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Sermo ob sacerdotum instructionem

BY THE SAME, EXHORTATION TO PRIESTS, 3, Concerning divine grace

Take heed to yourself, O priest, and to those whom you are about to teach, and look to the ministry which you have received, that you may fulfill it; for you have not been entrusted with an earthly ministry, but a heavenly one; not of men, but of angels. Strive to present yourself to the Lord as a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. Never stand in the assembly holding enmity against anyone, so that you may not put to flight 188 the Paraclete on the day of the assembly. Do not judge, nor be contentious at all, but concealing yourself, remaining in the church, pray and read until the hour in which you must complete the divine liturgy; and thus stand with compunction at the holy altar, not looking around here and there, but attending the heavenly king with trembling and fear. Do not rush or shorten the prayers for the sake of pleasing men, not imploring 'show partiality to a man,' but look to the king who is set forth and the powers standing around. Make yourself worthy of the sacred canons; do not concelebrate with those whom the canon rejects. See, therefore, whom you attend, how you celebrate the holy rites and to whom you give communion.

See 189 that you do not forget the Lord's command and that of the holy apostles; 'For,' it says, 'do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine'; 'Beware of dogs' and so on. See, therefore, that you are not led by human fear, nor terrified of a man to your own fall; do not deliver the Son of God into the hands of the unworthy. See, therefore, that you are not ashamed before the glorious of the earth, nor terrified, even of him who wears the diadem, in that hour when you stand to celebrate the holy rites. See how you give to those wishing to receive freely in their houses; I have no say in the matter, you will see to it. But to those worthy of divine communion, give freely, as you yourself have received; to those whom the divine canons 190 do not permit, do not give communion, for they have been reckoned as gentiles, and woe to those who give communion to them before they repent. See, therefore, that a mouse or anything else does not touch the divine mysteries; that it not become damp or smoky or be handled by the uninitiated through your negligence. [See how you put away the holy things after the completion of the divine liturgy; lest in your haste a pearl should fall, see that you do not leave the holy chalice containing liquid and it be covered with dust, but having put both away, thus depart. See, if any holy gifts remain, it is not permitted for any to partake of them except the priests only; but if not, and there are suitable, chaste children, bring them and let them receive communion, and let them remain fasting until the 5th hour. See that flies do not fall into the holy chalice or sit upon the 191 bread; see that nothing else touches the divine mysteries]. By observing these and similar things, you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

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Sermo ob sacerdotum instructionem

ΤΟΥ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΠΑΡΑΓΓΕΛΙΑ ΠΡΟΣ ΙΕΡΕΙΣ Γ Περὶ τῆς θείας χάριτος

Πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ, ὦ ἱερεῦ, καὶ οἷς μέλλεις διδάσκειν, καὶ βλέπε τὴν διακονίαν, ἣν παρέλαβες, ἵνα αὐτὴν πληροῖς· οὐ γὰρ ἐπίγειον διακονίαν ἐνεχειρίσθης, ἀλλ' οὐράνιον· οὐκ ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλ' ἀγγέλων. Σπούδασον σεαυτὸν παραστῆσαι τῷ κυρίῳ ἐργάτην ἀνεπαίσχυντον, ὀρ θοτομοῦντα τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας. Μηδέποτε στῇς εἰς σύναξιν ἔχων ἔχθραν κατά τινος, ἵνα μὴ φυγα 188 δεύσῃς τὸν παράκλητον ἐν ἡμέρᾳ συνάξεως. Μὴ δικάζου, μηδὲ φιλονείκει καθόλου, ἀλλὰ κρυπτόμενος, ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ μένων, προσεύχου καὶ ἀναγίνωσκε μέχρι τῆς ὥρας, ἐν ᾗ δεῖ σε τελέσαι τὴν θείαν μυσταγωγίαν· καὶ οὕτω παράστα ἐν κατανύξει τῷ ἁγίῳ θυσιαστηρίῳ, μὴ περιβλεπόμενος ἔνθεν κἀκεῖθεν, ἀλλὰ φρίκῃ καὶ φόβῳ παριστάμενος τῷ ἐπουρανίῳ βασιλεῖ. Μὴ διὰ θερα πείαν ἀνθρωπίνην ἐπισπεύσῃς τὰς εὐχὰς ἢ συντέμῃς, μὴ παρακαλῶν «λάμβανε πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπου», ἀλλ' ὅρα πρὸς τὸν προκείμενον βασιλέα καὶ τὰς παρεστώσας δυνάμεις κύκλω. Ἄξιον σεαυτὸν ποίησον τῶν ἱερῶν κανόνων· μὴ συλλειτούρ γει οὓς ὁ κανὼν ἀπωθεῖται. Ὅρα οὖν τίνι παρέστηκας, πῶς ἱε ρουργεῖς καὶ τίσι μεταδίδως.

Ὅρα 189 μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ τῆς δεσποτικῆς ἐντολῆς καὶ τῆς τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων· «Μὴ δότε γάρ, φησί, τὰ ἅγια τοῖς κυσί, καὶ τοὺς μαργαρίτας μὴ βά λητε ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων»· «Βλέπετε τοὺς κύνας» καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ὅρα οὖν μὴ φόβῳ ὑπαχθεὶς ἀνθρω πίνῳ, πτοηθῇς ἄνθρωπον εἰς πτῶ σίν σου· μὴ παραδῶς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς χεῖρας ἀναξίων. Ὅρα οὖν μὴ ἐντραπῇς τοὺς ἐνδόξους τῆς γῆς, μηδ' αὐτὸν τὸν τὸ διάδημα περικείμενον πτοηθῇς ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, ὅταν παρίστασαι ἱερουργῆσαι. Βλέπε τοὺς βουλομένους λαμβάνειν δωρεὰν ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις πῶς δίδως· ἐγὼ πρᾶγμα οὐκ ἔχω, σὺ ὄψει. Τοῖς δὲ τῆς θείας μεταλήψεως ἀξίοις μεταδίδου δωρεάν, ὡς καὶ αὐτὸς ἔλαβες· οἷς οἱ θεῖοι κανόνες 190 οὐκ ἐπιτρέπουσι μὴ μεταδώσης, ὡς ἐθνικοὶ γὰρ ἐλογίσθησαν καὶ πρὶν ἐπιστρέψωσι τοῖς μεταδιδοῦσιν αὐ τοῖς οὐαί. Ὅρα οὖν μὴ μῦς ἢ ἄλλο τι ἅψηται τῶν θείων μυστηρίων· μὴ ἐξ ἀμελείας σου νοτισθῇ ἢ καπνισθῇ ἢ χειρισθῇ ὑπὸ ἀνιέρων. [Ορα πῶς καταστέλλεις τὰ ἅγια μετὰ τὴν ἐκπλήρωσιν τῆς θείας λει τουργίας· μὴ σπεύδων μαργαρίτης ἀποπέσῃ, βλέπε μὴ ἐάσῃς ἔχον νᾶμα τὸ ἅγιον ποτήριον καὶ κονοπιασθῇ, ἀλλ' ἀμφότερα καταστείλας οὕτω πορεύου. Βλέπε, ἐὰν ἀπομείνωσιν ἅγια δῶ ρα οὐκ ἔξεστι κοινωνεῖν αὐτὰ πλὴν τῶν ἱερέων καὶ μόνον· εἰ δὲ μή γε, καὶ εἰσὶν αὐταρκῆ παιδία σώφρονα, ἄγαγε καὶ ταῦτα κοινωνήτωσαν, καὶ διαμεινάτωσαν νηστεύοντες ἕως ὥ ρας εʹ. Ὅρα μὴ μυῖαι πέσωσιν εἰς τὸ ἅγιον ποτήριον ἢ ἐπάνω τοῦ 191 ἄρτου καθήσωσιν· ὅρα μὴ ἄλλο τι ἅψηται τῶν θείων μυστηρίων]. Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα φυλάττων καὶ σεαυτὸν σώσεις καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντάς σου.