης ἀπολαύσεται εὐημερίας ἐκείνης; Ἵν' οὖν μὴ τοῦτο γένηται, οἱ μὲν καθαρὰν κεκτημένοι ψυχὴν, φυλάξωμεν αὐτὴν τοιαύτην· μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἐπιτείνωμεν αὐτῆς τὴν λαμπηδόνα· οἱ δὲ ῥυπῶσαν ἔχοντες, μὴ ἀπογνῶμεν. Ἐὰν γὰρ ὦσι, φησὶν, αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν ὡς φοινικοῦν, ὡς χιόνα λευκανῶ· καὶ ἐὰν ὦσιν ὡς κόκκινον, ὡσεὶ ἔριον λευκανῶ. Ὅταν δὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἐπαγγέλληται, μὴ ἀμφίβαλλε, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνα ποίει, δι' ὧν ἐπισπάσασθαι τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ταύτας δυνήσῃ. Μυρία σοι εἴργασται δεινὰ καὶ πεπλημμέληται; Καὶ τί τοῦτο; Οὐδέπω γὰρ εἰς τὸν ᾅδην ἀπῆλθες, ἔνθα οὐδεὶς ἐξομολογήσεται· οὐδέπω σου τὸ θέατρον λέλυται, ἀλλ' εἴσω τοῦ σκάμματος ἕστηκας, καὶ δύνασαι καὶ δι' ἐσχάτης πάλης πάσας ἀναπαλαῖσαι τὰς ἥττας. Οὔπω 60.581 γέγονας, ἔνθα που ὁ πλούσιος, ἵνα ἀκούσῃς, ὅτι 60.581 Χάος ἐστὶ μεταξὺ ἡμῶν καὶ ὑμῶν· οὔπω γὰρ παρεγένετο ὁ νυμφίος ἵνα φοβηθῇ τις μεταδοῦναι ἐλαίου· ἔτι δύνασαι ἀγοράσαι καὶ ἀποθέσθαι. Καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδέπω ὁ λέγων· Μήποτε οὐ μὴ ἀρκέσῃ καὶ ἡμῖν καὶ ὑμῖν· ἀλλ' εἰσὶν οἱ πωλοῦντες πολλοὶ, οἱ γυμνοὶ, οἱ πεινῶντες, οἱ ἀῤῥωστοῦντες, οἱ δεσμωτήριον οἰκοῦντες. Θρέψον τούτους, ἔνδυσον ἐκείνους, ἐπίσκεψαι τοὺς κειμένους, καὶ ὑπὲρ τὰς πηγὰς ἥξει τὸ ἔλαιον. Οὔπω τοῦ λογοθεσίου ἐφέστηκεν ἡ ἡμέρα. Χρῆσαι καὶ εἰς δέον τῷ καιρῷ, καὶ χρεῶν ἀποκοπὰς ποίησον, καὶ τῷ ὀφείλοντι τοὺς ἑκατὸν βάτους τοῦ ἐλαίου εἰπέ· ∆έξαι σου τὸ γραμματεῖον, καὶ ποίησον πεντήκοντα. Καὶ ἐπὶ χρημάτων καὶ ἐπὶ ῥημάτων καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων ὁμοίως ποίει, τὸν οἰκονόμον ἐκεῖνον μιμούμενος· καὶ ταῦτα καὶ σεαυτῷ καὶ τοῖς συγγενέσι παραίνει. Ἔτι γὰρ εἶ κύριος τοῦ ταῦτα λέγειν· οὐδέπω κατέστης εἰς ἀνάγκην τοῦ παρακαλεῖν ἕτερον ὑπὲρ τούτων, ἀλλ' ἐξουσίαν ἔχεις καὶ σεαυτῷ καὶ ἑτέροις συμβουλεύειν· ὅταν δὲ ἀπέλθῃς ἐκεῖ, οὐδέτερον τούτων δυνήσῃ ποιεῖν εἰς δέον· εἰκότως. Ὁ γὰρ τοσαύτην λαβὼν προθεσμίαν, καὶ μήτε σαυτὸν μήτε ἕτερον ὠφελήσας, πῶς λοιπὸν ὑπὸ ταῖς χερσὶ τοῦ δικαστοῦ γενόμενος, δυνήσῃ ταύτης ἐπιτυχεῖν τῆς χάριτος; Ταῦτα οὖν ἅπαντα συλλέγοντες, ἐχώμεθα σφοδρῶς τῆς σωτηρίας τῆς ἡμετέρας, καὶ μὴ προδῶμεν τὴν εὐκαιρίαν τοῦ παρόντος βίου. Ἔστι γὰρ, ἔστι καὶ εἰς ἐσχάτας ἀναπνοὰς εὐαρεστῆσαι τῷ Θεῷ· ἔστι καὶ ἀπὸ διαθήκης εὐδοκιμῆσαι, οὐχ οὕτω μὲν ὡς ζῶντα· ἔστι δὲ ὅμως. Πῶς καὶ τίνι τρόπῳ; Ἂν ἐγγράψῃς αὐτὸν μετὰ τῶν σῶν κληρονόμων, καὶ μοῖραν καὶ αὐτῷ τοῦ παντὸς ἀπονείμῃς κλήρου. Οὐκ ἔθρεψας αὐτὸν ζῶν; Κἂν ἀπελθὼν, ὅτε οὐκέτι κύριος εἶ, μετάδος αὐτῷ τῶν σῶν· φιλάνθρωπός ἐστιν, οὐκ ἀκριβολογεῖται πρὸς σέ. Μείζονος μὲν γὰρ πόθου καὶ πλείονος μισθοῦ, τὸ ζῶντά σε τρέφειν αὐτόν· εἰ δὲ τοῦτο αὐτὸ μὴ πεποίηκας, κἂν ἐπὶ τὸ δεύτερον ἐλθέ· συγκληρονόμον αὐτὸν ἄφες τοῖς παισὶ τοῖς σοῖς. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ὀκνεῖς, ἐννόησον, ὅτι ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ